Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Our Daily Bread, and to congratulate them on their 25 years of service to the community.

Our Daily Bread is a volunteer-based organization dedicated to providing critical services to families and individuals suffering from financial hardship. Through robust community support from local faith- based groups, community organizations, local businesses, schools and universities, Our Daily Bread has grown to provide food, financial literacy education and assistance, school supplies, and holiday cheer to thousands of people in our area.

Our Daily Bread's mission is to identify and address the unmet fundamental needs of Fairfax area residents, and to empower the community to help our neighbors maintain self-sufficiency. This mission of sustainability and self-sufficiency evolved from humble beginnings. Our Daily Bread was founded in 1984 as a temporary homeless shelter that rotated among several area churches. When Fairfax County opened a county-run shelter in the Reston area, Our Daily Bread refocused its energies on feeding the homeless and opened a soup kitchen to serve those most in need. Recognizing the difficulties faced by those patrons unable to benefit from this service, Our Daily Bread again reinvented itself first by delivering sandwiches made by volunteers and later to delivering supplemental groceries directly to homeless families who were living in motels along Route 50 in Fairfax.

Our Daily Bread has a history of being dynamic in the face of changing demographics. Beginning in the 1990's and largely fueled by the high cost of rental housing, a new urgent need emerged. Families who were not homeless, families in which one or both parents were often juggling multiple jobs, were finding themselves unable to meet their basic needs and were just one crisis away from homelessness. Our Daily Bread rose to meet this challenge and began a program offering emergency financial assistance in the form of a modest one-time grant of up to $350.00. More recently, Our Daily Bread expanded their services to provide financial mentoring, a back to school program and holiday meals and gifts. It is a testament to talent and commitment of the volunteers, staff, and supporters who make Our Daily Bread what it is today; an organization with the foresight and readiness to take on new problems, while continuing to deliver on core initiatives.

Today, Our Daily Bread provides critical services to the elderly, the working poor, the disabled and the homeless in the Fairfax area. In 2009, Our Daily Bread provided food assistance to 345 families, a 73% increase from the previous year. In addition, 279 families benefited from financial assistance and over 100 families took part in financial literacy training and mentoring. Nearly 3,800 families were served by the holiday program, and 350 children received supplies for school. Over half of those assisted by our Daily Bread's program were children.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in paying tribute to Our Daily Bread for their commitment to the community. I would also to express my sincere gratitude to the volunteers and staff who contribute their time and energy and also to the Fairfax area business community for the support they provide to this worthwhile cause.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Ann Lam Wong and Sharon Dravvorn, recipients of 2009 Milken Family Foundation National Educator Awards. The Milken Foundation honors teachers, principals, and specialists throughout America with $25,000 individual awards. Criteria for individual awards include exceptional education talent based on student results in the classroom, educational accomplishments outside of the classroom, and professional leadership. All of the recipients of the awards will attend the Milken Educator Forum in Los Angeles, Calif., in May.

Ann Lam Wong is a biology teacher at West Springfield High School in Springfield, Va. She teaches several sections of biology, and 100 percent of her students passed the Virginia Standards of Learning tests in biology with 68 percent passing at an advanced level. Wong also teaches AP biology, where 75 percent of her students passed the AP examination with a score of 3 or higher.

In addition to teaching biology, Wong mentors students who are having a hard time transitioning to high school. She started an AP summer academy, which increased AP enrollment requests at West Springfield High School by 27 percent. Wong also is the advisor for her students' Asian American Student Association.

Sharon Dravvorn teaches 9th and 10th grade mathematics at Woodbridge High School in Woodbridge, Va. Dravvorn incorporates a broad range of tools in her classroom, including the use of classical music, logic games, and visual aids. She focuses on teaching students that failed their 8th grade Standards of Learning exams. Ninety-five percent of those students who have received additional instruction from Dravvorn went on to pass their exams.

Along with teaching mathematics, Dravvorn is a role model for other teachers in the area. She mentors fellow teachers, leads a book club for teachers, and teaches training courses for her peers.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ann Lam Wong and Sharon Dravvorn as examples of outstanding educators through their exceptional work in and outside of the classroom. They are role models for both their students and other teachers.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the celebration of Chinese New Year. This year marks the 4,708th year in the Chinese Lunar calendar.

