Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brad Belk on his 25 years of service to the Joplin Museum Complex.

Brad has made it his mission to promote the local history of Joplin through numerous positions including author, educator, archivist, historian, exhibit designer, conservator, tour guide, historian film script writer, director, and film producer.

Brad has collaborated with the design and planning of several off- site permanent exhibits for the Joplin Museum Complex. He has also renovated many of the exhibit areas including the museum's mineral wing and assisted with the historical restoration of the Ralph L. Gray Alumni Center. Throughout the years Brad has given thousands of historical tours, lectures and presentations. He has also overseen the addition of ten major collections to the museum containing over 100,000 artifacts.

In addition, Brad has made large contributions to the historical literature of the region writing five books and co-authoring two others. He also has penned numerous articles on the region and directed or appeared in thirteen historical videos--several of which have received awards. He recently wrote and directed a 30-minute video covering the history of Missouri Southern State University, MSSU.

Alongside his work at the museum, Brad currently serves on the MSSU Alumni board of directors and is currently completing the 75th anniversary book for Missouri Southern.

Over the years, Brad has served on the Missouri History Speakers' Bureau, as Co-Chairman of the City of Joplin's 125th Celebration, and as a board member of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. He was also a member of the Missouri Alliance for Historic Preservation, and the Joplin Elk's Elkland Advisory Committee.

In 2006, Brad was honored with the Missouri Governor's Missouri Humanities Award.

Mr. Speaker, Brad's contributions to the city of Joplin and the state of Missouri are far-reaching, and it is an honor to recognize him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Central Service Technicians.

Central Service Technicians are responsible for processing surgical instruments, supplies and equipment, and serve in settings ranging from hospitals to ambulatory surgical centers throt ghout the country.

These individuals provide support to patient care services and are tasked with ensuring supplies needed for patient care are decontaminated, cleaned, assembled, and sterilized.

The Central Sterile Supply Department of a health care facility is the heart of all activity surrounding instruments, supplies and equipment required for operating rooms, Endoscopy suites, Intensive Care Units, birth centers and other patient care areas.

Central Service Technicians play an important role in patient care arenas, and are responsible for first-line processes to prevent patient infections.

Mr. Speaker, Central Service Technicians are instrumental to patient safety and I am honored to recognize their vital role in the health care arena.

Madam Speaker, we are trading with Russia right now. This doesn't hurt Russia. This is to prevent hurting us. This is to help our manufacturers and our farmers. If you took manufacturing and farming out of the United States of America, you wouldn't have a whole lot left; and since Russia is in the World Trade Organization, we need to move past that. I support permanent normal trade relations with Russia because permanent normal trade relations is a great opportunity to create new jobs here in America.

American workers produce some of the highest-quality manufactured and agricultural goods in the entire world. PNTR will allow our workers to compete on a level playing field--and that's what I'm after--in a new market, and it will give people who are out of work new opportunities to get back on the job. Americans work hard, and they can compete with any nation in the world if given the chance; but there has got to be a fair playing field. PNTR will provide that chance for those to compete fairly in the Russian market. We shouldn't be hamstringing our Nation's workers over a technicality stemming from the Cold War.

Americans are suffering right now. They want jobs right now so that they can pay their mortgages and send their children to college and plan for retirement. Expanding opportunities for Americans to sell products in foreign markets is one of the best ways that we can help relieve Americans from the economic hardships that they are now facing.

Good jobs for Americans right here in America is not impossible to accomplish. We can make America the best place in the world to do business if we will remove unnecessary bureaucratic burdens off the backs of American workers. Passing PNTR will be a very good first step.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Melanie Ward.

Melanie was recently chosen as a member of the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band, a national honor ensemble for outstanding musician- scholars.

Each year, only 125 students are chosen from the thousands who apply to the Army All-American Marching Band. Only students with superior musical ability, academic achievement, and positive standing in the community are selected to represent their school in this elite group. Students are selected by the National Association for Music Education to represent their state and local communities at the U.S. Army All- American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas.

Melanie was selected for one of twenty positions reserved for the band's color guard and she certainly fits the mold for this elite group. She is the editor of the Parkview High School yearbook, an award winning cross country runner and captain of the school band's color guard.

