Frank Wolf

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia and me to remember Calvin L. ``Boots'' Ritchie, a farmer and activist deeply committed to agriculture and his fellow farmers in Fauquier County, Virginia, who passed away on February 26. Selected by the Fauquier Times-Democrat as ``Citizen of the Year'' in 1994, Boots will be remembered for his countless accomplishments, including co-founding People Helping People of Fauquier County, Inc., a local charity offering immediate help to residents of Fauquier struggling against natural disaster, illness, or sudden financial hardship. We insert for the Record a Fauquier Times-Democrat obituary from February 28. A Fauquier native, Boots will be deeply missed by the people of the county, and at home by his family. [From the Fauquier Times-Democrat, Feb. 28, 2006] ``Boots'' Succumbs to Cancer Southern Fauquier farmer was outspoken advocate for agriculture, education Calvin L. ``Boots'' Ritchie, of Bealeton, one of Fauquier County's leading citizens for the past two decades and an active force behind a home-grown charitable organization, died at home on Feb. 27 after a long and valiant fight against cancer. He was 78. A native son of Fauquier, Mr. Ritchie was born June 17, 1927 at Inglewood Farm, where he died. He earned his unique nickname as a child, when he did his chores around the farm ``wearing an adult-sized pair of gumboots that reached to his hips,'' recalled his sister, Hazel Bell, in a 1994 interview. ``He was about 5 or 6 years old, and the name stuck.'' He spent his entire life working in agriculture, first on the family farm and later, while engaged in custom farming. In the mid-1970s, he founded the Fauquier Grain Company. Mr. Ritchie came to the general public's attention in 1978, when he was involved in the American Agriculture Movement. The AAM sought 100 percent parity for farm products, and made their point by staging a memorable ``Tractorcade'' demonstration that passed through Fauquier into Washington,

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for me to recognize U.S. speed skating champion, Joey Cheek, who won Olympic gold on February 13 in the men's 500-meter speed skating event at the winter games in Torino, Italy. Mr. Cheek decided to donate $25,000 in prize money to ``Right to Play,'' an organization that will use the money to benefit refugees from the Darfur region of western Sudan by using sports to advance development, health, and peace. Not only is Mr. Cheek an incredibly gifted athlete, he has shown tremendous generosity using his own glory to shed light on the atrocities being carried out by the Government of Sudan against its own people. As co-chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus and having traveled to Sudan five times, I have no doubt that Mr. Cheek's donation will make a difference in the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur. I insert for the Record a State Department news release from February 16. I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Joey Cheek for his remarkable accomplishments, on and off the ice.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia and me to remember Calvin L. ``Boots'' Richie, a farmer and activist deeply committed to agriculture and his fellow farmers in Fauquier County, Virginia, who passed away on February 26. Selected by the Fauquier Times-Democrat as ``Citizen of the Year'' in 1994, Boots will be remembered for his countless accomplishments, including co-founding People Helping People of Fauquier County, Inc., a local charity offering immediate help to residents of Fauquier struggling against natural disaster, illness, or sudden financial hardship. We insert for the Record a Fauquier Times-Democrat obituary from February 28. A Fauquier native, Boots will be deeply missed by the people of the county, and at home by his family. [From the Fauquier Times-Democrat, Feb. 28, 2006] ``Boots'' Succumbs to Cancer; Southern Fauquier Farmer Was Outspoken Advocate for Agriculture, Education Calvin L. ``Boots'' Ritchie, of Bealeton, one of Fauquier County's leading citizens for the past two decades and an active force behind a home-grown charitable organization, died at home on Feb. 27 after a long and valiant fight against cancer. He was 78. A native son of Fauquier, Mr. Ritchie was born June 17, 1927 at Inglewood Farm, where he died. He earned his unique nickname as a child, when he did his chores around the farm ``wearing an adult-sized pair of gumboots that reached to his hips,'' recalled his sister, Hazel Bell, in a 1994 interview. ``He was about 5 or 6 years old, and the name stuck.'' He spent his entire life working in agriculture, first on the family farm and later, while engaged in custom farming. In the mid-1970s, he founded the Fauquier Grain Company. Mr. Ritchie came to the general public's attention in 1978, when he was involved in the American Agriculture Movement. The AAM sought 100 percent parity for farm products, and made their point by staging a memorable ``Tractorcade'' demonstration that passed through Fauquier into Washington,

