Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the graduating 5th Grade class of Glen Marlowe Elementary School. They are about to enter an exciting new phase of their lives: making new friends, advancing their education, and moving closer to the adults they are destined to become. Some of the most fundamental lessons that one can be taught, such as the importance of hard work and respect for others, have been instilled by the faculty of Glen Marlowe over the past few years and will shine through in every future action taken as they become young men and women.

I would like to offer my thanks to Ms. Kristi Duckett, Ms. Julia Meeks, Ms. Jessica Hudgins, Ms. Deanna McNaughton, and Ms. Kathy Plount for leading by example, and helping to build the foundation of a wonderful group of young people. I would also like to acknowledge the parents of the graduates. All of those carpools, parent-teacher conferences, and late night homework checks have not been in vain, and have helped prepare these graduates for a future that will be shaped by their values and vitality.

It is my honor to congratulate these graduates on achieving this important milestone and I encourage them to follow all of their dreams, wherever they might lead. I encourage my colleagues to join me today in horning the graduating 5th graders at Glen Marlowe Elementary.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an outstanding public servant and dedicated volunteer in Yancey County, North Carolina. Mr. Clyde McIntosh of Burnsville committed his life to service and activism. After graduating from Burnsville High School in 1950, Mr. McIntosh proudly served four years in the United States Navy. Upon completion of his service, he moved back to the mountains of Western North Carolina where he built a successful real estate and development business and operated a dairy farm. During this period, he worked diligently toward the goal of preserving the rural heritage of the area.

Mr. McIntosh assumed public office when he was elected Sheriff of Yancey County in 1986. From 1999 to 2005, he served on the Board of Directors of the Yancey County Department of Social Services, spending a portion of his tenure as Chair. For many years, Mr. McIntosh was an active community volunteer for the Lions Club and Meals on Wheels.

Mr. McIntosh worked for years to educate Yancey County youth on the importance of civic engagement and community involvement. He acted as a mentor for the Young Democrats organization of Yancey County, encouraging young people to be politically active.

I commend his outstanding contributions to the Democratic Party. In April 2001, he was named Mountain Democrat of the Year and also served as the Yancey County Democratic Party Chair. He served as Precinct Chair for both Jacks Creek and Burnsville Townships.

Our mountain community is a better place because of Mr. McIntosh's devotion to activism and service. Mr. McIntosh was an invaluable presence in the lives of the many people he inspired and helped through his work. Though he will be missed, I know this legacy will live on for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the exemplary life of Mr. Clyde McIntosh of Yancey County, North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Corporal Tyler J. Southern of the United States Marine Corps. Cpl. Southern is a real American hero who nearly died on the battlefield, losing both of his legs, one of his arms as well as part of the other arm, and a hand. On November 20, 2011, Corporal Southern is tandem jumping with Team X.T.R.E.M.E. and Jeremy Soles into FedEx Stadium to kickoff the game between the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. I ask that this poem by Albert Caswell be placed in the Congressional Record in Cpl. Southern's honor.

Look Above

Look!

Look above!

As it's there you will find America's Greatest of all loves!

Look above!

At our sons and daughters, who so go off to war . . .

Armed but with only their most magnificent hearts and souls,

to all of our Freedoms to so insure!

So very fine and so very pure . . . with such courage, and

such might . . . And such faith so evermore!

Look above, at such Strength In Honor . . . All at the ones

who America so loves!

As it's there you will find, the true sum of the meaning of

the word love!

Such selfless sacrifice . . . such brilliant of all lights,

coming down to you now from above!

The ones who bring such tears to the angels eyes, so high

above!

The ones who go off to war, and come back home without arms

and legs no more!

And who now so lie, all in such soft cold quiet graves . . .

Who with their Mothers and Fathers tears, our freedom's are

so paved!

Teaching us all so how to behave!

So look above, and it's there you will find and so see the

meaning of the word patriotism this day!

Coming down to us all in this way . . .

And take comfort, all in that we have such men as Tyler

Southern on this very day!

Marines, whose fine hearts shall never wave!

