Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 403.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1157) to provide for the authorization of appropriations for the Countering the People's Republic of China Malign Influence Fund, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my legislation, H.R. 1157, Countering the PRC Malign Influence Fund Authorization Act.

The Chinese Communist Party is the most dangerous threat America has faced in decades, and Beijing has been spreading its malign influence across the world.

China knows that one of the United States' greatest assets is our credibility and effectiveness in supporting our allies and partners.

Thus, the CCP is actively working to undermine U.S. legitimacy across the world by undercutting and distorting markets in areas such as critical infrastructure.

Among other things, their disruptive tools include predatory lending, coercive economic practices, misinformation, taking advantage of foreign corruption, and legitimizing authoritarianism.

The Countering the PRC Malign Influence Fund was originally created by an appropriation intended to address China's pernicious and growing influence, but for too long it has been used as a slush fund for the State Department's vanity projects, for example: $6 million for expanding Pacific Island weather and ocean data collection, $5 million for English language training in Angola, $2.5 million for scooter charging stations in Vietnam.

While some may argue that funding for these types of activities can counter the PRC by meeting the wish lists of our partners experiencing PRC pressure, there are other organizations like the Development Finance Corporation and USAID that are already able to meet these types of needs with their own appropriated and authorized funding.

The bill before us today will create specific statutory guardrails so that our taxpayer dollars are used strategically and effectively to counter the CCP's malign influence.

It specifies the aims and duties of the fund, requires consultation with Congress before funds are obligated, and mandates an annual report on the fund's activities. This is basic congressional stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

The bill received bipartisan support when it was marked up by the Foreign Affairs Committee last year.

While we will never be able to nor want to outspend the PRC dollar for dollar, we must ensure that every ounce of funding is going the farthest to counter this generational threat.

I urge my colleagues to support my bill, the Countering the PRC Malign Influence Fund Authorization Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Chairman McCaul and Ranking Member Meeks for working with me to move this important legislation to the floor.

I share many of the comments that my friend, the ranking member from New York, just stated. We do need to invest. We need to invest in the tools of diplomacy that we have to counter PRC malign influence in the world. We need to support the China transformational exports program with the Export-Import Bank. We need to support the Development Finance Corporation. We need to support USAID where it can help and the Peace Corps where it can help with soft power. We need diplomacy. We need foreign deployed foreign service personnel. However, we have to remember that we cannot counter and we should not attempt to counter Communist China by becoming more like China.

We have a $35 trillion national debt, Mr. Speaker. Spending money like drunken sailors without any accountability and without any effective strategy is not effective diplomacy in countering the malign influence from China.

While I certainly do support the PRC malign influence fund, for goodness' sake, we are the Congress. We control the purse strings. Let's do our job. Let's create an authorization, put some guardrails around it and not allow the administration to spend this country into bankruptcy. That is the fastest way to lose the competition to China.

Let's put some parameters around this PRC malign influence fund and direct those scarce taxpayer resources effectively so that they actually do the job that the taxpayers deserve and we actually win this fight.

Spending our country into oblivion is what Communists do. We don't do that. Our ace in the hole is that we are capitalists. We do not misallocate resources. That is why we need this bill.

All of us agree that American taxpayer dollars should be used more effectively to counter China's disruptive, predatory influence around the world, but let's do it smart, Mr. Speaker. Let's do it the smart way.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote in favor of H.R. 1157, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1103) to require the President to remove the extension of certain privileges, exemptions, and immunities to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices if Hong Kong no longer enjoys a high degree of autonomy from the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1103, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith).

Hong Kong was once a shining beacon in Asia and the gateway into China, known for its economic freedom, rule of law, and vibrant civil society. Tragically, this ended when the Chinese

Communist Party crushed democracy and free enterprise in Hong Kong.

People of all walks of life, and much international capital, have fled this authoritarian wave, and the city has never been the same.

We cannot allow the CCP to use Hong Kong's former legitimacy as a continuing gateway into U.S. systems. Both Secretary of State Pompeo and Secretary Blinken have certified that because of the Chinese Communist Party's control over Hong Kong's legislature, judicial system, and police force, Hong Kong can no longer be considered a separate entity from the People's Republic of China.

