Floor Statements

Thank you so much for yielding me the time.

Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to the Ryan budget.

The Ryan budget ignores the express will of the American people and doubles down on the ``you're on your own'' Republican platform that the voters soundly rejected just a few months ago. Rather than taking a fair and balanced approach to deficit reduction, the Ryan budget will kill millions of jobs, slash needed investments, raise taxes on working families, and create big, new tax breaks for the wealthiest few. The Ryan budget will block grant Medicaid, voucherize Medicare, and rip up the safety net that's at the heart of the social contract in this country. There are many words that can be used to describe the Ryan budget, but the one word that cannot be used is ``balanced.''

I am pleased that the Democratic alternative and the CBC budget that we voted on both include versions of a proposal I have worked on for several years. We call it the ``10-20-30.'' The

purpose of the 10-20-30 plan is to target Federal funds to communities that have experienced persistent poverty. Specifically, this proposal targets 10 percent of funding to neglected communities where 20 percent or more of the population has lived in poverty for 30 or more years.

The 10-20-30 plan was originally signed into law as a part of the Recovery Act. It has proven to be successful in steering needed rural development funds into neglected communities for water and sewage and economic development projects. It's time to build on this success and expand the 10-20-30 plan.

Thank you.

I am also pleased that all of the Democratic substitutes reject the austerity-for-working-families plan that the Republicans are proposing. Democrats will honor our commitment to senior citizens and invest in a brighter future. The Van Hollen budget will create jobs now, and that's the tried and true way to achieve deficit reduction.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a professional organization that is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. The International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) is dedicated to developing our global workforce through education, research, legislative action and international networking. I applaud their efforts and join with them in celebrating this centennial milestone.

IAWP was founded in 1913 in Chicago by W.M. Leiserson, who was the Superintendent of Wisconsin Employment Offices. He brought together professionals working in public and private workforce development programs to form a non-profit educational association. Its mission remains as it has been from the beginning to ``develop professionals for today and tomorrow.''

Since its founding, IAWP has consistently worked to uphold the founding principles; to provide members with education, leadership opportunities, information exchange and recognition of excellence in the workforce development field.

The members of this organization have provided a plethora of services to millions of American workers, including new entrants, unemployed and employed by providing job placement assistance, training or retraining, career information, intensive services to dislocated workers, unemployment insurance benefits and disaster unemployment benefits, youth training opportunities such as job corps and summer jobs, trade act adjustment payments and training, counseling, veterans placement and training services, on the job training contracts, job analysis, recruitment, rapid response team for large layoffs, assistance to disabled workers, labor market and career services and administrative support to the workforce system.

In this global economy, I am pleased to see IAWP working across borders to ensure that the professionals of tomorrow are prepared both in the United States and abroad. The organization has members from many other countries who attend their conferences and contribute information to their publications providing a forum to broaden the discussion of and insight into workforce issues. The IAWP has held international conferences, chapter and district conferences and institutes to provide training and networking opportunities. The organization also publishes an informative newsletter to keep members informed of issues related to workforce development and education materials.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the International Association of Workforce Professionals. This organization has provided tremendous guidance and support to its members throughout its long history. It is my hope that IAWP continues its good work for another century and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable theologian and dedicated community servant. Dr. William P. Diggs has retired after 50 years of leading Trinity Baptist Church in Florence, South Carolina. He has set a tremendous example of stewardship and service for future generations to follow.

Dr. Diggs was born in Columbia, South Carolina, but grew up in Rock Hill. Always a dedicated student, he graduated from Morehouse College, earned a Master of Arts in Sociology from Atlanta University, a Master of Divinity from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in Rochester, New York, and a Doctor of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Educational opportunities took him around the country, but Dr. Diggs longed to return home to South Carolina. Upon his return, he served as Pastor at Flat Rock Baptist Church in Clover, South Carolina, and Galilee Baptist Church in nearby York. In 1962, he truly found a home when he took the position as Pastor of Trinity Baptist Church where he remained until his retirement in December 2012.

During his half-century at Trinity, the church itself grew in size and influence. The improvements to the physical structure included a church manse, a complete renovation of the edifice, and the construction of a new education building. The church also purchased two buildings--Trinity Annex and the Old Seaboard Depot--and secured land for a new parking lot. A new addition which houses a pre-school; additional Sunday school classrooms; meeting rooms; and a fully- equipped kitchen was also built. And in 2010, the church purchased commercial property on North Dargan Street that includes barber shops, beauty salons and a restaurant.