The marching band members will perform for thousands of active duty military members at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in January. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a football game made up of the best high school seniors from around the country. Together, the marching band and football team represent the best their schools have to offer in the arts and physical education.

Mr. Speaker, Melanie's hard work and determination in both academics and music have earned her a spot on the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. I am proud of her achievements and honored to call her a neighbor in the 7th Congressional District of Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize William, Bill, Putnam Jr., a recent recipient of the National Eagle Scout Association's Outstanding Eagle Scout Award and the Distinguished Citizen Award.

The Outstanding Eagle Scout Award was first awarded in 2010 as part of the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. A local council can honor one recipient per year and Bill is the Ozark Trails Council's first recipient.

A Carthage native, Bill first became involved with scouting in Cub Scouts, where his mother served as a Den Mother. He received the Arrow of Light, earned his Eagle Scout Award in 1959, and is a brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. This latest addition to his scouting accolades, the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, is awarded to Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated outstanding achievements at the local, state, or regional level. Bill has served as an inspiring example to his family and neighbors. This is evident in the fact that his son John, two brothers and three nephews are also Eagle Scouts.

Bill is a Rotarian who was named Carthage's Citizen of the Year in 1995 and received the Spirit of Giving Award from the Carthage Area United Way in 2009. He was named to the Prep School All-America Swim Team in 1961, was recognized as an Outstanding Alumnus at Beloit College, and is a member of the school's Athletic Hall of Honor.

Bill is the president of TAPJAC Company Inc. He has served on numerous boards including the board of the Ozark Trails Council-Boy Scouts of America, Carthage Area United Way, Carthage Republican City Committee, Carthage Community Foundation, Carthage City Council, Missouri Southern State University Board of Regents, Board of Public Works, and Hardware Wholesaler.

The Distinguished Citizen Award recognizes noteworthy and extraordinary leadership of citizens in communities across the United States. Bill's numerous achievements stand as testimony to his exemplary quality of character. I am proud of his achievements and honored to call him a neighbor in the 7th Congressional District of Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sam F. Hamra.

On October 11, Legal Services of Southern Missouri (LSSM) will dedicate their new building, the ``Sam F. Hamra Center for Justice.'' It is my hope that this building will help LSSM provide services to Missourians for many years to come.

Born in Steele, Missouri, Sam attended the Gulf Coast Military Academy in Mississippi and went on to receive both business and law degrees from the University of Missouri. After receiving his first degree, he served as an officer in the United States Army Field Artillery and Second Armored Cavalry Regiment. After his service he returned to the University of Missouri to pursue his law degree and began practicing law in Springfield, Missouri. He would later become the city attorney for Nixa and the governmental relations attorney for Branson and St. Robert.

As an alumnus of the University of Missouri he has been honored with the MU Law School Citation of Merit Award in 2003 and the Missouri University 2003 Distinguished Service Award which was named for the Outstanding Alumni of the Year. In 2012 he was the recipient of the Distinguished Tiger Award from the Greater Ozarks Chapter of the Missouri Alumni Association for his ``dedication and continued support of the University of Missouri.'' He also received the ``M'' letter from Athletic Director, Mike Alden, and Assistant Athletic Director, John Kadlec, of the MU Athletic Department.

In 1976 Sam was elected as the first Chairman of the Board of the newly formed Legal Aid Association of Greene County, MO, known today as the Legal Services of Southern Missouri, LSSM. The Legal Aid Association was created to help low income citizens whose legal needs would otherwise be unmet. Under Sam's leadership, LSSM helped thousands of Missourians throughout 43 counties.

In addition to Sam's accomplishments in the legal field, he is the proprietor of 75 restaurants across the country, including 28 Wendy's restaurants in Missouri. In 2009 Wendy's International honored Sam with their highest honor, the R. David Thomas Founder's Award, for being named the outstanding Wendy's Franchisee of the Year.

