CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE May 9, 2005
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
8818 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE May 9, 2005 that the President should be granted and nearly 12,000 have been wounded in If the cheers at Drake are especially significant deference in selecting his action. We have now lost over 50 people loud for Kip, it is because he is a native Cabinet and close advisers. Unlike judi- with ties to New Jersey. I have at- son of Iowa, raised in Panora and a cial nominees, the EPA Administrator tended several funerals for New Jer- graduate of Simpson College in will serve for 4 years at the President’s sey’s fallen soldiers, and each funeral is Indianola. It is fitting that the last discretion. a difficult, emotional experience. I year for the original Drake Stadium Furthermore, the President made a have also been to Walter Reed Army will also be the last year that this good choice. Stephen Johnson, who has Hospital and I have seen firsthand the American original competes in the Re- served the country for 24 years as a ca- debilitating injuries suffered by our lays. reer EPA employee, is a well-qualified troops. Kip is one of the top-ranked nominee who enjoys broad public sup- The taxpayer costs of the war are decathletes in the world, and he is the port. When his nomination was consid- also staggering. So far, the war and re- oldest active U.S. competitor in this ered by the Senate Environment and construction of Iraq have cost more extraordinarily demanding event. The Public Works Committee this spring, than $200 billion, and the spigot of tax- decathlon is a 10-event competition the committee approved his nomina- payer funds continues to run. Origi- which takes place over 2 days. It in- tion by a vote of 17–1. He will serve the nally, Secretary of Defense Donald cludes the 100-meter dash, long jump, country well as Administrator of the Rumsfeld told us that war in Iraq shot put, high jump, 400 meter dash, 110 EPA. would cost ‘‘under $50 billion,’’ but due meter hurdles, discus, pole vault, jav- I share my colleagues’ concerns to a lack of planning and terrible deci- elin and 1,500 meter run. Kip began about the administration’s refusal to sions by the Bush administration, the competing in the decathlon in 1983, and provide the Senate Environment and costs are skyrocketing. quickly excelled in all 10 events. Public Works Committee with EPA’s This war is tainted by the faulty in- While attending Simpson College, analysis of the clean air bills pending formation that the President provided Kip competed many times in the Drake before the Senate. I am proud to co- the Nation and the world about Sad- Relays. His first victory came in 1987. sponsor Senator JEFFORDS’ Clean dam Hussein’s supposed stockpile of His 15 championships at the Drake Re- Power Act, and I believe that the ad- weapons of mass destruction. But our lays are the most by any athlete in the ministration’s Clear Skies proposal is troops are there and we must support history of that event. In 1998, he was woefully inadequate. I agree that the them. And, in my view, we must work inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of to stabilize Iraq and bring our troops information Senator CARPER has re- Fame. During his years at Simpson, he quested from EPA is vitally important home as soon as possible. earned three NCAA titles in the de- Thanks to groups such as Peace Ac- to evaluate the differing clean air regu- cathlon, and two more NCAA titles in tion, our communities are speaking up lation proposals. EPA’s refusal to turn individual events. He was inducted into about the costs of this war. I hope that over its analysis indicates that its own the Simpson Hall of Fame in 1998, and their activism will bring positive re- data do not lend support to the Clear the NCAA Division III Track and Field sults for our Nation and for our troops Skies initiative. Disclosure of Govern- Hall of Fame in 2004. in Iraq and their families. ment data to the public is a corner- Kip’s accomplishments are nothing stone of our democracy, and this ad- f short of amazing. He holds the world ministration has continually at- ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS records in career victories, in scores tempted to avoid congressional over- over 7,000 points, and in consecutive finishes. He also holds the world record sight. I implore Mr. Johnson, on his (At the request of Mr. REID, the fol- for the double decathlon, a demanding first day as EPA Administrator, to lowing statement was ordered to be event involving every event in track turn over these documents to the Sen- printed in the RECORD.) ator CARPER and Senator JEFFORDS. To and field, except for the marathon and restore credibility to the agency that TRIBUTE TO KIP JANVRIN walks. is supposed to safeguard human health ∑ Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I rise Kip won the decathlon at the 1995 and the environment, Administrator today to honor a native Iowan and a re- Pan American Games. As a member of Johnson should release this informa- markable athletic champion, Kip the U.S. Olympic team at the 2000 tion immediately. Janvrin. Late last month, just 3 Games in Sydney, Australia, he was Nonetheless, I do not believe that the months shy of his 40th birthday, he ac- the oldest decathlete ever to compete administration’s refusal to provide this complished the amazing feat of win- for the United States. In 2001, he won information should stand in the way of ning the decathlon at the Drake Relays the decathlon at the USA Outdoor this qualified nominee leading the Na- for the 15th time. Overall, Kip has fin- Championships. Last year, Kip came in tion’s Environmental Protection Agen- ished 85 of the 88 decathlons he has en- second at the Drake Relays, the first cy. tered since 1983. He has won 38 of them, time in 9 years that he did not come in f which is a world record. first. However, Kip took the loss in The Drake Relays are one of the Na- stride, because the victor was his SOUTH MOUNTAIN PEACE ACTION tion’s most prestigious track and field prote´ge´, Travis Goepfert, also a native Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I events, held each spring at Drake Sta- of Panora, IA. rise today to praise a group of my con- dium in Des Moines. This year, the 96th Kip is currently in his 15th year as stituents working toward the noble annual Drake Relays, Kip took the co-head coach at Central Missouri goal of peace. This group is called field for the last time in an event, the State University in Warrensburg. He South Mountain Peace Action, and its decathlon, that he has dominated at and his wife, Teresa, have two sons, members are active in Maplewood and Drake for 22 years. Jaxon, age 9, and Mason, age 7. South Orange, NJ. Peace Action mem- Over the years, the words Drake Re- So as Kip Janvrin savors a victory in bers have circulated a petition in their lays and Kip Janvrin have become vir- his final Drake Relays, I extend my community about the war in Iraq. The tually synonymous. From Jesse Owens congratulations and best wishes. With petition was signed by more than 1,200 to Wilma Rudolph, Gwen Torrance, his self discipline, his commitment to concerned New Jerseyans, so I think it Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson, the excellence, and his enormous human is important for Congress to take note Drake Relays have seen almost all of decency, he represents Iowa at its very of their actions. the great Olympians in track and field. best. Win or lose, he has always been a The Peace Action petition discusses But one Olympian, Kip Janvrin, has true champion.∑ the staggering costs of the Iraq War, been a dominant presence for more f both in terms of American lives and than two decades, competing in what is (At the request of Mr. REID, the fol- taxpayer dollars. As of today, more arguably the most grueling and de- lowing statement was ordered to be than 1,600 American troops have died manding event in all of sports. printed in the RECORD.) VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:26 Mar 29, 2017 Jkt 059102 PO 00000 Frm 00038 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BR09MY05.DAT BR09MY05 ejoyner on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with BOUND RECORD.