The church's community influence also grew with its size. Dr. Diggs made education a priority and led Trinity Baptist Church to contribute nearly $35,000 annually to higher education facilities. He also instituted a pre-school which is licensed by the State of South Carolina and has been recognized for its excellence. The church also organized a federally operated credit union, which has assets of almost three million dollars.

Dr. Diggs accomplished quite a lot at Trinity Baptist Church, but his contributions did not stop at the church's door. He served as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Friendship, Benedict and Morris Colleges for a total of 24 years, and is a former Adjunct Professor at Francis Marion University. He is a sought after speaker having addressed students at Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Religion, Interdenominational Theological Center, Bishop College, the University of South Carolina, Winthrop University and Coker College, and many sermons at churches throughout the country.

He has also contributed his time and talents to other faith-based organizations; serving as Past President and Past Dean of the Congress of Christian Education, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., and Past Dean of the South Region. He is also a Past Moderator of the Pee Dee Baptist Association, and the Past Dean of the Pee Dee Baptist Workshop.

He has served as a member of the Boards of Trustees at Friendship College, Benedict College, and Morris Colleges, a member of the Boards of Directors at Morehouse School of Religion, the Interdenominational Theological Center, and as a board member of Nannie Helen Burroughs School, the Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity, and the Mayor's Human Relations Committee.

Dr. Diggs is a Life Member of the NAACP, and Past President of the Florence Branch. He helped to organize the first ``sit-in'' demonstrations in South Carolina, which occurred on February 12, 1960 in Rock Hill.

Dr. Diggs is the recipient of numerous awards including the Order of the Palmetto in 1996, the highest civilian award given by the Governor of South Carolina. He was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame in 1998 by 100 Black Men of South Carolina, Inc. and the United Black Fund. The Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce awarded him the Building Bridges Humanitarian Award in 2000. He is also the recipient of the Pee Dee Area Council Boy Scouts of America Whitney Young Award and the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service for the State of South Carolina among many other honors.

Dr. Diggs is married to the former Clotilda Daniels, and the couple has two children--Mary Lynne and William, Jr. (Lennette). They have one grandson, William IV.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in commending Dr. William P. Diggs for his more than 50 years of service in the ministry. His ministry is a living example of Peter's admonition, ``As each one has received a special gift, employs it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.'' I am proud to call Dr. Diggs a dear friend, and I wish him well in retirement.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.

In 2011, the majority leader, Mr. Cantor, said:

We don't need to be governing in 2 month increments.

I agree.

We don't need any more uncertainty.

I agree.

He later said:

Uncertainty prevents entrepreneurs from taking a risk, from

starting a business and creating jobs.

I agree. Governing in 3-month increments is no better. It maintains a continuous cloud of uncertainty.

We all saw the damage caused in 2011 when our Republican colleagues risked the full faith and credit of the United States. Businesses slowed and Standard & Poor's downgraded America's credit. Going down this road again will threaten our ongoing economic recovery and reverse job growth.

My Republican colleagues continue to use the American economy as leverage for their ideological agenda and creating another cliff is not an adequate solution. This is hostage-taking, and this is unacceptable.

This bill merely kicks the can down the road and does nothing to end the uncertainty facing businesses. I urge a ``no'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute a woman who will be forever known as ``the First Lady of South Carolina State College.'' I was fortunate to know Mrs. Julie Etta Washington Nance since my days on the campus in the late 1950s. She passed away on December 30, 2012, and I know that she will be sorely missed by so many who had the privilege to know her.

Julie Nance was born in 1926, the daughter of J. Irwin Washington, who was South Carolina State College's business manager for 40 years, and Julia Robinson Washington. J. I., as he was called, was my longtime mentor, and I was honored to have a close association with the Washington family throughout my life.

From the time she was born, Julie was connected to South Carolina State College (now University). She lived with her family on the Orangeburg campus and attended Felton Laboratory School, also located there. After graduating from Wilkinson High School, she attended S.C. State and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education in 1947.

