H 5566 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 24, 1995

but there are 170 cosponsors on the repeal bill, so it is a threat that is imminent. And that is why I am so happy

that the gentleman is alerting the rest

of us here to the importance of motor

voter, and at the same time the American viewing public that is interested

and is looking at C–SPAN right now, to

let them know that motor voter is

good and motor voter is not safe.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Let me agree

with you that motor voter is good, and

it is necessary to open up the political

process. As you well know, in our own

State hundreds and thousands of people

have been registered during the past 3

months. I think in Georgia more than

3,000 people every single day are being

registered because of motor voter.

Ms. MCKINNEY. And we do not even

have all of the counties on line yet.

Just imagine what it would be like if

we had all of the counties, 159 counties

in Georgia, on line for motor voter.

When that happens, Georgia will not be

last anymore. I am so sick and tired of

Georgia being last in most things.

Georgia can become first, and it will

also be first in democracy.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Let me just

thank my colleague, the gentlewoman

from the State of Georgia, CYNTHIA

MCKINNEY, for participating in this

special order tonight. I appreciate your

help and all of your support. I think we

have a moral obligation, a mandate,

and a mission as Members of this body

to do what we can to increase the political participation of all of our citizens.

Open the process up, let everybody

come in.

Ms. MCKINNEY. The gentleman knows

that I have long admired his work and

his advocacy on behalf of the American

people and the American democracy.

Just a word about the nature of this

discourse tonight: This is not about

Democrat or Republican. This is about

the American people and enhancing

and fine-tuning our democracy. We do

have, we are blessed in this country to

have the most perfect democracy on

the face of the Earth. Yet it can still be

a whole lot better. Motor voter is but

one tool to get us there, and I appreciate the gentleman and his strong

leadership and advocacy. You know

you have my support every step of the

way.

Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Thank you

very much for those kind words and for

participating in this special order tonight.

Miss COLLINS of Michigan. Mr. Speaker,

the absolute need for the motor-voter law is

clear. Without it, millions of American voters

will continue to be denied equal access to the

franchise by a bureaucratic opposition that

simply does not make sense. Without it, millions of Americans will remain voteless, and

voteless people are powerless people.

Like the Voting Rights Act, a thirty-year old

success story itself, this new law has clearly

begun to eclipse the barriers and the lingering

legacy of voting booth exclusion that have had

a ‘‘chilling’’ effect on the political participation

of African-Americans and other ethnic minorities in this country.

The motor-voter law is already a striking

success in some states where discriminatory

and unfair registration laws and procedures

once prevailed. In states like Texas, Florida,

and Georgia—where the history of voting discrimination has been most egregious—more

than 200,000 previously unregistered voters

have gained new opportunities to register to

vote, at motor vehicle departments, public assistance offices, mental health and disability

agencies, and by mail.

Instead of mouthing platitudes about democracy, we in this body ought to feel more compelled to make democracy a reality. But the

truth is, until every American citizen has onehundred percent, undeniable access to the

ballot box, Democracy will be little more than

an illusion. Democracy, it is said, is a ‘‘collectivity’’ of individuals. But there can be no

democracy when millions of Americans remain

shut out of the Democratic process.

Mr. Speaker, making voting more accessible

to the public is not a partisan issue. In fact,

Mr. GINGRICH himself has said that ‘‘it is simply good public policy.’’

Voting is the linchpin of American Democracy. Registering to vote should be as convenient as applying for a library card, or filling out

a tax return. The costs of the motor-voter law

are minimal, especially when considering the

payoff in increased citizen participation.

Even my own home state of Michigan is

now resisting this great effort to eliminate the

final barriers to full enfranchisement, and of

this I am ashamed. Mr. Speaker, it is a national disgrace if America is permitted to return

to its darkest period, when millions of citizens

were systematically denied equal access to

the franchise, and ultimately their power to

govern. It is a disgrace that this country simply

cannot afford.

Mr. STOKES. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank

my distinguished colleague, the gentleman

from Georgia [Mr. LEWIS], for reserving this

Special Order. I am pleased to join him for a

discussion of the motor-voter law. The National Voter Registration Act was signed into

law by President Clinton on May 20, 1993.

The law requires motor vehicle bureaus, welfare offices and other public agencies to offer

voter registration services. Today, we gather

to mark the two year anniversary of this successful legislative initiative.

