Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is with deep regret and sadness that I rise to share with you and our colleagues, the tragic news about the passing of a community hero of Winchester, Virginia, Police Officer Hunter Edwards. Officer Edwards is the second Winchester police officer to have died in the line of duty and the residents of the close-knit community of Winchester and the Northern Shenandoah Valley are in profound grief over this tragedy.

On November 24th, Officer Edwards died after his police cruiser skidded on a downhill, rain-slicked section of road and tragically crashed into a tree as he was quickly responding to a call for help at a residence where a major altercation had broken out. Only 30 years old and recently married, Hunter had begun to experience the joy and satisfaction of family life with his wife, Tara Markley, and their four-year-old son, Landon. And since becoming a member of the Winchester Police Department in the summer of 2014, Hunter's professionalism and dedication to duty had resulted in his being assigned to the Civil Disturbance Unit and the SWAT Team, and as a field training officer for the Department. He had also earlier worked as a police officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency.

As a nation of freedom-loving people, we are deeply grateful to our national and community heroes, without whose selfless sacrifice we know, for a certainty, that we would not be free. When we tuck our children and grandchildren into bed at night, and turn out the lights in our homes, we rest assured that heroes like Hunter Edwards, who was working the second shift from 2:30 p.m. until 2:00 a.m., are protecting us from all evil and danger.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in echoing the sentiments of a grateful nation for the courageous service of Police Officer Hunter Edwards, and in expressing prayers for Officer Edwards' family as they cope with this tragic and untimely loss. May we be forever inspired by the duty and sacrifice of Officer Hunter Edwards, to acknowledge and support our police officers, sheriff's deputies, fire fighters and other first responders and their families, and do whatever we can in our own lives, to build stronger, safer communities in which to live.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Mrs. Evelynn Belle Turbeville Ware. As a constituent of Hillsboro, Virginia, Belle devoted her life to her family and public service. She was dedicated to her beloved husband, John, and together they raised four children. Belle is survived by daughter: Vicki Ware Albert and her husband Charles; daughter Paige Ware Petro and her husband Mark; son John Ware; son Mark Ware and his wife Amie; 10 grandchildren: Jeremy Barry, Lindsay Albert, Kendall Albert, Morgan Petro, Chris Petro, Jordan Ware, Jackson Ware, Evan Ware, Matthew Ware, and Nathan Ware; and 2 great grandchildren: Owen Barry and Kyle Barry.

Belle was a long-time resident of Hillsboro, Virginia having moved there with her parents and sister during the end of World War II. After they married, Belle and John moved to a tiny house in town where they lived while restoring a Victorian farmhouse they purchased in Hillsboro. Belle was one of the founding members of what is now the Short Hill Historical Society and helped save the Old Stone School from demolition. She served as an active member of this non-profit for 42 years and was most fond of the Christmas in Hillsboro Historic Homes Tour. Belle had a drive and a passion to support the people and causes she held dear.

Following in the footsteps of her mother who was the first female mayor in the Commonwealth of Virginia, she devoted her entire life to a career as a public servant who profoundly impacted our community. Belle served on the Hillsboro Town Council and for many years, she was the Town Treasurer, ultimately becoming Hillsboro's Vice Mayor. Belle was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and each year recognized an elementary school student at Hillsboro with the DAR award. Belle's heart was sincere in her service to the community, and her legacy serves as inspiration for others in public service.

Belle was enthusiastic about serving the Lord as member of the congregation of the Hillsboro United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women's Group. Belle sang in the choir and was instrumental in many volunteer efforts through the church which included making apple butter, raising money through a yard sale, helping prepare and serve the annual freewill offering holiday dinner, packaging and donating meals for local families in need, hosting the annual church picnic, and helping with a local food bank. Belle also built her life working at a medical practice for thirty years before retiring.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me as we recognize the extraordinary life and legacy of Mrs. Evelynn Belle Turbeville Ware. The impact she has had on the Commonwealth of Virginia and to our country will never be forgotten, and I offer our deepest condolences to the Ware family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the tremendous work of my constituent Mr. Dennis Kacoyanis of Chantilly, Virginia. Mr. Kacoyanis plans to retire on January 3, 2019, after more than 40 years of federal service. His dedication and professionalism throughout his career have provided exceptional benefit to the people of the United States.

