Joe Wilson

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H. Res. 120, the Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building Designation Act, which would designate the United States Postal Office at 30777 Rancho California Road in Temecula, California, as the Dalip Singh Saund Post Office Building. By renaming this building for Congressman Saund, we will properly honor and remember one of California's most respected and accomplished leaders. Dalip Singh Saund was born on September 20, 1899, in a village in Punjab. He went to a boarding school in Jammu and graduated with a B.A. degree in Mathematics from Punjab University in 1919. In 1920, he immigrated to the United States and received his Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of California-Berkeley. From lettuce farmer to judge to legislator, Saund became a great American success story. An admirer of Lincoln, Gandhi, and Churchill, Saund devoted his life to serving the people in his community and furthering a cause greater than his own. At every stage of his remarkable story, Saund embodied Churchill's words to ``never, never, never, never give up.'' Saund remained proud of his Indian heritage and became a strong voice for immigrants from India. After a two-year battle, he convinced Congresswoman Clare Booth and Congressman Emanuel Celler to sponsor legislation that would allow for Indian immigrants to become American citizens. The legislation was passed by Congress and on July 3, 1946, was signed into law by President Harry Truman. After becoming a citizen, his passion for democracy and politics led him into a life of public service. He served as a judge in Westmorland and a member of Congress for three terms. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be able to speak about Congressman Saund's rich legacy today and I would like to thank my good friend Congressman Darrell Issa for sponsoring this legislation. Additionally, I've introduced H. Res. 31 calling for a portrait of Congressman Saund to be displayed on Capitol Hill and will work for its passage.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Erskine College, the oldest 4-year, church-related college in South Carolina, which was founded by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. For over 106 years, Erskine's faculty and staff have created an environment of excellence, where students are taught to incorporate their first-class education and good moral values into their day-to-day lives as members of society. Recently, the Erskine Seminary announced the opening of a new campus in partnership with the First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, which my family has attended for six generations. As well, Erskine Seminary trains our U.S. Army Medcom Chaplains at Fort Sam Houston. Finally, I would like to commend President John Carson, working with Board of Trustees Chairman John Moore, for his strong leadership and vision throughout his 7 years at Erskine. Because of President Carson's efforts, the school has reported record increases in enrollment for both the college and the seminary. When he steps down from his post in June, he can leave with the confidence that Erskine is better because of his service. In conclusion, may God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as the previous cochair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I rise to express our solidarity with the people of India and the Indian American community in the aftermath of the devastating tsunami that has affected so many nations in the Indian Ocean. Earlier tonight, a resolution of sympathy for South Asia was presented by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos), chairman and ranking member of the Committee on International Relations, along with the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Leach), who is leading a delegation to the affected areas, and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton), Indonesian Caucus cochairman. Nearly 140,000 people in 11 countries in South Asia and East Africa have died, approximately 3 to 5 million people have been displaced and citizens of over 40 countries have been affected by the tsunami. The most devastating death toll was in the nation of Indonesia, which is appreciated as the world's largest Muslim democracy of nearly a quarter of a billion people. India has nearly 15,000 casualties. In this time of need, the American people and our government are demonstrating the generosity and compassion that have been the hallmark of American society and culture since our Nation's founding. As we grieve for the dead, we must also continue to work hard to save those now living in the wake of this terrible disaster. Under the leadership of President George W. Bush, America has committed $350 million in relief to the nations in need. This substantial funding will go a long way to helping the estimated 3 to 5 million people who now face numerous hardships as they lack access to the basic necessities of life. Our country and our people are also contributing to this effort in countless other ways. Almost immediately after the disaster occurred, the United States military dispatched aircraft and ships to survey the damage and deliver supplies. Presently there are disaster relief assessment teams on the ground and 20 ships and 80 military aircraft in the area and en route, with 12,600 American military serving the relief effort. The U.S. Pacific Command said this week it is deploying 20 ships from docks in Hong Kong, Guam and the island of Diego Garcia. The ships are loaded with medical equipment and mobile hospitals, 41 helicopters, 2,100 Marines, 1,400 sailors and the capacity to generate 600,000 gallons of fresh water daily. Our Secretary of State Colin Powell and Governor Jeb Bush of Florida are tonight visiting the devastated nations of South Asia, proving our sincere efforts for reconstruction and recovery. Additionally, the United States Department of Defense and USAID have established coordination centers in Bangkok, Thailand, and Colombo, Sri Lanka. These centers will help coordinate the massive U.S. relief efforts. As the world has witnessed throughout our history, the American men and women in uniform always act boldly to help those in need. Over the past week, I have been most encouraged by the outpouring of support from the American people. Since December 26, Americans have contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to help those in need. Yesterday President Bush asked President George H.W. Bush and President Bill Clinton to head a nationwide charitable fund-raising effort. In the coming days they will urge all Americans to donate directly to reliable charities already providing help to tsunami victims. My colleagues, as you advise your constituents as you receive inquiries where to send contributions, I have two suggestions that I would want to suggest to you that I have learned in working with the Embassy of India here in Washington. First is the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund which is the Embassy of India at 2107 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington D.C. 20008. Additionally in India itself, the Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund of the American Chamber of Commerce of India, the AmCham, which is Room 1262, Maurya Sheraton Hotel, S.P. Marg, New Delhi, India. Both of these are organizations that will work to help in the recovery and restoration for the people who have been affected by the tsunami. I am confident that this effort will further highlight the tremendous decency of the American people. In