We must adjust our treatment of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices to match the sad current reality.

This bill would require the President to annually certify whether those offices should be covered by the International Organizations Immunities Act. If certification is not granted, they must terminate their operations in the United States.

The bipartisan membership of the Foreign Affairs Committee voted unanimously in favor of this bill at our markup last year.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of our colleagues to support the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office Certification Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), who is a tireless champion for human rights. He is the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, and he is the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Smith as well as Mr. McGovern and their bipartisan cosponsors for bringing this bill forward.

The tragedy that has unfolded in Hong Kong and the ripping up of an international treaty by the Chinese Communist Party is a stark lesson that Beijing cannot be trusted, which we have to learn, especially when it comes to deterrence in Taiwan. We cannot allow what happened in Hong Kong to happen to the democracy in Taiwan.

We also cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to use Hong Kong's economic and trade offices as a back door into the United States. They must not be able to use the preferential treatment previously afforded to the city and society they continue to brutalize and oppress.

For these and many other reasons, I urge all Members to vote in favor of H.R. 1103, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8361) to impose sanctions with respect to economic or industrial espionage by foreign adversarial companies, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 8361, the Economic Espionage Prevention Act, introduced by my colleague and friend from Georgia, Mr. McCormick.

Today, our adversaries are working more closely than ever before. The Chinese Communist Party is providing massive industrial and economic support to Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine.

In fact, our State Department assesses that in the second half of 2023, China supported the transfer of nearly $300 million worth of semiconductors to Russia, including for use in missiles and drones.

Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell said: ``I think we have assessed over the course of the last couple of months that Russia has almost completely reconstituted militarily . . . with the support of China in particular.''

The Economic Espionage Prevention Act is therefore essential to changing the nature of the battlefield in Ukraine. This bill addresses cooperation between the CCP and Russia's defense industrial base by providing for sanctions against Chinese and Iranian individuals and entities that violate U.S. export control laws, engage in economic or industrial espionage, or support the Russian defense industrial base.

The bill also requires the State Department to issue a report identifying Chinese individuals and entities that are supporting the Russian defense industrial base.

The United States and our allies cannot stand for China's decisive support

of Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. The Chinese companies providing that support must be subjected to the full weight of our sanctions regime.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, September 3, 2024.

Hon. Michael McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 8361, the

Economic Espionage Prevention Act. Provisions of this bill

fall within the Judiciary Committee's rule X jurisdiction,

and I appreciate that you consulted with us on those

provisions. The Judiciary Committee agrees that it shall be

discharged from further consideration of the bill so that it

may proceed expeditiously to the House floor.

The Committee takes this action with the understanding that

forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in

any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any

future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their

subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment

of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a

conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar

legislation.

I ask that you please include this letter in your

committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert

this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration

of H.R. 8361 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative

manner in which our committees have worked on this matter,

and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future

on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your

attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jim Jordan,

Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. McCormick), a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the author of this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative McCormick for his bill and for his service, as well as Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan for working to bring this bipartisan bill to the floor to ensure that we address China's support for Russia's defense industrial base.

There should be no doubt that the Chinese Communists are aiding and abetting Putin in his illegal aggression against Ukraine. General Secretary Xi and Putin have described the bilateral alliance between the PRC and Russia as a no-limits relationship. The material support that China is providing Russia with the semiconductors is evidence of that.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I urge all Members to support H.R. 8361, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5245) to amend the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 to require certain congressional notification prior to entering into, renewing, or extending a science and technology agreement with the People's Republic of China, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill, H.R. 5245, the Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act.

In 2012, General Keith Alexander said that China's theft of industrial information and intellectual property through cyber espionage constituted the greatest transfer of wealth in history. The annual cost to the U.S. economy of China's intellectual property theft is between $225 billion and $600 billion.

China is using this access to American science and technology, including academic and research partnerships, to support state-owned or controlled national champions in key dual-use technologies.

