Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, before we left after this workweek, I wanted to make sure that I came to the floor and took the time to recognize the loss of a cultural icon in New Orleans and a family friend.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Theodore Emile ``Bo'' Dollis, the Big Chief of the Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians and a cultural icon in New Orleans for decades. Bo Dollis died this week at the age of 71.

Though his family did not want him to join the Mardi Gras Indians as a child, Bo secretly sewed his own suit at his friend's home. He joined the Wild Magnolias as a Flag Boy and quickly rose in their ranks, becoming Big Chief in 1964, a position he held until his health no longer allowed it.

As Big Chief, just as his mentor, Big Chief Allison ``Tootie'' Montana, did, Bo encouraged the Indians to shun violence and instead hold prettiness contests when one group would meet another. Bo was also instrumental in bringing the music of the Mardi Gras Indians to an audience beyond New Orleans. With Bo Dollis on lead vocals, the Wild Magnolias recorded their first single in 1970 and their first album in 1974. Under Bo's leadership, the group toured all over the world, opened for Aretha Franklin, and played at Carnegie Hall. This week, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival announced

that Bo Dollis would appear on the festival's official poster. Bo has received numerous honors and awards, including Offbeat Magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award and the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship.

Mr. Speaker, Bo Dollis embodied the happiness, the passion, and love of music that define the culture of New Orleans. His soaring voice brought joy to countless listeners, and his colorful personality brightened every room he entered. The city of New Orleans will not be the same without Bo Dollis, but his legacy will live on in the lives of all that he inspired. And this Mardi Gras will not be the same without Big Chief ``Bo'' Dollis' presence there.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2719, the ``Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act.''

H.R. 2719 addresses longstanding concerns that I and other Members of this Committee have raised about the Transportation Security Administration's stewardship of taxpayer funds when pursuing, acquiring, and deploying security-related technologies.

Importantly, the bill also seeks to address TSA's lackluster record of contracting with small businesses.

Last year, the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, of which I am the Ranking Member, held a hearing with industry stakeholders where we heard from representatives of both small and large businesses on how to improve TSA's acquisition practices and to engage with small businesses more effectively.

There are ample small, minority-owned and disadvantaged businesses that are ready, willing and able to provide services and technologies to TSA that would enhance our security and likely reduce contracting costs.

If TSA cannot identify such businesses, I will be happy to refer them to some.

The bill takes a significant step toward holding TSA accountable for achieving its goals for contracting with small and disadvantaged businesses by requiring the agency to develop an action plan to accomplish its goals and report to Congress on how it plans to get there.

I thank the Subcommittee Chairman, the gentleman from North Carolina, Mr. Hudson, for his willingness to include small businesses in the discussion as we developed the legislation before the House today.

I also congratulate Chairman Hudson on his work on this legislation.

As the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I was proud to work with the Chairman to lay the groundwork for this legislation through multiple hearings with both industry and TSA.

The bill tackles head on the lack of transparency and accountability that has plagued TSA's acquisition practices since the Agency's inception.

Mr. Speaker, the Senate amendment to H.R. 2719 is sound, bipartisan legislation that deserves the support of the Full House.

I would like to express my gratitude to Chairman Hudson for the bipartisan manner in which he operated the Subcommittee on Transportation Security this Congress.

I look forward to continuing to work with the gentleman in his new role as a Member on the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

With that Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 1204.

Soliciting input from impacted stakeholders is critical to developing effective policies.

H.R. 1204, introduced by Ranking Member Thompson, codifies that sentiment by making permanent the Aviation Security Advisory Committee.

The Aviation Security Advisory Committee is a valuable asset to our nation's aviation security because it helps ensure that the policies that TSA develops are responsive to the security challenges and can be effectively integrated.

As the Ranking Member on the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I have seen firsthand just how critical it is for TSA to solicit and heed stakeholder recommendations.

I congratulate Ranking Member Thompson for his stewardship of this legislation and look forward to the House concurring in the Senate amendment so that this legislation can become law.

I would like to take this opportunity to again thank Administrator Pistole for his service.

For over four years, Administrator Pistole led the Transportation Security Administration honorably and effectively.

Thanks to his leadership, TSA is a more efficient, risk-based, agency.

Administrator Pistole is expected to step down from his post at the end of the year. He will be missed.

