Resolution congratulating Ensign DeCarol Davis upon her serving as the valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy's class of 2008 and becoming the first African American to earn this honor, and encouraging the Coast Guard Academy to seek and enroll diverse candidates in the cadet corps.

Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1241, as amended, which congratulates Ensign DeCarol Davis for her selection as the first African American--and the first African American woman--to serve as valedictorian of a graduating class at the Coast Guard Academy.

I also commend Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, for his work on this resolution and for his tireless efforts to increase diversity not only within the Coast Guard but throughout the Department of Homeland Security.

Further, I commend Congressman Tom Davis, who represents Virginia's 11th District--the district in which Ensign Davis graduated from Forest Park High School as class valedictorian--for his work on this resolution and for his service on the Homeland Security Committee.

I recently had the privilege of meeting Ensign Davis, who spent her month of post-graduation leave volunteering with a non-profit in Washington, D.C. called D.C. Voices in a program that trains volunteers from the community to perform audits to catalog the needs of D.C. public schools.

Ensign Davis is a remarkable--and remarkably poised--young officer.

She has been selected as a Truman Scholar--a testament to her intellect and to her outstanding academic accomplishments.

Ensign Davis has also won numerous distinctions for her athletic accomplishments--including selection as a 2006 Arthur Ashe Jr.

First Team Sports Scholar for basketball and selection to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I college women's basketball first team.

She combines excellence in the classroom and on the basketball court with a remarkable drive to give back to the community and to help create opportunities for others. In fact, it is her drive to serve others that led her to apply to the Coast Guard Academy.

By virtue of her accomplishments at the Academy, she could have chosen any assignment in the Coast Guard. She chose the service's marine safety program.

She told me that she made this choice because she wanted to spend her career working to ensure the safety of the maritime transportation system and preserving our Nation's marine resources.

Mr. Speaker, the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation has been greatly concerned that as the Coast Guard expands to take on its critical new homeland security missions, the service's competence in its traditional missions--particularly the marine safety missions--is declining.

I am confident, however, that with officers of the caliber and dedication of Ensign Davis joining the marine safety field, the future of this critical mission is bright indeed.

Ensign Davis is truly an inspiring example of the best that the Coast Guard and our Nation have to offer. I look forward to watching the progress of Ensign Davis's career in the coming years--and I know that we will see remarkable things from this young officer.

Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 1241, as amended, also encourages the Coast Guard to seek and enroll diverse candidates in the Academy's cadet corps.

I--and many of my colleagues in the House--are deeply concerned that the Coast Guard Academy's student body does not reflect the diversity of our Nation. Only about 10 percent of the class of 2009, for example, is comprised of minorities.

Our Nation's diversity is a strength--but when a school such as the Coast Guard Academy does not have a cadet corps that reflects that diversity, it does not benefit from that strength.

In April, the House of Representatives passed the Coast Guard Authorization Act, H.R. 2830, by a vote of 395 to 7. This legislation included provisions that I authored that would alter the admissions process at the Academy to require that students be nominated by a Member of Congress.

While I strongly support the actions that the Coast Guard is taking to expand the recruitment of diverse applicants, I also believe that enactment of H.R. 2830--with the provisions requiring nominations to the Academy--offers the best opportunity to expand diversity at the Academy. I urge the Senate to quickly act on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1241) congratulating Ensign DeCarol Davis upon serving as the valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy's class of 2008 and becoming the first African American female to earn this honor, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution, H. Res. 1241.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Ensign DeCarol Davis was the valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy, Class of 2008, the first African American to graduate as valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy. But this is not the first time that Ensign Davis graduated at the top of her class. She was valedictorian of Forest Park High School, Woodbridge, Virginia, in 2004.

Ensign Davis is a very impressive young lady, a Truman Scholar. She won the 2008 Connecticut Technology Council Women of Innovation Award. She is a standout basketball player. She was a 2006 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Women's Basketball First Team Sports Scholar, and she was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I College Women's Basketball First Team.

She's now a commissioned officer in the Coast Guard. Ensign Davis will join 41,000 men and women wearing that unique color of blue, enforcing the Nation's laws on our waterways, making the waterways safe as well as secure, and has chosen to begin her career in the Coast Guard Marine Safety Program. I'm delighted to see that future leaders of the Coast Guard value that program.

I was at the Coast Guard Academy just 3 months ago, met with the Commandant of Cadets and the director of the academic program at the Coast Guard Academy, met with several of the cadets and sat in on one of the classes. And I must say each time I do, each time I hold a session with the Coast Guard, and each time I meet the cadets, I have enormous confidence in the future of the Coast Guard and its service to boating, to maritime safety, and to the future needs of the Coast Guard and our country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the distinguished chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson).

Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests for time on our side, and I am prepared to close.

I yield myself the balance of our time to concur with the gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from North Carolina is not that old.

His service with the Coast Guard was distinguished, noble, and a great asset to our community, as he brings to bear his service with that noble entity that goes back to the very foundations of our Nation when he participates in our Coast Guard hearings and markups. He deserves the term ``distinguished,'' both for his service in the House and with the United States Coast Guard. And we're pleased to have him with us here on the floor today.

I congratulate Ensign Davis. I observed to Chairman Thompson that if each of us were to do as well in our elections with 3.96 percent, as she did in academics, we all would have something to cheer about.

That is an extraordinary academic record. It is an extraordinary career that she has led in the Coast Guard Academy, both in the classroom, on the field of play, and in the community. She is a talented, gifted young woman and will be an officer of distinguished service to the Coast Guard, but a role model for other young women, and I hope especially African-American women, to serve in the United States Coast Guard. I wish her continued success as she embarks on a remarkable journey with the U.S. Coast Guard.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of legislation I authored to recognize a remarkable young woman, Ensign DeCarol Davis.

