Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a family and a school community in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that is working to keep the legacy alive for a young person taken too soon.

In 1998, Jason Rubin, then a 13-year-old student at Cecelia Snyder Middle School in Bensalem, tragically succumbed to a bacterial infection. Jason was a popular kid who loved sports and played on the school's basketball team.

Shortly after Jason's passing, his parents, Richard and Gail, set up a memorial fund in his honor. The fund assists our community in various capacities, including through scholarships for Bensalem High School students.

This year, the family wanted to do something different and special. Realizing Cecelia Snyder's scoreboard was outdated, the Rubin family dedicated a new scoreboard in memory of Jason D. Rubin, a fitting tribute for their basketball-loving son. A dedication ceremony with the Rubin family present was held last week.

Madam Speaker, we applaud the service of the Rubin family and members of the Cecelia Snyder school and their community, and we are all so proud to see Jason memorialized in such a meaningful way.

Honoring Grace Godshalk

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and memory of a woman who lived a life defined by service, faith, and compassion.

Grace Godshalk passed away on December 15 at the age of 81. Born in Queens, New York, Grace moved to Bucks County in 1965, settling in Lower Makefield Township. Grace soon became a beloved member of our community and began devoting her time and her energy to local causes.

Later, in 1977, Grace became the first woman elected to the Lower Makefield Township Board of Supervisors. She served honorably for 30 years, retiring in 2008, and, during her tenure, developed a reputation as a staunch supporter of open space initiatives, actively involved in the preservation of the Five Mile Woods Nature Preserve and the Patterson Farm.

Grace never lost her strength or her composure.

After her son, Bill, passed away in the terror attacks of 9/11, Grace played a pivotal role in the dedication of the Garden of Reflection to memorialize 9/11 victims.

Madam Speaker, our entire community sends our love to her daughter, Jane, and to her grandchildren. Grace is now reunited with her husband, James, and her legacy in our community will endure forever.

Recognizing Jay Smith

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a native of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and a community that has rallied around him in support.

Jay Smith graduated from Central Bucks West and was diagnosed with ALS in 2014. This month, a jazz concert, dubbed ``Jazz for Jay,'' will be held to help Jay and his family pay for medical expenses.

Jay is a writer and an inventor, a husband to Melissa, and a father to Loghan and Peyton. Despite his declining health, he currently serves on the board of directors of a foundation, Every 90 Minutes, which serves to promote research for a cure for ALS.

While he currently lives in Texas, his ties to Bucks County run deep, and our community is proud to support him in this fight.

Madam Speaker, here in Congress, we must all do our part to ensure that our medical research community has the resources needed to fight and find a cure for ALS.

I would also like to thank those participating in the Jazz for Jay ceremony and activities, and the Smith family for their advocacy.

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This landmark law has protected cherished birds throughout North America while unifying environmentalists, hunters, and scientists for generations.

In New Hope, Pennsylvania, supporters of environmental preservation are gathering at the Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow on December 19, 2018, to celebrate the ``Year of the Bird'' in honor of the centennial celebration of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

It gives me immense pride to stand with them and their commitment to environmental stewardship for all animal species. As we celebrate the ``Year of the Bird,'' let us remember the joy and beauty nature provides us, and strive for unifying goals of which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act is a prime model.

Mr. Speaker, we recently returned to Congress after celebrating Thanksgiving, a time when we pause and reflect on the many blessings that our community bestows upon each one of us.

Today, I am proud to recognize an outstanding citizen from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who worked tirelessly for over three decades to ensure residents were able to enjoy the holiday surrounded by friends and good food.

Lois Wheeler of Lower Makefield began serving Thanksgiving meals to the underprivileged in our community in 1980. Known as ``Bountiful Harvest Feasts,'' Lois hosted between 125 and 200 people yearly at the Masonic Lodge in Fairless Hills.

Lois' dedication to serving the hungry began in high school. While attending Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, Lois saw a classmate who was not able to afford lunch. Wheeler was so moved, she would bring him sandwiches to eat. When they were not available, she would give away her own lunch.

Lois is truly beloved in our community. Her continued generosity has earned her the nickname ``Sister Wheeler,'' and she has also been called the ``Mother Teresa of Bucks County.''

While Lois' health prevented her from participating this year, her legacy of service to Bucks County cannot be erased. We applaud Lois for her charity and generosity, and wish her and her husband, George, all the best.

