E34 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks January 7, 2009 

The aspirations of the Palestinian people and 

of their Israeli neighbors will continue to be 

undermined if Iran and Syria continue to funnel support for terrorist groups who kill innocent civilians and challenge the aspirations of 

moderates. 

Just like we in our country would and have 

responded to a terrorist attack on our soil, I 

fully support the right of Israel to defend its 

people against rockets launched by Hamas. 

Hamas has fired more than 6,300 rockets and 

mortars at Israeli population centers since 

Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. No country 

can endure such actions. Hamas had an opportunity to govern the Gaza strip and work 

with Israel to meet the needs of the Palestinian people when Israel withdrew from Gaza 

in August 2005. Instead of renouncing its goal 

to eliminate the Israeli state and provide true 

leadership for the Palestinian people, Hamas 

chose violence and most recently broke the 

cease-fire which Egypt had brokered. 

Fatah in the West Bank and Palestinian 

moderates have shown the way by growing 

the economy there. Moderates on both sides 

will find lasting solutions which must then be 

actively supported by our new administration, 

the region and our European allies. Until that 

time when all parties can return to the negotiating table, I urge Israel to keep its operation 

focused on its core goal of eliminating the military threat posed by Hamas while protecting 

the lives of civilians who must be Israel’s partners in the future. 

f 

RECOGNIZING LUCIUS YOUNG OF 

SPRING HILL, FLORIDA 

HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 

Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. 

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Lucius 

Young of Hernando County, Florida. Lucius 

will do something later this year that all of us 

strive to do, but that very few of us will ever 

accomplish, celebrate his 100th birthday. 

Lucius Young was born May 8, 1909 in Martel, Florida. A native Floridian, Lucius attended 

school at Howard University, Georgetown University and Fessenden Academy. He eventually married Muriel Young and the two did not 

have any children. While one of his proudest 

memories is his high school graduation, he remembers when his brother earned the title 

Professor and he was able to address him as 

such. 

During World War II, Lucius served in the 

Army Infantry, where he met general Douglas 

MacArthur and heard him make the statement, 

‘‘I shall return.’’ He also met President Franklin 

D. Roosevelt when he became a special representative of the president as a commissioned officer. Lucius said he was also happy 

to meet Mrs. Roosevelt. Lucius retired from 

the military as a commissioned officer. In fact, 

Lucius’s proudest moment was when his 

mother said that he made her proud when he 

became a commissioned officer. 

Lucius moved to Hernando County when he 

married his wife Muriel. Today Lucius says 

that just eating, sleeping and reading give him 

all the pleasures he needs to be content. He 

likes it here in Hernando County because it’s 

clean and quiet. Lucius’ advice for young people is to study hard in school including subjects you don’t like. 

Madam Speaker, I ask that you join me in 

honoring Lucius Young for reaching his 100th 

birthday. I hope we all have the good fortune 

to live as long as him. 

f 

INTRODUCING THE CRITICAL 

ELECTION INFRASTRUCTURE 

ACT OF 2008 

HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS 

OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Madam Speaker, 

I rise today to introduce the Critical Election 

Infrastructure Act of 2009. 

This legislation is a necessary and vital investment in our citizens and the future of our 

democracy. This bill authorizes $1 billion to 

states and local governments over the next 

four years for the acquisition of additional voting systems and equipment, improving training 

of election administration officials, upgrading 

existing election equipment, and allocating additional election administration officials to polling places serving greater numbers of voters. 

This funding is essential to improve efficiency 

and fairness in the operation of polling places 

in federal elections. 

President Dwight Eisenhower once said, 

‘‘The future of this republic is in the hands of 

the American voter.’’ In the 2008 Presidential 

election, an astounding 130 million people 

voted and, even more exciting, an unprecedented number of youth and minorities lined 

up at the polls to participate in the electoral 

process, many for the first time. While this increased turnout is emblematic of our nation’s 

commitment to our future, in some parts of the 

country it caused undue difficulties. 

