October 3, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2245 

wiring, fluorescent lighting fixtures, ceramic 

bathroom tile, HVAC system/distribution/controls and site utilities (electric, water, sanitary, 

fiber optic communication/data). The project 

demolishes building 18 (32 m2) and the truck 

fill stand facility 142 (400 GM). 

Naval Station Mayport is a strategic base for 

the Navy. This project was programmed to receive funding in Fiscal Year 2012, but was 

identified by the base commander as the highest unfunded priority in Fiscal Year 2009. 

Military Construction projects are always 

100 percent funded by the U.S. Federal Government so there is no opportunity for matching funds. 

Requesting Member: Congressman ANDER

CRENSHAW. 

Bill Number: H.R. 2368—Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2009. 

Account: Research, Development, Test and 

Evaluation, Navy. 

Legal Name of Receiving Entity: OTO 

Melara North America. 

Address of Receiving Entity: 1625 I St., NW. 

Washington, DC 20006. 

Description of Request: I have secured 

$1,600,000 in funding in H.R. 2368 in the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, 

Navy account for 76mm Swarmbuster Capability. 

Swarmbuster is a proposed developmental 

program to integrate the highly accurate fire 

control information from the MK 15 Close-In 

Weapons Systems with the high rate of fire, 

medium caliber, 76mm gun on FFG–7 Class 

ships. 

The Surface Navy lacks an effective capability against High Speed Maneuverable Surface Targets (HSMST’s). The Littoral Combat 

Ship (LCS) was designed with a mission module to combat this threat, but program difficulties will delay delivery of this capability for 

years. Successful Swarmbuster test results 

will provide the Navy the opportunity to integrate a layered defense capability into its 

FFG–7 class ships, against air and surface 

threats. 

Department of Defense projects are always 

100 percent funded by the U.S. Federal Government so there is no opportunity for matching funds. 

Requesting Member: Congressman ANDER

CRENSHAW. 

Bill Number: H.R. 2368—Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2009. 

Account: Research, Development, Test and 

Evaluation, Defense Wide. 

Legal Name of Receiving Entity: L–3 Communications. 

Address of Receiving Entity: 6207 Aviation 

Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32221. 

Description of Request: I have secured 

$1,600,000 in funding in H.R. 2368 in the Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, 

Defense Wide account for Low Cost Stabilized 

Turret project. 

The goal of the Low Cost Stabilized Turret 

program is to develop a small (less than 15 

lbs) Electro-Optical/Infrared, EO/lR, turret with 

High Resolution Video, Cooled Infrared Imagery and a Laser Range Finder with a capability to incorporate a Laser Target Designator. 

The primary purpose of the turret will be to 

provide an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capability for low cost, expendable UAV systems, consistent with the 

‘‘Expendable’’ low cost concept. 

Technologies incorporated will include a direct drive stabilization system utilizing a 

MEMS gyro to provide a stabilized imagery 

package; a cooled IR camera which will provide enhanced night imagery; high resolution, 

dual field of vision color video; laser range 

finder with capability to incorporate laser target 

designator; picture in picture video presentation for enhanced situational awareness; and 

real-time video relayed via satellite data link or 

line of sight link. 

The Low Cost Stabilized Turret will provide 

a light weight, low cost solution for a flexible, 

efficient payload that is consistent with the 

warfighter’s needs, yet in a cost range consistent with the concept of expendable systems. 

Department of Defense projects are always 

100 percent funded by the U.S. Federal Government so there is no opportunity for matching funds. 

f 

DEATHS IN CUSTODY REPORTING 

PROGRAM 

HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Madam 

Speaker, I want to thank Congressman SCOTT

from Virginia for his critical insight into this 

much needed legislation before us. H.R. 3971, 

the Death in Custody Reporting Program reauthorizes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, BJS, 

program, which is designed to report the 

deaths of prisoners and immigration detainees 

in local and State custody. 

