Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much. I rise today to

honor Congressman Ralph Hall, who is the dean of our Texas congressional delegation, and a lifelong public servant from the State of Texas.

I don't know that I have a better friend in this body than Ralph Hall, and our relationship goes all the way back to the Texas Legislature.

When I first went to the Texas House back in 1972, he was a part of the senate. And I still have a little penny that is encircled in a little silver band that says, Ralph Hall of Rockwall. And I've always kept it as something special because he is a very special person to me.

When he switched parties in 2004, and I've said this before, I tried to call him several times and I didn't get a response. So I finally said, just, I want to leave this message; tell him I still love him. In 30 seconds, he called me back. And I really meant that. I meant it then; I mean it now, because party has never been anything that separated friendship, and he's a perfect example of that.

His sense of humor has been so useful on the committee that often it's used to make witnesses more comfortable or to break some of the partisan bickering.

But whatever, he's unique in this body. If we had more Ralph Halls, we wouldn't have the rating that we have today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Congressman Ralph Hall, Dean of the Texas Congressional delegation and a life-long public servant from my State of Texas.

Ralph Hall is often quoted, saying ``I'd rather be respected at home than liked in Washington.'' I do both. I have tremendous respect for him as my Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology and he is a true friend back home in North Texas. Ralph Hall in many ways has been able to transcend the extreme partisan climate which exists in Washington today with his keen political acumen and candid sense of humor.

Through our shared experiences in the Texas legislature and on the Science Committee, I have learned that Ralph enjoys a good joke and that I should not try to match him in storytelling. Ralph uses humor to diffuse tensions in a room. I have seen him use it to do everything from stopping partisan bickering to easing a witness's nerves. It's a real skill and I have truly appreciated it over the years.

You may recall back in January of 2004 after serving 12 terms as a Democrat, Ralph Hall decided to run as a Republican. I was the first Democrat to call Ralph when he switched parties. As soon as I heard this news I attempted to call him at his office, however I was unable to get in touch. After a few more attempts, I left a message saying, ``just tell him that I still love him.'' He called me right back, and said he was so happy to hear my message because his wife was mad at him. Some said she actually had him sleeping on the couch. He knew several of his Democratic friends would be upset with him.

Our districts are practically right next to each other and we had been friends for years. I wanted him to know that I certainly didn't agree with the switch, but that we would always be friends, and I meant it.

It has been an honor to be his friend and colleague all of these years. Ralph Hall continues to inspire and encourage us all through his milestone of service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Ralph Hall for his many accomplishments as an exceptional politician, civic leader, businessman and shining example of the American dream.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the life of Mrs. Nancy Penn Penson, a longtime lover of the arts and an acclaimed tennis player. Mrs. Penson, a Dallas native, passed away on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at the age of 88. Mrs. Penson is survived by her husband Lieutenant John G. Penson, three daughters, Annie Vreeland, Suki Jarzemsky, and Read Gendler, and five grandchildren.

Mrs. Penson was highly respected and well known throughout the Dallas community. She graduated with a Degree in Classics from Wellesley College in 1945. Her love for the arts was ignited at an early age when her mother would take her to the symphony. Mrs. Penson held numerous leadership positions such as co-founder of the Dallas Tennis Association, President of the Junior League, and board member of the Dallas Bach Society, the New Dallas Conservatory, and the Southern Methodist University Meadows School of Arts.

In addition to her passion for the arts and her many philanthropic efforts, Mrs. Penson was an accomplished tennis player. She was nationally ranked #1 in Senior Women's Tennis and was inducted into the Texas Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002.

Mr. Speaker, I am saddened to lose such an integral member of the Dallas community. Her selfless contributions to arts and charity groups have touched the lives of many. While the Dallas community will certainly miss Mrs. Penson, her memory will live on in the hearts and minds of those whose lives she has touched over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of former First Lady, Mrs. Claudia Alta ``Lady Bird'' Johnson. Mrs. Johnson, wife of President Lyndon Baines Johnson, was known for her prominent role in public service, and for her lifelong efforts to beautify public places across the country.

As First Lady, Mrs. Johnson promoted the conservation and beautification of our public lands. She believed that by making these civic improvements, we could help pay tribute to our great country. One of Mrs. Johnson's greatest rehabilitation efforts took place right here in Washington, DC, where she oversaw the planting of thousands of flowers throughout our Nation's capital.

Driving from her home in Texas to Washington, DC, Mrs. Johnson expressed concern with the uninviting appearance of our Nation's Interstate highways. Ultimately, President Johnson signed the ``Highway Beautification Act'' into law in 1965, enhancing the scenic views of our highways and byways. In 1999, when Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt presented Mrs. Johnson with the Native Plant Conservation Initiative Lifetime Achievement Award, he noted that the First Lady had been a shadow Secretary of the Interior for much of her life. Today, we continue to enjoy the benefits of the First Lady's efforts to beautify our roads and highways.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate the centennial of Mrs. Johnson's birth, we hold in great regard the value of these national improvements by preserving the beauty of our lands--through constant revitalization and conservation. We have Mrs. Johnson's unifying grace to thank for her contributions to the American landscape, and I am pleased to recognize these lasting contributions by the former First Lady from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Craig Anthony Washington, an accomplished attorney and elected official from Houston, Texas. Mr. Washington is being inducted into the State Bar of Texas Legal Legends Project this month for his exemplary contributions to the legal profession and the pursuit of equal justice under the law.

The Texas Legal Legends Project recognizes exceptional lawyers who have worked to uphold the integrity of the courts, and to honor those who have exceeded their professional obligations to ensure fair and thorough advocacy. Mr. Washington has been tireless in his efforts to defend those without a voice in our legal system by challenging discriminatory practices.

Craig Washington was born in Longview, Texas. He grew up in Houston and, after high school, enrolled in Prairie View A&M University at the age of 16 with the high hopes of becoming a dentist. Mr. Washington had charisma and determination even at a young age, and he managed to convince the dean into accepting him into the law school program with future plans to transfer into dentistry. Instead, his passion for law dominated his academic career. Four years later, he would graduate with honors and become the assistant dean and an assistant professor of law at his alma mater.

Mr. Washington's tenure as a legislator, first in the Texas House, the Texas Senate, and then in the U.S. House of Representatives, was distinguished by this same unwavering devotion to the underserved and his constituents. He was known and respected for his expert knowledge of criminal law throughout his public service in the Texas House, Texas Senate and in the U.S. Congress. As a lawmaker, he proved to be a commanding orator and political strategist, and no legislation regarding the criminal justice system was passed without his review and expert analysis.

Mr. Speaker, it is rare to find an individual who is both passionate about affecting positive social change and improving the lives of so many. He is a tremendous criminal defense lawyer as well as an American analytical genius, and I stand today on this floor where he stood many years ago to salute Mr. Washington. I am proud to call him my friend.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of H.R. 4158, to confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to artifacts from the astronauts' space missions, and I thank the leadership of Mr. Hall and all of the cosponsors.

This is a necessary bill which will protect our iconic early astronauts from needless harassment. This bill will ensure that any U.S. astronaut who participated in the historic Mercury, Gemini, or the Apollo programs will be able to keep the space artifacts which are still in their possession from those missions.

At the time of these missions, it was accepted practice that astronauts could keep expendable equipment like checklists and hygiene kits as mementos of their missions. However, this was an informal policy, and those astronauts lacked paperwork establishing ownership over these items.

This bill will protect those astronauts from any claims made by the Federal Government regarding any of these artifacts. Further, the bill protects our national interest by ensuring that any lunar rocks or other lunar material remain property of the United States.

While I do support this bill and its passage today, I would be remiss if I didn't express my concern about a possible omission. This bill does not cover any of the shuttle-era astronauts. The first American woman in space and the first African American in space were both exclusively shuttle-era astronauts, and there were many other notable astronauts during this era.

I think these astronauts are no less national heroes than the Apollo- era astronauts and also no less deserving of that protection.

Now, I understand this is a more difficult issue since NASA has not been able to identify when its own internal policies changed regarding astronaut artifacts. But I do think we need to figure that out and then address those astronauts' situation as soon as possible.

I do want to thank Mr. Hall for his leadership and for working with all of us on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I think we can all agree that federal agencies need to be wise and judicious in their use of travel funds, and that past abuses, while very much the exception, were a wake-up call for us to exercise stricter oversight of taxpayer dollars. The Administration itself, through the Office of Management and Budget, OMB, has also sought to curb these abuses by instituting new travel caps and new reporting requirements on all agency travel and I applaud them for taking this seriously.

On the face of it, OMB's directives seem reasonable to most of us, although there is room for debate even here. The scientific community, which includes tens of thousands of federal scientists at agencies such as the Department of Energy and NASA, depend on face-to-face interaction through conferences and workshops to foster innovation and launch new scientific directions. The community, therefore, is rightfully concerned about the unintended consequences of these restrictions stifling innovation and stunting economic growth by preventing federal scientists from participating fully in scientific exchanges with their fellow scientists and engineers from across the country and the world. So I hope OMB follows closely the impact of their own rules as they are implemented.

Today, however, I speak to the shockingly onerous requirements in H.R. 4631. While OMB's new directives have a $100,000 trigger for reporting on any given conference, in this bill, there is no trigger for the excessive laundry list of reporting requirements. And to be sure we understand each other, a conference is defined in this bill as ``a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium, or event to which an employee travels 25 miles or more to attend, that is held for consultation, education, discussion, or training; and is not held entirely at a Government facility.'' Imagine, then, the very real and very common situation in which a USGS scientist in Reston travels by personal vehicle to a meeting about earthquakes with other agency and non- federal scientists at a non-governmental site such as the American Geophysical Union headquarters in DC. That USGS scientist is entitled to reimbursement for fuel mileage for that trip. Are we really going to pay that scientist and other agency staff to do a complete cost-benefit analysis and meet all of the other reporting requirements in this bill over a $30 expense? It seems to me that the additional bureaucratic resources necessary to meet this requirement will require far more than a $30 reimbursement for gas.

Colleagues, I cannot imagine a more inefficient, bureaucratic, wasteful system than the one set up in this bill. If the goal is to make it so hard for any agency scientist to travel anywhere, anytime, for any purpose, then mission accomplished. But let us not underestimate the consequences this will have on the free and open exchange of scientific and technical knowledge and understanding between federal and non-federal scientists and for the innovation and economic benefits that follow. Nor let us underestimate the consequences this has for the ability of science agencies such as the National Science Foundation to conduct proper oversight of the several billion dollars in grants it awards to university scientists and engineers, because this bill also applies to program managers.

I urge my colleagues on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to address these concerns as the bill moves forward.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of S. 3245, which reauthorizes the EB-5 Regional Center Program. S. 3245 is the type of commonsense legislation we need to put Americans back to work and rebuild our Nation's fragile economy. The EB-5 program, which creates jobs at no cost to taxpayers, has already created more than 25,000 jobs, and is projected to create more than 100,000 jobs per year once the program is fully implemented. With unemployment rates just above eight percent, we cannot afford to pass on this opportunity to innovate and invest in America.

It takes a coordinated effort by both government and the private sector to create jobs and rein in high unemployment rates. I am proud to report that the City of Dallas serves as a shining example that the E-B program works. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings and the Civitas Capital Group, the City of Dallas Regional Center has attracted more than $120 million in capital from foreign investors, which has funded projects such as affordable assisted-living facilities and building renovation initiatives.

The Democratic Members of Congress have consistently demonstrated their commitment to creating job opportunities here at home. I am encouraged to see that my Republican colleagues have put partisan politics aside and

have joined Democrats in our efforts to put Americans back to work. Reauthorization of the EB-5 program is just one step we can take to bolster our economy, and I hope to see increased bipartisan efforts to keep job-creating investments in the United States.

Thank you very much, Mr. Lipinski, for reserving this hour.

And thank you, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to speak in honor of a very cherished colleague and a dear friend in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Congressman Jerry Costello, after 24 years of dedicated service, is retiring, and that is a very tall order for me to accept because I have served with him on both of his major committees from the time I came to Congress 20 years ago; and he appears to be, starting this term, a part of a vanishing breed of people who came here to work across the aisles.

When I think of Jimmy Duncan, when I think of Mr. Young of Alaska, when I think of Ray LaHood, I think of the camaraderie that we have shared on the committees working together to get things done. And I look up and many of them are leaving. It's so unfortunate that we're losing such a stellar example of the commitment needed to be an effective public servant.

He began his public service at an early age, working in law enforcement while attending college. He has built his career on bipartisanship and dependability and has always kept the needs of his constituents and the American people foremost in his mind and close to his heart.

Congressman Costello is a devoted family man who treasures his wife, Georgia, and their three children and eight grandchildren. And I have shared with Georgia and Lynn, Jimmy Duncan's wife, trips around the world where we became almost like family.

