Floor Statements

• (9/27/2006) It is Time For A New Direction:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I encourage everyone to keep in their hearts and minds and certainly in your prayers our men and women in uniform and those on the battlefield this morning. Mr. Speaker, it is time, it is time for a new direction. It is time for health care that the American people can afford. It is time for Social Security that we can depend on. It is time to have jobs that do not disappear. And it is amazing, it demonstrates the way the big oil companies have managed to abuse the American people to the point
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• (9/19/2006) In Honor of Pocahontas' Sesquicentennial Celebration:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the city of Pocahontas in Randolph County, Arkansas, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year. This is a significant milestone for the community and for all who helped shape the city's history. Pocahontas has a long history dating back to the 1700's when the region was occupied by the French and a number of Indian tribes, including the Osage and Cherokee. The city's first settler, Ransom S. Bettis, arrived from Greenville, Missouri, in the early 1800's and is credited with helping establish Pocahontas as the county seat.
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• (9/7/2006) Berry Instructs Conferees to Provide TRICARE Prescription Drug Discounts:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas, and I thank him for his leadership in all matters pertaining to the military and certainly to our veterans in their care, and they are entitled to the best that this country has to offer. I appreciate him, and I also appreciate the gentleman from Colorado. He is absolutely right. This is not a partisan issue. We should do everything within our power to see that the taxpayers get a good deal, but we have an obligation to our veterans and our retired military that should not be usurped
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• (7/26/2006) In Honor of the Gibbins' 75th Wedding Anniversary:
  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to a special couple from England, Arkansas, Eityhel and Luvesta Gibbins, who celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on July 3, 2006. This is a significant milestone and one that only a very few are fortunate enough to celebrate in their lifetime. Eityhel and Luvesta Gibbins met as children in Fairbanks, Arkansas, and decided to marry in the summer of 1931. The couple made their home in Lonoke County, Arkansas and spent the next forty-five years growing cotton, soybeans, and wheat. Throughout the years, the Gibbins' were blessed with four children--Van
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• (7/26/2006) In Honor of the First Baptist Church of Pine City's 100th Anniversary:
  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to recognize the First Baptist Church of Pine City which will celebrate its l00th anniversary this August. This is a significant milestone for a church community dedicated to fellowship and service. The First Baptist Church of Pine City was founded in 1906 under the guidance of Rev. John Smith. The congregation spent the first decade worshiping in temporary locations throughout Pine City, including a brush harbor on Rev. Smith's farm, the Beaten School, and even an old house. The church community finally bought land for a church on November 4, 1916 from Parker
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• (7/26/2006) Raise the Minimum Wage:
  Mr. Speaker, as millions of Americans struggle to get by making the lowest real value minimum wage in 50 years, Republicans in this body are preparing to adjourn the House for a 5-week summer vacation without providing them with any financial relief. Despite numerous attempts by the Democratic Members, Republicans still refuse to increase the minimum wage to a living wage. It is time for a new direction. Six million people who would benefit from an increase in the minimum wage deserve better than a Congress that rewards the wealthiest while punishing those who need assistance the most and
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• (7/18/2006) Trail of Tears Study Act:
  Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased that the U.S. House of Representatives is considering H.R. 3085, the Trail of Tears Documentation Act, which I introduced last year with my friend, Representative Zach Wamp. This important legislation has 20 cosponsors from 8 different states and works to preserve an important chapter of our history so others can learn from our past. The lessons that lie along the Trail of Tears are more than a chapter in a history book. They are the lessons that teach future generations to celebrate diversity rather than to push it into the farthest corners of
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• (7/18/2006) Honoring Win Rockefeller:
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today with my colleagues from the Arkansas congressional delegation to recognize a man whose generosity and dedication transformed so many communities across our State. I have met few men with such an enthusiasm for service and will miss his leadership greatly. Win Paul Rockefeller displayed one of his favorite quotes on a plaque outside his home. The quote comes from Micah 6:8 and says: ``And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God?'' I can think of no better way to honor
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• (7/11/2006) Control Of Our Borders:
