Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 648, legislation to reopen and responsibly fund the government, including the Departments of Transportation and of Housing and Urban Development.

This bill reflects the various conference agreements that were reached on a bipartisan, bicameral basis late last year. The chairman at the time of our Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, my friend, Mr. Diaz-Balart, was an excellent partner through this process. We worked together with our Senate counterparts to secure numerous priorities in the final package that spoke to the good work done in both the House and Senate.

Unfortunately, the House and Senate leadership failed to bring this legislation to the floor before the end of the 115th Congress, despite unified Republican control of the branches of government. They failed in September, and they failed again in December in the lame-duck session. But, now, we do have a chance to rectify that mistake.

Division F of H.R. 648 funds DOT, HUD, and related agencies. It includes $71.1 billion in discretionary funding, which is $23.1 billion above the President's budget request and $1 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

This total includes more than $17 billion for new housing and transportation infrastructure.

It includes billions of dollars of funding above the authorized level to accelerate improvements in our aviation system, expand transit and rail networks, replace aging highways and bridge infrastructure, and make improvements at our Nation's ports.

The measure also includes robust funding to preserve and expand our affordable housing stock, particularly for vulnerable populations like veterans, seniors, and the disabled.

It locks in increases to flexible grant programs like Community Development Block Grants and HOME that are vital for local governments as they address housing and community development needs.

Just as important, this legislation would finally re-open DOT and HUD and allow more than 20,000 furloughed employees of these departments to receive backpay and to return to their mission serving the American people.

In the last 3 weeks, the House has passed short-term continuing resolutions to keep government open and allow more time to negotiate, but that wasn't good enough for the President.

We have taken up funding legislation passed by the Senate almost unanimously, and that wasn't good enough for Mitch McConnell to get to yes.

Today we have the opportunity to fully fund the government with a package that reflects bicameral and bipartisan priorities. It is time for Republicans and President Trump to finally take yes for an answer.

The Trump shutdown has dragged on for more than a month, shuttering vital government services and creating chaos and uncertainty for families, businesses, and communities.

The President has taken DOT hostage, and the strain on our aviation system is growing worse each day. The President has taken HUD hostage, and housing contracts have lapsed putting tenants in jeopardy.

H.R. 648 would finally end the hostage-taking. It would ensure that vital transportation and housing programs are funded for the rest of this year. Meanwhile, a separate bill would temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security so that negotiations on border security could continue.

H.R. 648 is the result of months of bipartisan collaboration. It excludes problematic policy riders from both sides of the aisle. We should pass this bill and re-open our government.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense approach and re-open the government without further delay.

Madam Chair, I rise in support of this legislation, to provide $12 billion in critical disaster relief for North Carolina and other States recovering from devastating natural disasters.

Last year, Hurricane Florence made landfall in the Carolinas with a powerful storm surge, intense rainfall, and massive flooding. It displaced thousands of individuals, many of whom still have not returned to their damaged homes. Dozens of communities in eastern North Carolina, some also hit by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, were entirely inundated for the second time in as many years.

Meanwhile, other States like Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and California have been hit by terrible hurricanes and wildfires. Puerto Rico and other territories continue to slowly recover from powerful storms and typhoons.

This legislation will ensure that the Federal Government remains an active partner in the recovery effort. It provides more than $1 billion in flexible funding for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program, including resources for mitigation and resiliency projects.

The bill would clear out a $1.5 billion backlog of emergency highway and bridge repair projects, and it provides additional supplemental funds for Army Corps construction projects along our coasts and rivers, crop and livestock assistance for farmers, repairs at damaged military installations, and other critical recovery activities.

It reflects bipartisan priorities and ensures that American citizens, regardless of where they live, get the assistance they need to recover.

Unfortunately, disaster assistance, including funds that have already been appropriated, will not be distributed to communities if this government shutdown continues.

Madam Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this disaster supplemental, which appropriately includes a provision to temporarily reopen government.

The Trump shutdown has real consequences, Madam Chairman. The people of North Carolina and other States who have suffered from natural disasters cannot wait any longer. It is time for Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, to come together to end this shutdown.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Chair, the National Environmental Policy Act was first enacted in 1970, and since then, it has ensured that new projects comply with environmental standards that protect both human health and the environment. It is unwise and unnecessary to waive these requirements as we undertake disaster recovery.

This amendment is particularly troubling when we consider that the loss of wetlands has actually contributed, contributed heavily, to an increase in coastal flooding from hurricanes.

A 2017 study led by the University of California Santa Cruz showed a strong correlation between wetland cover and reduced property damage. The study estimated that wetlands in New York and New Jersey prevented a half a billion dollars in flood-related damage.