His companion has given the Congressman a unique perspective, making him much more effective as a Member of Congress.

I remember one time we went on a trip, and at the last minute, Georgia couldn't go and we ended up being seatmates all the way. And he said at the end, I enjoyed you being my seatmate, but you'll never be Georgia. And he was right.

I've had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Congressman Costello on both the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, and Science, Space and Technology. As a matter of fact, I would not be ranking member had he chosen to use his seniority to become the ranking member of Science, Space and Technology.

He's an effective legislator and has shown an unwavering commitment to furthering scientific research and building our Nation's infrastructure. Having served both as chairman and ranking member on the Aviation Subcommittee with Congressman Petri from Wisconsin, just like two brothers, they have been guests in my district where we did work together on a very bipartisan basis to improve the safety and innovation of the aviation industry.

Mr. Speaker, the bonds that we form with our fellow colleagues in Congress are unlike anything else. You become closer in friendship, and you begin to see people as individuals. This last 2 years, however, has not been the example that I lived with 18 years before that.

Congressman Costello and I developed, over the years, a very special relationship. The House of Representatives is losing a distinguished colleague and one of those from the old guard that we call the bipartisan focus on business people.

I have immense respect for Congressman Costello, and I will miss him dearly. I wish him well, and I wish his family the best in future endeavors. And I do hope that this is not the last of a vanishing breed of the persons who came here to work to get things done and not be so partisan.

I really will miss the camaraderie that we shared with Jimmy Duncan, Don Young, Ray LaHood--all the people who can see beyond partisanship.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a cherished colleague and dear friend in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Jerry Costello. After more than twenty- three years of dedicated public service, Congressman Costello will be retiring from the U.S. Congress. Congressman Costello is a true statesman, and he will be sorely missed.

Congressman Costello is a stellar example of the commitment needed to be an effective public servant. He began his public service at an early age, working in law enforcement while attending college. He has built his career on bipartisanship and dependability, and has always kept the needs of his constituents and the American people foremost in his mind and close to his heart. Congressman Costello is a devoted family man, who treasures his wife, Georgia, their three children, and eight grandchildren. His compassion has given Congressman Costello a unique perspective, making him that much more effective as a Member of Congress.

I have had the distinct pleasure of working closely with Congressman Costello on both the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Science, Space, and Technology. He is an effective legislator, and has shown an unwavering commitment to furthering scientific research and building our Nation's infrastructure. Having served both as Chairman and Ranking Member on the Aviation Subcommittee, Congressman Costello continues to work with his colleagues on a bipartisan basis to improve the safety and innovation of the aviation industry.

Mr. Speaker, the bonds that we form with our fellow colleagues in Congress are unlike anything else, and the friendship Congressman Costello and I have developed over the years is very special to me. The House of Representatives is losing a distinguished colleague, and the constituents of the 12th District of Illinois are losing a loyal advocate. I have immense respect for Congressman Costello. I will miss him dearly, and I wish him and his family all the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jason Roberts, a White House ``Champion of Change'' from Oak Cliff, Texas. This week, the White House honored Mr. Roberts and other leaders from across the U.S. for their ground-breaking initiatives to enhance their communities.

Mr. Roberts' leadership has been exemplary in his initiatives to improve local areas, and revitalize communities in South Dallas. As founder of the Oak Cliff Transit Authority, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reclaiming Oak Cliff's past distinction, Mr. Roberts worked to revive and modernize the Dallas streetcar system. Through hard work and ingenuity, Mr. Roberts led the city's effort to obtain a $23 million TIGER grant from the Federal Transit Administration for their revitalization efforts.

Mr. Roberts' ``Better Blocks'' project reclaims blighted areas, converting vacant properties into temporary walk-friendly districts, complete with pop-up businesses, bike lanes, cafe seating, and landscaping. Mr. Roberts' efforts have been so successful in South Dallas that over 20 U.S. cities have taken steps to enhance neighborhoods in the same fashion based on his work. Mr. Roberts' ``Better Blocks'' project has even gained international recognition, and has since been featured in the New York Times, TED Talks, and on

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the civic and cultural contributions of Mr. Phil Whitfield, a fellow Texan who currently serves as curator for the art collection featured at Cowboys Stadium.

Since growing up in Oak Cliff, Texas, Mr. Whitfield's loyalty to the Dallas Cowboys was inherent, and remains steadfast to this day. He grew up cheering on the Cowboys when their games were at the Cotton Bowl. In 1993, Mr. Whitfield began working as a security guard at Texas Stadium, which served as the home field of the Dallas Cowboys from 1971 to 2008. Mr. Whitfield remained in this position until he was hired to work at the new Cowboys Stadium to oversee the stadium's extensive art collection.

Cowboys Stadium currently features 19 pieces of contemporary art, and Mr. Whitfield works with each artist to create beautiful installations. His passion and appreciation for art comes second only to his devotion to the Cowboys. Mr. Whitfield devotes considerable time and effort to each individual work of art and its respective creator. Today, Cowboys Stadium boasts artistic diversity which millions of fans have long since enjoyed.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to recognize Mr. Whitfield's contributions to Texas' beloved Cowboys Stadium. Cowboys fans from all over appreciate how the stadium's collection is being highlighted and maintained by a loyal fan such as Mr. Phil Whitfield.

Madam Chair, I rise in reluctant opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Manzullo. I say reluctant, because although I am opposed to this particular amendment, I very much support the idea of ensuring that our agencies in the Federal government utilize the best available science when engaged in their activities. On its face, that would appear to be the subject of this amendment. However, the language in this amendment goes further than that, and its broad reach troubles me for several reasons.

Under this amendment, all Federal agencies would have to adopt guidelines on scientific integrity and have those guidelines approved by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, ``OSTP''. Agencies could not make policy decisions unless the OSTP Director has approved their guidelines. In addition, subsection (d) of the amendment states that

any policy decisions an agency makes which do not comply with the approved guidelines ``shall be deemed to be arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and otherwise not in accordance with law.''

I am very concerned that the language in this amendment could give rise to a new cause of action against Federal agencies in their regulatory process. A longstanding principle of regulatory law is that agencies must show that their regulatory actions are not ``arbitrary and capricious'' or courts will overturn those actions. This amendment creates a new and separate cause of action against regulatory agencies who veer from their guidelines in the formulation of a regulation. This is an unnecessary addition to the legal weaponry available to challenge agency regulations since the current law already provides that agencies are prohibited from making ``arbitrary and capricious'' regulatory decisions. I do not understand why we would purposely increase our courts' load of regulatory litigation for no discernible substantive benefit.

Furthermore, the amendment does not limit these restrictions to regulatory actions. All ``policy decisions,'' specifically including ``agency guidance,'' are subject to this requirement. ``Agency guidance'' could include the posting of information on an agency website or the issuance of disaster warnings. It is troubling that we would potentially be creating a new legal cause of action against agencies for putting agency guidance on their websites. It's even more troubling that we would prohibit agencies from making disaster warnings until those agencies' scientific integrity guidelines are approved by the Director of OSTP.

Clearly, these new impositions on the Federal agencies are not without cost. However, what is the real benefit here? Early on, the Obama administration issued an order to all Federal agencies to adopt scientific integrity policies. OSTP oversaw this process, and Federal agencies now have scientific integrity policies in place. What additional benefit does this amendment provide over what the administration has already completed? Moreover, the Federal government already has well established procedures in place to ensure Federal regulations are only issued after careful review of the scientific evidence. It's hard to imagine this amendment provides any benefits to this process that would outweigh the dangers and costs I just identified.

Finally, I want to express my discomfort with placing the OSTP and the President's science advisor in a regulatory oversight role. The President of the United States needs sound scientific advice from a trusted and competent advisor. OSTP was created to provide that advice to the President. This is an office that has typically maintained bipartisan support over the years. I would hate for that support to erode because we've placed inappropriate responsibilities on that office. I would also note that OSTP's annual budget is relatively modest and the office is already stretched thin carrying out its current duties. This amendment provides no funding for the newly mandated duties, and it is unclear how OSTP is supposed to fund these new responsibilities.

I do think it is important that the Federal government use the best available science when it does its work. Unfortunately, for the reasons I've outlined, I don't think this amendment is the way to achieve that goal, and I must oppose the amendment.

Mr. Speaker, it has now been nearly three months since the Senate passed its comprehensive postal reform legislation in an effort to address the mounting financial woes of the United States Postal Service. The 21st Century Postal Service Act, as it is known, would allow the USPS to address the growing demands of a modem age of technology, and grant the agency the authority it needs to avoid insolvency without unnecessary cuts to labor.

Yet, the Republican-controlled House still refuses to consider the Senate bill despite this very serious threat to millions of businesses and residential neighborhoods across the country. The Postal Service processed over 167 billion mail pieces in 2011 alone. Further, there are nearly 8.4 million jobs and over $1 trillion in revenue attributed to the mailing industry. Sitting back idly, or blindly mandating drastic and indiscriminate cuts to essential services, will cause immeasurable harm to our economic recovery.

That is why I have joined my Democratic colleagues in cosponsoring sensible reform in Congress to bolster the Postal Service's operations, and to clear the path for thoughtful ways to restore the USPS to its former prosperity. When there is so much at stake, this is simply not a time to politicize these issues. Sadly, that is what my Republican colleagues in Congress are doing, and that is the cause of this delay.

Mr. Speaker, the Postal Service is an American institution that unites our Nation and provides reliable and inexpensive services to businesses and residents alike. We must recognize the Postal Service as the American institution that it is, and act swiftly and appropriately to address this issue while there is still time.

Mr. Speaker, there is an unprecedented effort by the GOP to deprive millions of Americans of their right to vote. Proponents of these efforts to suppress the electorate continue to grossly exaggerate the threat of voter fraud, in hopes of excluding select groups of eligible voters from the polls, and thus swaying the election in their favor.

In 2002, President Bush launched an aggressive 5-year campaign to crack down on voter fraud. The end result was a mere 86 convictions out of the 122 million people who voted during the 2004 Presidential election. There is no evidence to suggest that these facts have changed, and certainly not to the degree in which it is being touted by the Republicans. It is clear that the only reason why overly burdensome voter laws are being adopted is to exclude the elderly, our youth, minorities, and the poor from casting their ballots.

Nationally, an estimated 21 million American citizens do not possess a government-issued photo ID. Under these restrictive laws, that is potentially 21 million Americans who will be excluded from the democratic process. In states like Texas, where millions of individuals live in rural areas and without easy access to ID-issuing offices, the costs are even higher. Millions more stand to be excluded, as voter suppression continues far beyond requiring specific forms of identification.

Mr. Speaker, we must prevent these regressive policies from becoming law if we are to preserve the integrity of the electoral process for all Americans. Fourteen states have already passed restrictive voting laws. This deceptive practice has already gone too far, and I refuse to allow history to repeat itself in what is a direct attack on our democracy, and the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Robert Earl Price, Sr., the late pastor of the New Mount Zion Baptist Church of Dallas. Dr. Price dedicated more than 42 years of his life to his congregation before he passed away at the age of 80.

Dr. Price was born in Smithville, Texas, where he grew up working with local pastors in spreading their ministry. Dr. Price later settled in Dallas with his wife, and went on to have three children, whom he loved tremendously. While he was devoted primarily to his church, Dr. Price spent time with a number of groups such as the NAACP and Dallas Museum of Art, contributing to the betterment of his community.

Dr. Price was a vibrant leader who was well respected within the church and Dallas, and credited with expanding the church's services and bolstering their ranks. The New Mount Zion Baptist Church grew to be a pillar of the community under the leadership and direction of Dr. Price. The church now houses a robust food bank, a day care that now serves nearly 110 families, and a credit union for local residents. Dr. Price provided spiritual guidance and inspired his congregants to strive to bring about positive social change.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Price led with the utmost integrity in his work. He prided himself on his faith, and others often looked to Dr. Price for spiritual guidance. It comes as a great loss to the community to hear of his passing, however his invaluable contributions have gone far from unnoticed. I hope his friends, loved ones, and congregants can take comfort in the good he did.

Mr. Speaker, every citizen deserves an equal opportunity to make it in America. Last week, I, along with Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and other members of the Democratic Caucus unveiled a plan to jump-start growth in the United States manufacturing industry and support job creation that we so desperately need.

My bill, the Advancing Innovative Manufacturing Act of 2012, makes investments to spur innovation and increase the competitiveness of American manufacturers.

In order for America to make it, we need to maintain the capacity to manufacture new and innovative products right here at home in America. The Make It In America agenda will do just that.

Mr. Speaker, I would say: Let all of us face and focus on our responsibility to America's business and press ahead to make it all in America.