E2360 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 10, 2008 

HONORING SIEGEL HIGH SCHOOL’S 

LADY STARS FOR WINNING THE 

CLASS AAA STATE SOCCER 

CHAMPIONSHIP 

HON. BART GORDON OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam 

Speaker, I rise today to honor the Siegel High 

School Lady Stars soccer team for winning the 

Class AAA state soccer championship. 

The victory marks the first time in school 

history that the Lady Stars won the state soccer championship. In each of the four previous 

years, they competed in the state championship tournament, making it as far as the 

semifinals twice. This year, The Tennessean 

picked Franklin High School as the favorite to 

win the tournament, which also included 

Brentwood High School and Collierville High 

School. 

However, in the end, the Siegel Lady Stars 

beat the Brentwood Lady Bruins 2-1. The 

2008–09 girls soccer team is the third Siegel 

High School sports team to win a state title, 

joining the 2006 boys tennis and 2007 girls 

tennis squads. 

I congratulate the Lady Stars and their support staff, which includes Kerbi Towry, Sarah 

Jameson, Stephanie Surgener, Caroline 

Elbaum, McKensie Gibson, Mercedes Llanos, 

Savannah Hawkins, Maggie Trollinger, 

Tawanna Myers, Tori Hawkins, Julie Brackin, 

Samantha Pewitt, Lauren Bennett, Taylor 

Eaton, Katie Copeland, Brandi Phillips, Kayla 

Ernst, Stephanie Parra, Kelsey Naish, Alison 

Ristvedt, Hayley Sloan, Caroline Gerhart, 

Kristina Davis, Sydney Eakes, Morgan Thompson, Briesi Davis, Cassidy Jagger, Kim 

Conrad, Araceli Vazques, Claire Stampley, 

Sydney Dewberry, Head Coach Eric Shelton, 

Assistant Clif Matlock, Assistant Adam 

Shelton, Athletic Director Alan Bush, and Principal Ken Nolan. 

f 

INTRODUCTION OF THE ECONOMIC 

RECOVERY THROUGH RESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERSHIP ACT 

HON. DAVID DREIER OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. DREIER. Madam Speaker, the current 

economic crisis that we are facing as a nation 

has spread throughout many sectors and 

many industries. The banking industry has 

been crippled, credit markets have frozen and 

manufacturing capacity is shrinking. The worst 

job loss numbers in 34 years were just released last Friday, and the losses were widespread throughout every major industry. 

But this crisis began with the housing industry, and it will not be fixed without addressing 

the root problem of excess supply that drives 

down prices. The lack of home buyers has 

caused the supply of unsold homes to increase rapidly. This not only causes blight in 

neighborhoods across the United States, but 

also places severe downward pressure on 

home values. Falling home prices are particularly detrimental to working American families, 

many of whom rely on their home as a financial investment to build long-term wealth. 

As home prices fall, homeowners are faced 

with the reality of declining equity in their 

homes and many are finding their mortgage 

debt to be greater than the value of their 

home. Declining values and increased foreclosures create a vicious cycle. As more 

homes enter foreclosure, home values continue to decline, leading to yet more defaults 

and further declines in value. All of the ripple 

effects that we’ve seen throughout the economy, in the credit markets and beyond, stem 

from this core problem. 

We also know that irresponsible actions on 

both Wall Street and Main Street contributed 

heavily to this current situation. We need a 

plan that addresses the core problems of the 

housing industry, providing an immediate stimulus to the economy, while rewarding responsible, working middle-class families who live 

within their means and make prudent financial 

decisions. 

Today I am introducing a bill that will help 

to accomplish just that. This legislation offers 

a new tax credit for 2009 and 2010 for every 

home purchase made with a down payment of 

at least 10 percent. A home buyer making a 

down payment of 10 percent will receive a 

$5000 tax credit. A home buyer making a 

down payment of 15 percent will receive a 

$10,000 tax credit. 

By linking the tax credit to down payments, 

this bill will encourage only responsible home 

ownership. And by incentivizing home buying, 

it addresses the oversupply of homes that is 

creating such strain on the broader U.S. economy. 