She briefly left Orangeburg to teach first grade in Florence for one year, but returned to Orangeburg to work in the college bookstore and to be closer to the love of her life, M. Maceo Nance, Jr. He had been enrolled on the campus in 1942, but joined the U.S. Navy for three years during World War II. He returned to campus after his military service.

The two married in 1950, and lived with her parents on campus until they were able to build their own home next door.

Dr. Nance began his 37-year career at South Carolina State as a supply clerk. As he rose through the ranks on campus, Julie stayed home to raise her two sons, M. Maceo Nance, III and Robert M. Nance, who would later become the District Director for my Congressional office where he has served continuously for the past 20 years.

In 1967, Dr. Nance was named the interim president of South Carolina State during the tumultuous days of the civil rights movement. Shortly after taking office, a protest in front of the campus over a segregated bowling alley turned tragic when law enforcement open fire on the student protestors, killing three young men and wounding nearly two dozen others.

Following the tragedy, Dr. and Mrs. Nance formed the rock that held the campus together. Their strength and compassion united the college, and ultimately, Dr. Nance was rewarded by being named the permanent president of South Carolina State. It was a position he held for 19 years with great distinction.

Julie Nance continued to build on the family atmosphere on the Orangeburg campus. She and her husband often hosted events in their home and at the president's office, where students, faculty and staff could mingle. Julie, known for her elegance and charm, was a tremendous asset to her husband to whom she was married for more than 50 years. During their leadership at S.C. State, the college experienced great growth and increased its influence within the community and the state. After Dr. Nance retired in March 1986, the couple remained two of the college's staunchest supporters.

Mrs. Nance received numerous awards including the Distinguished Alumna Award from South Carolina State University and the Sammie Davis Jr. Life Membership Achievement Award given by the NAACP, of which she was a lifetime member. She also held life memberships in the South Carolina State University Alumni Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. She was a member of Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church, the Links, Inc. and an Emeritus member of The Regional Medical Center Foundation Board.

In addition to being the parents of two sons, the couple was also grandparents to two granddaughters, Michelle Nelson and Kimberly Colley; three grandsons, Nicholas Nance, Milligan Nance and Kevin Hunt; and four great-grandchildren, Mya Nelson, Maci Nelson, Madison Hunt and Halie Hunt.

When Mrs. Nance departed this life, she was at home in her longtime Orangeburg residence located on the road that was ceremonially named in 2000 the ``Dr. M. Maceo Nance Jr. Highway'' in honor of her beloved husband.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring the life and legacy of this remarkable woman. Mrs. Julie Etta Washington Nance's entire life was devoted to South Carolina State College (University). This institution, the Orangeburg community, and the State of South Carolina are much better places because of her leadership and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, it's tempting to say it's about time the House put aside extreme partisanship and work together on compromise to address the Nation's most pressing issues. But, in reality, it is far past time that we put aside extreme partisanship. Throughout the entirety of the 112th Congress, we have seen narrow political interests placed ahead of the public interest.

So here we are on New Year's night, with the clock running out on the very existence of this Congress, finally considering bipartisan legislation to provide middle class tax cuts, require the wealthiest to, once again, pay their fair share so we can grow the economy, create jobs and protect the most vulnerable in our society. It is indeed well past time we got about the people's business.

Mr. Speaker, in 2011, I served on the Biden group of both Republican and Democratic Representatives and Senators who worked with the Vice President on our Nation's fiscal issues. We made good progress in those talks until our Republican friends walked away, fearing the wrath of the Tea Party. I also served on the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, the so-called supercommittee that spent countless hours discussing these issues in detail. It was very clear that the elements of a fair and balanced fiscal plan were achievable. But at the end of the process, the Republican leaders refused to compromise, and the supercommittee failed.

So here we are. While this is not a perfect bill, and I have serious concerns about some of the cuts it contains, it does contain the element of fairness.

This bill protects the middle class and working people with a more progressive Tax Code than we've had in a very long time. And this bill prevents the meat-axe approach of budget cuts that could do more severe damage to our national defense and important domestic priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the partisanship of the 112th Congress will end this week with the end of the 112th Congress, and I am hopeful that the 113th Congress can work together toward honorable compromises to get the people's business done. I urge a ``yes'' vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a South Carolina entrepreneur and leading landscape designer, Dr. Louis Lynn, a recent recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency's 2012 Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award. The Award recognizes exceptional leaders who have made great strides in creating diversity in the public or private sector. Dr. Lynn is a tremendous small business leader in South Carolina, and I am proud to call him a friend.