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor for Mr. Tom Davis of Virginia and I to remember the Honorable John F. ``Jack'' Herrity, former chairman of the Fairfax County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors, who passed away on February 1. If anyone is worthy of the title ``Mr. Fairfax,'' Jack Herrity is that person. A driven leader during his time with the Fairfax County Board, Jack was the guiding force in setting the firm foundation for a growing and developing Fairfax County. His leadership brought us the Fairfax County Parkway, Interstate 66 inside the Beltway and the Dulles Access Road. The Virginia General Assembly aptly named the Fairfax County Parkway in his honor in 1995. After attending Georgetown University as an undergraduate and as a law student, Jack formed Jack Herrity and Associates, a pension planning and insurance business. But public service was Jack's forte. He quickly became engaged in northern Virginia politics, serving on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from 1971 to 1987. He was elected chairman of the board in 1975 and served three terms. He recognized the potential of Fairfax County to become the largest jurisdiction in the Washington area and helped develop the once sleepy rural crossroads, Tysons Corner, into the thriving commercial district it is today. Jack Herrity carved a place which is now and will forever be unmatched in Fairfax County history. We honor and remember Jack for his countless accomplishments and unwavering dedication to the people of Fairfax County. We insert for the Record a Washington Post obituary from February 2. Jack will be deeply missed by the people of Fairfax County, and at home by his family. [From the Washington Post, Feb. 2, 2006] (By Lisa Rein and Peter Baker) John F. ``Jack'' Herrity, the former chairman of the Fairfax Board of Supervisors who ushered in a development boom that transformed the county from sleepy bedroom community to suburban colossus, died yesterday of heart failure. He was 74. Herrity, whose scrappy battle with a weak heart first endeared him to Fairfax voters in the 1970s, succumbed to an aortic aneurysm at Inova Fairfax Hospital, where he was admitted two weeks ago with chest pain. He had a heart transplant 12 years ago. In his heyday, Herrity dominated Northern Virginia politics as few others have, commanding attention with his pugnacious style and unabashedly pro-growth policies. His was a classic rise-and-fall political story--from his landslide victories as the Fairfax economy soared to unprecedented heights to his crushing defeat in 1987 when the onslaught of new cars finally overwhelmed county roads and voter patience. Herrity was engaged in county affairs until the end. From his hospital bed last week, he was asking former aides to help run his likely campaign for board chairman next year, a race he lost in 2003 in a Republican primary. He was busy fighting plans to extend Metrorail to Dulles International Airport, saying the expense could not be justified. And, in an about-face some local politicians saw as cynical, he had joined in recent months with grass-roots activists--and the woman who defeated him, slow-growth Democrat Audrey Moore--to fight dense development planned for the county's last slivers of open space. He was at meetings almost every night. ``To Jack's credit, if he had a difference of opinion [with the county's leadership], he never sat on his hands,'' Eric Lundberg, the Fairfax GOP chairman, said. ``He was willing to engage in the battle.'' Herrity could be seen most mornings in a floppy wide- brimmed hat walking his black Labrador retriever, Raven, on the W & OD trail near his Vienna home, where he lived with his wife, JoAnn Spevacek-Herrity. They married in November. ``He's a piece of our history,'' said Board Chairman Gerald E. Connolly (D), who ordered county flags flown at half-staff yesterday. ``He was a political adversary, but he would do it more often than not with a certain twinkle in his eye. It was more the love of the fight than the substance of the moment.'' Herrity was the fourth person to serve as countywide chairman but the first to hold the job for a full term, let alone three. He defined the role as a quasi-mayoral position even though it has no real executive power. He played a major role in building what was commonly referred to as the economic engine of Virginia. By fostering a superheated business environment, he helped lure Fortune 500 companies such as what was then known as the Mobil Corp. to Fairfax and convert a suburban crossroads called Tysons Corner into a commercial center larger than downtown Miami. ``Instead of jobs going out of the county,'' Herrity wanted jobs to stay in the county, Northern Virginia developer John T. ``Til'' Hazel said. During this period of growth under Herrity, more than 1,000 people moved into Fairfax every month. The county grew into the largest jurisdiction in the Washington area. From Herrity's first election as chairman in 1975 to his ouster in 1987, the county's population jumped by more than a third, from 554,500 to 746,600--surpassing most U.S. cities and even several states. Today, more than 1 million people live in Fairfax. He was an advocate for improving the county's road network and pushed to widen Interstate 66 inside the Capital Beltway. He first opposed, then campaigned hard for a major new road cutting through the county's midsection. The General Assembly named the Fairfax County Parkway in his honor in 1995. It was his quick-witted, never-say-die brand of politics that earned him a loyal following during a crucial transition period in Fairfax history. With his burly build, balding pate and ever-present U.S. flag lapel pin, Herrity became a familiar figure in political and civic circles. Known simply as Jack, he crisscrossed the 