Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary of Robert and Carolyn Black of Valparaiso, Florida. A tireless and dedicated member of my staff who has been with me since the beginning of my time here in Congress, Bob is the epitome of an unwavering public servant, and I am grateful to have known him and his wife Carolyn for over twelve years. I am proud to honor the Blacks and congratulate them on this remarkable milestone.

Bob and Carolyn, both born into military families, have called many places home; however, it was each of their homes in Ohio in the 1960s that would prove to be particularly special to them. Their parents were both stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base outside of Springfield, OH, and as neighbors, Carolyn was literally ``the girl next door.'' Bob and Carolyn attended the same school, Greenon High. Bob's wit and intellect won over Carolyn's heart and became a perfect match to her grace and charm. As high school sweethearts, on November 23, 1963, Bob and Carolyn were married.

The son of an Air Force Pilot, Bob followed in his father's footsteps and was commissioned in the United States Air Force. Over the course of the last fifty years since their paths first crossed, Bob and Carolyn's journey would include assignments throughout the U.S. and around the world. Bob was steadfast in his commitment to support the varied missions of the United States, whether it be operating C-130s or C- 141s, fulfilling his test pilot obligations, or commanding troops responsible for safe passage of everything from penguins to Presidents. Carolyn, having been daughter to a pilot herself, was equally steadfast in her commitment to the mission of a military wife and mother. She focused her troops on the active exploration of what each new location had to offer, the intentional effort to forge strong relationships with one another, and the importance of an open mind. It is unquestioned that the success of their partnership is possible because of the strength and love Bob and Carolyn share.

Bob's last assignment as the Vice Commander of the Air Force Development Test Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida brought them to the Gulf Coast in 1992. Bob retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in October 1994, though, with Carolyn's continued support, he continues to contribute to the defense of our country, including his role on my staff as my Senior Military Advisor.

Bob and Carolyn have accomplished much together, but their greatest achievement is their five daughters. They are the proud parents of Christine (and Brian McCann), Shana (and Christopher Swartz), Kelly (and Shawn Swartz), Sarah Kate, and Anna Lauren, and proud grandparents to Jack, Kate, Alden, and Bridget. All five daughters have continued their parent's commitment to family, community and compassion through their professions, such as nursing, medical research and specialty healthcare for Veterans as well as their personal endeavors such as programs for special needs children and Scouting leadership. Needless to say, Bob and Carolyn enjoy spending time with their family and the beauty of the Emerald Coast.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am humbled to recognize the dedicated service of Bob and Carolyn to the Northwest Florida community and this great Nation. My wife, Vicki, and I congratulate the Blacks, our dear friends, on their Golden Anniversary and wish them and their family all of God's blessings. May He grant them many more years of good health and happiness.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to congratulate the First Congressional District of Florida's Booker T. Washington High School Wildcats for winning their first Class 2A State Swimming Championship. This victory marks the swim team's first state title, as well as, the first title for a girls swim team in Escambia or Santa Rosa counties.

Truly an outstanding team effort put forth by the swimmers, under the leadership of their talented coach, Ms. Megan Oberholtzer, there is no question that several performances contributed to the overall title. Jacquie Kinman and Chloe Berens swam the 100-yard breaststroke, which ended up putting the team in first place as they entered the final event. Brooke Ferrara, Miss Kinman, Rachel Martin and Brianna Mount swam the 400-yard freestyle relay in the All-American consideration time of 3:31.98. Miss Ferrara and Miss Kinman also joined Sophia Diagne and Abigail Goram in the 200 medley relay winning with the All-American consideration time of 1:47.16, and Miss Mount, Miss Martin, Miss Goram, and Miss Kinman won the 200 freestyle at 1:36.57, again, an All- American consideration time. Exceptional individual swimming achievements included Miss Mount's second place finish in the 50 freestyle in 23.57 seconds and Miss Kinman's second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.77, both All-American consideration times. Finally, Miss Ferrara finished third in the 50 freestyle and 100-yard backstroke with All-American consideration times, 23.68 and 56.56 respectively.

The Washington Wildcats ended their undefeated season with a final team score of 233, triumphing over the second-placed team by 17 points. I commend the team for challenging themselves and setting an example for their fellow students and youth in our community.