In Virginia's 11th District, constituents of different backgrounds-- including Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Malaysian--gathered on February 13th and 14th to ring in the New Year.

The celebration that many of my constituents attended was sponsored by the Asian Community Service Center and hosted by Luther Jackson Middle School in Falls Church, Virginia. This celebration was a testament to the rich cultural traditions that are often practiced by the residents of Northern Virginia.

To my constituents and all those who celebrate Chinese New Year, I wish you a prosperous Year of the Tiger.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the celebration of Chinese New Year. This year marks the 4,708th year in the Chinese Lunar calendar.

In Virginia's 11th District, constituents of different backgrounds-- including Chinese, Indonesian, Indian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, and Malaysian--gathered on February 13th and 14th to ring in the New Year.

The celebration that many of my constituents attended was presented by the Fair Oaks Mall and sponsored by the Hai Hua Community Center in Virginia. This celebration was a testament to the rich cultural traditions that are often practiced by the residents of Northern Virginia.

This year, the Lunar New Year celebration also included a Lantern Festival celebration. The festivities consisted of cultural performances, demonstrations, and arts and crafts activities. To my constituents and all those who celebrated Chinese New Year, I wish you a prosperous Year of the Tiger.-

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Molly Sabolsky, a senior from W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va., for receiving a 2010 Harry F. Byrd Jr. Leadership Award. Senator Byrd developed the award to recognize and reward students that are strong academically and demonstrate leadership qualities. A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to one student from each congressional district in Virginia.

Each high school in Virginia is able to nominate one student to compete for the award. Students are nominated based upon their excellence in academics, leadership, good citizenship, and character. Molly Sabolsky embodies the reward through her academic achievement in the classroom and her leadership on the volleyball team.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Molly Sabolsky for being recognized by the Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Leadership for her academic success and leadership qualities.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize Nyasha Sprow, 12, of Dale City, Va., for receiving a Prudential Spirit of Community Award, a nationwide program that honors youth for outstanding acts of volunteerism. The Prudential Spirit of the Community Award was created by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals in order to impress upon our young people that their contributions are important and to inspire young people to become involved in their communities. As a recipient of the award, Nyasha will receive a $1,000 award and an engraved silver medallion.

Nyasha was nominated by the Prince William Chapter of the American Red Cross in Manassas. She is a seventh grader at Herbert Saunders Middle School in Manassas and is an advocate for organ and tissue donation. Her two sisters were tragically killed, and her mother made the hard decision to donate their organs and tissues. Following this tragic event, Nyasha has made advocating organ donation her personal mission.

Nyasha is a spokesperson for the National Kidney Foundation, where she conducts presentations for elementary school children, distributes literature at health fairs and speaks with the media. She also helps with fundraising events sponsored by the National Kidney Foundation and the Washington Regional Transplant Center. In addition to her work with the National Kidney Foundation, she discussed the issue of organ donation as a contestant in the National American Miss pageant.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring Nyasha Sprow for her outstanding volunteerism. She should be applauded for her initiative in making her community a better place to live. She has demonstrated a level of commitment and accomplishment that is truly extraordinary for someone of her age, and she deserves our sincere admiration. Her actions demonstrate the impact the youth can play in our communities.

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

I thank the Chair, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

First of all, let me thank, Mr. Chairman, the leadership of Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member Hall and the floor managers, Mr. Lipinski of Illinois and Mr. McCaul of Texas. I appreciate very much their leadership.

Cybersecurity, Mr. Chairman, has been a growing concern, and recent events like the attack on Google and the hacking of Web sites maintained by Members of this very Chamber in the House highlight the urgency of today's action. As you know, the bill would expand research and development work in the field of cybersecurity, to provide for increased higher education opportunities, and to launch a much needed public awareness campaign on the importance of making our electronic communications and commerce as secure as possible in today's digital age.

My amendment, Mr. Chairman, would clarify that children and young adults should be an important target audience of that public awareness campaign, and must be included. Children and young adults are by far among the largest consumers of new media and technology, yet in many cases they are also the most naive when it comes to taking basic safety precautions when using this technology and these innovations, which makes it all the more important that we reach out to them specifically.