  Mr. Speaker, I couldn't agree more with my colleague from Arizona when he says the number one priority is control of our borders. I find it interesting that my colleague from Texas says that it is the President of Mexico's fault. The fact is, over the last 5 years, the Republicans in the Bush administration and in this House have refused to properly fund border security programs. Today we are seeing the results. Mr. Speaker, with the proposal that President Bush made for massive amnesty and other programs to allow people to come into this country, it has just
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• (6/15/2006) In Honor of Mike Freeze, Arkansas Game and Fish Commission:
  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today on behalf,of Congressmen John Boozman, Mike Ross, Vic Snyder, and myself, to pay tribute to one of my good friends, Mike Freeze of England, Arkansas, who has served the last seven years on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. We are grateful to have such a leader in Arkansas committed to improving conservation and recreation across our state. Freeze was appointed to the Commission for a seven year term on July 1, 1999, serving the last year as Chairman. He has brought a wealth of experience to the position, serving as the Commission's
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• (6/14/2006) Stop Corporate Expatriates:
  Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts, and I rise to support the DeLauro amendment. It is a sad day in America when someone comes to this House floor to tell us that we have to depend on companies that renounce their American citizenship to save a few tax dollars to get quality products, workmanship, or services. We had a great debate a few months ago about allowing a foreign company to take over six of our ports. We almost universally agreed that was a bad idea. It doesn't make any difference, and those companies hadn't renounced their
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• (5/26/2006) In Honor Of Marshall's Sesquicentennial Celebration:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the town of Marshall in Searcy County, Arkansas, which will celebrate its 150th anniversary this year. This is a significant milestone for the community and for all who helped shape the town's history. Marshall was established in 1856, after Native Americans roamed the land for centuries. The Osage tribe used the land for hunting and gathering in the 18th century and then sold their claim to the United States government. Nine years later, the government set aside the land as a reservation for the Cherokee Indians. By the
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• (5/24/2006) In Honor Of Gillett, Arkansas' Centennial Celebration:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my hometown of Gillett, Arkansas, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year. This is a significant milestone for our community and for all those who shaped our town's history. Gillett was incorporated in 1906, several decades after the first settlers migrated there from Fulton County, Illinois, in 1881. These early settlers purchased land; built modest homes; farmed crops of oats, corn and cotton; and developed orchards; and raised cattle. They worked hard to establish a town, building the first school and the first church in 1886, the
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• (5/23/2006) Statement in Support of the U.S. Sugar Program - FY07 Agriculture Appropriating Bill:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman from Virginia. Mr. Chairman, the only justification for a farm program is to ensure adequate production and processing capacity for our own security. Now, it has been talked about here today about how terrible the sugar program is. The fact is every country does this. To unilaterally disarm our producers makes absolutely no sense in the world trade scheme, and we simply cannot be allowed to be led down this path. At the point when the rest of the world is willing to give up their subsidies and play on a
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• (5/12/2006) In Honor Of Bayou Meto United Methodist Church On The Church's 125th Anniversary:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to the Bayou Meto United Methodist Church in DeWitt, Arkansas, where my parents were married, my family and I have attended for more than fifty years, and my brother Mark and his family are members. This month marks our church's 25th anniversary, a significant milestone for the congregation and the entire community. The Bayou Meto United Methodist Church was organized in 1881 as the Mt. Zion Methodist Episcopal Church South. The original 13 charter members chose the southwest corner of the Bayou Meto Cemetery to build a small
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• (5/3/2006) Phony Lobbying Reform Bill:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would ask that everyone remember our men and women in uniform and keep them in your hearts and minds and certainly in your prayers, especially those on the battlefield today. Today, the Republican Congress is going to attempt to extend the culture of corruption and chaos. They are going to offer a so-called lobbying reform bill. It makes me think of that wonderful American, Merle Haggard, who wrote a song called ``Rainbow Stew.'' It goes something like this: When a President goes through the White House door and does what he
