Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great leader, a believer, an example, and a man of God, Rev. Robert D. Wells.

Rev. Wells is a native of Hinds County, MS. He was born on September 1, 1945 and the only child of the late Sister Lucy Joiner. As a child, Rev. Wells was challenged with getting money for haircuts, but instead of allowing that to be an excuse, he used the gift God gave him and became a barber and now a licensed barber stylist.

On June 12, 1965, Rev. Wells was united in Holy Matrimony to the former Paulette Rodgers. They have been blessed with 3 children: Christopher Daniel, Melissa Danyell, and Michael Daniel; and 3 grandchildren: Christopher (CJ), Carla and Camron Christian.

Rev. Wells is a member of The New Caney Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi. He received his license to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ on May 14, 1972 and was ordained April 20, 1974,

Rev. Wells received his education in the Hinds County Public Schools. He matriculated in further studies at the Mississippi Baptist Seminary of Jackson, Mississippi, and the McKinley Theological Seminary, Inc., where he received a Bachelor of Theology Degree and a Master of Divinity Degree. Rev. Wells is also a graduate of Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi.

Rev. Wells is known for serving. He served as one of the instructors for the McKinley

Theological Seminary. He has contributed to many organizations through membership, leadership (President, Supervisor), door to door evangelism, helping the needy, broadcast ministry, Instructor for 20 plus years with the Copiah County Alliance and a Pastor of four churches during his Pastorage.

Rev. Robert Daniel Wells is a born-again believer, preaching 50 years and pastoring 45 years in December 2022. Reverend and Mrs. R.D. Wells are in a united effort to bring about a spiritual change to the Glory of God.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Reverend Robert D. Wells for his outstanding services in Crystal Springs, Mississippi.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition. The coalition has gone beyond the call of duty to ensure that communities in Mississippi are taken care of during critical times.

The Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition was formed in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. MRRC has since responded to crises caused by climate change and failing infrastructure across the state of Mississippi. The Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition, also called ``The Coalition,'' is comprised of over 30 organizations around the state of Mississippi. The organizations that make up the Coalition were 1st responders during COVID and after the Winter Storm of 2021, providing needed resources to Mississippians in need.

The Coalition has continued to be a rapid response provider during this latest crisis affecting Jackson, MS, providing drinking water across Jackson's 7 wards and assisting those in need. MRRC has distributed thousands of cases of water to Jackson residents and provided other necessary services, and I am forever grateful for their work.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Mississippi Rapid Response Coalition for their service to the citizens of Mississippi during their time of distress.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable hero, Mrs. Linda Citchens Downing.

Linda Citchens Downing is the daughter of the late Mary Alice Catchings-Broom and Eulis Broom, Sr. Born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, she grew up the middle child of 11 siblings. Her mother, being the sole provider for her large family, instilled in her the qualities of discipline, hard work, and dedication to duty. Determined to set her children up for a better life, Mary worked at the Coco-Cola Bottling Company and cleaned homes on Saturday to provide for them. What the family lacked in material possessions, they made up for in love and faith. Although Mary only had an 8th grade education, she wanted to insure her children had more access to education than she had.

After graduating high school, Linda yearned for just that goal. At the time, her goal was to become a lawyer who provided legal representation for the underserved; however, that course was not to be. With little money and lacking the type of support necessary for law school, she would find an alternate route to achieving her goal of helping people, and that was via education. Her older sisters had graduated from college and become teachers, and Linda decided to follow suit.

She attended Coahoma Junior College, now Coahoma Community College, where she served as Miss Coahoma Junior College in 1978 to 1979. In March of 1979, she got married, and in May of that same year, she graduated with high honor from CJC. A year later, she had her first child. Being a wife, mother, and attending college was difficult for a 20-year-old, so Linda decided to quit Delta State University when she became pregnant with her second daughter. She pressed on, though, enrolling at Mississippi Valley State University soon afterwards. Not having transportation, she commuted with one of the professors, often taking her baby to class with her.

When one of her professors told her she wouldn't be able to finish her degree with two babies, Linda became even more resolved to get the job done and achieve her overarching goals of service and support to the community. Her second daughter was born in December of 1981; by December of 1982, she had completed her Bachelor's Degree, Cum Laude. She began her teaching career at Oakhurst Elementary School, and in the following years, she taught the gamut of elementary education, all while inspiring and motivating her students to think bigger and to desire more. She enrolled in graduate school at Delta State, receiving a Master's Degree in Elementary Education. Shortly thereafter, she moved up to lead teacher. Another stint at Delta State produced a Master's degree in counseling, after which she was hired as a middle school counselor, performing in that capacity for 7 years. Conrad Hilton said, ``Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving.'' And that's what Linda did. She returned to school to study administration, and to that end, she was hired as an elementary school principal. When that proved successful, she was promoted to middle school principal.