While children and young adults are among the most savvy users of technology, I fear they do not fully grasp the permanence of their actions, whether it is blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, or posting videos on YouTube. The use and portability of information technology has exploded in the past decade. More than 80 percent of households, for example, in my district have Internet access. Technology has become a vital part of our everyday lives, particularly for the younger generation.

According to the Center for Education Statistics, 67 percent of preschool children have used a computer, and 23 percent of preschool children have used the Internet. Those figures of course jump exponentially higher once children reach school age, as technology becomes integrated into the classroom curriculum. By the time young people reach high school, 97 percent of them are using computers, and 80 percent are online regularly, which for parents of teenagers like myself, that may sound like a conservative figure.

I cannot emphasize enough, Mr. Chairman, how important it is for us to reach children at a young age, in the classroom, to develop a healthy sense of caution as we instruct them about the wonders of technology. That is particularly true in our science, technology, engineering and math-focused schools.

That is why in my district, Thomas Jefferson High School, ranked the number one high school in the United States 3 years in a row, is churning out the innovators of tomorrow. I look forward to exploring future opportunities in this area with the committee and urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

With that, I reserve the balance of my time.

I yield to the gentleman from Illinois, the distinguished floor manager.

I thank my distinguished colleagues, Mr. Chairman, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Prince William Regional Chamber of Commerce 2009 Businesses of the Year.

The Businesses of the Year Awards are divided into eight categories. Each year, the Prince William Regional Chamber identifies a business for each category that best exemplifies the entrepreneurial and community spirit of the County. The winners represent some of Prince William's most heartening stories of success and charity.

I would like to extend my personal congratulations to the recipients of the 2009 Businesses of the Year Awards:

New Business of the Year: Dogtopia of Woodbridge.

Small Business of the Year: The Dog Eaze Inn.

Medium Business of the Year: Whitlock & Associates Wealth Management.

Large Business of the Year: R.W. Murray Co.

Home Based Business of the Year: ImageWerks.

Community Service Organization of the Year: Greater Prince William Community Health Center.

Cultural Arts Organization of the Year: Youth Orchestras of Prince William.

Community Outreach Award: Larry Hair Designers, Inc.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the 2009 Businesses of the Year and wishing them continued success. Strong businesses are the backbone of a healthy and robust economy, and we do our community a service to encourage their creation and growth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Childhelp and to congratulate them on their 50th Anniversary.

Childhelp is one of the premier national organizations dedicated to leading the fight against child abuse and neglect. Founded in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp's approach focuses on prevention, intervention and treatment. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receives calls from throughout the United States, Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Guam. Childhelp's programs and services also include residential treatment services; children's advocacy centers; therapeutic foster care; group homes; child abuse prevention, education and training; and the National Day of Hope, part of National Child Abuse Prevention Month every April. Several of Childhelp's programs were firsts and continue to be studied by professionals worldwide as ``models that work.''

Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson continue to actively lead the organization and provide its vision, serving as Chairman/CEO and President, respectively. Their humanitarian commitment has been recognized throughout the world; Sara and Yvonne were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for three consecutive years, 2005, 2006 and 2007.

It is impossible to know how many lives have been touched by Childhelp, how many children protected, how many families strengthened. Although exact numbers may be difficult to identify, it is clear that Childhelp has filled a critical role in child abuse prevention and education. It would not have been possible for Childhelp to achieve its many successes without the dedication and commitment of their volunteers. They are the heart and soul of the organization; they are the links that keep the chain strong.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Childhelp, especially the volunteers of this incredible organization, for their commitment to the most vulnerable members of our society, our children. I also ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating Childhelp on the occasion of its Golden Anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor City of Fairfax Fire Chief Thomas W. Owens and to recognize his decades of public service.

Chief Owens has had a long and distinguished career in public safety. His journey began in 1969 when, at the age of 16, he joined the Sterling, Va., Volunteer Fire Department. During his 21-year tenure with that organization, he served in all operational capacities and eventually rose to the rank of Chief of the department.

