Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise on the House floor to object to President Trump's decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria.

I encourage the President to remember the poor decision of the Obama administration in 2011, when the United States announced its withdrawal from a ``stable Iraq.'' ISIS is not defeated and may have as many as 30,000 fighters remaining in Syria. Atrocities being committed by the brutal dictator, Assad, and his henchmen, including Russia and Iran, will now continue with impunity. This opens the door for Iran to consolidate gains.

I am especially concerned with the tragic consequences this will have months and years down the road. The United States policy in Syria must ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS, roll back Iranian influence, and achieve a political solution to the crisis.

I echo the late John McCain and his message from 2011, as it applies today. This decision is a ``sad case of political expediency supplanting military necessity.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for coordinating this opportunity to stand in solidarity on the House floor and memorialize a dear family friend and my former boss, George Herbert Walker Bush, our 41st President.

President Bush was a great sportsman, a man of warm and goofy humor, and a man who in every instance put himself in the position of serving others.

He was willing to enlist and became the Navy's youngest aviator. A brave aviator, indeed, he was, flying some 58 combat missions.

But at every stage of his life until he passed on to be with Barbara and Robin on November 30 at the age of 94, Bush 41 continued to put himself in the position of serving others. That is his legacy, helping spread a thousand points of light--American helping American, Americans helping the less fortunate, Americans reaching out across the ocean to help those in time of need.

As I noted, he was a great sportsman. He loved speed, fast boats like the Fidelity, fast planes like his Avenger Barbara III. He was said to be Grumman's best customer after losing three planes as a naval aviator. Even in sports that were known for being relaxing, Mr. Speaker, he made them fast: 18 holes of ready golf, or cart polo, as it was referred to, in minutes, not hours; supercompetitive doubles tennis and fishing. He always loved fishing--that is, when he wasn't skydiving.

But this sportsman, gentleman, servant leader accomplished an extraordinary portfolio of successes in his single term of 4 years as our President.

Called upon by the media and many to dance atop the crumbled Berlin Wall, President Bush did not dance. Instead, he put his shoulder down and produced an agreement that, in turn, has produced extraordinary growth and prosperity among the peoples of Europe. There is no greater memorial to this success than to walk down the streets today of Warsaw, Prague, or Budapest and see the economic vitality of free-market capitalism at work.

But there were other exceptional moments in the international portfolio, including the completion of the North American Free Trade Agreement; the reinforcement of the Monroe Doctrine by ejecting the threatening thug Manuel Noriega from Panama; the delicate punishment of China while balancing our relationship during the regime's horrible, murderous actions in Tiananmen Square; and ending the years of tension between the United States and our ally Japan by creating the Structural Impediments Initiative that opened Japanese markets by removing nontariff barriers to American exports and services.

On the domestic front, this man of the House, Bush 41, developed an outstanding creative agenda, starting first with cleaning up the failure of the S&L crisis of the 1980s. He proposed the Americans with Disabilities Act that was accepted by Congress and has provided millions of Americans with more opportunities for work and access. His Clean Air Act amendments set the standard in the world for cleaning up acid rain challenges using market mechanisms, benefiting not only America but our neighbor to the north, Canada. He left office with a reputation of constraining government spending and responsible budgeting.

But, of course, along the way, there were heartbreaks, beginning with the failure to have his close friend, Senator John Tower, confirmed as Secretary of Defense for ridiculous and spurious partisan reasons.

On Capitol Hill, President Bush 41 struggled with incredible partisanship from Senate Leader George Mitchell and House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, but he treasured his friendships of cooperation and success with Members like John Murtha, Dan Rostenkowski, and Speaker Tip O'Neill.

Mr. Speaker, George Bush 41 treasured God, faith, and family. He prided himself in the Army mantra of duty, honor, and country. In his memorial service at Washington National Cathedral, historian Jon Meacham stated that he believed Bush 41 was striving every day to justify why he had been saved on that day off Chichi Jima. Thus, his focus on service as well as his commandments: Don't blame others and always share the credit--warm admonitions from his beloved mom.

So, Mr. Speaker, I stand today with my friends from Texas to salute George Bush, a good and faithful servant who ran a full and fast life. I was lucky to know him, work for him, and recognize him for being the exceptional man of character that he was. Our country is blessed to have him as our Commander in Chief and our 41st President of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand here today acknowledging the great work of the Financial Services Committee during the 115th Congress.

I would like to highlight two of my bills that originated in the Committee and have now become law.

First, H.R. 910, the Fair Access to Investment Research Act, allows ETF research to be issued like stock research.

