Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the award-winning Mason and Partners (MAP) health care clinic and to congratulate George Mason University School of Nursing and its partners on the establishment of a permanent MAP Clinic in Manassas Park, Virginia. The clinic provides residents of medically underserved areas with a variety of health care services, including physicals, screenings, health care counseling, and acute primary care treatment while, at the same time, offering George Mason University nursing students and those in related studies the invaluable practical experience of treating and counseling patients who utilize the clinic.

George Mason launched its first MAP clinic in 2013, originally offering its services at the Manassas Park Community Center. Since then, the operation has expanded to three Northern Virginia sites while also broadening the services they provide. The clinic strives to serve as a bridge for patients with no access to healthcare until they are able to arrange for more formal healthcare coverage for themselves.

The MAP clinic program has also greatly benefitted our students at George Mason University. By offering an active learning lab, nursing and health and human services students are able to receive real-life experience working on interprofessional teams, a learning opportunity that is not available to many students across the nation. These clinical opportunities have been so well-received that the federal government's Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) has awarded the school $2 million to support the education of Mason School of Nursing students.

Mr. Speaker, I take great pride in celebrating with you and our colleagues the establishment of the first permanent structure of the MAP clinic in Manassas Park, Virginia. In addition, I ask that you join me in congratulating the George Mason University School of Nursing and its partners, Dr. Allison Ansher of the Prince William Health District, the Parks and Recreation and Education Departments of the City of Manassas Park, the city's Community Development Office and interim director Calvin O'Dell, the Potomac Health Foundation, and the students and faculty of George Mason's College of Health and Human Services, for the extraordinary success of this visionary, nurse-led program. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a group of students from Freedom High School, who recently won the Odyssey of the Mind World Championship on May 27, 2017. Leading up to this global competition in Michigan, the Freedom High School team won a Virginia Regional competition as well as the Virginia state championship, and these extraordinary achievements show how far dedication, hard work, and commitment to teamwork can take a group as they competed with some of the best student teams across the world.

The Odyssey of the Mind World Championship is a STEM-based scholastic competition in which students devise innovative solutions to challenges, such as assembling vehicles and integrating them into timed skits. These problems and programs allow students to convert their ideas and knowledge into tangible results in a stimulating and competitive atmosphere. During the world championship, each team participated in three competitions, including a spontaneous problem solving challenge, a style competition, and finally a long term problem, which the team has worked on for 6 to 7 months.

Under the leadership of Coaches Bill and Judy Munley, Freedom High School's championship winning team consisted of seniors Michael Munley, Aditi Shukla, Manisha Kusuma, Apekchha Pradhan and juniors Virginia Campbell, Zander Rodriguez, and Sarana Adhikari. While the team has qualified for 5 world competitions in the past 10 years, this is the only Loudoun County team to ever win the championship at the global level.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Freedom High School's Odyssey of the Mind team for winning the Odyssey of the Mind World Championship and representing Virginia's 10th Congressional District with such distinction. I wish Bill, Judy, and the entire team the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Michael A. Smith, an outstanding member of a special family in the Shenandoah Valley, whose generosity of time, energy, and money has made a significant difference in the lives of my Shenandoah Valley constituents. Mr. Smith recently received the President's Award of Shepherd University, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, for his extraordinary service and contributions to that university.

With the passing of their father, Gerald F. Smith, in 2003, Michael and his brother, Gerald Smith, Jr. have led the family owned business, Valley Proteins, Inc., through a period of remarkable growth. Established in 1949 by their grandfather, Clyde A. Smith, as a one- truck service for recycling waste meat byproducts and spent cooking oils, Valley Proteins is now one of the largest independent rendering companies in North America, operating 12 plants in seven states.

Although the Smith family enterprise has consumed most of the brothers' time, they have both given back to the community in significant ways. Michael has served as the President of the Winchester Youth Development Center, which provides recreational and enrichment opportunities for the youth of Winchester, the Vice President of the Virginia Community College Foundation, which raises funds to provide access to post-secondary education to all Virginians, the Treasurer and Annual Giving Chairman for Powhatan School, and the President of the Board of Directors of the Upperville Colt and Horse Show.

