Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Kelly Brice Walters of Christiansburg, Virginia, who passed away on December 26, 2020 at the age of 84. Mr. Walters was a first responder who committed his life to providing and improving emergency services in the New River Valley.

Kelly Walters was born on September 16, 1936 in Rogers, Virginia, to Vada McGuire and George M. Walters Jr. He began his career as a first responder in 1964 with the Christiansburg Lifesaving and First Aid Crew. In this organization, later the Christiansburg Rescue Squad, he served as Captain, First Lieutenant, Second Lieutenant, Treasurer, and President of the Board of Directors. He helped launch rescue squads in Floyd County and Riner in Montgomery County. In the Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, he served as the District 7 Vice President twice and ultimately as President and was also honored in its Hall of Fame.

Colleagues and community members remember Mr. Walters for his kindness and dedication to the emergency services. They told the Roanoke Times about his willingness to help coworkers with bills without expecting repayment or to pay for EMT certifications for others before the state reimbursed such expenses. Many colleagues looked upon him as a mentor.

In addition to his work with the Christiansburg Rescue Squad, Mr. Walters worked earlier life at the Blue Ridge Overall Factory, Cromer Furniture, and as caretaker of the Cemetery Corporation. He also served for eighteen years as Montgomery County's Animal Control Officer. Apart from these responsibilities, he was a member of the Christiansburg Hunting Club, which he served as President and as a member of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Walters was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia Gerald Walters. He is survived by his daughter Nancy; grandson Bradley Hutchenson; great-grandchildren Elizabeth Ann and Halley Jo; sisters Brenda Thomas, Shirley Bartlett, and Jean Walters; and sister-in-law Jane Akers. I would like to offer my condolences to them and the people of Christiansburg on the loss of this dedicated public servant.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Virginia state Senator Augustus Benton ``Ben'' Chafin, Jr. of Lebanon, Virginia, who died on January 1, 2021 at the age of 60. Ben was a dedicated and effective state legislator and a kind and decent man.

Ben was a true son of Southwest Virginia. He was born on May 18, 1960 in Abingdon, Virginia. He earned a bachelor's degree from East Tennessee State University and a law degree from the University of Richmond. Ben practiced law in Lebanon as a principal of the Chafin Law Firm. He also served as a board member of the First Bank and Trust, which his father had helped to found, and ran a beef cattle farm.

In 2013, Ben won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. A year later, he won a special election to represent the 38th District in the Virginia Senate. The 38th District includes all of the Counties of Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Tazewell, and Pulaski, parts of the Counties of Smyth, Wise, and Montgomery, and the Cities of Norton and Radford. He was a great representative for the citizens of these jurisdictions, focused on listening to their concerns and addressing them with compassion and integrity. He was a voice in Richmond for the region he had long called home and the people he had known as his friends and neighbors.

Ben was my friend and a good friend to all of us in Southwest Virginia. He and I knew each other well as we often campaigned together across our region. The wide respect and affection Ben earned is indicated by the statement of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam: ``With the passing of Senator Ben Chafin, Southwest Virginia has lost a strong advocate--and we have all lost a good man.'' A similar sentiment was expressed by Virginia Delegate Terry Kilgore, a close friend of Ben: ``Ben was a fighter, both in the Virginia Senate and in the courtroom as an attorney. I am honored to have been able to know and work with him. Ben is one of the most honorable and genuine individuals I have ever known, and his passing is a tremendous loss for our region.''

Ben is survived by his wife Lora and his children Audra, Sophie, and Gus. I offer my condolences on the loss of this good man and great legislator.

Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Trever Aubria ``T.A.'' Carter, Jr., who passed away on December 27, 2020 at the age of 93. T.A. was a veteran, architect, and philanthropist in Virginia's Roanoke Valley.

T.A. was born on December 20, 1927 to Trever Aubria Carter, Sr. and Pernell Jackson Carter Smith. He graduated from Jefferson High School. After serving in the United States Navy at the end of World War II, he earned a degree in architecture from Virginia Tech.

The properties T.A. helped develop dot the landscape of western Virginia. He launched the Double T Corporation with T.D. Steele and also worked in partnerships with other businessmen. Among the locations T.A. helped develop were Crossroads Mall, the first enclosed shopping mall in Virginia, and Tanglewood Mall in Roanoke, University Mall in Blacksburg, Hunting Hills Country Club, properties for the Marriott hotel chain in Roanoke and Blacksburg, and residential neighborhoods including the Stonegate neighborhood and the Stonegate Swim Club. He was a hands-on developer who visited his projects every day they were under development.

T.A. contributed to the architecture of western Virginia but he contributed in other ways. He advocated for Explore Park in Roanoke and Bedford Counties. As a devotee of his alma mater, Virginia Tech, he established the T.A. Carter Professorship in the College of Architecture, and he supported Roanoke College in Salem as well. T.A. also belonged to the Salem Rotary for many years.

T.A. was known for his kind and charitable nature, taking an interest in the people of his community and his profession and supporting their endeavors. I was a recipient of his generosity. The Stonegate Swim Club which he built and owned had an initiation fee and a membership fee, but he let a single-parent schoolteacher in the area pay the fees in installments for her children so they could use the facility. As one of those children, I enjoyed the opportunity to swim and took it up as a lifelong hobby. I am a member of that swim club to this day.

T.A. is survived by his wife of 71 years, Jeanette Watson Carter; his daughter, Treva Jean Carter and fiance Alan; his son, Edward Paul Carter and wife Juliette; his granddaughter, Amber Miller Mason; grandsons Jeremy Wyatt Carter and wife Kel and Benjamin Gerald Carter and wife Melissa, and great-grandchildren Maggie, Carter, Wyatt, and Millie. I wish to offer my condolences on the loss of T.A., who did so much for the development and support of the Roanoke Valley.

Mr. Vice President, parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Vice President, in order to follow the Speaker's instructions that only a limited number of people be on the floor, may I ask how one would make an objection or make a parliamentary inquiry in the future if you are not on the floor but in the gallery.

Further parliamentary inquiry.

Mr. Vice President, I am not attempting to debate. I am trying to find out how a parliamentary inquiry or a parliamentary point of order would be made in following with the Speaker's request that most of us not be on the floor. How do you make one of those points of order when you don't know what is going to happen later?

Madam Speaker, point of order.

Yes, ma'am. The point of order would be that the gentleman said that there were lies on this floor here today, looking over in this direction. I ask that those words be taken down.

We may have a disagreement on matters, but--

Madam Speaker, point of order.

Madam Speaker, has the gentleman from Massachusetts yielded the floor by taking his seat?

Madam Speaker, I offer these remarks in honor of the Auburn High School baseball team, which won the Virginia High School League 1A baseball championship at Radford University on June 14, 2019. The Eagles won a victory over Lancaster to reclaim the title, which they had previously won in 2017.

Auburn's victory brought their season to 25-3. Excellent pitching held Lancaster to three hits, while Auburn scored nine runs to achieve a 9-0 victory. Congratulations are in order for the team and Coach Eric Altizer, as well as the student body, teachers, administrators, and fans at Auburn. I was particularly pleased to be able to congratulate them in person after the game. It is another trophy in Auburn's impressive collection of championships this year. In fact, it came on the same day the Auburn softball team won their title. It is truly remarkable when a high school wins two state championships not only in the same year, but on the same day.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to commend the Auburn High School softball team, which captured the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 1 state title on June 14, 2019. The Eagles put on a dominant performance, handily defeating a quality team from Rappahannock County High School by a score of 18 to 1.

This victory carries particular meaning, as it is Auburn High School's first Class 1 VHSL girls softball state championship in its history. Their championship caps a 25-3 season. I applaud the hard work and dedication of all members of this year's Auburn High School girls softball team, and congratulate the administrators, teachers, coaches, parents, students, and fans. In particular, I would like to recognize the contributions of the team's seniors, and their head coach David Hurd. Congratulations on a great end to the season. It is another trophy in Auburn's impressive collection of championships this year. In fact, it came on the same day the Auburn baseball team won their title. It is truly remarkable when a high school wins two state championships not only in the same year, but on the same day.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to commend the Richlands High School softball team, which captured the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 2 state title on June 14, 2019. The Lady Blues put on a stellar performance, narrowly defeating an exceptional team from Madison County High School by a score of 1 to 0.

This victory carries particular meaning, as it is Richlands High School's first softball state championship in nearly 25 years. Their championship caps a 23-5 season. I applaud the hard work and dedication of all members of this year's Richlands High School softball team, and congratulate the administrators, teachers, coaches, parents, students, and fans. In particular, I would like to recognize the contributions of the team's seniors, their pitcher, Mac Osborne, on being named the Virginia 2A State Player of the Year, and their head coach Ronnie Davis. Congratulations on a great end to the season.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the Central Appalachia Health Wagon's 20th annual Remote Area Medical Wise Expedition clinic, taking place from June 28 to June 30. Since 1980, the Health Wagon has provided a wide range of free mobile health services to medically underserved areas in Southwest Virginia.

Central Appalachia Health Wagon has partnered extensively with the Remote Area Medical since 1998, which was founded by the late Stan Brock. Today, it continues to serve as the largest health outreach of its kind in the United States and has been providing care to Southwest Virginia and the surrounding region for over 19 years.

In 2017 alone, the Remote Area Medical Wise Expedition provided free dental, medical, and eye care to over 3,000 patients, administering $1.4 million in value of medical care to uninsured and underinsured Southwest Virginians. The poverty rate among the population served by the Health Wagon is 70 percent to 140 percent higher than in the rest of Virginia; by delivering health care services to those most in need; the Health Wagon has played a vital role in addressing the substantial health care disparities in the region.

I am proud to honor the Central Appalachia Health Wagon and its Remote Area Medical Wise Expedition clinic in its 20th year of service, and to recognize the doctors, nurses, dentists, and volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to serving the people of Southwest Virginia.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to commend the Auburn High School girls tennis team, which captured the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 1 team state title on June 8, 2019. The Eagles put on a first-rate performance, defeating an excellent team from Rappahannock High School by a score of 5-4.

This marks the second consecutive season in which the Eagles have captured the VHSL Class 1 state championship. A victory from Auburn's No. 1 doubles pair Haley Gordon and Molly McMichael clinched the title, capping off just under 5\1/2\ hours of competition on the day between the two squads. I applaud the hard work and dedication of all members of this year's Auburn High School girls tennis team, and congratulate the administrators, teachers, coaches, parents, students, and fans. In particular I would like to recognize the contributions of the team's seniors, and their head coach Conrad Nester. Congratulations on a great end to the season.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the Auburn High School

girls soccer team for earning a class 1 state title on June 8, 2019. The girls soccer team earned their championship, the first conducted by the Virginia High School League for Class 1 soccer, in a close match with Stonewall Jackson-Quicksburg at Christiansburg High School.

The state championship clinched an 18-1 season for the Eagles. It was a close-run thing on a windy and rainy day, with a tie broken after four sudden victory periods and nine successful penalty kicks alternating between each team. The Eagles competed with discipline, skill, and coolness under pressure. Congratulations are in order for Coach Ashley Moreno and the team, especially its seniors. Auburn's parents, teachers, students, and fans also should take pride in this wonderful accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, I pay tribute to Sydney Strother Smith III of Abingdon, Virginia, a faithful servant of his God and country.

Strother was born on August 1, 1941, to Strother and Betsy Smith. His father was one of the Army's last commissioned cavalry officers, and during young Strother's baptism at Fort Knox on December 7, 1941, news from Pearl Harbor interrupted the service. As his father fought in World War II as a tank commander, Strother lived in Richmond with his mother and grandfather. They remained there after his father returned from the war.

Hoping to follow in his father's footsteps by joining the military, Strother enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington. A fall from cliffs broke his back, however, and ended hopes of a military career. Among his roommates at VMI, he was the only one not to die in Vietnam, convincing him that God had a different purpose for his life.

Strother is known as a dedicated and effective organizer of the Republican Party in Virginia. He was the founding president of the Young Republicans Club at the University of Richmond and served as vice president of the statewide Young Republicans Federation, where he helped expand the number of clubs statewide and met his future wife Barbara. He managed his father's successful campaign for the Virginia House of Delegates as a Republican at a time when Virginia was still largely controlled by the Democratic Party and went on to manage other campaigns for the House of Delegates, United States Senate, and House of Representatives. After moving to Washington County to practice law, he became an active member of the county party and instilled it with new blood. He served as chairman of the county party from 1974 to 1980 and, along with Professor Ray Hancock, organized the College Republicans at Emory and Henry College, my alma mater.

Strother also achieved distinction in his legal career. He became one of the youngest attorneys to argue in front of the United States Supreme Court and would return several times, as well as appear before the Virginia Supreme Court. He was drawn toward cases in which he championed the underdog. One example unfolded over 25 years as he represented an elderly Kentucky mountain man, John Johnson, and eventually Mr. Johnson's heirs against the industrial giant Bethlehem Minerals. Mr. Johnson claimed rights over the coal on his property, and Strother argued his case up to the Kentucky Supreme Court, then to the U.S. Supreme Court, and back to Kentucky. When the case was finally resolved, Mr. Johnson's heirs and co-litigants were awarded $37 million in damages, and willful trespassing became part of mineral rights law. Strother relished such cases and often engaged in them on a pro bono basis, about which his wife sometimes noted that his family had bills to pay, too.

Strother was an active member of the Anglican Church. He was a chancellor, canon lawyer, and a priest ordained in 1987, and he helped to found and rector six parishes. He also belonged to numerous civic organizations. He was an Eagle Scout as a boy and a scout leader as an adult, a member of the Sons of the Revolution, and a reenactor with the Mountain Men of Revolutionary War fame. An amateur pilot, a published poet, a joke collector and storyteller, he is a man of seemingly endless talents but one: punctuality. His nickname, the ``Late Great Strother Smith,'' reflects his habit of being late to just about everything, including his wedding. The one exception: voting, which he would always be in line for by 6 am.

Strother's family includes his wife of 53 years, Barbara Ann Smith; daughters Ambler Dumler and her husband John, Sydney Smith and her husband Tim Gilhool, and Beth and her husband Andy Stockner; brother, Richard Smith and his wife Sarah of Alexandria, VA; sister Rev. Caroline Parkinson of Nashville, TN; and grandchildren Josef, Marshall, and Aidan Dumler, Jimmy and Molly Gilhool, and Virginia, Josie, and Cora Stockner.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to commend the Roanoke Valley Christian School boys basketball team, which captured the Virginia Association of Christian Athletics state title on February 23, 2019. The Eagles put on a commanding performance, handily defeating an exceptional team from Timberlake Christian School by a score of 66 to 42.

This victory carries particular meaning, as it is Roanoke Valley Christian's first boys basketball state championship in its history. Their championship caps a 27-4 season. I applaud

the hard work and dedication of all members of this year's Roanoke Valley Christian boys basketball team, and congratulate the administrators, teachers, coaches, parents, students, and fans. In particular, I would like to recognize the contributions of the team's seniors, and their head coach Todd Mann. Congratulations on a great end to the season.

Madam Speaker, I offer these remarks in tribute to Dr. Jim Wade of Abingdon, Virginia, who has used his talents as a surgeon to help needy people around the globe.

Dr. Wade was born and raised in Princeton, West Virginia. He attended West Virginia University as an undergraduate and then continued at its School of Medicine specializing in otolaryngology. After completing his medical studies, he served as an officer in the U.S. Army for five years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He then had a medical practice in Abingdon from 1978 to 2013.

In Abingdon, Dr. Wade has been an active member of his community. He attends Abingdon Bible Church, serves on various boards, and provides a home for foreign interns when they are training in the country.

Dr. Wade's deep faith, compassion for others, and medical skills guided him to the field of medical missions. He began volunteering with the faith-based charity World Medical Mission in May 1996, traveling to Kenya, performing cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries. Working with World Medical Mission and BethanyKids in the years since, Dr. Wade has traveled to Kenya 25 times, South Sudan three times, Egypt twice, South Sudan twice, and Myanmar to perform these surgeries. Frequently operating in areas undergoing political and social unrest and lacking the comforts of home, he conducts an average of four surgeries a day during twelve-hour shifts in the operating room.

His selfless and humble service to others has been a gift in the lives of many, from the children who benefit from his medical skills to the colleagues inspired by his example. I commend Dr. Wade for his good works and for the generous and caring spirit in which he has done them.

Madam Speaker, I offer these remarks in tribute to Stephen G. Moushegian of Salem, Virginia, a hero of the Vietnam War who died on March 22 at the age of 74.

Born on January 22, 1945, Steve was not a stranger to military life in his younger years, as his father had graduated from West Point and served in World War II. Steve began his service in the U.S. Army as a member of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps at the University of Georgia. Upon commissioning, he entered flight school and excelled as a pilot.

When Steve was deployed to Vietnam, he opted for a risky assignment: flying helicopters for reconnaissance missions. He quickly proved his courage and skill at the task. Although the North Vietnamese would target his helicopter as it scouted for U.S. forces, he would persist in reconnoitering their positions, even at times after his helicopter was hit by enemy fire. His daring missions gathered valuable intelligence for the U.S. military and earned him several decorations, including a Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Silver Star, and Distinguished Flying Cross.

In September 1969, Steve's helicopter took enemy fire, and he was wounded in the arms, shoulder, and left eye. The eye injury blinded him in that eye, so he was sent home with a Purple Heart. Notwithstanding the serious injuries he sustained, he treasured his service to the country he loved.

Steve worked as a medical salesman after his service in the Army, and occasionally I would have the pleasure of joining him and his lunch buddies. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ricki, his children Jeff, Christie Shaps, and Suzi, and six grandchildren. His son Jeff served in the Army after graduating from Virginia Military Institute, and his grandson also plans on a military career after completing his course of study at the same institution. We all can take inspiration from the life of Steve Moushegian, a loving father, husband, and patriot who served his country in the skies over Vietnam with valor.