Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the valor and determination of Army Sergeant Ted Wade and his wife Sarah.

An American hero, Ted served his country in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne in 2002, and later deployed to Iraq with his unit in July of 2003. On February 14, 2004, the Humvee Ted was riding in hit an improvised explosive device (IED), throwing Ted from the vehicle, severing his right arm, and causing significant traumatic brain injury.

Ted, unconscious and in a coma, was evacuated to the Landstuhl Regional Army Medical Center in Germany and later transferred to a civilian hospital in Germany that specialized in the care he needed. On March 2, 2004, Ted and Sarah came back to the states for recovery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

I first met Ted and Sarah while visiting with our wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed. Years later I sat with them at the 2007 Capitol Memorial Day Concert, where I learned of Ted's ongoing recovery and Sarah's fight to ensure that he receives the best possible treatment and care.

You see, military and VA doctors said that because of Ted's injuries, he would have little chance of ever walking and talking again. He was shuffled back and forth between doctors at VA facilities in North Carolina and doctors at Walter Reed. Sarah fought through the bureaucratic red tape and forced the VA to allow Ted to see one of the nation's premier traumatic brain injury specialists.

Sarah never gave up on Ted's recovery, and Ted was determined to prove his doctors wrong. Ted has achieved incredible results through his ongoing rehabilitation. He's beaten the odds for recovery, and he's proven that through persistence and perseverance individuals can overcome insurmountable odds in confronting their injuries.

Today, Ted and Sarah continue to press lawmakers and military leaders for better health care for our wounded warriors and for additional funds for the research and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Through their work, Congress has appropriated over $1.2 billion in just the past two years for TBI programs. Sarah also works closely with the Defense Center of Excellence for Psychological Health-Traumatic Brain Injury to ensure that other wounded service members with Ted's injuries have access to the utmost care.

Madam Speaker, Ted and Sarah Wade are an inspiration to us all. Their courage, commitment, and extraordinary story have shown us the spirit that exemplifies our military families.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to David S. Gallatin, Chief Executive Officer of Excela Health. I would like at this time to draw attention to some of his accomplishments and contributions to our health system and the community of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

David S. Gallatin has long been associated with Excela Health and its predecessors, Westmoreland Health System and Westmoreland Hospital. He served, in a voluntary capacity, on the Board of Trustees from 1982 through 2004. During his time on the Board, he was a member of the Executive Committee (1985 to 2004); served as a member of the Finance Committee (1990 to 2004); filled the role of Vice Chairman (1994 to 1999), was named Chairman from 1999 to 2004.

In January 2003, the Westmoreland Health System Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name David S. Gallatin as its Chief Executive Officer, after having served as Interim Chief Executive Officer, while continuing his role as Board of Trustees Chairman until his term expired June 30, 2004.

David S. Gallatin, cited for his leadership skills and vision, helped devise and implement a turnaround plan for the health system, one that resulted in meaningful growth, capital strength, physician recruitment, and retention of a professional work force. He championed the acquisition of the latest clinical technologies, thereby advancing the quality of care for the residents of Westmoreland County and beyond. Further, he, among others, spearheaded the successful merger of Westmoreland Health System with Latrobe Area Hospital, and later, Mercy Jeannette Hospital, creating and expanding the county's largest and only health care provider, Excela Health. His vision of a distributed delivery model assures local access to advanced health care, which is evident in Excela Health's Centers for Excellence, state of the art Emergency Departments and nationally recognized Stroke Prevention programs.

Therefore, I join in commending David S. Gallatin for his history of hard work and service to our health system and the communities it serves.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the valor of someone who is no stranger to good deeds and heroic actions. For those of us who have the pleasure of knowing her, Beverly Young is an activist at heart, and a go-getter by reputation.

Beverly, wife of our good friend and colleague Bill Young, has never backed down from an obstacle or challenge standing in her way. She is universally recognized for getting things done.

On a US Airways flight from Tampa, FL to Washington, DC this week, an elderly woman collapsed in the airplane lavatory and lost consciousness. When no one with medical training stepped forward to help, Beverly, a former firefighter and medic, rushed to her side. Using her skills in CPR, Beverly revived the woman and remained with her to make sure she kept awake and alert.

Others on the flight that day probably thought that this was just the one-time act of a Good Samaritan. But for those of us who know her, her quick action to help someone in need was far from ordinary.

Madam Speaker, since the beginning of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Beverly Young has been a fixture in the halls of our nation's military medical centers. She's not there to receive fanfare or to seek recognition; she's there to support the thousands of our nation's best and brightest who have been injured serving our great country.

Beverly is not an occasional visitor; she is there constantly for these young men and women and their families, becoming as familiar to them as anyone else they encounter during their recovery. She listens to each and every one of them, and she makes sure that they get what they need, whether it's food or supplies or fighting the Washington bureaucracy on their behalf.

