E2216 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 3, 2008 

As if Washington were not already doing 

too many things, almost all badly, and in the 

process doing far more harm than good, Mr. 

Obama wants to give government a vast 

array of additional assignments that it is 

not competent to handle and that taxpayers 

cannot afford. 

FEDERAL MEDDLING

In the current instance of the bailout, even 

if Washington does finally find some way of 

re-lubricating the credit markets that its 

mistakes almost stopped, the systemic problem of inept governmental interference in all 

aspects of the economy will remain—and indeed will be magnified by the rescue plan 

itself. The more crisis Washington causes 

and the more ‘‘emergency’’ powers it assumes, the bigger and more tangled are the 

webs it spins. 

After Congress spends the next year or so 

‘‘fixing’’ the problems in the financial industry—and casting blame on everyone but 

itself—Washington likely will have all capital markets and credit transactions under 

its thumb. It would then be able to specify 

throughout the economy who gets financing, 

what for, when and how much. 

Just imagine an Obama-Pelosi-Reid administration (OPRA) allocating credit and investment among companies according to how 

green they are, who their shareholders are 

and whether some federal oracle thinks they 

are just and fair. Never mind quality and efficiency or ability to repay. Similar ‘‘let’s 

pretend’’ standards for allocating credit are 

exactly what led to the home mortgage debacle in the first place. 

With other made-in-Washington crises already on track to occur—think energy, entitlements, debt and the dollar—soon every aspect of American life may be under strict 

federal supervision, with a trajectory pointed downward. 

The more government interferes in private 

matters, the more the economy and society 

as a whole take on the debilitating characteristics of government. Costs go up, efficiency and quality go down, output falls, 

corruption and waste increase. 

Washington is already increasing its participation in the health care industry. That 

is the reason costs are so high. Inevitably, it 

will take complete control and, when it does, 

quality will plummet. 

Government has been messing about in the 

housing industry for decades. Obviously, it 

has already made a hash of it, but the worst 

is probably yet to come. Washington’s energy policy has long been to restrict supply 

and raise prices. Now the government also 

has a plan to bring all energy consumers 

under its supervision and control. It is called 

cap and trade. 

Because of destructive federal regulations 

and taxes on U.S. plant and equipment as 

well as on exports, America no longer has an 

economy that primarily makes and sells 

things. By default, manufacturing is being 

displaced by a ‘‘knowledge’’ industry—and 

most Yankee ingenuity is devoted to creating innovative financing techniques such 

as derivatives and securitized subprime 

mortgages. Like government, work consists 

of shuffling paper (electronically, of course). 

OUR WAY OF LIFE

Through its power over education and communications, Washington already influences 

the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Once it takes over the financial industry, nothing will be left standing in the way 

of the federal government’s dominance. 

States and localities are mere administrative units and dispersing agents for Washington. Government has won its war against 

religion, sidelining churches. 

In partnership with affiliated labor unions 

and a few public-private corporations much 

bigger and worse than Fannie or Freddie, 

Washington will more than ever be able to 

participate in all aspects of the economy in 

a manner that far more resembles the corporatist (or fascist) regimes of Europe in the 

early 1930s than American capitalism. 

American capitalism is not just an economic theory. It is a way of life where rewards are based on achievement, not identify 

or class, and is therefore inextricably bound 

up with individual freedom and American 

exceptionalism. 

The job of the next president and Congress, 

if it can possibly rise to the occasion, is first 

stop the destructive advance of government, 

then reverse it. 

f 

APPOINTMENT OF CHIEF HUMAN 

CAPITAL OFFICER 

SPEECH OF

HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON OF MISSISSIPPI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Saturday, September 27, 2008 

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2816, a bill that will 

alter how the Chief Human Capital Officer is 

appointed at the Department of Homeland Security. 

This bill will give the Secretary of Homeland 

Security authority similar to other Federal 

agencies where a determination is made to 

place a careerist or a political appointee in the 

Chief Human Capital Officer position. This authority is particularly important as DHS makes 

its first transition to a new administration. Undoubtedly, there will be numerous staffing 

challenges ahead and the DHS Secretary 

must have a Chief Human Capital Officer to 

depend on to meet the Department’s goals. 