399-square-mile county almost every day in search of any gathering of two or more people, often driving so fast that he collected a glove compartment full of speeding tickets that became legendary. Throughout his tenure, Herrity was notorious for his penchant for the outrageous, shoot-from-the-hip statements. When county officials were thinking about building a major government center, he suggested that they instead ``build a circus tent and put the bureaucrats in it.'' He called Metro, which opened while he was in office, a ``Mighty Expensive Transportation Rip Off.'' His tart tongue extended to his rivals as well. In 1987, he derided Moore as a gadfly with so little support on the board that, if she made the motion, she ``couldn't get a second to go to the bathroom.'' Four years later, he dismissed Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Fairfax) as a ``left-wing liberal'' whose support from a taxpayers group was ``like the chicken endorsing the fox.'' His relationships with both had softened in recent years. Herrity saw no reason to apologize for his close alliance with the region's powerful developers, who he said had helped create a quality of life envied across the country--high- paying jobs, good schools, low crime. But his ties to the real estate industry became his political undoing. His 1986 conviction on a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest charge for failing to disclose a relationship with a builder only cemented Herrity's public image as a handmaiden of developers. By then, voter support for the breakneck pace of construction had dissolved amid maddening traffic gridlock. He suffered a major indignity in 1987 when he lost his prized office to Moore by more than 21 percentage points. He never fully accepted defeat. Years later, his address in his telephone book was still the county government headquarters. ``This was Jack's life,'' Davis recalled. ``When he was defeated he couldn't move on to something else. He was a doer. He could never sit still.'' The comeback Herrity methodically plotted collapsed in 1991 when he lost the GOP nomination for chairman to Davis, his one-time protege, who also handpicked a Republican to run against him in the 2003 primary for board chairman. Since his departure from elective politics, Herrity also failed at bids for Virginia governor in 2001 and county GOP chairman in 2004. Born in Arlington, reared in Prince George's County and educated at St. Anthony's High School in the District (now All Saints High School), John Frances Herrity was the product of a working-class Irish Catholic family of elevator mechanics, union leaders and loyal Democrats. He spent much of his youth hustling on the basketball court. After high school and a tour in the Coast Guard, the rambunctious young Herrity settled down to his studies at Georgetown University, where he earned undergraduate and law degrees and met his first wife. After marrying in 1958, he eventually went into the insurance business, where he worked as a consultant after his return to the private sector. It did not take long for Herrity to jump into local civic affairs. He soon formed a homeowners association and became the local Democratic precinct captain. But like many Democrats in his era, he became alienated with his party's lurch to the left and switched to the GOP just in time for his first run for office--that of Springfield District supervisor in 1971.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the time and rise in support of the bill and would say that the subcommittee will be holding hearings to get to the bottom of this. The funding provided in the bill translates into $4.8 billion in loans that will now be available to victims of the gulf coast hurricanes. The bill simply provides a temporary fix by shifting funds previously appropriated to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and redesignating them for the Small Business Administration disaster loan program. The funding is needed immediately as a stopgap measure so that lending to affected homeowners and businesses can continue uninterrupted. As a personal comment, when we listen to the different debates and comments and all the shows and all the attacking, the things going on in this city, I think it is really time for both parties to come together and to attempt to deal with some of these issues that we have in this country in a less partisan way. There was a very good article that David Broder did in the Washington Post about a week-and-a-half ago when he talked about when President Ronald Reagan was shot outside the Hilton, Tip O'Neill went to his bedside at the George Washington University Hospital and held his hand and prayed with him. There were differences in the country those days, but there was just a different tone. So I would hope that we could return to the days of Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill whereby the differences were less sharp and more civil to do which, quite frankly, with the problems that this country has both domestically and internationally, come together to do the best thing for the country. With that, I appreciate the gentleman bringing up this bill. Congress of the United States, House of Representatives, January 30, 2006. Dear Colleague: You may have missed the David Broder column below that appeared in the Sunday, January 29, Washington Post on the same day my pastor preached a sermon based on Ephesians 4:29-32 about being kind to one