E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 112 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 157 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 2011 No. 86 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was of country that has provided an exam- Graham Purcell led a rich, full, re- called to order by the Speaker pro tem- ple and an inspiration for many people, markable life. How many others can pore (Mr. NUGENT). including me. A man of deep faith, say that they shook hands with Win- f Graham possessed a generosity of spirit ston Churchill while serving as a sol- that extended to all aspects of his life. dier in Italy; had Vice President John- DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO He was a member of the Greatest Gen- son come pick him and his family up at TEMPORE eration that saved the world from to- the airport just after he was elected in The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- talitarianism and then came home to a special election to take them to the fore the House the following commu- build the most prosperous nation the Johnson home so they could stay for a nication from the Speaker: world has ever known. But Graham while until they had a chance to find a place of their own; or, on the last night WASHINGTON, DC, Purcell was also an individual who June 15, 2011. would stand out in any generation, ris- of President Kennedy’s life spent more I hereby appoint the Honorable RICH ing from humble roots to help make than an hour with him on the plane NUGENT to act as Speaker pro tempore on history. from Houston to Forth Worth, swap- this day. He was born in Archer County, Texas, ping stories back and forth, and then JOHN A. BOEHNER, on May 5, 1919. After high school, he was in the motorcade the next day Speaker of the House of Representatives. enrolled in Texas A&M, but the war when President Kennedy was assas- f came, and shortly after Pearl Harbor sinated; or, made numerous trips back he entered the Army, serving in Tuni- and forth to Vietnam to thank our sol- MORNING-HOUR DEBATE sia and in Italy, and earning, among diers for what they were doing there, The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- other awards, the Silver Star. Even always stopping at a burn unit along ant to the order of the House of Janu- after he was discharged, he continued the way to make sure that those se- ary 5, 2011, the Chair will now recog- to serve in the Army Reserves for a verely wounded would know that their nize Members from lists submitted by number of years. When he returned country appreciated what they were the majority and minority leaders for from the war, he finished his degree at doing; or, at age 92, just a few weeks morning-hour debate. Texas A&M and then Baylor Law ago, offer important guidance and ad- The Chair will alternate recognition School. After practicing law for a few vice to one of his successors about the importance of putting the country first between the parties, with each party years, he was appointed judge for the ahead of party, ahead of personal con- limited to 1 hour and each Member 89th district court in Texas, and served siderations. other than the majority and minority from 1955 until 1962, when he resigned leaders and the minority whip limited Although Graham loved history—and in order to run for Congress in a special he certainly loved to regale family and to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall election. debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. friends with some of his amazing sto- Serving in the House from January ries—he was also a person who was al- f 1962 until January 1973, Congressman ways looking forward. He was con- Purcell focused primarily on his work sumed by what kind of country would IN MEMORY OF GRAHAM B. on the Agriculture Committee, serving PURCELL, JR. be left to his children and his grand- as chairman of the Livestock Sub- children. And it was this focus on the The SPEAKER pro tempore. The committee. He also played a key role common good that dominated his life Chair recognizes the gentleman from in the Congressional Prayer Breakfast, story and really defined him as a man Texas (Mr. THORNBERRY) for 5 minutes. and served the people of North Texas and as a public servant. He and his Mr. THORNBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I with integrity and distinction for 11 wife, Nancy, have 8 surviving children rise today to inform the House that years. After Congress, Graham prac- as well as 25 grandchildren and 5 great one of our former colleagues, the Hon- ticed law and helped found a large law grandchildren, all of whom benefited orable Graham P. Purcell, Jr., has firm and then served as a visiting dis- from his loving care and will miss him passed away at the age of 92. trict judge in Texas. But in whatever greatly. Graham Purcell was a larger-than- capacity—soldier, judge, Congressman, Although Graham had many titles life figure who led a remarkable life of citizen—Graham was committed to and roles in his life, he knew that first service. Whether it was as a soldier in serving others. He and his wife, Nancy, and foremost he was a child of God. It World War II, a State judge, or a U.S. just recently received an award for was from this perspective that he Congressman, he served with a helping children in crisis in the Wich- lived—and it is in this assurance that strength of character and with a love ita Falls community. he now rests. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H4189 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Jun 15, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A15JN7.000 H15JNPT1 pwalker on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with HOUSE H4190 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE June 15, 2011 THE WAR ON DRUGS Our local budgets are straining like I yield back the balance of my time The SPEAKER pro tempore. The never before. And yet we see more ar- and urge us to solve the war on drugs Chair recognizes the gentleman from rests. It’s time that we question this by getting out of it. It is a war. It is a Tennessee (Mr. COHEN) for 5 minutes. policy, this war, knowing that insanity crime. Mr. COHEN. This past Friday, the is repeating the same thing over and f over again and expecting a different re- United States would have observed— MEDICARE ‘‘celebrated’’ would be entirely the sult. This is insane. For 40 years we’ve wrong word—the 40th anniversary of had this war on drugs. We’ve had a war The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the war on drugs. The war on drugs was on our own citizens. We’ve wasted mon- Chair recognizes the gentleman from initiated by President Richard Nixon. eys that can be used for better things. Louisiana (Mr. BOUSTANY) for 5 min- He said we can have a war on drugs 40 And we’ve treated what is a health utes. years ago. problem and a societal problem as a Mr. BOUSTANY. Mr. Speaker, over The fact is, 40 years later, we’ve law enforcement problem. It is a mis- 14 years in private practice in medi- spent nearly a trillion dollars on the take. We need to change our approach. cine, I had the great privilege to treat war on drugs. We have just as much Drug courts have been a successful many, many Medicare patients, thou- drug use in this country as ever before. way to deal with this problem. We have sands of Medicare patients. I did open We’ve incarcerated millions and mil- drug courts in my community that heart surgery, complex open heart sur- lions of people for victimless crimes. have been successful in getting people gery, lung cancer surgery, in times of And when we get people who sell drugs, to see a different approach to life—not great need, great difficulty for these which we need to do, all that happens a jail, but a different approach. Racial seniors who had paid many years of is like sharks teeth—they’re replaced disparities that I mentioned have been their payroll taxes into the Medicare by the next in line; somebody else tremendous. It is seven times more program with the hope and the recogni- wanting to make money from a pro- likely if you’re African American, four tion that this program would be there gram that the public endorses and sup- times more like if you’re a Latino, to for them, for their health care needs in ports. So the war on drugs has been a be arrested. These inequities run their later years. terrible mistake. throughout our drug policy program And I’ll tell you, in the ’90s, when I Now, don’t get the wrong impression. and need to directed. We corrected a was in the midst, at the peak of my I’m not suggesting that drug abuse and discrepancy between powder cocaine practice, it was not unusual, and in drug addiction is not a great problem and crack last year.