With that Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the Senate amendment to

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Lawrence Nathaniel Brooks, Sr. Mr. Brooks, a World War II veteran and Louisiana resident, celebrated his 105th birthday on September 12, 2014.

Mr. Brooks was born in 1909 in Norwood, Louisiana. He joined the United States Army in 1940 and did basic training at Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Serving our country was a family legacy for Mr. Brooks. He had three uncles who fought in World War I, and his brother, Chester, was a member of the United States Coast Guard.

The bombing of Pearl Harbor would change Mr. Brooks' life forever. Shortly thereafter he was called to duty. He served in the predominantly African-American 91st Engineer Battalion which was stationed in New Guinea and then the Philippines during World War II. He served three white officers in his battalion, and his daily routine included cleaning the officers' sheets, shining their shoes, making sure their uniforms were clean, and accomplishing any task these officers asked of him. Brooks attained the rank of Private 1st Class during the war. During his service, he had two alarming encounters. While he was stationed in New Guinea, the Japanese bombed the base where he was located. Additionally, Mr. Brooks was on a C-47 going from Australia to New Guinea, transporting a load of barbed wire when one of the engines went out. The crew had to work quickly to lighten up the load in order to make the plane light enough to continue on.

A true New Orleanian, even Hurricane Katrina couldn't keep Mr. Brooks away from the city he loves for too long. A few days after the levees failed and the city flooded, Mr. Brooks moved to Los Angeles. However, he returned to New Orleans a little more than a year later.

Mr. Brooks' most enduring legacy is his engagement and involvement with his community in New Orleans. He is widely known as a pillar of his community and regularly volunteers at his church, St. Luke's.

Mr. Brooks was married to the late Leona B. Brooks, and he is a father of five, grandfather of thirteen, great-grandfather of 19, and great-great grandfather of 2, and he is loved by even more. He is known for his love of dance, and has committed to enjoying and celebrating life.

The National World War II Museum, which I proudly represent, recently hosted a celebration for Mr. Brooks. During the celebration, he was honored by the Museum, the Veterans' Administration, and a host of national and local organizations. It is my honor to introduce Mr. Brooks to the country. I invite everyone to join me in congratulating Mr. Lawrence Brooks on a life well-lived, and wishing him the best.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Lawrence Nathaniel Brooks, Sr. Mr. Brooks, a World War II veteran and Louisiana resident, will be celebrating his 105th birthday on September 12, 2014.

Mr. Brooks served his country in World War II with the United States Army's 91st Engineer Battalion. A father, grandfather, great- grandfather, and great-great grandfather to a large family, he is known and loved by even more. But perhaps Mr. Brooks' most enduring legacy is his engagement and involvement with his community in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is widely known as a pillar of his community and regularly volunteers at his church, St. Luke's. His positive attitude and dedication to family and friends are an inspiration to us all.

It is my honor to introduce Mr. Brooks to the country. I invite everyone to join me in congratulating Mr. Lawrence Brooks on a life well-lived, and wishing him the best.

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the ninth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I rise to recognize the resilience demonstrated by many Louisianans in the years following that tragic event. While we are all familiar with the tragedy of this horrific event, I am reminded of the triumph of the people of New Orleans, who worked side by side to overcome the devastation and rebuild our great city. I remember all of us working to help our fellow New Orleanians, to feed the displaced and support our first responders.

Today, I would like to recognize the contributions of Chef Durio. Chef Durio is a true hero. Not only did he not abandon New Orleans in her time of need, but doubled down on his efforts to help her get through this difficult time. At one point during the aftermath of the hurricane, he would spend days traveling from New Orleans to Biloxi, Houston, and Lafayette to prepare meals for first responders and those in need. There are not enough words to truly thank him for playing his part in this story.

Louisiana Chef of the year for 2007, and a lifelong New Orleanian, Chef Durio started out as a barber. I am pleased and honored to know him and glad to introduce everyone in America to a true American hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 150th anniversary of the New Orleans Tribune, the country's first African American daily newspaper.

Originally founded in 1864 by Dr. Louis Charles Roudanez, a free man of color and native Louisianian from St. James Parish, the Tribune served as an outspoken voice for the interests of African Americans during a period of turmoil and uncertainty in the final year of the Civil War and early Reconstruction. The Tribune aggressively advocated for civil rights, black suffrage, desegregated public education, and better wages and working conditions for freed slaves. It operated under the radical philosophy that ``freedom without equality before the law and at the ballot box is impossible.'' Although primarily a lens to conditions in Louisiana, the paper worked towards reforming all of Southern society by sending a copy of each issue to every member of Congress. It quickly received national recognition, and its editorials were often read here on the floor of Congress.

