Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Grace Apostolic Church's 65 years of service in the community of Joplin, Missouri.

Grace Apostolic Church was founded in 1947, by the late Irving Baxter Sr. It was originally located at 16th and Pearl Street. In 1948, an Army chapel was picked from Fort Crowder and moved to the location on 15th and Pearl, where the church remained until 1967. In 1957, Reverend William J Garrett assumed the pastorship.

In 1966, land was acquired at 2601 Connecticut, where the new facility was built. The new building at 26th and Connecticut was dedicated in 1967 and Elder William Garrett served as Pastor for 52 years. In 2009, Dr. Gary W. Garrett assumed pastoral duties.

A major remodeling project was started by Pastor Garrett and has transformed this property.

Grace Apostolic Church has impacted the Joplin area for 65 years and is a purpose-driven church. The vision of Grace Church is to help people, restore lives and families, and help meet the needs of the families that are hurting.

On May 22, 2011, Grace Church became a refuge for many who sought shelter, just minutes before the storm ravaged the city. Having been blessed by God and escaping the full impact of the storm, Grace Church stood and continually provided shelter, food, and encouragement to those in need.

Grace Church has an illustrious history of 65 years of service in Joplin, and has provided spiritual guidance for thousands of people spanning nearly seven decades. Grace Church has been blessed to serve Joplin and the surrounding communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dylan Bekemeier from Republic High School for winning the Missouri Class 3 State Individual Golf Championship.

Dylan should be commended for all of his hard work throughout the regular season and bringing home the individual state title to his school, family and community. At the State Golf Championships in Springfield, Dylan won the individual state title with an impressive second round showing of 68, 4 under par. His total score was 140. Completing his sophomore year means Dylan will be a force to be reckoned with in Missouri high school golf in the coming years.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dylan Bekemeier, the Missouri Class 3 State Golf Champion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of Ozark Christian College's 70th Anniversary.

Ozark Bible College started out in Bentonville, Arkansas, on June 12, 1942 and two years later relocated to Joplin, Missouri. The name Ozark Christian College was adopted in 1985 when Ozark Bible College merged with Midwest Christian College of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Ozark Christian College offers degree programs that help lay the foundation for their graduates who are called to careers in vocational ministry. Ozark Christian College graduates total more than 14,000 and are serving in 48 states and 40 counties.

Volunteerism is an important characteristic for the school. Ozark Christian College has been serving the Joplin area for 68 years and was heavily involved in helping after Joplin was struck by an EF 5 tornado on May 22, 2011. With open arms, the entire campus was used in a variety of ways from a Red Cross Command Center, to housing for 3,000 volunteers, and to a meeting place for three churches.

The school's motto of ``Training Men and Women for Christian Service'' has played an important role in the school's 70 year history and will continue to as students answer the call to vocational ministry.

I want to congratulate Ozark Christian College as they celebrate 70 years.

Mr. Speaker, it was June 13, 1962, when KTXR 101.3 FM ``The Gentle Giant'' began informing and entertaining the Ozarks audience with great music and special programming.

Under the guidance of local owners Ken and Jane Meyer, what started in the 60s as a 6,000 watt station by 1970 became a 100,000 watt ``Class C'' FM operation. In 2001, when a bad ice storm brought the KTXR tower down, the Meyers received FCC permission to build the only ``Class C-0'' tower in the state of Missouri. Soaring 1488 feet above ground, it is Missouri's tallest radio tower with the state's largest coverage, heard throughout mid and southern Missouri, northern Arkansas, parts of Oklahoma, and Kansas.

KTXR is a rarity in Springfield. It is one of the only locally owned and operated FMs in the market. When it signed on the air, KTXR became not only the second FM station in the city but also the second in the state to broadcast in stereo. Jane Meyer was the first woman in Springfield to sell radio advertising and was the first woman in the state to be a radio station general manager.

While the music on KTXR may have changed over the decades from classical to easy listening to light hits to today's Greatest Hits, there have always been several constants. Jane Meyer decided early on to add ``special programs with special appeal.'' Knowing the volatility and importance of weather in the Ozarks, she hired her own resident meteorologist rather than be dependent on the National Weather Service. Then, 35 years ago Wayne Glenn, ``The Old Record Collector,'' became part of KTXR special programming and has not missed an air shift in all that time.