The motor-voter law took effect on January

1, 1995. It is noted that during the months of

January and February alone, more than

630,000 citizens across the country registered

to vote. Analysts predict that next year, as

many as 20 million Americans will be added to

the ranks of the voting population. Not since

the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which removed

obstacles that had kept many African-Americans from the voting booth, have so many

new voters registered to vote.

Mr. Speaker, the road to passage of national voter registration laws has not been an

easy one. Many in this Chamber will recall

that efforts to establish a national voter registration system followed closely on the heels

of the passage of the Voting Rights Act of

1965. During the 1970’s, a substantial effort

was made to implement a national voter ‘‘postcard’’ or mail registration system. Efforts also

focused on the passage of a national voter

registration standard that would have allowed

citizens to register to vote on election day.

Both measures failed to be enacted by both

the House and Senate.

During the 1980’s, we celebrated the enactment of several voter registration measures. In

1984, Congress passed the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act. The

Act established national requirements for making polling places more accessible to the elderly and the handicapped, and provided

greater access to absentee ballots for these

individuals. The Uniform and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act required States to

permit absentee uniformed service personnel

and overseas voters to use absentee registration procedures, and to vote by absentee ballot in federal elections.

Mr. Speaker, the goal of the National Voter

Registration Act is to simplify voter registration, thereby encouraging citizens to participate in the election process. In addition to

making it easier for individuals to register to

vote, the Act also provides more than adequate measures to prevent voter fraud by

making violations of the Act a federal offense.

Further, the cost that states bear to implement

the motor-voter law has proven to be minimal.

As we celebrate the success of the motorvoter law, we must ensure that this important

Act is not repealed. We must also ensure that

all states are in compliance with the motorvoter law. In the United States, 80 percent of

our nation’s youth, those 18 or 19 years of

age, apply for driver’s licenses. Yet, fewer

than 40 percent of this age population is registered to vote. We have a responsibility to

make certain that all Americans are participants in the electoral process. The motor-voter

law represents an important step in achieving

this objective.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join Congressman LEWIS for this special order. He has

played a major role in securing and protecting

the voting rights of minority citizens and others. I applaud his leadership, and I offer my

full support of his efforts.

IN REMEMBRANCE OF APHIS

EMPLOYEES

fThe SPEAKER pro tempore. Under

the Speaker’s announced policy of May

12, 1995, the gentleman from Texas [Mr.

DE LA GARZA] is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority

leader.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Mr. Speaker, we

stand here today in memory of the

seven employees of the Animal and

Plant Health Inspection Service of the

U.S. Department of Agriculture, those

that were tragically murdered in the

bomb blast at the A.P. Murrah Federal

Building in Oklahoma City on April 19,

1995. The explosion murdered scores of

innocent children and adults, injured

hundreds, shattered innumerable lives,

and shook the soul of the Nation. We

remember them all.

But today we mention the 15 employees stationed in the building at the

time of the explosion. By stroke of

providence, five of the employees were

not in the building at the time. Three

of the employees left the building
May 24, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 5567

alive. The remaining seven were killed

in the explosion.

Mr. Speaker, I personally feel some

kinship with these APHIS employees.

My father in his late years worked for

APHIS. He was a proud, dedicated,

loyal employee, as were these who

worked in that building and the seven

that we lost.

Today the Department of Agriculture

held a day of remembrance to honor

the victims and survivors, continuing

the tradition of planting trees to honor

those we have lost. These employees

were dedicated workers who have left a

legacy of service to all citizens. They

have one thing in common: They died

serving their country.

As APHIS employees, these men and

women were on the front lines working

in the heartland of America to improve

agriculture productivity and to protect

our public health. These employees

were beloved by families and friends

and cannot be replaced. I know all of us

here today and people throughout the

country and the world embrace their

families and friends in their sorrow and

join me in paying tribute to them.

I hope that somehow the American

people might learn and grow closer

from this tragic incident. What we

must learn is that the agenda of a

small minority of anti-government terrorists is based on extremism and hatred and has no place in America. We

must also learn respect for our Federal

workers who are trying hard every day

to make this government work.

On April 22, the Washington Post

printed an editorial entitled ‘‘Federal

Employees.’’ I will include that for the

RECORD, Mr. Speaker.

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES

Some of them are still buried in the rubble.

Some are hospitalized, perhaps broken in

body, if not in spirit, for the rest of their

lives. Others will be memorialized by the nation tomorrow. They are part of the group of

an estimated 550 women and men who earned

their living in that federal building in Oklahoma City. They are federal workers.

