Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Johnnie Bampfield James who turns 90 years old this month.

Born Johnnie Elizabeth Watts, on February 25, 1920, in Fairfax, S.C., to the Rev. John Quincy Watts and Estella English Watts, Mrs. James was one of thirteen children. She remembers walking with her brothers about 2 miles to attend the Huspah School, a two-room school located on the grounds of the local church. Her basketball uniform is currently displayed at the ``Old Colored School'', which has been formally certified as a historical landmark in South Carolina.

In 1937, she attended South Carolina State University for a semester, met and married James Howard Bampfield, from Yemassee, SC. She left school, began a family, and moved to Beaufort, S.C. Her daughter, Ethel was born in 1940. Joining her husband in New York City, she worked as a domestic until she returned home to Hampton, S.C. and gave birth to her daughter, Gwen, in 1951.

She began substitute teaching and was encouraged to return to school to complete her college education with a promise of a job when she graduated. She attended Claflin College graduating in 1957 and began a teaching career in Dale-Lobeca, S.C. (Beaufort area) where she taught 1st grade. When an opening became available at home, she joined the staff at the Hampton Colored School.

In 1958 Ms. Johnnie returned to New York and joined her husband in Brooklyn where she began a near twenty year dedicated career of working with at-risk children at the Spofford Juvenile Detention Center, Bronx, N.Y. As a ``dorm mother'' Ms. Johnnie gained the respect, admiration and love of hundreds of young girls as they passed through the juvenile justice system. On more than one occasion she requested special permission to take a young girl home with her, and in one such instance became a foster parent for a youth who had no family resources. Cutting across ethnic, racial and religious differences, Mrs. James, a skilled seamstress, was a mentor for the girls sharing her talent for arts and crafts and design and decorating. She was also a supportive and reliable employee always demonstrating awareness and consideration of others. In 1965 her adopted daughter Barbara J. Lee joined the family.

In 1976 she retired from service in New York and returned to her hometown of Hampton, South Carolina, the same year of her husband's death.

In 1978, she married the late Deacon Felder James. Ms. Johnnie joined the Huspah Missionary Baptist Church at an early age and has been a faithful member and a Deaconess for more than 30 years. Ms. Johnnie continues to enjoy her arts and crafts, volunteering at the Council on Aging Center in Hampton. Her cooking ministry provides infamous Sunday fellowship dinners for all who come.

She is a member of the Eastern Star-Glad Tidings Chapter, an active member of the Brother & Sister Benevolent Society. She is a mother of two daughters, one adopted daughter, one stepson, six grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mrs. Johnnie Bampfield James who turns 90 this month and I encourage my colleagues to join me in this effort and celebration.

I would like to thank the gentlewoman from California, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, for her leadership.

Of course I know that the time is running out, but I really wanted to take at least a minute to thank some people that I know have worked real hard to do whatever they could do to relieve in terms of every way to create an atmosphere and climate to get people involved in helping the people of Haiti. Gregory Jackson, who heads the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn, New York, has been very involved in terms of collecting all kinds of items. Vivian Bright, who heads the women's caucus, she has been collecting things to send to Haiti. And of course I want to salute them.

And then I want to thank Dealmed. Dealmed has put together all kinds of medical supplies. And of course I want to thank Warren Cohn for taking them down. And of course I want to thank the Bedford-Stuyvesant ambulance service, who went to Haiti right away and were able to save lives. And of course not only that, they were able to deliver babies and all of that. So I just want to thank them for their work, and to encourage them to continue.

Let me just say that there are 125,000 people from Haiti that live in New York. And we are not going to forget Haiti. We are going to make certain, the Congressional Black Caucus has indicated over and over, that we are going to be there.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4495) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 North Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, as the ``Jim Kolbe Post Office''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and to extend their remarks.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present H.R. 4495 for consideration. This legislation will designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 100 North Taylor Lane in Patagonia, Arizona, as the Jim Kolbe Post Office. Introduced by my colleague, Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona, on January 21, 2010, and reported out of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee on January 27, 2010, by unanimous consent, H.R. 4495 enjoys the support of the entire Arizona House delegation.