So our public policy should aim to reduce the impacts of future disasters, which is why this bill contains more than $800 million in mitigation funding.

To allow the Secretary to waive environmental requirements would undermine the principle that disaster recovery efforts should ensure communities are in a better position to withstand future natural disasters.

Also, many disaster recovery projects involve multiple Federal funding sources. This provision actually could slow down recovery efforts, since HUD's environmental standards would no longer match those of other Federal agencies.

If we are going to get serious about mitigating the effects of climate change and the impacts of natural disasters, we need a robust environmental framework, and for 49 years, NEPA has provided that guidance.

This bill is not the place to discard decades of environmental protections. I urge a ``no'' vote on the amendment.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time

Madam Chair, we have no objection to this amendment, in fact, urge its adoption. The amendment ensures that States and territories that have suffered from natural disasters in 2017 are made whole with respect to increased costs to repair public infrastructure.

Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition, even though I am not actually opposed to the amendment.

Madam Chair, this amendment amends a section of the base bill that sets out the sequence of assistance for communities seeking relief.

The base bill maintains that CDBG-DR funding should be used after grantees sought out funding from FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers to meet any needs that remain.

Public Law 105-276 limits the use of CDBG-DR funding to $250,000 per Army Corps of Engineers' project, and this provision would not be changed by the amendment.

The amendment would allow communities to utilize CDBG-DR funds for a project in advance of FEMA or Corps of Engineers' funding. The CDBG-DR funding would still be subject to the usual limitations on duplication of benefits.

I have some concern that the amendment's language is ambiguous with respect to the phrase ``in excess of the authorized amount of the project.'' I assume that the gentleman means the authorized amount by FEMA or the Army Corps, respectively, and not an amount authorized by

The question, though, is: Authorized by whom?

So when the amendment states the phrase ``in excess of the authorized amount of the project,'' can I confirm that the gentleman is saying that he means the authorized amount by FEMA or the Army Corps and not the authorized amount by HUD?

Madam Chair, I yield to the gentleman.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman.

Given that understanding, the amendment is a modest change to the existing program, and I have no objection.

Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding. I am happy to express support for his amendment.

The amendment would clarify that HUD should follow existing law when it comes to duplication of benefits with respect to SBA loans and CDBG- DR grants.

This is an issue that needs clarification. It has affected individuals in my home State of North Carolina as well as people in Louisiana, Texas, and other States recovering from recent disasters.

I agree, we shouldn't be penalizing individuals who take out an SBA loan in good faith and then later discover that that makes them no longer eligible for a CDBG-DR grant.

So I thank the gentleman for the amendment. It is a helpful clarification of our intent, and I have no objection to the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 28, I call up the bill (H.R. 267) making appropriations for the Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 267, legislation to reopen and responsibly fund the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.

The bill before us is bipartisan and invests in critical national priorities. It passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on a unanimous vote, and it was adopted by the full Senate on a 92-6 vote.

It provides $71.4 billion in discretionary funding, which is $23.3 billion above the President's budget request and $1.1 billion above the FY 2018 enacted level.

This legislation is critical for the success of America's families, communities, and businesses. In addition to

maintaining existing infrastructure, it will allocate $17 billion for new transportation and housing projects in both rural and urban areas.

Like last year, it includes several billion dollars of funding above authorized levels for the FAST Act to accelerate improvements in our aviation system, to expand transit and rail networks, to replace aging highways and bridge infrastructure, and to repair our affordable housing stock.

It also builds on the progress we have made since enactment of the 2018 bipartisan budget agreement to ensure that vulnerable populations--including low-income families, seniors, veterans, and the disabled--have access to reliable transportation and safe housing.

It would provide robust funding for flexible grant programs, especially HOME and Community Development Block Grants, that allow towns and cities across the country, large and small, to leverage both public and private capital to address their most pressing community needs.

Just as important, this legislation would finally reopen these departments. It would allow more than 20,000 furloughed employees at DOT and over 7,000 furloughed employees at HUD to receive back pay and to return to their mission, which is serving the American people.

The Trump shutdown, Mr. Speaker, has dragged on for more than 2 weeks, shuttering vital government services and creating chaos and uncertainty for families, businesses, and communities in each of our districts.

For example, grants to help States and communities pay for upgrades to transit, rail, and aviation facilities are being put on hold.

State departments of transportation are beginning to delay new construction projects.

The National Transportation Safety Board has ceased major accident investigations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is no longer investigating or reviewing information about major vehicle manufacturing defects, which, in fact, puts lives at risk.

New hiring and training for air traffic controllers has ground to a halt, exacerbating an ongoing staffing shortage. FAA equipment maintenance is curtailed, and pilot certifications are suspended.

Disaster relief funding for States hit by disasters last year-- funding that has already been appropriated--remains unallocated because staff at HUD remain furloughed.

Meanwhile, Mr. Speaker, we discovered just this weekend that HUD officials failed to renew more than 1,000 landlord contracts for the Project-Based Section 8 housing program before they expired at the end of the year, exposing tens of thousands of tenants to possible eviction.

Mr. Speaker, these problems can only get worse as the shutdown goes on. Hundreds more of these contracts are up for renewal in the coming months.

H.R. 267 would put an end to the madness, ensuring that vital transportation and housing infrastructure is funded for the remainder of the 2019 fiscal year.

This legislation reflects the best of bipartisan collaboration, and it excludes problematic policy riders from both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan, commonsense legislation to reopen the government without further delay, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Mario Diaz-Balart, our ranking member and former chairman of this subcommittee, for those kind words--a sentiment that I share totally. And we, I am sure, are going to be able to continue this cooperative relationship in this new Congress, and I look forward to that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Lowey), our full committee chairwoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), a member of our subcommittee and the chairman-designate of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio), the chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler), the chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Massachusetts (Ms. Clark), a member of our subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Ms. Sherrill), a new Member of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Ms. Kendra S. Horn), another new Member of the House, who, as she will tell us, has a special reason, given her district, to understand the impact of this shutdown.

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 15 seconds to the gentlewoman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Hill), another of our new Members.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers and I am prepared to close.

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

Mr. Speaker, we have got to end this Trump shutdown. It is self- inflicted, costly, damaging, and dangerous. It is up to Congress to end it.

Speaker after speaker on the Republican side this afternoon have looked somewhat wistfully at the bills that passed the House Appropriations Committee in the prior Congress. They longed for the chance to consider funding bills that reflect compromise between the House and the Senate, the equivalent of conference agreements, that we negotiated last year.

Do we prefer those bills, Mr. Speaker? Of course, we do. But we missed our opportunity to pass those bills in September and we missed it again in December, when Republicans controlled all the levers of government.

Now the new Democratic majority is forced to clean up this mess in the middle of the Trump shutdown. This bill

would reopen DOT and HUD, and it would provide billions in critical transportation and housing investments for our communities, families, and businesses.

This bill, and others on the floor this week, is the best way to make it as easy as possible for the Senate to say yes. That is what this is all about, Mr. Speaker: the Senate to say yes and end this shutdown. They have already said yes to these bills.

I remind my colleagues and the Senate leadership of another interesting fact, this bill, and other bills, can become law, even if the President were to withhold his signature.

If you vote against this bill, you are enabling the irresponsible behavior of the President and you are telling the American people that you are willing to hold our government hostage for a boondoggle border wall.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and end the Trump shutdown.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, responsibility for funding the Federal Government is as basic as it gets. It is one of the most important duties of Congress. The previous majority failed to do the basic task of keeping the lights on. Here on day 5 of the 116th Congress, we Democrats and leadership are determined to reopen Federal agencies shuttered by the Trump shutdown.

This legislation, which has already gotten bipartisan support-- virtually unanimous support in the Senate--will ensure that the Federal Government is open and working for the American people.

The agencies funded in this bill have been shuttered for 20 days. More than 20,000 air traffic controllers have been on the job, ensuring the safety of the Nation's skies, without pay. They have been doing their jobs without the usual complement of safety professionals who support the operation of the airspace.

Yet, when payday comes for these controllers--and thousands of other Federal workers--they will see nothing. Instead of their pay, they will get a blank check. They will not get compensated for the work they have done.

HUD is scrambling to renew contracts and ensure that thousands of tenants aren't evicted. The uncertainty over Federal grants has caused State departments of transportation to delay issuing contracts just before the construction season, and the list goes on and on.

Mr. Speaker, we must end this madness. This bill, in its current form, represents the quickest and easiest way to do this, making it as easy as possible for the Senate to say ``yes,'' because they have already said ``yes'' to these bills.

This is why we are taking this approach. I ask my colleagues to support us in that so that here, on day 20 of the Trump shutdown, we can bring this to a close. We are on the verge of having the longest government shutdown in American history. We need to pass this bill without further delay.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this motion to recommit, vote ``no'' on the motion to recommit, and ``yes'' on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, we find ourselves only hours away from the third Republican shutdown of the Trump Presidency, and we know how we got here.