The next time you are tempted to go off on

the federal work force, as if those employed

inside federal office buildings constitute

nothing more than a financial threat to the

Republic, think of that gutted facility in

Oklahoma City. But don’t stop there.

Suspects in this country’s worst bombing

in 70 years are now in custody. Credit a

swiftly launched, massive round-the-clock

investigation conducted by thousands of lawenforcement agents and officers around the

country—yet more federal government workers of that nameless, faceless, much-denounced variety. When you are tempted to

indulge in easy, all-purpose, indiscriminate

rhetoric about slow, cumbersome and complacent federal bureaucrats caught up in an

entitlement mentality, think of the men and

women in law-enforcement agencies such as

the FBI, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and

Secret Service who dropped everything to be

part of the manhunt. They, too, like their

colleagues who were at work in the devastated Oklahoma City building, are federal

workers.

The Oklahoma City bombing, as tragic as

it is, is not the first time federal employees

have found themselves putting so much on

the line by mere reason of their association

with the U.S. government. Far away from

the national spotlight, in places as remote as

Khartoum and Karachi, federal workers on

the front lines have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service of their country. Women and

men on the federal payroll in those locations

bear the title of Foreign Service officer, or

AID worker, or U.S. Embassy staff. But they

pursue the same basic mission that employees of the Department of Housing and Urban

Development, Social Security, the Food and

Drug and the General Services administrations and other federal agencies in Oklahoma

City are also about: They are trying to make

their government work. And most work long

and hard to make that happen.

So the next time you feel yourself about to

deliver categorical thoughts about federal

workers not having to work for a bottom

line and getting caught up in process rather

than results and all the other easy words of

generalized contempt that serve to undermine respect for the work these famously

‘‘faceless’’ workers actually perform, consider the possibility that they are good people who not only work hard but also are committed to the work they perform in our behalf. That is why so many of them were

where they were when evil visited them

Wednesday morning in Oklahoma City. It’s

worth remembering.

Mr. Speaker, what brought us closer

was that these are good people, who

not only work hard, but also are committed to the work they perform in our

behalf. That is why so many of them

worked where they work when evil visited them that Wednesday morning in

Oklahoma City.

It is worth remembering. I hope in

tribute to them, all of us, the Nation,

have respect, the proper admiration for

those. I know it is very easy to say bureaucrat or say Federal employee

sometimes in a negative, derogatory

way. But, Mr. Speaker, these seven

died serving their country and serving

us.

I yield to my distinguished colleague

from Oklahoma who represents that

district.

Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday morning, April 19, at 2 minutes

after 9 o’clock, America’s heartland

lost its innocence. The bombing of the

Alfred P. Murrah Building in downtown

Oklahoma City was a cowardly act of

tragic proportions, with no justification. I, like you and the Nation as a

whole, will never forget the scene or

the devastation, the death, the suffering, and, most of all, the innocence of

the victims.

I cannot begin to express the heartbreak and sense of helplessness one

feels when faced with such a gruesome

scene. As each day has passed since

this crime, the spirit, courage, resourcefulness that exemplifies our

great Nation has been displayed. Our

outrage, while still in mind, has been

superseded by charity, kindness, prayer

and healing.

This evening, I join with heavy heart

the distinguished chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Mr. ROBERTS,

and the equally distinguished ranking

member of the committee, Mr. DE LA

GARZA, to memorialize the employees

of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service who lost their lives in this

bombing. While the building resided in

my district, a number of these good

folks were my constituents.

With that, I would like to thank my

colleagues for organizing this special

order this evening.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I

yield to my distinguished colleague,

the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Mr. ROBERTS.

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, I thank

the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to, as has

been said, honor the memory of the

men and women and children who lost

their lives in the Oklahoma City bombing. Among killed, as has been said,

were the seven employees of the Department of Agriculture agency called

the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. It is commonly known by

its acronym as APHIS. As chairman of

the House Committee on Agriculture,

along with the committee’s distinguished ranking member, Mr. DE LA

GARZA and the gentleman from Oklahoma, Mr. LUCAS, and other members

of the committee and Members of the

Oklahoma delegation, we gather here

this evening to pay a special tribute to

these seven employees and the families

and friends that they leave behind.

Mr. Speaker, the decision to take

this special order came from many

members of the House Committee on

Agriculture who wanted to pay their

respects. As chairman of the committee, I wish to pay, however, a special

tribute to a long-time employee of the

Department of Agriculture, Mr. Carl

Barnes, who was the Personnel Director for the department under Secretary

of Agriculture Mr. Orville Freeman.