The Death in Custody Reporting Act is a 

critical oversight tool which allows State and 

local corrections officials and advocates to 

monitor in-custody suicides, homicides, drug 

and alcohol overdoses and other critical 

issues. 

Due to the current lack of transparency and 

accountability, the public and advocacy groups 

have to rely on word-of-mouth and media accounts to find out about deaths of immigration 

detainees. According to the ACLU, at least 69 

immigrants have died in custody since 2004. A 

significant number of these deaths occurred in 

Federal detention facilities. 

I am pleased that the Senate amended this 

legislation to ensure that Federal detention 

center authorities also had to report under the 

same circumstances and the State detention 

centers; finally closing the loophole that allowed deaths of immigration detainees in Federal detention facilities to go unreported. 

This program which began in 2000, is supposed to receive death records quarterly from 

each State’s prison and juvenile justice systems and from nearly 18,000 State and local 

law enforcement agencies. The reports include 

the age, gender and race of the deceased, the 

criminal history of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the death. 

Sadly, according to a report by Human 

Rights Watch the U.S. criminal justice system 

fails to meet many international standards for 

the treatment of crime victims. Among other 

proposed measures in the report, HRW recommended that the United States ratify the 

1979 Convention on the Elimination of all 

Forms of Discrimination against Women and 

the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 

Colleagues, nearly 300,000 men, women, 

and children are detained by U.S. Immigration 

and Customs Enforcement, ICE, each year, 

the majority of whom have no criminal history 

whatsoever. Thousands arrived on our shores 

fleeing persecution and torture, only to be 

locked up like criminals in one of over 400 detention facilities around the country. We must 

not let go of our belief in the innate value of 

human life, or stray from our fundamental values while detaining immigrants or criminal offenders. 

In 1995, after a one-year investigation by 

journalist Mike Masterson into prison conditions and the death rate of persons in custody, 

Ashberry Park Press of New Jersey, ran a series of award winning editorials which listed 

the following abuses resulting in death that 

were occurring in our jails and prisons: Racially motivated violence, overzealous police 

investigations, cover-ups and general law enforcement incompetence. 

This prompted the Death In Custody Act of 

2000 which required reporting of deaths of 

persons in custody. Since then, The Bureau of 

Justice Statistics has compiled a number of 

statistics. My colleague, Congressman BOBBY

SCOTT at one point testified to the most astounding statistic—that since reporting deaths 

have been made mandatory, the latest report 

dated August 2005 shows a 64 percent decline in suicides and 93 percent decline in 

homicides for individuals in custody. He stated 

that these statistics suggest that the oversight 

measures play an important role in ensuring 

safety and security of prisoners in State facilities. 

I agree with his finds and that is why I support H.R. 3971. We need continued oversight 

over the conduct of law enforcement in the arrest and imprisonment of citizens and immigrants. 

The Bureau of Justice Statistics date shows 

that between 2001 and 2005, there were 

15,308 State prisoner deaths, 5,935 local prisoner deaths and 43 juvenile deaths during incarceration. In my district alone, in the last 

decade, 106 deaths have occurred in Harris 

County jail, many because of inability to secure meds or to secure med care after an attack. 

IMMIGRANTS IN JAILS

Survivors of torture, asylum-seekers, families with small children and individuals with serious mental health and medical conditions 

such as HIV/AIDS, are routinely locked up in 

jails or under jail-like conditions. Studies conducted by the bipartisan Commission on International Religious Freedom, New York University’s Bellevue Program, and Physicians for 

Human Rights have demonstrated that, even 

in well-run jails, detention itself poses a serious threat to the psychological health of the 

detainees. 

Without the right to appointed counsel and 

often detained in remote locations, detainees 

are unable to exercise fully what rights they do 

have. While I do not stand here and advocate 

allowing duly processed criminals to be released, or those breaking our immigration law 

to be simply be set loose, there are safer and 

more cost-effective alternatives to detention 

for most immigrants ICE currently detains. 

