Floor Statements

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chairman, as of Monday, there were 596,061 veterans waiting for their claims to be processed by the Veterans Administration. More than half of these claims have been pending for more than 125 days.

This is outrageous and simply unacceptable. We are failing our veterans who have put their lives on the line for this Nation and rely on services at the VA for their health care and other benefits upon retirement.

As a former lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I am extremely disappointed with the inability to eliminate the paperwork backlog at the Veterans Administration. The men and women who have served our country honorably, and their families, deserve so much better.

In my home State of Michigan at the Detroit Regional Veterans Administration Office almost 49 percent of claims have been pending for more than 125 days. While this number may seem high, it is actually lower than the combined national average, where 53 percent of claims have been pending for more than 125 days.

It is unacceptable that, as hundreds and thousands of veterans wait months to have these essential benefits processed, government contractors are able to use taxpayer dollars to purchase first-class travel. There is no way to justify spending on luxury travel for contractors while the VA is dealing with months-long backlogs. It just doesn't make sense.

Mr. Chairman, this is why I am putting forward a simple amendment barring the use of funds in this bill to be spent on first-class travel for government contractors.

I believe this amendment sends an important message that Congress, the administration, and contractors are accountable to American taxpayers. This amendment is about making efficient use of taxpayer dollars and reducing wasteful government spending. Federal contractors simply should not be using Federal tax dollars on first-class flights.

I ask my colleagues to stand with me and support this commonsense amendment. Let us send a strong message to our veterans and other constituents about our priorities as we work on behalf of them here in Washington.

Please support this amendment which will bring further accountability and fiscal sensibility to our government.

I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on Friday April 4, 2014 I was not present for 6 votes. I wish the record to reflect my intentions had I been present to vote.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 159, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 160, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 161, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 162, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 163, I would have voted ``aye.'' Had I been present for rollcall No. 164, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday April 2, 2014 I was not present for 3 votes. I wish the record to reflect my intentions had I been present to vote.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 152, I would have voted ``nay;'' had I been present for rollcall No. 153, I would have voted ``nay;'' had I been present for rollcall No. 154, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to recognize the opening

of Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's South Patient Tower. The South Patient Tower is an eight-story, contemporary-styled facility that features 208 private, technologically integrated and enhanced patient care rooms, which provide ample space for the family and friends who we know are vital to the healing process. This patient-centered and technologically advanced addition highlights this hospital's dedication to administering a high-quality health care experience to members of our community.

Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital is an award-winning facility that has provided expert and compassionate care to the citizens of the Pontiac area for more than 85 years. In that time the hospital has chosen to focus its efforts on quality, patient safety and cost- efficiency. In doing so it has become nationally recognized for the high level of care that it provides and as a leader in Cardiology, Critical Care, Women's Health and Orthopedics. The South Patient Tower builds on that tradition, and illustrates Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's longstanding commitment to providing the best care possible to the community.

This South Patient Tower is the culmination of the Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's ongoing commitment to medical excellence. A major feature of the tower is the deployment of the most advanced integrated medical technology, which will transform the future of health care. The Intelligent Care System technology that this facility will employ creates the most technologically advanced health environment in the country. In doing so, hospital staff will be empowered to bring a new level of responsive, proactive, collaborative and innovative care to the patients that they serve.

Additionally, Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital has chosen to invest in efforts to enhance every aspect of a patient's health care experience through their Healing Arts program. By recognizing that the physical environment is an integral part of the hospital experience, Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital has taken efforts to create a calming atmosphere and restorative environment for patients through the integration of intentional art, architecture and esthetic.

Mr. Speaker, I am truly proud to celebrate and recognize the opening of Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital's South Patient Tower. This institution is dedicated to putting patient care at the forefront of its mission and efforts, and by choosing to invest in the future of health care Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital continues its commitment to being an exceptional place to come for healing of body, mind and spirit.

Mr. Speaker, as the members and leadership of Local 58 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) gather to celebrate the centennial of their organization, I congratulate them on their many achievements and accomplishments.