Seven key appropriations bills, six of them teed up with bipartisan support, could have and should have been passed in September or, for that matter, this very week. Instead, Republicans came up with a 6-week continuing resolution, and now they have backed down even on that.

Instead of taking ``yes'' for an answer following last night's Senate vote on this continuing resolution, the best House Republicans could come up with is a craven attempt to placate the President and his anti- immigrant demagoguery.

Despite telling us for years that Mexico would pay for this grandiose border wall, the President and the Speaker have decided that fulfilling this foolhardy campaign promise is worth shutting down the government.

The President said so himself last week. ``I will take the mantle,'' he said. ``I will be the one to shut it down.''

To add insult to injury, as though throwing billions in taxpayer money at the President's wall wasn't bad enough, the Republican majority now has cynically added much-needed disaster recovery funds in the final hour, despite knowing full well that this bill is no more than a political stunt.

Mr. Speaker, we know we need these disaster funds. I have repeatedly stressed the urgency of increased funding for the millions in my State still reeling from disasters. But it is cynical; it is deceptive; and it is cruel to hold the needs of these people hostage to fulfill President Trump's anti-immigrant wish list.

Our Nation faces many pressing needs: disaster recovery and comprehensive immigration reform. But the best Republicans can give us is political games and Twitter tantrums. We have a responsibility to our constituents to keep the government open, and by providing cover to the President's impulses, my colleagues are failing on that responsibility.

So let's end this charade. Let's pass the Senate continuing resolution, and let's fulfill our most basic responsibility, to fund our government.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership and service of Representative Henry McKinley ``Mickey'' Michaux, who is retiring from the North Carolina General Assembly after nearly five decades of distinguished and impactful public service.

For many residents of Durham and the State of North Carolina, Mickey Michaux's life of service has been synonymous with our growth and progress as a region as well as the challenges we have faced as a state and nation. A native of Durham, Michaux spent his childhood in segregated schools and public establishments, attending the prestigious boarding school, Palmer Memorial Institute, and graduating from North Carolina Central University (NCCU) in 1952. He went on to serve his country in the United States Medical Corps and Army Reserves from 1952 until 1960.

As a young business and civic leader, Michaux was at the forefront of the civil rights movement as it swept through the South. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s first visit to Durham in 1956 came at Michaux's invitation, building on a friendship that would extend until King's untimely death. His early involvement in local civil rights struggles led him to pursue a career in law; he earned his Juris Doctor from N.C. Central in 1964 and was appointed as the Chief Assistant District Attorney for Durham County in 1969.

In 1972, Michaux was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives, becoming just the third African American to hold a seat in the 20th century. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter appointed him to serve as the first African American U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of North Carolina: after a distinguished term of service, he returned to the North Carolina House representing Durham's 31st District. He has served continuously since then, making him the longest-serving member of the North Carolina General Assembly.

Throughout his more than four decades in the legislature, Michaux has been a visionary and effective advocate for equal rights, social justice, and shared prosperity. Nearly every progressive accomplishment of the last few decades--investments in education and worker training, support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, expansions of voting rights and ballot access reforms--have benefited from his guidance and persistence. He served as the Senior Chair of the Appropriations Committee, overseeing numerous vital investments to create opportunities for North Carolina families. He has been a tireless ambassador for his community of Durham, for example by shepherding legislation unifying the city and county school districts through the state House. And he has led efforts to ensure that North Carolina honors its history as an epicenter of the civil rights movement, for example by establishing the Hawkins Brown Museum at Historic Palmer Memorial Institute.

Mickey Michaux has not hesitated to take on difficult causes. My wife Lisa greatly admired his introduction in the early 1990s of legislation designed to keep guns out of the wrong hands; her hope in founding North Carolinians Against Gun Violence was to make his cause a less lonely one.

Lisa and I have known Mickey for the 45 years we have been back in North Carolina. I worked with him as state Democratic chairman and then benefitted from his counsel and encouragement when I decided to seek office myself. He was especially welcoming and helpful when my district was redrawn to include Durham in 1997. I had a lot to learn, and I will always be grateful for Mickey's generosity in easing my way.

Mickey has received countless awards and recognitions for his service, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine earlier this year. He has been a mainstay of numerous bar and real estate associations, the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People, and St. Joseph's AME Church. He is a member of the Black College Alumni Hall of Fame, served as an NCCU Trustee, and was National President of the N.C. Central Alumni Association for three terms. The H. M. Michaux, Jr. School of Education Building at NCCU was dedicated in his honor in 2007.