another. There will always be real differences in our views on issues, but there should not be an absence of kindness and civility in our dealings with one another. It would be a good idea for the Congress and the country to adopt the Ronald Reagan/``Tip'' O'Neill model. Sincerely, Frank R. Wolf, Member of Congress. [From the Washington Post, Jan. 1, 2006] When Partisan Venom Didn't Rule (By David S. Broder) The stench of partisanship is so strong in Washington these days that it is difficult to remember that it was not always the case that Republicans and Democrats were at each other's throats. But, in truth, there was a time when friendship and simple human compassion were far more powerful than any political differences. A wonderful reminder of that fact can be found among the oral histories compiled by two dozen of Ronald Reagan's main associates that are being released Sunday by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia. The transcripts are available at www.millercenter.org. One of the tapes was furnished by Max Friedersdorf, who ran the White House congressional liaison staff for Reagan. Friedersdorf recounts in the interview what happened while the president was recovering at George Washington University Hospital after the assassination attempt outside the Washington Hilton hotel on March 30, 1981. Reagan was seriously wounded by John Hinckley, and the day after the shooting, Friedersdorf got a call in the White House from James Baker, Reagan's chief of staff, who was at the hospital. ``Get over here,'' Baker commanded. ``I went over to GW Hospital and went up to the president's room,'' Friedersdorf said, ``and Jim was outside the room with Mrs. Reagan and her Secret Service agent. Baker said, ``I want you to stay here until I tell you to leave.'' What had happened, Friedersdorf learned, was that Nancy Reagan ``was all upset,'' because Sen. Strom Thurmond had come over to the hospital a few hours earlier and somehow had talked his way through the lobby, up the elevator and into Reagan's room, where he attempted to chat with the gravely wounded president. ``Mrs. Reagan was outraged, distraught,'' Friedersdorf said. So Baker directed him to take up the watch, and ``if any congressman or senator comes around here, make sure the Secret Service doesn't let anybody up, even on this floor.'' Friedersdorf said he remained on duty during daylight hours for the next three or four days, and then word came from Baker that the president had recovered enough to start to see people. The first person to be admitted, Friedersdorf said, was Thomas P. ``Tip'' O'Neill, the speaker of the House. When the Massachusetts Democrat arrived, Nancy Reagan slipped out of the room and Friedersdorf retreated to a corner of the suite where he could remain unobtrusive. ``Tip got down on his knees next to the bed, and said a prayer for the president, and he held his hand and kissed him and they said a prayer together . . . the 23rd Psalm. ``The speaker stayed there quite a while. They never talked too much. I just heard him say the prayer, then I heard him say, `God bless you, Mr. President, we're all praying for you.' ``The Speaker was crying. The president still, I think was a little, he was obviously sedated, but I think he knew it was the speaker because he said, `I appreciate your coming down, Tip.' He held his hand, sat there by the bed, and held his hand for a long [time].'' When I reached Friedersdorf last week at his retirement home in Florida, I asked him how it happened that Reagan's first guest was the leading Democrat on Capitol Hill. ``Well,'' he said, ``Tip was third in line of succession [after the vice president] and the fact he was a Democrat didn't bother anybody. We didn't even think about it. Tip had been calling constantly to see how the president was doing. And there was a bond there. ``I remember,'' Friedersdorf continued, ``the first dinner the Reagans had in the private residence was for Tip and his wife, and my wife and I were there. Tip and the president had a drink or two and started swapping Irish stories. ``Often, after that, Tip would say pretty harsh things about some of our legislative proposals, and the staff would want Reagan to answer him. But they trusted each other, and the president would say, `That's just Tip,' and let it go.'' I asked Friedersdorf if he could imagine that sort of relationship flourishing now between the Republican president and the top Democrats in Congress. ``Absolutely not,'' he said. Sadly, I think he is right.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 74) making appropriation for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to recognize my constituent, Mr. Edward E. Nichols of Purcellville, Virginia, who has served the town of Purcellville in some capacity for the last 55 years. During his dedicated service to the people of Purcellville and Loudoun County, Mr. Nichols served 20 years on the Purcellville Town Council, 8 years on the Planning Commission, 5 years on the Board of Zoning Appeals, as well as on numerous other advisory committees. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Mr. Nichols' contributions to the Purcellville community. Mr. Nichols's father opened ``Nichols Hardware'' which has been in business for 91 years. Even today Ed's son Ted is part-owner of the family business. Mr. Nichols and his wife Meg have raised two sons, one daughter, and are the proud grandparents of seven and also have one great granddaughter. Mr. Nichols should be commended on raising an exceptional family while continually remaining actively involved in his community. Today, at 86 years-old, Mr. Nichols continues to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals, and shows tremendous passion for serving the people of Purcellville.