Possibly the most unique programming decision the Meyers made was to put sports on a music station. While most in the radio broadcast industry would tell you a music/sports format would never work, KTXR has proved them wrong. It started with the Kansas City Royals in the 1970s, and a few years later KTXR became the exclusive radio home of the St. Louis Cardinals in the Ozarks and remains so today. Drury University and Evangel University were two of the local colleges sports programs aired on KTXR in the 70s. In the 80s the station picked up the Missouri State University Bears and KTXR remains the flagship station of the Bears Radio Network. After carrying the Bears for several years it was Jane Meyer's decision to broadcast the Lady Bear basketball games that helped propel them to a nation-high attendance record and in turn she received an invitation to address the NCAA national meeting about marketing women's sports.

Though Jane Meyer passed away in 2001 her influence is still felt not only in the halls of KTXR but throughout the Ozarks. She and Ken Meyer have always served on numerous boards and foundations giving of their time and finances to support the community that has always been supportive of Meyer Communications.

Over the past 50 years Meyer Communications has grown from the humble beginnings of one station to, at any one time, owning several radio and television stations, an outdoor signage company, and an advertising agency. But, it has always been KTXR ``The Gentle Giant'' that is the heartbeat of the company.

Ken Meyer has stated unequivocally ``in my opinion Jane Meyer made KTXR the class station of Springfield. Any way you look at it Jane was the Gentle Giant.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the reopening of Oxford HealthCare in Joplin, Missouri.

Oxford HealthCare is a home care provider that serves more than 50 counties in southwest and central Missouri. In 1975, Oxford HealthCare began operations in Joplin and Springfield, Missouri. On May 22, 2011, a tornado struck the Joplin community and destroyed Oxford's office. It was very important to Oxford HealthCare that they get to a new normal as quickly as possible because their patients and employees were dependent on them, and in their business there is no excuse not to show up for work.

Hours after the tornado tore through Joplin, Destiny Church opened its doors to Oxford. By the next morning the Joplin and Springfield staff converged on the church with everything needed to do business. For weeks Oxford staff worked out of plastic tubs that held office and medical supplies and they used cell phones and laptops using a computer system that their IT Department was able to establish on the spot. Oxford was back to business as usual. The Zimmer Radio Group helped Oxford get word to their staff and patients that they were working out of Destiny Church.

With the help of the entire company, within three days of the storm all 650 employees and patients were accounted for. Some had been in the path of the storm and lost their homes. Many suffered injuries.

Immediately after the tornado employees who were suffering themselves continued to see their patients without fail. In those first days after the storm many Oxford staff stayed with the patients they were with during the storm, without going to their own homes, until they knew the patients were safe and had family to watch over them. In an effort to ensure that the community's clinical needs were being met, Oxford set up makeshift first aid stations throughout the neighborhoods that were in the path of the tornado. Volunteer nurses from the entire company took their vacation time to staff the tents from 8 5, seven days a week for a number of weeks, where 1,400 tetanus shots were given and first aid was administered.

Oxford eventually left Destiny Church and set up a temporary office in Carthage as plans were being made to return to Joplin. The resilience of Oxford and its employees is amazing and I am honored to help Oxford celebrate the reopening of their new facility in Joplin.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor LTG Marc E. Rogers for his service to our country.

Our country has been blessed to have citizens like Lt. Gen. Rogers who have selflessly volunteered to defend our Nation and freedom. They are the reason why we are the strongest Nation on Earth, and the reason we stand today with freedoms unparalleled across the globe. Lt. Gen. Rogers joined the Air Force in 1974 and served as an electronic combat pilot, Aggressor pilot, instructor pilot, evaluation pilot, operations officer and commander. During his time in the Air Force he commanded at the squadron level, group, wing and numbered air force levels. Lt. Gen. Rogers led combat operations in Iraq and Bosnia. He has served in a variety of positions at command headquarters including the Joint Staff, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Tactical Air Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Education and Training Command, and Air Force Material Command.

Our republic and the freedoms that flow from it remain the envy of the world because of service and sacrifices of men and women like Lt. Gen. Rogers. I am proud of Lt. Gen. Rogers' service to our Nation and am honored to call him my neighbor in the 7th Congressional District of Missouri. I wanted to take this opportunity to honor his service to a grateful Nation.

Mr. Speaker, when a weather emergency strikes, local radio and television stations play an instrumental role in keeping families informed on vital warnings and emergency response efforts.

A little over 1 year ago, the city of Joplin, Missouri, was changed forever when an EF 5 tornado struck. Local radio stations like KZRG, the Zimmer Radio Group, Community Radio Group, and KDMO provided Joplin residents with critical information as it was happening. After the tornado, they helped families locate their loved ones and provided information on where they could seek shelter and food.

Local stations are a tremendous asset to their communities, especially during weather emergencies. These stations keep their communities informed

on the latest weather conditions and provide support after the storms pass.