CONCLUSION

Angela Davis, an activist who went from 

being on the most wanted list to a distinguished and tenured professor in California, 

said that ‘‘Jails and prisons are designed to 


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E2246 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 3, 2008 

break human beings, to convert the population 

into specimens in a zoo—obedient to our 

keepers, but dangerous to each other.’’ 

Is that our goal? Are jails and prisons rehabilitating or are they simply creating more dangerous criminals? We need to better understand what is happening in our society and 

take account for it. This legislation maintains a 

log—a report that will track deaths in custody. 

The more we know what is going on, the more 

responsible we must become. It is my belief 

that this is just the beginning of a criminal justice system that needs reform. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF HONOR 

FLIGHT 

HON. RON KIND 

OF WISCONSIN

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. KIND. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 

commend Honor Flight for their ongoing work 

to honor America’s veterans. Honor Flight provides World War II veterans the opportunity to 

travel to Washington, DC, to visit and reflect at 

the World War II Memorial constructed in their 

honor. Funded by donations from businesses 

and individuals, the trip is absolutely free of 

charge and serves as an excellent tribute to 

veterans who sacrificed, some paying the ultimate price, in the name of freedom. 

Started in 2005 by Earl Morse, Honor Flight 

has grown from a small operation, flying a 

dozen veterans at a time in small private 

planes, to a network of affiliates that spans 30 

States and transports hundreds of veterans to 

Washington on commercial airliners to see 

their memorial. 

On October 8, 2008, the local Honor Flight 

Affiliate in my hometown of La Crosse, Wisconsin, will be flying some 180 veterans, many 

of whom reside in my district, to Washington, 

DC, to visit the World War II memorial. I would 

like to personally thank Neil Duresky, Chuck 

Hanson, and Randy Eddy for all their hard 

work to make this dream a reality for Wisconsin veterans, who served their country so 

admirably and with such courage. Without 

Honor Flight, many veterans would never have 

the opportunity to travel to Washington to see 

the memorial that was constructed in their 

honor. 

Given the enormity of the sacrifice made by 

those who have served and continue to serve 

our country with the highest degree of honor 

and bravery, there is nothing we can do to 

fully repay them for their efforts. Thanks to 

Honor Flight, however, we can offer them the 

chance to visit the memorial dedicated to their 

service. 

It is my sincere hope that the actions of 

Honor Flight inspire others to pause and reflect upon the sacrifices made and effort expended by our men and women in uniform, 

who are the best in the world. I will continue 

to honor and pay tribute to those who serve 

our country for their sense of duty and extraordinary courage. 

HONORING ROBERT AND DONNA 

DEPRIEST 

HON. JIM COOPER OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. COOPER. Madam Speaker, I am honored to select Robert and Donna DePriest as 

the Fifth District of Tennessee’s Angels in 

Adoption nominee this year. 

Robert and Donna, and their children, Matthew and Melissa—all of Old Hickory, Tennessee—have devoted almost 15 years of 

their lives to the love, care, and support of numerous children from Tennessee’s foster care 

system. I greatly admire their service to help 

provide a home to some of the neediest children in our society. 

The DePriests stand out as foster parents 

because of their commitment to medically 

fragile children—many of whom had a very 

short life expectancy. The devotion and sacrifice this family has made to these special 

children has been truly above and beyond 

their call of duty. Due to the specific needs of 

these children, the family is often required to 

be specially trained in a variety of medical procedures. Though the level of care needed for 

these special children has frequently made it 

difficult for the DePreists to participate in family activities outside the home, they have still 

remained both willing and passionate about 

continuing to provide homes and care for 

many children in Tennessee. 

The DePriest family has adopted four of the 

children that they cared for over the years. 

These children are Zachary, 12, Angel, 5, 

Heaven, 4, and Savannah, 2. 

