Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today and congratulate the Patriots of Pace High School for becoming the Region 1, Class 5A baseball state champions.

Pace High School's varsity baseball team, led by Coach Charlie Warner, finished the season with an impressive 31-2 record. The Patriots went unbeaten against Florida competition and won their last 25 games.

For their dominance on the baseball diamond, the Patriots of Pace High earned a number one ranking from ESPN and were crowned ESPN's RISE FAB 50 national champions.

Now, while the Patriots achieved their goal and brought home a state championship, it was not done without countless hours of practice and immeasurable amounts of sacrifice. The time they spent together on and off the field will not only be remembered for capturing a second state title in 5 years, but the forged friendships and lessons learned will never be forgotten.

Once again, I would like to congratulate Pace High School's baseball team on winning their fourth state championship. My wife Vicki and I are extremely proud of these young men.

Madam Speaker, it is my distinct privilege to recognize the Salter family for being named the 2010 Santa Rosa County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year. The hard work and dedication of this family helps not only feed many in the community, but also so many throughout the country. For that reason, Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize their accomplishments.

John, Stacy and their daughter Kailee are fourth generation farmers. The Salter family has been a vital part of the Chumuckla community since the late 1800s. While many things have changed in the field of agricultural science since the 1800s, the Salter family has remained steadfast in their honored tradition of working hard and providing quality goods to market.

In addition to having a determined work ethic that is deeply rooted in the Salter family, they have also begun to sow the seeds of voluntarism in the Northwest Florida community. Mr. John Salter has served as the Chairman of the Blackwater Soil and Conservation District for the past 12 years and is currently Chairman of the Santa Rosa County Farm Service Agency County Committee. Furthermore, Mr. Salter serves as a council member of the Three Rivers Resource Conservation and Development Council. He is also a member of Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Peanut Producers Association and the Southeast Peanut Farmers' Association.

Madam Speaker, our great nation was built by farmers and their families. The Salters serve as an example to all our nation's family farmers. On behalf of the entire United States Congress I applaud their efforts and congratulate them on being named the Santa Rosa County Outstanding Farm Family of the Year. My wife Vicki and I thank them for their work and wish them continued success in the future.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure I rise to recognize the Center for Information Dominance (CID) Corry Station for their countless hours of service to the community of Northwest Florida. CID Corry Station has gone above and beyond the call of duty, further serving their country through their community involvement.

Encompassing all branches of the Armed Forces, the service members of CID Corry Station have set a shining example for Americans everywhere through their unwavering and unselfish dedication. Members of every rank have contributed toward an astronomical number of hours being recorded in the period spanning July of 2009 to June of 2010. In this period, the members of CID Corry Station have contributed a total of 9,481 volunteers recording 87,801 community volunteer hours. These volunteers have touched the lives of 107,807 citizens of Northwest Florida, all of which are eternally grateful for the selflessness of these service members.

The service members of CID Corry Station have assisted the efforts of many volunteer organizations in Northwest Florida. CID Corry Station has volunteered alongside organizations such as Manna Food Pantry, Pensacola Boys Base, Meals on Wheels, Saturday Scholars, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Youth Sports, Junior Achievements, and the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters Program, just to name a few of the enumerable ways in which these service members have bettered their community.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize the service members of Center for Information Dominance Corry Station for their service to their country and the community of Northwest Florida. May they continue in their efforts to provide a brilliant example for others to follow.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure I rise to recognize the 50th anniversary of the Wildcats of Training Squadron Ten. Through times of war and through times of peace, the Wildcats have served our country with great distinction and valor. For that reason, I am proud to recognize the Wildcats of Squadron Ten for their exceptional training and excellent performance over the last 50 years.

From the first day the squadron was commissioned, the Wildcats of Training Squadron Ten have continued the legacy of training a new generation of pilots with the skill and will to fight and win. Today, Training Squadron Ten trains more than 300 Naval Flight Officers and Air Force Weapons System Officers annually, and flies approximately 13,400 flight hours each year.

Throughout the squadron's history, the Wildcats have been awarded with numerous awards and honors. In 1978 they were awarded the Towers Award. Training Squadron Ten's extensive energy conservation efforts and improved efficiency standards won the Secretary of the Navy's Energy Conservation Award in 1995, 1996, and 2002. Furthermore, the safety initiatives implemented by VT-10 have earned the squadron 21 Chief of Naval Operations Safety Awards.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to recognize the Wildcats for going above and beyond the call of duty on their 50th anniversary. To this day, the Wildcats of Training Squadron Ten continue to provide the highest quality training to our nation's aviators. As they remain resolute and steadfast to doing their part to defend our country, we must do our part to remember their unwavering commitment with our hearts and minds.