Born on June 28, 1942, in Evanston, Illinois, United States Navy veteran and former Congressman Jim Kolbe began his public service and political career serving as a United States Senate page for Barry Goldwater and graduating from the United States Capitol Page School in 1960. In 1976, Kolbe ran for the Arizona State Senate and served three terms in that body. In 1985 Mr. Kolbe was sworn in to Congress, becoming the first Republican to represent southern Arizona in the House. During his 22 years in office, Mr. Kolbe served as the chair of the Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs of the House Appropriations Committee for his last 6 years in Congress. For four years, he was chairman of the Treasury, Post Office and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mr. Kolbe decided not to run for re-election in 2006 and now serves as a senior Trans-Atlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund advising on trade matters. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the College of Business at the University of Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, let us honor former Congressman Kolbe through the passage of this resolution and by designating the North Taylor Lane Post Office in honor of Congressman Kolbe. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.

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

In closing, again, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Jim Kolbe through the passage of H.R. 4495, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 957) honoring Jimmie Johnson, 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am proud to present House Resolution 957 for consideration.

This resolution honors Jimmie Kenneth Johnson and the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet team for winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

H. Res. 957 was introduced by my colleague, Representative Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, on December 8, 2009, and favorably reported out of the House Oversight Committee by a voice vote on January 27, 2010. In addition, H. Res. 957 enjoys the support of more than 60 Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, this resolution congratulates Jimmie Johnson for winning a historic fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. By winning the 2009 championship, Mr. Johnson becomes the first driver in history to win the Sprint Cup Championship four consecutive times, breaking Cale Yarborough's previous record of three straight championships.

In true American fashion, Mr. Johnson, a native of El Cajon, California, and a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, rose from humble roots to the pinnacle of the NASCAR world. This year Mr. Johnson accomplished something no other driver in NASCAR history has accomplished. Not only has he won the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup Championships but has done so with unwavering poise, class, and humility.

To put Mr. Johnson's unprecedented achievement in context, only NASCAR legends Lee Petty, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Jeff Gordon have won more than two NASCAR Sprint Cup Championships in their career. Furthermore, Mr. Johnson's most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup series championship ties him with teammate Jeff Gordon on the list of all-time champions.

Mr. Speaker, I would be remiss if I failed to take this opportunity to also congratulate all of the people who helped Mr. Johnson, of course, win. Mr. Johnson's success would not have been possible without the help of crew chief Chad Knaus, team owner Rick Hendrick, and, of course, car owner and racing legend Jeff Gordon, and the countless other team members who helped Mr. Johnson win the last four NASCAR Sprint Cup Championships.

Beyond his impressive accomplishments on the race track, Mr. Johnson has never forgotten his humble beginnings and continues to give back to the community, and I think that is so important.

In 2006, Mr. Johnson and his wife, Chandra, founded the Jimmie Johnson Foundation, which is dedicated to assisting children, families, and communities in need throughout the United States. The foundation helps build places to play and places to live, saves lives through blood collection and adding individuals to the National Bone Marrow Program registry, and helps grant the wishes of children and adults who are in need. Since its inception nearly 4 years ago, the Jimmie Johnson Foundation has contributed more than $2 million to various organizations.

Mr. Speaker, for his racing accomplishments and his charitable efforts, let us, as a body, take this opportunity to congratulate Jimmie Johnson, the Associated Press Male Athlete of 2009, and of course the Lowe's Chevrolet team, for winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 957. And I say to the gentleman from North Carolina, this is a great thing. And, of course, sometimes we do not pay tribute to people that need to have tribute paid to them, but this is a person that has accomplished great things, and I am happy my colleague (Mr. McHenry) has recommended that we recognize this effort.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I encourage my friends on both sides of the aisle to join me in congratulating Jimmie Johnson and the Lowe's Chevrolet team on the impressive accomplishment through the passage of House Resolution 957, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1014) recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of North American Inclusion Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and to extend their remarks.

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, I am pleased to present H. Res. 1014 for consideration. This resolution draws public attention to the need for inclusion of individuals with disabilities into the greater community.

