Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a public servant, a civil rights activist and a dear friend. Milton Bernard Greene passed away on February 4, 2012 at the age of 71. His larger than life personality and dedication to his community will be sorely missed.

``Duke,'' as he was affectionately known, was born in Columbia, South Carolina to William Bennett and Bernice Raiford Greene. He was a graduate of C.A. Johnson High School and Benedict College.

While a student at the historically Black Benedict College, he became part of a core

group of students who organized protests in Columbia during the civil rights movement of the early 1960s. During that time he became a cohort of Reverend I. DeQuincey Newman, who was the charismatic leader of the South Carolina NAACP. Milton was a fixture in the civil rights movement, but he preferred to remain behind the scenes.

Yet he was thrust into the spotlight when he was arrested along with four other Benedict College students in 1960 during a sit-in at the Taylor Street Pharmacy. They were accused of breaching the peace, but the U.S. Supreme Court later overturned the charge.

Milton went on to serve as a field representative for former U.S. Senator Ernest ``Fritz'' Hollings of South Carolina. His organizing skills served him well in this capacity. He then took on a position with the South Carolina Department of Social Services from which he ultimately retired.

He was always very politically active, helping in my campaigns for Secretary of State and for Congress. He also served as the poll manager for the Keels precinct in the Dentsville area of Columbia for 20 years.

Milton was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc, and was married to his high school sweetheart, Doris Glymph Greene, for 47 years. They had two daughters, Col. Kimberly Greene (U.S. Air Force) of San Antonio, TX, and Professor Wendy Greene of Birmingham AL; and a son, Milton Bernard Franklin Greene of Charleston, SC. And they were also the proud grandparents of four grandchildren, Julian and Morgan Parker; Lauren-Taylor and Joelle Greene.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in celebrating the life of Milton Greene. This extraordinary man was an unsung hero of his generation, who didn't seek recognition but always sought justice. He was a big man, with a big personality, and he will leave a big hole in the hearts of all who knew him.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a constituent who was a faithful supporter, and tremendous neighbor, and a fantastic elementary school teacher to two of my three daughters. Mrs. Jorie Daniels Steadman passed away on December 4, 2011, but her remarkable spirit lives on in all those whose lives she touched including my own.

Jorie Daniels Steadman was a South Carolina native; the daughter of the late Joe and Louckrisher Daniels. She graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina and attended Benedict College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education, with a minor in Music. She completed a Master's degree in Education from Indiana University. She was awarded a cosmetology teaching certificate from Florida A&M University. Additional studies were conducted at the University of South Carolina and Columbia College.

She began her 40-year teaching career at Crossroads Elementary. She also taught at Florence C. Benson, Hand Middle School, and W.G. Sanders Middle School in Columbia, South Carolina, where she taught my two youngest daughters, Jennifer and Angela. She also inspired students at Lemon Elementary School, in Marietta, Georgia; Washington High School, Atlanta, GA; and Butler School, Barnwell, South Carolina. After retirement, she guided young minds at V.V. Reid School.

Ms. Steadman became a licensed cosmetologist in 1952. She perfected her craft in several salons before opening Jorie's Beauty Salon in 1959. Jorie had hundreds of clients from professional women to pre- school children. Her appointment book was always full and she never turned customers away. Jorie also shared her talents in the cosmetology industry by writing a weekly column, Beauty Tips, in the Palmetto Times to inspire and motivate young women to be beautiful on the inside and the outside.

She was a political activist in the Greenview neighborhood we shared. She served on the House District 73 Development Council, the Farrow Terrace-Farrow Hills Community Organization, and the Greenview Senior Citizens Club. She also was a precinct worker at my home precinct at Greenview Park. Her other memberships included the North Columbia Civic Club, the Eau Claire Community Council, the Booker T. Washington Alumni Club, the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus Associate, the American Association of University Women, the National Education Association, the South Carolina Education Association, the Richland County Education Association, and the Richland County Education Association-Retired.

After retirement, Jorie devoted time to her alma mater. She was a member of the Benedict College Alumni Club #2, the Benedict College National Alumni Club, the Benedict College Booster Club, and served as the past president of the Benedict College Parent Advisory Council. She could often be found at Benedict College football games encouraging alumni to support her beloved school ``where the golden sunshine falls.''