Madam Speaker, I missed rollcall Vote Nos. 355-357 on June 14, 2010, and rollcall Vote Nos. 358-364 on June 15, 2010.

If present, I would have voted:

Rollcall Vote No. 355, Supporting the goals of National Dairy Month, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 356, Expressing support for designation of June 20, 2010, as ``American Eagle Day'', and celebrating the recovery and restoration of the bald eagle, the national symbol of the United States, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 357, To amend the effective date of the gift card provisions of the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 358, Honoring Dr. Larry Case on his retirement as National FFA Advisor, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 359, Providing for consideration of H.R. 5486, the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act; and providing for consideration of H.R. 5297, the Small Business Lending Fund Act, ``nay.''

Rollcall Vote No. 360, Work-Life Balance Award Act, ``nay.''

Rollcall Vote No. 361, Recognizing the immeasurable contributions of fathers in the healthy development of children, supporting responsible fatherhood, and encouraging greater involvement of fathers in the lives of their children, especially on Father's Day, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 362, On Motion to Recommit with Instructions the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010, ``aye.''

Rollcall Vote No. 363, On Final Passage of the Small Business Jobs Tax Relief Act of 2010, ``nay.''

Rollcall Vote No. 364, Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program and recognizing the significant contributions of Albert Einstein Fellows, ``aye.''

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart, that I rise to recognize the life and deeds of one of Santa Rosa County's most respected residents, Mr. Leon Hinote. Throughout his 89 years, Mr. Hinote spent his days as a true patriot and committed public servant. In his passing, Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor his lifetime as a compassionate and inspirational leader.

Born the fourth of seven children, Mr. Hinote's strong character began to take root in the soils of Santa Rosa County; fully blooming into the virtues of patriotism, diligence, kindness and faithfulness which have impacted so many. To many, he was more than just a neighbor. He was a friend to the faint hearted, a sturdy back to the heavy burdened, and a kind voice to a weary companion.

Mr. Leon Hinote is a remarkably special man that belongs to a remarkably special group--America's Greatest Generation. In 1942, Mr. Hinote enlisted into the U.S. Army. Not wanting to wade in the spotlight or expecting to be honored, he was always willing to put others before himself. It was not until recently, that Mr. Hinote was awarded with many of the honors he earned while bravely defending our great nation and her ideals.

While his distinguished military record is more than enough to warrant praise and admiration, Mr. Hinote did not stop serving the others around him. After leaving the military, Mr. Hinote not only served on the Milton City Council for two terms, but he was also elected Santa Rosa County sheriff. Admired by many, Mr. Hinote is a role model for the entire community of Northwest Florida and a rare example of someone who truly understands what it means to lead by example.

While we shall greatly miss Mr. Hinote, his legacy and his memory shall remain. His life that spanned eight decades will serve as a mirror for us all to gaze upon and find the full measure of a man. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress and a grateful community, it is the highest privilege and with great pride that I honor the life of Mr. Leon Hinote. My wife Vicki and I extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones and children: Clifton, Janet, and Theresa.

Madam Speaker, it is the highest honor to recognize Chief of Police John W. Mathis, a dedicated public servant and community leader. His service to Pensacola and his commitment to law enforcement are truly remarkable. For that reason, Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor Chief Mathis for his distinguished work over the last three decades as a law enforcement officer at the Pensacola Police Department.

Sworn in to protect and to serve, Chief Mathis first put on the badge in 1978. Since that day he has dedicated his entire adult life to selflessly putting the needs of others before his own while in the line of duty. As Chief of Police, Mr. John Mathis held his officers and himself to the highest standards of courtesy, integrity, and professionalism. These core values have guided his philosophy and world view, while reducing crime and improving the quality of life of everyone in the Pensacola community.

Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that during his time in law enforcement, Chief Mathis has never betrayed the badge, his integrity, his character, or the public trust. On behalf of the United States Congress, I am honored to recognize the visionary leadership and outstanding service of a real American hero. I congratulate and thank Chief John W. Mathis for his 32 years of service. My wife Vicki and I wish him a happy retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Lee Hale, the recipient of the NASSP/Virco National Assistant Principal of the Year Award for the state of Florida. Mr. Hale is a dedicated educator whose professionalism and innovative ideas have helped many students in my district succeed, and it is a great privilege to recognize him on this day.