the 1840s, historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, ``When America asks for the cooperation of its citizens, it is seldom refused. And I have often seen it afforded spontaneously with great good will.'' Most importantly, we should all remember that no contribution is too small. President Bush has asked that we all contribute as we are able to do so and fortunately citizens are responding in innovative ways. In my home State of South Carolina, an 11-year-old girl donated $11 she collected at her birthday party. In Columbia, South Carolina, Jack Edgerton, corporate president of Adluh Flour Company, and the Allen family recently demonstrated another example of the concern and compassion exhibited by the American people. They have offered to send nearly 100,000 pounds of flour from the farmers of South Carolina to affected countries, and I do appreciate their generosity. I am also grateful to Dr. Jim Carpenter of Oconee County, South Carolina, who has practiced medicine in Indonesia and speaks Indonesian. He has volunteered to return to provide medical assistance. These efforts exemplify the President's statement that ``the greatest source of Americans' generosity is not our government, it is the good heart of the American people.'' While the full impact of this disaster may never be known, the significant contribution of the American people will be remembered. I join President Bush in urging all Americans to give generously to this important cause. Since citizens of over 40 nations have been affected by the tsunami, this is truly a global event. As a member of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, I am pleased that President Bush visited the Indian Embassy here in Washington yesterday to pledge that we would help the Indian government and the Indian people in any way we can. After losing over 15,000 of its own people, the country of India has responded selflessly to this tragedy. India is now part of a disaster relief coalition with Japan, Australia and the United States. Yesterday, India began deploying Israeli-made unmanned aerial vehicles in round-the-clock searches for victims of the tsunami. By providing significant financial and military assistance to neighboring tsunami affected countries, India is already playing a vital role in this coalition. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros- Lehtinen), the new India Caucus cochair who succeeded me today, has also expressed her support to the people of India. It was an honor for me to cochair the largest country caucus in Congress and I am pleased to have worked with people like the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) my predecessor, the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Kelly), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Knollenberg), and other leaders in our work with the Indian American community. As a real estate attorney in South Carolina, I worked with Indian Americans for nearly 30 years in the hospitality, medical, and business sectors; and I have always appreciated the strong family values, entrepreneurship, and patriotism they have shown in our communities. There has been no better or finer example of this than the recent elections of the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Jindal) to Congress and Nikki Randhawa of Lexington, South Carolina to the South Carolina statehouse where she recently was elected president of the freshman class. They embody the hard work and drive that so many Indian Americans have fulfilling the American Dream. At such a critical time, it is important we stand beside the people of India identified today in the gentleman from Illinois's (Speaker Hastert) acceptance speech as the world's largest democracy, as America is the world's oldest democracy. Our two nations share the same values. I am confident with the proven generosity of Americans we will again demonstrate by our assistance to the people of South Asia to help recover from this terrible tragedy. Tonight I am very grateful to be joined by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers), a person of extraordinary credentials, a person serving in Congress who is a dedicated scientist, a graduate, a Ph.D. in nuclear physics from the University of California at Berkeley, a professor at Calvin College in Michigan, and a person, again, who has a deep understanding and appreciation of science and what it can mean to improve the lives of the American people and the people of South Asia. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. It was certainly very helpful to have the gentleman explain tsunamis and the effect and how precautions can be taken. We greatly appreciate the gentleman's excellent scientific background that can be so helpful. I know I particularly represent the low country of South Carolina, and we are certainly observing what has occurred in south Asia and we identify with our beaches of Hilton Head Island; it is a concern. But I thank the gentleman so much for his service. Mr. Speaker, as I complete my service as the cochair of the India Caucus, I want to give a special thanks to Dino Tepparo who is the legislative assistant and attorney of the office of the second district of South Carolina. I give so much credit to him for helping build the largest caucus on Capitol Hill. He also developed the website for the India Caucus, and he has really made a difference in trying for better relations between the world's largest democracy of India and the oldest democracy of the United States. And Dino Tepparo is a person, I greatly appreciate his efforts. Mr. Speaker, also I want to review the significance of this tragedy on so many different points, because it is so massive that it is almost overwhelming, as was indicated by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers) of the magnitude of what the people of the world are facing. As to the disaster background itself, on Sunday, December 26, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake off the West Coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia triggered massive tsunamis that affected several countries throughout South and Southeast Asia as well as Somalia, Tanzania, and Kenya in East Africa. Aftershocks continued to occur in the region through January 1, when a magnitude 6.5 earthquake occurred off the west coast of northern Sumatra. The current situation. The estimated death toll from the December 26 earthquake and tsunamis is more than 140,000 people in South and Southeast Asia and East Africa and may be as high as 150,000. Between 3 million to 5 million people throughout the affected region are lacking basic survival requirements, access to clean water, adequate shelter, food, sanitation, and health care. Contaminated water sources in the affected countries have increased the risk of cholera, dysentery, malaria, and dengue fever. Approximately 500,000 people are displaced in Indonesia. More than 889,175 are displaced in Sri Lanka. Mr. Speaker, 3.5 million people are affected in India, and more than 10,000 are injured in Thailand. In addition, between 15,000 and 30,000 may have been affected in Somalia, 12,000 are displaced in Malaysia, and approximately 12,000 are displaced and 300,000 affected in the Maldives. The American response. On December 31, President Bush pledged $350 million in relief and recovery assistance, bringing the total amount of pledges from donor countries and the World Bank to an estimated $2 billion. The United States is leading a core group of nations to help with immediate humanitarian relief, rehabilitation, and long-term reconstruction