Mr. Kacoyanis spent the early portion of his federal career as an attorney at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforcing employment laws prohibiting discrimination in the workplace. Since 1987, Mr. Kacoyanis has served as an attorney for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Mr. Kacoyanis performed a number of duties to keep consumers safe, including ensuring that hazardous products were promptly recalled from the market and that companies immediately reported hazardous products to the Commission. He zealously advocated for the Commission's interests in federal court cases. He also worked hard to ensure the Commission met its responsibility to release information to the public--increasing transparency, accountability and trust in government.

In addition to his 32 years of work at the Commission, Mr. Kacoyanis previously served the American people at the U.S. Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division, and at the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division.

Mr. Speaker, I now ask that my colleagues join me in thanking Mr. Kacoyanis for the outstanding service he provided to the United States throughout his long-lasting career. I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform you and our colleagues about a special ceremony that took place in Berryville, Virginia on October 6, 2018, to honor the extraordinary life of Ella Phillips Stewart, an African-American woman born in 1893, in the Longmarsh District of Clarke County, that is situated in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. Ella's parents, Henry H. Phillips and Eliza T. Phillips, were sharecroppers who chose to send Ella to live with Henry's mother in the village of Stringtown, outside of Berryville. An outstanding student, Ella won several major scholarships to what was then the Storer Normal School, later Storer College, a historically African-American College in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Ella's upbringing in Clarke County provided her with the values and education that were a foundation for later professional success and national and international recognition.

After successfully matriculating from Storer, Ella was accepted by the University of Pittsburgh's School of Pharmacy and became the

first African-American woman to graduate from that program in 1916. In the same year, Stewart passed the state examination, becoming the first African-American female pharmacist in the state of Pennsylvania. An entrepreneur at heart, Ella soon opened her own drugstore at the General Hospital in Braddock, Pennsylvania and, in 1918, moved back to Pittsburgh, where she again established her own business, Myers Pharmacy. After practicing as pharmacists in Youngstown, Ohio for a couple of years, she and her husband, William Wyatt Stewart, a fellow graduate of the University of Pittsburgh's Pharmacy School, opened Stewart's Pharmacy in Toledo, Ohio, in 1922, which they operated until 1945, when they sold the business and retired. Located in Toledo's Pinewood District, the pharmacy was a popular neighborhood gathering place. The Stewarts, who owned the building and lived in the spacious apartment above the pharmacy, often hosted special visitors from out of town, including Marian Anderson and W.E.B. Du Bois.

Despite the inherent challenges of successfully operating a drug store and pharmacy, Ella Phillips Stewart found the time and energy to be involved in numerous civic organizations during her working career and in retirement. Her activities at a local level included leadership in the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), the local chapter of the NAACP and the Enterprise Charity Club, a social service organization run by African-American women. From 1944 to 1948, she served as president of the Ohio Association of Colored Women, and from 1948 to 1952, as president of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs (NACWC). As leader of the NACWC, Stewart forcefully spoke out against segregation, discrimination and racial stereotyping. In 1961, she became an inaugural member of the Toledo Board of Community Relations, which worked to improve race relations in the city, and to ensure enforcement of civil rights laws. As Ella Stewart's national stature grew, she was asked to serve in a variety of roles at the national and international levels. She was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower in the post-World War II era, as a member of the Women's Advisory Committee on U.S. Defense Manpower and, in 1959, she was appointed to the National Advisory Committee for the White House Conference on Aging.