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• (4/26/2006) In Honor Of The Grand Opening Of Lonoke County Safe Haven, Inc.:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to celebrate the grand opening of Lonoke County Safe Haven, Inc., an organization that provides critical resources to victims of domestic violence. This center will give women and their children a place to turn during difficult times and is a valuable addition to our community. Lonoke County Safe Haven, Inc. was founded in March 2005 after J.M. Park read an article about a domestic violence victim. The article inspired Park and others to create a program where domestic violence victims can access vital recovery services. The organization began to help victims
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• (4/6/2006) In Appreciation of Doug Sims on His Retirement:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to one of my good friends, Mr. Doug Sims, a great leader in agriculture and the cooperative movement in America. Doug will retire from his post as Chief Executive Officer of CoBank this June after serving farmers, ranchers, farm cooperatives and rural communities for nearly 37 years. This will mark the end of a very successful career, and a very successful period in CoBank's history. I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Doug Sims for many years. As a farmer and a farm cooperative member,
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• (4/6/2006) In Honor of Newspaper Owner Cone Magie:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to Cone Magie of Cabot, Arkansas, a great journalist and businessman who devoted his entire life to public service. As an owner of five newspapers, Magie provided reliable and trustworthy news to Central Arkansas for more than 50 years. Magie's love of the newspaper business began as a young boy when he delivered papers for the Arkansas Gazette. He went on to serve as editor of the England High School newspaper, published a newsletter during his service in World War II, and upon leaving the service, studied journalism
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• (4/6/2006) In Honor of Johnny Rye, Sr.:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to Johnny Rye, Sr., of Poinsett County, Arkansas, a great friend, and someone who has made countless contributions to his community. Johnny was born into a sharecropping family on September 2, 1924, in Smithville, Mississippi but moved to Arkansas just 8 years later. After finishing school, Johnny started his own grocery business in the Black Oak Community. He has operated that grocery for more than 50 years, making it the oldest grocery business in all of Poinsett County. In addition to being a great businessman, Johnny is an
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• (4/5/2006) In Appreciation of Dr. Glen Fenter:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to one of my great friends, Dr. Glen Fenter, President of Mid-South Community College, and the vision behind the economic renaissance converging in Arkansas' Delta. Glen is a true leader, who has accomplished more over the past decade than most will accomplish in a lifetime. As a graduate of Hendrix College with an Ed.D. from the University of Arkansas, Glen is committed to bringing educational opportunities to some of Arkansas' poorest counties. A former principal of West Memphis High School, Glen accepted the challenge in 1992 to establish
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• (4/5/2006) In Honor of Lovis Clarisa Howell Downing:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to Lovis Clarisa Howell Downing of Hoxie, AR, a fine businesswoman, a friend, a devoted family member, and someone who spent her entire life trying to make others happy. Lovis was born in Imboden on September 12, 1912. She grew up during World War I and the Great Depression, accepted a job as a school teacher, and eventually became the longtime owner of the Flower Basket in Walnut Ridge, AR, until she retired at the age of 79. Lovis also helped her father-in-law, Terrell Henry Downing, run the
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• (3/16/2006) Berry Amendment To Reform The Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, we have a crisis in this country and it needs to be dealt with on this bill. This amendment would provide for a real Medicare prescription drug benefit and save the Nation's taxpayers a minimum of $40 billion a year in the process. It would provide for continuous open enrollment for all of 2006 and lay any late enrollment penalties until 2007. Currently, if a beneficiary misses the May 15, 2006 deadline, they will not have the ability to enroll again until November 15
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• (3/8/2006) Tribute to Harold Keith Adams:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to share an incredible story written by Timothy Scott Adams in memory of his father Harold Keith Adams. This story of love and service captures the powerful meaning behind our country's greatest symbol--the American flag. MY FATHER'S FLAG My life changed dramatically on the morning of February 11, 2005, when my roommate woke me around 5:30 a.m. He said the ship had called, and I should go into work. They had some important news to tell me, so I unwillingly rolled out of bed and stumbled to the sink. I still
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• (3/2/2006) Tribute to Freddie Bryant:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise here today to commemorate a remarkable man, Mr. Freddie Bryant, on ninety years of endurance, patience, and strength of character. His selfless acts have touched so many, especially his twelve children, who thrived under his guidance and cherish the wonderful memories of growing up in Freddie's home. Freddie has been a hard worker his entire life. He took on family responsibilities at the age of seven when his father moved to Hughes, Arkansas, and continues to plant a garden and raise livestock to this day. Although he
