Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a local education leader in Metropolitan Detroit, Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, the superintendent of Southfield Public Schools for the last seven years. In recognition of the profound impact of her leadership on the quality of public education in Southfield, Dr. Cook-Robinson was honored in 2013 as the Michigan Superintendent of the Year by the Michigan Association of School Administrators.

Dr. Cook-Robinson became the superintendent of Southfield Public Schools in 2006--directly serving the community she has called home for the last 30 years. She brought with her a wealth of knowledge and experience in the realm of public education as an instructor for both graduate and undergraduate education classes at Grand Valley State University, Marygrove College, and Wayne State University, as well as a tenure of service as Assistant Superintendent for Student Performance and Human Resources for the Oakland County Intermediate School District.

The constant theme of Dr. Cook-Robinson's term has been promoting collaboration with staff and community stakeholders across all sectors of Southfield to fully leverage the maximum educational experience for her students. Among the fifty-two active partnerships Southfield Public Schools' has engaged in on Dr. Cook-Robinson's watch, is the Revolution Read program which has brought together local elected officials, the higher education sector, and small businesses with the goal of having every Southfield Public Schools' student reading at grade level by the end of their fifth grade year. It is a program that has already seen success as reading scores on state assessments improved in the program's second year. Dr. Cook-Robinson has also overseen the Southfield Public Schools' accreditation in the AdvancED program of the North Central Association Commission, which requires high academic standards to obtain--a distinction that had been achieved by only five other school districts in Michigan at that time. Additionally, Dr. Cook-Robinson has been directly involved with the creation of high school preparatory academies for Southfield students, providing a uniquely tailored small-class-size environment for students as they transition from middle school to high school in the eighth and ninth grades.

For her outstanding record at the forefront of leadership in the public education sector, Dr. Cook-Robinson has been recognized by many organizations. She has been honored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc's Southfield Alumnae Chapter as its Educator of the Year, and has been named a Distinguished Educator by the Wayne State University College of Education Alumnae Chapter. Dr. Cook-Robinson remains an active leader across a number of local organizations including the Southfield Community Foundation, Wayne State University Board of Visitors, the Oakland University Department of Educational Leadership and the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce, where she continues to build partnerships that are providing Southfield Public School students the tools they need to succeed.

Mr. Speaker, as we continue to move into a future where knowledge is an increasingly critical component to our nation's enduring prosperity, providing a world class education that prepares our youth to meet this demand is crucial. The work of educators, like Southfield Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson, is key part of the continuing success of the Greater Detroit region, the State of Michigan and our Nation. I congratulate Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson on her achievements and know that as she transitions to new responsibilities at the Oakland Intermediate School District, that she will continue to play a vital role in preparing our youth to meet the challenges and demands of our changing world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the executive team and employees of Bridgewater Interiors, LLC on their company's distinction as the 2013 Minority Manufacturer of the Year by the Minority Business Development Agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The Greater Detroit region has a rich history of innovation and is a community that is made strong through the diversity of its residents. Launched in 1998, as a joint venture between Detroit-based Epsilon Technologies, LLC and Johnson Controls, Inc., Bridgewater Interiors is a modern embodiment of these legacies. From its local beginnings, the management team and employees of Bridgewater Interiors embarked on a commitment to deliver high quality products that range from automotive seating systems to overhead systems and center consoles. As a testament to its success, Bridgewater Interiors has grown into a national Tier 1 supplier to the Big Three with over 1,500 employees at four sites across the country.

Bridgewater Interiors prides itself on being a goal-oriented organization that promotes and recognizes the dedication of its employees. To promote high morale amongst its employees, Bridgewater's leadership team has created a work environment that is responsive to employee concerns, creates an open-door policy for access to senior management and that strives to recognize employees for their contributions to their organization's success. In support of its commitment to the ongoing training of its workforce, Bridgewater Interiors provides its employees with a tuition reimbursement program for college studies. Given these commitments to product quality and its employees, it is little wonder that Bridgewater Interiors has been named one of Metropolitan Detroit's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work for by the 101 Best and Brightest organization.

As the leader of a certified Minority Business Enterprise, Bridgewater Interiors' President and CEO, Ron Hall, Sr. has been committed to supporting diversity both within his company and the manufacturing industry. As a result of his commitment to the principles of diversity, Mr. Hall effectively leveraged his leadership at Bridgewater Interiors to hone the organization and mission of the Michigan Minority Supplier Development Council--now one of the premier minority business organizations in the country. In addition to his work within the manufacturing industry, Mr. Hall serves as the Vice President of Minority Business Development at New Detroit, Inc., the nation's first urban coalition, as well as taking a leading role at other local organizations, including the American Diabetes Association of Michigan, Southeastern Michigan Junior Achievement and St. John's Hospital of Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to represent some of the brightest and most innovative individuals and companies in our nation--individuals like Ron Hall, Sr., his leadership team and the employees of Bridgewater Interiors. I congratulate Mr. Hall and the employees of Bridgewater Interiors on their recognition as the 2013 Minority Manufacturer of the Year and I look forward to their continued success as we build the future of the American manufacturing industry.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to welcome the Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor Chapters of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to Michigan's Fourteenth Congressional District, as they gather to celebrate their One-hundred-and-sixth Anniversary.

Founded in 1908, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) was the product of a small and dedicated group of African-American college students from Howard University who sought to make the college experience as meaningful as possible for themselves and the generations of young women that followed them. Together, this group of pioneers created our nation's first historically African-American sorority and set out upon a journey to promote and encourage high scholastic achievement,

strong ethical standards, improved friendship among college women, as well as to identify and develop solutions to issues that prevented young women from accessing higher education. With the motto of ``Service to All Mankind,'' the sorority quickly took root in campuses and communities across the United States.

In the early years following its inception, the members of AKA engaged in endeavors that both assisted with access to and maximizing of the higher education experience for women of color. By the time AKA celebrated its Twenty-fifth Anniversary in 1933, the sorority had grown into a national organization with over 500 members in 104 chapters from across the United States. Among AKA's first achievements were the creation of a $2000 scholarship to increase the ability of talented young women to financially afford college and an engagement with the NAACP to remove social barriers that prevented equal access to college education.

As the decades passed, AKA continued to expand both its membership and the scope of its community programs. In support of their sorority's mission to make higher education more accessible, the members of AKA took frontline roles in the Civil Rights movement and the President Johnson's War on Poverty. In addition to its Emerging Young Leader Initiatives, which provides middle school aged girls with leadership development and enhanced academic opportunities, AKA and its members began to tackle issues of community health, poverty and environmental justice. To support healthier communities, AKA started an asthma prevention program to help families identify and treat childhood asthma before it impacts the educational experience. In fulfillment of AKA's mission, its members undertook the creation of programs to empower their communities with information on the impact of environmental issues affecting them, setup health care forums targeted to women's issues and continue to partner with international leaders like UNESCO to end hunger and poverty across the globe.

Today, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. is a thriving global organization with over 200,000 members worldwide across hundreds of chapters and has affected the future of thousands of young women. AKA's members have been part of key social movements that have seen our nation and the world move closer to equality on all fronts. I thank the members of the Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor Chapters of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. for their tireless dedication and service to Greater Detroit region and congratulate them on celebrating another great milestone in their history. I am proud to represent so many strong and talented Alpha Kappa Alpha women and I wish them well in their future endeavors as they continue making a remarkable impact on communities around the world.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because thousands of folks in my home State of Michigan are looking for work, and Washington is making their job search much harder.

The failure of Congress to find common ground to extend unemployment insurance is shameful when so many families are desperately trying to make ends meet while struggling to find work.

Tomorrow Congress will leave for a 10-day recess while another 100,000 Americans lose their lifeline and will be left out in the cold. This is simply unacceptable.

I am circulating a letter calling on Speaker Boehner to cancel this recess until unemployment insurance is extended. Over 90 of my colleagues have already signed on, and we are all prepared to stay in Washington to get this done.

Extending unemployment benefits has a proven economic return. It is the right thing to do for Michigan families, for families all across our country, and for our economy.

The clock is ticking. Let's cancel this recess now and get to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and service of James G. Scharret, City Administrator for the City of Southfield, who passed away unexpectedly on January 9, 2014.

Mr. Scharret, or Jim as he was known to friends and colleagues, joined the city nearly forty years ago on December 10, 1974, as a research analyst and steadily moved up in the ranks. He became director of management and budget in 1982, deputy city administrator/fiscal services director in November 2004 and acting city administrator in November 2006. He was officially appointed to the post of city administrator in January 2008.

Jim held a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University and a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University. He was well-known for his work ethic, which included being a constant presence in city hall.

As the city administrator, Jim approached his responsibilities with both pride and professionalism. He was particularly mindful of the need for sound fiscal stewardship and took the city's fiscal responsibility very seriously. Under his leadership, Southfield was recognized on many occasions for its sound financial outlook. Of his many accomplishments, Jim was especially proud of leading Southfield through a period of economic difficulty; the city saw its tax base decline by 40 percent but services were maintained without any city employee being laid off.

In addition to running the day to day operations of the city, Jim served on the boards of the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and Local Development Finance Authority. In each of these roles, he worked hard to further the city's vision of a vibrant and prosperous Southfield--approaching them with the same dedication that has endeared him to Southfield's residents, business leaders and elected officials.

Mr. Speaker, as a former city councilman, I know first-hand how communities benefit from

dedicated administrators. Jim's decades of dedicated service to the residents of Southfield is a testament to his character and I know that his leadership will be missed by all who are connected to the Southfield community. I offer my sincere condolences to his wife, Carolyn and their family. They can be proud of the example Jim set for all those who choose to serve their community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my friend Fay Beydoun on her recent induction into the International Institute Foundation's Heritage Hall of Fame. Each year, this honor is given to just a few individuals in the State of Michigan whose work within our many ethnic communities has enriched the entire state and beyond.

As a first-generation American, Fay understands the challenges that newly arrived immigrants face as they seek to become part of our great nation and achieve the American Dream. During her many years as a leader in Michigan's Arab-American community, she has brought individuals from across the Greater Detroit region together to advance social, political and economic causes that have enhanced the vitality of Michigan. And while much of her work has been in Michigan, Fay has also taken a lead role in developing the Arab-American business community, both nationally and internationally.

In her current role, as Executive Director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, Fay leads the largest Arab-American business organization in the United States and oversees the support programs and services it provides to its more than 1,500 members, which span the gamut from small businesses to large multinational organizations. Fay's approach to her work is to focus on empowering entrepreneurs in our many minority business communities with the information they need to recognize and realize their goals. As part of her commitment to empower others, Fay has also served as Chief Operating Officer for the American Middle East Economic Affairs Committee (AMEEAC) since 2008, where she focuses on increasing economic relations between the United States and the Middle East. During her tenure in the leadership of AMEEAC, Fay brought together a wide array of stakeholders to form the TEJERA Global Development Center, an incubator and accelerator with a mission to promote entrepreneurship and exporting businesses in ethnic and minority communities. For the remarkable impact she has made on her community, Fay has been honored by the Michigan Women's Foundation with its Top 25 Women Making a Difference Award and by Corp! Magazine's with its 2011 Diversity Leader Award.

In addition to her work promoting entrepreneurship within the Arab- American community, Fay has been a strong advocate for women in business. As a cofounder of the Arab American Women's Business Council, Fay brought together women leaders in business with the mission to ensure that minority women would have access to the network, tools and knowledge necessary to succeed in their commercial endeavors. Fay furthered her commitment to this mission when she brought together members of the American Arab Chamber to found its Women's Council to support women aspiring to be leaders in business.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Fay has volunteered her leadership and experience with countless community organizations including: Global Detroit, the Michigan Council for the Arts and Culture Affairs, the ACLU of Michigan and Henry Ford Community College--all with the goal of supporting entrepreneurship in Michigan and building ties between the diverse communities of the Southeast Michigan region.

Mr. Speaker, the commitment of leaders like Fay Beydoun is essential to ensuring the robustness of our communities. Her work has fostered greater cross-cultural dialogue and helped others to realize their part of the American Dream, which has greatly enriched the lives of many of my constituents. I congratulate Fay on this great affirmation of her work that she has received from the International Institute Foundation and I thank her for the many insights she has shared with me on local issues, as well as her unwavering dedication to building a strong and diverse Greater Detroit region.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 724; and I would like to start off by thanking the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) for his leadership on this issue and for his willingness to work with me in writing this bill.

This legislation is simple and straightforward. It cuts red tape for small businesses and allows auto dealers to focus on selling cars and creating jobs, not unnecessary paperwork. This bill also benefits consumers. It is one less piece of paper when buying a car, so consumers can focus on what is really important to them, and that is their purchase.