She served as principal of Oakhurst Middle School for 7 years. During her tenure, she changed the culture of the school in academics and athletics and brought it to successful status. Linda implemented numerous incentives such as Teacher of the Year (the teacher with the most improved scores in standardized tests would receive $500 paid by the principal); Most Improved of Teacher (the most improved teacher would receive $250 paid by the principal; as well as financial incentives (donated by stakeholders) for students scoring proficient and advanced on state tests, and in the process, increased parental and community support by 75 percent. As a result of her achievement as a principal, in 2010, Linda was hired as the Secondary Curriculum Director of the Clarksdale Public School District. In 2016, Linda earned a Specialist degree in administration and supervision from Arkansas State University. Finally, after 32 years of being guided by the principles her mother imparted in her, she retired.

Linda only remained out of education for a year, returning because of her love and respect for her vocation and the positive effects of her actions on the world around her. Currently, she serves as the Chief Academic Office of the Quitman County School District, where she works full time on a part-time salary. Despite this, she has a hand in almost all aspects of education in the district: from site visits to new teacher training, to the organization of large-scale events on the district's behalf. She does what she does because of love; she loves the students, the teachers, the parents, and she is committed to education.

At the age of 8, Linda stated cooking for her younger brothers and sisters. This inspired a lifelong love of cooking and baking. As part owner of 7Sisters Catering, she regular donates her food and services to church, school,

and community events. She has received the Epsilon Xi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Delta Leadership Award; the NAACP Mother of the Year Award; The Women in the Community Award; and serves as youth minister at the church she attends. Linda has been married to Roy Downing for 22 years, and together they have 4 daughters and 3 grandchildren. The proverb that says, if you want to give a job to somebody, give it to someone that already has a lot to do is a model for Linda's life--but she does and has always gotten the job done.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Linda Citchens Downing for she is the epitome of an unsung hero.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the cost estimates prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 3756, the Department of Homeland Security Climate Change Research Act, and H.R. 7779, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the cost estimate prepared by the Congressional Budget Office for H.R. 7778, the Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022. The cost estimate was not available at the time of the Committee report filing.

U.S. Congress,

Congressional Budget Office,

Washington, DC, October 4, 2022.

Hon. Bennie G. Thompson,

Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security,

House of Representatives, Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has

prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 7778, the

Department of Homeland Security Seal Protection Act of 2022.

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be

pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Jeremy

Crimm.

Sincerely,

Phillip L. Swagel,

Director.

Enclosure.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable individual, Dr. Derek Miles. Dr. Miles has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve success.

Dr. Derek Miles, a Cleveland, MS, urologist who serves the entire Delta region--including East Arkansas, in Helena--is celebrating the 20th year of the opening of his practice which took place in August of 2002. The Kansas City native said he now considers himself a true ``Deltan'' and has a passion for his work and serving his many patients in the region.

Dr. Miles came to Cleveland fresh out of residency at the University of Missouri and started his urology practice. He is one of the few full-time urologists and physicians in the Delta keeping up his practice because so many others have either retired or moved on.

Dr. Miles states that ``Cleveland is incredible, and I could not be more honored to practice and be based here and serve the Delta community. It's now 20 years down and 20 more to go, in my mind.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Derek Miles for his passion and dedication to serving his community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a trailblazer and the receiver of the 2022 Remarkable Woman Award, Mrs. Janell Edwards. Mrs. Edwards has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and determination.

Mrs. Janell Edwards moved from Savannah, Georgia to Fayette, Mississippi, in 2006. For over a decade, she has been the force behind the non-profit, Fayette Community Organization. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and halt to many of her programs, she decided to tum her focus and pour her energy into helping the community economically.

Mrs. Edwards and her husband are known in their community for their pecan trees. They pick pecans and sell them to a vendor in Natchez, MS. To help their neighbors, adults and children make money in Fayette, MS, they began purchasing the pecans from them. Because many of the trees are native, the Mississippi Extension Service was helpful in coming out to share with the community on how to care for their trees during the year, so that they could get the most potential yield during pecan season. This was truly a great start to broaden the horizon for Fayette, MS.

Mrs. Edwards is a member of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. She is no stranger to leading and being a part of organizations that help make a change. She was born a leader and holds the capability to mobilize others towards action. She attended Savannah State College, where she was engaged in several organizations; leading and supervised many activities and was the overseer for many projects.

With all the work Mrs. Edwards has done and doing, she has been recognized and received several awards. Some of them include the Outstanding Community Service Award in 2014, Inaugural Award of Rural Campions in 2014, and Nominated for the 4th Annual Gulf Coast Gospel Music Awards in the category: Radio Personality of the Year Kingdom Influencer in 2020, just to name a few. Mrs. Edwards was also the host of the Annual FAT to FIT Event in Fayette, MS, in 2011, averaging 500 attendees per day and she is currently working to make it an ongoing and larger event on a local and national level.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Janell Edwards for her outstanding service and leadership in Fayette,

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a tenacious and jovial young lady, Madison Grace Sullivan. Madison Grace has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve success.