Who so gave up his strong arm and fine legs!

Ooo Rah . . . JAR HEAD! `Oh what your most magnificent life

has so said!

And take comfort, all in his most magnificent shades of

green!

All because of The Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard,

And The United States Marines! We All Now So Live In Peace!

And as you lay your head's down to sleep, all in your hearts

and souls so ever

keep . . .

A warm spot for all of these . . . Heroes so very deep!

And for all of those families who now so weep!

And look above and thank them all, all in your hearts of love

to keep!

Men Tyler who are First To Fight, whose fine heart ignite!

And take comfort in knowing of, America's Greatest of All

Loves!

Now Look, Look Above!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Major General H. Lloyd Wilkerson, USMC ret. for a life dedicated to serving his country and helping others in Western North Carolina.

H. Lloyd Wilkerson was born in Troy, Tennessee, on October 31, 1919. After graduating from Erskine College in 1941 with degrees in mathematics and english, he was an inspector for Retail Credit Company in Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina.

At the outbreak of World War II, Wilkerson enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He quickly advanced through the ranks, serving as Platoon Sergeant and then Second Lieutenant. He served in combat in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. He became Chief of Staff of the Marine Corps Base in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In 1972, he was promoted to Brigadier General and became Commanding General of that Base. Subsequently, as a Major General, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development and Studies at the Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, Commanding General of the Third Marine Division, and Commanding General of the III Marine Amphibious Force in the Far East. His final assignment, prior to his retirement on May 31, 1978, was as Director of Personnel Management Division/Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower at Headquarters of the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, D.C.

Since his retirement, Major General Wilkerson has been involved in countless volunteer and appointed positions in his church, alma mater, and community. He served as President of the North Carolina Scottish Rite Masonic Foundation, Inc. which annually provided more than $200,000 to support clinics for childhood language disorders at East Carolina University, Appalachian State University, and the Scottish Rite Temple at Charlotte.

Wilkerson has gone above and beyond to serve our country through military service and countless volunteer programs. It is an honor to represent selfless, hardworking soldiers like Major General Wilkerson whose devotion to our country is a great source of pride to me and to Western North Carolina. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Major General H. Lloyd Wilkerson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Joe Connolly for his distinguished service to the Land-of-Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging and Western North Carolina.

Since 2008, Mr. Connolly had been a true fighter, undergoing three instances of brain tumors in a span of three brief years. A husband, father of two, and grandfather of two, he passed away peacefully on May 31, 2011. He had served the aging community of Western North Carolina for the past nineteen years, as director of the Land-of-Sky Regional Council Area Agency on Aging since 2006 and prior to that as director of the WNC AIDS Project and the WNC Alzheimer's Association, and as a member on the boards of numerous community agencies. His service truly encompassed the spirit of giving, impacted many lives, and will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. Connolly was an inspiration to those around him, a man more concerned with providing care than receiving it. I urge my colleagues to join me today in honoring Mr. Joe Connolly for the remarkable commitment he made to the people of Western North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry, ABCCM, of Asheville, North Carolina, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its Doctor's Medical Clinic.

The ministry was founded in 1969 by eight local churches and is now a cooperative ministry of more than 260 churches that strive to serve the needy citizens of Buncombe County. In 1991, the ministry opened a clinic to deliver quality medical care, referral management, and medication for the citizens of Buncombe County who are uninsured, underinsured and ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare. A number of volunteer registered nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers and physicians donate countless hours of their time to see to the medical needs of their fellow citizens in an empathetic and welcoming manner.

In addition to the Doctor's Medical Clinic, ABCCM also performs community outreach in other ways by providing counseling, food, clothing, furniture, rent and utility assistance, and transportation to the disadvantaged in the community. It provides educational opportunities and books and coordinates religious services for inmates at local jails. The ministry also operates two shelters, one to help homeless veterans reenter society and one to provide emergency shelter for homeless women.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry for the outstanding work they have done for more than 40 years in Western North Carolina. As they celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Doctor's Medical Clinic, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating their hard work and spirit of compassion that has had an enormous impact on the lives of many of the neediest in our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Corporal Michael Joseph Dutcher of Asheville, North Carolina for his valiant service in the United States Marine Corps. The sacrifices Corporal Michael Joseph Dutcher made will not be forgotten as he put his country above his own needs, serving to fight for freedom.