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to recognize and commend my constituent, Ms. Allison Biggs of Front Royal, Virginia, upon being selected as one of three recipients of the 2005 Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship. In 1999 the College of William and Mary in Virginia, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of State, established the Fellowship program to encourage top students to pursue careers in public service. The fellowships are offered to three outstanding undergraduates from across the nation. Ms. Biggs, a senior at William and Mary, is an accomplished student and community leader. She was accepted for a highly competitive internship in the State Department's Office of Policy Planning, working on nonproliferation and arms control issues. Now more than ever, as a nation we need to do everything we can to encourage our best and brightest young people to explore the call of public service, especially in serving our international interests. The Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship program will help Ms. Biggs gain invaluable work experience, and I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Allison for receiving this outstanding recognition.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos for expediting the consideration of H. Con. Res. 294, which condemns the Laogai prison system in China. I would also like to thank the 44 cosponsors of this resolution. This system of over 1,000 prisons, camps and mental institutions serves as one of the Chinese Communist Party's main tools of political and religious repression. Chinese citizens held in these prisons have no right to due process, no trial, and are often arrested because of their political or religious views. Thousands of pro-democracy activists, Internet dissidents, labor activists, and religious and spiritual believers, including Han Chinese, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Mongolians, and ``house church'' Christians are languishing in the Laogai today. The conditions in the Laogai prisons are abysmal. The system is based on a philosophy of reform through labor. Prisoners are forced to work extremely long hours in shocking conditions that often result in serious injury and even death. In direct violation of several international treaties of which China is part, the Laogai prisoners are used as free labor to generate products sold on the international market. Next time you buy a product made in China, know that it may have been made by a Laogai prisoner in slave-like conditions. Even more horrifying is the regular organ harvesting conducted in the prisons. Last week the deputy health minister of China even admitted to this horrific practice. Thousands of foreign patients and Chinese citizens receive organs harvested from Laogai prisoners. Can you imagine receiving an organ cut from someone arrested and killed because of their religious faith? The Laogai prisons are truly modern day gulags. I especially want to thank Harry Wu for his work in raising awareness about the Laogai system. Harry knows the system all too well, after spending 19 years behind bars in the Laogai after he was arrested because of his political beliefs. Harry has been courageous and relentless in his advocacy for human rights in China. I am hopeful that this resolution will bring light to this abysmal system and urge a unanimous vote in support.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4440, the redevelopment tax package. I want to thank Chairman Thomas, Chairman McCrery, and the Republican leadership for addressing the concerns of a lot of Members. There were 65 Members who signed the initial letter and 30 some that have signed the second letter on this issue. We all want to help the people of the Gulf Coast, and every fair- minded American want to give hurricane-ravaged areas the Federal assistance they need to rebuild bridges, roads, hospitals, water and sewer. While the Katrina tax package recently passed by the other body would allow benefits to rebuild massage parlors, liquor stores, and casinos because it does not contain a specific prohibition against it, this bill follows legislative history and regular order in where Federal dollars go to rebuild critical infrastructure like hospitals, homes, and communities. The House bill, I again stress, following precedent in redevelopment assistance legislation going back more than 20 years, expressly prohibits tax incentives from going to industries that I referred. Congress has a long history of limiting certain types of businesses from receiving redevelopment tax benefits. The bill before us today continues that precedent of not allowing our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars in these times of record deficits to subsidize the rebuilding of a massage parlor, a liquor store, or a casino. Just as Congress has historically done, we need to target our limited Federal resources to the areas that need it. It would be my expectation that when the measure comes out of conference, it will retain the provisions that ensure that tax incentives to rebuild the Gulf region are used wisely and