Mr. Barnes served under several Presidents and continues to be an example

and champion of public service. He also

just happens to be a good neighbor and

brought to my attention the article by

Steve Twomey in the Washington Post

entitled ‘‘They walk, they talk, and

they bleed.’’ Mr. Twomey wrote his column following the tragedy in Oklahoma City, and I think it is fitting and

appropriate that this article be

brought to the attention of our colleagues and to everyone concerned, as

it has been all too easy when people are

unhappy with the way that our government works, or does not work, that we

point a finger of blame at the hard

working men and women who makeup

our Federal work force.

Excerpts from his article include,

‘‘To get there, you march down a long,

gloomy, marble corridor, devoid of

human touches. Doors slip by at an

exact spacing and interval. Nothing

distinguishes one office from the next,

except small signs identifying the occupants and their titles. Yes, this fits.

Cold is how the bureaucracy is supposed to look. It is tempting to imagine Federal gnomes in here dreaming

up costly regulations, wasting forms in

triplicate, and funding cost-plus contracts with your money, because that

is what you imagine the Federal workers do. Your escort, and yes, while security is tight, walks you to room 312–
H 5568 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 24, 1995

E, which is to say the third floor east

of the administration building, the

United States Department of Agriculture. It is an older but attractive

building along the Mall that exudes

government formality right down to

the flower beds on Jefferson Drive.

What a sign hanging outside 312E:

Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service. You think it

even sounds make-work. ‘‘60 Minutes’’

would love this office, which, naturally, has a government acronym,

APHIS, pronounced A-fus.

You enter, and from an inner room

emerges not a bureaucrat, not a GSlevel, not an anonymous cog in the federal machine, but a human, who has a

name and, at the moment, feelings so

overwhelming you hesitate to ask

about them.

Lonnie King, in dark suit and white

shirt, a man of average build with

graying hair but a youthful and pleasant face, has served APHIS for 17 of his

51 years, rising to acting administrator.

‘‘Here’s a ribbon,’’ he says, ‘‘from

Oklahoma City.’’

He tosses a purple one on the table in

front of you. He carried it home Sunday, after the memorial service. Does

the public know what APHIS does?

What the seven did?

‘‘No,’’ King says. ‘‘No.’’

The 6,500 people who work for him

can be found in every state and even

overseas. The federal budget says they

‘‘protect the animal and plant resources of the nation from destructive

pests and diseases.’’ They help farmers,

monitor imports, do research. What

that means for you is better, more

abundant and cheaper food on the

table, be it at home or in a restaurant.

Before that Wednesday, King certainly

knew that the reputation of The Federal Employee wasn’t what it used to

be.

‘‘We’re not immune to the press and

the TV,’’ he says. Comedians, journalists and talk-show hosts have made

mincemeat of the type, calling them

wasteful, incompetent, dangerous. King

took the contempt personally, because

it clashed with his view, which was

that he was surrounded by people who

cared, who showed up every day, not

for the paycheck, not to waste, but to

serve.

‘‘Who thinks of us in those terms?’’

he says, ‘‘Is it that bad, that we’re so

hated? Could it happen here? Am I

safe?’’

In a way, the bombing also was an attack on this region, the capital region,

on the 360,004 civilians here who do

Uncle Sam’s tasks. We often forget

that they got those tasks from us,

through Congress. It is we who have

told them to provide clean air and

water, stop the flow of drugs, help

farmers, process Social Security

checks, promote trade, protect workers

and much more.

Do they perform flawlessly? Of

course not. Who does?

The irony of the bombing, King says,

is that the perpetrator benefited every

day from what APHIS does, every time

he ate. ‘‘He was probably degrading the

government with his mouth full,’’ King

says, ‘‘and dumb enough not to understand.’’

Yes, Linnie King is angry.

‘‘I’m not blaming anybody,’’ King

says, ‘‘but I hope people will stop and

think and ask themselves about what’s

being said.’’

He leaves you with this.

Monday morning, with seven of their

colleagues still buried in the rubble,

two of three APHIS workers who survived went back to work in temporary

offices.

Mr. Speaker, today special ceremonies were held by the Department in

behalf of the service deceased employees. In keeping with these ceremonies,

it is our privilege to honor each individual with a brief tribute.