Mr. Hale began his career in education after graduating from Samford University with a degree in Business Administration. After subbing at various schools in Okaloosa County, he was hired to teach at Choctawhatchee High School. Mr. Hale taught Alternative Education and Business and Technology courses for ten years all the while pursuing a Master's degree in Education, Global Leadership and Administration from Jones International University. While teaching during the day and advancing his own education through online courses, Mr. Hale made himself available to help struggling students recover credits by coordinating the Choctaw Academy. Mr. Hale's hard work did not go unnoticed, and in 2007, he became an Assistant Principal of Choctawhatchee. Most recently, Mr. Hale is pursuing a Doctor of Education, Curriculum and Instruction from the University of West Florida.

Lee Hale is well-deserving of Florida's Assistant Principal of the Year award, and it is apparent throughout his community leadership positions and continuing professional development activities. Mr. Hale leads Sunday School and coaches youth baseball and still makes time to attend workshops, such as the Florida Educational Technology Convention, so that his students are well prepared for the future.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the U.S. Congress it is an honor to recognize the efforts and accomplishments of this outstanding educator. My wife Vicki and I congratulate Mr. Hale on his award and thank him for his 15 plus years of teaching service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Judy Bense upon being inducted into the Orden de Isabel la Catlica. Dr. Bense is a dedicated archeologist and received this award due to her research strengthening the ties between Northwest Florida and Spain. Madam Speaker, Dr. Bense's commitment to her work is truly remarkable. For that reason, it gives me much pleasure to recognize her on this day.

The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic is one of Spain's highest civil honors granted in recognition of services that benefit Spain. The Order was created on March 14, 1815 by King Ferdinand of Aragon in honor of his ancestress, Queen Isabella I, with the intent of rewarding the firm allegiance to Spain and the merits of Spanish citizens and foreigners in good standing to the nation.

Dr. Bense was inducted into the Order by Spanish King Juan Carlos for her hard work to defend the shared legacy and strengthening the relationship between Florida and Spain. Just like the Order's namesake, Dr. Bense is an extremely accomplished and distinguished woman. With a career in archeology that has spanned more than three decades; she has been at the forefront of studying Spanish roots in Pensacola, Florida. Currently serving as the President of the University of West Florida, I am certain that her experience and commitment to education will provide the needed leadership to guide the university in its pursuit of academic excellence.

Madam Speaker, Dr. Judy Bense is a leader that I am proud to have serving in the Northwest Florida community. On behalf of the United States Congress and a grateful community, I congratulate Dr. Bense on her significant historical accomplishments.

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today and congratulate the Patriots of Pace High School on becoming the Region 1 Class 5A Baseball State Champions. The hard work and dedication of all the young men on the team is truly extraordinary. For that reason, Madam Speaker, I am proud to honor and recognize their accomplishments.

Pace High School's baseball team, led by Coach Charlie Warner, finished the season with an impressive 29-2 record. While they were ultimately able to achieve their goal and bring home a State championship, it was not done without countless hours of practice and immeasurable amounts of sacrifice. The time the team spent together on and off the field will not only be remembered for leading them to a second state title in five years, but the forged friendships and lessons learned will never be forgotten. The character, talent and commitment of the young men on Pace High School's baseball team has indeed set the bar high for their classmates and the community.

On behalf of the United States Congress and the entire community of Northwest Florida, I congratulate Pace High School's baseball team for winning their fourth State championship. Madam Speaker, I am extremely proud of these young men. My wife Vicki and I wish them much continued success in the future.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

And I come to the floor today to, of course, announce opposition to the rule, because I just cannot understand why in the world one of the crowning principles that the Founding Fathers had of this country was the freedom of speech, and certainly in this body we believe in the freedom of debate.

But when we're talking about an issue such as the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and the majority side wants to restrict the debate on this to 10 minutes--5 minutes for the minority side--on an issue that is so vitally important and should be discussed. We have our folks in the military that are trying to study this particular issue.

But the thing that's most egregious to me is that you're only providing the same amount of time that the manager's amendment is allowed. And when we have days and days and days here in Washington that we can debate on these issues, I ask the majority, why in the world on something this important to you and certainly those of us that oppose it, are you restricting our ability to debate this particular piece of legislation?

Will the gentleman yield?

Yes, I have. And my question is----

No, you're not.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I too rise in support of the defense authorization act for 2011 as it was passed out of the full committee. I do think we have taken some important steps on protecting those who work

every day to protect the people and protect those of us in the United States.