effectively. It would be very difficult, almost impossible, to go to a town meeting sometime and say that I have supported or anyone has or the Congress supported giving tax breaks to rebuild whether it be a gambling casino or a massage parlor or a liquor store, and what we are doing today follows the law that we have done in the past. I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, today I shared the letter below from Admiral Lautenbacher, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to all U.S. coastal governors as well as the governors of U.S. territories. During a recent radio broadcast, I heard a NOAA official state that it was not a question of if a tsunami would hit the United States, but when. The letter below from Admiral Lautenbacher confirms this statement. It is my hope that our coastal states will contact the NOAA National Weather Service state liaison to receive more information about NOAA's TsunamiReady program. It was only one year ago that the deadly tsunami struck Indonesia. We must not forget this tragedy and should remember how important it is to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster. United States Department of Commerce, the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere, Washington, DC, November 22, 2005. Hon. Frank Wolf, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Representative Wolf: Thank you for your recent inquiry regarding the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) tsunami education and community preparedness programs. All coastal communities in the United States are at some risk. It is a matter of when, not if, a tsunami will strike. The anniversary of the devastating Indonesian tsunami of December 26, 2004, can serve as an opportunity to educate residents of the United States about our vulnerability to tsunamis, and help them minimize personal risk. Many lives can be saved during a tsunami if the community and local emergency managers are educated and prepared. NOAA has a ready-to-implement program available to coastal communities called TsunamiReady. The TsunamiReady program helps ensure a community is prepared--from understanding what is a tsunami, to ensuring a warning notification system is in place, and establishing evacuation routes and response actions in case of a tsunami warning. One key to a successful warning program is public notification. TsunamiReady uses NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (NWR) as one method to alert individuals when a warning is issued. NOAA Weather Radio continuously broadcasts National Weather Service forecasts, warnings, and other crucial weather information. NOAA Weather Radios can be programmed to receive information specific to a certain area, and sounds an alarm to alert users to dangerous situations, including tsunamis. For further information, please contact Kim Campbell (Kimberly.Campbell@noaa.gov), NOAA's National Weather Service Performance and Awareness Branch Chief, at (301) 713-0462 extension 118, or the appropriate State Liaison office from the enclosed list. We appreciate your ongoing interest in NOAA. Sincerely, Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service State Liaison Offices Alaska: Anchorage, Robert Hopkins, Tel. 907-266-5117: Juneau, Tom Ainsworth, Tel. 907-790-6804. Alabama: Birmingham, Jim Stefkovich, Tel. 205-664-7829. California: Sacramento, Elizabeth A. Morse, Tel. 916-979- 3041. Connecticut: Boston, MA, Robert M. Thompson, Tel. 508-823- 1900. Delaware: Philadelphia, PA, Gary Szatkowski, Tel. 609-261- 6600. Florida: Tallahassee, Paul Duval, Tel. 850-942-8833. Georgia: Atlanta, Lans Rothfusz, Tel. 770-486-1133. Hawaii: Honolulu, James Weyman, Tel. 808-973-5270. Louisiana: New Orleans/Baton Rouge, Paul S. Trotter, Tel. 985-649-0357. Maine: Portland, Albert W. Wheeler, Tel. 207-688-3216. Maryland: Baltimore/Washington, James Lee, Tel. 703-260- 0107. Massachusetts: Boston, Robert M. Thompson, Tel. 508-823- 1900. Mississippi: Jackson, Alan Gerard, Tel. 601-936-2189. New Hampshire: Portland, ME, Albert W. Wheeler, Tel. 207- 688-3216. New Jersey: Philadelphia, PA, Gary Szatkowski, Tel. 609- 261-6600. New York: Albany, Eugene Auciello, Tel. 518-435-9580. North Carolina: Raleigh/Durham, Darin Figurskey, Tel. 919- 515-8209. Oregon: Portland, Steve Todd, Tel. 503-261-9247. Rhode Island: Boston, MA, Robert M. Thompson, Tel. 508-823- 1900. South Carolina: Charleston, Mike Emlaw, Tel. 843-744-3207. Texas: Austin/San Antonio, Joe Arelano, Tel. 830-629-0130. Virginia: Wakefield, Anthony Siebers, Tel. 757.899-4200. Washington: Seattle/Tacoma, Christopher D. Hill, Tel. 206- 526-6095. Puerto Rico: San Juan, Israel Matos, Tel. 787-253-4586. Guam: Guam, Genevieve Miller, Tel. 671-472-0944.