I appreciate all that the DePriest family has 

done, and thank them for their service. I hope 

that the DePriest family will continue to love 

and care for Tennessee’s children for many 

years to come. 

f 

A TRIBUTE TO RICHARD LOPEZ 

HON. RANDY NEUGEBAUER OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Madam Speaker, I 

would like to take this time to remember Richard Lopez, a long-time champion of those less 

fortunate in West Texas. Mr. Lopez passed 

away on June 8, 2008, at the age of 74. 

Richard Lopez inherited his charitable spirit 

from his father, with whom he would travel 

long distances as a child to collect fruit and 

vegetables to deliver to their neighbors in 

need. He carried these lessons learned as a 

child forward and become known for his work 

as the executive director of the Guadalupe 

Economic Services Corporation and as the cofounder of the South Plains Food Bank. 

Born in Edinburg, Texas, Mr. Lopez attended the University of Mississippi and married Rachel Bustillos on April 7th, 1982 in Lubbock, Texas. Following the destructive tornado 

that struck Lubbock in 1970, Mr. Lopez 

worked to help rebuild devastated parts of 

North Lubbock. 

He was a tireless advocate for area migrant 

workers and of the less fortunate in Lubbock. 

He was widely known as the ‘‘Cesar Chavez 

of West Texas’’ because of his compassion for 

others. A rare leader, Mr. Lopez never missed 

an opportunity to help people find affordable 

housing or to offer encouragement to farm laborers before they left to work on the harvest. 

Mr. Lopez was dedicated to his community. 

In addition to more than 25 years of service 

with the Guadalupe Economic Services Corporation and the South Plains Food Bank, he 

was the founder of the Ad Hoc Committee for 

Farm Workers in West Texas and a founder of 

the Lubbock Indigent Health Consortium. He 

also received countless community service 

awards in recognition of his devotion to others. 

Those from District 19, including myself, will 

miss Mr. Lopez’s enthusiasm for life, dedication to the betterment of his community, and 

his great passion for helping those around 

him. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO RETIRING CONGRESSIONAL MEMBER U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DAVE WELDON 

(FL–15) 

HON. ADAM H. PUTNAM OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, October 3, 2008 

Mr. PUTNAM. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor a colleague and friend, U.S. Representative DAVE WELDON who has served this 

body and the people of Florida well over the 

last 14 years. 

Congressman WELDON has made valuable 

contributions not only to the people of Florida’s 15th Congressional District, but also to 

the U.S. House of Representatives and the 

American public at large, who will continue to 

realize his long-standing efforts and contributions into the future. 

As most in this body know, Dr. DAVE

WELDON, M.D., F.A.C.P. of Melbourne, Florida, 

is a practicing physician and Army veteran. 

His background and expertise have been 

called upon on numerous occasions to 

strengthen this nation’s space program, 

healthcare policy, energy resources, foreign 

affairs, and veterans’ programs among others. 

Dr. WELDON was the first medical doctor to 

have served in Congress from the State of 

Florida, and continues to treat patients at a 

Veterans’ clinic in his congressional district on 

a volunteer basis. Rep. WELDON served on the 

House Appropriations Committee, and in that 

capacity was a member on various subcommittees, including the Science, State, Justice and Commerce Subcommittee, which has 

funding oversight of several key executive 

branch agencies including NASA. In the 110th 

Congress, he served on the Labor, Health, 

and Human Services, as well as the State and 

Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittees. 

I have had the privilege to work closely with 

Dr. WELDON regarding many issues affecting 

Florida, as his congressional district borders 

my own in central Florida. In areas such as 

the space program and NASA, he has become a leader and will be long-recognized. I 

also worked hand-in-hand with him during several tumultuous hurricanes, in which he gave 

so generously of his efforts to benefit and rebuild for the people of our state. 

His leadership in the House included serving as Vice Chairman of the Science Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, for 8 


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