The job of the Chief Human Capital Officer 

requires unique qualifications. Not only must 

this individual develop and maintain a cadre of 

national security personnel, but he or she 

must also ensure integration throughout the 

new Department and its many components. 

The men and women of the Department are 

some of the hardest working, most selfless individuals in the Federal workforce. Their mission contains little room for error. This is why 

it is so important that the Department provide 

a positive workplace that puts employees first. 

Over the past few years this has not always 

been the case and low employee morale has 

plagued the Department and limited its effectiveness. 

The 2006 Federal Human Capital Survey 

conducted by the Office of Personnel Management found that DHS was rated ‘‘dead last’’ in 

job satisfaction among its peers and received 

very low marks on leadership and management capabilities. And in the recent DHS 2007 

Employee Survey, employees cited their dissatisfaction with the Department’s pay, performance and promotion practices. Moreover, 

there have been numerous documented incidents regarding mismanagement within some 

of the major DHS components. These factors 

contribute to a fractured workforce and low 

morale. 

These are problems that must be addressed 

by the next Chief Human Capital Officer. Addressing employee concerns must be his or 

her first priority. 

One of the major sources of low morale is 

the MAX–HR system, a so-called ‘‘pay-for-performance’’ system. MAX–HR and its proposed 

‘‘follow-on system’’ have been repeatedly rejected by my Committee in legislation and, 

many Members of Congress, for the past two 

years. The damage that DHS’s relentless pursuit of such a system has done to morale is 

immeasurable. 

The next Chief Human Capital Officer has 

the chance to make some great strides and 

improvements at the Department. He or she 

must work to address the employee concerns 

and dissatisfaction with a commitment to providing proper training, career development and 

the tools necessary for its employees to do 

their jobs. Also at the top of the Chief Human 

Capital Officer’s priority list should be recruiting the best and brightest for DHS, including 

individuals with diverse backgrounds and a 

patriotic spirit to fill its ranks. 

Given the extensive investment we have 

made in developing TSA and its workforce, I 

would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that 

the TSA workforce does not have the same 

rights and protections that are afforded to their 

colleagues at DHS. As the eyes and ears in 

our airports, TSA workers need to have whistleblower protections and collective bargaining 

rights to be able to report security concerns 

without fear of losing their jobs. Moreover, 

granting basic employment rights is critical to 

recruiting our Transportation Security workforce. We know firsthand what low morale can 

do to the health, recruitment, and retention of 

the DHS workforce. 

It is clear from the Committee’s record of 

work that more can be done to support human 

capital efforts at the Department. And I am 

pleased to say that this bill is one of those 

needed measures of support. I look forward to 

working with my colleagues and the Department to continue to build a strong workforce at 

DHS. And I also take this opportunity to commend the men and women of the Department 

for their tireless work and dedication to the 

mission. 

f 

HONORING MAUREEN GAVIN FOR 

THE 2007–08 OUTSTANDING 

TEACHING OF THE HUMANITIES 

AWARD 

HON. KENNY MARCHANT OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. MARCHANT. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today to pay tribute to Maureen Gavin of 

Southlake, Texas, who was awarded the 

2007–08 Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award on behalf of Humanities Texas. 

This award honors K–12 humanities teachers 

in the state of Texas who make exemplary 

contributions in teaching, curriculum development and extracurricular programming. 

Mrs. Gavin, a former sixth grade English 

teacher at Eubanks Intermediate School in 

Southlake, currently works with Morningside 

Elementary School in Fort Worth. 

In the words of Mrs. Gavin, ‘‘All good thinking begins with good questioning, and as a 

humanities teacher it is my responsibility to 

provide provocative questions that allow my 

students to dig deep within themselves as 

they learn about our world, past and present, 

and how they fit into it’’. In this spirit, Mrs. 

Gavin brings to the classroom a passion for literature, language, and the ever-growing continuum of knowledge. 