I want to thank all of the local radio and TV stations across the country, especially those in the Joplin area, for the great public service they provide their communities before, during, and after these weather emergencies.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the resilience of the Duquesne, Missouri community.

One year ago the community of Duquesne and surrounding area was devastated by an EF 5 tornado, but showed the nation and the world what it means to help your neighbors in their greatest time of need.

The tornado that wreaked havoc on our friends and neighbors was \1/2\ mile to \3/4\ mile wide and traveled approximately 13 miles in Duquesne, Joplin and surrounding area. The tornado damaged over 500 residential and commercial structures in Duquesne, forever changing the landscape of the community and lives of those who call the area home. This destructive force of nature claimed 161 lives in the area.

I saw the immediate aftermath of this disaster with my own eyes, and I know it is vital to get the right resources to the right people as quickly as possible, because lives depend on it. As their representative in Congress, it was my job to make sure the federal government worked with local and state officials to provide disaster relief. As a neighbor, it was my job to help in any way I could, from setting up cots in aid stations with other volunteers to helping with search and rescue. Missouri is called the Show-Me State, and Missourians and Americans from across our great country showed the nation and the world the compassion and generosity of the American spirit. Over 120,000 volunteers poured into the area to offer their help and support, and some are still assisting with rebuilding efforts.

As we commemorate the one-year anniversary which changed the lives of all families impacted by this horrific disaster, we treasure the good times in the past and look forward to a promising future for Duquesne and all who call this wonderful place home.

Even though we can't explain why tragedy strikes, we can use what happened here to remind us of the good inside us all and to remind us that even though we lost a lot, we did not lose everything. If anyone thinks that there are not good, generous and compassionate people in this world, then they need to come down here to see firsthand how this community came together during their time of need.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Editor Carol Stark and her staff at The Joplin Globe for their steadfast coverage of the Joplin tornado disaster.

The Joplin community was dealt a devastating blow when it was struck by a deadly tornado on May 22, 2011. During the entire aftermath of this catastrophe, Carol and her team did not waiver in providing up-to- date coverage to the Nation. Amidst the chaos that included the destruction of half of the staff's homes and the death of a fellow staffer, The Joplin Globe carried on its work and managed to get the next day's newspaper out only an hour late.

Because of her unyielding dedication and leadership during these hard times, Carol is the recipient of the Local Media Association's Editor of the Year award. The Joplin Globe also received the Jesse Laventhol Prize for Deadline News Reporting by the American Society of News Editors on April 2, 2012 in Washington, DC for its coverage of the tornado. These are noteworthy accomplishments and I am proud that they have been acknowledged for their efforts.

Mr. Speaker, Carol Stark and her team at The Joplin Globe have served both our community and our Nation well amidst times of trial and it is an honor to recognize their dedication and work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 91st birthday of Jessie C. ``Dink'' Hosman who was born June 3, 1921, and grew up in the Willard, Missouri area.

During World War II, Technician Fifth Grade Hosman was in Company B, 1st Battalion, White Combat Team, which fought all over Burma with ``Merrill's Marauders''. T/5 Hosman fought through some of the harshest conditions of the war where the enemy was often less of a concern than malaria, deadly Mite Typhus, Amoebic Dysentery, and malnutrition. T/5 Hosman spent two years in the jungle and also served in Panama and India. Being a member of ``Merrill's Marauders'' earned T/5 Hosman the distinction of United States Army Ranger.

T/5 Hosman helped secure the strategic Burma Road while it was being built in treacherous conditions. Extraordinarily, while ``Merrill's Marauders'' had such a high casualty rate, they never left a fellow soldier's body behind. T/5 Hosman received the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Presidential Unit Citation, and the Bronze Star Medal for exemplary service.

After the war, Jessie returned stateside and spent some time in San Francisco where he was given everything and anything he wanted to eat to make up for two years of malnutrition. Eventually Jessie returned home to the Willard area where he raised his family and purchased a farm where he ran a milk and beef cattle operation for 50 years.

These days, Jessie is enjoying life and taking it easy living with his daughter, Terri Hughes, and her husband, Jimmy Hughes, in Walnut Grove, Missouri. He still enjoys his hobbies of fishing, hunting, boating and his RV. Jessie has also attended several ``Merrill's Marauders'' reunions.

As the years create more and more distance from the events and heroes that defined World War II, I personally wanted to take this

opportunity to recognize one of my constituents who is a Real American Hero. Without the sacrifices of America's Greatest Generation, we would not be enjoying the freedoms and rights they fought to preserve. May God bless Jessie C. Hosman. I wish him a very happy birthday and many more.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Convoy of Hope's generous outreach following last year's tornado which devastated the community of Joplin, Missouri, on May 22, 2011.