Unlike the credit enacted by Congress this 

summer, which was offered only to first-time 

homebuyers, this credit would be available to 

anyone who is able to meet the down payment criteria set forth in the bill. This ensures 

that all working families, not just first-time buyers, are able to take advantage of the new 

credit. 

Furthermore, this bill requires a significant 

down payment. We all know that irresponsible 

participants in our housing markets—individuals, banks and government-sponsored enterprises—took advantage of the system and 

helped to create our current crisis in the first 

place. That’s why this bill encourages home 

buying that is based on sound financial planning. 

I believe this plan will deliver quick relief by 

restoring our ailing housing industry. It enables 

responsible home buyers to jumpstart the industry, stop home prices from continuing to 

plummet and restore the communities that 

have been plagued by foreclosures. And because this new benefit will expire at the end 

of 2010, it will encourage quick action. Our 

challenges won’t be solved overnight and 

there are no quick fixes. But we must take this 

expeditious and prudent step to put us back 

on the path to recovery. 

f 

BELLE GROVE PLANTATION LAND 

FUND CELEBRATION 

HON. FRANK R. WOLF OF VIRGINIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize that on November 1, 2008, 

the Board of Directors of Belle Grove Plantation in Middletown, Virginia, celebrated the 

completion of a $1 million campaign to purchase 183 acres of adjacent land. I was 

pleased to join in the celebration of this milestone which is an important step toward preserving an essential part of this historic landscape for future generations. The master of 

ceremonies was Belle Grove Board Member 

Ambassador James E. Nolan, Jr. During the 

program, held on the 1797 Manor House’s 

front lawn, James R. Wilkins, Jr. presented the 

final $10,000 gift for the campaign to Belle 

Grove’s executive director, Elizabeth McClung. 

The gift was a grant from the James R. Wilkins Foundation, which made the first major 

contribution to the campaign. The Wilkins family members are descendants of Jost Hite, the 

first recorded settler in the Shenandoah Valley. The land they helped preserve at Belle 

Grove was originally owned by Jost Hite in the 

18th century. Major Isaac Hite, Jost’s grandson, received this land in 1783 on his marriage to Nelly Madison, sister of President 

James Madison. Here they built their limestone Manor House in 1797, with design assistance from Thomas Jefferson. The plantation grew to 7,500 acres during Major Isaac 

Hite’s lifetime. On October 19, 1864, Belle 

Grove was at the epicenter of the Civil War 

Battle of Belle Grove or Cedar Creek. 

The newly-purchased 183 acres reclaims a 

portion of the original plantation and Civil War 

battlefield, and nearly triples the size of the 

historic site which has been open to the public 

since 1967. Belle Grove Plantation is both a 

Virginia and National Historic Landmark, is 

owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and is the centerpiece of the Cedar 

Creek and Belle Grove National Historical 

Park. 

The following major donors who made the 

land purchase possible were honored at the 

event, and a commemorative preservation 

plaque was dedicated: James R. Wilkins 

Foundation, Fred and Christine Andreae, Belle 

Grove, Inc., Byron and Kathleen Kanter Brill, 

County of Frederick, Virginia, Mr. and Mrs. 

Carl W. Thompson, The Beirne Carter Foundation, David and Barbara Came, Martha 

Cook, Nancy Larrick Crosby, Bob and Betty 

Edwards, Mary C. Ewing, National Trust for 

Historic Preservation, Mary P. Robinson, 

Lilburn and Nancy St. Clair Talley, Kathryn 

Perry Werner, William and Elaine Brandt, Malcolm and Mildred Brumback, Mr. and Mrs. 

Harry F. Byrd, III, Chemstone Corporation, 

The Robert Claytor Family, William H. and 

Jean G. Clement, Joy Holler Costello, Pat and 

Warren B. French, Jr., The Hite Family Association, Suzanne W. McKown, Charles J. 

Reeder, Donald and Madeline Stewart, and 

William S. and Elizabeth W. Talley. 

f 

HONORING PHIL FULMER’S TENURE AS UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE’S FOOTBALL COACH 

HON. BART GORDON OF TENNESSEE

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, December 10, 2008 

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Madam 

Speaker, today I rise to honor Phil Fulmer for 

his impressive record as University of Tennessee’s football coach. Coach Fulmer finished his career at UT with a record of 152-