As America approached the Twentieth Century, workers in an increasingly industrialized society saw the need to come together to promote safe working conditions, fair pay and strong professional operating standards--a labor movement that gave rise to the IBEW to protect electrical workers. From the beginning of the IBEW's existence, Detroit has had a strong membership, which resulted in the creation of Local 58 in 1914. Under its first President, Ed Ismond, the members of Local 58 worked diligently to realize increases in pay that better reflected the danger of their profession, increased flexibility in project design to ensure higher safety standards, and the creation of many workplace practices that continue to be the standard today. Among those practices are the eight hour workday, the forty hour work week, established rates of pay and established pay schedules.

At the turn of the century in late 1800s, advancements in manufacturing made it possible to better harness the power of electricity--events which put the members of Local 58 at the center of major events in our nation's history. With the manufacturing boom in Detroit, members of Local 58 put their skills to work in the construction of structures that have become iconic of the economic might of our country: structures like the Ambassador Bridge, Masonic Temple, Penobscot Building and Michigan Central Station. And later, when America entered World War II, 200 members of Local 58 answered the call to serve our nation overseas and many more of its members served our nation in the Arsenal of Democracy, producing equipment that was vital to our success.

In the later decades of the 1900s, Local 58 continued in its mission to push for more effective workplace protections, seeking higher standards for the conditions allowed by contractors. As part of this effort, Local 58, the IBEW and their brothers and sisters in the labor movement became more politically active--directly engaging their legislative officials to discuss the importance of workplace safety.

Throughout its history, Local 58 and the IBEW, like many of their labor movement partners in other industries, have shown a dedication to training and continuing education for their members. Woven into the very fabric of Local 58, its apprenticeship training program can be traced back to 1923. Originally operated in partnership with Detroit Public Schools, the original trade school was located at Sixth and Abbott in Detroit. After moving to several locations over the next eighty years, Local 58 opened a 50,000 square foot training facility in Warren, with ten classrooms, three hands-on shop areas and many state- of-the-art labs, which supports nearly 240 apprentices. In addition to the apprenticeship programs, the center also supports the ongoing education of Local 58's members--more than 4,700 strong.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor that I am able to rise to recognize the incredible accomplishments of the men and women of Local 58 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. As masters of electricity, from the iconic skyline of Detroit to the current standards enjoyed by the American workforce at-large, the members of Local 58 have been deeply involved in shaping the United States in the Twentieth Century. Their achievements over the last 100 years are truly remarkable and I am proud to continue standing in solidarity with them and their brothers and sisters in the labor movement to ensure that the future of our nation continues to be bright for all Americans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the staff and supporters of Affirmations on reaching a great milestone in their organization's history--twenty-five years of service to the Greater Detroit LGBT community.

Created in 1989, Affirmations began as the LGBT community's answer for a need to have a safe haven, with a mission to provide a welcoming space where individuals of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and cultures would be able to find support and acceptance. Operated entirely by volunteers during its first 2 years, Affirmations' first service was a toll-free phone line, where community members could call for information and assistance. Under the leadership of Affirmations' first executive director, Jan Stevenson, programs quickly expanded to include several support groups, where community members could find reassurance and acceptance among their peers.

From its humble beginnings, Affirmations quickly grew to address the evolving needs of Greater Detroit's LGBT community. At the center of its operating philosophy is the goal of empowering and educating volunteers to effect positive change in their own lives and in the broader community. Early on in its existence tragedy struck. In 1992 as Susan Pittmann and Christine Puckett, two of Affirmations founding members and leaders in Michigan's LGBT community, were murdered. Affirmations worked with other LGBT advocacy organizations in Michigan to rally the community and engage the public in a discussion on the need to protect all individuals from hate crimes.

The mission of advocacy has not waned in the years that have followed as Affirmations has held countless community forums and created many programs to assist its community members. Among these programs are health services geared toward practices that are sensitive to an individual's sexual orientation and gender identity. In a state and a country where it is still unfortunately legal for companies to fire someone based on their perceived orientation or gender identity, Affirmations provides LGBT youth with an internship program where they can gain valuable workplace skills in a supportive environment, and works with other local organizations to assist community members that have been the victims of discrimination in the workplace.

Over my many years in public service, as a proud ally of the LGBT community in Michigan, it has been a pleasure to support Affirmations' endeavors. Whether it is marriage equality, health services funding, or protecting LGBT people in the workplace and at school, Affirmations has been at the forefront of advocating for a more just, informed, and tolerant discussion of these important issues. Just two weekends ago, I was gratified to see that Affirmations rallied the community following Judge Friedman's historical ruling on marriage equality in Michigan to ensure that so many loving LGBT couples were able to finally have all of the same protections under the law that other loving couples enjoy. I was proud to work with my fellow Democratic members of Michigan's Congressional delegation to successfully push for Federal recognition of those marriages.