efforts, including India, Japan, and Australia. On January 2, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell led a delegation of U.S. officials, including Florida Governor Jeb Bush, to visit the disaster-stricken areas of Asia. The United States Pacific Command said this week it is deploying 20 ships from the docks in Hong Kong, Guam, and the island of Diego Garcia. The ships are loaded with medical equipment and mobile hospitals, 41 helicopters, 2,100 Marines, 1,400 sailors, and the capacity to generate 600,000 gallons of fresh water daily. On December 27, the United States provided more than 3,000 metric tons of rice to the U.N. World Food Program for use in the affected region. The United States Department of Defense and the United States Agency for International Development have established regional coordination centers in Bangkok, Thailand, and in Colombo, Sri Lanka. These centers will help coordinate the massive U.S. relief efforts. In addition to the hundreds of U.S. embassy and USAID mission staff who are now dedicated to the response to this disaster in their respective countries, USAID disaster assistance response team members and other U.S. assistance team members are already on the ground and moving into the affected countries. Of course, all of us want to advise our constituents, what can Americans do? Government officials on the ground are advising Americans wishing to offer support in the relief effort to focus on cash donations as opposed to shipments of used clothing, canned goods, or other commodities. While all assistance is greatly appreciated, cash donations are proving to be the most helpful form of assistance for tsunami victims for the following reasons: cash is the fastest and most direct way to get assistance to specific affected areas through nongovernmental and charitable organizations that are established and respected in the disaster response field. The cost of shipping these types of goods exceeds the value of the goods themselves, and many of these goods may not be culturally appropriate or timely in their arrival. Cash will also be used to help the purchase of goods on the ground in the affected areas in order to help jump start the local economies which were so severely impacted by the tsunami. At this time, unless there is further response and there is, thank goodness, from Congressman Ehlers.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Again, Mr. Speaker, we appreciate so much the gentleman's practical advise, his expertise, and his obvious compassion for the people of south Asia. As we conclude, I certainly want to say God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 11, I move that the House do now adjourn in memory of the late Honorable Robert T. Matsui.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as America has experienced a presidential election marred by shocking media bias, it is a sad reminder how important Reed Irvine's visionary role has been to promote fairness. Never before has the need been greater with CBS News presenting forged military records as fact, with The New York Times contriving an October surprise hoax to slander America's troops, with multiple news organizations gleefully producing fraudulent exit polls to influence voters, and with the Public Broadcasting System hysterically forecasting on election night a coup by Bush supporters. Despite these attacks, the voters knew better and President Bush prevailed. Fortunately, the propoganda purveyors have been unmasked by Reed Irvine with the assistance of courageous magazines, talk radio, bloggers, and Fox News. It is particularly fitting that the below obituary was prepared by the noted and courageous, crusading journalist John Gizzi in Human Events for the week of November 22, 2004. Death of a Watchdog: Reed Irvine (1922-2004) (By John Gizzi) To many liberals in the media targeted by his pointed criticisms, Reed Irvine, the founder of Accuracy in Media, was a tormenter. But to his legions of friends and admirers he was the ``Sergeant Joe Friday of the American media.'' Following his death on November 16 from complications following a stroke, the 82-year-old Irvine was remembered as the conservative movement's pioneering media watchdog. Born in Salt Lake City, Irvine graduated in 1942, at the age of 19, from the University of Utah. He then joined the U.S. Navy, which taught him Japanese, and became an interpreter for the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific theater of war and in occupied Japan. Following his discharge, he did graduate work at the University of Washington and won a Fulbright scholarship to Oxford, where he earned a master's degree in 1951. From 1951 until he retired in 1977, Irvine worked at the Federal Reserve Board. The topic of media bias dominated a group Irvine regularly lunched with and soon he founded Accuracy in Media to try to keep the national press honest. Through op-ed pieces, lectures, in-depth studies, a regular newsletter and frequent appearances on radio and TV, Irvine provided evidence that the major media indeed had a liberal bias. The grassroots following he developed provided AIM with the resources to launch national campaigns against the ``gods of the antennae.'' In 1983, for example, an AIM crusade convinced the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to give equal time to AIM to rebut an hour-long special, Vietnam: A Television History. In 1985, Irvine started Accuracy in Academia to combat leftist teachings at U.S. colleges. For those outside the movement, Irvine may be best remembered for his spirited appearances at town hall meetings hosted by Ted Koppel on ABC's ``Nightline.'' Perhaps the most poignant tribute to Irvine came from Koppel. ``Reed Irvine was, at times, a harsh critic of the television news industry and me in particular,'' Koppel told Human Events, ``but throughout the many years that I knew him, he was never anything but courtly and personally gracious. Just as I would insist that all other enterprises in our society benefit from the presence of a critical and fearless press, so, too, the press benefits from being held to high and occasionally harsh standards. Reed Irvine fulfilled that function to the greater good of all.'' Irvine leaves his wife of 56 years, Kay Araki Irvine, son Don (who succeeded him as president of Accuracy in Media), and three grandchildren.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember a distinguished South Carolinian, Janet Dolly Nash. Dolly Nash and her husband always flew the American flag at their home in Beaufort, South Carolina. She was a proud American. Not long ago, Dolly ``passed'' (a term often used in my state). She died in Cape May, New Jersey, a community with which Beaufort shared her. A retired school teacher, Dolly gave of her wide knowledge to many others--others who will remember her and her lessons of life. Dolly Nash believed it was her mission to promote the legacy of her great grandfather, Robert Smalls, a legend in the Beaufort area. Despite his status as a slave of only 23 years of age, Robert Smalls learned to be a pilot in Charleston Harbor. During the Civil War, he ``commandeered'' the Confederate vessel Planter and delivered it to Union forces. He rose to the rank of major general in the South Carolina militia. After the war he founded the Republican Party in the Beaufort area and was elected to the United States House of Representatives. In April of this year, the Army Supply Ship, Major General Robert Smalls, was christened in Mississippi, the first Army vessel to bear the name of a black American. ``Dolly was everywhere, just like sunshine,'' says Delores Nevils of St. Helena, South Carolina, a close friend of Dolly's and herself a fine American. In a recent article in the Beaufort Gazette, Mrs. Nevils extolled Dolly and described her extensive service to her community. As Mrs. Nevils described it, at her 75th birthday party, Dolly gave gifts rather than received them. Dolly Nash gave many gifts to many people in her lifetime. She herself was a gift to the people of Beaufort, of South Carolina and of America. I would like to share with you the memory of Dolly Nash.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, with the conclusion of a session, there is a normal shuffling of staff positions, and for the office of the Second District of South Carolina we will miss Wesley Denton, who has served for 3 years as communications director. I have mixed feelings, personally, about this move; but I am thrilled Wesley has been selected to serve with Senator-elect Jim DeMint of South Carolina. Congressman DeMint is a person of high integrity and competence, which is reflected by his choosing Wesley. Wesley will be a part of history, in that South Carolina has not had two Republican U.S. Senators since 1877. Beginning in January, we will have the achievement of U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint. With Wesley's congressional experience, his training with Ed Meese at the Heritage Foundation, and his work with the House Committee on Armed Services, Wesley will assist the Senator to best represent the people of South Carolina. Wesley Denton, one of five sons of Cassy and Dan Denton of Beaufort, South Carolina, and the newlywed husband of the former Kari Brooks, is a credit to the people of South Carolina, and I wish him Godspeed. In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Washington Post reported the U.S. military has discovered in southern Fallujah the main head quarters of an al Qaeda organization of Abu Musab Zarqawi, who claims responsibility for bombings, kidnappings, and beheadings across Iraq. As a grateful parent of three sons in the U.S. military, including an Army National Guard member in Iraq, as a proud veteran of 31 years of service in the Army National Guard and as a Member of Congress, I have never been more proud of America's heroes fighting in the frontlines of the War on Terrorism in Iraq. Despite defeatists who slander every success, America's military will succeed to protect America's women and children from barbarian murderers. It is more clear than ever President Bush is correct: ``We will not waver, we will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail. Peace and freedom will prevail.'' In conclusion, God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the nomination by President Bush of Dr. Condoleezza Rice to be the 66th United States Secretary of State. Dr. Rice is an extraordinary American leader who has served our Nation admirably during a time of war. She fully understands the true nature of the terrorist threat against our Nation and has shown the strength and dignity that will be needed to work with our coalition partners in the global war on terrorism. Dr. Rice, born in Birmingham, Alabama, has lived a remarkable life. A former professor and provost of Stanford University, she is a foreign affairs expert who served in President George H. W. Bush's administration. As the current national security adviser, she is also a respected author and renowned classical pianist. As President Bush announced, the Secretary of State is America's face to the world; and in Dr. Rice the world will see the strength, the grace, and the decency of our country. In conclusion, may God bless our troops and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank one of South Carolina's finest ladies, Mary Talbert Howard, for her lifetime of public service. Mary will conclude her full-time service to the people of South Carolina when she retires at the end of this year. Active in the Lexington, South Carolina, community since 1973, Mary served with my predecessor and mentor, the late Congressman Floyd D. Spence. In 2001, she graciously agreed to stay on as the District Director for the Second Congressional District of South Carolina. A native of Hartsville in Darlington County, South Carolina, Mary attended the Hartsville schools, Limestone College and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in education. She began her employment with the late Congressman Floyd Spence in 1981, after successfully serving as Spence for Congress campaign office manager, and she became District Director in 1992. Her responsibilities included representing the Congressman at all events throughout the Second Congressional District, handling of all constituent concerns, meeting with the local and State government officials and attending all local and State civic group meetings. Mary has been active in the Lexington Women's Club since 1973 and served in many of the officer positions, including president. She also served as district and State legislative chairman for the State Federation of Women's Clubs. Mary has also served as president of the Riverbanks Zoo Society, as an active member of the Lexington Medical Center Board, as Corresponding Secretary of Friends of the Lexington County Museum, and as a board member of the Lexington Arts Association. She has been a delegate to the State and county Republican convention since 1980. Mary is a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, where she served on the Worship and Music Committee and is a former Sunday schoolteacher. Mary is married to Jerry Howard, and they have three children: G.G. Howard Culpepper, Melissa Howard Henshaw and Amy Talbert Howard. She also has two grandchildren, Cate and Jerrod. In all the years that I have worked with Mary, she has always served with grace and dignity, and I have been extremely honored to have her represent me these last 3 years. She will always be a close, personal friend of the Wilson family, and Roxanne and I wish her and her husband Jerry all the best in their future. I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking Mary Howard for her commitment to serving her community with excellence. In conclusion, God bless our troops; and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, South Carolina recently recognized the extraordinary life of the late Judge J. Bratton Davis. Judge Davis will always be remembered as the embodiment of a Southern Gentleman. Multiple generations of my family knew and respected Judge Davis. My grandparents Bill and Joe Graves were close friends and my parents Wray and Hugh Wilson became admiring friends as fellow students at the University of South Carolina. I will always cherish working with him in 1962 as he managed the successful campaign of Donald S. Russell for Governor of South Carolina. He honored me to be a Youth Manager in the June 1962 primary for the Lowcountry which inspired me to seek a similar career in public service. I would like to insert in the Record the following obituary from the State newspaper: [From the State, Oct. 31, 2004] Judge Bratton Davis Columbia.--Funeral service for The Honorable J. Bratton Davis will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral with burial in Elmwood Memorial Gardens. Serving as pallbearers will be Michael M. Beal, John B. Butler III, George B. Cauthen, Todd R. Ellis, Robert C. Kelly, R. Geoffrey Levy, William Bratton Riley, and W. Keenan Stephenson. Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, is in charge. Judge Davis died Friday, October 29, 2004. Born in Hartsville on October 27, 1917, he was the elder son of the late John Bratton Davis and Sarah Causey ``Dee'' Davis. A 1938 graduate of the University of South Carolina and 1940 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, he continued graduate study at Harvard Law School in 1941. He was commissioned as a line officer in the United States Navy serving during WW II principally in the South Pacific Theater of Operations. From WW II until 1969, Judge Davis practiced law with the firm of Graydon, Davis and Suber. He was admitted to practice in all of the South Carolina courts, all of the federal courts and the High Court of American Samoa. In 1948, the Junior Chamber of Commerce named Judge Davis ``Columbia's Young Man of the Year.'' He has served as: U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the District of South Carolina (1969- 2000); Chief Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of S.C. (1986-2000); Chairman, State of South Carolina Development Board; Columbia Board of Directors of the South Carolina National Bank; Board of Directors of Security Federal Savings and Loan Association; President of the Columbia Museum of Art; Vestryman, Trinity Cathedral; member of the Judicial Conference of the Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; member of the Security and Facilities Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States; member of the Board of Directors of the University of South Carolina Educational Foundation; member of the Board of Directors of the University of South Carolina Law School Partnership Board; member of the Board of Directors of the Virginia and Donald S. Russell Symposium Committee; member of the Board of Governors of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges; President of the Columbia Kiwanis Club; member of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Chapter of the American Red Cross; member of the Board of Directors of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis; Chairman of the Donald Russell Gubernatorial Inauguration Committee; member of the Board of Directors of the Byrnes Foundation; and member of the Board of Directors of the James F. Bynes Centennial Committee. In 2000, Judge Davis was awarded the Order of the Palmetto, the highest honor conferred by the State of South Carolina. The J. Bratton Davis U.S. Bankruptcy Courthouse was so named in his honor upon his retirement from the bench in 2000. He held memberships in: Forest Lake Club; Palmetto Club; Centurion Society; South Caroliniana Society; Kappa Alpha Order; Omicron Delta Phi; The Columbia Ball; and South Carolina Historical Society. Judge Davis is survived by his wife, Margaret Smyth McKissick Davis; sons, Sherwood McKissick Cleveland and his wife, Kathleen of Camden, and William Choice Cleveland and his wife, Anne of Charleston; daughter, Jean Davis Bruton and her husband, John C. Bruton, Jr. of Columbia; brother, John Thorne Davis of Charleston; and grandchildren, Sherwood McKissick Cleveland Jr., Samuel Henry Edmunds Cleveland, John Connor Cleveland, Braden Cleveland Bergan, Margaret Cleveland Pitts, William Choice Cleveland IV, Margaret McKissick Bruton and John Calvin Bruton III.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, just 2 weeks ago today, in an historic election, a clear majority of more than 60 million Americans voted to elect President George W. Bush to a second term in office. This was an increase over President Bush's 2000 totals of more than 10 million votes, showing an astonishing growth in the support for his positive agenda to move America forward. The President ran a campaign based on optimism and an overriding belief in the goodness and compassion of the American people. His message resonated across every demographic group in America. President Bush increased his support among Hispanics, African Americans, Jewish Americans, Asian Americans and women. Of the 3,154 counties in America, President Bush carried 2,542 counties and Senator John Kerry carried only 611. He became the first Republican President in 104 years to win reelection with increases in U.S. House and Senate seats. With a 53 percent majority in the U.S. House and a 5 percent majority in the U.S. Senate, the President clearly has won the respect of the American people. In conclusion, may God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today The New York Times reported that employment had grown for 13 consecutive months. This reflects the impact of President Bush's economic plan for tax cuts to revive the economy by people investing their own money. President Bush came to office in a recession, and the economy lost 1 million jobs due to the terrorist attacks of September 11. Despite this, the President helped create nearly 2 million new jobs. The gross domestic product has been growing faster than in 20 years. Productivity has grown faster than in 20 years. As a former real estate attorney, I am happy to see construction spending the highest ever, over $1 trillion, creating wonderful job opportunities. In contrast, John Kerry last night proposed tax increases, which sounded like an exclusive group, but in fact, over 80 percent of the Kerry tax increases would be on small businesses which create the most jobs. All Americans can take pride in our economy that is improving under the leadership of President Bush. In conclusion, God bless our troops, and we will always remember September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Charles Duelfer, the chief of the Iraq Survey Group, said in testimony before Congress that Saddam Hussein had plans to reconstitute his weapons of mass destruction, waiting for the sanctions to erode. In June 4, Mr. Duelfer told me that threat analysis while I visited him in Baghdad. This comes after former weapons inspector David Kay said earlier this year that Saddam was more of a serious threat than we thought. As President Bush said yesterday, Saddam Hussein retained the knowledge, the materials, the means and intent to produce weapons of mass destruction; and he could have passed that knowledge on to our terrorist enemies. After September 11, we learned we could no longer wait until threats became imminent. If we had waited to liberate Iraq, sanctions may have been lifted, and by that time he may have acquired the weapons that he so desperately wanted. Removing Saddam's brutal, terror-sponsoring regime was the right thing to do at the right time. Mr. Speaker, we need a courageous President that will continue to protect American families by stopping the enemies at the source in the war on terrorism to reduce the threat of warfare in American neighborhoods. In conclusion, may God bless our troops. We will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday the life of the late Sheriff Joey Zorn of Barnwell County, South Carolina, was celebrated at a funeral service attended by hundreds of appreciative friends conducted by Dr. Steve Burnette, Dr. Ken Catoe, Rev. Scott Brown, Rev. John Nixon, Rev. Billy Mew, Rev. Eddie Jenkins, Rev. Wilbur Creech, and Rev. Farrell Ray. In his last month he received the state's highest honor of the Order of the Palmetto inspired by the thoughtfulness of Mrs. Mary Cothran of Williston, South Carolina, along with South Carolina State Senator Jake Knotts. In addition to being a champion of law enforcement, he was the first Republican Sheriff ever elected in Barnwell County. The following obituary is from The State newspaper, published October 1, 2004. Joseph Henry (Joey) Zorn III Barnwell.