When I came to Congress in 2009, it was a very dark period for our entire economy but particularly for the auto industry. I will never forget the meeting I had during that time with Chrysler's CEO and his management team. They told me that they were not only weeks away from bankruptcy, but that without access to government loans, they would not have the resources to reorganize and would have been forced to liquidate the company. A liquidation of any of the major auto manufacturers would have wreaked havoc on the supply chain and dragged the entire industry down with it, eliminating millions of good-paying U.S. jobs.

My State of Michigan has helped build our Nation's middle class. Our history is proof that you cannot have a strong middle class without a strong manufacturing sector, and you cannot have a strong manufacturing sector without a thriving auto industry. That is why I was proud to fight for Michigan workers and middle class families and our auto industry to secure the loans that they needed to weather this economic storm.

Fast forward to today. Our auto industry is now driving our economic recovery and paving the way to rebuilding our middle class. Vehicle sales are at the highest point they have been since May of 2007; and vehicle manufacturers and suppliers are ramping up production, hiring more workers, and investing in innovation. That is why it is critical that Congress continue to support our auto industry and our middle class.

I am glad to work with the gentleman from Ohio, Congressman Latta, on a commonsense solution to eliminate outdated and unnecessary burdens on small businesses. Auto dealers should not have to provide additional paperwork confirming that a vehicle complies with the Clean Air Act since every new vehicle entering the market already meets that standard. Compliance with the Clean Air Act is certainly very important, but redundant paperwork just slows down our small businesses and our consumers.

Auto dealers are upstanding community citizens. They sponsor Little League teams, scholarships, and volunteer their time to help others. Dealers provide significant value and expertise when consumers want to purchase a new car or truck and work to make financing a vehicle affordable.

Today's new vehicles feature innovations ranging from safety technology that makes our roads safer for all of us to infotainment packages that provide convenience and an enhanced riding experience, features that knowledgeable dealers play a very important role in educating the car-buying public about.

So I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 724 to end this outdated burden on the small businesses that can be found in every community in our country.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly) for his comments and certainly for his support of what I think is a very practical, commonsense bill that deals with an issue that we need to address. And I think it is very encouraging to see us come together in a bipartisan way to deal with this issue in a very commonsense approach.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the members of the Detroit Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. as they celebrate the twenty-fifth year of service of the Delta Manor to the Greater Detroit senior community.

Earlier this year, I was pleased to honor the members of Delta Sigma Theta (DST) as they celebrated their centennial and it is an honor that I now recognize the impact that the Detroit Alumnae Chapter is making on its community. As part of their commitment to their sorority and their community, the Detroit Deltas have undertaken a number of service projects and programs that have assisted residents with health, education and family issues. These programs include assistance to victims of domestic violence, mentoring youth, financial literacy seminars and organizing volunteer shifts at local homeless shelters. At the core of the Detroit Deltas' efforts are the principles of informing and empowering residents--providing critical support to them during moments of crisis.

Like all of these programs, the Delta Manor, an affordable residential complex for seniors and disabled residents of the Greater Detroit region, was born from the determination of the Detroit Deltas to fill voids in services to their neighbors, wherever they exist. Started in 1988, Delta Manor opened to senior and disabled residents in 1989, and has been providing them with a safe and supportive home. As part of its commitment to providing a high quality-of-life for its residents, Delta Manor offers a comprehensive set of activities, social gatherings and health awareness seminars that allow them to pursue their interests. In an effort to continue providing the best possible environment for its residents, the executive board of Delta Manor recently completed major upgrades to its facilities which included an update of the kitchens in all of its units, as well as renovating its computer lab and library.

As the Delta Manor approaches a major milestone in its history, it reminds us of the difference that can be made when a group of determined and compassionate individuals seek to confront the challenges facing their friends and neighbors. The Detroit Deltas have a long and distinguished history of dedication to strengthening the Greater Detroit community, and I am proud to have many of them as my constituents.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Detroit Deltas of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.'s Detroit Alumnae Chapter on reaching this great milestone in their effort to assist seniors and disabled residents in the Southeast Michigan region. I am pleased to thank them for their service and I know they will continue to make a difference in the lives of others in the Greater Detroit community in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a temporary, one year extension of health care plans in the individual market. Although this bill isn't perfect, I believe it is important that Congress works together to give Michigan residents certainty and stability in their healthcare choices while the Administration works out the problems in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

I want to emphasize my support for health care reform. I voted for this important law in 2010, and have voted 40 times against efforts to repeal and dismantle health care reform. However, many of my constituents have called my office confused by the cancellation letters sent by insurers. Compounding this confusion is the ongoing technology glitches that are keeping people from signing up on the exchanges and learning about new options for health insurance.