Since graduating from Shepherd University with a business degree in 1989, Michael Smith has also generously given of his time and money to his alma mater. Today, he is president of the Shepherd University Foundation, which receives and administers private gifts for student scholarships, academic and program support, faculty excellence awards and other university initiatives. In addition to starting two endowed funds in the name of his grandfather and father, Smith assisted with the university's efforts to create a school of business, by issuing a generous challenge grant which resulted in the raising of more than $650,000 for the school.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in honoring Michael Smith, Vice President of Valley Proteins, Inc., for his special recognition from Shepherd University and his extraordinary contributions to the residents of the northern Shenandoah Valley and the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my constituents, Roya and Chris Giordano, and Team Mathias, an extraordinary non-profit organization located in Loudoun County, Virginia, for their work to increase awareness about pediatric cancer and also to support families whose loved ones are struggling with the disease. Team Mathias is named after Mathias Giordano, whose determination to make a difference in the lives of other pediatric cancer patients resulted in the establishment of the organization, even as he struggled with bone cancer himself. Thirteen year old Mathias Giordano was a radiant light in this world whose optimism and valor gave assurance to young patients and their families that they are not alone in fighting the tragic disease of pediatric cancer that yearly afflicts over 10,000 children and remains the leading cause of death from disease among children in our nation.

Team Mathias, led by Roya and Chris Giordano and in collaboration with enthusiastic and diligent volunteers, annually hosts the Team Mathias Golf Tournament, and the Annual Team Mathias 5k Trail and Family Run that is taking place this year at the Evergreen Sportsplex in Leesburg. The proceeds from these events are used to increase awareness of all childhood cancers, raise funds for research, and make a donation to Special Love, a local non-profit that provides cancer families a community of support, made up of patients and families. In fulfillment of his own wishes, Team Mathias sends wonderful care packages to pediatric patients and their siblings, just as Mathias had specified.

Since my time in the Virginia General Assembly, advocating for those with pediatric cancer and working to find cures have been priorities of mine, and I take great pride in the number of family and community based organizations in Virginia's 10th District, like Team Mathias, that go above and beyond to spread awareness for those suffering from these illnesses. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and thanking Roya and Chris Giordano and their team of volunteers, for the incredibly compassionate work of supporting families with loved ones who are fighting pediatric cancer. I also ask my colleagues that we remember Mathias, who faced his battle with cancer with fearless courage, grace, and dignity.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate Mr. Jonathan Allen, who was recently drafted in the first round of the 2017 National Football League draft by his hometown team, the Washington Redskins.

Mr. Allen is from Leesburg, Virginia and played football at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia. Under the leadership of his coach and mentor, Mickey Thompson, the team finished with winning seasons each year he was there, and after graduating in 2013, Mr. Allen attended the University of Alabama as a five-star recruit, where he was named to the first team All-Southeastern Conference during his sophomore, junior, and senior years. Additionally in 2016, as a junior, he was instrumental in Alabama's National Championship, in which they defeated the Clemson Tigers.

Mr. Allen has also won a number of individual accolades, including being named the Washington Post All-Met Player twice in high school, being selected as the 2012 Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, and lastly being recognized as a 2013 U.S. Army All-American. At the University of Alabama Mr. Allen's football career blossomed. He was named the 2016 SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was also the recipient of the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which are given to the best defensive player in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

With Mr. Allen signing a four year contract with the Redskins, he is truly returning home. The team's practice facility is located in Ashburn, Virginia, and Mr. Allen is especially ready to give back to his community through the local mentorship of Coach Thompson's Bulldogs at Stone Bridge High School.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Mr. Jonathan Allen on becoming a Washington Redskins player. I commend him for his impressive accomplishments, and I am proud to represent him and wish him all the best in his NFL career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Julia Whitla Clinger, who passed away on November 22, 2016, at the age of 85. Judy, as she was known to her friends, was the wife of William F. Clinger, a distinguished former member of this body whom I was privileged to work for during his tenure as the Chairman of the Government Reform and Oversight Committee in the mid-1990s.

Judy was born on February 3, 1931, in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Her early life was marked by tragedy--her father, a prominent lawyer in Sharon, died of pneumonia when she was just two years old. Judy graduated from Connecticut College with highest honors, Phi Beta Kappa, with a degree in English. In 1951, she married Bill, and spent the better part of the next 25 years in Warren, Pennsylvania, where they raised their four children and were active members of the community.

After Bill's election to Congress in 1978, Judy moved with him to Washington. Here, she was involved in a number of charitable and civic organizations, including the International Club of Washington and the Congressional Wives Task Force, where she served as Treasurer. Bill would be the first to tell you that Judy was his greatest political asset, actively participating in his nine successful congressional campaigns and playing an important behind-the-scenes role as he rose through the ranks on Capitol Hill to become a committee chairman.

Judy will be remembered by those who knew her for what one described as her ``feisty elegance''--a combination of social grace and high- spiritedness that made it a pleasure to spend time with her. Judy's life will be celebrated over the upcoming Fourth of July holiday at a memorial service in the lakeside community of Chautauqua in upstate New York, where she and Bill first met and where they returned every summer.