Though the Tribune ceased publishing in 1870, its spirit of advocacy, justice, fairness and uncompromising purpose was invoked in 1985 by Dr. Dwight and Beverly Stanton McKenna, when they began their newspaper and named it in honor of Dr. Roudanez's Tribune. The modern- day Tribune continues to offer an invaluable voice on issues affecting the Black community in New Orleans and around the country. In June, the African American Leadership Project honored the Tribune as its Institution of the Year for its ``outstanding reporting, incisive commentary, and journalistic advocacy for social justice on behalf of those needing a voice.''

In commemoration of its success, I would like to share part of the Tribune's mission statement, published in July 1864 on the front page of its first issue: ``Under the above title we publish a new paper devoted to the principles heretofore defended by the Union. Convinced that a newspaper, under the present circumstances, representing the principles and interest which we propose to defend and advocate was much needed in New Orleans, we shall spare no means at our command to render the Tribune worthy of public confidence and respect.'' Today we recognize the fulfillment of this mission. I wish to congratulate the McKenna family on this historic milestone, and to thank everyone at the New Orleans Tribune for the exceptional service that it provides to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in strong support of H.R. 4803, the TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2014. The Committee on Homeland Security is tasked with conducting oversight over the various components within the Department of Homeland Security.

As the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, I have a particular interest in ensuring that the Transportation Security Administration is operating both effectively and efficiently.

Thanks to the Department of Homeland Security inspector general, we learned late last year that the Office of Inspection is not operating efficiently.

Specifically, we learned that this office was designating some personnel as criminal investigators who did not perform investigative duties to justify such a classification or the salary and benefits conferred a person with that title.

H.R. 4803 seeks to address this problem by requiring the TSA to certify that all persons designated as criminal investigators are working on criminal investigations at least 50 percent of their time.

There is no justification for providing personnel with the enhanced benefits and pay associated with criminal investigators when they are not doing the job of a criminal investigator.

This legislation is not intended to punish the entire Office of Inspection. It recognizes that there are legitimate criminal investigators within the office that have undoubtedly helped to thwart plots and other criminal enterprises that put our Nation at risk. This legislation simply encourages good government and the careful stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

We need to ensure that the resources are used effectively, so that we can keep citizens safe while operating at maximum efficiency. This legislation is a step in the right direction.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would just like to thank the gentleman from

South Carolina (Mr. Sanford) for introducing this piece of legislation and the chairman of the subcommittee, Chairman Hudson, and, of course, our ranking member, Mr. Bennie Thompson, for the bipartisan work on this bill.

What this bill stands for is just a commonsense approach to government and making sure that we pay for what we get, and it is that very simple premise. So I am honored to be standing here today with my colleagues from the other side of the aisle to do something that just makes common sense.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4802, and I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on November 1, 2013, an armed gunman entered Los Angeles International Airport with the intent to target and kill transportation security officers.

Tragically, on that day, Officer Hernandez, for whom the bill before us is named, became the first TSA employee to die in the line of duty. After shooting Officer Hernandez, the gunman proceeded past the checkpoint and entered the terminal where he shot and wounded two other transportation security officers and one passenger. The two TSA employees who were shot and wounded selflessly remained at the checkpoint after the shooting began, helping passengers escape to safety.

Despite communications challenges, the men and women of the Los Angeles World Airports' Police Department responded to the incident swiftly, taking the shooter down, and preventing the loss of more innocent lives.

Through our committee's oversight work, we have identified some commonsense steps that could be taken to mitigate any similar incident in the future.

H.R. 4802 embodies these commonsense steps. The bill does so by requiring airports to have plans in place for responding to active shooter scenarios and TSA to: provide information to airports on best practices for responding to a security incident at checkpoints, provide transportation security officers practical training for responding to active shooter scenarios, and conduct a nationwide assessment of the interoperable communications capabilities of the law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel responsible for responding to an active shooter event at an airport.

The requirements contained in H.R. 4802 were informed by post- incident reviews of the LAX shooting conducted by TSA and the airport itself, along with the oversight work of the Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Transportation Security.

In March, the Subcommittee on Transportation Security held a site visit and field hearing at LAX to see firsthand how the tragedy unfolded and hear from TSA, airport officials, and the American Federation of Government Employees about how the response to a similar incident could be improved going forward.