Madison Grace Sullivan currently holds the title ``Little Miss Vicksburg''. She will be a contestant in the state-wide Little Miss and Mr. Magnolia State Pageant finalists. As a contestant she will compete against contestants ages zero to eleven years old for the coveted title, ``Little Miss Magnolia State''.

Madison Grace is the daughter of Megan Sullivan and Marcus Wilson.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Madison Grace Sullivan for her passion and dedication to achieve new goals.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable person, Rubie Hanks-Buck.

Rubie Hanks was born in Crenshaw, MS. She is the third of seven children (three boys and four girls). She is a 1970 graduate of Quitman County High School (now Madison S. Palmer High) in Marks, MS. After high school, she worked for a year at her church teaching illiterate adults to write their names and basic math. She later attended Coahoma Community College majoring in Vocational Business.

She is married to Willie James Buck, and they are the proud parents of three girls (Patricia, Andrea, and Kyndall) and two grandchildren (Jordan and Tru).

Mrs. Buck is a member of Holly Grove Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves in various capacities. She promotes healthy living and eating by educating church members and others about the importance of knowing and controlling their blood pressure.

Mrs. Buck worked for 40 years in the Quitman County School District as a Secretary and later as Payroll Clerk until her retirement in 2014.

She's active in her hometown of Crenshaw, where she serves as Chairperson of the Annual Christmas Parade Activities, and she has held this position for over 5 years. Mrs. Buck is Treasurer of the Les Grandes Soeurs Social Club in Quitman County, where they work with churches, organizations, schools, and local communities to improve the lives of the youths and elderly through scholarships and donations.

Her legacy is more important than simply earning a salary but to live in peace and strive to make each day better than the one before.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Rubie Hanks-Buck

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable professional, Armintie Price Herrington.

Armintie was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in April of 1985. She is married to Dr. Reginald Herrington, who serves as assistant principal for Grenada Lower Elementary. They have two children; a son, Reginald II (known as Prince), who is 4 years old, and a daughter, Armintie Christine, who is 9 months old.

Armintie holds a bachelor's and master's degree from the University of Mississippi. During her time at Ole Miss, she excelled playing for the Lady Rebels basketball team and led the team to the NCAA Tournament three times. She received Kodak AH-American honors, among other accolades, and upon graduation, entered the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) draft in 2007. Armintie played for nine seasons, and four season overseas from 2007 to 2015.

Armintie started out playing for the Chicago Sky and was named the 2007 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She was traded to the Atlanta Dream in 2009, and the team earned spots in the finals every year. She also became an assistant coach for the Ole Miss Lady Rebels; a position she held from 2009 to 2012. In 2014, she became a free agent and played for the L.A. Sparks before rejoining the Ole Miss WBB staff in 2016. She served the Lady Rebels as assistant coach one last time, for the 2018- 2022 seasons, before leaving Ole Miss.

Armintie now has joined Holmes Community College (Grenada, MS campus) staff as the new business office/ financial aid advisor. Armintie is an active member of her church, Abundant Life Assembly in Grenada, and she looks forward to getting involved in more community activities.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Armintie Price Herrington for her dedication and tenacity to serving her community and desire to be an example for all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a bright and vibrant student, Terrionna Wilson. Terrionna has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to help.

Terrionna Wilson is a senior at Warren Central High School in Vicksburg, MS. Terrionna is also a student in Claiborne County's Summer Youth STEM Program which is sponsored each summer by the Claiborne County Board of Supervisors and Entergy Nuclear.

For Terrionna's community service project in the program, she assisted younger students in Port Gibson, MS with their multiplication skills. They were learning complex sets of timetables. In the words of Terrionna, ``At first, they were nervous and were shying away, but

now they have learned new math skills. I enjoyed working with these young ladies.''

Terrionna shows how compassion for others and education can mold the next generations. She made a lasting impact on the lives of those young ladies. Her work is greatly appreciated, and her future is very bright. Terrionna is a resident of Port Gibson, MS and the daughter of Latoya Jackson and Terrance Wilson.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Terrionna Wilson, for being an exemplary student and citizen.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable and impactful business, Taylor Ready Laborers Staffing Services, LLC. The CEO, R'Shonda Taylor, has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve success.

Taylor Ready Laborers Staffing Services, LLC (TRLSS) is new, blackowned, and the first staffing agency in Indianola, MS, servicing the entire MidSouth Delta areas families and communities. They are offering temporary, temp to hire, contract, and direct hire positions for small, large, and independently owned businesses. The CEO, R'Shonda Taylor, has over 21 (8yrs Human Resource) years of staffing, recruiting, and job placement expertise. Ms. Taylor stated that she ``will be working with local businesses to help them locate people who can fill the positions that they have available.''

