Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, we have heard some interesting rhetoric today about the impacts on small businesses and health care reform. Here's a statistic. If we do nothing, the cost of health care on our small businesses in the United States over the next 10 years will increase to $2.4 trillion. That's going to have a crushing burden on the ability of small businesses to do what they do best, which is to create jobs.

Only 48 percent of our small businesses currently provide health care. If we allowed those cost increases to occur by doing nothing in terms of health care reform, we're guaranteeing fewer Americans will have health care, we're guaranteeing fewer successes among small businesses that are the job generator in this economy.

Doing nothing has a profound cost. That's why we need health care reform. We need it now. We've waited 6 years. The time has arrived.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Arc of Greater Prince William/INSIGHT, Incorporated (The Arc) and the support they provide for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Arc is an affiliate of The Arc of the United States and The Arc of Virginia and is a tireless advocate for the rights and full participation of all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc provides support services to residents of the community that help to realize the organization's broader mission.

The assistance provided by The Arc in raising a child with disabilities begins early in life with their child care services. Children ages 6 weeks to 21 years can seek therapeutic and educational activities at the Muriel Humphrey Center in Dale City, Virginia. At the Robert Day Child Care Center in Manassas children enjoy recreational activities that encourage healthy socialization and friendship. Recognizing the added stress and time commitments that accompany raising a child with disabilities, The Arc offers ``Parents Night Out'' and respite care programs. Prince William families are not alone and have a dedicated and capable partner in The Arc of Greater Prince William.

The Arc extends its support beyond high school education with a number of programs designed to give adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities a well-rounded life experience. In the vocational services program individuals are taught ground maintenance, lawn care and janitorial skills. At The Arc's ``Spinaweb'' facility in the Town of Occoquan, weavers produce fabric for clothing and other woven items.

Young adults are encouraged to continue to develop their social skills through bowling leagues and various recreational activities. The Arc has nine group homes which allow adults to enjoy an independent and less structured living environment. These programs afford individuals the opportunity to grow and develop their skills and social networks. This is an opportunity that would not be so readily available without The Arc.

This year, The Arc of Greater Prince William celebrates its 45th Anniversary. Since 1964, the organization has built a remarkable infrastructure of programs and facilities. The residents of Prince William are served well by the diverse and comprehensive selection of assistance programs offered by The Arc.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in applauding the efforts of The Arc of Greater Prince William/INSIGHT, Incorporated on behalf of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I would like to express my personal gratitude for their work and my admiration for the mission they seek to accomplish.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the many contributions of the Korean-American Association of Northern Virginia.

The 11th Congressional District of Virginia is blessed by the significant racial, ethnic and religious diversity of its residents. The entire community is enriched by this diversity and benefits greatly from the sharing of cultural customs and traditions. The Korean- American community is a vibrant part of this tapestry and an integral part of the community.

A large percentage of the businesses in the 11th District of Virginia are owned and operated by Korean-Americans and provide jobs, goods and services to the local residents. The work ethic displayed is consistent with so many immigrant groups who have come before and who have contributed to building the United States of America into a great country. Quite often, members of the Korean immigrant community will work multiple jobs in order to succeed and provide homes for their families. Education is highly prized and sought. Honesty, integrity and dignity are values that are instilled at a young age and continue to develop throughout life.

However, transitioning into a new life in a new country can often be overwhelming. Language, customs, educational systems, even the way a person shops for food, can be confusing and frightening. A guiding hand can help address these difficulties.

The Korean-American Association of Northern Virginia, KAANV, provides assistance to ease this transition. This organization works with members of the Korean community to teach the skills that are necessary to function and thrive. The KAANV provides numerous services, one being the KAANV Vocational School which offers classes in English and Spanish, in vocational trades such as electrical licensing, plumbing and pharmaceutical technician, and in job seeking skills such as resume writing and employment examination preparation. The Vocational School educates roughly 700 people each year and gives them the tools that they need in order to become productive members of society.

