S11796 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 20, 2004 Here is an example. The House Ap- rors and omissions of the mainstream people are deciding for themselves propriations Committee tried to ex- press, buying ads to publicize serious what it all means. For this new cov- pand the definition of census areas for errors and buying stock in media com- erage we can thank the Fox News chan- determining eligibility for a certain panies to enable Accuracy in Media nel, and the countless talk show hosts, tax program. This provision was not representatives to attend their annual magazines, Internet sites, and organi- agreed to by the Senate Appropriators. meetings to discuss its complaints with zations. However, I think the most im- The provision was later passed in the the chairman. Irvine was tenacious in portant gift that has been given to our JOBS bill. This highlights that we try his quest for the full truth in media. country is the critical eye of the Amer- in good faith to work with Members Mr. Irvine is survived by his wife of ican public. A voting public that who will work with the committee. So 56 years, Kay Araki Irvine, his son and watches the news with a critical eye is let me send a very clear message. The three grandchildren. Reed Irvine will one that cannot be easily manipulated. controversy around this appropriations be remembered as being at the fore- A college student who asks his pro- bill should serve as a warning to all front of the conservative movement’s fessor tough questions will end up bet- who would bypass the jurisdiction and attack on media bias and has left us ter educated and ready for the world. expertise of the congressional tax writ- four books that study the bias of the For this wonderful gift, we owe a spe- ing committees. We work to defeat media. cial thanks to Reed Irvine.∑ stealth tax measures not just to pro- In 1969, when Reed Irvine began his f tect our committee’s jurisdiction, but crusade, most Americans trusted the TRIBUTE TO DR. SAM BILLISON to protect the American people from mainstream media. Americans received ∑ Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, bad ideas. the biased news coverage and believed today I wish to mark the passing of Dr. In the Senate it is the Finance Com- it. Today, the liberal bias in media, Sam Billison, a recipient of a Congres- mittee, and only the Finance Com- Hollywood, and academia is widely ac- sional Silver Medal, who died earlier mittee, that has the experience, exper- cepted as a fact of life. Some day, I hope that the main- this week. He was a great American. tise, and seasoned resources to process In 2001, the President of the United tax laws for our Nation. stream media will lose its leftwing bias. I hope for the day when academia States awarded Congressional Gold and Members and staff should remember Silver Medals to Sam and his fellow today’s events the next time they are will focus all its attention on scholar- ship and leave the liberal indoctrina- Navajo Code Talkers. Of all the honors approached to insert a ‘‘harmless’’ tax Congress can bestow, these Medals are tion for the pundits. But, I do not ex- measure into an unrelated bill. often considered the most distin- pect those days to come very soon. f guished, expressing the gratitude of the However, thanks in large part to the ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS Congress and the entire nation. life’s work of Reed Irvine and the With this award, the Code Talkers movement he helped launch, Ameri- joined the ranks of an exclusive group cans have now accepted media bias as a REED IRVINE of people—Robert Kennedy, Harry Tru- fact of life. The American Society of ∑ Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise man, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, Newspapers published a study in 1999 Nelson Mandela, General Colin Powell, to commemorate the life of a noted that showed 78 percent of Americans conservative journalist, media critic, and President Reagan, to name a few. believe there is a bias in the media. As with many other recipients, Sam and a leading authority on media bias, I believe this understanding by the and his fellow WWII Code Talkers were Reed Irvine. Reed Irvine passed on No- American public promotes a more in- recognized for valor, for their contribu- vember 16, 2004, and is known as the formed democracy. People watch the tions to the national good, for their de- man who founded the organization Ac- news with a critical eye. Students fense of freedom and democracy. How- curacy in Media. He leaves a legacy of question their professors. Americans ever, unlike the others, they set sev- fighting a left-leaning media and was a are seeking out talk radio, alternative eral precedents, not the least of which long-time critic of the big three net- media. The Internet is flourishing. that they were the first Native Amer- works at a time when only three net- Thanks to dedicated watchdogs such ican Indians to receive Congressional work nightly news shows dominated as Reed Irvine, the American people Gold Medals. the distribution of information to the now see through the bias in the media. This is especially poignant when one public. Dan Rather’s ludicrous reporting on realizes the cultural context in which Reed Irvine was born in Salt Lake President Bush’s National Guard serv- Sam and his fellow Navajo were raised. City, UT, the son of William J. and ice was debunked in no time on the Subjected to alienation in their own Edna May Irvine. He graduated from Internet and talk radio. A liberal bias homeland, discouraged from speaking the University