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October 3, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2217 

One example of this passion was displayed 

when Mrs. Gavin’s students read the book 

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli, the story of a 

homeless orphan who makes a positive difference in the lives of other. With the guidance 

and encouragement of Mrs. Gavin, her students created a ‘‘Kids Helping Kids’’ initiative 

that ultimately raised $2,000 to support kids in 

need. This is just one shining example of how 

the passion of Mrs. Gavin’s teaching translates to a world far larger than the walls of a 

classroom. 

Among Mrs. Gavin’s many accomplishments 

include: Carroll Independent School District 

(CISD) Teacher of the Year, Eubanks Intermediate School Teacher of the Year, EPISD 

Teacher of the Year Top Ten Finalist, Carlos 

Rivera’s Teacher of the Year, W.W. Bushman 

Teacher of the Year, presenter CISD parent 

University, creator of the sixth grade language 

arts curriculum, former member of the CISD 

language arts vertical team, former language 

arts department chairperson, and many, many 

more. 

Madam Speaker, it is a special honor to 

present Mrs. Maureen Gavin the Outstanding 

Teaching of the Humanities Award. Educators 

in the humanities like Mrs. Gavin advance not 

just the knowledge of life, but the critical importance of reflection, wide-angle perspective, 

and the wisdom of a larger world. As her 

former school’s Member of Congress, I am especially proud that we have teachers like her 

who enlighten our students in the arts, history, 

and languages; ultimately emboldening our 

nation’s cultural framework as well as our future. 

f 

MERCURY EXPORT BAN ACT OF 

2008 

SPEECH OF

HON. THOMAS H. ALLEN OF MAINE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Saturday, September 27, 2008 

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I would like to add 

to my other remarks about S. 906, the ‘‘Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008.’’ The prohibitions 

pertaining to conveyances, sales, or distribution by Federal agencies contained in Section 

3 and the prohibition on exports in Section 4 

of S. 906 apply to ‘‘elemental mercury.’’ As the 

principal sponsor of this legislation in the 

House of Representatives I wish to reaffirm 

the legislative history and my clear intent that 

the term ‘‘elemental mercury’’ as used in the 

bill does not apply to articles, manufactured 

consumer products, or other products that 

contain elemental mercury. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE HONORABLE 

BUD CRAMER AND THE HONORABLE TERRY EVERETT ON 

THEIR RETIREMENT FROM CONGRESS 

HON. BOB GOODLATTE OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. GOODLATTE. Mr. Speaker, I wanted to 

take the time to recognize the retirement of 

my friend and colleague from Alabama: TERRY

EVERETT. TERRY has served the people of the 

Second District of Alabama with honor and 

distinction for the past eight terms. He has 

been a faithful public servant fighting for farmers, veterans, and conservative values. 

TERRY has served on four committees including Agriculture, Armed Services, Veterans 

Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee 

on Intelligence. However, I would like to highlight TERRY’s extraordinary work for the agriculture community. As a farmer himself, TERRY

brought real world experience to the committee, experience that we see less and less 

from our members. The country as a whole 

has become more suburban and urban, and 

the members who represent it have followed. 

He knew firsthand how the laws we passed in 

the Agriculture Committee impacted the livelihood of our producers. 

Since coming to Congress in 1993, TERRY

has been a strong and consistent voice for not 

only the producers of Alabama, but the entire 

Nation. Agriculture is Alabama’s largest industry and TERRY served as the Chairman of the 

Subcommittee on Specialty Crops and Foreign 

Agriculture Programs during the 2002 Farm 

Bill. He also currently sits on that subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit and Energy and Research. 

The peanut farmer knew no better friend 

than Congressman EVERETT. He served as a 

co-chair of the House Congressional Peanut 

Caucus. Under his leadership on the 2002 

Farm Bill, the peanut industry moved from a 

60-year-old Depression-era supply management program to a thriving industry that could 

respond to market signals and bring peanut 

farmers into the 21st century. 