Convoy of Hope provides food, clothing, medical aid and other resources to disaster areas or to those in need. They are a shining example of the generous American spirit and the immense power of private faith-based charities to be a force for good in our local communities. Since its founding in 1994, Convoy of Hope has served over 51 million people throughout the world. Hours after the tornado struck Joplin, Convoy of Hope was on the scene offering a helping hand to those in need.

Convoy of Hope's initial response was coordinated with the cooperation of Ignite Church in Joplin where a mobile distribution site was established. Twelve local churches in Joplin and surrounding states organized volunteers to assist Convoy of Hope in the disaster response effort, which has provided more than 3 million pounds of food, water and supplies to help the community get back on its feet.

Through a partnership with Pyramid Foods, Convoy of Hope operated a ``compassion store'' where tornado victims received free relief products like rakes, shovels, trash bags and gloves to assist them with debris removal. The compassion store remained opened until November 2011.

In January 2012, Convoy of Hope announced their commitment to provide $1 million to help tornado victims on the series finale of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which featured the building of seven homes in seven days in Joplin. In February, Convoy of Hope, in partnership with the Global Green Building, Project Safe Home and T.F. Concrete Forming systems, embarked on a mission to help build storm- resilient homes for at least a dozen deserving families.

Convoy of Hope is constructing homes that emphasize protections against strong winds and promote energy efficiencies. Convoy of Hope and its partners are coordinating these and future efforts with the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide guidance on other future ``resilient'' constructions. These new high-tech, low-energy buildings are specially designed with reinforced concrete walls and other innovations to be sturdier than traditional houses.

Convoy of Hope and their 3,852 volunteers served 12,161 families, helped clear and clean 42 houses at no cost to the homeowners, and completed four major critical needs projects for homeowners who did not have adequate resources to address the safety concerns on their property.

Convoy of Hope's generous spirit of outreach helped thousands of Joplin residents during a dark chapter in their lives. I know that many families impacted by this tornado are grateful for the helping hand and support they received from Convoy of Hope.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the resilience of the Joplin, Missouri community.

One year ago the Joplin community was devastated by an EF 5 tornado but showed the Nation and the world what it means to help your neighbors in their greatest time of need.

The tornado that wreaked havoc on our friends and neighbors was a \1/ 2\ mile to \3/4\ mile wide and traveled approximately 13 miles, forever changing the landscape of the community and lives of those who call Joplin home. This destructive force of nature claimed 161 lives, damaged an estimated 7,500 residential dwellings, damaged nine schools, and damaged 545 businesses.

I saw the immediate aftermath of this disaster with my own eyes, and I know it is vital to get the right resources to the right people as quickly as possible, because lives depend on it. As Joplin's representative in Congress it was my job to make sure the Federal Government worked with local and state officials to provide disaster relief. As a neighbor it was my job to help in any way I could, from setting up cots in aid stations with other volunteers to helping with search and rescue. Missouri is called the Show-Me State, and Missourians and Americans from across our great country showed the Nation and the world the compassion and generosity of the American spirit. Over 120,000 volunteers poured into the Joplin area to offer their help and support, and some are still assisting with rebuilding efforts.

Before the life-changing event of May 22, 2011, Joplin was just a town in Missouri, but now its sense of community is known throughout the Nation. While the Joplin community is still picking up the pieces from that fateful day, I know they have a bright future ahead. Though lives were lost and homes and businesses destroyed the one thing the tornado did not take is the sense of community that makes Joplin a welcoming place to live, work and visit. Joplin is stronger despite this unfortunate disaster.

As we commemorate the one-year anniversary which changed the lives of all families impacted by this horrific disaster we treasure the good times in the past and look forward to a promising future for Joplin and all who call this wonderful place home.

Even though we can't explain why tragedy strikes, we can use what happened here to remind us of the good inside us all and to remind us that even though we lost a lot, we did not lose everything. Joplin has faced challenges that most communities will not ever experience, but the outpouring of support is also something any community would be fortunate enough to receive.

If anyone thinks that there are not good, generous and compassionate people in this world, then they need to come down to Joplin to see firsthand how this community came together during their time of need.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Sophia Greenwalt, a truly outstanding young Missourian.

Sophia is a seventh grade student at Reeds Spring Middle School in Reeds Spring, Missouri. She was recently honored by the American Red Cross with their Everyday Hero Award for her charitable activities.