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• (2/28/2006) Honoring State Senator Jerry Bookout:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to one of my great friends, Mr. Jerry Bookout of Jonesboro, who is one of Arkansas' greatest public servants. With more than 40 years of work in the Arkansas General Assembly, Bookout has pioneered countless reforms in education, retirement, and especially health care. As a military veteran, elected official, and community volunteer, Bookout has devoted his entire life to public service. He worked to elevate Arkansas State College to university status, strengthened the State's retirement system, and established the first doctoral and physical therapy programs at Arkansas State
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• (2/16/2006) Honoring George Dunklin Senior:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to one of my father's great friends, Mr. George Dunklin, Sr., who is a true leader in Arkansas' agriculture community. With more than 60 years of work in the cottonseed oil and fertilizer industries, George Dunklin, Sr. is one of the state's most gifted businessmen. As the former President of the most successful cottonseed oil mill in the country, George Dunklin, Sr. knows how to run a successful business. From the day his father bought the Planters Cotton Oil mill in 1935, to his days as President of
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• (2/8/2006) Designating a Post Office In Jonesboro as the Hattie Caraway Station:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I think it is fitting and proper that we are here today to proceed with naming a post office in Jonesboro, Arkansas, for Senator Hattie Caraway. She obviously was the first to do a lot of things. She was the first woman ever elected to the United States Senate in her own right. She was the first woman to chair a Senate committee, the first woman to take up the gavel on the Senate floor. She was said to be called ``Silent Hattie'' by her colleagues in the Senate; and when asked why she avoided
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• (2/8/2006) Honoring The Life And Accomplishments of Mrs. Coretta Scott King:
  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, on January 31, just one day before the start of Black History Month, we lost one of our Nation's most important civil rights pioneers--Coretta Scott King. Black History Month is an appropriate opportunity to mourn her death, celebrate her extraordinary life, and reflect on the extraordinary partnership of Mrs. King and her husband, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Although Dr. King was the heart and face of the civil rights movement, Mrs. King was its backbone. She marched alongside her husband in Selma to demand voting rights for African Americans. She marched with him again
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• (11/17/2005) Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4241, Deficit Reduction Act of 2005:
  MR. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York for her leadership. I am absolutely amazed at you boys over there. I wonder what you are going to be when you grow up. For you to come to this floor and attack the Blue Dogs on fiscal responsibility demonstrates an unparalleled display of ignorance, stupidity, or just down-hard foolishness. I do not know which. You stand there and say we are increasing spending, but we are cutting spending. I do not know whether you cannot add or subtract. I do not know what your problem is. But
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• (11/9/2005) Fiscal Responsibility:
  Mr. BERRY. Madam Speaker, I love coming down here and listening to these whiz bangs on the other side talk about their fiscal responsibility and all of this foolishness that they have put forth to the American people. It makes me want a dip of snuff. It is almost like they cannot add and subtract. I know they cannot multiply and divide. But the great mystery to me will always remain why in 5 years' time when they have increased the national debt by $3 trillion and demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have absolutely no
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• (11/9/2005) FY06 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the FY06 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill. Chairman Hobson, Ranking Member Visclosky, and their staffs have worked tirelessly to produce a good bill and they deserve much praise for their efforts. This bill goes a long way in strengthening our Nation's water infrastructure. If this past hurricane season has taught us anything, it is that we must ensure an adequate level of protection for our coastal cities and those areas prone to flooding. The modest investments included in this bill can save billions in disaster recovery needs. Our Nation's water infrastructure
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• (9/8/2005) In Honor of the Ward's 75th Wedding Anniversary:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to a special couple from Caraway, AR, Ode and Beatrice Ward, who will celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary on September 20, 2005. This is a significant milestone and one that only a very few are fortunate enough to celebrate in their lifetime. Ode and Beatrice Ward met in Leachville, AR, and decided to marry in the fall of 1930. The couple made their home in northeast Arkansas and spent the next 42 years growing cotton, soybeans, and milo. Throughout the years, the Wards were blessed with three children,