Comfortable working in an international setting, Ella Stewart was appointed as an American delegate to the International Conference of Women of the World, held in Athens, Greece, in 1952. She subsequently spent time during the 1950s touring as a goodwill ambassador for the United States, traveling to Pakistan, India, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the Philippines, Japan and Hong Kong, among other nations. In 1963, she was appointed to the United States commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), traveling to many nations as an ambassador advocating for improved education and literacy around the world. Along her life's journey, Ella received many awards and honors, including as an original inductee into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame, recipient of the Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Toledo and similar honors from the University of Pittsburgh. Yet, the recognition she treasured the most was having an elementary school in Toledo named after her, the Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls, in 1961, which now has a museum that houses Stewart's plaques and awards, and the memorabilia she collected on her many international tours.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring the life of an extraordinary African-American woman and favorite daughter of Clarke County, born into poverty during the era of segregation, who overcame these disadvantages by applying the values she learned as a child growing up in tiny Stringtown, Virginia, and making the most of the education she received during those difficult times, to become a fearless trailblazer in her profession of Pharmacy, a successful businesswoman, a civil rights leader who worked for greater harmony among various races and cultures, and an American goodwill ambassador who successfully contributed to greater international peace and understanding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate the Oak Grove Baptist Church of Sterling, Virginia, on the celebration of its 150th anniversary. In 1868, Reverend Robert Woodson, Pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia, moved to the town of Herndon in Northern Virginia. Finding that there were no Baptist churches that were welcoming to African-Americans, Reverend Woodson interested Mrs. Ellen Thompson, a fellow Baptist living nearby, to help him establish what was initially called the Colored Church, on October 10, 1868, in the community of Oak Grove, located in the town of Sterling. Oak Grove was one of five communities in Eastern Loudoun County that were founded by former slaves after the Civil War ended in 1865. The name of Oak Grove was adopted, in part, because of the stately oak trees surrounding the church grounds.

Over the period of a century and a half, 13 pastors have served at Oak Grove Baptist Church. In addition to the important leadership exercised by these men, the church has been blessed with dedicated and faithful women leaders who greatly contributed to its success, including Ellen Thompson, ``First Mother'' and founder of the church, and Sister Ada Lee, who labored for 90 years, as the ``Second Mother'' of the church, before passing on in 1998, at the age of 107. There were many other unsung heroes during the long history of the church, including those whose financial generosity allowed the Oak Grove property to grow from ``a little ole' spot beside the railroad track'' to a six-acre property next to the current WO&D bicycle trail. Since 2011, the congregation has been led by a gifted yet humble pastor, Gregory L. Spurlock, a native of Petersburg, Virginia. He is married to the former Lottie Cassandra Mickens, also of Petersburg, who is a school principal in Loudoun County. Pastor Spurlock and First Lady Lottie are the proud parents of three children, Ivana, Brandon and Gregory, Jr.

The key to understanding how this church has thrived over its long and illustrious history is its clear and simple mission. Simply put, ``The Oak'' exists to fulfill the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Beginning with the inspiring leadership of Pastor Spurlock and First Lady Lottie, coupled with the guidance of the elders of the church and the dedicated support of the Deacons and Deaconesses, each member of Oak Grove Baptist Church has pledged his or her life to Christ and has covenanted with each other to demonstrate His Spirit through worship, witnessing and ministering to the needs of others. Whether the church is engaged in ministering to the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of each church member and family or is taking a leadership role in the annual One Loudoun Revival, or putting on its Car Show and Community Day, or hosting a Women's Conference or a voter registration drive, ``the Oak'' has always been hallowed ground, where, through acts of faith and love, its members are tirelessly engaged in the blessed work of transfonning lives, one person at a time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in celebrating the extraordinary history of Oak Grove Baptist Church. Thanks to the loving service of hundreds of disciples over the past 150 years, I am confident that the indelible mission, values and traditions of Oak Grove Baptist Church will guide the congregation's vitality and success over the next 150 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the achievements and life of Mr. Guy Beatty from McLean, Virginia, a leading philanthropist, entrepreneur, and cherished member of our community.

Mr. Beatty was an astute businessman who became tremendously successful in his business ventures while maintaining humility and his faith. After he began working in real estate in 1962, with $2000 in his pocket, he achieved vast amounts of success and was able to grow his business as he established partnerships with those who could help him realize his goals.

Mr. Beatty was not only known as a businessman, but a benevolent man who devoted a great deal of his life to philanthropy. He was passionate about helping others and was

known to have a few favorite sayings which embody his altruistic nature:

Take some, leave some

This is God's money, not mine . . . I've been put in the

position to help others and give them an opportunity they may

not have otherwise had.