Washington High's victory at the 2013 Florida Swim Team Championships is a testament to the commitment and dedication of all the members of the team, and it is a great reflection on the entire Washington High and Northwest Florida community. On behalf of the United States Congress, my wife Vicki and I congratulate the Wildcats for this extraordinary accomplishment and wish them continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Bagdad, Florida Volunteer Fire Department and recognize the selfless service, sacrifice, and dedication of its members, past and present, in protecting the citizens of the Northwest Florida community.

Formally established in 1963, the Bagdad Volunteer Fire Department was initially founded in 1962 as a Fire Rescue team of ten men led by Chief Dan Fowler. Despite having little equipment and no firehouse, this team of dedicated individuals was inspired by the need for a department to provide for the safety and rescue needs of Bagdad and the surrounding Santa Rosa County community. Bagdad Elementary School opened its doors as a meeting place for the volunteers to discuss business and other issues, while the Florida Department of Forestry provided the team's first truck that was stationed at the Chief's home. With the continued support of the local community and to meet the growing needs of its citizens, the department built its first firehouse in 1965 on donated land and acquired a second fire truck. A third truck was acquired in 1975, and the 1980's brought the deployment of a pager system and acquisition of a fourth and more modern fire truck. Today, the department comprises 25 volunteers, 2 Class-A 1,000 gallon pumpers, an E-1 rescue truck, an E-1 brush attack truck and a 17.5-foot rescue boat.

Throughout the course of Bagdad Volunteer Fire Department's fifty- year history and transformation, what has remained constant is the clear vision of the required capabilities needed to successfully meet the safety needs of the growing community, as well as, the passion and dedication of its numerous volunteers.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it gives me great pleasure to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Bagdad, Florida Volunteer Fire Department. My wife Vicki joins me in thanking all of the volunteers for their faithful service and wishing them and the department continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Pace High School ``Pride of the Red, White, and Blue'' Marching Band as the 2013 Class 5A Florida Marching Band Grand Champions.

For more than 40 years, the Pace High School Band has regaled crowds at Pace High sporting events, played at parades and events in Northwest Florida and represented the school at competitions on the local, state, and national levels. Today, more than 200 students make up Pace's band program, which includes three concert ensembles, a marching band, a jazz ensemble, chamber ensembles, an indoor percussion ensemble, and a winterguard program. This diverse and versatile repertoire highlights the hard work and dedication of the students and faculty of the Pace High Band and is the one of the keys to their success.

The 2013 Florida Marching Band Championships, held on November 23 at Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg, FL, played host to more than 80 talented bands from across the state of Florida. The Pace High School ``Pride of the Red, White, and Blue'' Marching Band began their preparations for this prestigious event more than six months ago and worked tirelessly to perfect their show, entitled ``Once Upon Another Time,'' which featured pieces celebrating different eras in American history with sections on the industrial revolution, the civil rights era and the space race.

The assiduous work of the ``Pride of the Red, White, and Blue'' paid off during the Class 5A semi-finals, where the band was awarded the highest scores in the Visual, General Effect, and Music categories and the highest overall score of any of the 80 bands competing in the various class semi-finals. The ``Pride of the Red, White, and Blue'' then followed their success in the semi-final round with another near- flawless performance in the finals, where they scored 92.38 out of 100 to take home the Class 5A championship.

Pace High's success at the 2013 Florida Marching Band Championships is a testament to the commitment and dedication of all the members of the band, and it is a great reflection on the entire Pace High and Northwest Florida community. On behalf of the United States Congress, my wife Vicki and I congratulate the ``Pride of the Red, White, and Blue'' on their state championship and wish them all the best as they continue to proudly represent our area.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the service, dedication, and accomplishments of Ms. Dolores Dunn, Staff Director for the Subcommittee on Health of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, upon the occasion of her retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ms. Dunn graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Maryland in 1978. In 1981, she began her congressional staff career in the office of the late Congressman Bob Stump, where she worked for twenty-two years to serve the citizens of the 3'' Congressional District of Arizona.

In 2003, she joined the staff of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Due to her steadfast commitment to her work and her expertise in veterans' health, Ms. Dunn was named Staff Director of the Subcommittee on Health in 2007.

For Ms. Dunn--the daughter of an Army nurse who served in World War II and the sister and aunt, respectively, of female combat veterans who served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom--the Committee's work is a personal calling.

Throughout her tenure on the Committee staff, Ms. Dunn faithfully served three different Committee Chairmen--Chris Smith, Steve Buyer, and myself--as well as countless other Members. I know I speak for us all when I say that her wise advice and sage counsel was instrumental in assisting us in honoring the service and sacrifice of America's servicemembers, veterans, and their families.

Ms. Dunn was a key contributor in the drafting and passage of landmark pieces of veterans' health legislation and personally contributed to the creation of policies that continue to improve the daily lives and ongoing well-being of veterans and their families.

Her skilled leadership and accomplished service on behalf of veterans was recognized in 2012 when she was awarded the Military Order of the Purple Heart Exemplary Service Award and an Award of Appreciation from the National Association of Veterans' Research and Education Foundations.

Over a long and multifaceted career of distinguished service in the halls of Congress, Ms. Dunn has been a tireless advocate for the interests of American's veterans and taxpayers, embodying excellence and commitment in service to her fellow citizens.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives and the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, it gives me great pride to honor the selfless service of Ms. Dolores Dunn.

My wife, Vicki, joins me in honoring her for her thirty-two consecutive years of exemplary service to our Nation, thanking her for her unyielding dedication to America's veterans, and wishing her and her husband, Richard, all of the best in their future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. John Herber of Northwest Florida for being named ``Teacher of the Year'' by People Magazine. Mr. Herber was one of only six teachers throughout the United States that was bestowed this honor. For fifteen years, Mr. Herber has been an inspiration to his students, his colleagues, and his community, and I am pleased to recognize his commitment and dedication to molding the minds of our Nation's future leaders.

A native of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Mr. Herber earned his teaching degree from the University of West Florida in Elementary Education. Ever since, his passion for education has only grown, along with the tremendous impact he has made on the Northwest Florida community. Mr. Herber has served the students and families of Escambia County, Florida at Lincoln Park, Warrington, Brentwood, and Weis Elementary Schools. For the past seven years, he has taught fifth-graders at Oakcrest Elementary School.

Mr. Herber creates an enjoyable environment for learning. His classroom, adorned with science experiments, is evidence of his unique hands-on approach. His pupils' enthusiasm and passion for learning are a testament to Mr. Herber's talent and leadership. Outside of the classroom, Mr. Herber dedicates time on the football field as a school football coach. There is no question that the amount of time and energy Mr. Herber invests in the school and his students has contributed to the school's high ratings and improved student performance.

The superb quality and effectiveness of the schools in Northwest Florida can no doubt be credited to educators like Mr. Herber. He understands the invaluable role teachers serve in the lives of their students, and blessed with the support of his wife Sammi, he possesses an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize John Herber's achievements in teaching and elementary education. My wife Vicki and I wish Mr. Herber and his wife continued success.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 1471) to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the Army to reconsider decisions to inter or honor the memory of a person in a national cemetery, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous material and include that material on S. 1471.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of S. 1471, the Alicia Dawn Koehl Respect for National Cemeteries Act. This bill would grant authority to the Department of Veterans Affairs to reconsider the decision to inter or memorialize an individual within a national cemetery in situations where it is later discovered that the deceased committed a capital crime.

Currently, section 2411 of title 38, United States Code, prohibits the interment or memorialization of persons who committed a Federal or State capital crime. Nonetheless, situations have arisen where the entity, such as a funeral home, or the individual who is charged with scheduling the interment or memorialization of a decedent either does not know of the decedent's crime or does not truthfully report such crime to Federal cemetery officials.

In situations where a funeral home had no knowledge that a decedent was involved in a capital crime at the time of the burial request, VA actually lacks the statutory authority to reconsider interment or memorialization decisions. Simply put, individuals who are buried or memorialized within national cemeteries cannot be disinterred on the basis of subsequently received information.

Mr. Speaker, S. 1471 would provide this authority to VA, as well as to the Department of Defense, in the case of Arlington National Cemetery.

VA supports this bill, as it would provide the Department with the ability to redress interment cases where eligibility is invalidated by information that is learned after a burial.

This bill would also specifically direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to disinter the remains of Michael Lashawn Anderson from Fort Custer National Cemetery, as it was Mr. Anderson who murdered Alicia Dawn Koehl prior to taking his own life. In that case, the funeral home charged with Mr. Anderson's burial was unaware of the incident. Thus they did not properly report the crime, and Fort Custer National Cemetery provided the military funeral.

The interment of Mr. Anderson was brought to the attention of the Indiana congressional delegation; and I want to thank my colleague from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks) for highlighting this tragic incident and for offering companion legislation to S. 1471. I also want to thank our colleagues in the Senate for addressing this need and for passing S. 1471. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this legislation.

At this time, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), the Member who brought this matter to the committee's attention.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, encourage our colleagues to join in support of S. 1471.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3521) to authorize Department of Veterans Affairs major medical facility leases, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on H.R. 3521, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3521, the Department of Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Lease Authorization Act of 2013, as amended, would authorize 27 major medical facility leases requested by VA in the fiscal year 2013 and 2014 budget submissions.

It would also make a number of congressional findings and establish certain requirements for the budgetary treatment of such leases to ensure that the legislation itself meets both the spirit and the intent of the House CutGo rule.

As we all know, when the committee was considering legislation to authorize VA's major medical facility leases last year, the Congressional Budget Office raised concerns about how to properly account for VA's lease authorizations.

In response to CBO concerns, section 3 of the bill would require VA to record an obligation at the time a contract is signed in an amount equal to either the total payment that would be made under its full term or an amount equal to the sum of the first annual lease payment and any specified cancelation costs.

For the last year, I have remained committed to working closely with VA, CBO, and our colleagues from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the Capitol to find a way forward for VA's major medical facility lease program on behalf of the veterans of this country, especially those in the 27 communities that will be impacted by the leases included in this piece of legislation.

To that end, I am grateful for the hard work and the leadership of our ranking member, Mike Michaud of Maine, and the other committee members in advancing this piece of legislation to the floor.

At this time, I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 3521, as amended, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis), vice chairman of the full Committee on Veterans' Affairs, somebody who has been a very strong supporter of veterans issue since the day he became a Member of this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Boustany), who has been an advocate for this issue for quite some time and who has two of these facilities in his district.

Mr. Speaker, once again I encourage all Members to support this legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass

the bill (H.R. 1402) to amend title 38, United States Code, to extend the authorization of appropriations for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to pay a monthly assistance allowance to disabled veterans training or competing for the Paralympic Team and the authorization of appropriations for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide assistance to the United States Paralympics, Inc., as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and add any extraneous materials they may have on H.R. 1402, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1402, as amended, the VA Expiring Authorities Act of 2013. Mr. Speaker, to put it simply, this bill extends the legal authorization for several VA authorities. Without enactment of this bill before December 31, 2013, the authorization to run certain programs and exercise certain legal authorities would end. This would be very detrimental to veterans and their families.

For example, the bill extends VA's authority to ensure that severely disabled veterans have priority access to nursing home care, to include those who require that level of care for service-connected disabilities. It also extends VA's adaptive sports program, which is currently run through a partnership with the U.S. Paralympic committee. I have met with veterans who have benefited from this partnership and have seen firsthand the positive impact that the activities and events have had on them and their families.

H.R. 1402, as amended, would extend other legal authorities to help veterans, including the authorization for treatment and rehabilitative services for homeless and seriously mentally ill veterans, housing assistance for homeless veterans, authorization to permit the use of contract exam providers for disability claims, and several other important extensions.

I am pleased also to report that funding for these extensions was included in both the President's budget request and appropriation bills passed by the House and pending in the Senate.

I thank my good friend and ranking member of the full committee, Mr. Michaud, for his assistance to bring this piece of legislation to the floor. And again, I want to thank all of my colleagues in the Senate for reaching an agreement with us on this language, especially the Senate VA chairman, Mr. Sanders, and the ranking member, Mr. Burr of North Carolina.

Once again, I want to encourage all Members to support the bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, one of the things that is necessary in order to bring a piece of legislation that has this many moving parts is somebody who has been involved very much in each of those pieces of legislation.

I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Coffman), chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1402, as amended, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize and congratulate Miss Emma Strom on her extraordinary achievement in high school swimming. Emma, a junior at Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, swam her career-best time of 55.83 to win the Florida title Class 2A state championship in the 100-yard backstroke.

From a young age, Emma displayed a great talent for swimming and was blessed with having the support of her family to share her passion for aquatics. Her parents as well as her siblings, Amelia, Alex, and Olivia, are all involved in the swimming community. Mr. Strom has coached swimming for years, while Mrs. Strom is a certified swim meet official. Emma's sister, Amelia, who is also a student at Choctawhatchee High School, participated in the state meet and was able to share in Emma's moment of victory.

In addition to her commitment and passion for swimming, Emma possesses an excellent academic record and is highly involved both at Choctawhatchee High, as well as, in the greater community. As a participant in the Advanced Placement Program, Emma maintains a 4.46 weighted GPA and is active in several academic and community service clubs in addition to her rigorous swim training schedule. Her passion for swimming is also exemplified by her involvement in the community team, Coast Aquatics, as well as, her time coaching young swimmers at Meigs Middle School in Shalimar, Florida. Emma also serves her parish, St. Mary's Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach, as an alter server.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am proud to recognize Miss Emma Strom on her swimming state championship. Her hard work and dedication shines through in everything she does. My wife Vicki and I wish her all the best for continued success both athletically and academically.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and dedicated service of Northwest Florida's beloved Dr. William West Thompson, who passed away on December 2, 2013. Throughout his long and distinguished career in medicine and public service, Dr. Thompson served as an inspiration to countless individuals and left a lasting impression on the Okaloosa County, Florida community. All those who have been blessed by his

presence mourn the loss of a great man and unparalleled public servant.

Dr. Thompson, or ``Dr. T'' as he was fondly known, was born on April 6, 1921, in Hallsboro, North Carolina. Upon receiving his degrees from both Duke University and the Duke University School of Medicine in 1942 and 1947 respectively, he completed his medical training and residency at facilities across the country, including in New Jersey, Texas, Massachusetts, and Arkansas. Dr. T also served proudly in the United States Army for more than ten years in the Army Medical Corps rising to the level of Chief of a Pediatrics Unit.

In 1957, after practicing in Virginia for two years, he moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida, where he continued practicing pediatrics. It was in Northwest Florida where Dr. T would spend the next decades of his life continuing to serve others in the community. Whether it was through house calls, late night hospital rounds, or nights spent with ailing patients, Dr. T's commitment to bettering the lives of those around him never wavered and was evidenced through his kindness and the unmatched quality of care he provided to his patients.

Dr. T also lent his time and efforts to a myriad of medical associations, including the Florida Medical Association, where he served as both as Chairman and Vice President; Okaloosa County Medical Society, where he served as the organization's first president; and Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, where he served as President and Chief of Pediatrics.

In addition to his dedicated service and passion in the medical field, Dr. T was highly involved in public service. He served not only as the team physician for local junior high and high schools, but also was president of the Chamber of Commerce from 1967 to 1968 and a member of the Okaloosa County School Board from 1984-1989. However, many remember him for his leadership as Mayor of Fort Walton Beach from 1965 to 1966.

Throughout his life, Dr. T served his Nation and community with the utmost integrity and humility. He was truly a man of compassion who possessed a passion for serving others. He will be remembered as a dedicated public official, wonderful physician, and a loving husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great- great-grandfather. His contributions to Northwest Florida and our Nation were truly exceptional and his legacy will not be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to honor the exemplary life of Dr. William Thompson. My wife Vicki joins me in our sincerest condolences and our prayers go out to his wife, Melba; son, Wes; daughters, Emilie, Helga, Kenya, Rhonda, and Karen; nephew, Roger; grandchildren, Robert, Britt, Kyle, Alex, Renee, Michael, Ryan, Kelly, Kaylyn, Avery, and Aspen; great-grandchildren, Katherine, Amber, Alexander, Zachary, Hunter, and Kai; great-great grandson Orion; sister, Hilda, and the entire Thompson family and friends. He will truly be missed by all.

Mr. Speaker, House Republicans have a plan to provide real solutions that will help all Americans in this very tough economy. We want to spur economic growth, create more jobs, and provide fairness for everyone. But what do the President and his Democrat allies have to offer the 11 million Americans who are out of work today? They have offered up ObamaCare.

This deeply flawed law is forcing hardworking Americans to shell out more of their hard-earned money for higher insurance costs. It is causing millions of Americans to lose their insurance coverage altogether.

Too many Americans are already struggling to make ends meet. It is not fair that they are being forced to deal with the ObamaCare train wreck, too.

It is time for real solutions.

Mr. Speaker, I first want to thank the chairman, my good friend, Mr. McCaul; the ranking member, Mr. Thompson; Chairman Hudson; Congressman Rogers of Alabama; and all the members of the Homeland Security Committee for their support of this important piece of legislation.

As a proud supporter of the military, as many of us in this Chamber are, I am grateful to each of my colleagues and their hardworking staffs for the opportunity to help advance H.R. 1095, the TSA Loose Change Act, which is on the floor with us today.

This act is a commonsense piece of legislation with bipartisan support, has no impact on the Federal budget, and supports our men and women in uniform who dedicate their lives in defense of the freedom that we enjoy. As a result of this bill's passage, travelers' unclaimed change left at airport security checkpoints, which is currently retained by the Department of Homeland Security, would be put to good use right there in airports across America. What may seem like a small amount of change left behind to some--nickels, dimes, quarters, and pennies--actually amounts to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and can make a significant difference if used wisely.

By directing TSA to transfer unclaimed money to nonprofit organizations that provide a place of rest and recuperation area for our Nation's military at our Nation's airports, H.R. 1095 would ensure that thousands of coins, when bundled together, will be used in support of millions of our Nation's warriors.

I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1095.

Mr. Speaker, due to travel arrangements, I missed the following rollcall votes: No. 612 through No. 614 on December 2, 2013.

If present, I would have voted: rollcall vote No. 612--H.R. 3547, The Space Launch Liability Indemnification Extension Act, ``aye''; rollcall vote No. 613--H.R. 3588, To amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to exempt fire hydrants from the prohibition on the use of lead pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder, and flux, ``aye''; rollcall vote No. 614--Adoption of the Journal, ``nay''.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to recognize the Rolling family for being selected as the 2013 Holmes County, Florida, Farm Family of the Year.

Jeremy Rolling first discovered his love for farming at the young age of four, while riding in the cab of his grandfather's tractor in the Noma community of Holmes County. This love, coupled with his grandfather's influence and his grandfather instilling in Jeremy a strong work ethic, factored into Jeremy's interest in the field of Agriculture, his active involvement in the Future Farmers of America, and the foundation on which his successful farming operation is conducted today.

Following high school, Jeremy met his wife Teresa, and together they settled in the Prosperity community of Holmes County. They began truck farming and small plot farming, until 2008, when Jeremy turned to row crop farming. Today, they operate a 400-acre farm that includes peanuts, cotton, oats, watermelons, and hay. Teresa and their daughter Jordan, who is in sixth grade and has embraced her green thumb at an early age, both remain actively involved in supporting Jeremy in operating the farm. Teresa assists by pulling peanut wagons, as well as operating the module builder for cotton, and Jordan grew and marketed her first crop of watermelons in 2012. There is no question that the success of the Rolling Family Farm and its expansion across county lines in five years is largely attributed to the family's hard work and joint effort.

The Rolling family is also active in the community outside of their farm. They belong to the Ponce de Leon Future Farmers of America Alumni Association, and Jeremy is a member of the Florida Peanut Producer's Association. Additionally, both Jeremy and Teresa work full-time jobs. Jeremy is an Investigator for the State of Florida, and Teresa transitions from nurturing crops to the bright third-graders of Ponce de Leon Elementary School.

Mr. Speaker, our great Nation was built by the tireless work of farmers and their families. The Holmes County Farm Family of the Year Award is a true reflection of the Rolling family's dedication to farming and their strong family values. On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to offer my congratulations to the Rolling family for this great accomplishment. My wife, Vicki, and I wish them the best for continued success.