I introduced H. Res. 1014 on January 13, 2010, and the measure was favorably reported out of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by unanimous consent on January 27, 2010. I am proud to say that the measure has bipartisan support from 59 Members of Congress.

Mr. Speaker, one in every five Americans has some form of disability. They face great difficulty in everyday life and significant disadvantages in education and employment. Men and women around the country work hard in areas like special education, job training, rehabilitation, and other efforts to address the needs of individuals with disabilities, and we can all be very proud of their work. But we should be sure to remember that individuals with disabilities still face a great deal of hardship.

These are our friends, our neighbors, and our family members and, of course, many, many, many times people that we see on a daily basis. They are our veterans. We must be sure to do our part to include these individuals in all facets of life.

North American Inclusion Month, recognized during the month of February, was first created in 2005, by Yachad, the Hebrew word for ``together,'' the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and its parent organization, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America. I would like to thank these groups for all the hard work they have done to educate people on this important issue, particularly in my district in Brooklyn.

In closing, I would also like to thank the gentleman from California, Congressman Issa, who has worked very closely with me on this issue. And, of course, I really appreciate his involvement and his support to get us where we are today.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1014, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, Martin Luther King said that I cannot be what I ought to be until the world is what it should be. And I think that this legislation really addresses that issue to say that we have to be concerned about others, those who are disabled. And let me again urge my colleagues to join me in calling for the great inclusion of individuals with disabilities by supporting H. Res. 1014.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I introduce a resolution recognizing and supporting the goals and ideals of North American Inclusion Month.

Whereas one in every five Americans struggles with some sort of disability, be it intellectual, physical or otherwise, and the need for inclusion of individuals with disabilities is a family, community and national priority;

Whereas a similar ratio exists in the Jewish community, with over 1 million Jewish individuals living with a form of disability;

Whereas individuals with disabilities face significant disadvantages in educational and employment opportunities;

Whereas 70 percent of individuals with disabilities are unemployed or significantly underemployed;

Whereas special education and related programming do not address underlying needs for appropriate training to lead to greater independence and employment;

Whereas Yachad, the National Jewish Council for Disabilities, and its parent organization, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, is dedicated to addressing the needs of all individuals with disabilities and including them in the Jewish community;

Whereas Yachad provides programming for individuals with disabilities and their families to foster inclusion in communal happenings and assists in placing individuals with disabilities in employment;

Whereas Yachad and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America are cosponsoring North American Inclusion Month in February to increase public awareness of the life circumstances of individuals with disabilities, and the need for increased employment opportunities, better special education and increased inclusion of these individuals on the family, communal and national levels: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes and supports the goals and ideals of North American Inclusion Month.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Michael Norman Haynes, a Brooklyn native.

Mr. Haynes earned his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Northwestern University. He later began a career at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, becoming the first African-American Senior Director of Clearing House Operations there.

Mr. Haynes, in 1990, shifted his career focus from supporting people's financial pursuits to supporting people coping with the HIV/ AIDS pandemic. One of Mr. Haynes' proudest moments as Director of African American Services for Stop AIDS Chicago was when he provided HIV/AIDS prevention education for a Youth Summit at Operation PUSH.

Mr. Haynes continued his quest to serve by moving to Santa Fe to work for a workshop called The Experience that changed his life. This personal growth and empowerment workshop gave him new tools and refined what his tight-knit circle of support (family, extended family and friends) had taught him about ``being'' with people. Santa Fe is also where Mr. Haynes became infected with HIV.

While this might have sidetracked another, it only empowered Mr. Haynes' desire to give back even more. Currently, he works for the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation as an Assistant Director in the Office of Behavioral Health. In this capacity, he has spearheaded innovations in chemical dependency treatment at eleven public hospitals, including Woodhull, Kings County, and Coney Island hospitals. Honored as a Join Together National Leadership Fellow by Boston University's School of Public Health, Mr. Haynes has championed the implementation of cutting edge, research-based practices that effectively led Brooklyn and city-wide residents through chemical dependency treatment and onto the road to recovery.