Mr. Beatty always believed that his success was made possible to allow him to serve God. To this point, his philanthropic endeavors have impacted thousands of people directly and countless more indirectly. Schools, churches, hospitals, clinics, students, research programs, and universities have all been improved because of Mr. Beatty's vision, leadership, and generosity. Notably, Mr. Beatty helped create, fund, and served as the Chairman of the Spinal Research Foundation, a national non-profit organization based in Reston, Virginia, to achieve his desire to end spinal suffering. Neck and back pain are the leading cause of disability in the United States, and Guy Beatty didn't want others to suffer as he had throughout his life. He supported the Foundation to champion research and education focused on eliminating needless suffering and thus enable people to regain their lives. He was a true Spinal Champion and his contributions to spinal research and innovation continues to give people hope that proper treatment works.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the many achievements and life of Mr. Guy Beatty who has given hope and impacted the lives of so many in our community and around the nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an extraordinary public servant, Serena R. ``Renny'' Manuel, whose management of the Winchester Regional Airport in the northern Shenandoah Valley, has established the airport as a critically important asset of the region's dynamic economy. This region of the 10th Congressional District, that includes Frederick County, the City of Winchester and Clarke County, is growing rapidly and the Winchester Regional Airport has become a catalyst for this growth by supporting business aviation, law enforcement, agricultural and lifesaving services, air ambulance operations and organ transports, freight and package delivery, as well as recreational activities.

All of these benefits were developed, improved upon and managed by Executive Director Renny Manuel, with the able guidance of the board of directors of the Winchester Regional Airport Authority. Starting as an Office Assistant at the airport in 1991, Renny Manuel's extraordinary conscientiousness and reliability, coupled with her humility, humor, and cooperative spirit, caused her to be given progressively greater responsibilities and, in 1999, the Authority officially appointed her Airport Director, in which role she served with distinction until her retirement on July 30th of this year. In addition to skillfully overseeing the day to day operations of the airport and complying with numerous federal and state regulations and orders, Mrs. Manuel's excellence as a team leader was most apparent as she managed numerous complicated capital and airport redevelopment projects, such as the runway rehabilitation design and construction project, the general aviation terminal building renovation, the airfield lighting upgrade, airport perimeter security fencing, the T-hangar apron rehabilitation, land acquisition, relocation and rehabilitation of Taxiway ``A'', the snow removal plan and equipment project, the wetland mitigation project, and oversight of construction of a second corporate hangar facility.

Airport Director Manuel's reputation for effectiveness and reliability was acknowledged by her colleagues throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia when they asked her to serve as Secretary of the Virginia Airport Operators Council. And in further recognition of the high regard that those in the aviation industry have for her, she was recently presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Virginia Department of Aviation.

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in recognizing and thanking Winchester Regional Airport Director Renny Manuel for her extraordinarily dedicated service to the people of the northern Shenandoah Valley and ask you and our colleagues to join me in wishing her and her husband much happiness, as they spend more time with family and have more time to travel, in their retirement years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and thank Ken and Julia Falke, founders of the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness in Bluemont, Virginia, and the EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Warrior Foundation, for their extraordinary efforts to support our nation's wounded warriors and their families.

Last year, a special ceremony unveiled a statue of a Naval modification to the Battle Cross on the grounds of the Boulder Crest Retreat, honors those military heroes who lost their lives in combat, in training and in the struggle against the ``invisible injuries of war that followed them home.'' Ken Falke's inspiration for the statue was the beautiful memorial erected in San Diego, to the four members of EOD Mobile Unit Three who had been killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Boulder Crest Retreat is the nation's first privately-funded rural wellness center dedicated exclusively to our nation's combat veterans and their families. Opened in 2013, it has offered a beautiful setting for more than 2,500 veterans and their families to rest, reconnect and recharge. Motivated by a limitless desire to serve combat veterans, especially the 11 percent to 20 percent of Iraqi and Afghan war vets who suffer from post-traumtic stress (PTS), Ken and Julia have ventured into modes of therapy and support that are outside the mainstream. As a Navy bomb-disposal expert who was seriously injured in a 1989 parachute jump, Ken had learned first-hand in his recovery from traumatic brain injury and a broken back, not to rely on medicines alone. Later, through their work with the

EOD Warrior Foundation, Ken visited many fellow EOD veterans at Veterans Administration facilities and was dismayed at how many of them were continuing to struggle with the PTS that their medications had not cured.