For example, throughout South Florida and 

elsewhere in the country, hundreds of thousands of voters found themselves waiting on 

interminable lines, sometimes for over five 

hours. Five hours! Forced to stand in the heat 

and during Florida’s famous afternoon thunderstorms with little food and water, voters are 

to be commended for their civic commitment. 

But American citizens should not have to face 

such difficulties when exercising their sacred 

right to vote. 

Elections officials simply did not have 

enough equipment and trained personnel on 

the ground to speedily and effectively handle 

such large numbers of voters. Clearly what is 

needed is more: more polling booths, more 

trained workers, more equipment, and more 

polling locations and facilities to handle increasing numbers of voters. 

Madam Speaker, voting should not be a 

right granted only to those who can stand in 

line the longest or can go the longest without 

food or a bathroom break. Voting is the sacred 

right of all eligible citizens. We have a solemn 

responsibility to ensure the greatest possible 

access to exercise that right. Authorizing funding for the necessary equipment and personnel is an essential first step in that process. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. 

HONORING RANDALL JOHNSON 

HON. LYNN A. WESTMORELAND OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, January 7, 2009 

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, at 

the end of 2008, a great Georgia lawman 

turned in his badge to retire after a long, distinguished career. 

Randall Johnson worked for Fayette County 

as sheriff for 32 years. At his retirement, he 

was one of the longest serving sheriffs in the 

state of Georgia. But more important, he was 

one of the most distinguished sheriffs in Georgia. 

Sheriff Johnson oversaw the department 

during three decades of incredible growth. In 

the 1970s when Johnson first won election to 

the post, the Fayette Sheriff’s Department has 

less than a dozen employees in a county then 

considered a rural outpost. By the time he left, 

the department had transformed into a modern 

law enforcement operation that protected a 

large suburban county in the booming metropolitan Atlanta region. Sheriff Johnson acted 

as a constant, a steady hand and a voice of 

leadership throughout those times of change. 

The sheriff’s post fulfilled Johnson’s lifelong 

dream. He said at his graduation from Fayette 

County High School in 1960 that he was going 

to be sheriff one day. He got his start in law 

enforcement working for the state of Georgia, 

busting moonshine operations along the multitude of Georgia’s creaks and streams. As 

testament to the depth of respect he holds in 

the community, some of those moonshiners 

he arrested decades ago showed up at his retirement party to wish him well. 

During my two decades in politics, I’ve seen 

a lot of politicians come and go. Most are 

quickly forgotten. It is the rare public official 

who holds the job for three decades. It is even 

rarer that one constantly maintains the integrity, dignity and honesty that Sheriff Johnson 

demonstrated in office. 

I’m well aware that, as I enter my third term 

in the U.S. House of Representatives, I owe a 

large debt to Sheriff Johnson. I got my start in 

politics in Fayette County as a state representative. No one in the county back then won office without the express consent of Sheriff 

Johnson. His support was the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for any local campaign. He carried great weight not because he 

carried the proverbial big stick but because he 

had earned the people’s trust and respect. His 

loyalty and backing through all these years 

humbles me. 

In Fayette County, ‘‘sheriff and -Randall 

Johnson’’ are synonymous. When he entered 

a room, everybody knew the sheriff had arrived—even if he wasn’t wearing his uniform. 

His presence was a statement in itself The 

county will sorely miss one of the greatest 

leaders in its history, but the department that 

he has built up will carry on, and its continued 

success will serve as part of Sheriff Johnson’s 

legacy. 

On behalf of the people of Georgia’s 3rd 

Congressional District, I want to thank Sheriff 

Johnson for his lifetime of service to the people of Georgia and to Fayette County. He is a 

great American and an inspiration to us all. 

Best wishes to Sheriff Johnson and his wife 

Kaye as they enter a new phase of life in retirement, a reward that’s richly deserved. 


jbell on PROD1PC69 with REMARKS