On behalf of North Carolina's Congressional delegation and my constituents in the Fourth District, I join Mickey's many friends, colleagues, and constituents in thanking him for his commitment and service to the city of Durham and the State of North Carolina. He leaves his community stronger than he found it, better equipped to nurture future generations of conscientious and effective leaders. All North Carolinians are in his debt. We wish him, his wife June, and their family well as he begins the next chapter in his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church, located in the district I represent in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Saint Ambrose was founded in 1868 as a ministry to recently emancipated persons of African ancestry. At its founding, Saint Ambrose Church was the worshiping community associated with Saint Augustine's College. Reverend Jacob Brinton Smith was the first pastor, and the first building was placed on a tract authorized by the North Carolina legislature in downtown Raleigh.

In 1896, under the leadership of Rev. James E. King, St. Ambrose became a free-standing congregation. Shortly thereafter, parishioners moved the entire building one mile, to the corner of South Wilmington and Cabarrus Streets, and renovated the church to include education rooms and a rectory. In the 1950's, under the leadership of Rev. George A. Fisher, the church attained parish status, becoming the first historically African American mission in the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina to do so.

My own ties to St. Ambrose date to the long tenure (1959-98) of a wonderful pastor, Rev. Arthur Calloway, who also served three terms on the Raleigh City Council. Father Calloway oversaw the construction of the church's present facility on Darby Street in 1965 and the addition of an education wing in 1987. He was a civil rights leader, a prophetic voice in the community, and a mentor to many--among whom I am privileged to count myself.

Today, Saint Ambrose continues in this strong tradition of ministry and service, led by an inspiring young pastor, Rev. Robert Jermonde Taylor. He was preceded by Rev. Kimberly Lucas, the first female rector and the first African American woman ordained priest in the diocese.

As we look back at the legacy of Saint Ambrose, we give thanks for the church's positive impact on the lives of countless citizens in Raleigh and the surrounding communities. The congregation has set a powerful example by proclaiming the gospel faithfully and ministering to the community in multiple ways--ranging from tutoring at-risk youth to partnering with Raleigh Urban Ministries, Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, and Partners for Environmental Justice. On behalf of North Carolina's congressional delegation and my constituents in the Fourth District, I am pleased to offer my congratulations to the leaders, congregants, and friends of Saint Ambrose Episcopal Church as they celebrate their 150th Anniversary and look forward to the decades of ministry and service to come.

Mr. Speaker, I want to rise in the wake of the devastation of Hurricane Florence to profoundly thank the bipartisan leadership of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, of the Appropriations Committee, and of the House for working with North Carolina's Governor and with our bipartisan congressional delegation to include $1.68 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funding to help communities in North Carolina, South Carolina, and across the country recover from natural disasters declared in calendar year 2018.

CDBG-DR funding is critical for restoring housing, business, and infrastructure affected by Hurricane Florence. These funds constitute a robust down payment, and I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to complete the job once full estimates are available.

Mr. Speaker, I just want to say it is very, very reassuring--it is heartening--to the people of North Carolina and South Carolina to have this commitment from the Congress of the United States as our long process of recovery begins.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership of Dr. Stephen Scott, President of Wake Technical Community College, as he completes his highly successful tenure at one of our state's truly great educational institutions.

Dr. Scott holds B.A., M.Ed., and Ed.D. degrees from Clemson University. Before coming to Wake Tech, he served as president of Lenoir Community College in Kinston and of Southeastern Community College in Whiteville. From 1999 to 2000, Dr. Scott was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the N.C. Community College System.

Dr. Scott has been an energetic and visionary leader of Wake Tech since 2003, serving as the college's third president. Under Dr. Scott's leadership, Wake Tech became the largest of North Carolina's 58 community colleges, growing from two campuses serving 40,000 students to six campuses serving nearly 75,000 students a day. The opening of Wake Tech's newest campus in Research Triangle Park next month, over which Dr. Scott will be presiding as one of his last acts as president, represents a fitting culmination of this impressive and impactful growth.

Wake Tech's students, faculty, and staff consistently receive recognition among their peers for outstanding achievements, and Dr. Scott has shared in this recognition. In 2008, he was named President of the Year by the NC Board of Community Colleges. He also received the 2009 I.E. Ready award from the N.C. State University Department of Adult and Higher Education and the 2008 Business Leader of the Year Award from Business Leader magazine, among other honors.

One hallmark of Dr. Scott's leadership has been the attraction of competitive grant funding to supplement Wake Tech's operating budget, increasing annual grant funding from minimal levels to more than $11 million during his tenure. Much of this support has come from the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program; as the initiator of this program, I have taken great pride in seeing Wake Tech use these funds for precisely the kinds of innovations in instruction and in institutional partnerships that we envisioned. Wake Tech's grant support has helped create innovative training programs in Business Analytics, Co-Robotics, and Cybersecurity, and has accelerated the process of transformational learning that has made Wake Tech one of the truly great community colleges of America.