Madam Speaker, our country is a better place because of people like Beverly Young. Her selfless service has earned her the respect and gratitude of all those she has helped, and all those who have witnessed her good deeds in action.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an individual who has generously donated his land, his money, and his time to feeding thousands of needy individuals and families in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.

For nearly fifteen years, Mr. Richard Shaver, of Madison, Pennsylvania, has operated the ``Hunger Garden.'' The garden is 100 percent volunteer driven, planting and harvesting thousands of pounds of vegetables for the Westmoreland County Food Bank every year. Hundreds of volunteers work evenings and weekends producing sweet corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, peppers, and zucchini for

the food bank and its Operation Fresh Express program, which provides fresh fruits and vegetables to low-income families.

Mr. Shaver served his country in the U.S. Army, built a successful career, and at a time when he could sit back and enjoy the fruits of his labor, he set out to help those in need.

Mr. Shaver says he began growing vegetables for the food bank because, ``Business was good. I went to country clubs, I was even flying my own airplane, but I just didn't feel right. My daughter suggested that maybe I ought to try to help somebody.'' His determination to ``help somebody'' has resulted in the donation of over 145,000 pounds of fresh vegetables over the years, greatly assisting Westmoreland County Food Bank and its service to 6,000 local families.

Madam Speaker, in a struggling economy where millions of Americans have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet, it gives me great pleasure to honor people like Mr. Shaver and the volunteers of the ``Hunger Garden.'' Their extraordinary work and generosity has a tremendous impact on the lives of many, and are an inspiration to us all.

Mr. Chair, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 includes a total of $4.9 billion to address critical facility maintenance and repair issues within the Department of Defense; invests in energy efficiency at DoD facilities; and provides much needed research into alternative energy sources for the Department.

Madam Speaker, on November 12, 2008, Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll succumbed to a four month long battle with neuroendocrine cancer.

I've known Catherine for 30 years. She was a remarkable woman who never stopped fighting to better our Commonwealth and to improve the lives of Pennsylvanians. She was one of the most hard-working and determined individuals to ever serve in state government, and her passion and dedication to both the Democratic Party and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was unparalleled.

Catherine was a transformational figure--one of the first women to run for statewide office, she served as Pennsylvania State Treasurer (1989-1997) and later became the first woman to serve as Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor (2003-2008). She never stopped fighting for what she believed in, and this determination placed her at the forefront of so many important issues.

Catherine's kindness and friendship touched the lives of many. Over the past few months, people from all across Pennsylvania asked me how she was doing, and how she was coping with the disease. I reminded them that Catherine Baker Knoll was made of ``steel'' and that she was fighting this disease with the same strength and fortitude she fought every other challenge in life.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the career and life of someone who devoted both to serving the interests of her fellow Pennsylvanians. I rise to thank and commend her four children, Charles, Mina, Albert, and Kim Eric, for always being by her side and giving her constant strength.

Madam Speaker, all of us will miss the friendship and great leadership of Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Mr. Larry M. Wade, Sr., a distinguished individual who recently became the State Commander for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, Department of Pennsylvania. As State Commander, he is responsible for Pennsylvania's 29 districts and over 550 posts. He works with Pennsylvania's line officers to ensure the operations and programs of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Pennsylvania. He also represents Pennsylvania's V.F.W. on a national level and serves on a number of commissions working tirelessly on behalf of our Nation's veterans. Mr. Wade has also served his country honorably in the United States Navy, where he served three tours of duty in Vietnam.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Wade started working in the V.F.W. Post 7377 in Sankertown, Pennsylvania, where he still lives with his wife Debra. As Post Commander, he was honored as an All-State Commander for five consecutive years. Furthermore, he was previously honored as the Cambria County Veteran of the Year. In addition to holding positions at the post level, Mr. Wade has also held office at the county, district, and State levels. Before being named the State Commander, he held the positions of Department Senior Vice Commander, Department Junior Vice Commander, and Community Activities Chairman.

Madam Speaker, the Veterans of Foreign Wars is a strong advocate on behalf of our Nation's veterans and is particularly strong in Pennsylvania. Mr. Wade's leadership will help to ensure that the V.F.W. will continue in its central mission. I wish to conclude my remarks by congratulating Mr. Wade on his outstanding accomplishment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the hard work of two great Americans, Mr. John Roth and Ms. Mary Tompkey. These two dedicated civil servants have been the glue in the resource management community of the Department of Defense since the start of the War on Terror. They have been tremendous assets in assisting the staff of the Defense Subcommittee in their review of the defense budget and have worked tirelessly in the service of their country.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Roth is the Deputy Comptroller (Program/Budget) within the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller). As such, he is responsible for all aspects of the Department of Defense budget's preparation, defense, and execution. The FY 2009 budget alone totaled $515 billion in over 50 appropriations and accounts in addition to $70 billion to support operations for the War on Terror. Before taking his current position in 2001, Mr. Roth was the Deputy Director for Investment with the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense (Comptroller).