These contributions to the Brooklyn healthcare community over the past 13 years are evident but none more personal or visible than Haynes' face and prevention message on billboards, bus shelters, and subway stations throughout New York City and worldwide through the internet as part of the HIV Stops With Me campaign.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Michael Norman Haynes.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Martha Lucia Lemos.

Ms. Lemos is a native of Columbia who migrated to the United States and received her first job as a babysitter, she was encouraged by the family she worked for to continue her education.

Despite the arduous task of fitting into a new culture, Ms. Lemos, enrolled in the Language Department at New York University and eventually joined the New York City Department of Education to work as a Teacher's Assistant.

She further continued her education and later graduated from Long Island University with a Bachelors of Science in Education and a Masters of Science in Education from Adelphi University.

With her credentials, Ms. Lemos entered the field of Bilingual Special Education as a Teacher in District 75 as a way to give back to children that may have the difficult task of learning a new language in a new culture.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Martha Lucia Lemos.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of violinist San San Lee.

San San Lee was born in Taipei, Taiwan and raised in Michigan and Wisconsin since the age of one. Ms. Lee received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin College-Conservatory in Oberlin, Ohio and a Masters of Music degree from the Juilliard School on scholarships.

As a winner of the Oberlin Concerto competition, her performance of the entire Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with the Oberlin Orchestra was broadcast on WOBC and classical station WCLV-Cleveland. Ms. Lee toured as a member of the Juilliard Orchestra in Japan, China and Hong Kong which included live radio and telelvision broadcasts. Her primary teachers included Margery Aber, Dorothy Mauney, Stephen Clapp and Joseph Fuchs. She also studied at Moscow's Tchaikovsky Conservatory with Sergei Kravchenko and Eduard Grach during their International Summer Festival and with Serban Lupu at the International Summer Festival in Todi, Italy.

As a winner of the Artists International Auditions, Ms. Lee performed her debut recital at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall and was further invited to perform on their Alumni winners series. By invitation, she also performed a recital on the ``Live from the Elvehem'' series that was broadcast live on Wisconsin Public Radio in Madison, WI. Her numerous solo and chamber performances took place at Lincoln Center's Bruno Walter Auditorium, Merkin Hall, The American Landmark Festival, Harvard Club, The United Nations Auditorium, U-Penn, Texas Christian University, Louisiana State University, amongst others. Her solo & chamber performances span throughout the United States, Europe, Russia, and Eastern Europe. Ms. Lee has been invited as violin clinician teaching at Suzuki violin, chamber workshops and institutes nationwide. She teaches privately and has recently joined the violin faculty at the Riverdale Country School. Ms. Lee has been a member of the violin faculties at the School for Strings since 1990 and at Juilliard's Music Advancement Program since 1991, serving as their first departmental strings chair.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing a renowned violinist, San San Lee.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Gretchen Pusch.

Flutist Gretchen Pusch made her Carnegie Recital Hall debut as winner of the Artist International Competition. She has appeared frequently in recitals and as concerto soloist in North America, Europe and Asia. A member of the Dorian Wind Quintet, she has also collaborated in chamber music concerts with Peter

Schickele, Anthony Newman, Maxence Larrieu and Paula Robison, among others. Ms. Pusch has performed with the American Symphony, American Composers Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, New Jersey Symphony and Philharmonia Virtuosi.

Ms. Pusch has been heard on radio, television and recordings for Composers Recording Inc., Panasonic, Summit, Innova, Mode and Windham Hill. Formerly on the faculty of Rutgers University, Ms. Pusch currently serves on the flute faculty of the Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program and the International Festival Institute at Round Top and is a teaching artist for The Academy (a joint program of Carnegie Hall, the Juillard School and the Weill Music Institute). She is a graduate of Boston University and studied with Julius Baker, James Pappoutsakis and Keith Underwood.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Gretchen Pusch.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Dawn Monique Adams-Fulton.

Mrs. Adams-Fulton is a Rehabilitation Counselor for New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. She presently provided services to the chemical dependency population at Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center. She has provided this population with support and guidance for the last ten years. She has demonstrated a high level of dedication to the clients she services by ensuring that they have the tools they need to become and remain productive members of society.