While in sixth grade, Sophia came up with a plan to help others. In consultation with her mother, Nettie Greenwalt, teachers and school district administrators, she received approval to create the Helping Hats program for students in the Reeds Spring school district. The Helping Hats program grants students the privilege to wear hats to school once a month for a one-dollar fee. The fees collected from the Helping Hats program are distributed to local charities monthly. Currently, the program has collected over $13,000 for local charitable organizations. Sophia's endeavors are a truly exemplary investment in our community.

On May 22, 2011, an EF 5 tornado struck Joplin, Missouri, devastating the once quiet Missouri town. Based on Sophia's efforts, the Helping Hats program was able to raise more than $8,000 to donate to the Joplin school district to help with recovery and rebuilding.

Sophia has also been honored for her outstanding charitable activities by the Missouri House of Representatives and the Reeds Spring Board of Education. I would like to add my voice to the growing choir praising the accomplishments of this truly exceptional young woman.

I am proud and humbled by the accomplishments of Sophia Greenwalt and look forward to following her future in the 7th Congressional District of Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the 50th wedding anniversary of Wayne and Kathy Fowler.

Wayne and Kathy Fowler nee Pierce were married on March 17, 1962, at Kathy's parents' home in Kissee Mills, Missouri, where her father was postmaster and owned a grocery store and gas station.

Kathy graduated from Forsyth High School, where she was salutatorian of her class. She then attended Draughon's Business College and went to work for Charles A. Moon, attorney at law. She left the law office to work for Frisco Railroad, later Burlington Northern and then Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, where she retired after 32\1/2\ years. She then worked for Burrell Behavioral Health for over 6 years before retiring and starting a home transcription business. She always had a huge love for horses, with her dad buying her first Fox Trotting mare for her 12th birthday. The horses have always remained her passion.

Wayne was originally from Waterloo, Iowa, and had moved to Kissee Mills with his family in 1961. Wayne was a car enthusiast and drove stock cars for several years at the Fairgrounds Speedway, Bolivar Speedway, Odessa Speedway, and Fort Smith Arkansas. When he got out of racing, he took up bass fishing. Wayne is a welder and retired from the Paul Mueller Company several years ago. He now has a portable aluminum/ stainless welding business and specializes in marine repairs. They have one son, Ken Fowler, and three grandchildren, Chase, Katie and Nick, who reside in Camdenton, Missouri.

Kathy and Wayne have resided in Springfield for the past 28 years, operating horse boarding and training stables in Republic for 13 years. Wayne and Kathy are both very busy pursuing their hobbies. Wayne still participates in bass fishing tournaments and Kathy trains and rides her Fox Trot horses. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with a stay at Downstream Casino, one of their favorite things to do.

I am proud of Wayne and Kathy Fowler and am honored to call them my neighbors in the 7th Congressional District of Missouri. I wanted to take this opportunity to commemorate their 50th anniversary. May God bless them with many more happy and loving years together.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the girls of the Mount Vernon Lady Mountaineers Basketball Team for winning the Missouri Class 3 State Championship.

Basketball is a sport that challenges the human spirit and tests the mental and physical abilities of the players. These girls, Amelia Bramer, Sally Cowherd, Danielle Goodman, Madison Hadlock, Jenna Kleine, Tamiaya Henderson, Audrey LaSalle, Blair Tettenhorst, Shailyn Benbrook, Mackenzie Farmer, Kaylee Hood, Megan Pope, and Shea Vandergrift, faced those challenges and as a result became a team. They trained as one, they competed as one, and together though their hard work and dedication they won the Missouri Class 3 State Championship.

Of course, the basketball players aren't the only champions; they had an outstanding team of talented coaches supporting them and guiding them along the way. I commend Head Coach Doug Hepler and assistant coaches Bridgett Schmutz, and Tom Cox, on an amazing accomplishment and a job well done.

The Lady Mountaineers team had an edge against each and every one of their opponents; their friends, family, and fans attended the games, cheered them on throughout the basketball season and followed them to Columbia for the state championships. The Mount Vernon community is justifiably proud of their team, and the team is fortunate to have such strong support from their community.

As if winning a state championship isn't enough of an accomplishment, the Mount Vernon Lady Mountaineers Team has the distinct honor of winning it two of the last three years. This shows that our athletes and coaches in Mount Vernon are among the best in America and can stand proud in their accomplishments.

But even more important than that, the girls of the Mount Vernon Basketball team will have memories to last a lifetime. They've had that extraordinarily opportunity to live the dream of anyone who has ever dreamed of competing with the best and achieving victory.

I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Mount Vernon Lady Mountaineers Basketball Team, the Missouri Class 3 State Champions.