of Utah at the age of 19 that was once lamented by conserv- their own language, this group of Na- in 1942, having been elected to Phi Beta atives and ignored by the public has tive Americans rose above adversity, Kappa. He enlisted in the Navy and was now become a running joke among con- voluntarily came forward to develop selected to take a crash program in the servatives and an accepted fact in the the most significant and successful Japanese language, emerging as an in- minds of Americans. People, who once military code of the time saving count- terpreter-translator with a commission powerlessly accepted the news however less American lives, and then honored in the U.S. Marine Corps. He partici- they could get it, are now voting with their oath of secrecy by stepping back pated in the campaign of Saipan, their remote controls. into the obscurity from which they Tinian, Okinawa as an intelligence of- When President Bush delivered his came. ficer with the 2nd Marine Division, and acceptance speech at the Republican Many of these marines have finally served in the occupation of Japan from National Convention this year, 7.3 mil- come forward to be appropriately rec- 1945 to 1948. lion people saw it on Fox. Meanwhile, ognized and honored, but many took After the war, Mr. Irvine was an 5.9 million watched on NBC, 5.1 million their secret to the grave. I am happy economist, Fulbright scholar and on ABC, 5 million on CBS, 2.7 million that in the twilight of Sam’s life, he former Federal Reserve official. He on CNN and 1.7 million on MSNBC, ac- was able to see Congress finally mark joined the Federal Reserve Board in cording to Nielsen Media Research. Fox that place in history so long overdue 1951 as an economist in the Far East also beat the broadcast networks the Navajo Code Talkers. Section of the Division of International throughout the rest of the Republican We, as a nation, are but a product of Finance. Mr. Irvine wrote extensively Convention coverage—this, despite the those who have come before us—their about the free market and advocated fact that ABC, CBS, and NBC are avail- accomplishments, their contributions, sound monetary and fiscal policy. able in about 110 million homes, while and their sacrifice in the struggle for He founded Accuracy in Media in 1969 Fox is carried in about 85 million. Reed freedom and democracy. We must and its sister organization, Accuracy in Irvine’s message has been received, and never forget that our society is made Academia, in 1985. Mr. Irvine pioneered the people are fighting back. possible only through the sacrifice and the concept of a citizens’ media watch- News is now reported in countless hard work of thousands of American dog organization that criticized the er- ways, 24 hours a day, and the American men and women.

VerDate Aug 04 2004 03:52 Nov 22, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00132 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20NO6.168 S20PT1 November 20, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11797 Sam Billison, Navajo Code Talker, TRIBUTE TO PAT RAYMOND Bloomfield established Placer County’s was one of an elite group of veterans, ∑ Mr. BENNETT. Mr. President, Pat first redevelopment area to help fund and yet he was more. He was a teacher, Raymond prefers to be the person be- community projects, such as the a school principal and a super- hind the person. She prefers to work Squaw Valley Community Park. intendent, helping educate thousands behind the scenes, and as I can attest, Throughout his three terms in office he of young people, and setting an exam- late at nights, weekends, and holidays. has made many improvements to his ple for all to follow. In all sense of the For 30 years she has served the Senate district. Four parks were built, miles word, he was a true American hero. He faithfully, professionally, tirelessly, of new trails for recreation were con- ∑ shall be dearly missed. and as a stalwart advocate. But today structed, a new library was built with I would like to put Pat front and cen- two others expanded, fire safe councils f ter and thank her for her service to me and fire fuels reduction programs were and to the Senate. created, Sheriff substations in outlying TRIBUTE TO SENIOR AIRMAN For the past 2 years, Pat has worked areas were added, emergency personnel NICHOLAS P. SEMONELLE, THE as the clerk of the agriculture appro- were provided more safety equipment UNITED STATES AIR FORCE AIR- priations subcommittee that I chair. I and medical supplies, and a computer- MAN OF THE YEAR have benefited from her institutional ized emergency telephone system to knowledge, her counsel, and her judg- warn residents of pending danger was ∑ Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. President, I rise ment. Because of consecutive reduc- established. today to recognize the United States tions in the budget of the United Rex Bloomfield has not only com- Air Force Airman of the Year for 2004, States Department of Agriculture the mitted himself to the betterment of Senior Airman Nicholas P. Semonelle last 2 years have been very chal- Placer County as supervisor, but also from Enterprise, Alabama. lenging, but Pat has been up to the as a teacher and involved member of Senior Airman Semonelle’s recogni- task. In 2003, even though the alloca- the community. His teaching career tion stems from his unique act of cour- tion to the subcommittee was nearly $1 has spanned 31 years. He is currently age and bravery. On January 18, 2003, billion below the prior years enacted teaching fifth grade at Alta Vista Senior Airman Semonelle was faced level, we produced