Floor Statements

I rise today to recognize John Allen and his lifetime of service to his community, the State of Arkansas, and to our country. John currently serves on the board of directors for the Lawrence County Children's Shelter and Northeast Arkansas Public Water Authority. In the past, he served as an alderman of Hoxie; chairman of the Lawrence County Chamber; president of the Walnut Ridge Jaycees; a lay leader at Hoxie United Methodist Church; and president of the Walnut Ridge Lions Club.

In the 1980s, John served on the Arkansas Transportation Commission and the National Motor Safety Regulatory Review Panel. During this time, he was instrumental in obtaining funding for Arkansas State University to start a transportation-related program within the College of Business. Thanks to John's efforts, ASU now has a Logistics and Supply Chain Management program. Additionally, John served as director of the Arkansas Assessment Coordination Department and Arkansas State director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Rural Development.

John has achieved much as a public servant, but he would be the first to say that his family is the center of his life. John and Elaine Allen have been married for 49 years. Together, they have three children: Andy, Andrea, and Matt. John is also the proud grandfather of Anna, Hayden, and Ella.

Mr. Speaker, today I honor John Allen for his lifetime of service. Arkansas, and indeed our Nation, is a better place to live because of John's efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of Arkansas County Bank. The bank is a fourth-generation family-owned business. It serves Arkansas County and

the Grand Prairie as a national- and State-chartered institution.

Arkansas County Bank began with humble origins. At the end of their first year of business in 1912, the bank had just $64,000 in total deposits. By 1919, Arkansas County Bank had its first million dollars in deposits and has seen steady growth ever since.

By 1985, Arkansas County Bank had expanded into Sevier County after purchasing the Bank of Lockesburg. Today, they also have a branch that serves the Stuttgart community.

Giving back is important to Arkansas County Bank. Bank employees regularly volunteer over 1,000 hours annually to charities and service organizations throughout the Grand Prairie of Arkansas.

As Arkansas County Bank celebrates 100 years of business, they are building on the past by looking to the future. With a record of service, Arkansas County Bank is dedicated to beginning a second century of community investment.

Congratulations again to the leadership, employees, and the family of Arkansas County Bank on 100 years of business.

Mr. Speaker, the recently discovered GSA spending scandal is a prime example why Americans have lost faith in their government.

This week, I questioned GSA officials about the now infamous conference hosted in Las Vegas. This one lavish conference left American taxpayers with an $822,000 tab.

Let me list just a few of the expense items from Las Vegas that are sure to enrage the American taxpayers: $75,000 was spent on a bicycle- building exercise to encourage team building; $3,200 was spent on mind readers to entertain the attendees. Guess what I'm thinking now. The average cost for breakfast per attendee, $44--that's $44 per person per day. And I save the worse for last, a $30,000 pool party.

Adding insult to injury, the chief organizer of the 2010 Las Vegas conference was approved for a bonus by senior Obama officials for his work in organizing the conference.

Officials who organize and authorize wasteful spending must be held responsible. This body must work to end the culture of waste at GSA and other government agencies and ensure that taxpayer dollars are respected.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Betty Rose Stair Patchell. Betty's memory will continue to live on with her beloved family and friends.

Betty was married to Jack Daves Patchell for over 45 years. Together they had three children: George, Jacque, and Mark. Betty was a devoted mother, grandmother of four, and great-grandmother of 10.

Betty began her 50-year career as organist, at the age of 15, for the First Baptist Church of Heber Springs, Arkansas. She was an accomplished pianist and a member of the National Guild of Piano Teachers. Over the years, Betty served countless organizations as an accompanist.

Betty had a love for the arts, as well, as an oil and water color painter. She also loved to garden. Betty was an avid golfer, and for over 20 years she assisted pro golfers in the annual Shell Open Golf Tournament.

My thoughts and prayers are with Betty's family. While her presence here on Earth will be missed, her example will be a guide for her family and friends.

God bless Betty Rose Stair Patchell, and God bless her family.

As cochairman of the House Explosive Ordnance Disposal Caucus and as a former Army EOD tech, I address you today with a heavy heart. On Tuesday of this week, Staff Sergeant Joseph D'Augustine was killed in Afghanistan by an IED. He was 29 years old.

Staff Sergeant D'Augustine was an EOD tech in the United States Marine Corps, and he had four tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq to his credit. He enlisted in the Marine Corps the day after he graduated from Waldwick High School in New Jersey in 2001. As an EOD tech, Staff Sergeant D'Augustine displayed the full extent of his bravery by clearing explosive threats in defending the lives of his fellow marines, soldiers, airmen, and sailors.

EOD techs, like Staff Sergeant D'Augustine, play an invaluable role in securing our freedom and in combating terrorism, but too often their heroic deeds go unreported.

