Lynn Westmoreland

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my very distinguished colleague from the great State of South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

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

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. We often come to the floor to talk about our brave soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan; but today I am proud to speak about a hero, a highly decorated Korean War veteran, Lewis G. Watkins. Staff Sergeant Lewis G. Watkins was born in Seneca, South Carolina, on June 6, 1925. After graduating from Greenville High School, he joined the Greenville Police Department. Furthering his public service, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1950. After his training in Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton, he was sent to serve in Korea. Staff Sergeant Watkins fought valiantly during his only tour of duty. On October 7, 1952, his unit was attempting to take an outpost from the enemy. While leading his men up a hill and fighting off heavy small- arms fire and grenades, he was severely injured. Pushing through the pain, he successfully led his team further up the hill. It was then that he noticed a grenade had landed nearby. Pushing his comrades aside to protect them, he instinctively grabbed the grenade to throw it out of harm's way. Unfortunately, the bomb exploded in his hand and he was mortally wounded. His heroic actions on that hill saved the lives of his fellow soldiers; and it was for this act of bravery and courage he deservedly, albeit posthumously, was awarded the Nation's highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor. His other awards include the Purple Heart, the United Nations Service Medal, and the Korean War Service Medal with two bronze stars. Staff Sergeant Lewis G. Watkins' life and military achievements are to be commended. He fought and died for his country; and today we honor his heroism, his self-sacrifice, and his inspiring leadership by naming this post office after him. I commend my colleague Mr. Barrett for bringing this to our attention. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Willye B. White was quoted as saying, ``A dream without a plan is just a wish.'' It was this belief that led her to become the first American to have competed in five Olympic track and field teams, a feat still unchallenged. Willye White competed in five consecutive Olympic games between 1956 and 1972. At the young age of 16, she won a silver medal in the long jump competition at the games in Melbourne, Australia, historically marking the first time an American woman ever medaled in that event. She earned her second silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo, Japan, games by participating in the 4-by-100-meter relay. Born in Money, Mississippi, she was raised by her grandparents and fought through the daily struggles of the civil rights movement. Her love of sports emerged around age 10 when she discovered the joy of running and jumping. Overall, she competed in 39 international teams, four Pan-American Games teams and five consecutive U.S. Olympic track and field teams. After her competitive career ended, she stayed active in the sport through coaching and other activities. She represented track and field on the U.S. Olympic Committee, coached athletes in the National Sports Festival in 1979 and 1981, coached and managed at the 1981 World Cup Track and Field Championship Games in Brussels and Rome, and she served as head coach for the 1994 Olympic Sports Festival. Beyond coaching, she also founded the Willye White Foundation which helps children develop self-esteem and become active members of their communities through athletic participation. She has earned numerous awards throughout the years and is a member of eleven sports halls of fame. She sadly lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in February. So, today, we proudly honor her life with the naming of this post office in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote in the affirmative on H.R. 2025. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 1617, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Harriett Woods, a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, politician, author and community activist, passed away at her home in University City, Missouri, this February of leukemia. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Chicago, Illinois, she went on to attend the University of Michigan. It was there that she became the first female editor of the school's highly esteemed student newspaper. In later years, her career and political life proved to be an uphill battle against more popular-known male politicians. Her political career began as a stay-at-home mom. She went to the city council with a complaint about a noisy manhole cover. When they ignored her, she pushed forward launching a successful petition to have the street closed. Causing the attention of the local press, she earned a job to run a community public affairs panel. Soon after, she was elected to the University City Council where she served for 8 years. She followed that up with two terms in the Missouri State Senate. Harriett Woods ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 1982, but her name became well known throughout the State. It helped her 2 years later to become the first female elected to statewide office in Missouri when she held the office of Lieutenant Governor. It was a post she held until 1989. She remained active in politics and her local community throughout the rest of her life, focusing primarily on women's issues. From 1991 to 1995, she was President of the National Women's Political Caucus. Her dedicated work even earned her a spot on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. It is with great pleasure that we honor her today with this post office naming, and I ask all Members to support H.R. 1617 in honor of this great lady. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