a bill that the Sen- School in Auburn. He has been a board with a dangerous situation. Senior Air- ate approved with only one dissenting member with the Sierra Economic De- man Semonelle observed smoke from a vote. Pat has developed strong working velopment District, Sierra Planning nearby house that had caught fire and relationships not only with the staff of Organization, Foothill Airport Land immediately called 911. Upon learning Senator KOHL, the subcommittee rank- Use Commission, Placer County Air from a 14-year-old babysitter that ing member, but also with the staffs of Pollution Control District, Placer three children were trapped inside, Representatives BONILLA and KAPTUR, County Flood Control and Water Con- Semonelle immediately broke through the House agriculture appropriations servation District, Colfax Veterans Me- a window and entered the burning chairman and ranking member. These morial Hall Board, and Foresthill Vet- structure to try to find the children. relationships have enabled the agri- erans Memorial Hall Board. Despite the smoke and heat, Senior culture appropriations subcommittees I commend Rex for dedicating his life Airman Semonelle searched room to of both chambers to work together and to his family and his community. His room locating a 7-year-old boy and overcome the challenges posed by accomplishments have touched the evacuating him from the building. being required to do more with less. lives of many, and his impact on his Without hesitation and regard for his After 30 years of service Pat will re- community and Placer County will be own personal safety, he again risked tire at the end of this Congress. I long remembered. I extend my sincere his life to go back inside the home, now thank her for her dedication, for her best wishes for his continued health, ablaze and filled with smoke, to locate hard work, and for a job well done. happiness, and good work. Rex Bloom- and carry out a second child, a 3-year- More than that, I wish her well, as she field is a distinguished member of the old girl. Senior Airman Semonelle travels to Florida for a well deserved community, and it is with great pleas- ∑ began a third rescue attempt of an 18- rest. But I know that ‘‘rest’’ won’t last ure that I recognize him today. month-old baby girl still trapped in the long—Pat is too young, too vigorous, f now engulfed structure. Despite re- and has too much to contribute not to peated attempts, the little girl could get involved in something important TAXATION OF FEDERAL EMER- not be found. Emergency rescue per- right from the start.∑ GENCY MANAGEMENT ADMINIS- sonnel arrived to find the structure en- TRATION MITIGATION GRANTS f gulfed in flames, and were unable to lo- ∑ Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Presi- cate the third child who did not sur- IN HONOR OF SUPERVISOR REX dent, in these final days of the 108th vive. Senior Airman Semonelle, his BLOOMFIELD Congress, I would like to call attention brother-in-law who had helped with the ∑ Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, it is my to an issue of great consequence to the rescues, and the two lucky children honor to speak in recognition of Super- people of Florida and to other States eventually collapsed on the ground in visor Rex Bloomfield, a strong advo- that recently have been victimized by front of the house, exhausted and cate for the preservation of open space, natural disasters. coughing from smoke inhalation. improvement of county services, and This year, four hurricanes wrought a Senior Airman Semonelle’s quick ac- balanced planning for the future of path of damage and destruction across tion to enter the burning home and res- Placer County. Florida and other areas. The U.S. Con- cue those inside resulted in saving the Rex Bloomfield has dedicated the gress was quick to provide Federal re- lives of two children. His disregard for last 12 years as Supervisor to improv- lief for victims of the storms, and we his own personal safety to save others ing his community and Placer County. are grateful for this. Yet a June Inter- is an act of bravery that warrants our His many accomplishments are testa- nal Revenue Service ruling determines gratitude. I commend this 1996 Elba ment to his strong leadership and devo- that this assistance ought to be taxed. High School graduate for his service to tion to public service. By creating the This means that if a homeowner ac- our country and for his bravery. He Placer Legacy Program he has helped cepts a $25,000 Federal grant to elevate continues to distinguish himself, serv- to preserve thousands of acres of open their flood prone home, the grant ing our country overseas in his assign- space and agricultural lands in Placer would be included in their taxable in- ment to the United States Air Force County. Committed to the fight for come. This unexpected tax liability 435th Logistics Readiness Squadron at clean air, he initiated the Sacramento could be financially devastating to a Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He is Ozone Summit and worked hard to retiree living on a fixed income after truly deserving of the recognition that adopt regional policies to reduce smog, already having faced the costs of hurri- the United States Air Force and the for which he received the American cane cleanup. It also creates a strong United Services Organization have be- Lung Association’s regional award for disincentive for homeowners to partici- stowed on him as Airman of the Year.∑ outstanding leadership. Supervisor pate in Federal mitigation programs,

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