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I was honored to participate in Veterans Day observances held at the George C. Marshall International Center at Dodona Manor in Leesburg, Virginia. The commemoration was organized by U.S. Army retired Colonel Gerhard L. Jacobson and featured U.S. Army retired Lieutenant General Frank A. Camm as the keynote speaker. I would like to share for our colleagues the stirring remarks by General Camm. Veterans Day Speech november 11, 2005 Thank you, Jake . . . Mr. Price, fellow veterans and American citizens . . . as a descendant of the Rector family on nearby Goose Creek, I am proud to join you here at Dodona Manor, the home of one of our greatest veterans, General George Marshall, in paying tribute to the service of America's veterans. This is the day we remember our debt to those who've worn the uniform of the United States. This is the day we thank and honor ALL who have. served honorably in the military--in wartime or peacetime. We honor them for their patriotism, their love of country, and their willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. And we thank them for their service, expressing our appreciation of their contributions to national security, and recognizing that all who served have sacrificed and done their duty. Today, all veterans can be certain that the Nation they served and the people they defended are grateful. It is appropriate, indeed, to observe Veterans Day here at Dodona Manor, the home of General Marshall, who was born just 125 miles from here on New Year's Eve 125 years ago. . . Having lived next door to General Marshall in Washington in 1938, having seen him speak at West Point, and having served in the Army's War Plans Division that he had headed 20 years before, I've been inspired by numerous accounts of this man whom President Roosevelt considered to be the Pershing of World War II and whom President Truman said was the greatest military man the Nation ever produced. General Marshall's 50 years of public service epitomize the selfless service so distinctive of our veterans. . . After serving General Pershing in and after World War I, General Marshall commanded troops in China, revamped officer training at Fort Benning, became Army Chief of Staff and exemplified selfless service in his gracious acceptance of President Roosevelt's keeping him in Washington during World War II instead of acceding to his desire to command troops in Europe. . . He gave selfless service again when heading toward well-deserved retirement in 1945. . . He had just entered Dodona Manor when a telephone call came from President Truman asking him to forego his first vacation in years and devote many months as a special presidential envoy to China . . . He extended his selfless service again and again when he became Truman's Secretary of State from 1947 to 49 creating the Marshall Plan, . . . and when he shortly thereafter accepted President Truman's request to take over the American Red Cross. . . After the Korean War began in 1950, President Truman interrupted General Marshall's vacation at a Michigan fishing camp to call him back to further selfless service in Washington as Secretary of Defense. . . Meanwhile, Senator Joe McCarthy was castigating George Marshall for treason, calling him a man (quote) ``guilty of an immense conspiracy'' and making (quote) ``common cause with Stalin''--General Marshall refused to respond, saying, (quote) ``If I have to explain at this point that I am not a traitor to the United States, I hardly think it's worth it.''. . . Shortly after retiring again to Dodona Manor in 1951, he agreed to chair the American Battle Monuments Commission. And in 1953, upon becoming the first professional soldier to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, he typically credited it to others, telling reporters it was a tribute ( quote) ``to the American people.'' . . . Indeed, all of us veterans are proud to count General Marshall as one of us! Our veterans have borne the cost of America's wars and stood watch over America's peace. Among the 42 million veterans of American wars, over 600 thousand died in battle and over 2 million were wounded. Today some 20 million living Americans wear the proud title of veteran. They include a few dozen survivors of World War I, over 3 million of World War II, 3 million of the Korean War, 8 million of the Vietnam War, and 2 million of the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fortunate to have a number of veterans with us here today, I want to acknowledge them, . . . so I ask all veterans present to please stand for us to recognize you? . . . (APPLAUSE). . . Thank you. . . Like Henry the Fifth in Shakespeare, we vets have a special bond with those with whom we've served. . . Trapped and outnumbered by the French army, Henry spoke to his men before the battle. His address is a classic in military legend: ``For he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother'' . . . And laying into slackers who'd avoided serving, he declared, ``and gentlemen in england now abed . . . shall think themselves accursed they were not here.''. . . Today, our soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen serve in 120 countries throughout the world during our ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. And the legacy of our veterans continues to inspire each of them to answer the call of duty. As we join in thanking our veterans for their service, let's applaud them not only for their past service, but the example they set for our current and future military. . . After the Korean War, our veterans returned home to a country indifferent to their service. . . After Vietnam, our military faced scorn from some circles. . . Indifference and scorn have no place in our heroes' homecoming. . . Instead, let's show our gratitude by welcoming all of our heroes when they return to the cities and towns they have so bravely defended. Now with the Global War on Terrorism, we cannot take our past peace and prosperity for granted. Our veterans know that freedom isn't free and that eternal vigilance is the price we must pay for our liberty. We must resolve to keep faith with our veterans as this nation fights