In addition to the Vocational School, the KAANV sponsors an Annual Job Fair which brings employers, job seekers and employment counselors together under one roof. This year, the Sixth Annual KAANV Job Fair will include employers from both the private and public sectors and is expected to attract the participation of nearly 2,000 area residents.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing the Korean-American Association of Northern Virginia for the invaluable services that it provides to the community and for the life changing impacts that its services have on the lives of so many of our family members, neighbors and friends.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a lifetime of service to our Navy and Marine Corps as well as to our nation from the husband and wife team of Dr. Jerome Karle, Ph.D., and Dr. Isabella L. Karle, Ph.D. They both will be retiring on July 31, 2009, from the Naval Research Laboratory after a combined 127 years of federal service. The longevity of their impressive service is surpassed only by the remarkable nature of the scientific contributions that they have made.

The career of Dr. Jerome Karle began with the Manhattan Project and continued when he joined the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in 1944. Dr. Jerome Karle, an internationally renowned chemist and defense scientist, made great contributions to our country's defense and well- being. His work involved the determination of the atomic arrangements in materials and their implications. He and his colleagues developed new methods to determine those arrangements, which have been universally adopted throughout the world. This research occupies an almost unique position in science because the information it provides is used continuously in other fields. His work in the development of direct methods for the determination of crystal structures was recognized with the prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1985. He holds honorary degrees from six prominent universities and has served as the chairman of the Chemistry Section of the National Academy of Sciences. He has received the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the Secretary of the Navy Award for Distinguished Achievement in Science, the President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian

Service, and the Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service. More recently, in 2004, he was honored as one of only nine Department of Defense career civilian employees featured in a Pentagon ``Civilian Hall of Fame,'' a permanent exhibit that will be open for new inductees every ten years.

Dr. Isabella L. Karle, who also worked on the Manhattan Project and joined her husband at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in 1946, pioneered research that occupies a special place along the frontier of scientific progress. Her work provided the basis for ensuing methodologies which are now used for a broad range of military and civilian applications, from improved propellants, more powerful explosives, and more effective sensor systems to novel anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics and decontaminating agents. In addition, her research has led to a vastly improved understanding of the properties of several classes of crystalline materials, including several families of metal alloys and a lengthy list of organic substances. More specifically, Dr. Isabella Karle is responsible for the development and extensive application of a method for determining essentially equal- atom crystal and molecular structures by X-ray analysis. The method transformed analyses that were previously characterized by tedious frustration and abortive efforts to one of systematic processes. From a small number of structure analyses being published in the 1960s, her procedure has led to the analyses and publication of many thousands of structures of complicated molecules annually. All of the present computerized programs for X-ray structure analyses are based on her fundamental work known as the Symbolic Addition Procedure. Its high success rate has had a profound effect on the practice of organic and biological chemistry. Her work to determine accurately and with dispatch the three-dimensional arrangements of atoms in a very broad range of substances has been recognized with the prestigious National Medal of Science. She holds honorary degrees from eight prominent universities; The Benjamin Franklin National Memorial's Bower Award and Prize for Achievement in Science, The Franklin Institute; the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Award; the Paul Ehrlich Prize, National Institutes of Health; the American Peptide Society's Merrifield Award; the Gregory Aminoff Prize, Royal Academy of Sciences (Sweden); and the Ralph Hirschmann Award in Peptide Science, American Chemical Society. In 2004, the University of Michigan honored both Drs. Jerome and Isabella Karle with the ``Jerome and Isabella Karle Collegiate Professorship of Chemistry.''

The pioneering research of Jerome and Isabella Karle occupies a special place along the frontier of scientific progress because the information provided by ensuing methodologies is now used for a broad range of military and civilian applications. Their groundbreaking work truly affirms the idea that the pursuit of fundamental knowledge, by a cadre of government scientists working in a defense mission environment, is of enormous value to national security. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Jerome Karle and Dr. Isabella L. Karle for their exemplary service to our nation.

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

Mr. Chairman, I rise to address an amendment to augment the Army Corps of Engineers oyster restoration program by $7 million. This is a critical investment in the health of America's largest estuary.