In 1979, the United States and China signed a bilateral agreement to build science and technology ties between the two countries.

In 2018, the agreement was amended to address U.S. concerns about China's approach to technology, innovation, and practices of concern, including IP theft and forced technology transfer.

In February of 2024, the two sides agreed to another 6-month extension of the agreement to negotiate renewal terms, which actually expired on August 27.

This current lapse in the agreement provides the ideal context for Congress to assert our oversight responsibilities to ensure that any subsequent agreement does not threaten U.S. national security and American intellectual property.

Let's take a step back and review why we are here at this moment. Why is this a problem today?

Well, in his authoritative and influential book, ``The Hundred-Year Marathon,'' Michael Pillsbury recounts key historical events since the Chinese Communist Revolution of 1949, in which China embarked on this 100-year marathon to displace the United States as the world's global superpower.

In this book, he writes about this science and technology agreement and the mistake that was made, dating back to 1978.

Here is what he says: ``In 1978, relations with the United States moved toward normalization--that is, official American recognition of Communist China as the legitimate government of the Chinese people. That year, Deng focused immediately on what was at the top of his American wish list: science and technology. This was an example of the Warring States concept known as wu wei, or having others do your work.

``As he formulated a strategy in 1978, Deng understood, as he put it, that `technology is the number one productive force' for economic growth. The only way China could pass the United States as an economic power, Deng believed, was through massive scientific and technological development. An essential shortcut would be to take what the Americans already had. Deng found a willing partner in that effort in a new American President, Jimmy Carter, who was eager to achieve the diplomatic coup of a formal Sino-American partnership.''

Later in that same chapter, he continues: ``On January 31, 1979, during his visit to the United States, Deng and Fang Yi, director of the State Science and Technology Commission, signed agreements with the U.S. Government to speed up scientific exchanges. That year, the first 50 Chinese students flew to America. In the first 5 years of exchanges, some 19,000 Chinese students would study at American universities, mainly in the physical sciences, health sciences, and engineering, and their numbers would continue to increase.

``Carter and Deng also signed agreements on consular offices, trade, science, and technology--with the United States providing all sorts of scientific and technical knowledge to Chinese scientists in what would amount to the greatest outpouring of American scientific and technological expertise in history.''

Mr. Speaker, we now know that was a massive, massive mistake. This bill establishes new oversight tools to create transparency and accountability in U.S.-China relations by requiring congressional notification of any scientific and technological partnership agreements between the two nations.

Under this bill, the State Department would be required to inform the House Foreign Affairs Committee 15 days before renewing the agreement, including the contents of the deal, national security concerns, and how the agreement addresses human rights concerns.

Science and technology are central to U.S.-China strategic competition, which are shaping the course of this century. Thus, Congress must exercise its oversight authority to ensure that U.S. national security and foreign policy interests are protected.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Science and Technology Agreement Enhanced Congressional Notification Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I am prepared to close.

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

In closing, I thank Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Meeks, and the bipartisan membership of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who voted 50-0 to move this bill forward.

Regrettably, in the 1970s, when the United States extended the hand of peace, extended the hand of cooperation in advancement of science and technology for the advancement of mankind, that was not reciprocated. In fact, instead, the Chinese Communist Party rejected peace and cooperation and stole intellectual property and militarized that technology in a very hostile way.

Congress must ensure that any new science and technology agreements with China safeguard the interests, the property, and the values of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, for that reason, I urge unanimous support for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5613) to require a review of whether individuals or entities subject to the imposition of certain sanctions through inclusion on certain sanctions lists should also be subject to the imposition of other sanctions and included on other sanctions lists, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Waltz), the author of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Well done, my friend, from New York for opening and closing.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Congressman Waltz, for his leadership on this. This is a good bill. This is something we need to do. We need to force harmonization, coordination on the interagency. We have a lot of different lists. We have got the Treasury's Chinese Military-Industrial Complex List. We have the entity list at Commerce BIS. We have the Military End User List at Commerce. We have the 1260H list at DOD. We need this bill. We need better coordination.