and wins the Global War on Terrorism. We must resolve to thank and support all our veterans for their outstanding and selfless service to our nation and to thank them not only today, Veterans Day, but every day. Remember our veterans and the price they paid physically, financially, and emotionally to keep this nation safe. . . And remember our troops, America's future veterans, sons and daughters, who have selflessly made the decision to defend our count and all it stands for. Additionally, let's remember that veterans' families and military families have also paid the price for freedom. Though we may not be able to adequately thank our veterans, our soldiers, and their families, . . . we must always support them. With your support, our soldiers, America's future veterans, will continue to honor their sacred duty of protecting our nation, our fellow citizens, and the freedoms we hold so dear. Remember the Biblical questions: ``Whom shall I send? and Who will go for us?''. . . And whoever answers with the Biblical reply of ``Here am I. Send me'' . . . will return a veteran. Let us honor that veteran and resolve on this Veterans Day to remember that he or she goes for us and deserves our support and respect.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I am proud today to honor the 100th year anniversary of publication of the Fauquier Times-Democrat. Over the years, the Democrat has proudly served the people of Fauquier and the Warrenton community in Virginia's 10th Congressional District. The Democrat has undoubtedly carved out a respected place in the family of Virginia newspapers. I would like to thank the Fauquier Times-Democrat and members of its staff for their tremendous dedication to the people of northern Virginia and wish them continued success for the future.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I would like to submit for printing in the Congressional Record the following table, which displays the amounts provided in the conference report to accompany H.R. 2862, the Science, State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006. [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.001 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.002 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.003 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.004 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.005 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.006 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.007 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.008 [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TH15NO05.009

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. But if it goes on one side does that not impact on the other side?

Mr. WOLF. Well, I would like to challenge the gentleman to really pull together. I will try to come to the meeting or get some staff people to come. Bring in the Mexican ambassador. Do something rather than just coming down and doing that. But do something. Get the Mexican ambassador to come on in. Have somebody from the State Department. Bring them on up. Go down there. Walk it. Do everything you possibly can, because you certainly do not want something to happen whereby people die in a flood.

Mr. WOLF. Well, we will try to help you. We will send a letter, and in the letter that we will send maybe Mr. Mollohan will sign it with me. We will send you a copy of it. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. What do they do? What does Mexico do?

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I see the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Doggett), and if he would not leave the floor, I just wanted to comment on what he was commenting on, so I yield myself such time as I may consume. In the report on that Commission, and Mr. Doggett spoke to me about it, what you said did not kind of jibe completely with regard to our conversation. But the statement accompanying the conference report says, ``Within the amount for the water quality program, the conferees recommend that the Commission increase funding for the Lower Rio Grande Flood Control Project above the $2.2 million contained in the budget request.'' So we did ask for them to go above the request. Secondly, we say ``Studies by the U.S. section of the IBWC conclude that Rio Grande Valley levees are deficient in height, geologically flawed, and structurally unsound. The conferees expect the administration in the upcoming budget cycle to request sufficient funds to address these needs. Also, the conference directs that $250,000 be made available for the Rio Grande Canal Project.'' This is an increase over the construction amount. Secondly, we plan on doing a letter, because the country of Mexico is involved. Texas ought to be involved, but by torching something, it does not always get it done. I think it has to kind of come together.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).

Mr. WOLF. I yield to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I forgot my colleague is from Wisconsin. We are going to miss having Mr. Osborne here, but we look forward to working with him as Governor of Nebraska.

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 538, I call up the conference report on the bill (H.R. 2862) making appropriations for Science, the Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2006, and for other purposes.

Mr. WOLF

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.