In May, the subcommittee held a followup hearing on the shooting here in Washington and heard from a diverse array of airport operators and law enforcement to inform us of how a nationwide template for preparedness and response at airports could be most effectively crafted.

I am proud of the product before the House today. It is the result of intense review of the tragic LAX shooting and, if enacted, would result in airports across the Nation being more prepared to respond to a similar incident in the future.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to commend Subcommittee Chairman Hudson for the bipartisan and inclusive manner in which he has led the Subcommittee on Transportation Security's oversight and legislative efforts in response to the shooting at LAX.

I was pleased to join Ranking Member Thompson and Chairman McCaul as a cosponsor of H.R. 4802. I would also like to acknowledge Congresswoman Maxine Waters, whose district LAX is in, and Ms. Brownley of California, who were both at the subcommittee hearing in California to provide oversight and give their input as to how we can prevent these incidents from happening and give support, of course, to Mr. Hudson.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would urge all of my colleagues to support this very important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and rise in strong support of H.R. 4812, the Honor Flight Act.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking Chairman McCaul, Ranking Member Thompson, and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Mr. Hudson, for cosponsoring and supporting this bipartisan legislation.

The Honor Flight Act is a measure that seeks to pay a debt of gratitude to a group of Americans who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that we are able to enjoy the freedoms that we have today. Although we may never be able to fully repay our veterans for their bravery, sites such as the National World War II Museum, which we are proud to have in the city of New Orleans, bring into focus their lasting contribution and their impact on American history.

The Honor Flight Network is a nonprofit organization that works with airlines and other nonprofits to transport veterans to Washington, D.C., to visit memorials dedicated to honoring their service and sacrifice. The organization was created in 2005 by Earl Morse, a former physician's assistant with the Department of Veterans Affairs and a private pilot who saw his patients' desire to visit the newly built World War II Memorial and recognized that many of them lacked the resources or support to make the trip on their own.

By the end of 2013, the Honor Flight Network had transported approximately 117,000 of our Nation's heroes to visit their memorials. Estimates from the Honor Flight Network show that number to be well over 120,000 people today. The Honor Flight Network currently prioritizes transporting World War II veterans and veterans who are terminally ill but intends to expand the program to transport veterans of subsequent wars in the future.

Presently, the Transportation Security Administration, under the leadership of Administrator Pistole, expedites the screening process for veterans visiting their memorials in Washington, D.C., via the Honor Flight Network private charter flights, saving them time and showing them the due respect and appreciation they deserve.

This legislation will authorize the collaboration between TSA and the Honor Flight Network in law, thereby ensuring that it becomes a permanent practice.

Before yielding back, I would note that I am especially proud of the bipartisan manner in which this legislation has come to the floor, from its inception and its handling in the subcommittee to today, and I am especially proud that this legislation received unanimous support in committee. I am sure it received unanimous support because it wasn't a political thing to do, it was the right thing to do, and truly bestowing honor on people in this country who truly deserve this honor. But for them, we would not be here today in the capacity that we are. We have to understand and we recognize that it is their sacrifice and their shoulders that we stand upon as a Nation. With that, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Offered By: Mr. Richmond

Amendment No. 34: At the end of the bill (before the short

title), insert the following:

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to applaud the Minority Business Development Agency on this its 45th Anniversary. Established in 1969, the MBDA has worked tirelessly and diligently to promote the growth and global competitiveness of a critical segment of the U.S. Economy, the minority business community.

Why is this important? Well Mr. Speaker it is important because investing in contracts, capital and counseling for our minority owned businesses will yield significant results for minority communities. If we help our minority businesses help themselves, their success will bring sustainable economic growth and trans-generational wealth creation that will transform many of our hardest hit areas.

At the time of the Agency's creation there were only 322,000 minority-owned firms in the nation. Today, that number stands at 5.8 million firms contributing $1 trillion towards our nation's economy. MBDA has been a significant part of this impressive growth story. Over the last five years in particular, MBDA has helped firms gain access to over $19 billion in contracts and capital resulting in the creation and retention of nearly 60,000 jobs. These are great numbers, Mr. Speaker and we have to thank the MBDA and its team for their efforts. But we have more work to do.

