Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6831) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 35 West Main Street in Frisco, Colorado, as the ``Patrick E. Mahany, Jr., Post Office Building'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6838) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 128 East Carlisle Street in Marion, Kentucky, as the ``Ollie M. James Post Office Building'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 3414) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 20 Ferry Road in Saunderstown, Rhode Island, as the ``Captain Matthew J. August Post Office'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 3442) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 105 Duff Street in Macon, Missouri, as the ``Arla W. Harrell Post Office'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, Committee on Financial Services, Committee on Agriculture, Committee on House Administration, and Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6870) to rename the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 in honor of Representative Louise McIntosh Slaughter, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 5791) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 9609 South University Boulevard in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, as the ``Deputy Sheriff Zackari Spurlock Parrish, III, Post Office Building'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 5792) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 90 North 4th Avenue in Brighton, Colorado, as the ``Deputy Sheriff Heath McDonald Gumm Post Office'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6780) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7521 Paula Drive in Tampa, Florida, as the ``Major Andreas O'Keeffe Post Office Building'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (H.R. 6591) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 501 South Kirkman Road in Orlando, Florida, as the ``Napoleon `Nap' Ford Post Office Building'', and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Jim Paxton of the First District of Kentucky on his retirement from the Paducah Sun newspaper.

Within the first year of his career, he quickly rose through the ranks to serve as the Paducah Sun's editor and publisher. As he and his brothers joined the generations of Paxton family members who have led and managed Paxton Media Group, they began to expand their operations into local television broadcasting with WPSD-TV and radio broadcasts, eventually owning and managing more than 35 daily and weekly newspapers throughout the Southeastern United States.

The Paducah Sun's continued success is a testament to Jim's belief that local newspapers should focus on prominently featuring news from the community, while also striking the appropriate balance of State and national coverage.

Throughout his career, Jim Paxton has established an outstanding legacy as a revered public servant and titan of western Kentucky media. He is widely respected for his pursuit of meaningful, insightful journalism, and I am thankful for his friendship and guidance throughout the years.

As he begins the next phase of his life, I join with his family and friends, as well as those he has impacted during his career, to express our dedication and gratitude for his contributions to western Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. David Cameron Hopper of Russell County in the First District of Kentucky. Mr. Hopper recently celebrated his 90th birthday with a host of family and friends. Growing up in a household with nine other siblings, he learned the value of hard work and continued education.

In 1948, Mr. Hopper enlisted in the Navy, serving four years during the Korean War aboard the U.S.S. Aggerholm. In 1955, he married Faye Smith and cared for her children, Pam Smith Adams and Gene Smith. He later graduated from the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Together, he and Faye would attend yearly reunions with his shipmates, visiting a new destination during each trip.

After graduating, he began working for McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis, Missouri, where he helped complete a top-secret mission for the company. His family later learned he specialized in data analysis for the first manned space expedition, Project Mercury. During his tenure with the company, he also worked on the experimental F4H executive jet.

In 1961, he served as an electrical engineer for the East Kentucky Power Cooperative, which supplied power to sixteen owner-member cooperatives throughout the Commonwealth. Shortly after he was hired, he assisted with purchasing the cooperative's first computer and wrote their payroll and consumer billing programs. His leadership in these areas compelled him to serve as a founding member of the East Kentucky Employees' Federal Credit Union and later served as the organization's President for thirteen years. Upon his retirement from East Kentucky Power in 1992, he had risen to the position of Transmission Division Director.

Mr. David Cameron Hopper is a man of many interests, blessed with many talents. He could be described as a farmer, fixer of anything, electrician, entrepreneur, mechanic, fisherman, landlord, avid gardener and University of Kentucky fan, but his most treasured titles are those of a dedicated, generous, and proud father, grandfather, great- grandfather, brother, and uncle.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kristin Hill Taylor, who recently received recognition as a 2018 Angels in Adoption Honoree and whom I am honored to have with me in the gallery today. This is the second time I have had the privilege of nominating a deserving individual for their outstanding work in the adoption community.

Kristin is a resident of Murray, Kentucky, along with her husband, Greg, and their three children they adopted as newborns--Cate in 2007, Ben in 2009, and Rachel in 2015.

A compassionate adoptive mother, Kristin is an advocate for the adoption community and has created a great platform for sharing stories about adoption, family, and faith on her blog, kristinhilltaylor.com. She also self-published her family's story in a book entitled: ``Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family.''

Kristin's advocacy and platform for story sharing have helped grow and empower many members of the adoption community both near and far. We have an active adoption and foster community in the district of Kentucky which I represent, and I am proud to recognize adoptive families and individuals like Kristin who pave the way for countless folks in the adoption community.

On behalf of the First District of Kentucky, I congratulate Kristin on all she does for children in need of loving homes and for families who want to grow through the adoption process.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Barren River Area Development District (BRADD) for their fifty years of service and dedication to the betterment of Western Kentucky communities. Since 1968, BRADD staff has assisted local economic leaders in securing federal funding for developing projects in each of the ten counties they serve, including five within the First Congressional District of Kentucky.

I am grateful for every staff member who has committed themselves to promoting economic and community development. The combination of their entrepreneurial spirits and sustained dedication to public service has not only enhanced the lives of individuals in the region, but has spurred economic opportunities and growth throughout the Commonwealth.

This significant milestone is a testament to their steadfast influence on the surrounding area and a recognition of their esteemed record of excellence. I join with those they have diligently served their fellow citizens throughout the last five decades and look forward to many more years of continued success from this outstanding organization.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6316, the Small Business Advocacy Improvements Act of 2018.

I am proud to be the sponsor of this bipartisan legislation. The Office of Advocacy at the United States Small Business Administration plays a vital role in ensuring Federal agencies take into account how their policies impact small businesses.

While the Office of Advocacy has done excellent work on behalf of our Nation's small businesses, the current law is silent on whether it can research and advocate on behalf of small business on international matters. This is a problem that we can easily fix.

Given the Office of Advocacy's knowledge and research on how regulations impact small businesses, it is appropriate for the office to advocate and research small business interests on international matters. This bill advances the Office of Advocacy's mission to advocate for America's small businesses and clarifies its authority on international small business issues.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mrs. June Lucille Dowell Rousey who is celebrating her 90th birthday today. A resident of Casey County in the First District of Kentucky, she grew up in a household where everyone was welcome around the table and where compassion and love of family were treasured values. Mrs. Rousey spent her childhood working in the family store where she learned the value of hard work and serving others.

In March of 1947 she married Mr. Robert Rousey, a member of the U.S. Navy who would later become President of the Casey County Bank. Together they had three children--Barbara, Connie, and Barry--who brought them many joyous occasions and a lively extended family. She spent her time teaching Sunday School, serving as a 4-H leader, and a devoted homemaker and mother who viewed her home as a gathering place for all those who needed a loving presence. Mrs. Rousey also began to manage her parents' store--then Dowell's Furniture--which still operates in downtown Liberty under the supervision of her youngest son, Barry. Throughout her marriage to Robert she was a devoted and loving wife who steadfastly cared for her husband throughout his bouts of illnesses before his passing. Mrs. Rousey always enjoyed vacationing and being outdoors with her family, leading her and Robert to build a cabin at the old Rousey homeplace in Butchertown. Together they forged trails, collected and planted wildflowers, and created a family retreat which they shared with school groups, their church, and their fellow community members. This location continues to be a haven for gatherings and events where their loving legacy lives on.

Mrs. Rousey stays active as a member of the Casey County Explorers Hiking Group and continues to travel internationally and domestically with tour groups. At the age of 80, she even rode in a hot air balloon. She is an active member of the First Christian Church, maintains her garden, continues to investigate health issues and keeps up with current events. She enjoys attending family events and stays busy with the many weddings, graduations, plays, and birthdays of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Rousey is a treasured member of the local community and I join with her family and friends to celebrate this milestone birthday. I hope the upcoming year is filled with family, friends, and many blessings for her.