Staff Sergeant D'Augustine is survived by his parents and three sisters. I am eternally grateful for Staff Sergeant D'Augustine's service to our country and for all the brave men and women who defend our freedoms at home and abroad as members of the armed services. On behalf of the Congressional EOD Caucus and the inter-service EOD family, our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Staff Sergeant Joseph D'Augustine.

I rise today to recognize the achievements of the Mammoth Spring High School boys' basketball team.

This season, the Bears went 36 and 7 and claimed Arkansas' Class 1A State Championship trophy after defeating the Sacred Heart Rebels by a score of 42 39. This is the first ever State championship victory for the boys' basketball team, and it is a great source of pride for the Mammoth Spring community.

I would like to commend Head Coach Jeremy Cude for leading his team to a State championship. Additionally, I would like to recognize players Mason Brown, Seth Brown, Joby Busch, Wayne Coffey, Houston Cooper, Craig Hoover, J.D. Major, Tyler Mullins, Josh Parker, Ryan Roberson, Cortley Rutledge, Dylan Skaggs, A.J. Smith, Matt Turnbough, and Garrett Wooldridge for the leadership they have shown.

Great accomplishments like a State championship don't happen without a great deal of dedication. The Mammoth Spring Bears and their head coach have put Mammoth Spring on the map and have brought a great deal of pride to their community. Now that the boys' basketball team has brought a State championship trophy home to Mammoth Spring, I have no doubt that the players will set new, even higher goals to achieve.

Congratulations once again to the Bears and to the entire Mammoth Spring community for their State championship victory.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Jerol Swaim, president of Williams Baptist College in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas.

After 48 years of service to Williams Baptist, Dr. Swaim has announced his retirement. Although he will no longer be on the campus every day, his influence will certainly be felt there for years to come.

Dr. Swaim started his career at Williams Baptist as a professor of history, government and economics. In 1973, he became academic dean of the college and has also held the titles of vice president for academic affairs and executive vice president. In 1995, he agreed to become the fifth president of Williams Baptist, a role he has filled since that time.

Dr. Swaim is stepping down after presiding over a transformation of the Williams campus. Since the late 1990s, nearly every building on the campus has either been newly constructed or extensively renovated.

Under Dr. Swaim, Williams Baptist has expanded its academic offerings as well as its academic reputation. It broke into the top tier of U.S. News & World Report college rankings in 2010 and climbed in the rankings again this year.

Madam Speaker, today we honor Dr. Jerol Swaim for his 48 years of service to Williams Baptist College and the countless lives he has changed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act that passed this body today.

The measure will repeal the controversial Independent Payment Advisory Board, or IPAB, that would limit seniors' access to Medicare.

In my rural Arkansas district, senior citizens rely on Medicare to see their doctor and get their prescriptions filled. Without the coverage, they would be in a world of hurt. IPAB has the real threat of limiting seniors' access to treatment. I won't stand idly by while the IPAB board of 15 unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats tries to deny Medicare services to my constituents.

Members of IPAB are not subject to any real checks and balances. A huge amount of power is being given to this Medicare-cutting board that will be tasked with deciding who can and can't receive health care benefits. I am committed to strengthening Medicare for today's seniors and the next generation of Americans for this program. The Independent Payment Advisory Board will not protect seniors; it will only deny care.

Mr. Speaker, the Medicare Decisions Accountability Act gives seniors in my Arkansas district the security of knowing that their Medicare benefits will not be denied by faceless bureaucrats. I hope the Senate will now take action and pass this important bill.

Mr. Speaker, as of today, the price for a gallon of regular gasoline in my hometown of Jonesboro, Arkansas, is $3.55. Just a year ago, that same gallon of regular gasoline would have cost $2.96. We've all heard the news reports that gas could hit a record of $5 a gallon this summer. The rising cost of gas not only affects my constituents at the pump, it will also drive up the cost of good and services.

Congress can lower gas prices. We can require approval of the Keystone XL pipeline within 30 days. President Obama's rejection of the Keystone project will hit working families at the pump this summer. The American West is primed for oil shale development to provide oil and natural gas. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates we have the equivalent of more than 1.5 trillion barrels of oil in Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. That's enough to provide the United States with energy for 200 years.

The Obama administration recently announced plans to restrict offshore drilling. After the BP oil spill, strict regulations were put in place to allow

for safe, responsible drilling. Now we need the Obama administration to lift the ban on drilling.

We are blessed to live in a land with abundant natural resources. We need a Federal Government that will get out of the way so that we can develop those resources. Not only will these projects help American families meet our energy needs, they will also help create thousands of jobs in the process.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Christine Parr. Although Chris passed away earlier this month, her memory will live on with her family and friends.

For nearly 40 years, Chris was married to husband Al Parr. Together, they built a life and family in Harrisburg, Arkansas. Chris and Al have two children, Will and Angela. Chris joined Al in being active members of the Harrisburg Church of Christ where Al serves as pulpit minister.

Chris was a homemaker and a collector of souvenir spoons, bears, and Russian stacking dolls, among other things. Years ago she also operated a sewing business and day care from her home. She enjoyed anything to do with a needle and thread and over the years has made many clothes and quilts for her family and friends.

I will always remember Chris and the kindness that she showed my family and me. Chris had a passion for America. She loved people; and once she committed herself to a cause, she and Al devoted themselves completely and worked tirelessly.

My thoughts and prayers are with Chris's family. As a person of great faith, I know that Chris is now in Heaven with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While her presence here on Earth will be missed, her example will be a guide for her family and friends for years to come.

God bless Chris Parr, and God bless her family.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 79, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the House for passing the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act earlier this week. This much-needed reform will increase transparency and accuracy in budgeting for Federal credit programs like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, this reform will require fair value accounting for Federal programs that make direct loans or loan guarantees.

Earlier this year with the Solyndra debacle, we found out that when Washington makes a bet the American taxpayer is often left with the bill. The Federal Government should consider fair value and market risk before betting on companies like Solyndra.

Since the financial crisis began, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have become the financial responsibility of the Federal Government. However, the Office of Management and Budget has not accounted for the Fannie and Freddie burden. This bill will fix that mistake.

If we're going to get out of this financial mess, we have to be honest about how much we're really spending. This is a commonsense reform that will help lawmakers be better stewards of our hardworking constituents' tax dollars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the nine students from Arkansas' First District whom I have the privilege to nominate to a U.S. service academy. All of these students have demonstrated exceptional skills in the classroom. Not only are these young men brilliant students, but they have also given much to their communities and deserve recognition.

Jordan Reed from Cabot is active in scouting, Future Farmers of America and Quiz Bowl.

Weston White from Blytheville was elected lieutenant governor at Boys State and is active in Future Business Leaders of America.

Sully Bigger from Walnut Ridge is on the track team and participates in cross-country racing.

Clayton Carpenter from West Memphis lettered in baseball and football where he was an academic All-Conference player.

Robert Raper from Colt is a cadet in the Naval Junior ROTC where he holds the position of cadet company commander.

Andrew Morgan from Mountain Home is a two-time All-Conference Academic selection in football.

Sean Gavan from Cabot is a member of the Air Force Junior ROTC where he is a lieutenant colonel and a logistics commander.

Jack Baltz from Pocahontas is class president and is an active church member.

Daniel Kyle Payne from Violet Hill was selected for the American Christian Honor Society and serves on the student council.

These young men are proof that America's Greatest Generation is not just a story of our Nation's past. With each new generation of Americans, our national spirit is renewed. It is an honor to represent young men like these who embody the hope and purpose that define America.

Madam Speaker, permanent structural reforms are needed in Washington. The Nation's debt is now greater than the value of the entire U.S. economy. Nonpartisan economists have noted that a debt to GDP ratio above 90 percent results in a reduction of economic growth. That means that the Obama administration's own economic model could be preventing the creation of nearly 1 million jobs.

Over the last 2 weeks, I have talked to many of my constituents in Arkansas' First District, and nearly every person I spoke with told me that we must get our Nation's debt under control.

The Federal Government has a spending addiction that is paralyzing our economy. We cannot keep spending money that we simply don't have. We must start living within our means, and we must stop growing our Nation's debt.

Fundamental change must come to Washington to force this and future Congresses to live within our means. Both Republicans and Democrats are to blame for the poor fiscal health we find ourselves in, and whether the change is a balanced budget amendment or some other permanent binding measure, both parties must take the steps to prove that this Congress understands that our government cannot continue on its current path.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Southside High School chapter of the Future Farmers of America from Batesville, Arkansas. Southside's FFA chapter, under the leadership of Mr. Chase Hilton, revitalized its animal science program 3 years ago. Since resuming the program, Southside has been a powerhouse in State and national competitions.

One hundred thirty-five students at Southside, many of whom have never been involved in livestock, are now working in the school's stockyard raising cattle, sheep, hogs, and horses. Recently, Blaine French and Trenton Tosh won honors at the Independence County Fair with Grand Champion Angus and Hereford cattle. Blaine had Grand Champion and Supreme Champion hogs, and also won Best of the Best Showmanship Award.

Trenton Tosh won Grand Champion Hereford Heifer and Grand Champion Hereford Bull at the Arkansas State Fair.

Southside's Livestock Evaluation Team, made up of Blaine French, Trenton Tosh, Jackson Mead, and Thomas Johnson, were named the Arkansas State Champions and went on to place eighth in Nationals.

More important than any medals or awards are the life lessons those students learn and are learning through State and national competitions.

I commend Southside Future Farmers of America and their instructor, Chase Hilton, for their outstanding achievements. I know they're watching now.

Congratulations. Great work.