Dr. Lynn is a native of Lamar, South Carolina. His childhood in a rural area prompted his love of nature, and he spent his youth participating in the 4-H club and selling produce. He also came from a family of entrepreneurs--his grandfather was a shop owner and his father, Lawton, ran a butcher plant. His father was an influential figure in his life, who taught him to take a sense of pride in hard work, and the elder Lynn was even once named South Carolina Father of the Year.

In 1964, Louis Lynn entered the second freshman class to integrate Clemson University. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Horticulture from Clemson, and went on to earn a PhD in Horticulture from the University of Maryland. Early in his career, Dr. Lynn was a research scientist. His work at Monsanto led to the development of Roundup' herbicide. But he was called to more hands-on horticultural work.

In 1985, Dr. Lynn established ENVIRO Ag Science, Inc., which has become the largest African-American-owned landscape business in South Carolina. As the company has grown, it has added offices in Atlanta and Tucker, Georgia and now employs 85 full-time people. ENVIRO Ag Science, Inc. was recently named one of the 25 Fastest Growing Companies in South Carolina. His business began as a small residential landscaping business, but today is recognized for very high-profile projects including the landscaping of the Columbia Convention Center, the University of South Carolina Colonial Center, and BMW Manufacturing. Other clients include Ft. Jackson, Shaw Air Force Base, Fort Gordon and the Savannah River Nuclear site. As a SBA HUBZone Certified contractor, his firm is currently under contract with the Department of Defense for repair and renovation services on historic buildings at Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Dr. Lynn is a man of great faith. He feels called to give back to the community. In 1988, he was elected to the Clemson Board of Trustees, and is serving his seventh four-year term. He has also served on the boards of the BB&T Bank, South Carolina Workforce Investment, the State Chamber of Commerce, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, the Palmetto Agribusiness Council, the Midlands Business Leadership Council, the State Museum Foundation, the South Carolina Horticulture Society and the South Carolina Commission of Higher Education.

Dr. Lynn and his wife, Audrey, are the parents of three adult children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Louis Lynn on receiving the prestigious Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award. He has made extraordinary contributions as an entrepreneur, a community leader, and a man of faith. I can think of no one more deserving of this honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a trailblazing first responder from Columbia, South Carolina. Abram ``Captain'' Coles, Jr. passed away on December 12, 2012, at the age of 87. He devoted 35 years of service to the Columbia Fire Department that he helped integrate, and this remarkable man will be sorely missed.

Abram Coles, Jr. was born July 7, 1925 in Hopkins, South Carolina to Abram and Patsy Gunter Coles. He was educated in the public schools of Richland County and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia in 1943.

After graduation, Abram was inducted into the U.S. Navy and served from 1943 to 1946. One of the highlights of his tour of duty was accompanying General Patton on his return from Europe to the United States.

After completing his military service, Abram enrolled at Benedict College in Columbia, and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. In 1953, he became one of the original eight African Americans to join the Columbia Fire Department. He was assigned to the Harden Street Fire Station. While employed as a fireman, he taught classes and rose through the ranks to become the first African-American Captain in Columbia.

Abram was also very active in many professional organizations including the South Carolina Firefighters Association, and was the 2002 President of the Retired Columbia Firefighter's Association. He was also a member of the Townsmen's Club of Columbia, where he served as president for several years.

Abram was an avid bridge player and enjoyed gardening and fishing. In his spare time, he painted homes and businesses and enjoyed repairing just about anything.

Abram was baptized at an early age at Zion Benevolent Baptist Church in Hopkins. After relocating to Columbia, he joined First Calvary Baptist Church and served there for many years. Later, he became a member of St. Luke Episcopal Church of Columbia where he served with the men's club until his health declined.

He was married to Lillie Mae Weston for 33 years until her death. In 1988, he married Jacqueline Parks. Abram had one daughter, four grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in recognizing the extraordinary contributions of this ordinary man. I, like so many others in Columbia, South Carolina, am proud to call Abram Coles, Jr. a friend. He made a lasting impression on his community and all who knew him, and that is a tremendous legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady from New York for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6379, naming the post office in Ravenel, South Carolina, after Representative Curtis B. Inabinett, Sr.