Shortly after he began volunteering with the Sterling Fire Department, Chief Owens began his career as a professional firefighter in 1972 as a Firefighter/Station Office with Prince William County, Va., Fire and Rescue. Between 1972 and 1990, Chief Owens' held a number of positions with several municipal fire departments in the National Capital Region, including those in Prince William, Washington, D.C., Loudoun County, and Fairfax County.

In 1990, Chief Owens stepped down from his duties with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Department. That same year, he became the first Director of Fire and Rescue for the Frederick County, Va., Fire and Rescue Department. In 1998 Chief Owens returned to Northern Virginia as Assistant Fire Chief of the City of Fairfax Fire Department, and, in 2003, he was appointed Chief.

This impressive history of regional service tells only a small part of the Chief Owens story and barely captures his many contributions to our community. Under his leadership, emergency preparedness and public and professional education were top priorities. Chief Owens established a formal Life Safety Education Program which emphasized fire safety education for our most vulnerable residents, children and seniors. In addition, he created a citizen-based Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) with grant funding. His dedication to the continued education of emergency responders helped lead to an expansion of the Public Safety Training Center, the strengthening of flammable liquids firefighting capabilities and the implementation of a swift water rescue program. Under the leadership of Chief Owens, the City established an Office of Emergency Management.

Chief Owens has had a permanent, indelible impact in another unique area. He led the efforts to strengthen and enhance the working relationship between the City of Fairfax Fire Department, the leaders of the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. and the City of Fairfax Professional Firefighters and Paramedics Association which fostered mutual respect, support and cooperation and resulted in second-to-none service to the residents of the

City of Fairfax and the entire region. One highlight of this new partnership is a joint revenue-sharing program with the Fairfax Volunteer Fire Department to provide a sustained revenue source for fire truck and equipment replacement.

Chief Owens has served as a member of the policy steering committee for the Northern Virginia Emergency Response System, which guides the all-hazards emergency planning for the region. He also served as Chairman of the Northern Virginia Fire Chiefs Committee for six years, and he coordinated the city task forces that provided support services in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Chief Owens for his years of dedication to public safety and his community and for his unwavering support of emergency responders under his command. We wish him the very best as he begins yet another chapter of his life as the Director of the Division of Fire Rescue Services for Frederick County, Md.

Madam Speaker, the time for fiscal responsibility is now. Unfortunately, budget deficits are not a new phenomenon. We had budget deficits in 74 of the past 100 years. In fiscal year 1969, under Lyndon Johnson, we had a budget surplus of $3.2 billion. However, each of the next 28 budgets was in deficit. But starting in fiscal year 1998, under President Clinton, we had four straight budget surpluses, totalling more than $559 billion. In fact, the long term budget outlook predicted $5.6 trillion in surpluses. The last time we had four consecutive budget surpluses was in fiscal year 1930.

The Great Recession, which began in 2007, dramatically increased unemployment to a peak of 10.2 percent, a 26-year high. For those fortunate enough to remain employed, the recession led to depressed wages and benefits; growing at just 1.5 percent, the lowest level since 1982. As a result, families suffered and Federal income revenues declined precipitously. In 2009, corporate income revenue declined 55 percent, or $166 billion, from its 2007 level, and individual income revenues fell 20 percent, or $230 billion.

In addition to the tremendous toll this recession took on the American public, rising unemployment and stagnant wages added almost $400 billion to our debt. In fact, total Federal revenues, which historically have represented roughly 20 percent of our gross domestic product declined to 14.8 percent in 2009. Although the recession did not create budget deficits, it exacerbated their severity enormously.

In the face of this budgetary maelstrom, we took decisive action. Last year, the House of Representatives voted to reinstitute a statutory pay-as-you-go piece of legislation. In 1990, Congress enacted that statutory PAYGO rule, and required spending increases and revenue decreases to be offset so as not to increase the deficit. PAYGO was one of the critical tools used to control Federal spending and effectuate eventual budget surpluses.

Unfortunately, in 2002, a Republican Congress and a Republican President, President Bush, failed to reenact PAYGO, and allowed it to expire. The results were predictable and disastrous with respect to the Federal deficit. The expiration of PAYGO conveniently allowed the Bush administration to enact three budget-busting initiatives: tax cuts for the wealthy; a prescription drug plan, prescription part D, unpaid for; and two wars, one in Iraq and Afghanistan, none of these initiatives paid for. These actions dramatically increased spending and reduced revenues, adding $6.7 trillion to the national debt, and leaving the Federal budget fundamentally unbalanced for the foreseeable future.