--Joseph H. (Joey) Zorn III, 49, Sheriff of Barnwell County, died Wednesday, September 29, 2004, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Barnwell, S.C., he was the son of Joseph H. Zorn Jr. and Cleo Renew Zorn. He graduated from Barnwell High School and the University of South Carolina with a degree in Criminal Justice, and was a graduate of 70 advanced law enforcement courses. He served as a Special U.S. Deputy Marshal, on the Board of Directors of the Barnwell Co. Helpline, on the Board of Directors of the S.C. Sheriff's Association, president of the Ellenton Agriculture Club. He was a member and deacon of Friendship Baptist Church, Gideon International, Harmony Masonic Lodge #17, Barnwell Rotary Club, Ellenton Agriculture Club, S.C. Sheriff's Association and Barnwell County TAG Enforcement Association. He had over 30 years of law enforcement experience, was active in the youth baseball program and was voted Barnwell County Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year 2002. He was selected S.C. American Legion Law Enforcement Officer of the Year 2004, and Rotarian of the Year 2004. On September 8, 2004, he was presented the Order of the Palmetto by Gov. Mark Sanford. In 1988 Joey was elected Sheriff of Barnwell County, and this year ran unopposed for his fifth term. Some of his accomplishments are: expanded sheriff's office staff, started the 24 hour patrol, obtained grants that saved taxpayers over 2.8 million dollars, instituted the anti-drug DARE program which graduated over 4,000 5th grade students, was the first sheriff in S.C. to complete DARE school and teach DARE in the schools, placed Resource Officers in all Barnwell County schools, installed an advanced communications system, established an on-going training program for department personnel, established the Reserve Deputy program, the Chaplaincy program, Sheriff's emergency Response Team and a bloodhound tracking team. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 2, 2004, in the Barnwell First Baptist Church. Burial followed in the Friendship Baptist Church Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 200 Jefferson St., Barnwell, SC 29812, Gideon International, P.O. Box 86, Williston, SC 29853 or the Connie Maxwell Children's Home, P.O. Box 1178, Greenwood, SC 29640. Survivors include: His wife, Pamela Delk Zorn of Barnwell, SC; his parents, Joe and Cleo Zorn of Barnwell, SC; daughter, Jessica Zorn of Barnwell, SC; sons, Josh, Rodney and Russell Zorn of Barnwell, SC; sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Tommy Tyner of Abbeville, SC; mother and father-in-law, Jimmy and Faye Delk of Beech Island, SC; sister-in-law, Theresa Delk of Wrens, GA; four nieces.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the works of one of South Carolina's outstanding legal minds, Harvey L. Golden, who celebrates 50 years of practicing family law this month. I am proud to call Harvey a good friend, a fellow member of the Bar of South Carolina, and I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring his lifetime of hard work and service in the law profession. I ask that the following information on Harvey's life and achievements be added into the official record. Harvey Laurance Golden was born in Brooklyn, New York, October 15, 1929, the only child of Gertrude Dribbon Golden who had, come to this Country from Manchester, England, and Irvin (Jack) Golden who was born in New York. When Harvey was four years old, his mother, father and he moved from Brooklyn to Hartford, Connecticut, where his father spent World War II working at the Colt Firearms factory and, subsequently, became a supervisor in Pratt and Whitney Aircraft factory. In Hartford, his mother became a buyer for Brown and Thompson Department Store. In Hartford, Harvey attended the Vine Street School and subsequently Jones Jr. High School. Whereupon the family moved to Columbia, South Carolina, after a brief summer in Augusta, Georgia. In Columbia, he attended Columbia High School and became Business Manager of the school newspaper, ``High Life'' and became active in the high school debate team. Harvey was also active in the drama club and chorus. While in Columbia, Harvey and some of his best friends joined the S.C. Air National Guard in 1948 and when the Korean war began, he turned down a college deferment when his S.C. Guard unit was federalized. The South Carolina Guard was the first guard unit in the country to be nationalized and he was the first guardsman in Korea and one month later was promoted to Sergeant. He spent two years as a Weapons Specialist in charge of the 157th Fighter Bomber Squadron Armament, including napalm, bombs, rockets, machine guns and small arms. This work was accomplished on F-51 aircraft that had already been sent to the war zone and had SCANG scrubbed from the side of the planes. These were the same aircraft on which Sgt. Golden had been working back at Congaree Air Base in Columbia. Upon returning to Columbia he was hospitalized in the Columbia VA Hospital for three months and released. Whereupon, he approached Dean Sam Prince of the USC Law School requesting special dispensation to be allowed to attend law school without vacation and thus be able to graduate in two years rather then three or two and a half. The Dean grudgingly allowed him to become the first student to petition the law school to enter and while in law school he was awarded membership in Wig and Robe Honor Society, having begun in September 1952 and finished in September, 1954 with only one grade below a B. He was also elected by the faculty and editorial board as Editor-in-Chief of the South Carolina Law Review. He had already been elected president of his fraternity. After graduation, he had become very active in the University Theatre and had played many roles there as well as in Town Theatre and later he founded the Workshop Theatre and Columbia City Ballet as he began the practice of law. After law school, he practiced with Edens and Woodward and then Isadore Lourie, the late legendary State Senator, joined him as Golden and Lourie for the next four years. On July 15, 1962, he married Heide Engelhart and they are the proud parents of three children and two grand children.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as a 31-year veteran of the Army National Guard and the parent of 3 children serving in the military, including a son in Iraq, I am glad to report our troops are clearly supporting the reelection of President Bush. According to the independent Army Times, America's troops are voting today for President Bush by a margin of over 4 to 1. Our troops know firsthand President Bush is courageously leading the successful fight against the terrorists on the global war on terrorism. He is the commander-in-chief to trust with their lives. American service members know in a time of war, we need a clear message to the murderers of children. President Bush has a hopeful vision of victory established by our competent troops who have liberated over 50 million people from Afghanistan to Iraq. In my three visits to Iraq, I have seen and met the new greatest generation who are making history for democracy. President Bush clearly understands with our troops that the best way to protect American families is to take the war to the terrorists. We must fight at the source to reduce the potential for warfare in the streets of America. In conclusion, God bless our troops. We will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from California for yielding me this time and, indeed, I am on the Committee on Armed Services, and very grateful to be serving on the Committee. At this time, I would like to take the opportunity to speak in strong support of H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. Mr. Chairman, the