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

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, County Mayor Claude Ramsey has a long list of accomplishments to show for his three terms as leader of Hamilton County, Tennessee. From reforming the public education system to creating jobs in the area, Mayor Ramsey has constantly addressed the needs of both the business community as well as the general public. Mayor Ramsey turned Hamilton County's public education system into a model for other counties to follow. Mayor Ramsey rallied support from the neighborhoods. Nine thousand people participated in an education summit and task force to identify the issues and challenges facing the department. Eight key initiatives, including target graduation and reading rates, increased technology, and early education programs, were formed. When fully implemented, the county's public education system will be one of the very best in the country. Mayor Ramsey is constantly looking for new business and industrial recruitment and has made economic expansion a priority during his administration. He was able to secure almost $3 million in grant funds for expansion of local industries, which led to hundreds of millions of private investment and the creation of 2,000 jobs. He was also able to receive funding for the Center for Entrepreneurial Growth, a program started by Mayor Ramsey, to create more technology-based jobs in the community. Hamilton County has received high praise for the changes that have been made, for instance receiving an AA+ rating from Finch, Inc. In 2003, Mayor Ramsey was presented Chattanooga Area Manager of the Year, an award presented annually to an executive whose management skills have profoundly influenced the outstanding performance of a key element of American business, industry, government, or nonprofit activity. Mayor Ramsey has also addressed important topics such as literacy, obesity, public littering, and the creation of parks. Making himself open and available to the community, Mayor Ramsey is very active in local agencies, such as the Orange Grove Center and the chairman of the Board of Associates at Chattanooga State Technical Community College. As Mayor Ramsey rounds out his third term as county mayor, he continues to be an active and committed leader to the citizens of Hamilton County. The programs which he has put into place will be his legacy. They will continue to provide for the community for decades in the future. Mr. Speaker, at this time I would like to point out that the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp) would like to be here today to make a statement, but he had to remain home for a family emergency. We wish Mr. Wamp and his family the best. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the passage of H.R. 1260, which honors Mayor Ramsey for his admirable public service to the people of Hamilton County and the State of Tennessee.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time. I urge all my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 223.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to my distinguished colleague from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg).

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. With the recent tragedy of Virginia Tech fresh in our minds, we take this time to remember the many victims of needless violence in our country. The devastation of families, victims and entire communities in which these tragedies occur is beyond calculation. Too often, victims' loved ones are left alone with their loss and feel overwhelmed with the devastating experience that has altered their lives forever. No one should have to cope with that loss alone. In such crushing times as these, families and friends look for sources of strength to sustain themselves. They also need ongoing support in dealing with the criminal justice system, which can be especially overwhelming during this period of grief. The need for sources of strength are often found through a variety of support services, including counseling, crisis intervention, professional referrals and assistance in dealing with the criminal justice system. These organizations play an essential role in preserving the memories of victims of murder. After the story of the murder fades, victim's family and friends are often left to cope without their loved ones alone. Thankfully, these counseling organizations provide the necessary support to the families and friends of murder victims so they can continue with their daily lives. These personal assaults on our citizens are also an assault on all of us. We must remain diligent in our efforts to curb violence. Our murder rate in this country is simply too high. People watch television, movies and play video games where murder is often glorified. Many of our youth engage in pastimes where they are exposed to violence at an early age. However, there is no age where it should be appropriate to introduce murder into anyone's life. It is incumbent upon all of us to recognize the selfless support groups in our communities who work tirelessly to help the thousands of friends and families of murder victims in this country every year. For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 223. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This bill would simply reauthorize the DCTAG program for an additional 5 years and enable District residents to continue to attend certain colleges and universities at in-state rates. President Bush, in his budget submission for fiscal year 2008, has included sufficient funds to make this happen. I know that Ranking Member Davis, Mr. Davis of Illinois, and Ms. Norton have worked very hard to bring this bill to the floor. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I don't believe this is a hypothetical situation, but I want to make further parliamentary inquiry, if I could.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Is the Chair saying that the mere existence of a list is sufficient, even though the list fails to include an earmark contained in the bill?

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. So, Mr. Speaker, is it my understanding, from your last comments, that even though the rule specifically state that these procedures should be followed, and that they were not followed in this particular instance, that you are going to rule that the list, even though deficient not containing all the earmarks, just the mere fact that there was a list presented, no matter how accurate, that that will stand?

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Further parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Finally, is the Chair saying that the mere printing of a list of earmarks, or a statement that the bill contains no earmarks, is sufficient to render the point of order against the bill as not recognized by the Chair?

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Finally, one last parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. WESTMORELAND

Mr. WESTMORELAND. I make a point of order under clause 9(a) of rule XXI regarding the earmarks in this bill, H.R. 2082. The list of earmarks in this bill fails to meet the requirements of clause 9(a) in that the list is deficient. One of the earmarks listed was included in the bill even though it failed to meet the requirement that the requesting Member notify in writing the chairman and ranking minority member of the committee.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I make a point of order.

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I am saying that under clause 9(a) of rule XXI, that the list is deficient and did not include a notice to the ranking minority member on the committee of the earmark.