As a result, Ken and Julia began a program called Warrior PATHH, or ``progressive and alternative training for healing heroes.'' The 18- month program that starts with a weeklong boot camp at the Boulder Crest Retreat, where days begin at 7 am with physical conditioning and end at 8:30 pm with discussion around a campfire led by other combat veterans, has allowed the 120 vets accepted for PATHH to explore their past, make greater sense of their struggles, and develop a realization that their preparedness and leadership skills can be carried from the battlefield to the home front. As an indication of the program's success, over the past three years, 95 percent of combat vets who have participated in the program continue to participate in monthly video chats that help the Falkes keep track of their emotional health and keep them setting and accomplishing goals.

Mr. Speaker, it is truly a privilege to ask you and our colleagues to join me in thanking two great patriots, Ken and Julia Falke, for the extraordinary difference they are making in the lives of our nation's combat veterans, ensuring that they have the opportunity to succeed in their new mission--a life of passion, purpose and service, here at home.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the 130th anniversary of Solenberger Hardware of Winchester, Virginia. Solenberger Hardware is truly the classic story of American entrepreneurialism, a story of humble beginnings, of overcoming adversity and adapting to new circumstances.

On the occasion of the company's anniversary celebration, a large, beautiful historical mural about the company has been completed that includes portraits of past company leaders and an illustration of the original store. The mural highlights one biblical expression to summarize those 130 years: ``Do to Others What You Would Have Them Do to You.'' This high standard of trustworthiness and loyalty, that was developed by each of the company's leaders, is what has set Solenberger Hardware apart. John S. Solenberger, the founder of the store in 1888, made a significant contribution to this corporate culture when, during the Great Depression, he promised his employees that he would keep them working and on the payroll, and paid in cash. Herbert Solenberger, of the following generation, treated the store's customers with such integrity that, if he found that the store had short-changed a customer, he would personally seek out the customer to repay him or her. And Herbert's brother, Hugh, developed a standard of customer service that involved training employees to be experts about the store's products and services, always approaching their work with the customer's best interest in mind.

Such extraordinary loyalty and trustworthiness have always been extended to the larger community, as well. The 1960s and 1970s were times of racial unrest in Winchester and John T. Solenberger, Hugh's son, expressed loyalty to an African-American employee by promoting him to a management position in the company, based on his merits, without being thwarted by any concerns he may have had for how such a decision might affect their business. Additionally, Solenberger Hardware annually hosts fundraising events to benefit the Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter and the Winchester Rescue Mission.

Another tradition contributing to Solenberger Hardware's resilience has been its passion for change and innovation, starting with John S.'s modifying the very nature of the Solenberger business, to current leaders John, Jr. and Cyndi Solenberger's move of the store to a place offering greater access to the customer.

The attitude of the Solenberger family has been that adversity generates change and that change is to be welcomed and encouraged.

After 130 years, can the Solenberger legacy be continued? John, Jr. and Cyndi consider themselves stewards of a business that they want to pass on to the next generations, and they are now training and mentoring Seth McManigle and Jaime Solenberger-McManigle as leadership partners of the future. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating the owners and employees of Solenberger Hardware for celebrating 130 years of success and express the hope that, with God's grace, the company will continue its legacy of success as an extraordinary corporate citizen, serving the northern Shenandoah Valley, for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, in 1958, plans for a fire department in Gainesboro began to take shape, with the help and direction of the Gainesboro Ruritan Club. Red Williamson was elected the first Fire Chief of Gainesboro and the purchase of a fire truck took place with financial help from the Clearbrook Fire Company and Shade Equipment Company, which donated their facilities to install the tank and pumps. The truck was completed and put in service following the first Yard Party in June, 1958.

IN March, 1958, the land on which the Gainesboro Fire Company exists was purchased for the sum of $1,200. The firehouse was built by members of the Gainesboro Fire Company and the larger Gainesboro community, and because of their extraordinary generosity of time, energy and money, the entire firehouse was built in one short year, between July, 1958 and July, 1959.

The history of the call volume is an indication of the significant growth in the work of the Gainesboro Fire Company. In 1958, there were a total of 11 fire runs, the first being a woods fire in Cross Junction that the Gore Fire Company assisted with. Five years later, in 1963, there were 65 runs and by 2017, there were over 1,000 runs. This increased demand on the fire company's services has necessarily involved a significant increase in operational staff, which now amounts to 65 certified firefighters, Emergency Medical Technicians and paramedics.