House Committee on Armed Services, under the leadership of our chairman, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), was tasked with the consideration of title I of this measure. We had hearings during the break in August. We had a great deal of input from so many different people. This was an open process, and we achieved, I think, a great deal. I particularly note we achieved the creation of a National Intelligence Director separate from the director of the CIA. This legislation creates a National Counterterrorism Center within the Office of the National Intelligence Director to integrate all Federal agencies that deal with intelligence services. There are 15 that need to be coordinated. The Committee on Armed Services considered all the recommendations, and were careful to ensure we were strengthening our national intelligence infrastructure, particularly with respect to the men and women in uniform. The Department of Defense operates the majority of national intelligence capability and uses those assets to support troops engaged in combat in addition to supporting the director of the CIA. It is critical that the Department of Defense maintain the ability to provide the best intelligence directly to our troops on the ground as they wage the war on terrorism. The Committee on Armed Services, as you heard, 59 to nothing, approved this unanimously in committee. As the father of three sons currently serving in the military, I want to thank again Chairman Hunter for his leadership on behalf of our troops. He has a special insight, in that our chairman is a veteran himself, and his son has just returned from distinguished service with the U.S. Marines in Iraq.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last night, Americans saw the choice of Dick Cheney and John Edwards. It is being debated now who prevailed. Where people know John Edwards best, his and my home, birth State of South Carolina and his home State of North Carolina, the people are overwhelmingly supporting Dick Cheney to continue his service with President Bush to best protect American families in the war on terrorism. Senator Kerry has a 20-year record in the Senate of voting against every major weapons system that won the Cold War and that our troops are using today. Senator Kerry has proposed budget cuts in intelligence even after the first World Trade Center bombing. He voted against the first Gulf War; he voted for the current war in Iraq and then against the funding to give our troops the body armor needed to fight the war. This is not the kind of record Americans expect in a commander in chief. President Bush and Vice President Cheney have a strong and clear record of leading our Nation in the war on terror. President Bush has shown he will take the fight to the terrorists wherever they are, protecting American families from future terror attacks here at home. In conclusion, may God bless our troops. We will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5186, the Taxpayer-Teacher Protection Act. In doing so, I'd like to thank Chairmen Boehner and McKeon for their leadership on this issue, supported by Majority Leader Tom DeLay. H.R. 5186 moves efficiently and effectively to end unfair subsidies for lenders in the student loan program and redirects those funds to assist the teachers of this country. What could be better? While it took some time for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to agree with us on the need to stop the excess subsidies for student loan providers, I'm confident that today, we all recognize the importance of the measure before us. I'm also certain they agree with us on the need to assist teachers, given their past votes of overwhelming support on similar teacher loan forgiveness bills. This bill is straightforward and increases the amount of loan forgiveness for secondary math and science teachers and for K-12 special education teachers to a maximum of $17,500 from the $5,000 currently provided in the Higher Education Act for all teachers in high-poverty schools. This bill is similar to legislation I introduced, H.R. 438, which passed the House with strong bipartisan support by a margin of 417-7 on July 9, 2003. The purpose of the bill is to ensure our future workforce is scientifically literate and competent, skills that the Committee for Economic Development and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers have identified as keys to our country's ability to compete in the global marketplace. Unfortunately, our high school students consistently test toward the bottom in math and science compared to the rest of the world. Teachers working in schools that face the greatest difficulty in recruiting math, science and special-ed teachers will be eligible for the increased amount of loan forgiveness after teaching for five years. This commitment to these schools and the students they serve is well worth the recognition and support of this Congress. To further assist children in low-income schools, eligible teachers must be highly qualified as required by the No Child Left Behind Act. I look forward to the day when a group of math, science and special- ed teachers begins teaching in our Nation's neediest schools inspired by the incentives of this bill. Those teachers will clearly know they are part of a national program designed to ensure all American children are equipped with the life skills necessary to contribute and succeed in a technologically driven world economy. The goal with this bill, and the bill I was proud to sponsor earlier in this session, is to ensure our Nation remains a competitive force in the world. I hope a secondary effect will be to send a strong signal that America honors and respects those who accept the calling to teach. I am proud that my wife Roxanne has been a teacher in Lexington County encouraging young people to reach their highest fulfillment. This bill provides a common sense solution that shuts down excess profits for loan providers, and directs the resources to one of our Nation's most valuable resources--teachers, professional educators who make a difference in children's lives. I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 5186. May God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11th. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for all of your efforts in bringing forward this very important piece of legislation. It will serve to provide a much-needed benefit to highly qualified teachers teaching in title I schools. The benefits provided in this legislation will increase loan forgiveness for those teachers in the high shortage subject areas of math, science and special education. In addition to the important role that special education teachers play in the lives of students with disabilities, I would also like to recognize the importance of the many related service providers that help children with disabilities every day. Speech-language pathologists and audiologists provide the single largest component of related services under IDEA and are key to providing a quality education to children with disabilities. A number of independent studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Education and other organizations have concluded that we must do more to attract people into these professions, or we will be faced with a chronic shortage of such personnel in our schools within the next decade. I am pleased with the efforts we are making today to address these shortages, and I look forward to working with you in the future to do even more.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the bill we are voting on today has been used by Democrats to scare young voters and their parents with the lie of an impending draft. As a retired veteran of 31 years' service in the Army National Guard, with three sons serving today in the military, including one serving in Iraq, I agree with the Newsweek magazine expose of October 12 which discredits the rumor has having no basis in fact. Crying wolf about the need for a draft causes doubt about the ability of our Armed Forces and hurts our morale and recruitment. I urge all of my colleagues to vote against H.R. 163 and end this false rumor. Mr. Speaker, the bill we are voting on today has been used by Democrats to scare young voters and their parents with the lie of an impending draft. In South Carolina, the Democratic Party sent out a despicable campaign letter, disguised as a draft notice. The Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry speaks disingenuously about a ``back door draft.'' He has said to elect him President because he ``will give us a foreign policy that absolutely makes it unnecessary to have a draft.'' Democrats' false rhetoric has helped fuel a nationwide scare campaign. As a retired veteran of 31 years service in the Army National Guard, and with three sons today in the military, one of whom is serving in Iraq, I agree with the Newsweek magazine's expose (Oct. 12th) which discredited the rumors as having no basis in fact. Crying wolf about the need for a draft causes doubt about the ability of our Armed Forces, and hurts our morale and recruitment. Let's be clear. The all-volunteer American military is succeeding in the War on Terror, and retention remains high. We have the best- trained, best-equipped, most competent military in history. We have a new greatest generation that I have visited three times in Iraq who are dedicated patriots protecting American families by taking the war to the terrorists. There is absolutely no need for a draft. Not one person in the executive branch supports or has talked about reinstating the draft. Clearly, by resorting to the politics of fear, Kerry and the Democrats have no positive agenda for America. Americans deserve more. President Bush and Republicans have a proud record of achievement in the last 4 years: of tax relief, better education for our children, improved health care through prescription drug coverage, and a strong national defense against terrorism. I urge all of my colleagues to vote against H.R. 163, and end this false rumor. [From Newsweek, Oct. 11, 2004] The Draft: Rumors, and That's All They Are For months, Democratic operatives have muttered that news about a revived military draft could become the silver bullet that stops President George W. Bush's re-election campaign. But the White House and Pentagon emphatically deny any intention to reinstitute conscription: in the first presidential debate last week, Bush made sure to include a reference in his closing remarks to the ``all-volunteer Army.'' Democratic presidential contender John Kerry carefully limited his debate remarks to a factually supportable charge that current Bush policies may constitute a ``backdoor draft'' because some soldiers' tours of duty are being involuntarily extended. But some Kerry supporters--and prominent Kerry surrogates--are spreading more alarming rumors about a reinstated draft. ``You do not have the draft hanging over your heads--not yet. But pay attention, boys and girls, to what you've got going on in Iraq,'' disabled Vietnam vet and former U.S. Senator Max Cleland, an important Kerry backer, recently told a student audience. At the University of Colorado-Boulder last week, cafeteria tables were littered with cards signed by self-described Students for Kerry, warning YOU'RE GONNA GET DRAFTED. (In an ``open letter'' to America's students, independent candidate Ralph Nader recently claimed the ``machinery for drafting a new genration of young Americans is being quietly put into place.'') The most explicit claims about a Bush plan to revive conscription have come from onetime Kerry rival Howard Dean, who charged in a recent newspaper column that draft boards ``have already been notified that 20-year-olds and medical personnel will be called up first.'' Laura Gross, Dean's spokeswoman, says Dean spoke with two draft-board officials in different parts of the country who told him they had been ``put on notice there is going to be a draft . . . Bush has not denied that there's going to be a draft.'' Rumors about a new draft were sparked when a Pentagon Web site earlier this year posted a solicitation for volunteers to man local draft boards. But officials say the ad has appeared every year since 2001, and didn't signal a plan to reactivate the draft. Two bills in Congress propose reviving conscription, but both were introduced by anti-Iraq-war Democrats to highlight the fact that the burden of military service falls disproportionally on poor people. The bills have no chance of approval. Selective Service spokesman Dan Amon says he has fielded ``hundreds'' of calls about the possibility of a renewed draft, which he calls an ``urban legend . . . If the White House is planning a draft, you'd think they might have told us about it.'' The uniformed military are among the last people who want to see the draft revived. While U.S. forces are stretched by current commitments--including Iraq--Army leaders don't want a draft, don't think they need one and recognize that, politically, it would be virtually impossible. Two-year waves of unwilling, unskilled soldiers would contribute little except, the brass fear, the same discipline problems the Army spent years purging after Vietnam. Army lobby spokesman John Grady says: ``Nobody wants to go there again.''

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, President George W. Bush has led our Nation in the global war on terror with consistent strength and courage. After thousands of innocent Americans were murdered on September 11, he understood the nature of the terrorist threat and immediately went on the offensive to protect American families. The Democratic Presidential nominee, John Kerry, has proven he has a September 10 approach. When asked what he would do about the war on terror, Kerry said America should hold summits and must pass a global test before defending the American people. This is a mixed message that will do nothing to deter terrorists. Under President Bush's leadership, America has liberated 50 million people from terrorist-sponsoring regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq, captured or killed hundreds of terrorists, formed a new Department of Homeland Security, initiated training of Iraqi police and military, and stopped the flow of millions of dollars in terrorist funding. President Bush has proven he is the right leader to win the war on terrorism by making courageous decisions to protect American families. In conclusion, may God bless our troops, and we will never forget September 11.

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my strong support for H. Con. Res. 501, which honors the life and work of Duke Ellington and recognizes the 30th Anniversary of Duke Ellington School of the Arts. I add further that the Duke Ellington School is where the Washington DC Satirical Group, the theater troupe Hexagon, performs every year to raise funds for local charities. Over the last 17 years many members of Congress have performed in the annual ``Congress Goes to Hexagon'' Night, organized each year by Skip Maraney, of the National Star Route Mail Contractors Association. Hexagon Inc is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year.