Sam served on numerous boards among them the Foundation Board of Ozark Technical Community College, the Board of Cox Health Systems, the Board of St. Jude's Children Research Hospital, and Chairman of the Highway Committee of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce in 1977 when he was instrumental in expanding Chestnut Expressway from two lanes to four lanes from Highway 65 to Kansas Avenue.

Mr. Speaker, Sam F. Hamra's contributions to the City of Springfield and the State of Missouri are far-reaching, and it is an honor to recognize him.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, I yield back.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bob Brown, a legendary high school basketball coach in the state of Missouri, veteran, and member of the 2012 Springfield Area Sports Hall of Fame induction class.

With 672 career victories and 12 playoff appearances to his name, Bob's impressive track record has earned him quite a distinguished reputation in both the sports arena and in the community.

His remarkable career began at Richland High and concluded at Springfield Catholic. He amassed 367 victories and a state runner-up title in 1966 with the famed ``Jolly Green Giants'', who were 27-1 that season, during his 20-year tenure at Parkview. Bob even had the opportunity to coach his son, Bill Brown, at Parkview.

During his coaching career Bob won a state championship at Bolivar in 1960, runner-up with Parkview in 1966, and third place with Richland in 1956 and Parkview in 1981.

In addition to his exemplary coaching career, Bob is a veteran of the Missouri National Guard. Beginning in 1956 he served 32 years until ending his career as a full Colonel in 1988. During this period he served as Chief of Plans and Operations at Headquarters Stark, as Commandant of the Missouri Military Academy, and Commander of the Medical Battalion.

Mr. Speaker, Bob Brown's contributions to our community are far- reaching and the lives he has affected are uncountable, and it is an honor to recognize him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Hollister High School's Jordan Britton for winning the Long Jump and the Triple Jump State Titles at the Class 2 Missouri Track and Field Championships.

Jordan worked hard throughout the season to achieve his state championship titles. After districts he was ranked first in Long Jump. Upon reaching the state competition Jordan found himself struggling to match his previous best jumps. With help from Head Coach Tucker Pierce and Jump Coach Greg Brown, Jordan was able to recover and found himself in fourth place before his second to last jump. It was then that Jordan put forward his best performance with a leap of 21 feet and 10 inches, which was just enough to give him the top prize in the Class 2 finals.

Jordan also took the Triple Jump with a leap of 43 feet and 6 inches, gaining his second title at the state championship. Having entered the state competition in third place, Jordan knew he would have to jump a personal best to even medal. Competing against the number one seed in the final, Jordan overcame a 43 foot leap to secure first place by 6 inches, again giving his best performance in the second to last jump.

The Hollister School District as well as the track and field staff are proud to have such a fine young man representing their school. He truly represents his family, school and the state of Missouri in a positive manner.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Jordan on his State Track and Field Championship Titles.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, we agree that we need to get our Nation's economy growing again in order to create jobs for American families. Increasing our Nation's exports is one area that would help grow the economy and create jobs without costing one thin dime. I support free trade because more exports equal more jobs.

I recently led an effort, as Mr. Dreier mentioned there, to rally my freshman class to support permanent normal trade relations with Russia. After nearly two decades of negotiations, Russia is poised to join the World Trade Organization this summer, and without repealing a Cold War- era trade restriction, American businesses will be at a severe disadvantage to international competitors. While the U.S. already trades with Russia, the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik provision would level the playing field for U.S. exports after Russia joins the WTO.

The media and some in this country like to portray my freshman class as a group that's not willing to work for the benefit of the American people or work in a bipartisan spirit. We can put those portrayals to rest. The President has shown an interest in increasing American exports, and the purpose of my letter was to show the President that 73 Members of the Republican freshman class are willing to work on this issue to help support American jobs.

I will continue to support efforts that will boost trade opportunities for American manufacturers and businesses. This is about doing what is right for our country and supporting efforts to create jobs for American families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Nixa High School Bowling Team for winning their second State High School Bowling Championship.

Nixa High School's bowling team, in its second year of existence, returned to defend its championship title at the Missouri State Tournament and left its competition in the gutter. The Eagles advanced with 3 other local teams to the Missouri State Championships where they competed against 23 other teams from all across the state.