With an operating budget of nearly $300,000, approximately $130,000 of it needs to be raised by the members of the Gainesboro Fire Company and its Ladies Auxiliary, which was formed in November, 1958. As a resilient, self-sustaining organization, the fire company has put on one type of fundraiser or another almost every month for the past 60 years, adding up to approximately 700 fundraisers during the time of the fire company's existence.

Mr. Speaker, I know that I speak for all the people of the 10th Congressional District of Virginia in expressing our deep gratitude to our community heroes--our firefighters and emergency medical personnel, along with our law enforcement officers, who are willing to face any situation, no matter how grave or dangerous, to help us in our times of greatest desperation and need. I ask that you and our colleagues join me in thanking Chief Don Jackson and the community heroes of Gainesboro Fire and Rescue Company who, for 60 years, have courageously stepped forward to assist the residents of their community, and to also thank the ladies' auxiliary and other leaders of the Gainesboro community, who have so generously supported the ongoing work of their community heroes.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor very special landowners in northern Virginia who are the latest contributors to the Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Project of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust. The trust adds to and sustains places in our communities that enhance our natural, historical and cultural value, by assisting private landowners and local jurisdictions conserve and care for our natural and working lands and waters.

On November 16, seven newly conserved properties have been added to the 62 other parcels that make up the String of Pearls in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These treasured private lands are in Great Falls, McLean and Oakton, and are the first conserved lands to be honored in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

As the member of Congress representing this area, I want to express my deep appreciation to these visionary landowners who have preserved their land forever, thus ``saving nearby nature'' to benefit current and future generations of Virginians and Americans. I also want to express my gratitude to the leadership of the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, who, over the past 20-plus years has conserved 6,500 acres in the region and has been such an invaluable resource for conservation management, through its stewardship of protected land, encouragement of volunteer conservation activities, and critical technical assistance to local governments as they implement their comprehensive plans.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me and all the people of the 10th Congressional District, in recognizing and thanking the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust and the sixty-nine conservation landowners of the Chesapeake Bay String of Pearls Project for their everlasting contributions to the quality of life of the residents of Northern Virginia and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks one year since the passing of an outstanding conservative leader from Clarke County, Virginia, Elizabeth Kay Gunter, and, on this occasion, I rise to celebrate her extraordinary life with you and our colleagues.

Kay Gunter was a formidable champion of conservative political values, especially regarding the Right to Life. She was always an enthusiastic ally of those candidates and causes she championed and a formidable adversary of those who she opposed. To have influence in the political arena, Kay successfully ran for and served ably in the capacity of: Chairwoman of the Clarke County Republican Committee, member of the State Central Committee of the Republican Party of Virginia, Chairwoman of the Winchester-Frederick-Clarke Republican Women and Virginia Delegate to the Republican National Convention. Kay's interest in doing what she could to protect the sacredness of life led her to also serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the ABBA Pregnancy Care Center in Winchester. In recognition of her remarkable and long-lasting influence over politics in Clarke County, the important policy forum sponsored by the Clarke County Republican Committee, is now called the Nolan-Gunter Policy Forum.

While Kay Gunter dedicated much time and energy to politics, the foundation of her life was always her relationship with God. Although she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of South Carolina, Kay's Christian discipleship led her to define and honor the profession of homemaking, during which, over a 55-year career, she successfully created a strong household of faith for her husband, Sam, their three children and their many grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Elizabeth Kay Gunter, whose courage and tenacity as a Christian disciple led her to extraordinary success as a political activist and homemaker.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the loving generosity of a family, Sarah and Robert Wilkinson, as the 2018 Angels in Adoption from the Tenth Congressional District of Virginia.

Earlier this year, the Wilkinson family was recognized by the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors as the 2018 Loudoun County Foster Parents of the Year and, as a member of Congress, I am very pleased that the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, through its national public awareness campaign, has given me the opportunity to recognize this family for their demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of children in need of permanent, loving homes.