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• (7/29/2005) Tribute to Arkansas Businessman Jack Stephens:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to a great businessman, Mr. Jack Stephens, who spent a lifetime helping Arkansas gain a competitive edge in the global economy. His talent and generosity led to important advances in business, transportation, medicine, and the arts that have left a lasting mark on our state.   Jack Stephens was born on August 9, 1923 in Grant County, Arkansas, the youngest of six children. He grew up on a farm near Prattsville during the great Depression. Coming from humble beginnings, the hard times and his parents taught him the
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• (7/26/2005) Medical Malpractice Relief Hurts the Country:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, we are going to be back here this week and try to convince the American people that we are trying to help them with their health care costs by passing yet again a medical malpractice insurance relief act.    The really sad thing about this is it does not help the cost of health care in this country. It does improve the bottom line considerably for the insurance companies. But the most egregious parts of this is the way it protects the irresponsible drug companies. We are going to provide tort protection. We are going to provide
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• (6/16/2005) Upholding the Promises Of Social Security:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, when this President was reelected, he announced proudly that he had political capital and he intended to spend it. He intended to replace Social Security. All of his proposals provide that we would replace Social Security with something less: ``Let us give the working people of this country less than we promised.''   Social Security is a covenant between our working people and the United States Government. They are entitled to get what they have paid for. They have worked all their days and paid honorably into the system. Now this President and some of my
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• (5/4/2005) Greatest Tragedy of Mankind:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, when I came here in 1997, we passed the first balanced Budget Act in 30 years. That was a result of the work of a lot of people. I do not take credit for making that happen. But then after having a balanced budget and running a surplus until the year 2001, beginning in January of that year, when we turned over this great country to the Bush administration and a Republican majority in the House and the Senate, and let us be very clear about that. The Republicans have controlled the House, the Senate, the
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• (4/7/2005) In Honor of Calico Rock, Ar's 100th Anniversary:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today on behalf of Congress to honor the town of Calico Rock, AR on its 100th Anniversary.  Located in a strikingly beautiful section deep in the Ozarks and directly on the banks of the famous White River, Calico Rock affects all who visit it.  Calico Rock has grown from its roots as an important river port on the Upper White River as early as the first half of the 1800s.  Legend says the town was named when an early explorer of the White River Valley saw the limestone bluff and called
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• (3/17/2005) Tribute to Jonathan Stubbs:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today on behalf of Congress to commend Captain Jon Stubbs of Searcy, AR, commanding officer of Charlie Company of the 39th Infantry Brigade's 3rd Battalion for his leadership in Iraq over the past year.  Managing a delicate balance between ambassador and soldier, Captain Stubbs has served his nation by bringing hope to a country encompassed by war. He led his company with the strength necessary to win the trust of those in his command and with the compassion needed to bring aid to the Iraqis he bravely protected.  From Searcy and
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• (3/14/2005) Tribute to Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise today on behalf of Congress to thank Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade for their service in Iraq and to welcome them home.  A Over the last year, the men and women of the 39th have worked to make a positive difference in the lives of the Iraqi people. They have faced their duties bravely, performed honorably and made a difference in the development of an emerging country. There is no doubt the 39th has lived up to the badge it proudly bares. Forceful and strong is why Iraq is better today than
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• (2/9/2005) Tribute to George Grugett:
  MR. BERRY.  Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of Congress, to acknowledge George Grugett, a man who has devoted his life to his country and to his community at large. Currently, he serves the Mississippi valley as the Executive Vice President of the Mississippi Valley Flood Control Association, a post he has held since 1980.  Mr. Grugett was born and raised in West Tennessee and while he has always been a part of the Mississippi valley, he has served his country bravely outside American borders. After completing his training with the Aviation Cadet Training, United States Army Air
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