I thank MBDA for all it has accomplished over the last 45 years. In the coming years, the growth of America's workforce will come from partnerships between the public and private sector. MBDA serves as a bridge connecting government and private resources to leverage existing competencies in service to the growth of the minority business sector. I applaud MBDA's mission and will continue to support it in the decades ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of a true statesman who was a guiding light for Louisiana for many years. I am talking about former Louisiana Attorney General William ``Billy'' Guste.

Attorney General Guste passed away last summer, but I wanted to take a moment to discuss his impact on my home State and discuss who he was as a man because he represents what was best about Louisiana.

You see, Mr. Speaker, he was a fighter. He fought for what was right. He fought for average Louisiana citizens. He fought tooth and nail for environmental justice, for racial fairness, for coastal restoration, for affordable housing, and for the homeless. During his 20 years of service as attorney general, he was always trying to fight for things that he believed would help ordinary, average people.

We should remember this lesson, Mr. Speaker, so that we remember that our

fights should mean something. We should fight to improve the lives of our constituents, not to win political battles.

Growing up in Louisiana, I am a direct beneficiary of Billy Guste's courage to do what was truly right and truly compassionate. In that tradition, Mr. Speaker, I say we must honor Mr. Guste's legacy by doing the same.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Waters, and thank you to the Republican leadership who brought this up.

We often hear in this Chamber over and over again a talk of a financial bankruptcy that is plaguing or potentially plaguing our country, and we say it so much so that we start to believe it, and we miss one thing: that we are on the verge of a moral bankruptcy in this country.

When you talk about homeowners who played by the rules, saved their money, bought a piece of the American Dream, and then all of a sudden, years, if not decades later, we come back with a well-intentioned bill but that had unfortunate, unintended consequences that would strip the American Dream and homeownership right from under them, then the question becomes to this Congress: What do you do about it?

I said this before and I will say it again. What real leadership does when they do something and they realize it had unintended consequences, they fix it.

Congresswoman Waters realized that her name was attached to a bill that potentially would strip homeowners of the American Dream, of the largest piece of investment that you pass on from generation to generation, and she stepped up and said, that is not what we intended. We are going to fix it.

The Republican leadership, Mr. Grimm, stepped up and said, this is unsustainable--and more than that, it doesn't make common sense.

So both sides came together to produce a bill that would have affordability, stability, and predictability.

We talk about rules all the time, that corporations just want to know the rules so they can play by them. Well, homeowners want to know that too, and homeowners who built to the building codes and the elevations that they were required to do at the time should not come back and be penalized later.

So I just want to, again, congratulate Congresswoman Waters because people back in New Orleans and in Louisiana today who are celebrating Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras and having a good time, they can just party a little bit longer knowing that we are here today and we are going to fix this problem that could strip the American Dream away from them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a special man, Mr. Garren Thomas Mims, Sr., a native of my hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. I especially wish to congratulate him on becoming the 99th King of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club. It is my distinct privilege to recognize him here today for this accomplishment.

Mr. Mims has been an active and loyal member of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club since 1995. During his time in Zulu Mr. Mims has held and served in a variety of leadership offices. He has also been an active member of several committees and takes special pride in Zulu's community activities committee, in particular the Toys For Tots program. However, his service is not limited to his activity in Zulu. He also enjoys volunteering in his community and serves as a parishioner at his family church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. The church's annual fundraiser for the St. Jude Center holds a special place in Mr. Mims' heart. His community service serves as an inspiration and we are grateful to him for his continued commitment.

In addition to his activity in Zulu, Mr. Mims is a dedicated family man. As a lifelong resident of New Orleans, Mr. Mims is deeply rooted within his community. He is a proud graduate of McDonogh #35 Senior High School and Southern University. For the past 19 years, he has been married to Mrs. Georgette Anita Mims. Mr. and Mrs. Mims are the proud parents of three children: Garren Mims, Jr., Gabrielle Mims, and Gabriel Mims. This year, he will get a chance to share the honor and joy of being Zulu royalty with his wife, as Mrs. Mims will reign alongside him as the 78th Queen of Zulu. This will be a special time for the family, and we are very proud of him. The commitment that Mr. Mims shows to his family and his community is an example to all of us. The hard work and dedication of Mr. and Mrs. Mims to improving the community and raising a strong family gives us hope and promise for the future of our city.

In closing Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate Mr. Garren Mims, Sr., on his coronation as the 99th King of Zulu and wish him a successful reign as King Zulu, 2014.