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 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with REMARKS