Dr. Scott has pioneered a unique management style that has modernized Wake Tech's administration. In 2009, he initiated an award- winning process of continuous improvement at the college called Applied Benchmarking to bring out the best in its faculty and staff. He also created the Scott Scholars Presidential Scholarship Fund, which provides students with an opportunity to pursue studies while participating in leadership development. His commitment to this program is personal: he mentors each Scott Scholar during their time at Wake Tech.

In fact, Dr. Scott brings an effective personal touch to everything he does. He has a great gift for friendship and colleagueship, which in my case has made for a cordial, candid, and supportive relationship through many shared endeavors over the years.

On behalf of North Carolina's congressional delegation and my constituents in the Fourth District, I join Dr. Scott's many friends, colleagues, and students in thanking him for the energy and effort he has dedicated to Wake Tech and congratulating him on a job well done. He leaves the college stronger than he found it, better equipped to nurture future generations of conscientious and effective leaders. For that, all North Carolinians are in his debt. We thank Dr. Stephen Scott for his exemplary service and wish him and his family well as he begins the next chapter in his life.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the leadership of David Fountain, North Carolina President of Duke Energy, as he completes his successful term of service as chair of the Leadership North Carolina Board of Directors.

Leadership North Carolina is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that engages current and emerging leaders from across the state. Its mission is to inform, develop, and engage committed leaders by broadening their understanding of and involvement in issues and opportunities facing the

state. Each year LNC recruits committed individuals interested in learning more about North Carolina and connecting with fellow leaders. Through innovative programming, LNC teaches these engaged citizens about the challenges and opportunities facing North Carolina and offers tools to turn their knowledge into action for the benefit of the state.

David Fountain has been an energetic and visionary chair of LNC's board since 2016, as one might have expected from his successful rise through the ranks at Duke Energy. He holds BA, JD, and MBA degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Morehead-Cain Scholar. He practiced law at McGuire Woods in Raleigh from 1994 to 2000, after which he joined what was then called Carolina Power & Light as associate general counsel. From 2009 to 2012, Mr. Fountain served as general counsel and vice president of Progress Energy Inc. From there, he went on to serve as senior vice president of Enterprise Legal Support at Duke Energy and rose to the role of President in 2015.

David was elected chair of Leadership North Carolina in 2016. He knew and believed in the program as an alumnus and has given it full benefit of his experience and dedication. He has helped position the program for sustainability for years to come and has strengthened its reputation among leaders in business, government, education, and the nonprofit sectors. The measure of a good leader is the legacy he or she leaves behind. Mr. Fountain leaves North Carolina with 1,157 informed and engaged leaders and has challenged them to exercise their influence for the benefit of our state and nation.

I want to join David Fountain's many friends and admirers in thanking him for the time and effort he has dedicated to Leadership North Carolina and to congratulate him for a job well done. He leaves the organization stronger than he found it, better equipped to nurture future generations of conscientious and effective leaders. For that, all North Carolinians are in his debt.

Mr. Speaker, due to adverse weather and numerous flight delays and cancellations in North Carolina, I was unable to vote yesterday during Roll Call 269, the motion to suspend the rules and pass as amended H.R. 5687, the Securing Opioids and Unused Narcotics with Deliberate Disposal and Packaging Act of 2018, as well as Roll Call 270, the motion to suspend the rules and pass as amended H.R. 5676, the Stop Excessive Narcotics in our Retirement Communities Protection Act of 2018.

Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call 269 and Yea on Roll Call 270.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Kenneth Wollack, President of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), who is stepping down after a career in foreign affairs, journalism, and politics that has spanned 46 years.

An Illinois native and graduate of Earlham College, Ken broke into national politics as a member of the national staff of the McGovern presidential campaign in 1972. From 1973 to 1980 he was legislative director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). He then became a co-editor of the Middle East Policy Survey, a Washington- based newsletter, and wrote regularly on foreign affairs for the Los Angeles Times.

Ken joined NDI as executive vice president in 1986 and was elected president by the Institute's board of directors in 1993. He has now led the Institute for more than two-thirds of its history, working on five continents to strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, promote citizen participation, and champion openness and accountability in government.

Through his years of service, Ken has testified before numerous congressional committees and has appeared on national television and radio as a trusted authority on world affairs. He has served on various task forces sponsored by the United States Institute of Peace, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Brookings Institution, the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Center for U.S. Global Engagement, and the Atlantic Council. He currently serves on USAID's Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid, sits on the Commission on Presidential Debates' Board of Directors, and was chairman of the development program of the U.S. Committee for the United Nations.

In a speech given at the 10th Anniversary of Georgetown University's Masters Program in Democracy and Governance Ken reflected, ``I confess to be an incurable optimist who for 32 years has worked in the optimism business.'' His optimism and tireless dedication to promoting and protecting democracy, good governance, and human rights have earned respect and appreciation across the political spectrum in our country and abroad.

I have been honored to work with Ken and the entire team at NDI in implementing this hopeful vision through the bipartisan work of the House Democracy Partnership (HDP). From the time HDP began its work in 2005, NDI and its partner organization within the National Endowment for Democracy, the International Republican Institute (IRI), have been indispensable partners in strengthening legislative institutions in twenty emerging or reemerging democracies--ranging from Indonesia and Kenya to Ukraine, Georgia, Peru, Tunisia, and Sri Lanka. HDP has engaged member-to-member and staff-to-staff, while NDI and IRI have helped us organize workshops and exchange visits and have carried out mentoring and consultation aimed at improved legislative practice day- to-day in our partner countries.

This work simply could not have occurred without steadfast leadership from Ken. We have learned a great deal from him and have been strengthened and sustained by his unfailing support. I will forever be grateful to him.

It is a pleasure, Mr. Speaker, to join with friends and colleagues in commending Ken for his remarkable career and for the commitment he has shown to our country's highest ideals and purposes. In turn, he has enjoyed the steadfast support and love of his wife Leslie, his daughters Lauren and Alison, and his grandson, Cooper.

We thank Ken Wollack for his exemplary service and wish him and his family well as he begins the next chapter in his life.

Mr. Speaker, due to the primary election in my home state of North Carolina, I was unable to vote during Roll Call 167, the motion to suspend the rules and pass as amended H.R. 4910, the Veterans Cemetery Benefit Correction Act, as well as Roll Call 168, the motion to suspend the rules and pass as amended H.R. 4335, the Servicemember Family Burial Act.

Had I been present, I would have voted Yea on Roll Call 167 and Yea on Roll Call 168.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Debra King, the chief executive of Community Alternatives for Supportive Abodes--known simply as ``CASA''--a nonprofit that has developed housing for thousands in the Triangle counties in North Carolina. Debra died on April 14. My staff joins me in this Tribute, for we have long admired and supported her work to ensure decent housing for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.

Born and raised on a small farm in Beulaville, North Carolina in 1959, Debra was the first in her family to earn a college degree, majoring in journalism at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Following graduation, she settled in Raleigh, where she began work as a medical transcriptionist. She soon transitioned into what would become a lifelong passion for non-profit work, beginning as a grant writer for Orange-Person-Chatham Mental Health. One of the first grants she landed was for a housing project to support individuals with mental illnesses, a project that set her on course as a champion for affordable housing.

Soon after, the Wake County Area Mental Health Program launched CASA, seeking to secure housing for people with disabilities and mental health challenges. In 1995, CASA asked Debra to serve as its Director and CEO, overseeing 15 apartments with one other staff member.

CASA's housing model was unique and far-sighted for its time. Rather than housing people with illnesses in group homes or transitional housing, the organization provided permanent, safe, and affordable units with access to public transportation and supportive services as needed. Through 22 years of remarkable social entrepreneurship, Debra helped the non-profit grow to a staff of 27, managing nearly 500 units in Wake, Durham, and Orange counties.

Debra's years at CASA coincided with most of my years working on affordable housing on the House Appropriations Committee. She was masterful at pursuing available funding -picking up on the national mandate, for example, to end veterans' homelessness-and putting together the partnerships to put units on the ground. In the process she taught me and the other elected officials and staff with whom she worked how to make public programs most effective. It was a joy to cut ribbons on completed projects with her, but the spirit of those occasions was always, ``We've got to do more.''

When she was named ``Tar Heel of the Week'' by the Raleigh News & Observer in 2015, Debra declared: ``The greatest gift we can give people is the chance to be who they are . . . Housing is so critical to who we are. If you lack that, how can you be okay?'' She was a stalwart believer and advocate for the ``Housing First'' philosophy, insisting that individuals in crisis will see better outcomes if their basic needs, particularly decent housing, are met from the onset.

