November 19, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2261 

amount and quality of California teachers, improve the transfer process for community college students, and develop a new funding system for California community colleges. 

Senator Scott’s legislative efforts have 

earned him recognition as Legislator of the 

Year from the California Federation of Teachers, Association of Independent Colleges and 

Universities, Association of California Community College Administrators, Association of 

California School Boards, California State University, and the Child Development Policy Institute. He has an honorary doctorate from 

Pepperdine University and has been named 

the Alumnus of the Year at both Claremont 

Graduate University and Abilene Christian University. On October 28, he received Pasadena 

City College Foundation’s Building the Spirit of 

a Vibrant Community Award. 

Senator Scott’s extensive community involvement includes the Coalition for a NonViolent City, Pacific Oaks College’s Board of 

Trustees, the Board of Regents at Pepperdine 

University and the Association of California 

Community College Administrators. Jack and 

his wife, Lacreta, have 10 grandchildren and 

four surviving children, Sharon Mitchell, Shelia 

Head, Amy Schones, and Greg Scott; their 

fifth child, Adam, died in 1993. 

In 2009, Senator Scott will begin his position 

as Chancellor of California’s community colleges. 

It is my great pleasure to recognize the extraordinary achievements of Senator Jack 

Scott and I ask all Members of Congress to 

join me in thanking him for his service. 

f 

HONORING RYAN PHILLIP LAWTER 

HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I proudly 

pause to recognize Ryan Phillip Lawter of 

Holt, Missouri. Ryan is a very special young 

man who has exemplified the finest qualities 

of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 

1494, and earning the most prestigious award 

of Eagle Scout. 

Ryan has been very active with his troop, 

participating in many Scout activities. Over the 

many years Ryan has been involved with 

Scouting, he has not only earned numerous 

merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. 

Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join 

me in commending Ryan Phillip Lawter for his 

accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of 

America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout. 

f 

A TRIBUTE TO MRS. MARGARET 

WILLIAMS 

HON. WM. LACY CLAY OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. CLAY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 

honor Mrs. Margaret Williams, The Missouri 

Teacher of the Year 2008–2009 Recipient. 

The Missouri Teacher of the Year is a prestigious honors program that focuses public attention on excellence in teaching. Williams, a 

37 year educator has earned the respect and 

admiration of students, parents, and colleagues alike. She inspires students of all 

backgrounds and abilities to learn. For the 

aforementioned reasons, I enthusiastically 

honor Mrs. Williams today before Congress. 

Mrs. Williams is a graduate of Beaumont 

High School in St. Louis, Missouri. She was 

inspired by her psychology teacher Mr. Brown 

to pursue a career in education. Mrs. Williams 

went on to graduate from the University of 

Missouri—St. Louis. 

Mrs. Williams is the social studies department chair for University City High School in 

University City, Missouri where she has been 

teaching for the last 18 years. Williams who 

also teaches history, government, and an African-American experience course was one of 

six finalists to compete in this year’s competition. 

The Missouri Teacher of the Year program 

is conducted annually by the Department of 

Elementary and Secondary Education, in conjunction with the National Teacher of the Year 

program. Major funding for Missouri’s program 

is provided by The Boeing Company, St. 

Louis, Missouri. 

Before joining University City, Williams 

began her illustrious career in education as 

principal and administrator from 1986 to 1990 

at West Side Christian Academy in St. Louis. 

After which she taught at the Visual and Performing Arts High School and Beaumont from 

1971 to 1986. 

Williams is the first in the University City 

School District to be named Missouri Teacher 

of the year and was honored with a special 

drum line presentation, and video made by the 

district as part of her nomination package. 

Madam Speaker, Mrs. Williams has my absolute highest recommendation to be honored 

today. Her contributions to education and 

unyielding commitment to the youth of Missouri is unmatched. As a pioneer in the University City Schools and a role model to all 

educators that is worthy of recognition. I urge 

my colleagues to join me in honoring Mrs. 

Margaret Williams for being a top Missouri educator and being named the Missouri Teacher 

of the Year 2008–2009. 

f 

THE FAIRNESS DOCTRINE IS 

UNFAIR 

HON. TED POE OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. POE. Madam Speaker, it seems that 

some in Congress are trying to call back the 

speech police and reinstate the Fairness Doctrine again. Although the Fairness Doctrine 

was abolished over 20 years ago, some of our 

colleagues just can’t let it go. 

This time they want to police and control the 

radio airwaves. I’m not talking about the 

former Soviet Union that controlled what Russians listened to on the radio, I’m talking about 

the American speech police. 

The so-called ‘‘Broadcast Fairness Doctrine’’ 

is an attempt by the Feds to force private 

radio stations to be fair and balanced by forcing broadcasters to air opposing views of public importance. Sounds good, but who’s going 

to determine what fair is, the Federal fair police? 

Are we going to let a bunch of Potomac 

River bureaucrats determine if a radio station 

in Tomball, Texas is being fair when it discusses politics? Sounds like government control of speech to me. 

It is actually totalitarian state control of 

speech. And what does ‘‘fair’’ mean? Fair 

means different things to different folks. In 

some places in the country like Texas, fair is 

where you take your chickens to. That’s why 

the word ‘‘fair’’ is not in the Constitution. The 

Constitution protects free speech, not fair 

speech. It says ‘‘Congress (that’s us, folks) 

shall make no law abridging the freedom of 

speech.’’ And the Constitution applies to the 

thieves of free speech and the government’s 

speech police whether they like it or not. 

And that’s just the way it is. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL 

INSTITUTES OF HEALTH 

HON. MICHAEL K. SIMPSON OF IDAHO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. SIMPSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to pay tribute to the National Institutes of 

Health (NIH) and the important research it is 

doing. There are few investments the Federal 

government makes that regularly pay such important dividends to the American taxpayer. 

The National Institutes of Health, the lead government agency tasked with preventing and 

curing diseases and disorders, is one such investment. While NIH conducts some biomedical research at its Bethesda, Maryland 

campus, between 80 to 90 percent of its budget funds research that takes place at universities, research centers and hospitals throughout the United States. At a time when stimulating the economy is on everyone’s mind, we 

should remember that the NIH dollars that flow 

into our communities provide direct economic 

benefits in the form of increased employment 

and growth opportunities for research institutions and local businesses at the same time 

that they are funding research to save lives 

and improve the quality of life of all Americans. One example of that is NIH-supported 

research to identify a gene variant involved in 

isolated cleft lip. 

About one in every 600 babies in the United 

States is born with isolated cleft lip and/or palate (roof of the mouth). While there are several surgeries to correct the condition, families 

suffer under the emotional and economic 

strain, and children often require additional 

treatment, including complex dental care and 

speech therapy. Because isolated clefts occur 

during fetal development from disruptions in 

the dynamic, but still poorly understood, interplay of genes, diet, and environment, ongoing 

research is seeking ways to prevent or reverse the problem before a baby is born. 

One course of action has been to isolate 

genes involved in the developmental process. 

Six years ago, a gene known as IRF–6 was 

discovered. Within the gene’s structure is a 

sequence variant known as a single nucleotide 

polymorphism (SNP). Scientists recently discovered that the frequency of this SNP was 

significantly higher in babies born with cleft lip 

only. 


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