I thank Chairman McCaul and Armed Services Committee Chairman Rogers for their leadership in moving this bill to the floor today. I hope that all of our colleagues will join us in ensuring that U.S. sanctions remain a powerful tool for defending our interests and values against those who seek to undermine democracy, security, and human rights around the world. Until we get outbound sanctions legislation, this is a good placeholder.

Mr. Speaker, I urge unanimous support for H.R. 5613, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 8152) to amend the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to provide for control of remote access of items, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8152, the Remote Access Security Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler), the author of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the right to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to vote in favor of 8152, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7701) to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to any foreign person that knowingly participates in the construction, maintenance, or repair of a tunnel or bridge that connects the Russian mainland with the Crimean peninsula.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7701, the No Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by the gentleman from New York, Ranking Member Meeks, and the gentleman from South Carolina, Mr. Wilson.

China has provided Russia with extensive dual-use goods that by the administration's own admission have helped Russia revitalize its defense industrial base, rebuild its military, and continue its genocidal campaign of aggression against Ukraine.

Aiding in the construction of repair of any infrastructure connecting Russia and Crimea would be yet another example of Chairman Xi's ``no limits partnership'' with Putin.

Mr. Speaker, for this reason, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

House of Representatives,

Committee on the Judiciary,

Washington, DC, September 3, 2024.

Hon. Michael McCaul,

Chairman, Committee on Foreign Affairs,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Chairman McCaul: I write regarding H.R. 7701, the No

Russian Tunnel to Crimea Act. Provisions of this bill fall

within the Judiciary Committee's Rule X jurisdiction, and I

appreciate that you consulted with us on those provisions.

The Judiciary Committee agrees that it shall be discharged

from further consideration of the bill so that it may proceed

expeditiously to the House floor.

The Committee takes this action with the understanding that

forgoing further consideration of this measure does not in

any way alter the Committee's jurisdiction or waive any

future jurisdictional claim over these provisions or their

subject matter. We also reserve the right to seek appointment

of an appropriate number of conferees in the event of a

conference with the Senate involving this measure or similar

legislation.

I ask that you please include this letter in your

committee's report to accompany this legislation or insert

this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration

of H.R. 7701 on the House floor. I appreciate the cooperative

manner in which our committees have worked on this matter,

and I look forward to working collaboratively in the future

on matters of shared jurisdiction. Thank you for your

attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Jim Jordan,

Chairman.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 7701, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a special man, James D. Anderson, Jr. Mr. Anderson passed away on May 21, 2024. He served the people of Powell County as Judge-Executive.

Mr. Anderson was born on June 4, 1975, in Winchester, KY. He graduated from Powell County High School and the University of Kentucky with a degree in Agricultural Economics. Mr. Anderson was a lifelong farmer and cherished his animals.

Mr. Anderson was a strong advocate for the people of Powell County. He was elected County Judge Executive and served three terms in that important leadership position. He supported numerous worthy projects, including the creation of Hollerwood ATV Park, construction projects for the Emergency Dispatch and Operation Center, the Senior Citizens Center, the Animal Shelter, Recycling Center, and jail expansion projects. He worked on improving the infrastructure of Powell County by paving over 5 miles of gravel roads and being a part of over twenty bridge projects and flood mitigation projects. In 2019, Mr. Anderson was recognized by the Kentucky Association of Counties as the County Judge Executive of the Year.

Mr. Anderson was a well-respected member of his community. He loved God and he loved his family. He was a member of Stanton Christian Church and the Powell County Lions Club. Mr. Anderson is survived by his wife Candace, his son James, and his daughter Josi.

It is my honor to lift up the life of this dedicated public servant. Mr. Anderson's leadership and his love for Powell County will be greatly missed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the citizens of Harrodsburg, Kentucky as they celebrate the 250th anniversary of their founding.