At a time when too many Michigan families are still struggling economically, it is important that we keep our promises that the law would allow you to keep your insurance and doctor if you want to.

The President announced his plan to grandfather in health care plans that have been recently canceled, but I believe that Congress must also vote to support that decision legislatively. I believe that this temporary, one year extension of health care plans is necessary while people can get the information they need to make the right choices for their family on the benefits of the Affordable Care Act.

I support the President's requirement to have insurers disclose better information about these grandfathered plans and new plans that might be available. That is why I also joined in sending a letter to Secretary Sebelius stating that we must require insurers to explain to policyholders what benefits they would be losing under the grandfathered plans, and the tax credits and subsidies they could be eligible for in the new insurance marketplace. We must ensure that insurance companies provide a clear explanation when any future changes to plans are not a requirement of the Affordable Care Act.

As I have always said, I am willing to work in order to make improvements to ACA as they are needed. Clearly a fix is needed to ensure that people can keep their insurance if they like it. It is important that we work together to give certainty on this issue, and Congress should pass a bipartisan bill to achieve this goal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to join with the members of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. to celebrate the centennial anniversary of their brotherhood, which is bound together under the ideals of scholarship and service.

When it was founded by A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse and Charles I. Brown at Howard University in the early days of 1914, Phi Beta Sigma was envisioned as a fraternal organization that would seek an inclusive membership of meritorious young leaders. Together the founders sought to build a brotherhood committed to serving the communities in which they were raised--empowering residents and bringing together friends and neighbors to create positive change.

One-hundred years later, Phi Beta Sigma has grown into a thriving international fraternal network, with hundreds of collegiate and alumni chapters and an impressive list of accomplishments. In the early part of the Twentieth Century, its members answered the call to serve their nation in the face of unprecedented challenges--fighting bravely in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I and World War II. Phi Beta Sigma's members were at the forefront of the Harlem Renaissance, an incredible resurgence of the unique and rich cultural contributions African- American communities have made to our country. During the Great Depression, Phi Beta Sigma worked to ensure that a college education remained an attainable goal for America's African-American community by offering scholarships. And during the 1950s, members of Phi Beta Sigma were among the individuals leading the charge for Civil Rights in Selma, Alabama, and across the nation, including my distinguished colleague, Congressman John Lewis.

As a Member of Congress from the Greater Detroit region, I have the privilege of representing many Phi Beta Sigma members of the Alpha Alpha Beta Sigma, Nu Alpha Sigma and Xi Beta Sigma alumni chapters in the Greater Detroit area, as well as several collegiate chapters across the Southeast Michigan region. In their efforts to fulfill the mission of their brotherhood, they have supported organizations like Forgotten Harvest that rescue and redistribute food to organizations that assist food insecure families in Michigan, been mentors to young men in the Big Brother program and the Boy Scouts of America, and assisted seniors with maintaining their households. Furthermore, they have undertaken endeavors that support HIV/AIDS education and awareness, created scholarship programs to increase access to higher education and that have increased the quality of living in communities across the Greater Detroit region. Most recently, Phi Beta Sigma has been at the front of a campaign to eliminate hazing in fraternities and sororities across our country.

In addition to the greater local chapters of the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. in the Southeast Michigan area, I also extend my congratulations to the Epsilon Tau Sigma, Pi Rho Sigma and Zeta Gamma Sigma alumni chapters, as well as the many collegiate chapters that serve other communities across Michigan.

Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to congratulate the Michigan members of the Phi Beta Sigma as they celebrate their centennial with their brothers from around the world. In one-hundred years, they have given rise to leaders that have been at the forefront of shaping our nation in the defining moments of the Twentieth Century and engaged in countless service projects that have increased the vitality of communities around the world. I know they must be very proud of this incredible milestone in their organization's history and I wish them many years of continued success in their service to our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the staff, students and alumni of the Payne-Pulliam School of Trade and Commerce in Detroit as they gather to celebrate its Fortieth Anniversary of service to the community.

In 1973, Reverend Betty E. Pulliam and Ms. Freddie M. Lindsey-Payne recognized a growing need in their community--an educational institution whose focus was to provide its students with employment- ready knowledge and skills. In response to this need, Reverend Pulliam and Ms. Lindsey-Payne founded the Payne-Pulliam School which offered a business education in a small class with an individualized learning environment.

As the educational needs of the Greater Detroit community have changed over the last four decades, the Payne-Pulliam School has adapted to meet that demand. Today Payne-Pulliam offers its students assistance with GED preparation, job readiness education and personal development classes. The focus of its dedicated education professionals is to aid their students in their journey to rebuild themselves and their skills. As part of this commitment, Payne-Pulliam provides its students with extensive support in job placement, counseling and training. In 1997, the leadership of the Payne-Pulliam school furthered this commitment by partnering with Michigan Works and the City of Detroit Employment and Training Department.

Each year, as part of its community outreach initiatives, the Payne- Pulliam School hosts its annual Door Opener's Awards event, where students, alumni, educators and community stakeholders come together to recognize individuals who have assisted the School in its mission to provide important education and skills development to the residents of the Greater Detroit region. It is fitting that in this milestone year for the Payne-Pulliam School its founders will be recognized as Door Openers--for their decades of dedication as professional educators and leaders in the endeavor to make education available to all the residents of Southeast Michigan. For both Reverend Pulliam and Ms. Lindsay-Payne, their commitment to education extends far beyond their work at their school as they have been leaders in many other community organizations that are working to increase the accessibility to education in the Greater Detroit region.

Mr. Speaker, access to a quality education is a central component in the continuing success of the Greater Detroit region and other communities across our nation. I congratulate Reverend Pulliam and Ms. Lindsay-Payne on this great milestone in the history of the Payne- Pulliam School of Trade and Commerce and I congratulate its staff, students and alumni on their continuing efforts to ensure that the future of Michigan remains bright.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the christening of the USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN 78, the first in a new class of supercarriers. The ship will be officially Christened November 9th by the former President's only daughter, who is the ships sponsor, at Newport News Shipyard in Virginia.

It is a fitting tribute to the life and legacy of our 38th President that this new ship, which will be the most powerful warship to ever sail the seas, carries his name.

The USS Gerald R. Ford is over 1100 ft long, has a flight deck of approximately 4 acres, displaces 100,000 tons with a complement of 4,660 Sailors. It is a magnificent vessel which will serve the nation for the next 50 years; proudly carrying the name of our former President from my home state of Michigan.

As a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve, I know that this upcoming ceremony will be a great day for our nation, this House where President Ford served for 25 years, our Navy, and the State of Michigan as a favorite son is afforded his rightful place in naval history.

The USS Gerald R. Ford is scheduled to enter active service to the Navy in 2015 after completion of construction by our friends the master shipbuilders in Newport News, VA.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the occasion of St. George Orthodox Church of Troy's Centennial to congratulate Reverend Joseph Antypas and the congregation on this great milestone in the celebration of their faith.

The Greater Detroit community is a region that mirrors the United States, both in the cultural diversity of it residents and their commitment to the American values of equality and freedom. A century ago, newly arrived Orthodox Christian immigrants from Lebanon and

Syria came to the Greater Detroit to share in the American Dream, an opportunity for their families to freely observe their faith and access their full potential. When they arrived, they joined the American work force and began the hard work necessary to secure a brighter future for their children. As an important part of establishing their community and families in their new homeland, they founded the St. George Parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America in 1913. Just a short time later, the parishioners of St. George laid the cornerstone for their church in Detroit.

Named in honor of the Great Martyr George, a staunch defender of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian faith, the Church has been an integral part of the community, allowing its members to continue their traditions and pass them along to future generations. Over the course of its existence, the sanctuary of St. George has called several different sites in the Greater Detroit area home in an effort by its leaders to house an ever expanding congregation. As the congregation has prospered, it has undertaken many different outreach initiatives, designed to support new congregation members and the broader Southeast Michigan community.

Under its current leader, Reverend Joseph Antypas, the congregation of St. George has continued to thrive and moved its current home in Troy in 1994. In 2005, to better serve the community, the leaders of St. George oversaw the construction of a youth education and activities center that will allow younger church members to fully explore and develop their abilities. Furthermore, the Church has been instrumental to its members' continued welfare as our nation has faced the challenges of a difficult economy. It is a testament to the strength of the congregation of St. George that its members will also be celebrating the burning of the mortgage for its current home in Troy while they are celebrating its centennial.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to again congratulate Reverend Antypas, as well as the other leaders, and congregation of St. George Orthodox Church on achieving this great milestone in their community and in the celebration of their faith. I know St. George will continue to serve its members and community well and I wish its leaders and congregation success in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the leaders and residents of Oak Park, Michigan as they celebrate the completion of their city's new City Hall and the renovation of its community campus.