Judy is survived by Bill, whom I had an opportunity to visit with recently, her children (Eleanore, Will, Jim, and Julia), and by seven grandchildren, to whom she was devoted.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in celebrating the life of Judy Clinger, and extending our sincerest condolences to our former colleague, Bill Clinger, on the loss of his wife of 65 years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate Mr. Stuart Vogt of Vienna, Virginia. Born in 1920, Mr. Vogt lived through some of the most uncertain times in American history during which he not only endured, but flourished. And throughout his illustrious career he has always put his country and community first.

Mr. Vogt graduated from Lehigh University in 1942 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. With the war effort furiously ramping up, there was a demand for young, aspiring engineers. He was recruited by Westinghouse in Lima, Ohio, near Army Air Force headquarters at Wright- Patterson AFB, to join Westinghouse's brand new Aviation Engineering Department. While there he designed dynamos and generators for World War II P40 fighters and B17 & B24 bombers. After the war, Mr. Vogt moved to Virginia to work with Naval Air Systems Command on aircraft electric motors. However, after only a few years there he was given a unique opportunity to work on NASA's Launch Operations' Saturn rockets. During his time at NASA, he worked in conjunction with Werner Von Braun and other scientists in Huntsville and Cape Canaveral. Before retiring thirty years ago, Mr. Vogt returned to Naval Air Systems Command where he installed aircraft carrier computer upgrades to accommodate new carrier-based F14 Tomcat fighters, S-3 Viking submarine trackers and E- 2C Hawkeye early warning radar aircraft.

In retirement Mr. Vogt shifted from serving his country to serving his community. He was the Chairman of his local chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees, and today he remains a very active member of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Vienna. Mr. Vogt has a selfless desire to serve and to give back to his community, and this attitude inspires the same in all who meet him. He is a leader and I know he passes on the same selfless qualities to all he meets.

Beyond his duties within his community and long career in the defense and aerospace industries, Mr. Vogt was a loving husband to his

wife Marie who passed away 14 years ago and is a loving father to son Stuart Vogt and grandfather to Lynne and Andy. At this moment, Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in extending our sincerest thanks to Mr. Vogt for all the work he has done in his community and for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge one of my constituents from Chantilly, Virginia, Young Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant, Lauren Loria, for her exemplary service to our community and our armed forces. This past weekend, Young Marine Loria had the unique opportunity to dedicate a bench at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park to Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel Wesley Fox.

Lauren Loria joined the Young Marines in 2009; the day she turned 8 years old. During her time as a Young Marine, she has consistently met her goals and objectives. She has documented 1,284 volunteer community service hours, participating in programs such as Homes for the Troops, Young Eagles Rally, Honor Flight Color Guards, STEM functions, Wreaths Across America, and Sobriety Checkpoints with MADD. She has also received 259 hours of Drug Demand Reduction/Prevention instruction, which includes peer education training and counseling, and she has attended all three Leadership Schools offered by the Young Marines, including the National Leadership Academy. Lastly, she has received seven Gold Lamp awards, an annual academic achievement for obtaining a 3.5 GPA or higher.

Now 16 years old, Young Marine Loria will be moving on to Freedom High School to complete her high school education, and I wish her the best of luck in all of her future endeavors. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in extending our sincerest recognition and gratitude to Young Marine Loria for all she has done for our community and our nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a local flute studio and flute choir in my district, Flutonic Harmonics, for their hard work, dedication to the arts, and immense achievements for which they have attained national recognition over the past year. Local choirs and organizations, like Flutonic Harmonics, are vital to engaging our youth and expanding their educational experience beyond the classroom.

Flutonic Harmonics is led by my constituent, Michelle Rubis, of Purcellville, Virginia, and under her leadership they have experienced tremendous success. Last year, the flute choir performed before the entire Purcellville Town Council and subsequently at the Universal STARS Performance Program. This annual event takes place at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, and gives some of the nation's most prestigious marching bands, concert bands, dance teams, choirs, or other performing groups the opportunity to showcase their talents on a national stage in front of thousands of Universal Studios visitors. Additionally, this program allows for these young musicians to interact with other talented artists around the country.

This coming June, Flutonic Harmonics will be recording their recital and sending it to several famous venues in New York, Boston, and even Italy for consideration. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Flutonic Harmonics and Michelle Rubis for their participation in Universal STARS Performance Program and for their exemplary

dedication, impressive talent, and noteworthy accomplishments. I wish them all the best in their future endeavors and look forward to seeing all they will accomplish in the years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to use this time to recognize the 2nd Annual Barn Blast, a local fundraising event in Leesburg, Virginia, for the INMED Family & Youth Opportunity Center. The INMED Opportunity Center is a program aimed to liberate children from the irreparable damages of hunger, abuse, and insecurity. They strive to equip struggling children with the skills and vision they need to build a future filled with opportunity and hope, and I am grateful for their service to our youth, the next generation of leaders.