The Angels in Adoption tradition is well established in the Wilkinson family. When Sarah was six, her parents began fostering children who would eventually become her brothers and sisters. Within a year of their wedding in 2005, Sarah and Robert became foster parents to a teenager. Since then, the Wilkinson family have served as foster parents for nine children, and they have provided respite services for countless others. Sarah and Robert have four birth children, have adopted two children, and are currently in the process of adopting another child.

In addition to setting a stellar example for others by creating a beautiful family of fostered, adopted and birthed children, Sarah and Robert Wilkinson spend countless hours supporting other foster and adoptive parents. They lead a monthly support group for foster parents in Loudoun County, and Sarah leads a support group of moms living in the greater Northern Virginia area. The Wilkinsons also take part in the final session of the Loudoun County's foster parent training program, offering practical ideas and encouragement to people who are about to embark on their new lives as foster parents.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to count among my constituents, Sarah and Robert Wilkinson. I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating them for being recognized as the 2018 Angels in Adoption from the Tenth Congressional District of Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kristina Bouweiri, the founder of Sterling Women and CEO of Reston Limousine,

and members of Sterling Women as they celebrate their 10th anniversary.

Sterling Women was founded in 2008 to provide a new networking opportunity for business women in the Sterling, Virginia area. The organization focuses on enhancing opportunities for women in business and creating fellowship among women by empowering, celebrating, and supporting women in their professional and personal endeavors.

Mrs. Bouweiri's legacy of fostering a positive environment for women is remarkable. She encourages each member to develop leadership skills and discover new paths toward self-enrichment, having often been a mentor and bringing women out of their comfort zones. Through her leadership, Sterling Women elevates the standard for working women to actively build and maintain relationships between fellow members and within the community.

Women of all ages with diverse life experiences have combined their skills to make the Loudoun County community a better place. The Sterling Women is a true testament to the dedication to our community and their passion toward helping others. Under Kristina's leadership, the club has raised $250,000 for local charities.

I am impressed by the Sterling Women and how in just a decade they have transformed Northern Virginia. From 80 women at their first meeting, to 150 today, they have made a tremendous impact upon many.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Sterling Women as they celebrate their 10th anniversary. I look forward to their ongoing contributions to the community and I wish them the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for yielding me the time.

I rise in support of H.R. 5509, the Innovations in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act. This bill takes important steps in addressing the growing need for a diverse and technically trained STEM workforce.

Technological advances have transformed the workplace with almost 20 percent of all jobs in the U.S. economy requiring some level of STEM training. These jobs are expected to grow nearly 9 percent over the next decade, faster than any other employment category; and, of course, we know these are also higher paying jobs, and we want more women and a more diverse workforce here, also.

Unfortunately, we also know that we have been failing to keep students in the STEM pipeline. Almost half of all students who start in a STEM major do not graduate with one. Of those who do graduate with a STE degree, only half go on to a career in a STEM field. It is essential we address these challenges in order to ensure U.S. competitiveness in the global economy.

In February, I chaired a Research and Technology Subcommittee hearing, which looked at innovative STEM education and workforce training models from across the country. These models demonstrated how apprenticeships, mentoring, and on-the-job training are used to successfully bridge STEM skills gaps.

I am happy to say that many of the lessons learned from that hearing are reflected in this bill, including the point that most successful programs are an integration of academia, technical training, and hands- on work experience.

H.R. 5509 directs the National Science Foundation to competitively award grants to community colleges and 4-year institutions to develop and improve STEM courses and degrees. These programs will combine formal education with applied learning experiences, such as apprenticeships and internships, by partnering with regional employers needing to fill skilled and technical STEM jobs.

This bill also calls for NSF to competitively award grants to determine best practices and measure student outcomes of distance learning and simulated work environment courses for STEM education and technical skills training.

Lastly, it directs the National Science Foundation to examine the development and sustainability of skilled technical workforces from across the U.S. and around the world, explore the feasibility of surveying the U.S. skilled technical workforce, and research and develop potential labor market analysis innovations.

These programs and important research will help support and build the

STEM pipeline and the STEM workforce that will drive American innovation in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century economy.

I want to thank Leader McCarthy for introducing this legislation and for the opportunity to cosponsor this. I also thank Chairman Smith and Ranking Member Johnson for their great work in ushering this bill through the committee on a bipartisan basis.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill.