Posted on 04/02/2003 6:05:05 PM PST by JohnHuang2
Congressman Protests Use of French Marble
By ROBERT GEHRKE .c The Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - A Colorado congressman is asking the Bush administration to stop making headstones for military veterans from marble bought from a French-owned company.
If the Veterans Administration agrees to Rep. Scott McInnis' request, the additional marble would come from two other quarries - one a Swiss-owned operation in the Colorado Republican's district.
``The French have done everything in their power to undermine the very troops whose sacrifice from which they now stand to profit,'' McInnis said in a letter to Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi.
``To force the relatives of our servicemen and women fighting the war in Iraq to mourn their loss under a headstone supplied by a company with French allegiance is an insult that no American soldier or their family should be forced to endure,'' McInnis wrote.
Georgia Marble Company has been quarrying marble in Georgia since 1884. In 1995 it was bought by Imerys, a Paris-based corporation.
``They've produced a product and quality that we think veterans deserve and at the price that taxpayers deserve,'' said VA spokesman Phil Budahn.
Georgia Marble is one of three suppliers of marble for headstones to the VA. The other two are Vermont Quarries Corp., which is owned by two Italian companies, and Sierra Minerals Corp., which leases the Yule Quarry in Colorado from Pleuss-Staufer International Inc., a Swiss company.
``If we eliminate one of the three that will just make us more reliant on the other two,'' Budahn said.
Last week, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., introduced legislation that would prevent the Pentagon from using European-based GSM cell phone technology in postwar Iraq. That move would benefit Qualcomm Inc., a company based in Issa's district that has competing technology.
The statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington is carved from the Georgia-quarried marble. The building surrounding the statue is made from Colorado marble, as is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Rex Loesby, president of Sierra Minerals, said the French ownership issue was just a small part of a larger letter he had sent McInnis, expressing concerns about the VA management of his contract.
Loesby said his is the only quarry that can produce white marble, but the VA has been buying a large volume of gray marble for headstones at a lower price from Georgia Marble.
``I like to say I could survive ... and I can compete heads-up with anybody, but the truth is I can't,'' Loesby said.
The headstone contracts are up for bid again this summer.
Since 1973, the VA has provided more than 8 million headstones and markers, Budahn said, including bronze markers as well as marble headstones.
Thanks, LOL! But now I've gotta know, what was the test? And what was the right answer?
I have a very effective way to flush out the disrupters. It looks harsh unless you know what I am doing. See what I posted to both of the people I addressed.
PS. MYOB!
And who am I anyways? A relative nobody here. I just have a passion for exposing posers, frauds, and lying phonies. That's all. I really don't matter here. I just like the truth. I also like exposing it.
OperationFreedom signed up 2003-01-18.
Practice what you preach, newbie.
Thanks much.
And who am I anyways? A relative nobody here. I just have a passion for exposing posers, frauds, and lying phonies. That's all. I really don't matter here. I just like the truth. I also like exposing it.
Same here, I'm no one important--if I were, I'd be making the decisions instead of talking about them. Pleased to have made your acquaintance. I made a similar point on another thread, that in political forums like this, and in politics in general, it can be very calming and relaxing to put it all in perspective by reminding yourself that "it's only one guy's opinion." That way, you get to save energy by not blowing a gasket every time someone says something you don't like. You just have to expect that there's going to be people out there who will zing you. I just laugh at people who get too worked up. They become the prisoners of their own beliefs and passions.
Ah well, keep slugging it out on the threads out there, and have fun while you do it.
That really is a shame. I wish that people who had political statements to make, of whatever sort, didn't feel the need to desecrate property, especially something like a cemetary. I'd also like to think that it's only a small minority of people who would do something as inappropriate as that, but as you've pointed out, it only takes a few to seriously spoil someone's experience.
What makes the Swiss any better than the French? Didn't the Swiss happily buy the Jews' gold teeth in bulk from the Nazis, amid other niceties? Besides, WHERE IS THE AMERICAN-OWNED MARBLE???
PS. I like your name. I bet it really fits! LOL
As with the press, Bush was way ahead of you on this one.
Maybe you should add this bit to your profile page. You'd like it. It's from one of your own posts:
"There are many here who are posers. They always slip up. If I see a slip I watch that person. If they slip again I monitor them everyday. If they are posers I do my level best to have their accounts "reviewed"! One took me a long time but it finally got done. She was too slick for most to see her true colors. Just letting you know that if you are the real thing you have nothing to fear. If you are a poser... be VERY CAREFUL if you want to stay here."
I like your name. I bet it really fits!
In your case, I'm glad you think so.
Look, I am uglier than you so shut up! LOL I am not a biker so can I be uglyplumber to you? LOL
I am a relative nobody here. Read post number 46 for more details.
Pleased to make your aquaintance sir.
UglierThanYouPlumber
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