During the 2008 Farm Bill, TERRY expanded 

his reach and authored a provision to help 

producers who were suffering from drought. 

This provision provided a cost-sharing component for producers to build irrigation ponds for 

their crops during periods of drought. Without 

this provision, many producers in the South 

would not have been able to cover the cost of 

an irrigation pond project. This was yet another example of TERRY taking the lead on an 

issue that was critically important to the livelihood of producers across the Nation. 

His leadership and experience will be 

missed. But, we do wish him and his wife Barbara all the best for a wonderful retirement. 

f 

IN SUPPORT OF H.R. 6064, THE 

‘‘NATIONAL SILVER ALERT ACT’’ 

HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam 

Speaker, I support the National Silver Alert 

Act. I also urge my colleagues to support this 

bill. It is necessary. 

Thousands of vulnerable older adults go 

missing each year as a result of dementia, diminished capacity, foul play or other unusual 

circumstances. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of 

America estimates that over five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, and that 

60 percent of these are likely to wander from 

their homes. Alzheimer’s disease and other 

dementia related illnesses often leave their 

victims disoriented and confused and unable 

to find their way home. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, up to 50 percent of wanderers risk serious illness, injury or death if not 

found within 24 hours. The problem can be 

exacerbated greatly by national disasters, 

such as Hurricane Katrina, that can, in a matter of hours, increase the number of missing 

persons by the thousands. 

At least eight States, along with non-profit 

organizations such as the National Center for 

Missing Adults, Project Lifesaver International 

and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 

have developed programs to address various 

aspects of the problem of missing adults, but 

the need for a coordinated national approach, 

similar to the Amber Alert Program for children, still exists. In addition, financial support 

is needed for existing and new local and State 

programs. 

The Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient 

Alert Program, administered by the Department of Justice, is the only Federal program 

that currently provides grant funding to locate 

vulnerable elderly individuals who go missing. 

Authorization for this program ceased in 1998, 

but Congress has continued to appropriate 

some monies for it through fiscal year 2008, 

when it appropriated $940,000. Another Federal law, Kristen’s Act, had authorized annual 

grants in the amount of $1 million for fiscal 

years 2001 through 2004 to assist law enforcement agencies in locating missing adults 

and for other purposes. Between fiscal years 

2002 through 2006, Kristen’s Act grants were 

made through the Edward Byrne Discretionary 

Grants Program, primarily to the National Center for Missing Adults, a non-profit organization. In 2006, Congress appropriated $150,000 

for this purpose. 

A. H.R. 6064, THE ‘‘NATIONAL SILVER ALERT ACT’’ 

Importantly, today I urge my colleagues to 

support another important piece of legislation, 

H.R. 6064, the National Silver Alert Act. H.R. 

6064 sets forth a comprehensive national program. It directs the Attorney General to establish a permanent national Silver Alert communications program within the Department of 

Justice to provide assistance to regional and 

local search efforts for missing seniors. The 

bill requires the Attorney General to assign a 

Department of Justice officer as a Silver Alert 

Coordinator. 

The Silver Alert Coordinator acts as a nationwide point of contact, working with States 

to encourage the development of local elements of the network, known as Silver Alert 

plans, and to ensure regional coordination. 

The bill requires the Coordinator to develop 

protocols for efforts relating to reporting and 

finding missing seniors and to establish voluntary guidelines for States to use in developing Silver Alert plans. The bill requires the 

Coordinator to establish an advisory group (1) 

to help States, local governments and law enforcement agencies with Silver Alert plans, (2) 

to provide training and educational programs 

to States, local governments and law enforcement agencies, and (3) to submit an annual 

report to congress. The bill also requires the 

Coordinator to establish voluntary minimum 

standards for the issuance of alerts through 

the Silver Alert communications network. 

H.R. 6064 directs the Attorney General, 

subject to the availability of appropriations, to 

provide grants to States for the development 

and implementation of programs and activities 

relating to Silver Alert plans. The bill authorizes $5 million for fiscal year 2009 for this purpose. The bill also authorizes an additional $5 


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