Ms. Taylor states that TRLSS will also train the workers about company culture, use employers' videos and materials to train the potential workers, and train the employees on how to retain the job that they've been hired for, which includes working with each employer's on-the-job-training programs.

TRLSS will take a holistic approach to providing support for local workers. According to Ms. Taylor, her services will extend to most of the Delta and the City of Indianola, where three buses will be donated for workers with transportation challenges. The buses will be for pickup and drop-off at the worksite only. There will also be programs put in place to assist workers with concerns about childcare.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Taylor Ready Laborers Staffing Services, LLC for their passion and dedication to achieve new goals, while making history and serving their community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Adaiah Curry.

Adaiah Curry graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting in 2008 and obtained a Master's in Business Administration in 2014. He was a member of the Mississippi Valley State University track and field team as well as men's basketball team from 2003 to 2007. After completing his undergraduate, he worked in the Office of Admissions at MVSU from 2008 to 2010. He later became a Grad Assistant under Sean Woods MVSU Men's Head Basketball Coach and an Assistant Coach under Chico Potts and Andre Payne. After leaving the MVSU family, Adaiah Curry continued his career as a coach and teacher at Leland High School. Adaiah Curry later obtained a job where he currently worked at Amite County. While at Amite County he was fortunate enough to make a deep run into the state boys' basketball tournament, and later in 2022 he was able to win a state championship in track and field. He was also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life, legacy, and service of Adaiah Curry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a hard-working and impactful leader, Ms. Cashoney Carter. Ms. Carter has shown what can be done through hard work, dedication, and a desire to achieve success.

Ms. Cashoney C. Carter is a former Jefferson County High School graduate with 15 years of educational experience in the Jefferson County School District. Her past roles include serving as a teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal. She currently leads as the principal of Jefferson County Upper Elementary School. She is the proud mother of Harley Elizabeth Carter-Varner.

Ms. Carter has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Tougaloo College, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Alcorn State University, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Strayer University and is currently pursuing an advanced degree.

Serving as an educator is a passion for Ms. Carter. When asked why she does this important work, she replied, ``The work I perform is empowered by knowing every scholar under my leadership will have a better opportunity to succeed in the future through a balanced educational curriculum. In addition, my work is driven by ensuring teachers are prepared and equipped to provide the power of education to our youth. When teaching and learning occurs, success is sure to follow.''

``Ms. Carter is a transformational leader who is committed to the success of every child,'' said Adrian Hammitte, Superintendent of Jefferson County School District. ``Under her leadership, Jefferson County Upper Elementary School is projected to earn a C-rating for the 2021-2022 school year after receiving an F-rating for 4 consecutive years. More importantly, her teachers, students, and parents have fully embraced her vision and call-to-action to `Raise the B.A.R.' at the upper elementary school. Therefore, I can confidently say that Ms. Carter is making a difference in our school district and will have a lasting impact on the boys and girls she leads.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Cashoney C. Carter for her passion and dedication to education in the Jefferson County School District.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable individual, Barbara Lynn Thomas.

Barbara Lynn Thomas was born Barbara Parks to the late Booker Parks and Emma Parks of Darling, MS. She is the eldest daughter born to this union.

Barbara attended school in the Quitman County School System, where she graduated with honors. She later attended Coahoma Jr. College and Hinds Community College, where she attained three different degrees while working a full-time job and raising her three children. She worked at Mississippi Department of Corrections, where she retired with 25 years of service; at the Quitman County School system, giving them 21 years of service; and simultaneously getting a degree in Cosmetology. She would have a 20-hour workday but still managed to care for her children. That alone shows how driven she is.

She doesn't have many jobs to list but believes that longevity at a job is worth its weight in gold. In 2008, she retired from the workplace at the tender age of 43, knowing that she had put in the work.

What makes this candidate so special is the fact that she is a true giver. There have been so many community functions where she would have events and justsimply give things away to those that showed up; ex: at her birthday parties, Christmas parties, and at her grandchildren's birthday parties, guests get gifted, too. She simply loves gifting and seeing the happy faces of the recipients. She now uses her creativity in the kitchen and in her yard. She states that this is her happy place. She is determined to master any task she takes on. She is extremely creative in the kitchen, whereas she can look at a picture on a magazine cover and imitate that dish or dessert. She can really inspire you with some delectable dishes. The Quitman County area should be proud to have this amazing cook at their fingertips. She once told someone that she just likes being happy and loves seeing the happiness in others from the fruits of her labor.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Barbara Lynn Thomas for her dedication in serving her community.