Combined with the Great Recession, these actions led to the fiscal year 2009 budget, which began in October of '08, with a deficit of more than $1 trillion. For the better part of the past decade budget deficits were ignored and fiscally irresponsible behavior reigned supreme. A true commitment to deficit reduction will require further action. And just as the previous surpluses were the result of prolonged fiscal responsibility, we must demonstrate a long term focus. Budgets do not go from significant deficits to surpluses overnight. Therefore, it is critical that we set specific milestones and identifiable budget reduction goals.

The President's new budget reduces deficits to 3.9 percent of the GDP, a more sustainable level. This is a reasonable beginning for the next several years. However, more will be necessary, and our goals should continue to further reduce the deficit over the long term.

President Obama's spending freeze proposal is painful, but itself it is a small, though significant action. It demonstrates a return to fiscal responsibility, and represents $250 billion in deficit reduction. Additional action, however, will have to be taken. For example, the ever-rising cost of health care not only affects every American family pocketbook, but also is a significant contributor to budget deficits. Today health care costs are 18 percent of our GDP. Without reform, that will rise to a staggering 34 percent by 2040. The House health insurance reform legislation was a first step in controlling these costs, and reduced the budget deficit by $139 billion over the next decade.

Our efforts already have shown modest success. Although we are still in the throes of a fragile economic recovery, the improving conditions recently resulted in a $50 billion reduction from the '09 deficit. While we cannot completely grow our way out of deficits, creating conditions for economic growth is critical to deficit reduction, and the President's budget reflects that.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the nominees for the Prince William County Teacher of the Year/Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award.

The Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award program was established by the Washington Post to ``recognize excellence in teaching, to encourage creative and quality instruction, and to contribute in a substantive way to the improvement of education in the Washington metropolitan area.''

The annual recipients represent each of the 19 public school systems in the metropolitan region and a single representative from the region's private schools. The educator selected from Prince William County Public Schools also is recognized as the Prince William County Teacher of the Year. Teachers who meet the criteria for the award are those who instill a desire to learn and achieve, understand the individual needs of students, and demonstrate a thorough knowledge of subject matter and have the ability to share it effectively with students.

I congratulate the 2010 Prince William County nominees for the Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award:

Karen Bentall, library media specialist, Sudley Elementary School;

Margaret Bozzard, third-grade teacher, Enterprise Elementary School;

Toni Anne Cipriano, learning disabilities teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School;

Colleen Crownhart, physical education teacher, Dale City Elementary School;

Elizabeth Genova, K-5 reading teacher, Swans Creek Elementary School;

Artise Gill, 11th- and 12th-grade English and photojournalism teacher, Brentsville District High School;

Tammy Hinkle, fifth-grade teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School;

Megan Howland, fourth-grade teacher/reading specialist, Buckland Mills Elementary School;

Elizabeth Johnson, third-grade teacher, Buckland Mills Elementary School;

Leota Johnson, art teacher, Marshall Elementary School;

Mary Tate Kenneally, 11th- and 12th-grade algebra 2 and 11th-grade geometry teacher, Battlefield High School;

Joseph Kirrane, sixth-grade social studies teacher, Graham Park Middle School.

Terri Lawson, seventh-grade life sciences teacher, Saunders Middle School;

Erin Lips, 9th-12th-grade business teacher, Stonewall Jackson High School;

Donald Magee, band director, Forest Park High School;

Bobbie Mandro, family and consumer sciences teacher, Gar-Field High School;

Dory McAllister, 9th-12th-grade special education teacher, Hylton High School;

Heather Oberle, 9th-grade English teacher, Brentsville District High School;

Doreen Raymond, French and gifted education teacher, Bull Run Middle School;

Erin Steinebach, fourth-grade reading specialist, Buckland Mills Elementary School.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending the nominees for the Prince William County Teacher of the Year/Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. Their continued service will ensure that Prince William County students are provided with a world-class education in a more vibrant learning community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Scott Pierce of Fairfax, Va. for receiving the Pollin Award, honoring outstanding dedication to one's community. The Pollin Award is named after the late Abe Pollin and his wife, Irene, noted philanthropists and chairpersons of the Washington Wizards and the Verizon Center.

Scott received the Pollin Award on January 20, 2010 for his tireless efforts on behalf of youth in his community. Over the years, Scott has served on the Board of Directors for both Fairfax Fall Ball and the 17th District American Legion Baseball, and he coached numerous players in Fairfax Little League, Mantua Basketball and Mantua Swim.

Youth sports provide a tremendous opportunity for our children to learn teamwork, dedication and sportsmanship. Constructive activities provide a healthy alternative for our children's time and are an effective deterrent to more destructive behavior, such as participation in gangs. Coaches like Scott Pierce provide invaluable mentoring to our children, and are vital in helping them become productive members of society.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me in congratulating Scott Pierce for this important recognition. I thank him for his dedication to our children and for making Northern Virginia a better place.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 17 Prince William County Public Schools teachers who recently received certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The National Board is an independent nonprofit organization governed by classroom teachers, school administrators, school board leaders, governors and state legislators, higher education officials, teacher union leaders, and business and community leaders.

Certified teachers are required to meet standards established by the National Board to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and accomplishments that comprise teaching excellence. A Board Certified teacher supports a vision of teaching based on the following core principles.

1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning;

2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students;

3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning;

4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience; and

5. Teachers are members of learning communities.

I congratulate the following National Board Certified Teachers on achieving this professional recognition:

Kristen Augsburger, mathematics/adolescence and young adulthood, Battlefield High School;

Melissa Callaghan, generalist/early childhood, Cedar Point Elementary School;

Heather Davids, English language arts/adolescence and young adulthood, Osbourn Park High School;

Diane Dunn, mathematics/early adolescence, New Dominion;

Julie Faith, social studies--history/adolescence and young adulthood, Stonewall Jackson High School;

Brenda Hayden, career and technical education/early adolescence through young adulthood, Stonewall Jackson High School;

Marge Hopkins, library media/early childhood through young adulthood, McAuliffe Elementary School;

Bobbie Mandro, career and technical education/early adolescence through young adulthood, Gar-Field High School;

Susan Mangicaro, mathematics/adolescence through young adulthood, Brentsville District High School;

Janice McCurdy, exceptional needs specialist/early childhood through young adulthood, Gar-Field High School;

Amanda Proch, literacy: reading-language arts/early and middle childhood, Marshall Elementary School;

Christopher Proch, art/early adolescence through young adulthood, Gar-Field High School;

Krystle Quinlan, generalist/early childhood, Coles Elementary School;

Jennifer Roberts, generalist/early childhood, West Gate Elementary School;

Connie Schumacher, social studies-history/early adolescence, Stonewall Middle School;

Judy Swank, library media/early childhood through young adulthood, Swans Creek Elementary School;

Laura Whitman, English as a second language/early adolescence through young adulthood, Potomac High School.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in commending these teachers for their commitment to education and professional development. Prince William County Public Schools delivers a world class education with the help of teachers like these who make excellence a system-wide standard.

I thank my colleague from California.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution, expressing my condolences on the situation in Haiti and praising Fairfax County's urban search and rescue team that is in Haiti, 80-strong plus, and having saved a number of lives already.

In the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti, the men and women of these highly skilled teams worked together in a chaotic environment to save fifteen people (as of Tues. Jan 19).

On January 12, 2010--one day after the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti--the men and women of Fairfax County's urban search and rescue team, Virginia Task Force 1, deployed to Haiti.

The task force consisted of 72 personnel, 6 search and rescue canines, and about 48 tons of rescue equipment and supplies. The team rescued a United Nations security guard and assisted a French search and rescue team in removing seven Americans from a hotel.

Two days after the earthquake, a second team of 42 men and women from Fairfax County deployed to Haiti. Both Fairfax County urban search and rescue teams merged and rescued a 21 year-old female who was trapped in a multi-story building.

I commend the men and women of USAR Team 1 on their heroic effort, mourn for those who lost their lives, and pray for those awaiting aid. To the Fairfax team and all first responders in Haiti, I say ``Stay Safe'' and ``Go with God.''