The language that we had inserted into this bill, one of the things that it does is require the Department of Defense Inspector General to investigate the alleged misconduct and practices of certain lawyers for terrorist detainees at Guantanamo Bay.

Unanimously, the committee approved this amendment, whereby we have said that these lawyers may very well have engaged in illegal actions by seeking to ``out'' covert agents to the very terrorists that these particular agents took off the battlefield.

If this indeed is true, I can't think of a more offensive, unpatriotic and terrible act to be committed by the Americans that did this against fellow Americans.

I also do stand with the ranking member in opposition to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. I agree, we also need to allow the Department of Defense to complete its study before we jump the gun to a rash, premature decision, one that diverts our military's attention from its true priorities. Those priorities are succeeding in Iraq and Afghanistan, and also in keeping terrorists from harming Americans and its citizens.

Unfortunately, if the Murphy amendment does pass and we do repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, I will have to vote against H.R. 5136. But I trust this body will reject the Murphy amendment and allow our forces to remain focused on the task at hand--defending America.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Bob Hope Village. Located in Shalimar, Florida, the Bob Hope Village has succeeded in creating a safe and secure housing community for enlisted Air Force widows. For that reason, Madam Speaker, I am glad to acknowledge the compassion demonstrated by the community's founders.

The Bob Hope Village was a vision of active duty and retired Air Force non-commissioned officers. Upon learning that more than 50,000 enlisted Air Force widows were living in poverty due to the challenging nature of transient military life, the group acted to create the Air Force Enlisted Village in 1967. After much determination and generosity, the vision of the community was finally realized, and in 1985 the Bob Hope Village was opened.

Due to its huge success, the Bob Hope Village has built upon its original vision of providing housing to widowers, retired military couples, parents of active duty members and spouses of enlisted members who have died or are killed on active duty. In addition to providing housing, the Village supports all surviving spouses of enlisted Air Force members financially--regardless of their financial status. Due to the benevolent work on the part of the founders and contributors of the Bob Hope Village, many lives have been impacted. In addition to the Bob Hope Village being a place that provides a home and financial security for those in need; it is also a place where individuals can find emotional comfort in sharing memories of military life.

Madam Speaker, I am so proud to represent a community of devoted citizens who have sacrificed so much for our Nation and her ideals. Through the efforts of the Bob Hope Village, spouses of enlisted Air Force members can find support and care when they need it the most. It is with much pleasure that I congratulate the Bob Hope Village on its 25th anniversary. Continue the good work and I wish the community many more years of success.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life of Brigadier General Harry C. Aderholt. General Aderholt's life of dedicated service to this country throughout times of conflict and times of peace is truly remarkable. It is a great privilege to recognize him on this day.

General Aderholt was the epitome of a military officer, and he will always be remembered for the type of man he was--a natural leader, always ready to go above and beyond the call of duty. Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama as one of seven children, there is no doubt that his strong character began to take root during his childhood, fully blossoming into the virtues of integrity, discipline and diligence.

General Aderholt's illustrious career as an Air Force officer is filled with numerous leadership and command positions throughout the world. From serving as a young pilot during World War II to being assigned Commander of the United States Military Assistance Command, Thailand, General Aderholt was a patriot that bravely served this country for over 30 years. Through his distinguished and decorated career, General Aderholt earned many awards including the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguish Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, and the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

On behalf of the United States Congress, Madam Speaker, I am honored to recognize the life and deeds of Brigadier General Harry C. Aderholt. A true patriot, a committed community leader and loving family man--he will be missed by many, but his memory will remain. My wife Vicki and I extended our prayers and thoughts to the entire Aderholt family.

Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Ms. Jessica Morris upon receiving the For Profit Communicator of the Year Award from the Pensacola chapter of the Florida Public Relations Association. The people of Northwest Florida and International Paper have greatly benefited from Jessica's dedication to her work.

Ms. Morris is highly deserving of the For Profit Communicator of the Year award for her ability to balance the unique needs of her job as Communications Manager to International Paper, located in Pensacola, Florida. Not only does Ms. Morris effectively fulfill her responsibilities of communicating with the mill's 530 employees, she routinely connects employees through a weekly employee newsletter of her own creation. Moreover, she goes the extra mile to reach the public. Ms. Morris has spent a great deal of time ensuring that the environmental concerns and contributions of International Paper are known throughout Northwest Florida.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I proudly recognize Ms. Jessica Morris as the Florida Public Relations For Profit Communicator of the Year. Her steadfast work ethic and creative ideas have benefitted many in my district. My wife Vicki and I wish Ms. Morris and her loved ones all the best for the future.