The team, which included seniors Kyle Bates and Jacob Nelson; juniors Justin Lair, Kristen Nunn, Nick Zummo, and Brandon Maser; and sophomores David Krol, Shannon Burns, and Dylan Brentlinger, initially competed in 24 games which followed the Baker Format.

The Baker format is patterned after college bowling competitions and is used to maintain a quicker pace from game to game, yielding more excitement. Nixa bowling was the Number 1 seed out of the top five teams to advance to the championship round, and the team ultimately prevailed against Jefferson City after two straight games with scores of 215-174 and 211-196.

While bowling is usually recognized as an individual sport, the Baker competition format required each member of the Nixa bowling team to think as a team because each shot would be included as part of one score. As a result, teams competing in this format will only be as good as their weakest link because all players participate in only 2 frames each.

Coaches David Krol and Larry Hughes worked diligently to instill that concept in their team and should be proud of their accomplishment in guiding such a phenomenal group of young men and women. I commend them all on a job well done.

The Nixa community is justifiably proud of this extraordinary group of young and talented future leaders.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Nixa High School Bowling Team as they celebrate their second State Bowling Championship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Glendale High School's Spencer Haik for winning the 1600 Meter Run at the Missouri Class 4 State Track and Field Championships.

Through his hard work and dedication, Spencer placed first in the 1600 Meter Run with a winning time of 4:15.11. His winning time was 5 seconds off his previous school record of 4:20.23. This achievement also marked the third time this year Spencer established a new school record.

Spencer plans to participate in several meets across the country this summer and will be a junior at Glendale High School in the fall.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Spencer Haik, the winner of the 1600 Meter Run at the Missouri Class 4 State Track and Field Championships.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Victoria Foley of the Joplin McAuley Catholic Track and Field Team for winning the Discus State Title at the Missouri Class 1 State Track and Field Championship.

Victoria worked hard throughout the season to achieve her state title. She continuously strove to better her performance, inspiring her teammates as well as earning the respect of her competitors.

Victoria is a solid definition of what it takes to be a great student athlete by virtue of her phenomenal talent and great sportsmanship. Through her hard work and dedication she won the Missouri Class 1 State Discus Championship with a throw of 121 feet 3 inches. In the end, she added herself among only 2 others who can share the State Champion title in the McAuley Catholic High School history.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Victoria Foley, the Missouri Class 1 State Discus Champion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Quintin Smith on his 200 Meter Dash State Title at the Missouri Class 4 State Track and Field Championships.

Quintin Smith, a senior at Parkview High School, took home first place for the Vikings in the 200 Meter Dash with a time of 21.50.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Quintin Smith on his 200 Meter Dash State Track and Field Title.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Parkview High School Boys 4x100m Relay Team for winning Missouri Class 4 State Track and Field Championships.

The team, which included juniors Christopher Hargrove, AJ Green and Myron Willis, and senior Quintin Smith, won the relay event with a time of 42.17.

Coach Jay Miller and his talented coaching staff should be proud of their accomplishment in guiding this group of talented athletes. I commend them all on a job well done.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Parkview High School State Champion Boys 4x100m Relay team.

Mr. Speaker, for 25 years John R. ``Chuck'' Rogers has tapped into his artistic talents to entertain audiences at the Springfield Little Theatre.

As the Springfield Little Theatre's technical director, Chuck has played an instrumental role in more than 175 productions.

I had the honor of working with him and seeing up close his talents and passion for the theatre when he directed me in a production of Cheaper by the Dozen in 1994. Having no prior acting experience, I can attest to the tremendous job and care he puts into the entire production.

In addition to the Springfield Little Theatre, Chuck shares his artistic talents with the Springfield Ballet, Springfield Regional Opera, Ozarks Technical Community College, The

Creamery Arts Center, and Drury University. He has also helped with public television shows in Branson, Missouri.

The Springfield community and surrounding area is lucky to have a neighbor like Chuck. He continues to provide us with great entertainment after more than 25 years of involvement in the arts.

I want to congratulate Chuck Rogers' 25 years at the Springfield Little Theatre and wish him continued success. Break a leg Chuck!