James Harrod and a team of men were sent by Lord Dunmore to Kentucky to survey land promised by the British crown to soldiers who served in the French and Indian War. Harrod was the first to map out a town on June 16, 1774, making Harrod's Town (later Harrodsburg) the first permanent British settlement west of the Alleghenies and the first city in Kentucky. By 1776, they had established a county court, a county militia, and named James Harrod as a delegate to the Virginia Assembly. A blockhouse was established at Fort Harrod for the protection of settlers. After the Revolutionary War ended, the town grew rapidly and the original log cabins were replaced with brick structures.

Many men from Harrodsburg fought in the War of 1812. After the war, agriculture and education were very important. Bacon College, Greenville Institute for Young Ladies, and the Harrodsburg Female Academy all opened between 1839 and 1847. Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill was founded in 1805 and became very prosperous. The local economy was based on livestock, hemp, wheat, corn, and valuable racehorses. By the middle of the 1800s, Harrodsburg had been home to three Kentucky governors and one U.S. Ambassador as well as a nationally known resort, Graham Springs.

Like many areas in border states, Harrodsburg was divided by the Civil War and experienced much loss and destruction. Citizens picked up and treated wounded soldiers from both Union and Confederate forces following the nearby Battle of Perryville. After the war, the city rebuilt and prospered once again. The 20th century brought the Dix River Dam, constructed in the 1920s to provide electricity, and the reservoir, Lake Herrington, became a tourist attraction. A reproduction of Old Fort Harrod was constructed as well as a monument to George Rogers Clark which was dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934. Shaker Village was restored and became another tourist attraction. There has always been a strong military presence in Harrodsburg and World War II was no exception. D Company of the 192nd Tank Battalion was stationed in the Philippines in 1941 and included 66 men from Harrodsburg. Of the 66 Harrodsburg men in D Company, only 37 survived the war. They endured battle, the Infamous Bataan Death March, hell ships, and three and a half years of merciless captivity by Japan.

Today the city of Harrodsburg continues as a thriving community with robust agriculture, tourism, and industry. Dedicated leaders from founder James Harrod to today's Mayor Bob Williams have led the city of Harrodsburg. I am honored to lift up this great American community before the United States Congress and to congratulate them on their 250th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Berea Citizen, a newspaper in Kentucky's Sixth District. The Berea Citizen was founded in 1899. It has been a trusted news source for the people of Madison County for 125 years.

The idea for the newspaper originated with Berea College President William G. Frost and at first it served as the school newspaper. It remained connected with Berea College until 1984, when it became a private newspaper. It was first delivered on Chestnut Street along a dirt road. The newspaper survived the Great Depression, two World Wars, and a global pandemic, delivering local news to the community without interruption.

The Berea Citizen staff recognizes that freedom of the press is critical in our society. They prioritize fair and balanced coverage of local meetings and events. The Berea Citizen reached more than 10,000 readers each week. They are currently owned by Nolan Group Media from Manchester, Kentucky. Keith Taylor, the publisher, began in 2020 as the pandemic was beginning. The owner is Jay Nolan, and the Vice President is Glenn Gray. The Berea Citizen is one of the few locally owned newspapers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and it is printed in Kentucky at J. Frank Publishing in London, Kentucky.

In an era when many community newspapers are declining and no longer able to print news for the citizens, The Berea Citizen continues its mission to be a voice in the community. I congratulate them on their 125-year anniversary, and I am honored to recognize them before the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to lift up the life of a great American. Ernest L. Hester, Jr., known to most as Tim, who passed away on April 16, 2024.

Mr. Hester was born June 28, 1939. He served in the United States Army Reserves in the early 1960's and was stationed at Fort Drum and at Fort Sill. He served as a contractor with the United States Department of Defense in a classified capacity in the United States and abroad. He was involved with design work regarding national and international security. Mr. Hester used his talents to serve our Nation in a quiet but very important way.

Mr. Hester was married to his wife Barbara Ann Banks Hester for 59 years. They have one son, Peter, and two daughters, Jennifer and Aimee. Their family also includes ten grandchildren. Mr. Hester was a Christian and a patriotic American. A true gentleman, he always treated others with kindness, generosity, and respect. Mr. Hester was known for his resourcefulness and his ability to get things done.