Prior to the passage of this bill, if ETF research was provided from a financial services firm to a client, it would be considered an ``offer'' under Section 5 of the Securities Act of 1933. This legislation now gives safe harbor for these reports allowing investors access to useful information in this rapidly growing market.

Since starting an investment firm in the late 1990s, I have seen ETFs grow from about 100 funds with $100 billion in assets to over 1,900 funds with over $3 trillion in assets today. ETFs average 30 percent of trading volumes (by value) on any given day.

Yet, despite their growing popularity and increasing importance to retail investors, most broker-dealers did not publish research on ETFs due to anomalies in the securities laws and regulations. But with the passage of my bill, nearly 6 million U.S. households holding ETFs will have access to this important research.

With this new law, I've personally seen the amazing research produced by financial services firms and am thrilled that retail investors both in Arkansas and across the country now have access to it.

I would like to thank my friends, Mr. Foster from Illinois, who helped me push this through the House, and Senator Heller of Nevada, for leading the charge in the Senate and working with me on this bipartisan, common-sense legislation.

Second, I would like to highlight the Volcker Rule Regulatory Harmonization Act, which had a provision become law as part of the S. 2155 regulatory relief package.

The provision exempts community banks under $10 billion in assets from the Volcker Rule, which was consistent with recommendations made by the U.S. Treasury last year.

The Volcker Rule has been one of the most indecipherable regulations; complete with 930 pages of language and overseen by five different regulatory authorities. Evidence of the Volcker Rule's ill effects and profound unintended consequences were widely reported.

A bank in my home state, which at the time had less than $8 billion in assets, was forced to divest a $2 million investment in a bank fund because of regulatory interpretation as it related to the Volcker Rule. This resulted in an $80,000 loss for that year.

Community banks are spending too much time trying to comply with unnecessary regulations taking away from their main mission of serving their customers. By exempting banks under $10 billion, the law allows for a tailored and more appropriate regulatory regime.

Again, I would like to thank Mr. Foster for his co-sponsorship on this legislation as well as the many Senators involved in helping create a sensible and tailored regulatory relief package with S. 2155.

Having worked in the banking and investment industry for the past three decades, I appreciate Chairman Hensarling's, Senator Crapo's and the Congress' efforts to promote capital formation, reduce unnecessary burdens, and grow jobs and the economy.

I'm proud of the exceptional, productive bipartisan record of accomplishment with 142 bills marked up, 126 bills passed the House and 50 enacted into law--more than any other House Committee.

None of this would have been possible without the skilled leadership of Chairman Hensarling who has been a dedicated and fearless leader of the House Financial Services Committee. It has been an honor to serve with him over the last four years and I wish him well in his next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, this week Speaker Ryan and Leader Pelosi welcomed members of the Churchill family and the distinguished Ambassador from the United Kingdom to the United States Capitol in honor of the 144th anniversary of the birthday of the Right Honorable Winston Churchill. It is always a touching and fitting ceremony here in the people's Capitol.

I recall well one of the most fateful assignments of our predecessor body, the Continental Congress, when a special committee was formed, something Congress is great at. That special committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, and Jefferson was assigned this great task of drafting the Declaration of Independence.

Well, Mr. Speaker, he completes his work, and he comes back to the committee and he outlines his 27 grievances against the King. He has worked on it for days. Benjamin Franklin and John Adams review that work, and they make 80 changes--80 changes.

It just shows that, no matter how good the author is, once it is turned over to a committee, there will be change.

Of those 80 changes, about 25 percent of the Declaration of Independence that we know today, one of those changes speaks to the heart of the friendship, the underlying friendship, between the British and American people, for one of their changes was Jefferson's poignant lament, which reads as this: ``We might have been a free and great people together.''

So that was taken out of the document, even though Jefferson outlined the 27 grievances why America should separate itself from Great Britain.

I like to reflect on that when we fast-forward to Winston Churchill coming to America in 1946 and speaking at Westminster College in Missouri, when he toasted what he called the fraternal association of the English-speaking peoples.

He said in that talk: ``But we must never cease to proclaim in fearless tones the great principles of freedom and the rights of man which are the joint inheritance of the English-speaking world and which through Magna Carta, the Bill of Rights, the habeas corpus, trial by jury, and the English common law find their most famous expression in the American Declaration of Independence.''

So, on this 144th anniversary of the birth of Winston Churchill, someone who was of both, American and British, I salute his birth. I salute that special relationship between the United Kingdom and this great country.

Recognizing Alice Andrews

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the achievements of Alice Andrews, a good friend who was recently awarded the 2018 Neil Compton Award for her tireless work in conservation in Arkansas.