Debra's compassion and dedication to her cause, combined with hard work and business acumen, have bettered the lives of many in the greater Raleigh area and have left behind a strong organization-- including many who have learned and drawn inspiration from her--that will continue to serve. We join with Debra's family, her many friends and admirers, and members of the communities she served, in mourning her passing and honoring her life of compassionate leadership and public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of the former president of Shaw University, Dr. Talbert O. Shaw, who passed away in January and will be honored at a memorial service in Raleigh on April 14. Lisa and I extend our condolences to Dr. Shaw's family, friends, and many admirers in the Shaw University community and beyond.

Born in Jamaica as the ninth of ten children, Dr. Shaw began his career as an ordained minister before moving to the United States in the 1950s to pursue higher education. He earned a doctorate in ethics from the University of Chicago and taught religion and ethics there for a decade before being asked to serve as Interim Dean of the Howard University Divinity School. He next became Dean of Arts and Sciences at Morgan State University. In 1987 he was called to serve as President of Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina--the oldest historically black university in the south and the birthplace of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the Civil Rights Movement.

Dr. Shaw served as President for fifteen crucial years in the school's history, from 1987 to 2002. He led successful efforts to reverse the university's financial difficulties, significantly increased the endowment, doubled enrollment, renovated numerous buildings on campus, and constructed what is now called the Talbert O. Shaw Living Learning Center. Dr. Shaw also developed the ``Strides for Excellence: Why Not the Best?'' campaign, a student empowerment and community involvement initiative that helped propel Shaw to the national renown it enjoys today.

I was first elected to Congress at about the same time Dr. Shaw began his tenure at Shaw. Early on, at a time when appropriations earmarks could still be secured for worthy purposes, we collaborated in the restoration of historic Estey Hall, the first structure built for the higher education of African American women in the United States. I developed great respect for him. He took the helm at Shaw when the school's future was highly uncertain, and by virtue of his remarkable vision, dedication, and the credibility he earned, enlisted many partners in bringing the school to health and charting a positive future course.

Dr. Shaw's dedication and leadership also extended to the broader Raleigh community. He engaged with local organizations such as Rotary International and the Chamber of Commerce. He renovated Shaw's chapel with the help of local Baptist churches and strengthened ties with the General Baptist State Convention. He had a serious demeanor, which reflected his steady sense of purpose, but that was combined with a personal warmth and a gift for collaboration and colleagueship--all in all, rare qualities of leadership.

On behalf of my constituents and other North Carolinians, I join with Dr. Shaw's family, his many friends and admirers, and members of the communities he served in mourning his passing and giving thanks for his exemplary life of leadership and public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Millie Dunn Veasey, a World War II veteran, civil rights pioneer, and community leader, who passed away this past Friday at the age of 100. My wife Lisa and I extend condolences to her family and her extensive network of friends and admirers as we celebrate her remarkable life.

Born and raised in Raleigh as one of six children, Millie graduated from Washington High School in 1942 and enlisted in the ``six-triple- eight'' battalion, the only all-female and all-black battalion to serve overseas during World War II. She was stationed in England for four months before transferring to France where she served as a supply officer, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant. At the end of the war in 1945, she was selected for Officer Candidate School, but decided instead to continue her education.

Millie returned to Raleigh to attend Saint Augustine's College on the G.I. Bill. She graduated in 1953 with a degree in business administration and later obtained a master's degree at N.C. Central University. She taught business education and eighth grade English for four years in Matthews, Virginia, before returning to Raleigh to serve as secretary to then-President of Saint Augustine's College, James Boyer.

In addition to her secretarial duties, Millie joined the NAACP and eventually became the first African American female president of the Wake County chapter. In that role, she came to know and work with local and national civil rights leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Thurgood Marshall and hosted Dr. King for his 1966 visit to Raleigh. In addition to her work in the NAACP, she served in leadership roles in her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, and was active in the National Federation of Democratic Women and the American Legion. She and her husband, Warren Veasey, had two children, Juanita and Warren, Jr.

Mrs. Veasey retired from St. Augustine's in 1986 as director of career planning and placement. She continued to serve her community by teaching Sunday school at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church and was a mainstay of the Raleigh veterans' community. I have fond memories of visiting with her at community events around Veterans' Day. ``It's something about the group,'' she said of her fellow veterans. ``Regardless of where you are, there is a bond there that one can never break.''

In an interview in the Raleigh News & Observer, Mrs. Veasey offered sage advice for living a meaningful life: ``Keep busy and do something for somebody.'' She exemplified this maxim through her decades of dedicated service and effective leadership, inspiring many to follow in her path. We join with Mrs. Veasey's family, her many friends and admirers, and members of the communities she served, in mourning her passing and honoring her extraordinary life of leadership and service.