Olen Bloomer is survived by his adult

daughters, Maureen Bloomer and

Lucretia Bjorklund; his son, Lee

Switzer; four grandchildren, Amelia,

Heather, Jeff, and Sara; and one great

granddaughter, Dillon Ann. His memory will be cherished by seven siblings—Ester Willis, Elwanda McComas,

Merle Easter, Erdene Jones, Doyle

Blommer, Dean Bloomer, and Dennis

Blommer. He was preceded in death by

his wife of 26 years, Norma Jean, who

passed away in 1990.

Olen was born in Elk City, Oklahoma, in 1933, and spent his youth

working on his father’s cotton farm

near the Beckham-Washita county

line. A few years after graduating from

Highway High School, Olen joined the

U.S. Air Force, where he served in a

number of locations, including Thailand. His work in the Air Force focused

on purchasing and inventory management. He retired in 1974 after 20 years

of service.

Olen went back to work for the Federal government in 1977, this time for

APHIS. Olen began this second career

at the screwworm rearing lab in Mission, Texas. He was subsequently reassigned to Salt Lake City, Utah, where

he worked for 5 years as an administrative assistant. He was serving as the

budget assistant for Oklahoma at the

time of his death.

Olen labored to keep the agency’s

budget trim and in order and was admired by the staff he supported for his

ability to stay cool under pressure and

cut through the bureaucratic red tape

when emergencies struck. He was always willing to help and volunteered

ably at troubleshooting computer problems. His grandchildren called him

‘‘Big Dad,’’ not only out of deference to

his 6-foot, 6-inch stature, but to distinguish him from their fathers. He was a

true gentle giant and will be sorely

missed by many.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I

yield to my distinguished colleague the

gentleman from Oklahoma.

Mr. LUCAS. Jim Boles is survived by

his loving wife of 12 years, Jennifer, his

8-year-old son, James Michael, and

adult son, Stephen, and his family in

Mississippi.

Jim was born in Quitman, Mississippi. He attended Lake High School

in Lake, MS and graduated in 1964. He

entered the U.S. Army in 1964 and

served as the noncommissioned officerin-charge of the 793rd military police

battalion, a small M.P. detachment, in

Bayreuth, West Germany. Upon leaving

the U.S. Army in 1968, Jim managed an

oil station and served as accounting

clerk for State Beverage Company,

both in Jackson, MS.

In 1970, Jim joined APHIS where he

worked for the next 25 years. During

his tenure with APHIS, he made many

friends throughout the Department and

lived in Mississippi, Florida, Maryland,

and finally, Oklahoma. Jim met his

wife Jennifer through APHIS.

As administrative officer for APHIS’

Veterinary Services office in Oklahoma

City, Jim helped develop new and better ways of conducting the various administrative functions Government

agencies must carry out. His progressive ideas paved the way for innovative

resource—and responsibility—sharing

with sister branches that saved the

Government both time and money.

Above and beyond his on-the-job duties, he will be remembered for encouraging, guiding and helping develop his

coworkers’ career goals. But his foremost concern was the well-being of his

colleagues as people. He was careful to

recognize fellow employees for their

accomplishments and service to the

community and agency. We all will

miss his smile, sense of humor, and

dedication.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Mr. Speaker, Margaret Louis Clark was known by her

many friends and colleagues as Peggy.

She is survived by her loving husband,

David Spencer, three daughters,

Rosslyn 16, Margaret Blayne 13, and

Chelsea 6, her mother Mary Spurlin,

and sister, Susan Winchester. Peggy

was 42.

A native of Chichasha, OK, Peggy attended Star Spencer High School in

Oklahoma City. Her academic achievements were all made at Oklahoma

State University, where she earned a

bachelor of science degree in agriculture in 1976, and a doctorate of veterinary medicine degree in 1978. After

completing her studies, Peggy began

veterinary private practice placing special emphasis on the equine industry.

In 1981, Peggy worked for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture as a

staff veterinarian and coordinated Federal/State disease control programs. In

1985, she moved over to the State of

Oklahoma’s Horse Racing Commission.

As the official veterinarian, she performed pre- and post-race examinations. Peggy joined APHIS in 1994 as

part of a Federal training program

called the Public Veterinary Practice

Career Program. Her assignment to the

Oklahoma City office as a Veterinary

medical officer was part of that developmental training.