Born and raised in El Dorado, Alice received her undergraduate degree in fine arts from Henderson State University, where she fell in love with arts and the environment.

She is more than a 40-year member of the Ozark Society and has served extended terms as Ozark Society president and conservation chair.

Alice has worked for decades to preserve water, air quality, and wilderness areas throughout Arkansas. Her lifetime of service to the State of Arkansas and environmental conservation will not be forgotten.

I join all Arkansans in congratulating Alice on this achievement and wish her much continued success.

Farm Bureau Patriot Project

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Arkansas Farm Bureau for participating in the American Farm Bureau Federation's Patriot Project. Arkansas is one of only four States currently participating in this project.

The Patriot Project is a program that connects military veteran beginning farmers and ranchers who are starting their careers with experienced Farm Bureau farmers, who act as mentors.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau works to identify military veterans and Farm Bureau mentors and facilitate long-term educational and professional mentorship relationships. The military veterans should be actively farming and using their own resources while their mentor guides them towards success.

I thank Randy Veach, president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, for his leadership in bringing this program to Arkansas, and I extend a warm hand of gratitude to the Arkansas Farm Bureau for its worthwhile commitment to our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, and I thank the ranking member of the committee as well for her work on this issue over the years. I appreciate Mr. Duffy's leadership, and I appreciate Mr. MacArthur, Mr. Graves, and their work on this issue because the House has done its job, Mr. Speaker.

We painfully passed this bill over a year ago. We have done our work. We have a bill that represents a compromise of coastal States and not coastal States. We have taken into account all these issues about climate change and floods and hurricanes. We have taken all that into account, but we have had no action from the Senate.

What we are here for today is because the Senate has not taken one step to constructive reform of the National Flood Insurance Program. That is why we are here.

So I think we should be working together. We need the ranking member and the chairman down the hall in the Senate asking them, why can't they get their act together? Where is Senator Crapo, where is Senator Kennedy to read this bill and take into account the incredible work that we have done on a bipartisan basis here?

So it is very hard for me, Mr. Speaker, to support a 7-day reauthorization status quo for the eighth time. It is just very hard to do that because it is not right. We need the reforms that are in this bill. We need the pressure on the Senate to come up with their own reforms if they don't like our reforms.

I happen to like our reforms. I like the fact that I see more of what is happening in Arkansas where we have two private insurers now, Mr. Speaker, for floods. They cover $2 million instead of $250,000. They cover replacement cost instead of actual cost. That is the kind of reforms and progress we can make if we take account of the hard work of this House and get the Senate to join us in significant flood reform.

So, it is with a lot of regret, Mr. Speaker, I cannot support the reauthorization of this program for 7 days. We need the Senate to wake up and take action.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Scott McLean, the founder and executive director of Pathway to Freedom, for being awarded the 2018 Marie Interfaith Civic Leadership Award. This award is given annually to recognize citizens whose work addresses important community issues in Arkansas.

Scott created the Pathway to Freedom program in 2011 with the goal of changing prison culture and breaking the cycle of recidivism in our State. The program provides educational, values-based prerelease services to prisoners, while also preparing inmates to reintegrate into society and return to being a productive citizen.

Pathway to Freedom seeks to transform prisoners' lives with an 18- month prerelease residential program through a contract with the Arkansas Department of Corrections. It also provides, importantly, 12 months of mentoring and support once our prisoners shift back to society.

I extend a hand of gratitude and congratulations to my good friend Scott and the entire Pathway to Freedom program for their selfless and worthwhile investment in our citizens and our State's future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Fulbright Program, enacted in 1946 and sponsored by then-Senator J. William Fulbright, who represented my home State of Arkansas.

This exceptionally American contribution to the world has educated over 360,000 students from 165 countries, including 52 Nobel laureates and 31 heads of state.

Every year, Fulbright scholarships are given to more than 2,500 Americans, from all backgrounds and in all stages of life, the chance to spend time abroad and gain a global perspective on today's most important issues.

Two years ago, I had the opportunity to plant a tree on the Capitol Grounds in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Fulbright Program and its Arkansas roots. This program has funded the academic pursuits of countless American and international scholars while building economic prosperity and promoting America's respect for freedom, the rule of law, and our democratic values.

The Fulbright Program has my support, and all of our citizens should encourage this uniquely American mission of friendship.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Colorado for the time, and I appreciate the opportunity today to be on the House floor to talk about H.R. 5636, the Flatside Wilderness Enhancement Act, to preserve the wilderness areas for future generations of Arkansans.

On October 19, 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the Arkansas Wilderness Act, which set aside the first wilderness areas in the State of Arkansas. One of those wilderness areas created by this act was Flatside, which is located in both Perry County and Saline County, both of which are in my district.