She was a lifelong member of Bethlehem Baptist Church and was actively involved in the Gethsemane Baptist Association Women's Auxiliary and Young People's Christian Assembly. Jorie served as the past president of the Trustee Wives Ministry, past president of Senior Missionary Society, and past president and secretary of the Jubilee Choir. As an accomplished musician, Jorie also served as organist and choir director in churches throughout the Midlands. She offered faithful service at Zion Benevolent Baptist, Veighle Chapel Baptist Church, Greater St. Luke Baptist Church, Second Nazareth Baptist Church, and Antioch Baptist Church.

In 1969, she married to Lee Vince Steadman, with whom she shared 42 years of marriage. The couple had three children: LaVerne Steadman, Melita Steadman Williams, and Lee Vince Steadman, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Jorie Daniels Steadman. This ordinary citizen did extraordinary things that impacted so many people in her community. She was an extraordinary example of how one person can make a tremendous difference through their service to others. Jorie will be sorely missed, but her legacy lives on in each of those whose lives she affected in a positive way.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great public servant, author and dear friend. Philip Gibbs Grose lost his three year battle with leukemia on February 3, 2012. This South Carolina native contributed to his beloved State's history through his work in public policy and helped to preserve its history through his writings about the people who influenced the times in which he lived.

Phil was born in Greenville, SC to Philip G. Grose, Sr., and Helen Layne Thompson Grose on April 5, 1938. He was raised in Charlotte and was a 1960 graduate of Washington and Lee University. He did graduate work at the University of South Carolina and received an honorary doctorate of letters from Francis Marion University.

Phil began reporting sports results to the Charlotte Observer in junior high school and went on to write for the Observer during high school and college. He joined the staff fulltime after graduating from Washington and Lee, covering sports and general news. In 1963, after a year in New York as a writer for Broadcasting Magazine, Phil came to Columbia joining the sports staff of The State. He went on to become business editor and governmental affairs editor before leaving his newspaper career to enter the political arena.

In 1968, Phil became a speechwriter for Governor Robert McNair. It was a tumultuous time in South Carolina at the height of the civil rights movement. Phil was greatly affected by the times, and, from his role behind the scenes, began pushing for South Carolina to break the bonds of its Jim Crow past. He continued those efforts when he joined the staff of Governor McNair's successor, John Carl West, as executive assistant for communications and race relations. One of the first actions he persuaded Governor West to take was to hire a young man named James Clyburn to serve as the first African American advisor to a sitting South Carolina governor. The year was 1971, and since that time Phil and I were fast friends.

Phil went on to hold other positions in state government as deputy director of the Department of Social Services and executive director of the State Reorganization Commission. He was founder and executive director of the Executive Institute that provided leadership training for state government administrators, and I was one of his first recruits and graduated from the Executive Institute when I was serving as South Carolina Human Affairs Commissioner.

After retiring from state government, Phil became a senior fellow at the University of South Carolina's Institute for Southern Studies, where he wrote about subjects he knew well and about which was very passionate--the governorships of Robert McNair and John West. ``South Carolina at the Brink: Robert McNair and the Politics of Civil Rights'' and ``Looking for Utopia: The Life and Times of John C. West'' offered great insights into these complicated men and the their contributions to South Carolina's rich history. He had recently begun work on a history of Francis

Marion University in Florence, South Carolina. Phil and I had also been collaborating on my memoir for several years. He was a member of my inner circle who knew my experiences almost as well as I did myself. His personal insights and his talent for writing were invaluable in helping me with this project.

He was also very active in the community. Phil served on advisory boards of the USC School of Arts and Science, the Journalism School and School of Nursing, and on the board of visitors of Columbia College. He was a president of Workshop Theater and worked in numerous Midlands United Way campaigns. He served four years as the South Carolina representative on the Southern Growth Policies Board and the Council on State Governments. He was a member of the Kosmos Club, a former board member of the Caesar's Head Community Center, a member of Shandon Presbyterian Church and a devotee of the humor of Robert Benchley.

Phil was married for 47 years to Virginia ``Ginny'' Maxwell Grose. They had one daughter, Patricia, a son-in-law, John Williams, and two grandsons, Harrison and David Williams.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in celebrating the life of Phil G. Grose. He was an individual who helped shape history and preserve it for future generations. In addition, he was a great friend, not only to me, but to all who knew him. He will be sorely missed, but his contributions will remain forever.

Mr. Speaker, we often talk about poison pills, and I don't know that all of the American people really understand what we're talking about. I want the American people to know that this 1-year bill that the House Republicans seemed to be in love with had some poison pills in it. One of them cut 40 weeks off of unemployment insurance. That's what they want us to agree to.

But another one, and the one I think is most egregious, said to those people applying for unemployment insurance that you must pass the GED in order to get unemployment insurance. We would say to a Vietnam veteran who is a master electrician, who went off to fight a war, never finished high school, but now that you are unemployed with all your skills, because you don't have a high school diploma or a GED, you must take a GED in order to get your unemployment insurance. That is not only a poison pill; that is insulting and egregious.

I thank the gentlelady for yielding me the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the 89 Senators--50 Democrats and 39 Republicans--for their bipartisan agreement to extend the current payroll tax cut, unemployment insurance benefits, and Medicare doctors' payments for another 60 days while we continue to seek common ground for a full 12-month extension.

Let there be no mistake: The only way for the Members of this body to prevent a tax increase on 160 million working Americans is to pass the bipartisan agreement.

Let me be crystal clear: The only way to prevent cutting off unemployment insurance from 2.2 million Americans who are currently unemployed and looking for work is to pass the bipartisan agreement.

The only way to prevent cutting funds to pay doctors who care for Medicare patients is to pass the bipartisan agreement.

Now, a good thing happened last weekend. The Senate majority leader and the Senate minority leader demonstrated to the American people that Democrats and Republicans can work together. They hammered out a compromise on this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I'm sure that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle have heard their constituents ask, as I've heard mine ask, time and time again: Why can't you guys work together to get things done for the American people? It's a good question. It's a fair question. The Senate has answered in the affirmative by passing this legislation, and it's my fervent hope that we will do so, also.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to put partisanship aside and join our colleagues in the other body to do the right thing for the American people. Bring the bipartisan agreement to the floor, and let's have a vote.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to claim time in opposition as the designee of the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin), and I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Unemployment rates, according to a recent report this morning, fell in 43 States during the month of November--the most States to decline since 2003. The media are reporting that the economy has generated 100,000 or more jobs 5 months in a row--the first time that has happened since 2006, which was before the Great Recession.

Mr. Speaker, 89 Senators--50 Democrats and 39 Republicans--have passed a bipartisan agreement to extend the current payroll tax, unemployment insurance benefits, and Medicare doctors' payments for another 60 days so that we can continue to seek common ground for a full 12-month extension and keep these great numbers in front of us.

Let there be no mistake. The only way for the Members of this body to prevent a tax increase on 160 million working Americans is to pass the Senate's bipartisan agreement. The only way to prevent cutting off unemployment insurance for 2.2 million Americans who are currently unemployed and looking for work is to pass the Senate's bipartisan agreement. Let me be crystal clear. The only way to prevent cutting funds to pay doctors who care for Medicare patients is to pass the Senate's bipartisan agreement.

The Senate Democratic leader and the Senate Republican leader demonstrated to the American people that Democrats and Republicans can work together. They passed a bipartisan compromise to get this done.

Mr. Speaker, my constituents continue to ask time and time again: Why can't you guys work together to get something done for the American people? It is a good question. It is a fair question. And the Senate has answered that we can.

It is my fervent hope that we in this body join them today and do the right thing for the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from New York (Mrs. Maloney).

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman).

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind my good friend from South Carolina that the Keystone pipeline is in the Senate bill.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from California, Mrs. Susan Davis.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin).

(Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I remind the gentlelady from Tennessee that that is exactly what this bill is designed to do, put into the pockets of 160 million Americans an extended tax cut.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Ellison).

Mr. Speaker, I remind my friend from Texas that according to all reports, last month 43 States registered a decrease in unemployment, the first time that's happened since the year 2003.

With that, I would like to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns).

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi).

Mr. Speaker, how much time is now remaining?

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri, the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Mr. Cleaver.

Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Maryland (Ms. Edwards).

I have two speakers left.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute.

I would like to say to my colleagues on the other side that there is much more to legislation than a time line--2 months of certainty or we could go with the bill that this House passed.

It was a year. It was their year. What did they do in that year's time? They cut 40 weeks off of unemployment. Now, that might be good for them, but it's not good for the people in my State where, in spite of all of the great numbers that I spoke about here earlier this afternoon, 100,000 more private-sector jobs created over the last 5 months, the biggest number since 2006.

I yield myself an additional 30 seconds.

Now, the only way for us to really instill certainty in the unemployed and in those 160,000 million Americans who would like to continue to have their tax cut is for us to pass the Senate compromise and for us to really say to those people that we want you to have a pleasant holiday season and we'll all come back here the first of the year and give you an additional 10 months.

How much time do I now have remaining, Mr. Speaker?

I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I would like to close as I opened.

I said at the outset that we've been getting some tremendous, what I would call tremendously positive numbers for our economy in the past several months, and I believe the American people are beginning to create more certainty in their lives.

I would hate to see us disrupt that by continuing to debate this issue when we know full well that our failure to pass this bill will almost guarantee that 160 million working Americans will see their taxes go up and their paychecks go down.

There are 2.2 million people who are currently unemployed through no fault of their own, who are looking for work and who would like to contribute to the deficit reduction that we are trying to gain, but we will see them continuing in the unemployment status, without their benefit, if we fail to pass this bill.

Also, the 48 million seniors who have developed relationships with their doctors, who during this time of year depend upon the medical profession for their quality of life, could very well see their doctors experience a 27 percent decrease in their reimbursements if we fail to pass this bill. We know what will happen. These doctors will walk off the field and will refuse to treat Medicare patients.

I would hope that my friends would come to their senses and pass the Senate-passed compromise.

With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Ms. Johnnie B. Booker on the occasion of her retirement from the Coca-Cola Company. Ms. Booker's career has been marked by an extraordinary record of success as a corporate executive, national expert on workforce and supplier diversity, and senior federal government official.

Ms. Booker has served as Global Director of Supplier Diversity for the Coca-Cola Company since 2001. In this capacity, she has been responsible for developing and implementing the company's supplier diversity program and initiatives to assure equal contracting opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses. During her first year with Coca-Cola, contracts with minority- and women-owned businesses increased over the previous year by 50 percent, exceeding the company's goal by 27 percent. Under Ms. Booker's leadership, the company has consistently exceeded its goals for subsequent years, and its supplier diversity profile has grown substantially in actual dollars expended and global recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I might add that this is Ms. Booker's second retirement. Before joining Coca-Cola, she had a successful career in the federal government, culminating in her role as Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), from which she retired in 1996. In 1991, Ms. Booker joined the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC) as Vice President, Division of Minority and Women's Programs. While at the RTC, she created unprecedented contracting and investment opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses and law firms. She commissioned the first disparity study by a federal agency and increased contracting fees for minority- and women-owned businesses from 18 percent to over 48 percent and from 3 to 26 percent for minority- and women-owned law firms. Her work at the RTC served as a model for other federal agencies as well as private companies seeking to establish viable minority procurement programs.

Prior to her tenure at the RTC, Ms. Booker served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In this role, she established a new office of affirmative action and equal opportunity and successfully revamped the Department's fragmented approach to discrimination complaint processing and affirmative employment programs. Ms. Booker also served in executive capacities with the Federal Home Loan Bank Board and the National Urban League.

Active in her community, Ms. Booker serves on the boards of the National Minority Supplier Development Council, Women's Business Enterprise National Council, US Pan Asian Chamber of Commerce, Bronx Community College Foundation, the Ashley Stewart Foundation, National Advisory Board of the Whitney M. Young, Jr., School of Social Work-- Clark Atlanta University and the Supplier Diversity Council of The Conference Board. Her civic affiliations include Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Dogwood City Chapter of The Links, Inc., Circle-Lets, The National Black Child Development Institute, NAACP, Urban League and Big Bethel AME Church. Ms. Booker has appeared in a myriad of national publications and has received numerous honors and awards for her outstanding professional contributions and accomplishments.

Ms. Booker received a Bachelor of Science Degree from Hampton University and a Master of Social Work Degree from the Atlanta University School of Social Work. She is the proud mother of a son, S. Courtney Booker, III, mother-in-law of Nissa and grandmother of two wonderful grandchildren, Dalyn and Aiden, who bring her special joy. I know that she is looking forward to being able to spend more time with them in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the entire House join me in congratulating Ms. Johnnie B. Booker on this well deserved retirement. I wish her good health and Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to pay tribute to a constituent who has dedicated his professional career to coaching high school basketball and--over the past half century--has developed generations of successful young women while breaking and setting winning records for women's basketball in South Carolina. I commend Coach John Franklin Thames for his 50 years of coaching women's basketball in the Palmetto State. It is very fitting that a scholarship for gifted athletes will be established in his honor at his alma mater, Manning High School.

John Thames grew up in Alcolu, SC and graduated from Manning High School in 1953. At that time, America was at war with Korea. He spent six months as Executive Officer of Training Company at Fort Jackson, and served 13 months in Korea as an Army Tank Platoon Commander. Following his military service, he matriculated at Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina, graduated in 1958, and returned home to serve his alma mater for the next half century.

Over his 44-year career as the Lady Monarchs head coach, Coach Thames' teams amassed two State Championships, three State runner-ups, 15 Regional Championships, and seven Regional Tournament Championships. He was named Region Coach of the Year 14 times and the Sumter Item Area Coach of the year three times. In 1969, he was selected as the Pee Dee North-South All-Star South head coach. He served as head coach in the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association North-South Girls All-Star Game in 1984 and 2000. He was also one of two South Carolina coaches chosen to coach the South Carolina All-Star Girls against the North Carolina All-Star Girls at Winthrop University.

Coach Thames was nominated in 1991-92 as the Converse High School Coach of the Year and the National High School Athletic Coaches Association Coach of the Year in women's basketball. That same year, he was named Florence Morning News Class AAA Girls Coach of the Year. He has been a South Carolina Coaches Association of Women Sports MVP Honoree, and a 2000 High School Sports Report State Coach of the Year in AAA Girls Basketball. He was a 2009 Inaugural Inductee into the South Carolina Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, and a 2011 Inaugural Inductee into the Clarendon County Athletic Hall of Fame.

Coach Thames has also had great success in other sports. He served as the Manning High School baseball coach for 14 years and as an assistant football coach for 36 years.

In 1993, his high school alma mater--and 50-year employer--named its gymnasium in his honor for ``his lifetime of contributions to Manning High School.'' Presbyterian College also honored their esteemed graduate by recognizing Coach Thames as the 2011 recipient of the Bob Waters Award. This honor was given for his outstanding leadership and service to society and the profession of athletic coaching and for personifying those values and qualities of excellence and integrity held dear by his college alma mater.

Despite all the accolades he has accrued over his career, Coach Thames will be remembered most for his generosity and love of his players and all students. Since 2004, Coach Thames has conducted a free one-week basketball camp for girls. He is committed to ensuring that the inability to pay is not an obstacle for any girl to participate in the sport. For years, Coach Thames has used his personal funds to buy shoes for all of his players. He has done so because he doesn't want to single out the ones who cannot afford new shoes. He provides transportation and other clothing for many of his students who have limited resources. Coach Thames is also dedicated to helping students get into higher education institutions so they can pursue their dreams. ``Coach,'' as he's lovingly known to everyone including non-athletes, is a mentor and father figure.

In addition to his coaching accolades, Coach Thames has twice been named the Manning High School Teacher of the Year. He received the 2008 Outstanding South Carolina Teacher of U.S. History by the Daughters of the American Revolution. He was inducted into the Kappa Alpha Order Court of Honor in 2009. Coach Thames is a recipient of the Silver Crescent, the highest civilian recognition awarded by the State of South Carolina for outstanding dedication to a local community, and has been inducted into the Clarendon County Education Hall of Fame. Coach

Thames is currently a member of the South Carolina Athletic Coaches Association, the South Carolina Women's Basketball Coaches Association, the Coaches of Women's Sports and the National Basketball Coaches Association.

He is a longtime member of First Baptist Church in Manning, where he serves as a Junior Department Sunday School Teacher.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in congratulating Coach John Franklin Thames for his remarkable career at Manning High School. He has set a tremendous example both on and off the court. It is my honor to pay tribute to such a distinguished Southern gentleman who, I believe, has earned the gratitude of his community, his state and his nation.

I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding me this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this outrageously partisan and unfair bill. The clock is ticking; working families are worrying; and my Republican friends are playing political games.

This bill cuts unemployment benefits for hardworking folks who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. My home State and district contain some of the hardest-hit families and communities in this country, and it is unfair to blame these folks for the economic hard times they are experiencing. This bill proposes drug testing for unemployed workers drawing from insurance funds they have paid into. That is unfair and insulting. I don't see anyone in the Republican majority demanding drug testing for folks who receive oil and gas subsidies.

The President will veto this bill if it ever reaches his desk. This political game that's being played is just another round of the brinksmanship we have seen time and again this year.

We need to pass a clean extension of the payroll tax cut for working Americans. We need to pass a clean extension of the unemployment insurance for those who have lost their jobs. We need to pass a clean extension of the SGR doc fix so Medicare patients will know their doctors will be there for them.

We need for my Republican friends to stop playing political games with people's lives. I urge my colleagues to vote against this partisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable man who has dedicated his life to serving the Creator and building an international fellowship of true disciples. Bishop William Lee Bonner will be honored on the occasion of his 90th birthday on Saturday, November 19, 2011 in Columbia, South Carolina.

William Lee Bonner was born on November 12, 1921 in Bolden County, Georgia to Emmett and Janie Bonner. He received his religious training and the Doctor of Divinity through the Church of Christ Bible Institute in New York.

As a young man in the 1940s, Bishop Bonner answered the call into the ministry. He was a protege of the late Bishop Robert C. Lawson, founder of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith. His first pastorate was the Green Avenue Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In 1944, Bishop Bonner was sent to Detroit to lead the First Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ. When he arrived, the congregation was worshiping in a store front. Today, the current sanctuary holds 2,500 parishioners in an edifice known as Solomon's Temple.

When Bishop Lawson passed away in 1961, Bishop Bonner was called to lead the 3,000-member mother church, the Greater Refuge Temple, in Harlem, New York. As the church's new titular head, Bishop Bonner created a Board of Apostles to govern the churches. He also formed two other groups, the Board of Bishops and the Board of Presbyters, both of which are accountable to the Board of Apostles. Under this new structure, Bishop Bonner serves as the Chief Apostle and Senior Prelate of the General Assembly of the Churches of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc.

During his leadership, the church grew tremendously. In 1989, Bishop Bonner founded the Refuge Temple of Washington, D.C. In the beginning services were held in a Days Inn hotel, but moved shortly afterwards to Kelly Miller Junior High School. Less than a year afterwards the church broke ground on a permanent home. On June 1, 1991, the first service was held in the Refuge Temple Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and they continue to this day at the 56th Street location.

The ground breaking for the Refuge Temple of Columbia, South Carolina took place on July 20, 1993. At that time, the congregation was comprised of 22 members. Within three years, they grew to 700 members. The ministry has expanded to include a Family Life Center, a retirement community and the W.L. Bonner Bible College. The church's services are aired on Sunday mornings at 6:00 am on WIS-TV in Columbia. Previously recorded services can also be heard nightly on Columbia radio station

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a notable South Carolinian, who rose from humble beginnings to make an indelible mark on the world. Smokin' Joe--Joe Frazier--passed from this life on November 7, 2011, but his legacy lives on through his extraordinary achievements in the boxing ring.

Joe Frazier was born to sharecroppers in Beaufort, South Carolina, on June 22, 1944. He was one of 13 children, who never had ``a little-boy life.'' He grew up helping his father chop wood. His father had lost his left arm after being shot as a young man, and Joe always took the left handle on a two-handed saw, which he attributes to helping him build his devastating left hook.

Most people know of Joe Frazier's athletic accomplishments as America's first gold-medal winning boxer and his thrilling defeat of Muhammad Ali in March 1971. It was what occurred on April 7, 1971, that provided me my greatest memory of the boxing legend.

At the time, I was the first African American to hold an advisory position with a sitting South Carolina governor. Governor John West hired me in January 1971 and just three months later, the governor and the South Carolina Legislature invited Joe Frazier, fresh off his defeat of Ali, to come speak to the South Carolina General Assembly.

This was a remarkable occasion. In January 1971, the first three African Americans since Reconstruction were sworn in as members of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Desegregation was just beginning to take hold in many public schools in the state. And the South Carolina Human Affairs Commission had not yet been established to eliminate and prevent unlawful discrimination.

Joe Frazier was the first African American since Reconstruction to receive an invitation to speak to the South Carolina General Assembly. As World Heavyweight Champion, he could have easily declined the opportunity. Instead, he chose to embrace it. He used the opportunity to try and build bridges and encourage race relations.

In his remarks, Smokin' Joe said our country could get beyond our racial problems if blacks and whites would ``play together, work together and pray together.'' He went on to say, ``We must save our people, and when I say `our people' I mean white and black. We need to quit thinking about who drives the fanciest car or who is my little daughter going to play with, who is she going to sit next to in school. We don't have time for that.'' His 10-year-old daughter then stole the show by exclaiming, ``Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. My daddy is the one who whipped Muhammad Ali.''

But Joe Frazier's most poignant comments were when he talked about attaining his dreams. ``I am here today as a young man whose boyhood dream was realized when I won the heavyweight championship of the world.'' That was proof he said ``you can do anything you want to do if you really put your heart and soul and mind into it.''

That young man with his dream fulfilled used that same trip back to South Carolina to purchase his mother, Dolly Frazier, a new home to fulfill one of her dreams. He moved his widowed mother and his sisters, who remained at home, into what became known as the Frazier Plantation near Yemassee, South Carolina. This was a far cry from the small home he grew up in without indoor plumbing and holes in the roof.

I had the great fortune of visiting and dining with Joe, his mother and sisters in the new Frazier homestead. They were great supporters of my political endeavors, and they remained salt-of-the-earth people despite the success of the youngest Frazier son.

Joe Frazier died at the age of 67 in his adopted home of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He, like so many other young African Americans born in the segregated South, left to find better opportunities in the world. In doing so, Smokin' Joe made the world a better place.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the remarkable life of Joe Frazier. He will always represent the extraordinary combination of talent and tenacity. He was blessed with tremendous determination and a mental toughness that served him well as a boxer and outstanding human being. He served as an inspiration to so many, and that is a true sign of a life well lived.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable constituent and entrepreneur on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Mrs. Addie Camilla Butler Rush is a dear family friend and like a second mother to my brothers and me. Having lost my own mother at the age of 55, it gives me great joy to celebrate this special centenarian's birthday.

Addie Camilla Butler Rush was born on October 22, 1911. She was the 13th child of 15 children born to the late Richard and Adelaide Butler. She is one of two surviving siblings; her baby sister, Richmond Danny, is currently 94 years old. As a child, she was reared in the Tindal area of Sumter, South Carolina.

In 1937, Mrs. Rush began her study of Cosmetology in Roanoke, Virginia, and later completed her studies at Breland School of Cosmetology in Orangeburg, SC. She established Ambritt's Beauty Shop, better known as Rush's Beauty Shop on the south side Sumter in 1938. She was also trained in cake decorating, floristry, and millinery arts. She later opened businesses for all of her many trades. She is a true entrepreneur and had businesses in Pinewood, Camden (Mather Academy), Bishopville, Sumter, Manning and Timmonsville. Rush's Florist and Rush's Beauty Shop are still in operation today in Sumter.

Mrs. Rush briefly served as a State Cosmetology Inspector, but resigned to care for her young child. The beauty culture field included hair and makeup, and she was renowned for her skill in doing makeup for legs, which was a popular alternative to hosiery during the 1940s. She is a charter member of the Sumter Beautician's Club and is a current member emeritus.

Over the years, she earned numerous recognitions including: 1st Place winner in styling at the Bronner Brothers Hair Show (1960); Service Awards for SC State and National Beauty Culture League (1981, 1984, 1994, 1999); Super Achiever Award in Business and Community Service from Jehovah Baptist Church (1988); Women in Business Award, National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (1992); and honored as Grand Marshall for the Festival on the Avenue Parade (2010).

Mrs. Rush has always been very grounded in her faith. She has been a member of Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church for eighty-nine years. She served on the Gospel Choir, Wide Awake Ministry, Missionaries, Church School, the Friendly Gospel Singers, and she is a founding member of the Golden Stars. She still faithfully attends the 7:45 a.m. Sunday service.

Mrs. Rush was blessed with one child, Dorothy Dean Rush Palmer. She has four grandchildren; Edmond L. Palmer, Yvette A. Palmer-Montsho, Floydean B. Palmer-McLeod, and Wygelia E. Palmer; five great-grands; Latoya, Addavia, Jamela, Quinton, and Jabari; and two great-great grandchildren, Javeon and Jada. She also has a significant number of god-children.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in sending best wishes to Mrs. Addie Rush on her 100th birthday. She is an extraordinary woman with a generous spirit, a mind for business, and a heart filled with love and faith. I am proud to call her a dear friend and a member of my extended family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable constituent.

Ms. Elizabeth Coards is an extraordinary centenarian who resides in the Villas at Horizon Village, and serves as matriarch to a wonderful neighborhood in North Charleston, South Carolina, which was created through the Hope VI program.

Ms. Coards was born in Summerville, South Carolina, on August 17, 1909. Her parents were Benjamin Bracey, a brick maker, and Mattie Jones, a domestic worker. She attended Alston High School in Summerville, South Carolina.

Following school, she went to work for a cigar factory in Charleston, South Carolina. Ms. Coards remembers that she was at the factory stripping tobacco when she heard about President Roosevelt signing Social Security into law in 1935. Soon after, she went looking for better opportunities in New York City. There she found work as a laundress and later as a nanny, staying with one family for 27 years. In 1980, Ms. Coards moved to Staunton, Virginia. She returned South Carolina and settled into North Charleston at the age of 101.

Ms. Coards' first love is baseball. One of her fondest memories is taking the 5-cents subway ride to Brooklyn, where she saw Jackie Robinson hit his first home run for the Dodgers in 1947. Ms. Coards had a brief marriage in 1929, and had a son Harvey, who passed away in 1975. She is currently a member of Faith Temple Church in Harleyville, SC, and a beloved resident of her new home at the Villas at Horizon Village.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in celebrating the contributions of Ms. Elizabeth Coards to the rich fabric of our country. She serves as an example of the wonderful centenarians that worked hard all their lives, raised families and participated in their communities. America is a remarkable country because of the contributions of productive citizens like Ms. Coards. It was my honor to meet her at the recent dedication of the Villas at Horizon Village, and I wish her much happiness and continued good health.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the United States national rugby team, the Eagles, on their victory over Russia in the wee hours of this morning during the 2011 Rugby World Cup competition in New Zealand. Although rugby may not be as popular in the United States as many of our other sports, the Rugby World Cup is now established as the third biggest sporting event in the world behind the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup for soccer.

The Eagles played their first match against Ireland on September 11 and lost to the much higher ranked team 22-10, after starting the day with a church service to commemorate the victims of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. I know this event held particular meaning for the members of the team from the Mid-Atlantic (MARFU) and Northeastern Rugby Union (NRU). Today's 13-6 win over Russia marks an important victory for the Eagles in their pool play at the tournament. I wish them the best of luck in their upcoming matches against Australia on September 23 and Italy just four days later.

My best wishes go to the host nation of New Zealand as they organize this event on the world stage for the second time in its 24 year history. At the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 1987 it is estimated 600,000 fans attended matches with 300 million people tuning in on television from 17 countries. The last World Cup in 2007, held in France, Scotland and Wales, saw 2.25 million fans filling the parks and 4 billion watching televised coverage from 200 nations. This year the numbers are expected to be even higher as the sport is growing in many countries, like ours, where it is the largest growing team sport on college and high school campuses across the nation. I wish New Zealand the best of luck and commend them for welcoming the millions of visitors to their shores for this spirited competition despite the devastating earthquakes suffered in Christchurch earlier this year.

I applaud the Eagle's victory today and commend each of these young men from across the country for the hard work and dedication they have committed representing our country at their sport's highest level.

Mr. Speaker I ask that you and my colleagues join me in congratulating the members of the U.S. national rugby team and wishing them continued success at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

2011 Rugby World Cup USA Squad: Inaki Basauri; Chris Biller; Todd Clever; Patrick Danahy; Paul Emerick; Tai Enosa; Eric Fry; JJ Gagiano; Colin Hawley; Nic Johnson; Scott LaValla; Mike MacDonald; Nese Malifa; Matekitonga Moeakiola; Brian McClenahan; Takudzwa Ngwenya; James Paterson; Mike Petri; Shawn Pittman; Blaine Scully; Junior Sifa; Hayden Smith; Louis Stanfill; Andrew Suniula; Roland Suniula; Kevin Swiryn; Phillip Thiel; Tim Usasz; John van der Giessen; Chris Wyles.