INMED Opportunity Center, located in Sterling, Virginia, is a part of a program of INMED Partnerships for Children, an international humanitarian organization, established in 1986. The INMED Partnerships for Children was founded with the goal of tackling the pressing needs of children in the developed and developing world. The Opportunity Center serves as a crucial part of this larger organization as it offers a plethora of programs to support families in need in Loudoun County. Some examples include after-school academic and enrichment programs, summer camps, family education and support, career skills training, homelessness support, and mentoring.

This second annual fundraiser is an event that has garnered a great deal of popularity and community involvement. Located at the Murray Hill Estate in Leesburg, the event features live music, barbecue, dancing, and live and silent auctions. It is entertaining, community events, like the 2nd Annual Barn Blast event, that have helped this organization thrive and build its essential presence in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in recognizing the 3rd Annual Barn Blast and the INMED Family & Youth Opportunity Center and in thanking them for their commitment and service to our community. The efforts and contributions from the staff, volunteers, corporate sponsors, and our community are truly exemplary, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize my constituent, Corliss Udoema, who is a successful entrepreneur and holds the unique distinction of being selected as the 2017 Virginia Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Corliss began her career in the federal government, where she worked with the U.S. Marine Corps, Department of the Navy, and the Department of the Army. Then after a successful 32-year career with the federal government, Corliss started Contract Solutions, Inc. (CSI) in 2006. CSI is a small business whose mission is to assist federal, state and local governments, private for-profit and non-profit clients, by offering professional staffing and management support services. Since its inception, CSI has thrived, as it has evolved from a one-person company to a multi-million-dollar business. CSI has proven to be a model for other businesses to emulate, which is why in 2013 it was chosen to participate in the U.S. Small Business Administration's esteemed Mentor-Protege Program, designed to enable successful companies to develop strong protege firms by providing newer firms still in their nascent with various forms of business development assistance.

I am impressed by Corliss's dedication and how in just a mere decade she has transformed CSI from a small startup business into a tremendous success and engine of economic growth. Starting and operating any small business, let alone one as successful as CSI, is an incredibly arduous process, as small business owners face many challenges and obstacles. The success of CSI is a testimony to Corliss's hard work, commitment, and innovative ideas. In addition to her extensive and distinguished career in the federal government and private sector, Corliss has always found time to serve her community. She is the founder and president of Agape Love in Action, a nonprofit organization which provides support for those in need, and serves as a minister at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Centreville, Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Corliss Udoema for her extraordinary achievement. I look forward to her ongoing contributions to Prince William County's diverse and innovative small business community and I wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this time to acknowledge one of my constituents, Kate Simmons Hickey, for her exemplary leadership and steadfast commitment in her efforts to raise awareness for Leukemia and Lymphoma. She got involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in 2015 when she learned bout the Man and Woman of the Year campaign. That year she was named the LLS Woman of the Year for the National Capital Area and the First National Runner Up.

Ms. Hickey, a lifelong resident of Great Falls and Langley High School graduate, was inspired to work with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society after her father-in-law, Marty, passed away and her best friend went into remission from Lymphoma. She became involved in the Man and Woman of the Year campaign, which is a national 10-week fundraising competition, and two years ago, Ms. Hickey raised $280,000 within that time frame, making her the second highest fundraiser in the nation and the strongest fundraiser in our region. Today, she has assumed a leadership role at the LLS and is responsible for picking Woman and Man of the Year candidates. Each year she aims to raise $2.5 million in the 10-week period, and I commend her for her leadership and dedication to the LLS.

Along with her efforts with the LLS, Ms. Hickey is also heavily involved in her local community. She currently serves on the Celebrate Great Falls Board of Directors, an organization which for nearly 20 years has been responsible for planning community events and preserving many long time traditions in Great Falls.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in extending our sincerest congratulations to Ms. Hickey for all the work she has done for LLS and the Great Falls community. I wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an extraordinary Veterans Service Officer (VSO) in Northern Virginia, Kristin Weaver, for the incredible impact she has had on individuals, families, and communities in Virginia's 10th District and beyond.