On May 21, 2008, Ensign Davis graduated from the Coast Guard Academy with a grade point average of 3.96 in electrical engineering. She earned the distinction of being the first African American valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy.

The Coast Guard Academy was founded in 1876, but the first African American did not graduate from the institution until 1966. Women were not admitted to the school until 1976. Today, we honor Ensign Davis, who, through her hard work and perseverance, accomplished what no African American has done before her, she achieved the Academy's highest honor.

This achievement is remarkable, given that over the past three decades the number of minorities graduating from the Coast Guard Academy has not kept pace with the other military service academies. Legislation approved by the House earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, would bring about more diversity within the Coast Guard Academy by allowing Members of Congress to nominate individuals for this academy, just as we do all other military service academies.

I would also note that outside of the classroom Ensign Davis has distinguished herself as a community leader. On her own initiative, in the little spare time that she had, Ensign Davis wrote and directed a play for a local elementary school that introduced engineering as a possible career to the students.

During her time at the academy, Ensign Davis also excelled in sports. In fact, she was selected to be the 2006 Arthur Ashe First Team Sports Scholar for basketball. She was also selected to be on the 2007 ESPN Academic Women's Basketball Team for All-District

One Colleges. This is just a sample of this gifted young person's accomplishments. Ensign Davis clearly is destined for a successful career in the Coast Guard.

Earlier this month, Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to meet Ensign Davis and spent some time getting to know her. During our meeting, she spoke passionately about her internship with D.C. Voice, a group of education activists concerned about public education in our Nation's capital. As a Truman scholar, Ensign Davis could have worked anywhere, but she chose to focus her energies on the District of Columbia and work to make a difference in the lives of thousands of children who attend D.C. public schools.

Today, Mr. Speaker, we honor Ensign DeCarol Davis for being a trailblazer whose academic accomplishments are matched by a commitment to protecting our Nation and contributing to our communities.

Congratulations to Ensign Davis and the rest of the Class of 2008. This Nation is appreciative of your commitment to service. Your talents are needed to ensure that the Coast Guard can continue to be a ``can do'' agency that we have all come to rely upon to keep our ports and waterways safe and secure.

I urge you to support this resolution and join me in recognizing a future leader of our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 1241, congratulating Ensign DeCarol Davis as valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy's class of 2008, with the distinction of being the first African American female to achieve this high honor.

Ms. Davis's outstanding achievements truly exemplify the character and work ethic that we strive to see in all of our Nation's young people.

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy not only maintains the highest academic standards but provides students with rigorous professional development and leadership training. After years of rigorous study and a commitment to excellence at the Academy, Ms. Davis' academic accomplishments have earned her the honor of valedictorian in a class of over 200 other outstanding cadets.

In addition to making history by becoming the first African American woman to serve as class valedictorian of the Coast Guard Academy, Ms. Davis also earned awards in science and technology--academic fields historically dominated by men.

In addition to being named valedictorian, Ms. Davis was also named a 2007 Truman Scholar and was a recipient of the 2008 Connecticut Technology Council Women of Technology Award. A well-rounded student, Ms. Davis excelled at sports, and was selected as a 2006 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Women's Basketball First Team Scholar.

No stranger to outstanding academic accomplishments, she also served as the 2004 valedictorian of Forest Park High School in her hometown of Woodbridge, VA.

Making community service a priority as well, Ms. Davis regularly volunteered at a local elementary school, introducing students to science, technology, and engineering as career paths.

At a time when Congress has encouraged the Academy to seek diversity in recruiting cadets, Ms. Davis stands as a testament to the quality of candidates that would result from this practice.

It is truly a pleasure to honor such an exceptional young woman who has now gone on to dedicate her career to serving and defending our country. I have no doubt that the rigor and discipline utilized to propel her academic career will certainly aid her development and success at the U.S. Coast Guard.

I congratulate this exceptional young woman for her service and commitment to excellence and wish her the very best.

I encourage my colleagues to support H. Res. 1241.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, House Resolution 1241 recognizes Ensign DeCarol Davis for her extraordinary achievements as a cadet at the United States Coast Guard Academy. Ensign Davis graduated in May of this year as the valedictorian of her class of 2008, and is currently stationed with the Prevention Department at Coast Guard Sector New York.

During her 4 years as a cadet, Ensign Davis was selected as the Academy's first Truman Scholar, honored as the 2007 Arthur Ashe, Jr. Female Sports Scholar of the Year, and served as the president of her Academy class. Ensign Davis also became very involved with student activities on campus and in the surrounding community of New London.

Ensign Davis is a shining example of the quality of men and women who make up the leaders and ranks of our Coast Guard, and I hope that the House's action today will encourage our young people to learn more about the Coast Guard Academy and the Coast Guard.

I support this resolution honoring Ensign Davis for her achievements.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, it's my pleasure to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Coble), a former Coast Guardsman himself.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, this is a good resolution. This is a worthy honor. I urge all Members to support it.

The only reason I wanted to take a little bit of time is, after Mr. Coble spoke I was reminded that at our last Coast Guard hearing Mr. Coble made the observation that he had served in the Coast Guard some period of time ago and he wondered what happened to the ship that he had actually served on. And as Mr. Coble left the room, I felt bad, and even though we're a bipartisan bunch here, one of the Members on the other side of the aisle said he thinks he saw the ship in a tall ships museum. And I think that that was an unfair slight to Mr. Coble and I'm sure that that's not true.

I urge passage of the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.