Born on November 21, 1988, Cpl. Dutcher grew up in Asheville, North Carolina. At Asheville High School, Cpl. Dutcher was involved in band, wrestling, and ROTC. Immediately after graduation, Cpl. Dutcher enrolled in the Marine Corps on June 18, 2007. Cpl. Dutcher served in Bravo Company. He served 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, including a tour of duty in Afghanistan. His personal service awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Deployment with three Bronze Stars, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and NATO Medal ISAF-Afghanistan.

Cpl. Dutcher was a Non-Commissioned Officer of Marines, regarded by his unit as a selfless leader who always put the well-being of his fellow Marines above his own. In Afghanistan, his unit served at the tip of the spear in the Sangin District of Helmand Province, the site of some of the fiercest fighting in all of Afghanistan. On September 15, 2011, he gave his life while leading his Marines from the front against enemy forces.

Mr. Speaker, Cpl. Dutcher embodied the most essential qualities of a United States Marine. He was selfless, dedicated, and brave. He is remembered as a man who had a tremendous impact not only on his fellow Marines, but also on his family, friends, and community. Through his exemplary service in Afghanistan, Cpl. Michael Joseph Dutcher has brought pride to Western North Carolina. It is truly my honor to commemorate him and I urge my colleagues to join me today in honoring the life of Cpl. Michael Joseph Dutcher for the sacrifices he made for our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Judge Lacy Thornburg for more than fifty-five years of public service to our country and Western North Carolina.

Judge Lacy Thornburg was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina in 1929. After

graduating from Huntersville High School, he served in the U.S. Army, graduated from Mars Hill College and received his law degree from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Following his law school graduation in 1954, Judge Thornburg and his wife moved to Jackson County, North Carolina where he began a law practice with former Congressman David Hall. He became active in church, civic, and political affairs, holding offices in the Presbyterian Church, the Jaycees, the Lions, and the Young Democrats.

During Judge Thornburg's thirteen years as a practicing trial lawyer, he was elected to three terms in the North Carolina General Assembly. He was appointed as a Superior Court Judge in 1966 and served on the bench for sixteen years. Through his hard work and respect for others, Judge Thornburg was elected Attorney General of North Carolina in November of 1984 and served two four-year terms. As Attorney General, he personally argued three cases before the United States Supreme Court: Riley v. National Federal of the Blind in 1988, N.C. Department of Transportation v. Crest St. Council in 1986, and Thornburg v. Gingles in 1986.

In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated Judge Thornburg as U.S. District Judge for the Western District of North Carolina and he was confirmed by the 104th Congress on January 11, 1995. He served with distinction on the federal bench until his retirement in 2009.

It is an honor to represent selfless, hardworking public servants like Judge Lacy Thornburg. His devotion to public service is a great source of pride to me and to Western North Carolina. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Judge Lacy Thornburg for his lasting impact on Western North Carolina.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Claude Douthit for a life dedicated to helping others in Western North Carolina.

Mr. Claude Douthit, a native of Swain County in Western North Carolina, has dedicated hard work and countless hours into the North Shore Settlement. When the federal government purchased 44,000 acres of North Carolina mountain land and built Fontana Dam on the Little Tennessee River to generate hydroelectric power for the war effort, Mr. Douthit, a Tennessee Valley Authority employee, initially favored the building of the road.

The rising waters of Fontana Lake flooded several small communities, forcing more than 200 families out of their homes expecting the government to follow through on its wartime pledge to build a road they could use to reach abandoned home sites and family cemeteries.

Instead, the government delayed, and thirty years later, only 6.2 miles of pavement and a short tunnel had been built at the eastern tip of Fontana Lake. Convinced that the road would never be finished, Mr. Douthit began working for an alternate solution, a cash settlement for Swain County. In 2000 Mr. Douthit and his wife Jean Douthit helped to organize a group called Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County, gathering support from a broad coalition of conservationists, parks enthusiasts, environmentalists, public officials, and private organizations.

Mr. Douthit was determined to get a settlement for the county and through his hard work and that of the Citizens for the Economic Future of Swain County, an agreement was finally reached in 2010, with the government agreeing to pay $52 million to the county. This settlement agreement will guarantee that Swain County has the resources it needs to thrive and grow for decades to come.

It is an honor to represent selfless, hardworking citizens like Mr. Claude Douthit. His devotion to his community is a great source of pride to me and to Western North Carolina. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Mr. Claude Douthit for his lasting impact on Swain County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Randy Burgess who recently retired from the Pisgah National Forest with 33 years of outstanding service to the U.S. Forest Service.

Mr. Burgess began his work in forests during summers while in college at Eldorado and Stanislaus National Forests in California. After he graduated from Virginia Tech with a bachelor's degree in wildlife and forest management, he worked as a ranger at several national forests such as those in Sumter, South Carolina, and Rio Grande, Colorado. He began work at the Pisgah National Forest in 2003.

During his 8 year tenure as head of the Pisgah District Operations, Mr. Burgess was instrumental in the upkeep and renovations in and around the forest. Mr. Burgess helped improve water quality through stream stabilization projects, supported various volunteer corporations, implemented upgrades at the Cradle of Forestry, provided public restrooms in the forest, and built a connector trail from the city of Brevard to the Pisgah National Forest. The 5.5-mile-long Estatoe Trail opened to the public on October 15, 2010, and has been a tremendous benefit to the citizens of that area. Mr. Burgess also served as a Forest Service Liaison to my office, lending his expertise in conservation to positively impact national policy. Mr. Burgess' leadership over the last few years has left a great mark on the Pisgah National Forest and provided positive influence on Congressional policy.

Mr. Burgess has shown extraordinary dedication to our community and has had an indelible impact on the Pisgah National Forest. The service that Mr. Burgess has contributed to Western North Carolina and the U.S. Forest Service is truly inspiring and I am proud to represent him. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the exceptional career and service of Mr. Randy Burgess.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Leicester Carpet Sales on 40 years of successful business and commend them for recently committing to only selling products made by American workers. With that commitment, Leicester Carpet Sales became western North Carolina's first All-American flooring store.

Leicester Carpet Sales was founded in 1971, by Mr. JB Snelson, a Vietnam veteran, and his wife. After starting the business in their home, Mr. Snelson and his wife moved the store twice to accommodate the demand for their expert craftsmanship and high-quality customer service. Mr. and Mrs. Snelson retired in 1995 and entrusted the store to their son Brad Snelson.

After taking ownership over the company at the young age of 21, Brad Snelson kept his parents' tradition of excellent customer service. He moved the company to its current location in Asheville and opened another facility in Hendersonville.

Leicester Carpet Sales has proven to be an important element in western North Carolina. By giving back to the community and helping to sponsor the Crossfire Christian Ministry, Mr. Brad Snelson continues to reflect Christian values in the family company. With his morals leading the way, the company recently announced its decision to exclusively sell American made products. Leicester Carpet Sales hopes this move will raise the morale for supporting American jobs, products, and the economy.

Leicester Carpet Sales has shown extraordinary dedication to our community and has had an indelible impact in western North Carolina. I am proud to represent Leicester Carpet Sales and the Snelson family. I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 40 years of this company and their remarkable commitment to their community and country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Ms. Margie Meares who dedicated her professional career to conserving our environment and improving energy efficiency. Few individuals have had as dramatic an impact on protecting our environment as Ms. Meares.

After graduating from Duke University Ms. Meares took a job with the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources working to improve and protect the quality of our water. As a founding member of the Clean Air Community Trust, she worked tirelessly to improve the quality of our air. Her efforts helped lead to the passing of the state's Clean Smokestacks Act. Enacted in 2002, this Act requires North Carolina power companies to reduce their smog and haze-forming emissions by approximately three-fourths by 2012.

Her service to our state was mirrored in her work on behalf of her local community, where she helped to found Evergreen Charter School and served on its Board of Directors. As an elected member of the Woodfin Water Board, she helped to protect the quality of local water resources. She was a founding member of the Community Energy Advisory Council in Asheville, where she worked to engage the community in shaping the programs and policies of its electric utilities.

Ms. Meares focused on improving the energy efficiency of homes and buildings, both at home in North Carolina and across the country. She worked tirelessly to help develop North Carolina's new Energy Conservation Code, improving the minimum efficiency of buildings. She developed educational materials for building officials and spent three years conducting classes helping them to better understand and enforce the energy efficiency rules governing buildings.

Nationally, Ms. Meares worked with building officials across the country to reduce the energy consumption of our buildings by at least 30 percent. She also developed one of the nation's first programs to educate realtors about the value of energy efficient and environmentally friendly real estate.

The quality of our nation's air and water has been improved due to the robust efforts of Ms. Meares. Her work to conserve and protect our environment and resources will have a long lasting impact. I ask my colleagues to join me today in recognizing the exceptional life of Ms. Margie Meares, whose work and service will not soon be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Gary Johnson who recently retired from the National Park Service with 36 years of outstanding service to our mountain community.

After four years of service to our country in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Johnson took a summer job in 1975 with the National Park Service with the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, North Carolina. One year later, he graduated from the landscape architecture program at Virginia Tech with a BLA degree and was re-hired by the Parkway. In addition to working with the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mr. Johnson has worked on planning and construction projects in other parks such as Natchez Trace Parkway, Big Bend National Park and Guilford Courthouse. Mr. Johnson has also written and lectured on the subjects of scenery conservation, cultural landscape management, historical parkway preservation, goal-driven and strategic planning and tourism planning.

Mr. Johnson brought unmatched passion and expertise during his many years as a skilled planner with the Blue Ridge Parkway. Mr. Johnson authored the Guidebook for the Blue Ridge Parkway Scenery Conservation System that outlined his plan to preserve the Parkway. He also developed the Blue Ridge Parkway's project management and computerized tracking system. The system proved to be so effective that it was adopted by the National Park Service. On March 17, 2011, Mr. Johnson was awarded one of the four Appleman-Judd-Lewis Awards for Excellence in Cultural Resource Management from the National Park Service Director.

Mr. Johnson has shown extraordinary dedication to our community and has had an indelible impact on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The service that Mr. Johnson has contributed to Western North Carolina and the National Park System is truly inspiring and I am proud to represent him. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the exceptional career and service of Mr. Gary Johnson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Captain Jeff Bowen for his distinguished service in the Asheville City Fire Department.

A husband and father of three, Captain Bowen passed away July 29th, 2011, at the age of 37, while serving the people of Asheville, North Carolina. Captain Bowen first joined the Asheville Fire Department 13 years ago and dedicated himself fully to protecting the city until his life was claimed during a fire at a Biltmore Avenue medical office building.

Firefighters serve as an integral part of our community. It is remarkable that men such as Captain Bowen commit themselves to a profession that engenders such risk and sacrifice. These stakes often fashion strong friendships and bonds that go beyond the walls of any fire department. Today, we all stand with the 240 firefighters in the Asheville Fire Department who lost a colleague, a friend, and a brother. We also pray for Captain Bowen's wife, Stacy, and his three children as they grieve for the loss of a remarkable husband and father.

Captain Bowen was often described as a ``firefighter's firefighter,'' a selfless man who truly enjoyed coming to work every shift. He was respected by his fellow firefighters and appreciated by his officers. Through his commendable service, Captain Bowen has made Western North Carolina proud. It is my honor to commemorate him, and I urge my colleagues to join me today in honoring Captain Jeff Bowen for the sacrifice he has made for the city of Asheville, the citizens of North Carolina, and the people of the United States.

Offered By: Mr. Shuler

Amendment No. 76: At the end of the bill (before the short

title) insert the following: