Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Lieutenant General Darrell D. Jones, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel, and Services, Headquarters United States Air Force, for his 34 years of faithful service to our country. The Air Force's senior personnel officer, General Jones is responsible for comprehensive plans and policies covering all life cycles of military and civilian personnel management, including military and civilian end strength management, education and training, compensation, resource allocation, and the worldwide United States Air Force services program. Over the course of Lieutenant General Jones' distinguished career, he commanded a squadron, group, two wings and a direct reporting unit. As previous Commander, Air Force District of Washington, and Commander of the Air Force Forces for Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region, he organized, trained and equipped combat forces for aerospace expeditionary forces, homeland operations, civil support, national special security events and ceremonial events. He also provided major command-level support for 60,000 worldwide military and civilian personnel and was the Uniform Code of Military Justice authority for 40,000 Airmen.

General Jones graduated from Mississippi State University's Reserve Officers' Training Corps Program in 1979. He began his career as a personnel officer at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona in the Consolidated Base Personnel Office. He excelled in a variety of jobs as the Chief of Customer Assistance, Chief of Quality Force, and Chief of Personnel Utilization. Immediately after this assignment, then- Lieutenant Jones reported to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas where he was the Chief of the Assignment Analysis Branch and later the Executive Officer to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at Headquarters Air Training Command. Then-Captain Jones reported to Washington, District of Columbia as part of the very elite Air Staff Training Program as a personnel adviser and board member of the Secretary of the Air Force Personnel Council.

Then Captain-Jones and later Major-Jones held the first of his many assignments as a

leader in our Air Force, becoming the Consolidated Base Personnel Office Chief and Director of Personnel, and Commanding the Mission Support Squadron at McConnell Air Force Base. As a testament of his skills and abilities, he was chosen to attend in-residence professional military education at Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Upon graduation, he showcased his talent in a variety of joint positions at Headquarters United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany. He was the Chief of Entitlements, Compensation and Education, followed by Chief of the World War II Commemoration Branch and later Deputy Chief of the World War II Commemoration Division. Now-Lieutenant Colonel Jones was selected to return to Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama as an Air War College Student with a follow-on assignment to Headquarters United States Air Force as the Chief of Force Structure Plans and Policies in the Military Personnel Policy Directorate. Later, he was selected by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Personnel as the Chief of the Personnel Issues Team.

Based on his successes and ready for increased responsibilities, now-Colonel Jones took command of the 62nd Support Group at McChord Air Force Base, Washington. He then became the Director of Personnel at Headquarters Pacific Air Forces at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii followed by Commanding the 66th Air Base Wing at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts. Later, he was selected as the Director of Manpower and Personnel at Headquarters United States Central Command at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.

Then-Brigadier General Jones took command of his second wing, the 37th Training Wing at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, the largest wing in the Air Force at 21,000 people and graduating 60,000 Airmen from basic, technical, international and joint training annually. He followed command to Washington, District of Columbia, where he became the Director of Force Management Policy, Headquarters United States Air Force. In this position, he established force management policies guiding accessions, assignments, evaluations, skills analysis, promotions, readiness, retraining, separations and retirements of the Air Force's human capital. He also oversaw aspects of total force management to include contingency, mobilization, training management, and rated force policy.

Now-Major General Jones with his vast knowledge and experience took command for a fifth time as the Commander of Air Force District of Washington and Commander of the Air Force Forces for Joint Forces Headquarters-National Capital Region at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. He was again extremely successful in this position which ultimately led to his most recent assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Headquarters United States Air Force where he and his team were responsible for comprehensive plans and policies covering all life cycles of military and civilian personnel management, and the delivery of fully-qualified, ready Airmen for the Joint warfighter while also meeting all the needs of our Airmen and their families. He planned, directed and evaluated programs, ensuring a qualified, productive and well-maintained work force of over 180,000 civilian employees. Additionally, he oversaw the execution and programming of the Manpower, Personnel and Services portfolio with an annual $40.9 billion personnel budget for 660,000 military and civilian total force Airmen.

Under General Jones' leadership, the Air Force implemented sweeping policy changes to enlisted developmental special duty assignments and the Air Force fitness program. He led the Secretary of the Air Force- directed Personnel Readiness Review task force, ensuring our current population is ready to meet the needs of current and future war time requirements. Additionally, he led the Air Force Personnel Center in a historic consolidation with the former Air Force Manpower Agency and Air Force Services Agency, integrating three unique functional areas designed to reduce overhead, achieve efficiencies and maximize customer service. Finally, he guided Air Force senior leadership through the impacts of the Secretary of Defense's General Officer Efficiency Study. He provided critical Congressional interaction to ensure all timelines of the reductions were met. In every instance, General Jones was a steadfast advocate promoting the Air Force's mission, and its over 660,000 Total Force Airmen and their families.

Today, I wish Lieutenant General Darrell ``DJ'' Jones good luck and Godspeed as he retires and enters this next phase of his life. On behalf of the Congress and the United States of America, I thank General Jones, his wife Holly, their sons, Taylor and Stewart, and daughter-in-law Lindsay for their commitment, sacrifice, and contribution to this great Nation in protecting it and our way of life.

Mr. Speaker, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Research for Lifesaving Cures proposal.

This vote is about helping some of our country's most vulnerable patients: seniors hoping for cures to long-time illnesses, precious children and their families looking for answers about genetic disorders; and the scientists who are moving ever so close to discovering America's next medical breakthroughs find themselves asking if they'll be able to continue their life's work.

The National Institutes of Health provide support to promising research leading to lifesaving treatments, innovative clinical trials aiming to reverse the core symptoms of disorders such as fragile X syndrome, autism, spinal muscular atrophy, down syndrome, Angelman syndrome, and cystic fibrosis to name a few. These give families hope, the research that is there. But this is just the beginning. These studies help our Nation's most dedicated scientists build on promising discoveries.

To continue these trials, Congress must allow the NIH to stay open while we work on getting the government back up and running. This isn't about scoring political points. It's about principles. As the father of a special-needs child, I know the challenges that these families face. Vote ``yes.'' Vote for fairness.

Mr. Speaker, Mississippi College--the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of Mississippi and the second oldest Baptist university in the United States--recently celebrated the opening of its 187th school year. Since 1826, Mississippi College has provided students from across the state and around the world an education informed by Christian values, and was the first co- educational institution in the nation to grant a degree to a woman.

The university has a long and distinguished history of educating future public servants, counting current leaders in federal and state government among her alumna, including Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant as well as both my wife, Sidney, and me. Through service to the Board of Trustees, U.S. Representative Alan Nunnelee and Order of the Golden Arrow recipient Gayle Wicker, wife of U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, have provided exceptional leadership to the university's presidents through the years. Located in Clinton, Mississippi, Mississippi College is a proud constituent of the U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson.

For 64 years, students have received exemplary training in areas of speech, media, public relations, theater and related practices in the Mississippi College Communication Department. Founded in 1949 by Drs. Hollis and Julia Todd as the Department of Speech, the current Communication Department presented diplomas to hundreds of students who have subsequently experienced personal and career success in their chosen fields. Among its alumni, the department prides itself in seeing former graduates become leaders in fields as diverse as business and ministry, education and journalism.

The faculty of the Mississippi College Communication Department embodies dedicated and sustained service to the university and its mission. In fact, only three individuals have chaired the department over the span of its 64 years: Dr. Hollis Todd, Dr. Billy Lytal, for whom the annual student scholarship fund is named, and current chair Dr. Cliff Fortenberry. With a teaching philosophy built around the practical application of theory and curriculum,

departmental faculty are teachers first, individuals who view their service at Mississippi College as an investment in their students' lives and in their community.

The Mississippi College Communication Department currently enrolls undergraduates in interpersonal and public communication, journalism, mass media, public relations, and theater concentrations, and offers graduate degrees in journalism, health services communication, professional communication in sports, and public relations and corporate communication. Leading in innovative online classroom offerings, the communication department partners with other academic departments to offer unique degree programs to meet student and market demands.

With a current enrollment of over 5,000 students and future leaders, Mississippi College is known as a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ. The faculty, staff, students and alumni of the Mississippi College Communication Department are proud to fulfill this vision as the department enters its 65th year of service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 256, and would like to speak also in support of the bill just considered, S. 304, a bill sponsored by a senior Senator of Mississippi, Thad Cochran.

This legislation authorized the transfer of approximately 67 acres of unused Federal land originally envisioned to be part of the Natchez Trace Parkway to the State of Mississippi.

The city of Natchez plans to use 37 acres for recreational purposes. It will improve the quality of life for the city's residents.

Without this legislation, this tract will continue to set idle.

I would like to thank Chairman Hastings for his work in bringing this commonsense and worthy legislation to the House floor. I also would like to thank our senior Senator, Thad Cochran, for his tireless leadership for the State of Mississippi. There are numerous individuals behind the scenes that have worked tirelessly for the city of Natchez to gain access to and the right to utilize this land over the years, and S. 304 will show that their hard work has finally paid off.

I urge my colleagues to continue to support this legislation.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendment by the gentlewoman from Washington. Like her, I am the parent of a child with special needs. My 24-year-old son Livingston has Fragile X syndrome, and we know personally the amazing progress we've made within our current educational system to help push our kids into mainstream America. I commend the gentlewoman from her leadership in making this point.

We cannot give kids with developmental disabilities the tools they need to become employed and less dependent on government services without the

most appropriate education possible. And we cannot provide an appropriate education to developmentally disabled children based upon antiquated assumptions of what our kids cannot do. We have to push our special kids and the schools if they are to have a chance to meet their full potential.

There's a lot of good in this bill, and I commend and thank Chairman Kline for his efforts. I will vote for it. But I do so only because I'm confident that our concerns for special needs children will be addressed in conference.

Mr. Chair, I submit the following letters for the Record:

National Center for Learning Disabilities

July 15, 2013.

Dear Chairman Kline and Ranking Member Miller: The National

Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is writing to express

our strong opposition to the Student Success Act (H.R. 5).

The bill would dramatically alter the academic landscape for

students with disabilities, jeopardizing their ability to

graduate from high school, go to college and obtain

employment. The bill virtually creates a system that

reinforces rather than helping students become independent,

educated, tax-paying citizens, they will most likely become

tax burdens. While movement toward reauthorizing the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is much needed,

the cost these bills will have on the educational and

employment futures of students with disabilities, especially

those with learning disabilities, is too high. Our first and

primary area of concern is the lack of a strong and

meaningful requirement to close the destructive achievement

gaps that impact students with disabilities and other

disadvantaged students. While ESEA is in significant need of

reform, its provisions have compelled certain schools and

districts to focus on increasing the achievement of students

with disabilities. Unfortunately, these bills eliminate the

provisions of ESEA that have benefited students with

disabilities. Most troubling is the lack of academic

performance targets and graduation goals for students and the

lack of a requirement for targeted instructional supports

when students are academically struggling.

The Student Success Act would also dramatically lower

expectations for students with learning disabilities in three

critical ways:

(1) Allowing computer adaptive assessments that test

students off grade level for summative and other purposes.

Current practice in states utilizing adaptive testing show

that while adaptive testing is a terrific tool to help

teachers understand where learning gaps exist for formative

purposes, when adaptive testing is allowed for end of year or

summative testing, it can result in unacceptable

consequences, including locking lower performing students

into the simplest content. For example, a poorly engineered

adaptive test risks testing lower performing students only on

cognitively simpler skills such as recall, recognition and

rote applications of mathematics. Furthermore, because the

assessment may never test lower performing students on more

difficult and/or cognitively complex items, it risks creating

a situation that encourages teachers to limit the curriculum

and instruction for lower performing students to the simplest

tasks. Thus, teachers may avoid focusing on critical skills

such as higher level problem solving and analysis. Similarly,

a poorly designed adaptive test can deny students an

opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge across the grade

level content.

(2) Eliminating the current cap (often referred to as the 1

percent regulation) which restricts, for accountability

purposes, the use of scores on less challenging assessments

being given to students with disabilities. The bill allows

schools to give the alternate assessment on alternate

academic standards to an unlimited number of students. Under

the bill, too many students with disabilities would be forced

into an alternate curriculum very early in their educational

career, thus jeopardizing their ability to graduate high

school with a regular diploma, enter career training or

attend college.

(3) Ignoring the literacy needs of millions of poor readers

and writers at a time when these skills are integral to

ensuring every young person can enter college or career

training with the most basic reading and writing skills.

Rather than ensure that there is dedicated funding for these

critical skills, the bill consolidates numerous Federal

education initiatives, endangering literacy and other key

focuses designed to help struggling students. These

shortcomings set back efforts to ensure disadvantaged

students, including students with learning disabilities,

receive instruction, intervention and support that will

strengthen their opportunity to achieve academically.

In summary, the policies H.R. 5 advances would reverse the

progress that has been made for students with learning

disabilities over the past decade. For that reason, and on

behalf of the 100,000 parents and children for which we

advocate, we respectfully, but strongly, urge Members to

oppose the bill.

Sincerely,

James H. Wendorf,

Executive Director.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 43, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend Mr. Louis Drummond for his 30 years of exemplary service to the United States Congress. Mr. Drummond has been an invaluable member of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) most notably while developing, supporting and maintaining the Legislative Information System (LIS), a vital legislative branch partnership. The Congress, the Library of Congress and the public have greatly benefited from his outstanding work.

Mr. Drummond came to the Library of Congress from library school in June 1983 for the nine-month Library of Congress Intern Program. After the Intern Program, he worked as a reference librarian in the Main Reading Room for two years. Due to his interest in automation and his work on the new optical disk program, he then moved to CRS.

His career at CRS has been notable for innovation, responsiveness to the needs of Congress, and his willingness to share his extensive knowledge with others. He was a leader in the introduction of the Internet into the services of the Library. He coordinated the planning, policy and development of CRS's first home page as well as the Library's first website. Mr. Drummond was a critical player in the Library's ability to adapt, master, and eventually take an international leadership role in the Internet. Other accomplishments include the development and support of SCORPIO, a 1970's mainframe program that retrieved legislative and public policy information, and MARVEL, the Library's first Internet Gopher system.

Mr. Drummond's devotion to the needs of congressional users for legislative information has defined his career. In 1996, Congress directed CRS to coordinate the creation of a single integrated legislative retrieval system (the LIS) that would serve the House, the Senate, and other congressional agencies. Mr. Drummond took responsibility for that directive and not only coordinated the development of the system, but also ensured that over the years it met the needs of the user community. Finally, he participated in the Legislative Branch XML Working Group which has been charged with improving the availability and exchange of legislative data amongst agencies and the public by publishing it in XML format.

On behalf of the entire congressional community, we extend congratulations to Mr. Louis Drummond for his many years of dedication, outstanding contributions, and service to the Congress and we wish him the very best in his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the order of the House of January 3, 2013, regarding morning-hour debate not apply tomorrow, and when the House adjourns on Thursday, March 7, 2013, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. on Monday, March 11, 2013.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 14, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 20, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

I rise today to speak about the importance of the National Pediatric Research Network Act of 2013. This bill rightfully develops pediatric research consortia to identify and promote therapies for rare childhood diseases.

One of the disorders that this proposal targets is spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA, which is the number one genetic killer of children under the age of 2. This often unforgiving neurological disease leaves children weak and unable to move, breathe, swallow or talk; but research is promising and a cure is close.

Recently, a friend of mine, Jeff Horton from my home county in Mississippi, shared with my office that his daughter, Evie, who has SMA, had an encouraging visit with an SMA specialist in Dallas. You see, Evie has toured the country and has met with experts devoted to advancing new and innovative SMA therapies. As a result, Evie's quality of life continues to improve as she gains mobility and a sense of independence.

I urge you today to please support this legislation for Evie and others, such as her cousin, Reese, and the many other families that are affected by rare childhood diseases. This is something that we can do and that we should do.

Madam Speaker, the No Budget, No Pay portion of this bill was written specifically to ensure that it complies with the 27th Amendment

to the Constitution. The bill does not vary the amount of compensation and is, therefore, constitutional. It only changes when Representatives and Senators are paid if they fail to adopt a budget resolution, as required by law.

Currently, Representatives are paid monthly and Senators are paid twice a month. This bill simply says, if the House does not adopt a budget resolution, the Members of that House, instead, get paid at the end of that term of Congress.

In 1789, James Madison, when he introduced the 27th Amendment, spoke of preventing changes in compensation from being for the benefit of those determining them. The clear purpose of the amendment--which, as we know, was not ratified until 1992--was to prevent Members from drawing higher salaries from the public treasury without giving voters an opportunity to speak on that decision. This bill does not benefit Members at the expense of taxpayers, and it is consistent with the provisions of the 27th Amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on rollccall Nos. 557 (H.R. 6122), 558 (H.R. 2139), 559 (H.R. 6186), 560 (H. Res. 773), 561 (H. Res. 773), and 562 (H.R. 4264) I am not recorded as I was detained in my district due to the death of Dr. Bill Causey, my first Pastor, and close friend. I was asked to speak at his funeral.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye''.

Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to be the lead sponsor of H.R. 5859. This bipartisan bill repeals an obsolete mandate that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has said is rarely used and not helpful.

Since 1991, the Department of Transportation has annually distributed by mail a document, entitled, ``Relative Collision Insurance Cost Information.'' This information is sent by mail to new-vehicle dealers who are required to make the information available to prospective new- vehicle customers upon request.

NHTSA has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars distributing this booklet over the past 21 years. While this information is of value to insurance actuaries, it has been of little or no use to consumers--for whom it is primarily intended. Insurance premiums are set through numerous factors that take into account driver characteristics, such as age, gender, marital status, driving record, and geographical location. No brochure produced annually by the Federal Government can accurately gauge a prospective new car owner's insurance premium cost.

A recent survey by the National Automobile Dealers Association confirmed what was expected: out of 800 new car dealers polled, an overwhelming 96 percent of the dealers answered that not a single customer had ever even asked for a booklet. I would like to make note that, if this regulation is repealed, the data will still be compiled, and NHTSA will still have the discretion to provide this information to consumers on their Web sites.

We have heard from witnesses like Mr. Jack Fitzgerald, who has been in the car business all of his life. Neither he nor his employees have ever been asked for a copy of this booklet. In my home State of Mississippi, Butch Oustalet of Butch Oustalet Ford Lincoln in Gulfport, informed my staff that, despite selling thousands of vehicles to so many people over the years, not one customer has ever asked for this booklet. Barker Honda of Brookhaven and New South Ford of Meridian also reported that no customer has ever asked for a copy of this booklet. When customers go into a dealership and ask what their insurance premiums will be, they all agree that the best way to get accurate quotes is for them to simply contact their insurance agents.

This simple and bipartisan bill, if passed, would show that Congress is serious about efforts to alleviate burdensome and unneeded regulations on businesses across this country. The President states that it is a priority of his administration's to get rid of absurd and unnecessary paperwork requirements that waste time and money. I say that Congress should lead now with H.R. 5859.

I would like to thank Subcommittee Chairman Bono Mack, Chairman Upton and the Energy and Commerce Committee for moving H.R. 5859. I would also like to thank Congressman Bill Owens from New York for his hard work and leadership on this legislation.