She has been employed at Steinway Child & Family Services for 14 years as a Director Child Care worker. In this role, she is responsible for assisting children with problem solving, life skills and conflict resolution.

Prior to joining the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, Mrs. Adams-Fulton worked in the foster care system for eight years through a host agency, the Richard Allen Center on Life and Sheltering Arms Foster Care Agency. In both positions she was dedicated to making and ensuring children were protected and provided with a happy and safe beginning.

Her leadership, dedication and communication skills have been recognized through receiving many certificates of appreciation.

She obtained her Bachelor's of Science Degree from College of Human Services (presently known as Metropolitan College). Mrs. Adams-Fulton continued her education by attending Long Island University and received her Master's of Science Degree in Counseling and Family Education. Mrs. Adams-Fulton also possesses her certification in the field of addiction (CASAC) and has a License in Mental Health Counseling (LMHC). In addition to her education, she has a credential in Family Development from Cornell University.

She is also a member of Dewitt Headstart Parent Involvement Committee. In this role she is responsible for encouraging and supporting parents and promoting their involvement in their children's education and future.

Mrs. Adams-Fulton enjoys spending her free time with her family and her circle of friends. Her role models are her grandmothers, Marion L. Adams and Emma Campbell. They instilled in her the importance of family and being responsible. In addition, she has a host of leaders that have provided guidance and encouragement in her professional growth.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dawn Monique Adams-Fulton.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of David Callaway, a clarinetist who has been described as nothing short of exhilarating. Mr. Callaway has captivated audiences throughout the U.S., England, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Taiwan with this masterful virtuosity, expressiveness and musical inventiveness.

As an active educator, Mr. Callaway believes in the nurturing of young musicians, and has inspired future generations of music students through his teaching and mentoring. He is a former Fulbright Scholar to Taiwan, and specializes in the traditional Beiguan music of Taiwan.

Mr. Callaway has appeared with the Atlanta Opera Orchestra, Orlando Symphony, New York Philomusica, New Jersey Philharmonic, New Haven Opera, Sinfonia Celestis, Manhattan Virtuosi, Conductor's Institute Orchestra, and various ensembles at the Spoleto festival In Charleston, South Carolina. He has performed under the batons of such conductors as Kurt Masur, Jerzy Semkow, William Schuman, Julius Rudel, William Fred Scott, Zdenek Macal and David Gilbert. In addition, Mr. Callaway has worked with prominent composers John Corigliano, Donald Martino, Jacob Druckman, Ned Rorem and Karel Husa.

Equally accomplished as a recitalist and chamber musician, Mr. Callaway has performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Miller Theater at Columbia University and the Great Hall at Cooper Union. He is also an avid proponent of new music, and has performed the music of John Corigliano, Elloitt Carter, Edison Denisov, Luciano Berio, Steve Reich, Donald Martino, Joan Tower, Chou Wen-chung and Huang-Long Pan.

As a recipient of the William J. Fulbright Scholarship award, David Callaway traveled to Taiwan to research the traditional Beiguan Music of Taiwan and genealogy of the double-reed suona. He served on the Fulbright Committee, was a frequent advisor and mentor to Taiwanese Fulbright grantees, and appeared on the Central Broadcasting Station's radio show ``Life Unusual''.

David Callaway has most recently served on the clarinet faculty of the Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program in New York City, and has taught at Vassar and Bard Colleges, the Manhattan School of Music, and as guest teacher at Emory University.

He received his Doctor of Music Arts and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music, and his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina. His major teachers have included Ricardo Morales, David Krakauer, Doug Graham and Laura Ardan.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing David Callaway.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Weston Sprott who was appointed second trombone of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in the Spring of 2005.

Mr. Sprott attended Indiana University before completing his Bachelor of Music degree at The Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. While a student at Curtis, Mr. Sprott held the positions of principal trombone in the Pennsylvania Ballet Orchestra (Philadelphia) and the Deleware Symphony Orchestra. He was the founding member of the Texas Trombone Octet, a group that won the Emory Remington competition and was featured in concert at the International Trombone Festival in Helsinki, Finland.