The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure. It was the port of entry for Jamestown's European settlers. Many of America's founding fathers, from George Washington to George Mason, settled on the banks of the Bay and tidal reaches of her tributaries. When the colonists arrived, the Bay was extraordinarily fecund. John Smith wrote that one could walk across the backs of swimming rockfish and that a single turtle could feed 40 men. He also wrote that oysters ``lay thick as stones'' covering the Bay's floor. This productivity fueled economic growth in our region. In the early 20th century, H.L. Mencken wrote that oysters, as the most common fare in Baltimore, were the standard meal of every workingman.

Today, we are attempting to restore an ecosystem and oyster population that has been devastated by pollution, to the extent that some have proposed replacing it with nonnative oysters. The Bay's economic productivity, whose fisheries are still worth over $100 million a year, relies on the health of its oyster population, not only for their own value but also because they are a keystone species for the Bay and the major filtration for pollutants in the Bay.

This amendment is an important part of our broader efforts to restore the health of the Bay. I thank Mr. Pastor and Mr. Frelinghuysen for the committee's support for this amendment and the subcommittee's staff for their assistance.

Mr. Chairman, I yield to Mr. Pastor.

I thank the gentleman, and I reserve my time.

Mr. Chairman, I just want to thank the managers of this bill for their bipartisan support and for their respective staffs, particularly my colleague from Virginia for his support as well.

I yield back the balance of my time.

I rise today to reemphasize the economic need for the American Clean Energy and Security Act. I proudly supported the energy bill's recent passage here in the House because I know that in addition to protecting our environment and providing for greater national security, it will also control spiraling energy costs and create American clean energy jobs.

Our friends on the other side have attempted to obfuscate the issue by labeling the landmark legislation as a tax bill. They have even cited a study claiming a precise-sounding figure, and at first their mistake perhaps could be forgiven. Perhaps they simply didn't understand the study they cited.

However, Professor John Reilly of MIT, one of the authors of that very study, sent a letter to minority leader John Boehner stating that the Republican citation was simply not correct, given the study's data.

That letter was dated April 1. Yet, our friends on the other side persist in using this inaccurate figure. Madam Speaker, I'm here to set the record straight.

Shall we talk about increasing energy prices? How about a $700 energy increase on every American household if we don't take action. This isn't a tax. This is the cost of doing nothing. This is more than a $700 increase each year that has already occurred in this decade due to rising electricity and gasoline prices.

Of course, the costs could be much higher if we used last year's $4 a gallon cost during the summer. However, even using the current price of $2.59, the average yearly per capita increase in gasoline costs this decade has been more than $400 per household. Excluding last year's $4 a gallon cost, the price of a gallon of gasoline this decade has doubled--from $1.26 a gallon in 2000, to $2.59 currently.

Since 2000, the price of electricity in the United States increased more than 38 percent, thereby pushing the average yearly household bill from $800 to $1,100 a year.

We know that we send hundreds of billions of dollars each year to foreign countries to import oil. The U.S. imports roughly 9.4 million barrels of oil every day. That equates to more than $230 billion every year--$230 billion we could be reinvesting in our economy--creating American energy jobs--rather than sending it overseas, often to countries that view us as a meal ticket at best, or an enemy at worst.

Madam Speaker, we have also heard from the other side that the American Clean Energy and Security Act would eliminate jobs. Perhaps they don't realize that the current system of energy generation is already costing us thousands of jobs.

For instance, the U.S. Department of Labor states that employment in the mining industry will decline every year through at least 2014. This isn't recession related. This is simply an industry in decline. If we do nothing, more Americans will lose their jobs.

We know the cost of doing nothing--continuing increases in energy costs and continuing job losses--costs American families can no longer afford. However, with the American Clean Energy and Security Act, we will create jobs--green jobs--here in America. The Act will create incentives for American companies to innovate and to expand their investment in alternative sources of energy.

Madam Speaker, we know we can generate American jobs in the renewable energy sector if we just make the investment. From 2000 to 2008, for example, the wind power industry alone--before the passage of this bill--created 35,000 jobs. Of course, wind energy still makes up only a small percentage of electricity generation--less than 1 percent.

Imagine if we could make a concerted effort for renewable energy. We could greatly expand those gains and create hundreds of thousands of American clean energy jobs.

Madam Speaker, the business community understands the importance of energy reform. Companies like eBay, Nike, Starbucks, Levi Strauss, the Gap, Symantec, and Sun Microsystems have formed the Business for Climate and Innovative Energy Policy Coalition to advocate for these clean energy jobs and for this bill. These businesses support reducing greenhouse gas pollution, establishing a renewable energy standard, and investing in job creation. They know that if we do nothing, the costs associated with continued global warming will reach $271 billion by 2025.

America has always been the land of innovation. However, as we recently have seen in the automotive industry, we cannot rest on past laurels. There are costs to doing nothing.

I commend my colleagues in the House for the support of the bill. Together, we have made a statement that will address rising energy costs; we will wean America off its dangerous dependence on foreign oil; and we will work to avoid the catastrophic costs of global warming; and create American jobs. I hope the Senate will act swiftly.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia, and I, of course, support the resolution in front of us.

I rise, however, today to recognize the nine individuals who perished in the June 22 Metrorail crash on the Red Line. I pray that we'll never have to experience such a tragedy again.

One of those individuals was my constituent, Jeanice McMillan of Springfield, Virginia. She was the operator of the train, and she took heroic measures to try to have manual override on an automatic system that apparently failed to detect a stationary train in front of her. Her efforts saved lives; and in the course of her heroic efforts, she, of course, sacrificed her own. Her memory is an important memory, and it needs to be honored here in the United States Congress along with the other victims of that tragedy. Hopefully, the measures we are going to try to undertake this next week will go a long way to mitigating the possibility of such a tragedy recurring in the system.

Metro is important to metropolitan Washington; it's important to the Nation's Capital. It is America's subway. We need to invest in it. And in the name and memory of my constituent, Jeanice McMillan, and the other victims of that tragedy on June 22, I

would hope we'll take such actions soon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize each of the nine individuals who perished in the June 22 Metrorail crash on the Red Line and I pray that we will never have to experience such a tragedy again.

However, I want to single out the life and service of my Northern Virginia constituent, Jeanice McMillan of Springfield, who was the operator of one of the trains involved in the crash.

In the moments before she lost her life in the line of duty, Ms. McMillan's prompt and professional actions undoubtedly saved the lives of many passengers riding in the front cars of the train.

Investigators have determined that Ms. McMillan successfully activated the manual emergency brakes in an attempt to slow down the train as it hurtled toward the Fort Totten station after the train's automatic controls failed to react to the presence of another train on the tracks ahead of it.

Unfortunately, Ms. McMillan and eight passengers died when the front car of her train telescoped in the horrific crash.

Ms. McMillan began her career at Metro in 2007, after a decade of service in the United States Postal Service. By all accounts, she was an exemplary and conscientious public employee who put the welfare of others ahead of her own in her private and professional lives.

Ms. McMillan made sacrifices at home to help fund her son Jordan's college education just as she made the ultimate sacrifice at work to save the lives of others in the moments before the two Metro trails collided on that fateful day.

As I have done privately, I express my deepest condolences to the McMillan family, particularly Vernard and Jordan, and I wish them all the best.

Since the wreck, there has been renewed interest in the relatively poor safety record of the aging 1000-series cars, like the one that telescoped so dramatically in the wreck. Today, 290 of these 1000- series cars are in Metrorail's fleet of 1,126 cars. If Congress and the President approve funding the Federal Government's $150 million matching share of dedicated funding, there will be sufficient revenue to replace these with much safer cars that are less prone to telescoping.

The regional delegation has been working tirelessly to ensure that the Federal government matches the $150 million that Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., have already identified to ensure that the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) can conduct the necessary maintenance to prevent disasters like this in the future.

I appreciate the leadership of Chairman John Olver from the Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee for including this request in his mark up this week, and I thank my colleagues-from the National Capital Region for their commitment to ensuring that WMATA has the resources it needs to provide the safest possible transit service.

I ask my colleagues to join us in honoring the lives of those lost by supporting the necessary investments to help ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding public servant and dedicated father, Firefighter Zygimantas Zalys of Woodbridge, Virginia. Firefighter Zalys currently serves his community as a member of the City of Manassas Fire and Rescue Department. ``Z'', as he is known around the fire station, marked two years with the Manassas Department in April of 2009 and has three additional years of firefighting experience with the Occoquan Woodbridge Lorton Volunteer Fire Department.

Firefighter Zalys immigrated to the United States from Lithuania and embraced the spirit of public service in his adopted country. In his role as a firefighter, he has shown a commitment to public welfare and a willingness to sacrifice his personal well-being for the safety of his neighbors and community. He bears this responsibility with a wife and 14-month-old son awaiting his return home from every shift.

It came as a shock to the Zalys family when ``Z'' was recently diagnosed with advanced pancreatic and liver cancer. ``Z'', so accustomed to protecting others, found the fire department offering its unconditional support. Firefighters, emergency medical technicians and police officers have volunteered their time and energy to help the Zalys family. The International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4466 responded by organizing a softball tournament. The ``Z'' Tournament will raise funds for the Zayls family's medical bills and help to supplement their income during this time of need. The response from the region's public safety departments has been a lesson in community.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join the public safety community in this remarkable show of solidarity. Firefighter Zalys and his family are not alone in their fight against this devastating disease. Men and women dedicated to the selfless protection of others stand together in the face of adversity, bonded by sacrifice and a sense of duty.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize David H. Dell of Dale City, Virginia. Mr. Dell is a retired 20-year veteran of the United States Army and an active Dale City resident.

Mr. Dell's military service began in 1959 at the age of 17. His age required that he gain parental consent to join the Army, and his father proudly granted him approval hoping it would provide his son with new opportunities. Mr. Dell worked to make the most of those opportunities. He served a long and distinguished career in the Army, receiving the Joint Service Commendation in 1973 for his service in Korea. In 1976, he received a diploma from the U.S. Army Transportation School shortly before exiting the Army with an Honorable Discharge in 1979.

Mr. Dell has long been devoted to the quality of life and sense of community in Dale City. As a member of the Dale City Volunteer Fire Department he has spent countless nights on duty, sacrificing his time and safety for the protection of his neighbors and friends. Mr. Dell is a Life Member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1503 and the Dale City Civic Association. He also serves as the Staging Director of the Dale City Independence Day Parade. This year, more than 100 organizations and thousands of participants marched in the parade. Thousands of spectators watched the procession make its way through the heart of Dale City and terminate at the Fourth of July Family Fun Day. Mr. Dell's participation in civic life contributes to a robust and vibrant sense of community in Dale City.

Mr. Dell's loyalty and passion for service extend into his professional life. On May 1, 2009, Mr. Dell commemorated 20 years of service with First Transit Incorporated, contractor for the Prince William County COMMUTERIDE bus system. This is a remarkable milestone, and Mr. Dell's years in the bus system have benefited Prince William County commuters and residents.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in applauding David H. Dell's accomplishments. His service to his country and community represents the ideals we hope to instill in future generations, and by commending his accomplishments may we inspire them to follow his example.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Henry Aristide ``Red'' Boucher, 88, who died June 19, 2009. Mr. Boucher was a civic and political institution in his adopted home state of Alaska. He also was a dedicated family man with 12 children, 27 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. I became aware of Mr. Boucher through a family friendship with his daughter, Jennifer McNelly, and her family, who live in my district.

Mr. Boucher moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1958, after serving the United States Navy for 20 years. The New Hampshire native's move to Alaska was strongly influenced by a suggestion from a young Senator by the name of John F. Kennedy, for whom Mr. Boucher had campaigned. The future President told Mr. Boucher, ``There is great potential in the northern territory.''

Just eight years after he arrived in Fairbanks, Mr. Boucher was elected mayor and held the position for four years. During his term, he guided the city through one of its greatest natural disasters, the flood of 1967. After his term as mayor, Mr. Boucher served as Alaska's lieutenant governor from 1970 to 1974 under Gov. Bill Egan. He also served as a representative in Alaska's state house from 1985 to 1990.

While his passion for politics will never be questioned, his legacy is likely to be the baseball team he founded in 1959, the Alaska Goldpanners of the Alaska Baseball League. The Goldpanners are well- known for carrying more than 200 future major league players on its rosters through the years.

Mr. Boucher also was a staunch supporter of telecommunications and led a campaign to increase Internet access in remote villages.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the memory of this great American and extending our sympathies to his family and the people of Alaska.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to address the role of American energy sources as articulated in the recently passed Clean Energy and Security Act.

The leadership of the minority party claims that this legislation discriminates against energy sources such as coal, nuclear, and hydroelectric power. Nothing could be further from the truth. This act will make historic investments in coal technology. That's the reason that coal-dependent companies like Duke Energy and American Electric Power, as well as the United Mineworkers, have endorsed the bill.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act will strengthen market incentives for nuclear energy by deducting new nuclear from the baseline of renewable electricity standards. That's why Exelon and Entergy, America's first and second largest nuclear energy producers, have endorsed the bill.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act will create strong incentives for new hydroelectric generation when new turbines are placed on existing dams. That's why Pacific Gas and Electric and Seattle City Light, two utilities with substantial investments in hydroelectric, have endorsed the bill.

Mr. Speaker, don't take my word for it. These companies that rely on coal, nuclear, and hydro would not support the bill if it didn't help their industry.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Prince William County Supervisor John D. Jenkins and the years of service that he has selflessly devoted to his neighbors, constituents and friends. Supervisor Jenkins was recently awarded the Occoquan District Good Scout Award by the National Capital Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. I cannot think of a more appropriate recognition of John's accomplishments in public service than an award based on the credo, ``You are put here to do something for your fellow man and to take an active part in your community and its issues.''

Supervisor Jenkins and his wife Ernestine moved to Prince William County in 1973 and immediately took a role in their neighborhood as the Forestdale representatives to the Dale City Civic Association. Their three sons were educated in the Prince William County Public School system and were Eagle Scouts in local Troop 1378. They have 14 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Supervisor Jenkins began his life in public office in October of 1982 when he was appointed to fill the vacant Neabsco District Supervisor's seat. He has since been reelected to that position 6 times. He has served two terms as Vice Chairman of the Board of County Supervisors, two terms as Chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, two terms as the State President of the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions, two terms as the State President of the Virginia Association of Counties and two terms as the Chairman of the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board. John has served on boards and steering committees of the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, the National Association of Counties and represents the Board of County Supervisors on the Quantico Marine Corps and Fort Belvoir Base Realignment and Closing advisory committees.

Supervisor Jenkins has been a tireless advocate for many organizations throughout his 27-year tenure on the Board of County Supervisors. However, his involvement in the Scouts predates even his time in office, spanning 6 decades and involving countless Scouting causes. Camp William B. Snyder in Haymarket, VA opened its doors in 2006 due in part to the Supervisor's efforts to end its stalled development. He is a fixture at local Scouting promotion ceremonies and often uses his considerable fundraising abilities on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America. His dedication to the Scouts is unquestioned and with his receipt of the Good Scout Award, the Boy Scouts of America recognize his devotion to the people of Prince William County. As a two-tour Vietnam Veteran and the longest serving county supervisor in Prince William County history, his career is one of service to country and community.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in applauding Supervisor John D. Jenkins' dedication to his community. As a public servant he embodies the values the Boy Scouts hope to instill in their youth. He has taught generations of Scouts the nobility of public service and the great potential that it holds to help one's fellow man.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Stroke Comeback Center and the critical health care services that it provides to stroke survivors and their families.

The Stroke Comeback Center (SCC) is a non-profit organization that provides ongoing rehabilitation and therapy to help combat the devastating damage that strokes can cause. The mission of the SCC has been to pick up where traditional health care coverage leaves off by providing affordable speech and language therapy programs to stroke victims in a caring and supportive environment.

The SCC was founded in 2004 by Darlene Williamson and John Phillips based on the premise that stroke victims who suffer with communications problems can continue to improve with treatment and therapy. This theory went against the conventionally held belief that stroke survivors reached their maximum potential within the first few months of recovery. In addition, most insurance companies cover only short term treatment, which can limit access to therapy and thereby inhibit recovery.

The SCC addresses these issues in a proactive and effective manner. Fees charged for services are on a sliding scale and are up to 75% less than at other facilities. No individual is ever turned away due to inability to pay. The programs offered by the SCC include group programs to assist with improvement of communication skills, computer assisted training, individual sessions and caregiver support meetings.

The growth of the SCC is a tribute to the success of its programs. In 2005, the SCC had five groups meeting two days per week. There are now 21 groups meeting four days per week. Since opening, the SCC has provided more than 7,000 hours of therapy to stroke survivors.

The SCC works closely with the American Heart Association, the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital, the National Rehabilitation Hospital and the George Washington University Department of Speech and Hearing Science.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Stroke Comeback Center and its dedicated staff and volunteers. The services and programs offered by the SCC fill a void in the rehabilitation process and significantly improve the quality of lives of stroke survivors and their families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recipients of the 2009 Virginia Human Rights Awards. These awards were presented during a recent ceremony hosted jointly with the Prince William County Human Rights Commission.

Prince William County has long been an area of growth in our Northern Virginia region. As the county population grew in the early 1990s and the demographics shifted, the Board of County Supervisors recognized the need for a study to examine the county's ability to respond to increasing population diversity. The result of the study was the creation of a Human Rights Ordinance prohibiting discriminatory practices based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, marital status or disability in employment, housing, public accommodations, education and credit in Prince William County. When the Board of County Supervisors established the Human Rights Ordinance in September of 1992, it created the Human Rights Commission to ensure that ``each citizen is treated fairly, provided equal protection of the law and equal opportunity to participate in the benefits, rights, and privileges of community life.''

The recipients of this year's awards have exhibited a devotion to ``[eliminating] discrimination through civil and human rights law enforcement and [establishing] equal opportunity for all persons within the county through advocacy and education.''

The recipients of the Prince William Human Rights Awards are Betty Covington from Prince William Public Schools and Dexter Fox with Unity in the Community.

The Virginia Human Rights Commissioner of the Year is Victor Dunbar, Chairman of the Fairfax County Human Rights Commission.

The Staff Member of the Year is Annie Carroll, Deputy Director of the Fairfax County Human Rights Commission.

The Virginia Human Rights Commemorative Award for contributions to human rights through the signing of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts will be made posthumously to President Lyndon B. Johnson.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in applauding the efforts of these individuals on behalf of harmony and equality in our communities. We are a happier, safer society when we promote fairness and justice. I would like to extend my unconditional support for the Human Rights Commission's mission and my deepest appreciation to those who take up the cause of human and civil rights.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Rotary Club of Burke, Virginia, on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary and to pay tribute to its significant contributions to the community.

The world's first service club, the Rotary Club of Chicago, Illinois, was formed on February 23, 1905, by Paul P. Harris. The name ``Rotary'' is derived from the early practice of rotating meetings among members' offices. The Rotary Club concept thrived in its early years, and, by 1921, there were chapters on six continents. In 1922, the name ``Rotary International'' was adopted. The objective of Rotary International is to encourage and foster the ideal of community service as a basis of worthy enterprise. International understanding, goodwill and peace are fostered through the shared commitment to service of Rotarians from 166 countries.

The Rotary Club of Burke was organized by Brian Tilbury and was chartered by Rotary International on June 30, 1984. Since that time, the Burke Rotary has grown in not only the number of active members, but also in the areas of community service.

The Burke Rotary participates in Polio Plus, which is dedicated to the eradication of polio in countries such as Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Nigeria. Closer to home, The Rotary Club of Burke is a dependable ally in the Toys 4 Tots Program and the Northern Virginia Literacy Council. It also encourages involvement in the Medical Reserve Corps, a Fairfax County, Va., program that trains volunteers to provide vital services in the event of a public health emergency.

The Rotary Club of Burke has partnered with the Rotary Club of Annandale to provide scholarships to deserving students who wish to pursue vocational training at Northern Virginia Community College. This partnership now provides six scholarships each year and has allowed approximately 40 individuals to continue their education and learn a marketable skill. The quality of life for each of these students and their families will be forever improved because of this opportunity.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating The Rotary Club of Burke on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary and to express our gratitude for their contributions here at home and abroad.