Ms. Weaver is currently an American Legion Veterans Service Officer, representing the 16th District in Virginia, which includes the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park and the counties of Culpeper, Fauquier, Loudoun, Prince William, Rappahannock and Stafford. In this role for the past 5 years, she has assisted 20 to 30 veterans per month on a variety of issues, including helping with disability claims, assisting with health and/or financial issues, and more.

It is also important to note that in addition to the excellent services Ms. Weaver provides to veterans on a daily basis, she also places an importance on training other VSOs. In fact, over the last five years she has trained approximately 350 VSOs in course work covering all types of veterans' benefits. Additionally in that time, Ms. Weaver has gone above and beyond in her role, often opening her home on Saturdays to help as many veterans as possible. It is important that we recognize and help our service members, military retirees, and their families who have all made sacrifices for our great country, and I am very thankful for Ms. Weaver's hard work.

Her dedication to improving the lives of veterans in Northern Virginia is evident through her years of service. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in thanking Ms. Kristen Weaver for all she has done. I wish her the best as she continues her work helping veterans and with all of her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Taiwan's true, meaningful participation in the World Health Organization (WHO).

It is unfortunate that, almost 13 years after Congress made it an annual requirement to have an unclassified report from the Secretary of State on the U.S. plan for Taiwan to gain observer status at the WHO, and eight years since Taiwan was first invited to the World Health Assembly (WHA)--the governing forum of the WHO--as an observer, it remains necessary for Members to again raise their voices on this issue.

Since 2009, Taiwan has been allowed to attend the annual meeting of the WHA as an observer, but last year, its invitation was held up due to pressure the People's Republic of China wished to place upon the incoming administration of Taiwan's president, Tsai Ing-wen. The current WHO Director-General has shown hostility to Taipei before. When last year's invitation arrived, it contained insulting, unnecessary language referring to the October 1971 UN General Assembly resolution replacing the United Nations delegation from Taipei with the delegation from Beijing, as the basis for Taiwan's attendance. Additionally, the invitation stated that Taiwan's participation should be conditioned on the ``one-China'' principle. This, too, was unnecessary, as President Tsai has stated Taiwan's commitment to the status quo across the Taiwan Strait.

This year's WHA is currently taking place in Geneva. It began on May 22 and will conclude May 31. As of yet, no invitation has been issued to Taiwan.

As my colleagues are aware, it is the stated policy of the United States, over successive administrations, that Taiwan should be allowed meaningful participation in international organizations where it cannot become a full member. I submit that Taiwan's current level of participation is neither satisfactory, nor meaningful.

Mr. Speaker, this situation is unacceptable. As an advanced democracy, economy, and society, with one of the most-developed health care systems in the world, a proven track record controlling infectious diseases, and a history of providing humanitarian relief, Taiwan has much to offer. Neither Taiwan, nor the international community, is served by restricting Taiwan's access to timely information and important resources.

The situation necessitates that we reiterate our full support for Taiwan's inclusion at the WHA and in the other work of the WHO. The WHO Secretariat should continue to uphold its independence and impartiality, and should not be at the service of any particular member state. I ask my colleagues to join me in encouraging the administration to work with Taiwan and our member friends at the WHO to secure Taiwan's invitation and meaningful participation at the WHA now and in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun, a local organization that aims to ensure that all children and students not only receive food during the week at school but also on weekends. Recently, this organization donated $41,000 to 18 groups across Loudoun County that support backpack buddy programs, including churches, schools, PTAs, and food pantries.

My constituent, Mr. Daniel Hampton, founded the Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun in 2014, and at the time the organization served two schools and approximately 275 kids. This school year, still under his leadership, 82 schools and over 3,600 students participated in backpack buddies programs. While this is an excellent testament to the organization's growth, it also speaks to the amount of students that often go without food on weekends, and I am thankful that organizations, like Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun, exist to help combat this issue.

Each year, the organization raises money for Backpack Buddy programs across Northern Virginia, yet this year marked a new fundraising record. The $41,000 raised allowed for the organization to disperse funds to 18 grant recipients in amounts ranging from $500 to $15,000, helping students all across Loudoun County. Most of the funds were raised at their

annual Friendsgiving Dinner. However, they also host several other fundraisers and events throughout the year in their effort to support this important cause. While the organization is thrilled with this year's fundraising initiatives and grant program, they hope that next year they will be able to help even more children in Northern Virginia. The organization's leadership in ensuring that every student of Loudoun County is properly fed and taken care of is truly exemplary, and I appreciate their ambition in support of our most needy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me and countless others in thanking Backpack Buddies Foundation of Loudoun for their continuous efforts to aid our students who are in need. I am extremely grateful for the impact this organization has had on Virginia's 10th District and the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, and I look forward to speaking of its continued success in the future.