I want to thank my colleagues in the South Carolina congressional delegation for their support of this bill.

Curtis Inabinett was born in Islandton, South Carolina, to Cornelius Benjamin Inabinett and Eula Lee Stephens-Inabinett. When Curtis was 11, his father passed away, leaving Curtis, as the oldest of 11 siblings, to shoulder the responsibility of helping to manage the family farm and look after his younger brothers and sisters.

Curtis attended South Carolina State College, and after several years in the United States Army, he became a teacher at Baptist Hill High School in Charleston County, South Carolina, where he taught for 13 years. He then became the principal of R D Schroder Middle School, a position he held until his retirement in 1989.

His commitment to public service went beyond his passion for education. He and I got started in politics around the same time when he was appointed as the first African American on the Charleston County Election Commission. Later, Curtis would win a seat on the Ravenel Town Council, and in 1982, he became the first African American mayor of Ravenel.

In 1991, Curtis was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives. He retired from the State house in 2000. Following the 2001 settlement of a redistricting lawsuit, Curtis became one of three African Americans who won seats on the Charleston County Council, where he served until 2011.

Throughout his tenure representing his hometown of Ravenel, whether as its mayor, its State representative, or on the county council, Curtis has been a fierce advocate for the needs of his community. He has broken down barriers throughout his life, and I'm sure the town of Ravenel will be proud to be the home of the Representative Curtis B. Inabinett, Sr. Post Office.

Thank you very much, Representative Wilson. I didn't think I would ever live long enough or serve here long enough to call myself the dean of the South Carolina delegation, but I seem to have reached that point.

I would like to add my voice of congratulations to Tim Scott. Tim I have known for some time. He has worked in the vineyards of Charleston County and in the State legislature. I enjoy Tim a whole lot. I enjoy those moments when we talk about the issues and then go to our respective voting places and cancel each other out. He is that kind of guy, and I appreciate him for it.

But I also know that Tim is the personification, as I said to one media, of South Carolina's motto. Our State's motto is: ``While I breathe, I hope.'' It's a great motto for a State, and it personifies what Tim Scott's appointment has meant, not just to South Carolina, but to this great Nation of ours.

Tim, congratulations. Godspeed. I know that you will represent our State and Nation honorably.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dedicated educator, who devoted her life to improving educational opportunities for all children and ending historic achievement gaps in our public schools. I had the privilege of knowing Dr. Maria Louis Goodloe-Johnson when she served as the Superintendent of the Charleston County School District from 2003-2007, and she left an indelible mark during her time in South Carolina. Although Dr. Goodloe-Johnson left this world all too soon, her legacy lives on in the countless students she touched throughout her career.

Dr. Maria Louis Goodloe-Johnson was born September 3, 1957 in Omaha, Nebraska, the second of two children of Jewell Eva and Leonard 0. Goodloe. She married Bruce Johnson, on September 22, 2004, and the two had one daughter, Maya Jewell.

Maria spent her formative years in Omaha. She graduated from Central High School in 1975. In 1979, she graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, where she earned a Bachelor's of Science in Special Education. While in college, she also played trumpet in the Cornhusker Marching Band.

In 1980, she moved to Colorado to attend the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley, where she completed her master's degree (Educationally Handicapped, K-12) and began her career as a special education teacher and soccer and cross country coach in the Aurora Public Schools.

In 1987, Maria was named assistant principal at Broomfield High School in the Boulder Valley Schools. Three years later, she became the youngest African American female high school principal in the state of Colorado. While principal at Broomfield High School, she completed her doctorate in Educational Administration, Supervision, Curriculum and Instruction. She next served as director of secondary instruction for the St. Vrain Valley School District before moving to Texas.

Maria joined the Corpus Christi Independent School District in 1999, where she served as Assistant Superintendent. During her tenure, she was one of 20 educators selected from across the country to participate in the 2003 Urban Superintendents Academy, a highly specialized training program with the Broad Superintendents Academy.

She continued to serve in the Corpus Christi District until accepting the position as Superintendent of Schools for Charleston County School District, the largest urban district in South Carolina, in October 2003. Maria is not only the first black but also the first woman to hold the position; Maria was noted for improved student achievement faster than other districts in the state.

In September 2007, Maria was selected as the Superintendent of Seattle Public School District where she served until March 2011.

Maria then accepted a position as Deputy Chancellor, Instructional Support and Educational Accountability at Michigan Education Achievement System. Maria assisted in the

development of a program designed to provide a new, stable, financially responsible set of public schools that create the conditions, supports, tools and resources under which teachers can help students make significant academic gains. It will first apply to underperforming schools in Detroit in the 2012-2013 school years and then be expanded to include low performing schools throughout Michigan.

Maria was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Throughout her life, she was actively involved in community service and received numerous honors and awards for these efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in remembering this barrier-breaking educator. Dr. Maria Goodloe-Johnson was a trailblazer and an innovator in the public school arena. Her expertise and enthusiasm will be sorely missed, but her contributions will live on in perpetuity.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, when the so-called supercommittee failed last year to overcome the obstruction of the Tea Party Republicans and their leader, Grover Norquist, to achieve a fair and balanced plan for deficit reduction, economic growth, and job creation, I said it would take a decisive national election in order to settle the matter. I believe President Obama's victory on November 6 was very decisive and pretty definitive.

During the campaign, President Obama very clearly laid out his vision, and the American people strongly affirmed his position. The President won all but one of the swing States, 62 percent of the Electoral College, and carried the popular vote by more than 4\1/2\ million votes. Democrats added to our numbers in the House and Senate and captured a House popular vote by more than a million votes.

In February 2010, President Obama began the process to reduce our deficit by establishing the Simpson-Bowles Commission. Since that time, many bipartisan groups have made recommendations on how to reduce the deficit, and they have all been in agreement: We need a balanced deal that requires shared sacrifice from all Americans, including the wealthy.

In 2011, we began to reduce the deficit, but we did it entirely through spending cuts, over $1.5 trillion, and have asked nothing of the most fortunate.

In 2012, the American people spoke. It is time for balance and shared sacrifice, and the first step is to allow the Bush tax cuts for income over $250,000 to expire. But that is a debate for another day. Now we must do what we agreed on, extend the tax cuts for everyone on their first $250,000 of income.

The proposals put forth by the Republicans since the election and their refusal to extend the middle class tax cuts, which we all agree should be extended, are just more of the same obstructionism.

The time for posturing is over. It's time for our House Republicans to accept the express will of the American people and get beyond their pledge to a special interest lobbyist here in Washington, D.C.; although, frankly, I fail to see how voting to cut taxes violates a pledge to never raise taxes.

We need to defeat the previous question.

Mr. Speaker, it is a bittersweet occasion as I rise today to congratulate Ms. Ann Dawson August on being named Executive Director of the Birmingham-Jefferson County Transit Authority in Birmingham, Alabama. As she accepts this position, she is leaving the Santee-Wateree Regional Transportation Authority (SWRTA) in Sumter, South Carolina, where she has se ed as the Executive Director of SWRTA for the past 11 years. She leaves behind a stellar record and will be sorely missed.

A native of Sumter, South Carolina, Ms. August spent 39 years in Philadelphia, where she attended public schools and La Salle University before working for 13 years for the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA), the fifth largest transit authority in the country. In 1997, she demonstrated her versatility when she transferred her talents from the urban SEPTA system to SWRTA, the second largest urban and rural transportation authority in South Carolina.

Ann's service in the transportation arena has extended far beyond SWRTA. She is a member of the Sumter County Transportation Committee and the Transportation Research Analysis Committee for the Transportation Research Board in Washington, DC. From 2009 to 2011, she was the Chair of the Transit Cooperative Research Program Oversight and

Project Selection Committee, and she is currently the Southeast Regional Director of the Community Transportation Association of America.

Ms. August has garnered media acclaim during this distinguished career. In 2007, SWRTA was featured in Mass Transit Magazine, and in 2008, Ms. August contributed to the magazine's ``Manager's Forum'' on the topic ``How a Board Can Help Directors Manage Systems.''

An asset to the community in numerous capacities outside of transportation, Ms. August previously served as Vice President of the YWCA of the Upper Lowlands Membership Committee and is the immediate past Chair of the United Way of Sumter. She served 30 years in the Army Reserves, retiring in 2004. Ann is married to Henry August Jr., a transportation professional who retired from SEPTA after serving 35 years in the industry; they have two adult children and five grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, Ms. August will be missed in South Carolina, but I have no doubt that our loss will be Alabama's gain. I ask that you and my colleagues join me in wishing Ms. Ann Dawson August all the best and Godspeed in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mrs. Josephine Blocker Martin on the occasion of her one hundredth birthday. Born December 6, 1912 in Montgomery, South Carolina, Mrs. Martin has lived for over eighty years in Columbia, where she has made such positive impacts on so many that she is known to most--relatives and non-relatives alike--as ``Mother Martin.''

She and Mr. Willie Martin were united in Holy Matrimony on October 24, 1928, and they remained married until his death in 1981. Together they had ten children, Florence, James, Thomas, Charles, Curtis, Amanda, Will Jr., Willie Mae, Gail, and Lorraine. Mrs. Martin is now the proud grandmother of 34, great-grandmother of 70, and great-great- grandmother of 16. In the words of her family, ``To know mom is to know true love.''

Mrs. Martin is a dedicated member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Columbia, where she has worshipped faithfully each week for more than fifty years. Her favorite scripture is the first verse of Psalm 91, ``He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.'' Her favorite hymn is ``We've Come This Far By Faith.'' As she completes a century on Earth, it is apparent that she is the living embodiment of both.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in congratulating Mrs. Martin on achieving this milestone and wishing her Godspeed and many more to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary educator, entrepreneur, author, community activist and mother. Dr. Clemmie E. Webber passed away on July 25, 2012, at the age of 99. This remarkable trailblazer will be sorely missed by all who had the honor of knowing her, and I count myself in that number.

Dr. Webber was born in St. Matthews, South Carolina in 1913. She moved at the age of three with her parents, Henry W. and Colin Embly, to Treadwell Street in Orangeburg. She grew up there with her four younger siblings, and would later write a book about their childhood experiences.

Education was always important to Dr. Webber. Her early school years were spent at Claflin University's elementary department, and in high school she attended what is now South Carolina State University. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry at South Carolina State, and went on to earn a doctorate in science education from The American University.

In 1935, at the age of 19, Dr. Webber married Paul Webber, a fellow classmate at South Carolina State. They were entrepreneurs who owned Webber Motor Sales and the Orangeburg Tigers baseball team. However, they were most known for their ownership of two soda shops in Orangeburg that were popular hang outs for students and provided them much-needed jobs. The College Soda Shop also became the inspiration for her second book.

Dr. Webber began her teaching career at the former Wilkinson High School and several elementary schools in the area. She went on to teach chemistry and economics at her alma mater for 25 years. While a professor on South Carolina State's campus, Dr. Webber was a catalyst for change. She led the effort to build the I.P. Stanback Museum and Planetarium, which now houses the Clemmie E. Webber Educator Resource Center. She and her husband, who also served as a history and economics professor at South Carolina State, were mentors for many young people-- myself included--during the student Movement of the 1960s.

Her love for education extended to serving on the Orangeburg School District 5 Board for 11 years. She served as Chair of that body for six years, and is credited with developing the compromise that allowed the school district to build the current Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School on U.S Highway 601. She also served as President of the South Carolina School Boards Association and was appointed to a five-year term as a Commissioner on the State Education Commission.

Dr. Webber had an interest not only in educating young people, but helping them to develop character and be good leaders. She was actively involved in the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts organizations, the Jack and Jill program, the Sunlight Club, and served as the PTA President at two schools.

She also demonstrated her exceptional touch with young people at home raising three children--Carolyn, Sheryl, and Paul, III. Her nurturing nature led to her recognition as the South Carolina and National Mother of the Year in 1983.

Dr. Webber has received numerous other awards and honors including the Order of the Palmetto, the highest honor a South Carolina governor can bestow on a citizen. She was also inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame, received the South Carolina School Boards Distinguished Service Award, and the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Award in recognition of her outstanding civic and educational achievements. In 2008, an Orangeburg street was renamed Webber Boulevard in honor of Dr. Webber and her husband's contributions to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in celebrating the extraordinary life of Dr. Clemmie E. Webber. She led by example and gave generations of young people the tools they would need to excel in life. What a tremendous legacy she has left for the City of Orangeburg and the State of South Carolina.