Outside of the office, Peggy was very

involved in the lives of her children
May 24, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H 5569

and was active in horse shows, livestock shows, and soccer. She was an active and popular member of the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association,

and helped run her family’s horse

breeding operation. Peggy was appointed by the Governor to serve a 6-

year term on the Oklahoma State

Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners, where she served as secretary. Although she was the newest member of

the Veterinary Service staff in Oklahoma City, Peggy’s outgoing personality, willingness to help, and professional competence made her a most

welcome addition.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished chairman of the committee.

Mr. ROBERTS. Richard Leroy

Cummins’ memory will be cherished by

a large and loving family, including his

wife of 30 years, Frances; his daughters, Courtney and Nikki; his son,

Kraig; grandsons Chayse and Austin;

his mother, Christine; his two brothers,

Wall, of Tucson, AZ, and Frank of

Ruidosa, NM; and many friends and coworkers.

Dick was born in Douglas, AZ, in

1940. He spent his youth in and around

Douglas and graduated from Douglas

High School in 1957. He then attended

Arizona State University in Tempe,

AZ, where he pursued studies in business administration.

Dick’s notable career as a public

servant began with the U.S. Air Force

in 1959, where he worked in aircraft

maintenance in Colorado and Oklahoma for 4 years. Upon leaving the Air

Force, he worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad for 2 years.

In 1965, Dick joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where his professional contributions were welcomed for

30 years. He first worked with the Agricultural Research Service on the

screwworm eradication program in

Douglas, AZ. In 1980, he moved to

Henryetta, OK, and become Animal

Health Technician. A short time later

he moved to Durant, OK, where he

served in the same capacity. Dick was

promoted to investigator in 1987 and

reassigned to Oklahoma City to work

with the Regulatory Enforcement and

Animal Care staff. In this position,

Dick was responsible for ensuring that

animal breeders, dealers, and exhibitors comply with the standards of humane care and treatment prescribed in

the Animal Welfare Act. Dick moved

again to Mustang, OK, where he continued to work as an investigator

working out of his home. He was a senior investigator at the time of his

death.

Dick received well-deserved recognition in 1990 for his work on the Midwest Stolen Dog Task Force. His diligence helped curb the theft of pets for

sale to research institutions. Dick was

a devoted family man, animal lover

and advocated human treatment of all

living things.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I

yield to the gentleman from Oklahoma

[Mr. LUCAS].

Mr. LUCAS. Known by her many admiring friends and relatives as Adele,

Doris Adele Higgenbottom is survived

by her loving husband, David; his children, Kelly and Van; her mother,

Melanie; and the Maddox family. She

was 44.

Adele was born in Pecos, TX, and

graduated from Pecos High School in

1968. Several years later, Adele resumed her studies at the University of

Oklahoma in Norman, OK, where she

earned a bachelor of arts degree in

English in 1982.

Adele began her Federal career with

APHIS as a clerk/typist in Oklahoma

City in 1978. A few years later, she

transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration where she served as a purchasing agent. In 1980, she resigned

from the FAA and went to San Antonio, TX, to spend a few months with

her family. While there, she worked as

an advertising salesperson for the San

Antonio Express and News. She rejoined APHIS in Oklahoma City in late

1980 as she mastered the often complicating purchasing regulations.

Adele was popular in the Oklahoma

City office, as much for her positive

outlook as her animated personality.

Adele served as manager of the Federal

Women’s Program and was an ardent

supporter of equality and women’s

rights. Adele and her husband, David,

met in 1989 through David’s work with

the State Department of Agriculture.

Adele was heard to say she was happy

to be married to someone with whom

she could share so much of her professional life and who cared about the

same people and issues she did. David

and Adele considered themselves a

happy and compatible team whose personalities and interests complemented

each other well.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. Carole Sue Khalil

is survived by her daughter, Heather,

and many loving relatives and friends.

She was 50.

Carole was born in Shattuck, OK, and

attended Laverne High School in Laverne, OK. She graduated in 1962. Following graduation, she attended the

Draughons School of Business in Oklahoma City for 1 year where she completed an executive secretarial course.

Already she had big plans to serve her

country and the civic good as a public

servant.

Carole began a lifelong commitment

to the U.S. Government in 1964 when

she took the first of several temporary

positions in the clerical field with the

Internal Revenue Service in Oklahoma

City. Her career with the U.S. Department of Agriculture began with the Agriculture Research Service’s Animal

Health Division in 1967. In this position, which was based in Oklahoma

City, Carole provided clerical support

to a variety of animal disease eradication programs.

Carole was promoted to export document examiner in 1992. In this position,

she provided critical review of documents used to clarify the health of all

animals exported from Oklahoma to

other countries. Her eye for detail and

ability to catch even minute errors

were among the reasons she was a valuable contributor to the staff.

Carole also took care of many routine personnel functions, such as time

and attendance reports, training nominations, personnel reports and benefit

actions. She was an able and dedicated

employee whose contributions were appreciated by everyone with whom she

worked.

b 2045

I yield to my chairman, the gentleman from Kansas [Mr. ROBERTS].

Mr. ROBERTS. Mr. Speaker, Rheta

Long is survived by a large and loving

family, including her daughter, Valerie

Tramel; son, John; sisters, Wilda York

and Leona Thompson; and grandsons,

Kenneth and Christopher Tramel, and

Nicholas Long. Rheta was preceded in

death by her husband of 11 years,

Thomas; her brothers Earl and Andrew

Dean Bender; father, Andrew Bender;

and grandson, John Thomas. Rheta was

60.

Rheta was born in Guymon, OK. She

attended Guymon High School and

graduated in 1952. Afterwards, she attended Panhandle State College and

Phillips University to study education.

She earned a bachelor of science degree

in education in 1955.

Rheta was married in the summer of

1955 and dedicated herself to her family

and church. She was an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts and Girl

Scouts of America. In 1968, Rheta

began teaching mathematics in

Guymon and found the experience rewarding. She said it was a pleasure to

show children that school and learning

could be fun.

Rheta began her 20-year Federal career in 1974 as a military personnel

clerk with the U.S. Army. In 1978,

Rheta transferred to the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service in Guymon, OK, to

take a clerical position. Rheta came to

APHIS in Oklahoma City in October

1982, where she served as a program

clerk. She handled workers’ compensation claims, and was the final authority on payment eligibility for indemnity claims. She was very active in the

Federal Employees Women’s Group and

Equal Employment Opportunities Committees. Rheta had a vision disability

and she served as the Persons with Disabilities Special Emphasis Program

Manager as a means of helping educate

people about the challenges of working

with a physical handicap.

Rheta was active with the Christian

Women’s Foundation and looked forward to the Jewel Box Theater’s seasonal plays. A devoted grandmother,

Rheta was very proud of her grandchildren and kept snapshots of them at

her desk. Her dedication, cheerful attitude, and many contributions to the effectiveness of the office helped many of

her coworkers in their time of need.

She will be greatly missed by all.

Mr. Speaker, the members of the

Committee on Agriculture, the chair of
H 5570 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE May 24, 1995

the Committee on Agriculture, the distinguished chairman emeritus of the

Committee on Agriculture, and the

gentleman from Oklahoma, [Mr.

LUCAS], share in the sense of personal

loss and share in the sense of personal

pride regarding the contribution of

these employees. Perhaps an appropriate closing is this from Helen

Steiner Rice.

When I must leave you for a little while,

Please go on bravely with a gallant smile

And for my sake and in my name,

Live on and do all things the same—

Spend not your life in empty days,

But fill each waking hour in useful ways—

Reach out your hand in comfort and cheer,

And I in turn will comfort you and hold you

near.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas for taking this special time.

Mr. DE LA GARZA. I thank my distinguished colleague.

Mr. Speaker, if I might add a personal note, we notice that Mr. Bloomer

served at the screwworm eradication

plant in Mission, TX, the years when

my father worked there, so I feel certain that they knew each other in

those days and they have already found

each other up there and they are talking about the good old days at the

plant in Mission.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my two colleagues. The seven that we lost not

only belonged to APHIS, to USDA,

they belonged to our Nation and they

belong now to all of us. May they rest

in peace.

Mr. DE LA

GENERAL LEAVE

GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I ask

funanimous consent that all Members

may have 5 legislative days within

which to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of my special

order this evening.

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr.

NETHERCUTT). Is there objection to the

request of the gentleman from Texas?

By unanimous consent, leave of abThere was no objection.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

fsence was granted to:

Mr. HANSEN (at the request of Mr.

ARMEY), for today and the balance of

the week, on account of official business relating to base closings.

Mr. MCNULTY (at the request of Mr.

GEPHARDT), for today after 2 p.m., on

account of personal business.

Mr. KLECZKA (at the request of Mr.

GEPHARDT), for the week of May 22, on

account of medical reasons.

By unanimous consent, permission to

SPECIAL ORDERS GRANTED

faddress the House, following the legislative program and any special orders

heretofore entered, was granted to:

(The following Members (at the request of Ms. LOFGREN) to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material:)

Ms. KAPTUR, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. OWENS, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. DOGGETT, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, for 5 minutes, today.

(The following Members (at the request of Mr. EHRLICH) to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material:)

Mr. BURTON of Indiana, for 5 minutes,

today and on May 25.

Mr. EHLERS, for 5 minutes, today and

on May 25.

Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. BILBRAY, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. SMITH of Michigan, for 5 minutes,

today.

Mr. KINGSTON, for 5 minutes, today.

Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, for 5 minutes, today.

By unanimous consent, permission to

EXTENSION OF REMARKS

frevise and extend remarks was granted

to:

(The following Members (at the request of Ms. LOFGREN) and to include

extraneous matter:)

Mr. FOGLIETTA.

Mr. STARK.

Mr. STOKES.

Mr. VISCLOSKY.

Mr. SCHUMER.

Mr. MENENDEZ.

Mr. MORAN.

Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin.

Mr. MINETA.

Mr. HOYER in two instances.

Mr. RICHARDSON in four instances.

Mr. FORD.

Mr. ENGEL.

Mrs. KENNELLY.

Mr. CLAY.

Mr. RUSH.

Mr. TUCKER.

Mr. BONIOR in two instances.

(The following Members (at the request of Mr. EHRLICH) and to include

extraneous matter:)

Mr. DAVIS.

Mr. RIGGS.

Mr. PACKARD.

Mr. FORBES in two instances.

Mr. SMITH of Washington.

Mrs. ROUKEMA.

Mr. LEWIS of California.

Mr. LIGHTFOOT.

Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina.

Mr. SOLOMON.

Mr. CHAMBLISS.

Mr. TALENT.

Mr. SHADEGG.

Mr. MCCOLLUM.

(The following Members (at the request of Mr. DE LA GARZA) and to include extraneous matter:)

Mr. GILMAN.

Mr. SHAW.

Mr. WELLER.

Mr. B

Mr. THOMAS, from the Committee

ENROLLED BILLS SIGNED

ARCIA.

fon House Administration, reported

that that committee had examined and

found truly enrolled a bill of the House

of the following title, which was thereupon signed by the Speaker:

H.R. 1421. An Act to provide that references in the statutes of the United States

to any committee or officer of the House of

Representatives the name or jurisdiction of

which was changed as part of the reorganization of the House of Representatives at the

beginning of the One Hundred Fourth Congress shall be treated as referring to the currently applicable committee or officer of the

House of Representatives.

BILL PRESENTED TO THE

fPRESIDENT

Mr. THOMAS, from the Committee

on House Administration, reported

that that committee did on this day

present to the President, for his approval, a bill of the House of the following title:

H.R. 1421. An act to provide that references

in the statutes of the United States to any

committee or officer of the House of Representatives the name or jurisdiction of

which was changed as part of the reorganization of the House of Representatives at the

beginning of the One Hundred Fourth Congress shall be treated as referring to the currently applicable committee or officer of the

House of Representatives.

Mr. DE LA

ADJOURNMENT

fGARZA. Mr. Speaker, I

move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o’clock and 51 minutes

p.m.), the House adjourned until Thursday, May 25, 1995, at 10 a.m.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS,

fETC.

Under clause 2 of rule XXIV, executive communications were taken from

the Speaker’s table and referred as follows:

909. A letter from the Under Secretary, Department of Defense, transmitting the defense environmental quality program annual

report to Congress for fiscal year 1994, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2706(b)(1); to the Committee

on National Security.

910. A communication the President of the

United States, transmitting his follow-up report on the deployment of United States

combat-equipped aircraft to support NATO’s

enforcement of the no-fly zone in Bosnia and

Herzegovina (H. Doc. No. 104–79); to the Committee on International Relations and ordered to be printed.

PUBLIC BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS

Under clause 5 of rule X and clause 4

fof rule XXII, public bills and resolutions were introduced and severally referred as follows:

By Mr. LEVIN (for himself and Mr.

HOUGHTON):

H.R. 1690. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to simplify certain rules relating to the taxation of U.S. business operating abroad, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Ways and Means.

By Mr. LAZIO of New York:

H.R. 1691. A bill to provide for innovative

approaches for homeownership opportunity

and provide for the temporary extension of