Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I write in recognition of The Health Wagon, a nonprofit health clinic that works to provide mobile health services in Buchanan, Dickenson, Russell, Lee, Scott, and Wise Counties as well as the City of Norton. Last year, The Health Wagon helped more than 11,000 patients receive health care valued at over $1 million, and through partnerships The Health Wagon's Pharmacy Connect program provided patients with approximately $1.2 million in pharmacy assistance.

For this and its important work with the annual Remote Area Medical event, its community health fairs and outreach programs, its women's health programs, its emphasis on education and prevention, its clinics including dental, eye, and specialty services, and more, I am grateful to The Health Wagon and its staff, supporters, and volunteers for serving the people of Southwest Virginia. There is no doubt that The Health Wagon's hard work and dedication has had an impact on countless lives.

Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in honor of `The Bluegrass Storyteller'--Mr. James King, who was born in Martinsville, Virginia and grew up immersed in the rich musical tradition of Southwest Virginia's Carroll County. After 20 years of playing bluegrass music, Mr. King's album ``Three Chords and the Truth'' was nominated for the 2013 Grammy Awards in the category of Best Bluegrass Album.

Surrounded by talented musicians including his father Jim and his uncle Joe Edd, Mr. King first picked up a guitar when he was eight years old. Though he began by playing rock and roll, Mr. King returned to bluegrass as he entered his teen years.

Mr. King served our country in the Marines before moving to Delaware. He has said that the Stanley Brothers (of Dickenson County, Virginia), Dudley Connell, Jimmy Martin, and Ted Lundy (of Galax, Virginia) have been major influences in his career.

He has released numerous group and solo albums throughout the years, and his band was recognized in 1997 as Emerging Artist of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA), Recorded Event of the Year by the IBMA for its self-titled 1997 debut, and was also nominated for IBMA's 1999 Song of the Year for ``Bed by the Window.''

On ``Three Chords and the Truth,'' released in late September, Mr. King interprets classic country western songs like George Jones' ``He Stopped Loving Her Today'' into the bluegrass format so characteristic of Mr. King. I commend Mr. James King for his hard work on this fine album and congratulate him for the recognition it has received. ``Three Chords and the Truth'' may not have been awarded a Grammy Award, but it has won the hearts of many music fans. I am optimistic that the talented Bluegrass Storyteller and his band will one day have their day in the sun.

Mr. Speaker, recently, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is expanding the boundary lines of Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation so that it now includes three towns: Kinnear, Riverton, and Pavillion. This decision by the EPA, claiming it had authority under the Clean Air Act, overturned earlier congressional actions that reduced the size of Wind River Indian Reservation and made clear that the neighboring towns were not a part of this reservation.

In a January 6 press release, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead is quoted as having said:

My deep concern is about an administrative agency of the

Federal Government altering a State's boundary and going

against over 100 years of history and law. This should be a

concern to all citizens because, if the EPA can unilaterally

take land away from a State, where will it stop?

Where will it stop, indeed. I believe the EPA thinks that it controls anything that touches air or water. They even think they control the boundaries of the Indian nations. You can't make this stuff up.

Mr. Speaker, Representative Robert Hurt and I honor the life and service of Sgt. J. Michael Phillippi of Martinsville, Virginia, who passed away while on duty in a tragic auto accident on January 11, 2014.

Born in Kingsport, Tennessee, in 1948, Sgt. Phillippi graduated from Gate City High School in Gate City, Virginia, Hiwassee Junior College in Madisonville, Tennessee, and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City.

Sgt. Phillippi dutifully served the Commonwealth of Virginia as a respected member of the State Police for more than 42 years, spending much of his time with the state police office that covers the Martinsville, Henry County, and Patrick County area. He became a sergeant in 1990.

Known by many as ``Flip,'' his dedication and service earned him much praise. Col. Steven Flaherty, the state police superintendent, said, ``Highly respected for his leadership, strong character, integrity, and dedication to mission, Sgt. Phillippi was totally loyal to the troopers he supervised and mentored, and the community he served,'' and Lt. Paul Watts said, ``To have done this job as long he has, he's the type of veteran we all hope that we can be one day.''

Sgt. Phillippi was also a very active and devoted member of the McCabe Memorial Baptist Church. He served the church as a deacon and a member of the pastor search committee, taught Sunday school, and worked with its youth group. He also was a member of the YMCA and the Elks Club.

We are honored to pay tribute to this great man. Sgt. Phillippi will long be remembered throughout Martinsville, Henry County, and Patrick County as well as the Virginia State law enforcement community. Our continued prayers and blessings are with Sgt. Phillippi's wife Peggy Lawrence Phillippi and his other loved ones as they grieve. May God give them comfort during this time.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this 3-month SGR patch as it is important to ensure that seniors will still be able to see a doctor after January 1 if they are sick. I am firmly committed to finally repealing and replacing the SGR, and I fully support the bipartisan bill we advanced unanimously out of the Energy and Commerce Committee for this purpose. Our next step is to find a common House position with our friends on Ways and Means to finally say good-bye to the SGR.

Most importantly, I am glad to see that this deal extends the Medicare-Dependent Hospital and Low-Volume programs, which are critical for our rural hospitals in southwest Virginia. If these programs are not extended, Virginia hospitals in total would lose more than $10 million in Medicare reimbursements next year at a time when they are already being hit hard by new costs and deep cuts from ObamaCare.

At least eight hospitals in my district benefit from these two essential programs that keep the doors open in some economically distressed areas and provide health care access to rural constituents. For that reason, I am proud to support this legislation and stand up for rural health care and our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in honor of Jack Powell, who tragically passed away at the age of 80, the day after celebrating his 55th anniversary with his wife Mary.

Jack was born in Roanoke, Virginia. He attended Morningside Elementary, Stonewall Jackson Junior High, and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1952. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy for a four-year tour of duty during the Korean Conflict. Jack returned from serving his country, and then began serving the community as a Roanoke police officer.

In 1957, Jack began working as a Virginia State Alcoholic Beverage Control Enforcement Division Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge. From the 35 years he spent as a ``Revenuer,'' arresting moonshiners and chasing bootleggers across Southwest Virginia, Jack had countless stories to tell, many of which he wrote in several books that pay tribute to whiskey-makers and those who pursued them. For example, while working undercover, Jack was once was jailed in Marion when he was unable to convince authorities that he was actually on their team. Jack narrowly escaped rattlesnakes, dodged bullets, and carried with him his trusty ax he named ``The Devil.''

He cherished his work upholding the law, loved to share his stories, and was an accomplished author, speaker, and storyteller. As

Vaughan Webb, assistant director at the Blue Ridge Institute at Ferrum College, told the Roanoke Times, Jack's death ``is a great loss to the lore of moonshining.'' And, ``He was a wealth of information. Jack was a character and he really knew how to tell a story.''

Jack was a member and President of the Piedmont Fraternal Order of Police, a Free Mason, and a lifelong member of Belmont Baptist Church. He also was a member of the U.S. Navy Mineman Association. Jack earned an AAS, BS, and LLB from Virginia Western Community College and LaSalle Extension Law Institute, and was a 1981 graduate of the National FBI Police Academy.

Jack is survived by his wife Mary of Roanoke; daughters Trenda Powell Jacocks and her husband, Army Colonel John Mc. Jacocks, M.D., of Fairfax Station, Virginia and Andrea Powell McKown and her husband, Navy Captain Martin H. McKown Jr., of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also surviving are six grandchildren, one of which was Martin Hayes McKown III of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who was an original member of my congressional office staff. Other grandchildren are Brittany Virginia Jacocks of New York, New York; Mary Carter Jacocks of Fairfax Station, Virginia; Air Force 2LT Connor Braxton McKown of Del Rio, Texas; Army Cadet 1st Class Carson Lee McKown, of West Point, New York; and Air Force Cadet 4th Class Bailey Wright McKown of Pittsburgh, Pa.; and his nephew, Allen Powell, of Roanoke.

Jack Powell's legacy and influence will be long remembered throughout our region. I am honored to pay tribute to this great man. My continued prayers are with his family and friends. May God give them comfort during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks today in remembrance of Joseph Campbell Thomas, a lifelong resident of western Roanoke County, Virginia who passed away at the age of 91.

Joe was born on March 25, 1922, and grew up on his family farm during the Great Depression. He helped raise crops and livestock, worked in his family's tomato canning factory, and graduated from Andrew Lewis High School in 1939. While attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Joe was a member of the Regimental Command of the Corps of Cadets, the Scabbard and Blade and the VPI German Club. After graduating, Joe joined the United States Army Air Corps, and served our country as a pilot flying the Lockheed P-38 Lightning.

After some time working for American Bridge and General Motors, Joe joined his brothers Frank and Lewis to found Thomas Bros. excavating contractors. Their hard work paid off, and Thomas Bros. eventually grew into a premier company with important projects like Lewis Gale Hospital, Carilion Hospital, Salem Memorial Stadium, Valley View Mall, Tanglewood Mall, and others.

Outside of work, though, Joe was a lifelong member of Salem's First United Methodist Church and an avid golfer. He gave back to the community by serving on numerous boards and organizations including the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, the Roanoke County School Board, the Richfield Retirement Community Board of Directors, Lewis Gale Medical Foundation, Salem Rotary Club, the Salem YMCA, and others. He was a regular fixture at his alma mater over the years, rarely missing a Virginia Tech football or basketball game. He served as Chairman of the Virginia Tech Second Century Campaign, the Virginia Tech Athletic Fund, and the Hackin' Hokies. He also was awarded the Virginia Tech Distinguished Alumni Award in 1993 for his contributions to industrial engineering.

Joe was preceded in death by his wife, Susan Leftwich Thomas; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Brown Thomas; brothers Frank Brown Thomas Jr. and Lewis Preston Thomas; and sister, Mary Louise Thomas Crain. He is survived by daughter Julia Thomas Arthur and her husband Michael; son Joseph Campbell Thomas Jr. and his wife Leigh; five grandchildren; nieces and nephews; and other loving members of his family.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Joe's family and loved ones. His love for his family and neighbors and his contributions to our community will always be remembered and cherished in Salem and throughout the Roanoke Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in honor of Nancy Ellen Voils-Field of Salem, Virginia, who went to be with her Heavenly Father on November 8, 2013.

Nancy met her husband, Robert Field, as a teenager. They moved to Salem in 1972, following 20 years of Army life. Nancy, a devout Latter- Day Saint, spent much of her time working to serve her Heavenly Father and assist those in need.

Those who knew her are well aware of her long-time participation in 4-H and Extension Homemakers, and of her involvement in Scouting. I had the pleasure of working with Nancy for a number of years in the Boy Scouts of America, Blue Ridge Mountains Council, Catawba District. Whenever a task needed to be done, Nancy would wait to see if anyone else would step forward. If no one else volunteered, we could always count on Nancy to say, ``Well, I could probably do that.'' It was widely known in the community that Nancy Field was a quiet leader who would get the job done.

Nancy loved music, gardening, and quilting. Over the years, I always enjoyed looking at her many award-winning entries in the Salem Fair.

Nancy leaves behind her husband of 62 years, Robert, and a sister, Mary Lou Voils. Also surviving are four children David Field and his wife Marianne of Columbus, Mississippi, Sharon Crenshaw of Roanoke, Robert (Brian/Rob) Field, of Naples, Florida, Charles (Rich) Field and his wife Dawn, of Salem; and four grandchildren.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Nancy's family and loved ones. She will be greatly missed. Her love for her family, friends, and community will always be remembered and cherished in Salem.

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to pay tribute to Delegate Joe Johnson, who has dutifully served Southwest

Virginia for nearly 30 years as a member of the Virginia General Assembly. I had the privilege of working on our region's behalf with Delegate Johnson, and like many, was saddened by news of his retirement.

Born in Washington County, Virginia, Delegate Johnson attended Meadowview High School and served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. He graduated from Emory and Henry College, which happens to be my alma mater as well, and went on to receive his law degree from the University of Richmond.

Delegate Johnson first represented Southwest Virginia in the House of Delegates in the 1960s. Construction on I-81 was not complete at that time, however. After several years making the long drive from Abingdon to Richmond, Joe understandably chose to prioritize his young family and took a twenty-year hiatus from life as a lawmaker. He successfully ran for office again in 1989, and has represented Southwest Virginia in the House of Delegates ever since.

Throughout his career, Delegate Johnson was involved in numerous issues related to education, playing a key role in establishing the Commonwealth's community college system and the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission as well. We may have been members of different political parties, but Joe could always be counted on to work both sides of the aisle on behalf of our region.

Even outside of his legislative work, Delegate Johnson has been an active leader for Southwest Virginia. Throughout the years, Joe has taught Sunday school and served as chairman of the Abingdon Baptist Church, and was involved in the Abingdon Civitan volunteer service club, the Southwest Virginia Cultural Heritage Foundation, and the Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission Center. He was once chairman of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, and also served as vice chairman and trustee. Joe was on the board of trustees of the Center for Rural Virginia, and was chair of the Emory and Henry College board of trustees. He is former post commander of American Legion Post 13, former worthy patron of the Order of the Eastern Star, former master of the Abingdon Masonic Lodge 48, a Kazim Shriner, and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, McCabe Lodge. Joe was president of the Washington County Bar Association, and was a member of the Virginia State Bar. He also has been a substitute judge on the Twenty-eighth General District Court.

Delegate Johnson has long been a fixture throughout the community, regularly seen at church, sporting events, city council meetings, board of supervisors meetings, and other community events. Delegate Johnson can always be counted on for a warm smile and, during times of stress or strife, families in his area always could rely on Joe to be there to comfort them. His door was always open, and I know that those he has represented over the years have appreciated his involvement.

Throughout the years, Delegate Johnson has proven himself a dedicated friend of Southwest Virginia. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with and learned from him, and have no doubt that I will see my friend Joe again soon. Delegate Johnson, I wish you and your loved ones the very best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, I received an email from a woman who runs a small business in my district. I will read it to you now:

Morgan, As you know, I'm a small business with 36

employees, have been paying 75 percent of my employees'

health care for over 20 years.

Get a call from health care provider agent that although my

renewal date is March 1, the companies are offering to renew

on December 1 this year with a 9.8 percent increase. This is

to beat what is anticipated as a 30 to 60 percent increase

after all the effects of ObamaCare.

Needless to say, this has reignited my frustration with the

so-called Affordable Health Care Act. Please stick to your

principles, continue the fight. Let me know what, if

anything, I can do.

Yes, ma'am, I will.

Madam Speaker, I did not plan to take the floor today, but I was receiving a call this afternoon from Felecia Shelor, who runs the Poor Farmers Market in Meadows of Dan. She was calling both on her behalf and on behalf of her friends who run Mabry Mill, an establishment just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

She told me that they were having similar problems to what we've read about with Mt. Vernon being closed down, even though it's not run by the Federal Government and isn't owned by the Federal Government. Mabry Mill is not a Federal facility, but it's just off the Parkway. We know in North Carolina there was a facility where they blocked the parking. We don't have the ability to do the regular things, but we can block the parking of businesses.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is a tragedy. Sixty-some employees in the various businesses there may be affected negatively by the actions of the park service. I call your attention to this. I ask you if you're in the neighborhood, go to the Blue Ridge Parkway, travel down it, go to Mabry Mill, shop the stores nearby. They need you to show that they're not going to allow the government to play cheap tricks, as one park ranger said they were doing in an article in the Washington Times today:

We've been told to make life as difficult for people as we

can. It's disgusting.

That's what an angry park ranger said.

Everyone, Madam Speaker, in this country should be angry, and they should go out to the Parkway.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Subcommittee Chairman Pitts for giving me the freedom to work on this. I appreciate it very much.

It has been a year since last fall's fungal meningitis outbreak associated with the tainted sterile compounded drugs from the New England Compounding Center. In my district and in our area in Virginia, we had several deaths, we had 50 confirmed cases, and we had approximately 1,400 patients who were notified that they could have been exposed to fungal meningitis because they received tainted steroid injections.

In working on this bill, I appreciated the bipartisan manner that we used to address this and to work on this matter, particularly with my colleagues across the aisle, Representatives Gene Green and Diana DeGette, for whom I am very grateful for all of their time and effort by both them and their staffs. I should also thank my staff member who worked on this most, which was Adam Harbison.

Having said that, I agree with Mr. Dingell that it is a good bill and not a perfect bill, but I am glad to see that language from the Griffith-Green-DeGette effort was adopted and the FDA will be required to engage in meaningful communication with all of the States when potential problems are identified, as this has always been my priority.

In my opinion, this was the biggest failure of the FDA in handling the NECC case, as they were warned about problems by at least two States prior to this problem coming to the forefront with all of these deaths and with this horrible situation. Two States had sent out a warning signal. The State of Colorado had said, Wait a minute, we're not going to let these folks operate here. The State of Ohio had notified the FDA that they had concerns about NECC being a manufacturer, yet there was not any swift action taken on NECC or even an attempt to alert other States, including the State of Massachusetts, to the problems that were happening.

I know there's a lot of concern out there by some in the medical community, particularly the doctors and some others, but this does not change the existing law on office use, and it does not change the existing law on repackaging.

There were legal questions that evolved with this situation surrounding the advertising requirements of the original bill. I was a little surprised that the FDA had waited 10 years to bring that up, but this bill fixes that problem and takes away that cloud of uncertainty as to whether or not the whole bill was not constitutional because the advertising sections were not constitutional.

This is a good bill. I'm just talking about the compounding sections, but also the track-and-trace sections are very good. I think we are drawing a clear line defining so that the FDA can better determine who are the traditional compounding pharmacies and who are really outsourcers or manufacturers. I think that is great that this bill has that in here.

I would be remiss if I didn't tell a story that struck me last week as we are on that 1-year anniversary.

Last week, I went to have lunch with my sons at their elementary school. As I was going in, the elementary school secretary said to me, ``I know I probably shouldn't say anything, but I want to thank you for working on this compounding bill.''

Doug Wingate, who died a year ago, was my family's best friend, and he and his wife were supposed to be on a cruise for their 25th anniversary and instead we were attending his funeral. His wife last week was on that cruise with her son, but we can never bring her husband back. This bill will make sure that we don't have that problem again, and the other Doug Wingates of the world will not have to die in order for us to change the law to make a better protected system for the American people.

I join with my colleagues to honor those recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the heroic efforts of Colonel Wesley Lee Fox of the United States Marine Corps. Colonel Fox currently resides in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Colonel Fox was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in the Republic of Vietnam.

Colonel Fox's company came under intense fire from a large, well- concealed enemy force. Colonel Fox was wounded, along with the other members of the command group. Colonel Fox personally neutralized one enemy position and calmly ordered an assault against the hostile emplacements.

Colonel Fox refused medical attention so he could establish a defensive posture and supervise the preparation of casualties for medical evacuation. His indomitable courage, inspiring initiative, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger inspired his marines to such aggressive action that they overcame all enemy resistance and destroyed a large bunker complex.

It is for his outstanding heroism and leadership that I am proud and honored to remember the actions of Colonel Wesley L. Fox.

I am so glad to be with you this evening.

So many people in Washington and in other parts of the country believe that it was the intent of the Founding Fathers to bleach from our society our religious beliefs, and you have heard others speak this evening that that is not the case. In particular, I would like to share with you, in the short time that we have remaining, the words of Thomas Jefferson from that famous letter to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptists, because everybody focuses on one phrase and not the entire letter.

He opens with salutations to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptists, and then begins the meat of the letter:

Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies

solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none

other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate

powers of government reach actions only and not opinions, I

contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole

American people which declared that their legislature should

``make no law respecting an establishment of religion or

prohibiting the free exercise thereof,'' thus building a wall

of separation between church and State. Adhering to this

expression of the supreme will of the Nation in behalf of the

rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction

the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man

all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in

opposition to his social duties.

Now, the next paragraph--the closing paragraph--of the letter is very instructive because the man who some now say wanted to bleach religion out ends the letter as President of the United States as follows:

I reciprocate your kind prayers for the protection and

blessing of the common Father and Creator of man, and tender

you for yourselves and your religious association, assurances

of my high respect and esteem.

Obviously, it was never his intent to bleach out of our society religion, and the Statute for Religious Freedom today still stands on the wall of the House of Delegates where you and I both served.

General warrants, writs of assistance, that's what we're looking at, and the Founding Fathers found that to be anathema. What they're doing does violate the Fourth Amendment. We took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and we're supposed to rely on a secret agency that deals with a secret court that deals with a selective secrecy committee; and Members of Congress are limited to their access to the actions of that committee, but we're supposed to trust them.

Folks, we've got a job to do. Vote ``yes.''