Recognizing the Lingohocken Volunteer Fire Company and the Council Rock

School District's ACHIEVE Program

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize students and public servants in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who recently teamed up to spread awareness of fire safety and vocational training.

Last month, the Lingohocken Volunteer Fire Company met with students in the Council Rock School District's ACHIEVE program, which is geared towards providing students with special needs the tools and skills needed for self-sufficiency.

The Lingohocken Volunteer Fire Company's presentation, which took place in a fire safety trailer to simulate real-life emergencies, was aimed

at preparing students to respond to a fire hazard.

I would like to thank Council Rock ACHIEVE staff John Engelhardt, Dan Bartleson, Steve Ruane, and David Marcinkowski for their work in preparing Bucks County students for the future.

I would also like to thank Lingohocken Chief David James, along with firefighters Gary Davis, Charlie Vaughn, Ted Middleman, and Glenn Forsyth of Newtown Township Emergency Services for their dedication to our community.

At a time when our fellow citizens in California are experiencing devastating wildfires, firefighters' skills and expertise are appreciated and so sorely needed. We need them now more than ever.

Recognizing Lindsey Spritzler

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a student from Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, for her outstanding achievements.

Lindsey Spritzler, a senior at North Penn High School in Lansdale, was recently selected as a member of the 2018 All-National Honor Mixed Choir and is performing at their annual conference this week in Orlando, Florida.

Lindsey was one of only 240 individuals across our country to be selected to join the vocalist team. This is certainly no small feat. In order to even qualify, Lindsey had to be selected for the Pennsylvania All-State Chorus and place near the top of her section.

I applaud Lindsey for her hard work and exceptional talent.

We are also proud to recognize Music Department Chair Matthew Klenk for his commitment and dedication to our community and for his service to the North Penn School District as well.

On behalf of our entire community, we all look forward to seeing what Lindsey will accomplish in the future. We know they will be great things.

Mr. Speaker, every day throughout the private sector, businesses obtain feedback from their customers to improve their products and improve their services. However, this is much less common--if not nonexistent--within the Federal Government, where agencies could be doing far more to improve the customer service experience of every citizen in this country. The latest American Customer Satisfaction Index found the Federal Government is near the bottom of the list when it comes to customer satisfaction.

H.R. 2846 requires certain Federal agencies to collect voluntary feedback from individuals about their interactions with the government. People who interact with government agencies will have the opportunity to give feedback on their experience. Using feedback provided by the public, agencies will figure out just how effectively they are at serving the American people.

The result, Mr. Speaker, will be a win-win. The American public receives better services and customer care, while agencies achieve greater impact and ability to fulfill their missions.

H.R. 2846 also sets guidelines for agencies' solicitation of voluntary feedback from the public. The questionnaire will be no longer than 10 questions, and the response must be anonymous. Agencies are required to work with the General Services Administration and the Office of Management and Budget to formulate their surveys to ensure feedback is both reliable and useful.

However, customer feedback on its own will not improve the relationship between the American people and the Federal Government. H.R. 2846 requires agencies to report publicly on the voluntary feedback that they collect.

This report will include information about the feedback received and a description of how the agency will go about improving customer service. The Government Accountability Office will also create customer experience scorecards for the agencies to foster accountability.

I urge my friends on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 2846.

Mr. Speaker, November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and I am pleased to recognize an organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that works to raise awareness and seeks to cure this disease.

My constituent Christine Edmonds formed A Love for Life based in Newtown, Bucks County, nearly 6 years ago in memory of her husband, Kevin Edmonds. Kevin died in April 2012 at the young age of 51 after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer, shortly after

his sister Nora died of the very same illness. The mission of A Love for Life is to ensure that pancreatic cancer research is properly funded.

Pancreatic cancer is a very, very devastating illness. The average survival rate for stage IV pancreatic cancer averages around 6 months. A Love for Life is looking to change that, partnering with the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania to promote advanced research.

We offer our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to A Love for Life and Christine Edmonds for their work to eradicate pancreatic cancer in our community, in our country, and in our world.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our constituents and everyone in our community to follow her courageous lead in standing up for and serving a cause bigger than herself.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor the memory and extraordinary life of an educator in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, whose dedication of Pennsylvania's children made her one of Pennsylvania's most prominent voices on education advocacy, policy, and practices.