Mr. Speaker, as a long time friend, supporter and ally of Affirmations and Michigan's LGBT community, I am proud to recognize the profound impact this organization has made in Michigan over the last 25 years. The staff, supporters and volunteers of Affirmations have touched so many lives through their years of dedication and advocacy-- fostering a dialogue and taking actions that have seen great steps forward in the ongoing endeavor to obtain full equality for the LGBT community. In its first 25 years, Affirmations has worked hard to fulfill its mission and I look forward to continuing to partner with its staff, supporters and volunteers as we make more progress to ensure that our entire state is safe and supportive for Michigan's LGBT residents.

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, April 2, 2014, I was not present for 3 votes. I wish to submit my intentions had I been present to vote.

Had I been present for rollcall No. 152, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 153, I would have voted ``nay.''

Had I been present for rollcall No. 154, I would have voted ``nay.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and work of Bernadino Cruz, Jr., an educator, a musician and a community activist in Southwest Detroit.

As an educator, Mr. Cruz shared his love of music and the learning process with his students as a music teacher at Burt Elementary and then at Cesar Chavez Academy. In each instance, he took his love of music and focused that passion into connecting his students with the importance of their education. At Burt Elementary, Mr. Cruz not only directly tied the music department programming into the school's curriculum, but also took the initiative to expand the array of programming available to students by establishing a concert choir. At Cesar Chavez, Mr. Cruz continued his track record of dedication to his students by establishing an instrumental music program and a touring bilingual concert choir. As an honor and testament to the remarkable impact Mr. Cruz made on the students at Cesar Chavez, the new media center at its high school will be dedicated to him.

After more than six years as a teacher, Mr. Cruz stepped into a new educational role as Assistant Principal at the Hope of Detroit Academy. In this position, he continued his commitment to engage his students in the educational process. His responsibilities included overseeing the entire school curriculum, management of day-to-day operations and management of student body behavior.

Furthermore, Mr. Cruz's passion for learning did not stop with his students--it is a value that he practiced in his own life as he continued to seek more knowledge in the field of education. Following his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Wayne State University, Mr. Cruz went on to receive additional certifications in education and education administration from Wayne State and Marygrove College in Detroit. With each new skill he developed, Mr. Cruz furthered his mission to empower his students with a quality education.

As a musician, Mr. Cruz shared his passion for music with the Southwest Detroit community in many ways. In addition to his role as a music teacher in the field of education, Mr. Cruz served as a music teacher at the Most Holy Redeemer Church and used his musical talents to support many causes focused on strengthening the Southwest Detroit community. Working together with his brother Mauro, Mr. Cruz also sought to build bridges of cultural understanding by taking traditional Latin music and incorporating new rhythms and styles that helped youth better connect to both their identity and heritage.

Mr. Speaker, leaders, educators and artists, like Mr. Bernadino Cruz, Jr., are so important to ensuring the success of the communities we represent. Mr. Cruz showed a passion and dedication for education, music and the Southwest Detroit community that have inspired so many to make a difference in their community. I join the Southwest Detroit community, and all whose lives have been influenced by Mr. Cruz and his enthusiasm, in the sadness that is felt for his loss. However, I know that his family can take comfort in the incredible difference he has made in the lives of so many people, and the inspiration his legacy will continue to instill in future generations.

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise today to congratulate the members and leadership of the Steamfitters, Pipefitters, Refrigeration and Air Condition Service Local Union 636 as they gather to celebrate their local's centennial and recognize them for their many important accomplishments.

As the Detroit chapter of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), Local 636 and its members are part of an organization with a rich history that has supported our country in moments of crisis. As key participants in the Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration during the New Deal, members of the UA put their skills and experience to work for the revitalization of our Nation--constructing many roads, dams, schools, libraries, and other public buildings that are a testament to the ingenuity of American workers. Furthermore, as citizens across the United States rose to answer the call to serve our Nation during WWII, members of the UA entered our Armed Forces and went to work in the Arsenal of Democracy--constructing equipment that was vital to our Nation's success. As a community that was central to industrial innovation and output during WWII and the decades that have come since then, the members of Local 636 in the greater Detroit area have a unique and strong bond to these significant moments in our history.

With the mission of promoting the building trade professions through supporting high standards of excellence, the members of Local 636 are engaged in work that impacts the quality of our lives at home, at work, and in our leisure time. These high standards include a strong commitment to the ongoing education of its members, which Local 636 supports with a three-acre training center where its members can receive practical hands-on training for a number of disciplines including steam and hydronic heating systems, building automation systems, and industrial controls. Furthermore, through its programs, Local 636's education center provides members with certifications in pipefitting mastery, industrial process control calibration, EPA refrigerant recovery, orbital welding, and for many other practical applications. The end result is an educated workforce that is well positioned to capitalize on advancements in technology and thereby, able to serve the changing needs of the greater Detroit region.

Mr. Speaker, in the past one-hundred years, the members of trade unions have been at the center of so many advancements in the workplace, in the pursuit of social justice, and in improving the quality of education. Many of the protections and rights that we enjoy in today's workplace are a result of their decades of struggle and dedication. Local 636 of the UA has a proud history that includes these valiant pursuits and as their members gather to celebrate and reflect upon their achievements over the last 100 years, I congratulate them on the impact they have made and the commitment they continue to embrace in support of their members and Michigan's middle-class families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Greater Detroit Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) as its members gather for the Twentieth Annual Top 10 Awards Ceremony. The Top 10 Awards provides the Greater Detroit Chapter of NAWBO

with an opportunity to recognize women business owners and executives for their outstanding endeavors to expand the influence of women in business.

Chartered in 1980, the Greater Detroit Chapter of NAWBO was founded to further the mission of its national organization in Southeast Michigan region; to expand the access of women to the top echelons of decision-making in social, economic and political endeavors around the world. To execute this mission, the members of NAWBO, both in Detroit and across the country, engaged in an exchange of knowledge and experiences that allowed them to develop and hone their entrepreneurial skills. Specifically, NAWBO sponsors programming that is designed to strengthen the capacity of its members to promote economic development, create innovative and effective change in business culture, build strategic partnerships and influence public policy discussions.

To support these goals and its mission, the Greater Detroit Chapter of NAWBO hosts a number of events like Entrepreneur-YOU, which provides women entrepreneurs with a workshop to support the development of critical skills for creating and running a business; expos that allow members and the community at-large with a chance to build their social and business networks; and the Circle of Learning, which allows members to directly interact with each other in an effort to strengthen their brand, work culture and performance.

The Top 10 Awards allows NAWBO to recognize leading women in business from Southeast Michigan, whose work is expanding the opportunities for women, to be recognized by their peers for their commitment, their vision and, most importantly, their excellence. I am pleased to congratulate this year's winners: Barabara Whittaker, Suzanne Bobbitt, Eva Scurlock, Mary Buchzeiger, Ann Reinman, Jmai Moore, Pamela Smith, Mashell Carissimi, Mary Ann Lievois, Carla Walker-Miller and Shirley R. Stancato, on the remarkable impact they are making on the Greater Detroit community.

Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate National Women's History Month and reflect upon the remarkable impact women have made on our country, I am honored to recognize the Greater Detroit Chapter of NAWBO and this year's Top 10 Awards winners for the work they are doing to expand opportunities for women in business. For the last thirty-four years, the members of NAWBO in Southeast Michigan have been at the forefront of supporting women in business and I wish them continued success in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to raise awareness of the mass murder of Armenians during the state-sponsored pogroms 26 years ago in Sumgait, Azerbaijan. These ethnically motivated mass killings were an affront to basic human rights and the continued lack of international recognition and acknowledgment represents a grave injustice.

Peaceful demonstrations by Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh, who sought freedom and protested against policies that discriminated against Armenians, were met with violence against the Armenians of Sumgait, who were hundreds of miles away, defenseless, and targeted simply because they were Armenians. Nearby security forces allowed the violence to continue unabated and turned a blind eye to the horrific violence directed against Armenian civilians. True democracies must respect the rights of the minority and the human rights of all residents.

On July 27, 1988, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed Amendment 2690, which called upon the Soviet government to ``respect the legitimate aspirations of the Armenian people'', and noted that ``dozens of Armenians have been killed and hundreds injured during the recent unrest.'' The U.S. Senate passed an amendment in July 1988, acknowledging that even the Soviet authorities had described these massacres as a `pogrom'.