Mr. Hester was a generous, faithful, and intelligent man who served our country well. I am honored to recognize Ernest L. ``Tim'' Hester before the United States Congress.

Mr. Chair, had I been present, I would have voted AYE on Roll Call No. 327.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the citizens of Harrodsburg, Kentucky as they celebrate the 250th anniversary of their founding.

James Harrod and a team of men were sent by Lord Dunmore to Kentucky to survey land promised by the British crown to soldiers who served in the French and Indian War. Harrod was the first to map out a town on June 16, 1774, making Harrod's Town (later Harrodsburg) the first permanent British settlement west of the Alleghenies and the first city in Kentucky. By 1776, they had established a county court, a county militia, and named James Harrod as a delegate to the Virginia Assembly. A blockhouse was established at Fort Harrod for the protection of settlers. After the Revolutionary War ended, the town grew rapidly and the original log cabins were replaced with brick structures.

Many men from Harrodsburg fought in the war of 1812. After the war, agriculture and education were very important. Bacon College, Greenville Institute for Young Ladies, and the Harrodsburg Female Academy all opened between 1839 and 1847. Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill was founded in 1805 and became very prosperous. The local economy was based on livestock, hemp, wheat, corn, and valuable racehorses. By the middle of the 1800's, Harrodsburg had been home to three Kentucky governors and one U.S. Ambassador as well as a nationally known resort, Graham Springs.

Like many areas in border states, Harrodsburg was divided by the Civil War and experienced much loss and destruction. Citizens picked up and treated wounded soldiers from both Union and Confederate forces following the nearby Battle of Perryville. After the war, the city rebuilt and prospered once again. The 20th century brought the Dix River Dam, constructed in the 1920's to provide electricity, and the reservoir, Lake Herrington, became a tourist attraction. A reproduction of Old Fort Harrod was constructed as well as a monument to George Rogers Clark which was dedicated by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1934. Shaker Village was restored and became another tourist attraction. There has always been a strong military presence in Harrodsburg and World War II was no exception. Company D of the 192nd Tank Battalion was stationed in the Philippines in 1941 and included 66 from Harrodsburg. Forced to surrender to the Japanese, more than 7,000 American soldiers died from the brutal Bataan Death March, including 29 Harrodsburg men.

Today the city of Harrodsburg continues as a thriving community with robust agriculture, tourism, and industry. Dedicated leaders from founder James Harrod to today's Mayor Bob Williams have led the city of Harrodsburg. I am honored to lift up this great American community before the United States Congress and to congratulate them on their 250th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a special man, Paul Newton Frederick of Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. Frederick will celebrate his 100th birthday on July 5, 2024.

Mr. Frederick is a lifelong Lexingtonian. He left high school to join the Marine Corps, enlisting on July 30, 1942. He was assigned to the 3rd Division of the 21st Regiment of the United States Marines. Mr. Frederick experienced combat as a bazooka man and machine gunner on several islands in the Pacific. His ship was struck by a torpedo on November 17, 1943, killing many and causing the ship to sink. Mr. Frederick was injured but returned to active duty soon after treatment. He participated in many battles in the Pacific Theater. He was a part of one of the most difficult battles of the war and he lost many friends during the Battle of Iwo Jima. For his service, Mr. Frederick was awarded the Purple Heart, the Presidential Unit Citation, the American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, and several more medals. He was honorably discharged on October 18, 1945.

Following his service, Mr. Frederick worked at his father's service station until 1963. He then went to work for the U.S. Postal Service and retired in 1989. Sixty years after he left high school, he earned his high school diploma. He was married to Myrtle Zimmerman Frederick for 71 years. They have two sons, four grandchildren, and five great- grandchildren. Mr. Frederick served as a scout leader and a youth sponsor for many years at

Broadway Christian Church. He currently resides at Thomson-Hood Veterans Center.

Mr. Frederick is a true patriot. He and his fellow veterans are American heroes. As members of the ``Greatest Generation'', they willingly served to protect and defend the freedoms that we enjoy today. I am humbled to honor Mr. Paul Frederick and celebrate his 100th birthday before the United States Congress.