Dolores McCracken, who served as president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, passed away on November 13 following her courageous battle with cancer. Dolores spent the past two decades as a passionate activist for improved public education, working to promote PSEA initiatives on the Federal, State, and local levels.

Dolores' professional contributions to Pennsylvania education are impactful and incredibly far-reaching. She worked closely with numerous statewide partners and served on the

board of directors at the Keystone Research Center, the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, and the Council Rock Education Foundation. She also served as president of the Churchville Elementary Home and School Association.

For Dolores, it always came down to improving the lives of our community's children and their families. She firmly believed that every child, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, deserves the best education in the world.

A paralegal by trade, Dolores is survived by her husband, Jack Jr.; her children, Jack III and Kristin; and her grandchildren, Dylan, Reese, Paige, and Logan. May they take comfort in knowing Dolores' life work will carry on in our students' lives for generations. Dolores McCracken is our children's hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 6784 as this act will block vital protection for gray wolves across the entire Nation, protections that were implemented under the Endangered Species Act.

H.R. 6784 would direct the Secretary of the Interior to issue a rule removing the gray wolf from the Endangered Species Act list, which would preclude judicial review of agency decisions on wolf delisting and deny citizens the right to hold the Government accountable for its actions.

There is no mystery about the negative impact that passing this legislation would have on the gray wolf, because we have already seen it. In 2011, Congress used an appropriations rider to delist wolves in Idaho and in Montana. And since 2011, over 2,500 wolves have been killed in these two States where the management practices included shooting wolves lured by bait, chasing wolves with packs of hounds, using steel-jawed legholds, and using wire snare traps.

Given these concerns, Mr. Speaker, I oppose this legislation. Endangered Species Act decisions must be made with caution. We should also be extremely bipartisan in these approaches. And if there is legitimate dispute over delisting, then delisting is premature and ill- advised. That is why I oppose this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Indian American community celebrated Diwali, the festival of lights. The holiest day of the Hindu calendar, Diwali celebrates the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Today, we welcome these amazing community members right here in our Nation's Capitol.

In Bucks and Montgomery Counties, Pennsylvania, I am honored to recognize the Hindu community and members of the Indian American community who celebrated and expressed their faith. Today, I am proud to recognize the several mandirs who serve our community in innumerable ways located in Levittown, Montgomeryville, Warrington, Feasterville- Trevose, Bensalem, and Souderton.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join the Hindu faith community in celebrating Diwali and applaud their efforts of inclusion and community betterment in Pennsylvania and across America. I look forward to working with these amazing people today and every day

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a dedicated public servant, Pennsylvania State Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf. Senator Greenleaf devotedly served the people of Bucks and Montgomery Counties in the Pennsylvania General Assembly for 42 years. A lifelong resident of Upper Moreland Township, Senator Greenleaf graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, where he played varsity basketball, and received his law degree from the University of Toledo School of Law. He is married to Cecelia ``Kelly'' Greenleaf Early in his career, Senator Greenleaf served as Assistant District Attorney in Montgomery County and Chief of Appeals, writing briefs for cases that were appealed all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Stewart Greenleaf's career in the Montgomery County Courthouse was his first exposure to politics, which inspired his decision to make a life-long career of public service. Working as a prosecutor, he gained the insight into the criminal justice system and the judiciary that led to his decades-long chairmanship of the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee. Senator Greenleaf has passed more legislation than any other member of Pennsylvania's 253-member General Assembly. He has been the prime sponsor of 160 bills signed into law, and the driving force of many other measures that didn't carry his name. Notably, he has authored the Clean Indoor Air Act of 2008, Pennsylvania's Megan's Law, the Grandparent Custody Law, the Rails to Trails Act, the School Pesticide Law, the Health Club Consumer Protection Act, the Puppy Lemon Law, the ``No Means No'' Law, the Amusement Ride Inspection Act, and the Missing Children Act. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Senator Greenleaf for truly dedicating his life to the service and betterment of others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an educator in Bucks County, Pennsylvania who recently became a finalist in a national education grant contest.

Jackie Rippert, a teacher at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, becomes one step closer to the $100,000 education grant that is sponsored to fund meaningful projects in local schools and communities.