In 2005, the U.S. Forest Service recommended that these 640 acres be included in the national wilderness program, stating that adding these lands to the wilderness program would establish a more logical and manageable boundary for these areas and is consistent with the forest management plan.

This measure is a first step in enhancing Flatside. Additional measures are being considered to study other U.S. forest lands that are suitable for addition to the area adjacent to Flatside. We are also working to restore certain adjacent areas that were in former private ownership to native species.

Perry County offers something very special for Arkansans, visitors young and old alike, seeking a unique, authentic outdoor recreation experience. This tourism has had a positive effect on Arkansas' economy, especially in these largely rural counties. By increasing the wilderness area and promoting it, Arkansas, especially in Perry County, can attract more people to enjoy these natural resources and continue the trend of tourism's positive impact on Arkansas' economy.

It is important to note that this bill is narrowly tailored to only place lands carefully selected by the U.S. Forest Service into the wilderness area. It will not affect any private property.

On a personal note, Mr. Speaker, this bill is of particular importance to me because, as a young Senate staffer working on the Hill in 1984, I was able to work with then-Senator Dale Bumpers' office from Arkansas and Representative Ed Bethune's office and helped to secure the passage of the Arkansas Wilderness Act in the Senate. What a treat, three decades later, for me now to represent the Second District of Arkansas and see this good work continue, while also being able to recognize my predecessor, former Congressman of Arkansas' Second District, Ed Bethune.

I believe naming this tract for Congressman Bethune is a proper way to recognize him for his dedicated service for conservation causes important to The Natural State. This enthusiasm is shared by the entire Arkansas delegation.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friends, Chairman Bishop and Representative Westerman, for their help in advocating for this bill that is so important to my district, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 413.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today to congratulate the six Arkansans in the 2018 class of inductees of the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. This year's inductees include:

Kevin Cole, a celebrated painter, printmaker, and sculptor;

Brent Jennings, a prolific award-winning actor and director;

Lieutenant General Aundre Piggee, U.S. Army deputy chief of staff for logistics at the Pentagon;

Darrell Walker, a former NBA player and current men's basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock;

Mary Louise Williams, a legendary educator and political leader; and

Florence Price, the first African American woman recognized as a symphonic composer and to have a composition played by a major orchestra.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize these six Arkansans who will join the Hall of Fame's more than 140 members for their lasting contributions to our communities and our State. I congratulate these inductees who exemplify the spirit and dedication behind this fine honor.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Sinema), my good friend, for yielding. She and I have the pleasure of serving on the House Financial Services Committee together and cooperating on many legislative measures and regulatory measures that benefit our economy, so I thank her for that work. I greatly appreciate her stepping up and reaching out across the aisle on the subject of suicide, particularly during Suicide Prevention Month, and letting all of us have an opportunity to share our perspective on this national tragedy.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. There is an average of 123 suicides per day. What could be more tragic than that?

Yet, I don't see nearly the people on the floor tonight that there should be, because this affects all our districts so tragically. One in five are suffering with some form of mental illness in our country, a problem that has disrupted so many families, caused too much violence and pain, and caused far too many lives. Representative Sinema and I talk about this every time the subject comes up.

When I was a high school senior, I can't remember a friend that was a victim of suicide. But, Mr. Speaker, my kids just turned 19 and 21, and within 4 or 5 years of their ages, I can think of six families who have lost a child to suicide--different reasons, same tragedy. So our families are hurting from the scourge of suicide.

In Congress, this is an area where we work together, the 21st Century Cures Act, where we attacked the first comprehensive approach to mental illness treatment in decades, where we say we want people with mental illness and who need treatment to get it. We worked together most recently on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act for American veterans, and the National Suicide Hotline Improvement Act--small steps, but concrete steps that call attention to suicide, particularly in our veterans community.

The VA is helping on this issue and marked Suicide Prevention Month with its Be There campaign. This campaign highlights the risk factors and warning signs for suicide, provides information about VA mental health and suicide prevention resources, and helps individuals and organizations start the conversation around veteran mental health in their communities.

Our VA employees must have the necessary resources to offer guidance to veterans while providing essential suicide prevention services.

This is a together thing. This is an ``all of us in this together'' thing.

Mr. Speaker, I have a chair in my front office in my district office in Little Rock that was hand-painted to raise money for suicide awareness and suicide prevention. On that chair, it says: ``We Are The 22.'' This is a nonprofit organization in my community started by veterans helping veterans, because it is not an ``us and they'' thing. It is an ``us'' thing. It is a ``we'' thing.

We are all in this together. We are the 22, the number that we have as the estimate of veterans who are taking their own lives.

So I want to echo the Speaker pro tempore this afternoon, a distinguished American and distinguished veteran and brave, heroic representative of our Armed Forces, our patriots, the people who defend our liberties, when he said we don't leave people behind. We don't leave a sailor, a marine, or a soldier on the battlefield. We bring them home.

Just last week, we honored John McCain on the floor of this House. And Sam Johnson, leaving the House this year--Representative Schweikert was there--he was in the Hanoi Hilton with John McCain. We don't leave a man or woman behind on the battlefield. But when they come home, we equally should not leave them behind.

I really commend the Speaker's comments that the mission is not over. All of us have that partnership and sense of duty to carry that mission forward on the home front when we are out of harm's way and out of theater.

To me, it is that buddy system that we all learn, whether it is in boot camp or swim team, you team up; you check in on each other; you don't leave people alone. That is the secret, I think, to preventing suicide.

I lost a good friend of mine, a fraternity brother, a partner in a law firm in Houston, Texas. He never once intimated to his wife, to his children, or to his law partners that anything was wrong, and they got the call that he had been found.

Check in: How are you doing?

So we are the 22. We are on the buddy system. We don't leave our warriors behind. The mission continues here. All those things are true.

I carry in my wallet, Mr. Speaker, the veterans crisis hotline as a reminder to me that we want our veterans to reach out if there is a moment of crisis.

If somebody is watching this or hearing the words of brave Brian Mast, or the emotional content and leadership of Representative Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona, and you are having that moment now as a veteran, I urge you to call 1-800-273-8255 for yourself, for a friend, for a neighbor.

We, in Congress, are fighting to make sure that that veterans hotline is a value, that it is answered, and that we are part of that thin thread of connectivity between all of us that keeps us right on the moment.

Mr. Speaker, I see my friend from Arizona is here. It was a pleasure to have both of my friends from Arizona talk about their senior Senator last week, John McCain, and what he meant to each of us and what he has meant to our country.

Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to yield to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), my friend, now on the House Ways and Means Committee, formerly of the best committee in the House, the House Financial Services Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arizona for participating, and I thank his colleague, Representative Sinema, for her heartfelt tribute that she has carried on since she has been in the House to bring attention to suicide prevention.

I also commend the House for the efforts that it has taken on mental health and on suicide prevention, particularly for our veterans.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of Arkansas' marketing and public relations geniuses and a dear friend, Mr. Ron Robinson, who recently passed away at the age of 75.

Born and raised in my hometown of Little Rock, Ron had a natural talent for media and journalism at a very young age. As a teenager, he worked as a sports writer for the Arkansas Gazette and was paid $1 an hour.

After graduating from the University of Arkansas with a degree in journalism, Ron joined the Air Force, serving as a public information officer. He quickly rose to the rank of captain and earned a Bronze Star for his service in Vietnam and the Air Force Commendation Medal in 1969 for his support of the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon.

A year later, he joined Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, CJRW, as director of public relations. He would eventually become chairman and CEO until his retirement in 1996.

Ron received many awards for his contributions to Arkansas and the journalism industry. He was honored in 2005 as a distinguished alumnus of the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and inducted into the Lemke Journalism Society Hall of Honor in 2016.

Ron was a role model and friend for many across the State of Arkansas, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, his family, and his many, many mentees during his years of service.

Honoring the Life of David W. Mullins, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to honor the life of a longtime work colleague and friend, David W. Mullins Jr., who recently passed away at the age of 72.

David had a remarkable career of public service, including working in both the Department of the Treasury and as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. It was a pleasure to work with him in Domestic Finance at the Department of the Treasury under President George H.W. Bush.

David's journey began in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where his father was president of the University of Arkansas. David attended Fayetteville High School before graduating from Yale University with a degree in administrative sciences. He then pursued graduate work at MIT, and there he completed his Ph.D. in economics and finance.

David's public service began shortly after the stock market crash in 1987, and his expertise proved vital toward the rejuvenation of the economy and the resolution of the savings and loan crisis under the Reagan and Bush administrations.

Mr. Speaker, he was a thoughtful leader, a friend to many, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones.

Honoring the Life and Legacy of Mr. Don Zimmerman

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of Arkansas' statewide leaders, Mr. Don Zimmerman, who recently passed away at the age of 75.

Don worked as executive director for the Arkansas Municipal League for over four decades and was there at the time of his death.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in business administration, Don first joined the Arkansas Municipal League back in 1966 as a field representative before working his way up to the executive director position in 1974.

Two years ago, he became the first State Municipal League employee to be recognized by the National League of Cities for 50 years of service. Don also served two terms on the board of directors of the National League of Cities.

Mr. Speaker, he was a friend to many across our State of Arkansas, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones.

Recognizing Olan Wages, One of Arkansas' Finest

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize one of Arkansas' finest, Olan Wages, who recently died at the age of 95.

A veteran of the Army, who served in World War II, Olan Wages was at the Battle of the Bulge. Mr. Wages' story is one that makes all Arkansans proud. For his service, he was awarded two Purple Hearts with oakleaf cluster, four Bronze Stars, a Good Conduct Medal, a World War II Commemorative Medal, a Normandy Jubilee of Liberty Medal, and a French Legion of Honor Medal, among others.

Mr. Wages is survived by his three loving daughters, Brenda, Marcia, and Kay.

Mr. Speaker, Olan's example is one all Americans and Arkansans can admire, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones.

Recognizing the Achievements of Kevontae Carter

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the achievements of Kevontae Carter, a junior at Philander Smith College in my hometown of Little Rock. I am pleased to announce that the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities has named him an inaugural Competitiveness Scholar. Competitiveness Scholars are students who have exhibited exceptional academic achievement, engagement with their communities, and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Kevontae, who is majoring in biology and minoring in mathematics, was personally nominated for this honor by Philander's president, Dr. Roderick Smothers. A leader on campus, he serves as a student ambassador for the United Negro College Fund, of which Philander is the only member in the State of Arkansas.

Mr. Speaker, I honor Kevontae's commitment to excellence and commend him on being named to this distinguished fellowship.

Recognizing Ms. Annie Abrams

Mr. Speaker, it gives me a lot of pleasure today to recognize a dear friend and a civil rights icon from Arkansas, Ms. Annie Abrams, and wish her a very, very happy 87th birthday.

Ms. Abrams has served her State and country tirelessly throughout her career, from her involvement in the desegregation of Central High School to her role with the Arkansas Teachers Association, including becoming the first African American PTA president at Central High.

Born in Arkadelphia, Ms. Abrams moved to Little Rock at the age of 13 to pursue a better education, and she graduated from Dunbar High School and later Philander Smith College with a degree in special education.

She continues to be involved in many local community service organizations, including the Little Rock Central High Integration 50th Anniversary Commission, a commissioner for the Fair Housing Commission, and treasurer of the Arkansas Democratic Black Caucus.

As a local educator and civic and community leader, Ms. Abrams has enriched the lives of countless Arkansans and Americans. She is the busiest woman I know, particularly for someone on the cusp of an 87th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to our next opportunity to be together, and I thank her for her lifetime of service to our community.

Recognizing the Anniversary of the Central High School Integration

Mr. Speaker, 61 years ago today, all eyes were on South Park Street that fronts the beautiful facade of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. Just days before, the Arkansas Governor, Orval Faubus, had called out the National Guard to prevent nine Black students from entering that school on September 4.

Central High and its beautiful neighborhood had become ground zero in the march to end the five-decade legacy of Plessy v. Ferguson, separate but equal. Now, just over 3 years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, it was time for action.

In a few days, on the 25th of this month, we will celebrate the successful integration of Central High School when the Little Rock Nine entered the school, escorted by the 101st Airborne Division.

It is fitting today, Mr. Speaker, that we pay tribute to the Little Rock Nine, their defenders, and the successful end to separate but equal. I am proud to recognize this important milestone today on this House floor and remember passing the bill 1 year ago that I authored that expands the park boundary of the National Historic Site at Little Rock Central High School. This is a historic and an important touchstone for all those modern-day history travelers retracing the steps of the civil rights movement.

The National Historic Site Visitor Center was opened in 2007 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Central High's integration. My bill extended the park boundaries to take in the houses that fronted the school along South Park Street so that future generations will be able to picture that street just as it was and reflect on those 21 days of trauma back in 1957.

Bringing the properties into the boundary of the site provides the National Park Service with more tools and flexibility for partnering with the homeowners to historically preserve their front facade and the yards of those homes. Together with the school, the seven homes across the street from Central High will now stand as a living monument to the civil rights movement in Arkansas and the United States.

I want to thank the National Park Service superintendent at that site, Robin White, for her leadership and her persistent work with the community to enhance it as an educational resource and a key stop on the Civil Rights Trail.

The Little Rock Nine's brave actions integrating Little Rock Central High will forever be remembered for their unparalleled role in ending so-called separate but equal. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize the 61st anniversary of these brave actions by those young people.

Recognizing the Accomplishments of Women Throughout History

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the important accomplishments of women throughout history and to call attention to the millions of women across the globe who lack access to education and are denied access to opportunity.

Small businesses are the engines of our economy in Arkansas and across our entire Nation. They create and support jobs within our local communities and employ approximately half of all private-sector workers in the United States.

According to the Small Business Administration, 30 million small businesses in the U.S. make up over 99 percent of our Nation's businesses; and of those, 11.4 million are women-owned businesses, employing nearly 9 million people. They are centers of innovation, discovery, and opportunity, empowering and equipping Americans for success.

Everyone should have the opportunity to rise, but in America, women entrepreneurs face barriers to certain business resources that many males with similar aspirations don't.

We have got to work hard for our hardworking Americans and our hardworking American families. In Arkansas, Winrock International is doing just that through its Arkansas Women's Business Center. The Arkansas Women's Business Center provides training, counseling, and access to capital for women who want their business to grow and become competitive.

Though obstacles to entrepreneurship and opportunity also exist outside the U.S., there are entities, including Winrock, supporting solutions that promote prosperity and provide a means for women to flourish around the world.

I had a chance to visit with a very hardworking, enterprising, caring young woman from my hometown of Little Rock, recently, whose innovative efforts were to eradicate hopelessness and give hope to those in poverty by lifting them up and aiding their pursuit of happiness and promoting the fruits of the dignity of work.

Anna Taylor is the founder of the clothing company Judith & James of the nonprofit James127 Foundation. She started her remarkable journey during her family's mission work in Africa.

Inspired by the desire and drive of the Kenyan women she encountered, Anna set out to work with them to ensure that they have the opportunity to provide for their loved ones and themselves. Today, her foundation provides practical and hands-on sewing training to Kenyan widows, offering hope and a future to women whose communities have been ravaged by poverty and disease.

When you empower women, you empower their communities.

For too long, too many young girls and women throughout the world continue to be denied an effective education. We must continue to work to address this injustice and ensure that all women are provided fundamental freedoms in the political, social, cultural, economic, and civic fields.

So I would like to applaud the House on its recent passage of H.R. 5480, the Women's Entrepreneurship and Economic Empowerment Act, and commend my fellow Arkansan, Senator John Boozman, for introducing its companion in the Senate.

As the proud father of a daughter studying hard in college--I hope she is studying hard--I believe that it is critical that we all support all of our aspiring young women. I urge the Senate to act quickly on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to again bring attention to the impending crisis in Idlib province, Syria.

Last week I spoke in the well of the House about the great work our Kansans and Americans are doing in support of the innocent Syrian people, many of them with no connection to Syria other than seeing years of pointless death and mayhem and wanting to help the Syrian people cope with their country's destruction and return to their families, their villages, their work.

I learned today that many of those Syrians that my fellow Americans support are now only a few kilometers away from the frontlines of the Assad-backed war machine.

The U.S. must continue to support Turkey's push to achieve a diplomatic solution to at least delay an assault on Idlib.

I believe the use of chemical weapons should not be the only trigger for an American response, but that we can no longer stand by as scores of innocents are massacred by the brutal dictator and his Russian agents.

I call on the President to strengthen his resolve against Assad's barbarous acts and to continue to support the innocent Syrian people.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to continue to speak out against the atrocities being committed in Syria by the brutal dictator, Assad, and his evil collaborators and coconspirators, Russia and Iran.

I commend President Trump for taking a stand against the reckless attack on Idlib province and the tens of thousands who could be killed.

I am proud of the work that Arkansans are doing in Syria, particularly in Idlib province, on behalf of the Syrian people. Through the work of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, led by a Syrian American, an Arkansan, Mouaz Moustafa, Arkansans are directly supporting the reopening of a kindergarten and women's center in Idlib province.

I am especially concerned about the tragic consequences and loss of life that an assault, particularly a chemical weapons assault, on Idlib will have on this vital kindergarten and work for women there.

I stand in support of the President's recent message but call on him to strengthen his resolve against Assad's brutal actions and to continue to support the innocent Syrian people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, tonight, in this hallowed Chamber of the House, in the U.S. Capitol, we pay tribute to a good friend, a patriot, a loyal Member of this House of Representatives, and the Senate, and that is John McCain, who we lost last week, after a long and productive life.

It seems fitting that we are here in the House Chamber with the portraits of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette, two generals in the army of the liberation in our American Revolution, two comrades at arms, two people who set the standard for high, ethical standards of leadership, and leading us in what we treasure today, our United States of America. And really John McCain epitomized that.

Mr. Speaker, it may be unusual that a Member from Arkansas would lead a tribute in honor of our distinguished former colleague, but there is a connection, because when I started, one of my earliest jobs was serving Senator John Tower of Texas, on his personal staff and on the staff of the Senate banking committee.

You couldn't work for John Tower and not be a friend to John McCain, because John McCain was, as a young captain, the liaison to the Senate between 1977 and 1981, and then he ran for office in 1982 in his home State of Arizona.

He said it was hard to decide to run. He didn't really have a home. The longest place he had lived before he ran for Congress from Arizona was in the Hanoi Hilton, Mr. Speaker.

And John Tower broke his promise to not campaign and mess around in a Republican primary by traveling Arizona and Texas helping John McCain win his election in 1982.

They were, like Lafayette and Washington, comrades in arms, both Navy men: Tower, the seniormost enlisted man elected to the Senate, and John McCain, a captain, son and grandson of admirals.

Tower's favorite story about John was when they went to Oman, and Captain McCain was his escort officer on a codel, and they were with the Sultan of Oman out in the desert in a tent, arrayed on beautiful carpets.

As you know, it is bad protocol to show one's soles of the feet in the Arab culture, and John McCain, Mr. Speaker, could not bend his legs from his beatings in the Hanoi Hilton. And so there he was, cross- legged--or tried to be cross-legged--in that tent in Oman with the soles of his feet pointing directly at the sultan.

It was Tower who said: Your Majesty, please understand that Captain McCain can't properly cross his legs, as he was a POW in Vietnam and is crippled from that horrible ordeal.

And the Sultan of Oman said: My dear Senator, I am a graduate of Sandhurst and a former captain in the British Army of the Rhine. I understand. And it is a pleasure to have Captain McCain at our table.

Years later, it was John McCain who worked his tail off to try to have John Tower confirmed as Secretary of Defense in 1989 for my old boss, President Bush, to no avail. But in the minutes before that failed vote in the Senate, McCain turned to Tower and said: God bless you, John Tower. You are a damn fine sailor.

So tonight, Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to John McCain, his comradeship, his friendship with John Tower, his

service to this country, his undenied patriotic leadership and strength in the country that we have today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on my friend from Texas, and it is a special call, it is an emotional call for all of us in this Chamber tonight, to ask Sam Johnson to come to the podium, Sam Johnson, who spent 7 years in the Hanoi Hilton, 42 months in solitary confinement, a 29-year career in the Air Force.

So, Mr. Speaker, I now yield to my friend, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sam Johnson), and thank him for sharing his thoughts on his comrade in arms, former Senator John McCain.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our good friend for his service.

Sam Johnson has served this Chamber so nobly during his years on Ways and Means and ends his career in the people's House this term. All of us treasure our time with him, our work together, and his leadership, and we treasure his remarks tonight in honor of his great comrade.

And, sir, we salute you and we thank you, and God bless you for all you have done for this great country.

With that, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Denham), who serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Natural Resources. Also, he served this great country in the Air Force for 16 years, fought in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq, Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. We welcome him, and we thank him for his comments tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California. I appreciate his personal testimony about John's service and his friendship. I thank him again for his service to our country, not only in the people's House, but in the U.S. Air Force.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to my friend from Memphis, my neighbor from across the Mississippi River, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), a Representative from Memphis who serves on the Committee on Ethics, where he is a ranking member. I am proud to have his contributions tonight in tribute and memory to our former colleague, Senator McCain.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Tennessee for his remarks about our friend John McCain.

Now, I would like to ask a colleague of his from Arizona, my friend, who we served on the House Financial Services Committee together, Dave Schweikert, who represents Phoenix and Scottsdale and currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to Representative Schweikert and thank him for being with us tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Arizona. I thank him for his personal stories tonight and his tribute to our former friend from Arizona.

It is a pleasure for me to ask my friend from Fresno, California, Representative Jim Costa, to share some thoughts on the life of John McCain.

Mr. Costa serves on the Agriculture Committee and Natural Resources Committee, and we are grateful for him being with us tonight.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Costa).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for his personal memories and tribute to Senator McCain.

It is a pleasure now for me to yield to my friend from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart).

Senator McCain, throughout his life, was such a great voice for our Bill of Rights, for liberty across the world, for the fight against communism during the Cold War, and for the fight for trade and leadership by the American people and our great country around the world.

I think the same of my friend, Mario Diaz-Balart from Florida, who with his friend Jim Costa helps lead our parliamentary dialogue between the Transatlantic Economic Council in the EU and the United States.

I thank my friend, also a member of the Ways and Means Committee, for coming tonight and sharing his thoughts on Senator McCain.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.