Today, I remember the victims and ask this body to join me in honoring their memories.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Anne. M. Ellis for her volunteer leadership to the American Concrete Institute (ACI), headquartered in Farmington Hills, MI, an organization whose work is fundamental to our nation's critical infrastructure and key to our economic competitiveness. As a Member of Congress, I am privileged and honored to recognize Ms. Ellis for her leadership and lifelong commitment to this organization and to advancing the knowledge of concrete in the United States and abroad.

ACI has been the pioneer in all concrete-related fields: research and development, structural design, architectural design, construction, and product manufacture. With 99 chapters, 65 student chapters, and nearly 20,000 members spanning over 120 countries, ACI provides knowledge and information for the best uses of concrete. Through a host of activities including continuing education, certification, seminars, publications, and conventions, ACI plays an active and vital role in the concrete industry. Core to ACI is the development of codes and standards, adopted for reference in building codes impacting potentially every concrete project in the United States. Additionally, there are some 21 countries worldwide that base part or all of their national building codes on the ACI's 318 Structural Concrete Building Code provisions.

Ms. Ellis will complete her term, as the 90th President of ACI, at ACI's Spring Convention in Reno. Her Presidency was notable for the many accomplishments typified by the new ACI motto: Always Advancing that launched during her term. Her term also bore witness to a new ACI logo, a new ACI website translatable into 70 languages, and the formation of the following ACI committees: Education, Technical and Certification Committee (ETC); International Project Awards Committee (IPAC); Codes & Standards Advisory Committee; as well as launching the Global Chapter Roundtable. These concrete actions support ACI's new strategic plan that sets it on a course for global leadership in the 21st century.

Anne Ellis' service to ACI began long before her presidency. Ms. Ellis has served on ACI's Board of Direction, the Board of the ACI Foundation, as well as numerous other Board and Technical committees. Working with ACI colleagues, Ms. Ellis helped institute free ACI student e-membership, facilitate ACI's entry into social networking, and establish the Collegiate Concrete Council, the Student and Young Professionals Activities Committee and Sustainability Committees. She was named an ACI Fellow in 2008. Not surprisingly, she has been named by ``Concrete Construction'' as one of the most influential people in the concrete industry.

Currently, Ms. Ellis is Vice President of Global & Government Initiatives for AECOM, an $8-billion global provider of professional technical and management support services. In this role, Ms. Ellis drives business-critical initiatives and engages in policy, legislative and regulatory issues affecting AECOM and the clients and markets the company serves. Additionally, Ms. Ellis oversees the day-to-day operations of the AECOM Global Advisory Board, comprised of prominent global leaders who are external to AECOM and highly accomplished in business and geopolitics.

Prior to joining AECOM, Ms. Ellis represented the Portland Cement Association and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association. On behalf of these industries, she advocated for technical guidelines incorporated into landmark legislation that supported the development and construction of environmentally sustainable building designs. She represented the industries in the development of construction trade and supervisor training and certification programs--now standard in master specifications, with hundreds of thousands certified. Additionally, Ms. Ellis was a structural engineering project manager for numerous noteworthy entertainment, institutional and commercial building projects while at Parsons, Brinckerhoff, Quade & Douglas; Martin, Cagley & Middlebrook; Dewberry & Davis; and Ehlert/Bryan. Throughout her career, Ms. Ellis taught a variety of classes to undergraduate students, including reinforced concrete design, and continuing education classes to practicing engineers, preparing hundreds of engineers for successful completion of the FE and PE exams.

Ms. Ellis is a 2013 inductee into the Virginia Tech Academy of Engineering Excellence, an elite group composed of only 119 people out of its more than 60,000 living alumni. She is a 2007 inductee into the Virginia Tech Via Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni. She has completed terms on the Virginia Tech College of Engineering Advisory Board and the Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board, including a term as Chair.

Ms. Ellis serves on the Environmental Technologies Trade Advisory Committee (ETTAC), as an appointee of the Secretary of Commerce. ETTAC provides private-sector advice to 19 federal departments and agencies on federal trade policies and programs concerning the environmental technologies industry.

Ms. Ellis is active in several business and professional organizations. She is a member

of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and served as ASCE National Concrete Canoe Competition judge in 2004, 2005, and 2012. She was named an ASCE Fellow in 2013. The author of numerous articles and coauthor of the ``Concrete Design and Construction'' section in the Fifth Edition of the Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers, Ms. Ellis is a frequent speaker at universities, professional societies, and industry forums. She received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, and has been a professional engineer since 1984.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today to honor Ms. Anne M. Ellis' leadership and service to the American Concrete Institute.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Therapy Choirs of Michigan, a nonprofit organization based in Farmington Hills. This year, the Therapy Choirs of Michigan is preparing for its fifteenth annual ``Capitol Concert'' in Lansing, a remarkable achievement and great milestone in its history.

Created in 1998 by Len McCulloch, Therapy Choirs of Michigan was founded with a mission of bringing together members of the community affected by similar disabilities and challenges to provide them with opportunities support each other through artistic vocal expression. While providing the public with entertainment, Therapy Choirs of Michigan seeks to

provide its members and their families with a fun and therapeutic experience that will inspire them in their recovery, as well as raise awareness for the disabilities and challenges faced by its members. Engaging its members in a traditional ``a cappella'' format, Therapy Choirs of Michigan has developed choirs tailored to youth, seniors, individuals with developmental disabilities and veterans returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. For each of its choirs, Therapy Choirs of Michigan provides a supportive environment of structured rehearsals that allows its members to maximize the development of improved self- esteem and building of enhanced social skills.

Over the last fifteen years, the members of Therapy Choirs of Michigan have performed at over 160 concerts across the state while sharing their creativity, resilience, and artistry with others. They have been featured by local television stations and newspapers in the Greater Detroit area for the impact they are making, which includes donation drives that provided the Historic Detroit Rescue Mission with clothing that helped nearly 3,000 Michigan residents in-need. The efforts of its members have earned the Therapy Choirs of Michigan recognition from numerous organizations, including the Farmington Community Arts Council for outstanding achievement in the performing arts. And most recently, the work and impact of the Therapy Choirs of Michigan was recognized by the Michigan House of Representatives, which proclaimed the first week of March to be Therapy Choir Awareness Week across the entire state.

Mr. Speaker, Therapy Choirs of Michigan and its members have demonstrated the incredible resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity and remarkable courage to share their stories and raise awareness of their experiences with residents across the state. It is my honor to recognize and congratulate Len McCulloch and members of the Therapy Choirs of Michigan for the remarkable impact they are making on communities across the state and I wish them continued success and growth as they prepare for their annual ``Capitol Concert'' in Lansing.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Honorable Amy P. Hathaway, a judge on the Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan in Wayne County, who is retiring from the bench after nearly two decades of service.

Judge Hathaway's service to the people of Southeast Michigan began more than twenty years ago, when she joined the Wayne County Corporation Counsel as Assistant Corporation Counsel. In this role, Judge Hathaway undertook plaintiff and defense litigation matters in county, state and federal courts, as well oversaw the drafting of county ordinances and review of tax matters. After two years of work for Wayne County, Judge Hathaway was elected the Third Circuit Court of Michigan, with jurisdiction over matters of equity, civil claims in excess of $25,000 and matters involving felony violation of Michigan's criminal statutes. Prior to her public service, Judge Hathaway worked as a paralegal for Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP and as an associate at Dykema Gossett PLLC following her graduation from University of Detroit Mercy School of Law in May 1987.

While serving on the bench, Judge Hathaway has been recognized by numerous community organizations for her accessibility and conduct. In 2012, the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association gave her an outstanding rating and cited her as among the most accessible and friendly judges on the Third Circuit Court. Additionally, Dbusiness Magazine named Judge Hathaway one of its Top Circuit Court Judges in 2013. Throughout her career, Judge Hathaway is an active member of the State Bar of Michigan and has served on its Constitutional Law Committee. She has also served as a member of the Governor's Task Force on Justice for Children and was elected by her peers to the Board of Directors of the Barristers of Detroit Bar Association, where she was named its Barrister of Year in 1991. Judge Hathaway has also taken on responsibilities as a mentor to the interns that have worked in her office.

In addition to her commitment to serving the residents of Wayne County, Judge Hathaway has remained a proud and dedicated mother to her three adult children and a strong partner for her husband, the Honorable David Groner, who also serves as a judge on the Third Circuit Court of Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, as Judge Hathaway prepares to embark upon a new chapter on her life, I congratulate her and thank her for her many years of service to the people of Wayne County. Over her more than two decades of public service, Judge Hathaway has developed expertise and experience that will cause her to be greatly missed in the court room.

Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 3590, the SHARE Act of 2013. This bill contains a harmful provision that chips away at the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) by retroactively allowing the import of sport-hunted polar bear trophies as Title IV of the bill. I submitted an amendment to the bill which would have struck Title IV, however the Rules Committee denied the members of this body an opportunity to vote on this issue. I am disappointed this legislation was not brought to the floor under an open rule which would have allowed consideration of my amendment so members could debate this precedent-setting provision.

Polar bears are protected from sport hunting in the United States, including the polar bear population in Alaska. In 2008 the Bush Administration listed the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act and the 1972 MMPA protects polar bears and other marine mammals. To allow American hunters to kill them for trophies in other countries is irresponsible and inconsistent with the bipartisan commitment to conserving the polar bear population.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the polar bear is a ``vulnerable'' species based on a projected population reduction of more than 30 percent within three generations (45 years) due to a decrease in distribution and habitat quality. It is estimated there are fewer than 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears remaining in the wild.

Title IV of this bill exempts 41 trophy hunters who had proper notice of the impending prohibition on import of polar bear trophies. These 41 individuals hunted these bears after the Bush Administration proposed the species for listing as threatened under ESA, and all but one continued to hunt polar bears more than a year after the listing was proposed. Despite repeated warnings from hunting organizations and government agencies that they were hunting at their own risk because trophy imports were unlikely to be allowed as of the listing date, these individuals sport hunted polar bears anyway.

An example of warnings regarding the prospects of importing polar bear trophies comes from hunting rights organization Conservation Force. The group wrote to hunters in December 2007: ``American hunters are asking us whether they should even look at polar bear hunts in light of the current effort by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to list this species as threatened . . . The bottom line is, no American hunter should be putting hard, non-returnable money down on a polar bear hunt at this point.'' The group also noted in January 2008: ``We feel compelled to tell you that American trophy hunters are likely to be barred from importing bears they take this season. Moreover, there is a chance that bears taken previous to this season may be barred as well. American clients with polar bear trophies still in Canada or Nunavut need to get those bears home.''

Conservation Force again reminded hunters that the ESA listing ``will stop all imports . . . immediately'' in April 2008. Later that same month, Safari Club International informed hunters: ``If some or all of the polar bear populations are listed, the FWS has indicated that imports of trophies from any listed populations would be barred as of that date, regardless of where in the process the application is.''

Congress should not change a law just because a few people did not heed clear and ample warnings. It is an affront to the millions of hunters and sportsmen who followed the law and observed the warning of government agencies and hunting organizations. The hunters that chose to travel to the Arctic to sport hunt polar bears should not receive special treatment. Doing so creates a moral hazard and establishes a dangerous precedent that could encourage rushes to sport hunt imperiled species prior to their formal listing as an endangered species. Those who wish to sport hunt imperiled species should understand they do so at their own risk and cannot rely on allies in Congress to bail them out with a retroactive waiver of critical conservation law.

Congress first carved out a loophole in the MMPA and allowed for more than 900 sport-hunted polar bear trophies to be imported into the United States from Canada in 1994. In 1997, Congress amended the MMPA to allow imports of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before April 1994, regardless of what population the bear was taken from, and despite the strict prohibition on trophy imports in place prior to 1994. In 2003, Congress amended the MMPA to allow imports of polar bear trophies taken in sport hunts in Canada before February 1997. This allowed imports regardless of what population the bear is taken from, and as long as the hunter proves that the bear is ``legally harvested in Canada.''

Today with H.R. 3590, we have yet another effort to allow polar bear imports. This time we are asked to approve an additional 41 trophies on top of the more than 1,000 already Congress previously sanctioned for import. How many times are we going to provide these ``one-time'' import allowances? Doing this repeatedly undermines the restrictions on killing rare species.

At a time when Congress should be working in a bipartisan basis to address many of the critical issues facing American families, more special treatment for wealthy sport hunters should not be a priority. I am disappointed that my amendment to strike Title IV was not made in order and that the House did not have an opportunity to further debate this matter.