If selected, Jackie plans on creating a ``living classroom'' that enables students to grow plants and cultivate produce. This is particularly beneficial for food pantries, who will benefit from the vegetables grown. It will also serve as a hands-on learning experience for students with special needs to gain valuable life skills.

I applaud Jackie for her dedication to her students and our community. I wish her all the best in her quest for this important grant.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize the 40th anniversary of a business in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that promotes the health and wellbeing of our community, the Newtown Athletic Club.

On Saturday, November 3, 2018, the Newtown Athletic Club will host a night of celebration and camaraderie. This evening will seek to celebrate physical and mental wellness, along with raising awareness and funding for ALS research through the organization's partner charity, the NAC Have a Heart Foundation. To date, the NAC Have a Heart Foundation has raised nearly $2 million to find a cure for this disease.

I applaud the leadership of Newtown Athletic Club owner and NAC Have a Heart founder, Jim Worthington, for his generosity and advocacy. Jim truly embodies community service and active citizenship. I'd also like to recognize Matt Bellina, whose activism on behalf of the ALS community is deeply inspiring.

The Newtown Athletic Club is more than just a facility; it is cherished institution here in Bucks County. I appreciate all the Newtown Athletic Club has contributed to our home, and wish all members, management, and staff my heartiest congratulations on its 40th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a proclamation honoring the 100th birthday of Edward G. Bunting, Sr.

Whereas, Mr. Edward G. Bunting, Sr., celebrated his one hundredth birthday on July 2, 2018;

Whereas, Mr. Bunting valiantly served our country in the United States Air Force from 1943 to 1946 and the Air Force Reserves from 1946 to 1950, and embarked on a successful business career at Germantown Savings Bank for thirty-six years; and

Whereas, Mr. Bunting, his late wife Elizabeth, and children Daniel, David, and Edward, Jr., have contributed substantially to our community; now therefore, do I, Congressman Brian K. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, proudly recognize Mr. Edward G. Bunting, Sr., on the year of his one hundredth birthday celebration, and honor his remarkable accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to recognize a dear friend, trusted partner, and community icon who is celebrating her 70th birthday this month.

Pat Poprik continues to work tirelessly to improve the lives of all Bucks County residents. For decades, she championed the virtues of limited government, individual freedom, and liberty for all people of this great nation.

For the past four decades, Pat has provided wisdom and mentorship for Pennsylvania Republicans, rising to become the party's state treasurer. Her work culminated in her current position as chairwoman of the Bucks County Republican Party, where her deep understanding of local issues and community concerns has delivered lasting, positive results for our community.

It is hard to name anyone who works harder or is more connected to Bucks County than Pat. On behalf of a grateful, civic minded community, I wish Pat a very happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, for more than 70 years, the Fulbright Program, established by Congress and funded through an annual appropriation to the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, has forged connections between emerging leaders in the United States and across the globe. Since 1946, more than 380,000 individuals from the United States and over 180 countries have participated in the Fulbright Program. These individuals represent the excellence and diversity of the United States and other countries.

I rise today to recognize the prestigious accomplishments of students from my district who received Fulbright Scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year:

Ms. Natasha Bednarz, Yardley, PA, Boston College, Armenia

Ms. Andrea Biscoveanu, Yardley, PA, Pennsylvania State University- University Park, Australia

Mr. Eliav Ehrenkrantz, New Hope, PA, University of Massachusetts- Amherst, Russia

Ms. Juliana Heffern, Carversville, PA, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Malaysia

Mr. Robert McDonough, Trevose, PA, La Salle University, Austria

Mr. Jake Meyers, Richboro, PA, Washington and Jefferson College, Cambodia

Ms. Alexandra Miller, Newtown, PA, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, Argentina

These scholars make us tremendously proud. On behalf of all residents in the Eighth Congressional District, we congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an educator in Bucks County, Pennsylvania who recently became a finalist in a national education grant contest.

James Maloney, a teacher at Neshaminy High School in Langhorne, becomes one step closer to the $100,000 education grant that is sponsored to fund meaningful projects in local schools and communities. If selected, James plans on creating a ``living classroom'' that enables students to grow plants and cultivate produce. This is particularly beneficial for food pantries, which will benefit from the vegetables grown. It will also serve as a hands-on learning experience for students with special needs to gain valuable life skills.

I applaud James for his dedication to his students and our community. I wish him all the best in his quest for this important grant.