With its village charter approved in 1927, Oak Park was created from a 5.5 square mile part of southwestern Royal Oak Township in Oakland County as a community determined to make a bright future for its residents. From early in its existence, residents of Oak Park were bound by a strong pride for their community and gave freely of their time and energy to ensure its success. While the residents of Oak Park struggled with many of the same challenges that affected our entire nation during the Great Depression, they rose to overcome those obstacles and incorporated as a city in 1945. After its incorporation, Oak Park quickly grew during the post World War II boom--becoming a home to America's growing middle class and small businesses.

The City of Oak Park is a community that embodies the incredible diversity of the Southeast Michigan region and has a rich history that had added so much to the Greater Detroit area. Many middle class families moved to Oak Park in the booming 1950s and opened up businesses, and many, like Koepplinger's Bakery, grew to develop regional notoriety. Over the decades, Oak Park has held true to the dreams of its founders--a tight-knit community where families would raise their children, entrepreneurs can start their own businesses and a place that its residents are proud to call their home.

As a city that has focused on providing its residents with a high quality-of-life, the completion of the Gerald E. Naftaly Municipal Complex will ensure that Oak Park is able to continue providing top- quality service to its residents. Named after former Mayor Jerry Naftaly, who served in office for twenty years and was elected as a City Councilman for fourteen years prior to his tenure as mayor, the renovated community campus will provide residents with expanded public safety services, expanded library access and a modernized community center. The expansion, in addition to the new City Hall facilities, also includes upgrades to Oak Park's Rothstein and Victoria parks. The completion of this project is an impressive milestone in the city's history, one that fully leveraged resources of our federal, state, county and local governments to finish the project approximately $300,000 under budget.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mayor Marian McClellan, City Manager Erik Tungate, the City Council and the residents of Oak Park on the completion of this expanded community campus that will offer them improved service and further enhance their quality-of-life. I have no doubt they must be proud of this achievement and I wish them success as they continue to strengthen their city for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Macon-Thomas Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen as its members and the Greater Detroit community gather to honor its founders and celebrate another successful year.

As the end of the 1930s approached, America faced unprecedented challenges in our nation's history--recovery from the Great Depression and the looming specter World War II--which threatened the values that all of us hold dear. The greatest generation responded to these threats with selfless sacrifice and unwavering determination to protect our country. The Tuskegee Airmen are a shining example of our greatest generation, rising above the divisions of that time to answer the call to serve their fellow citizens. The Tuskegee Airmen fought with the honor and valor becoming of any soldier in the United States Armed Forces and demonstrated that our differences pale in comparison to our shared ideals of equality and democracy. The record of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II is exemplary and they were often on the front lines protecting American bombers to ensure they would be able to complete their missions.

The Tuskegee Airmen were at the forefront of so many important events in our history--as fighter escorts for American bombers, as trailblazers in the efforts to integrate the United States Armed Forces, and as leaders in the Civil Rights movement that followed their return from World War II. Their determination and hard work paved the way for great steps forward in the endeavor to ensure that all Americans are treated and protected equally under the law.

In the Greater Detroit region, our local chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. is named after Captain Richard D. Macon and Lieutenant Colonel Donald C. Thomas, Jr.--two men who embodied the courage and tenacity of the American spirit. Their bravery not only secured our nation from harm and precipitated an incredible expansion of rights in our nation, but their determination to ensure continuing progress has led to a strong local chapter that has preserved the history of their achievements and inspired future generations of Americans from every community and ethnicity across our land to pursue a future in aviation and aerospace industries. Furthermore, the Macon-Thomas Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen undertakes many programs that also help youth develop and hone their leadership skills to empower as a force for positive change in our society.

Mr. Speaker, the bravery, courage and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen are an inspiration to all of us who heed the call to serve our country. Their actions paved the way for great steps forward in our country's history and I am proud to honor the local Macon-Thomas Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen in West Bloomfield, Michigan. I congratulate its members and supporters on another year of great accomplishments and wish them continuing success in their future endeavors.