Mr. Sprott has worked under the baton of many of the world's great conductors including Sir Simon Rattle, James Levine, Kurt Masur, Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Andre Previn and numerous others. Mr. Sprott was recently featured in the documentary film ``A Wayfarer's Journey: Listening to Mahler'' with actor Richard Dreyfuss and actress Kathleen Chalfant. He was also a performer in the film ``Rittenhouse Square,'' a documentary under the direction of Robert Downey that played in major film festivals throughout the United States to critical acclaim. In September 2007, Mr. Sprott made his Carnegie Hall solo debut performing Lars Erik-Larsson's concertino in Weill Recital Hall at the invitation of the Bulgarian Consulate. Other engagements have led to performances with gospel and jazz artists such as Branford Marsalis, Take 6 and Donnie McClurkin. Mr. Sprott's performances and interviews have been seen and heard on various TV and radio shows such as: PBS' Great Performances, NPR's Performance Today, and Sirius Satellite Radio.

In demand as a soloist and master class clinician, Mr. Sprott has been a featured guest artist at several of America's leading conservatories and universities. He is currently on the faculty at the Purchase College Conservatory and Julliard's Music Advancement Program, and he previously served on the faculty of The New School University, a division of the Mannes School of Music in New York City. Weston Sprott is an artist/clinician for the Edwards Instrument Company and Music. He performs exclusively on Edwards's trombones and Greg Black mouthpieces.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Weston Sprott.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Gilleyan J. Hargrove.

Gilleyan was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She received her early education at the public schools of Brooklyn, New York. Her education continued at Syracuse University, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and African American Studies in 1989. Gilleyan then attended graduate school at Binghamton University of New York, receiving a Master's of Science in Education in 1991. She received her administration and supervision license from the College of Saint Rose in 2002.

Gilleyan has always had a love for school and learning new things. She has been an educator for 18 years beginning her work as an elementary school teacher at Community School 21 in Brooklyn and then as an assistant principal at the Program for Pregnant Students in Brooklyn. Gilleyan currently serves as principal at the Granville T. Woods Middle School for Science and Technology in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, where providing students with access to a quality education and a safe environment remains a priority. Gilleyan believes as an educator she has a charge to keep and a God to glorify.

Gilleyan also is a proud lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is married to Eric M. Hargrove and they have two children, a daughter, Brianne Ashley and son, Tyler Robert.

Following in the spiritual foundation set before her by her late grandmother Mary Rose Blowe Couch and mother, Elaine Couch Hinds, Gilleyan has served God for 30 years as a member of Wayside Baptist Church, where her spiritual father and mentor, the late Pastor Joe L. Parker, taught her how to love the Lord. Currently, Gilleyan is a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church where her Pastor is Reverend Larry W. Camp.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing Gilleyan J. Hargrove.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Hero K. Tamakloe who emigrated from Togo in 1988. Mr. Tamakloe has held many jobs in New York. He's worked as a cab driver, and interned with Woodhull Hospital after working on behalf of the Togo Embassy at the United Nations. Finally, after attending York College, majoring in economics, Mr. Tamakloe decided to apply for work as a teacher with the Department of Education.

Tamakloe was assigned to P.S. 95 Q in Hollis as a substitute teacher, where he worked for two years before taking over YMCA of Greater New York's ``Virtual Y'' program which serves over 300 students in an after school program. Currently, Mr. Tamakloe is a YMCA of Greater New York employee and is assigned to DYCD (Department of Youth & Community Development) at New York City Housing Authority Beacon Satellite at Bushwick-Hylan and Sumner Community centers in the North Brooklyn area.

Mr. Tamakloe is regarded as one of the strongest off-site YMCA after school Directors in New York City, a reputation complimented by the awards he received. Mr. Tamakloe credits the staff, parents, teachers, mentors and volunteers who helped him to keep the After School and Beacon Programs running smoothly.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the aptly named Hero K. Tamakloe.