Mr. Roth entered civil service as a trainee in the Department of the Navy's Centralized Financial Management Training Program. He has completed tours of duty at the Norfolk Naval Supply Center, the Naval Data Automation Command, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). He started in the Defense Comptroller's office as a budget analyst in 1984 and has, over the years, reviewed a wide variety of weapon system programs across all Defense components.

Madam Speaker, since 2005 Ms. Tompkey has been the Assistant Deputy Director of the Program Budget Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OSD) Comptroller. In this position she has helped to lead during a time of significant organizational change and has assisted the Under Secretary Comptroller during noteworthy periods of transition.

From 2002 to 2005, Ms. Tompkey worked as Director of Operations and Personnel in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (OSD) Comptroller and was previously the Deputy Director for Military Construction and Classified Activities, Under Secretary of Defense (OSD) Comptroller. She has also worked as an Associate Director for Investment, a Budget Analyst for the Directorate for Plans and Systems, a Budget Analyst for the Directorate for Operations and Personnel, and a Budget Analyst in the Department of the Air Force where she started in 1975.

Together, these two have been instrumental in the formulation and passage of all of the Department of Defense Appropriations bills and War Supplemental Appropriations bills since the War on Terror began in 2002.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the hard work and selfless service of these two outstanding individuals. On behalf of the United States Congress, I say ``thank you'' for their over fifty years of combined service and experience, for their dedication to the Department of Defense, and for their work on behalf of our brave men and women in uniform. I would like to conclude my remarks by saying that I look forward to working with them for many more years.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of Mr. George Arcurio, Jr., ``Junior.'' Mr. Arcurio is a selfless human being who, over the last forty years has constantly put the best interests of others ahead of his own. He has been a valuable asset to the greater Johnstown, Pennsylvania community.

Madam Speaker, Mr. Arcurio worked hard during his long and varied career which included working in the Johnstown School District from 1952 through 1968. It was at this point that Mr. Arcurio became interested in politics.

Starting in 1969, Mr. Arcurio held elected and appointed positions including Johnstown City Councilman, Director of Public Works and the Police Commissioner in the City of Johnstown, Treasurer of Cambria County, Chief Investigator for the Cambria County District Attorney and finally as an Investigator for the Pennsylvania Auditor General's office from 1984 until his retirement.

As if work and politics weren't enough, Mr. Arcurio has also served since 1981 as the President of the Johnstown Oldtimer's Baseball Association which sponsors the All American Amateur Baseball Association's (AAABA) national tournament in Johnstown every August. Bringing some of the finest amateur baseball talent to Johnstown each year has been Mr. Arcurio's mission for nearly thirty years. Mr. Arcurio also served as President of the AAABA's national board from 1994-1995 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1994.

Mr. Arcurio, ``Junior,'' has served on many commissions and boards over the last thirty years and has always worked to make the Johnstown area a better place to live. He remains active in the community and currently serves on the local airport authority.

Madam Speaker, Mr. George Arcurio, Jr. is truly a great and caring American. I wish to end my remarks by congratulating and thanking him for his service to the Johnstown community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Mr. Patrick M. Graczyk, Principal of Grandview Elementary School in Tarentum, Pennsylvania. Mr. Graczyk was recently honored by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as one of the recipients of the 2008 National Distinguished Principals Award. The award recognizes principals who establish high standards for character, teaching, and student accomplishment.

Mr. Graczyk was first nominated by his peers in Pennsylvania and then was chosen for the award by the NAESP Pennsylvania affiliate. In being chosen for the award, Mr. Graczyk has demonstrated his commitment to excellence, has implemented programs designed to meet the academic and social needs of all students, and has established firm ties with his community.

Mr. Graczyk works hard on behalf of the students, teachers, and families in his school district. He became principal of Grandview Elementary in 2002 and had previously taught for 5 years. During his tenure, the school has seen a rise in scoring on Pennsylvania's academic tests, including among students from low-income families. In addition to directly serving the needs of his school, Mr. Graczyk also helps to train novice teachers in addressing the needs of students from low-income families. Madam Speaker, Mr. Patrick M. Graczyk is truly deserving of the National Distinguished Principals Award and Pennsylvania is fortunate to have him among its fine educators.

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense has held 22 hearings and our members and staff have visited over 100 military bases and facilities, both here at home and throughout the world. The result is a $487.7 billion fiscal year 2009 Defense Appropriations bill that supports our troops and their families; invests in equipment needed to support the force; imposes fiscal discipline necessary to manage the department's resources; and addresses flaws in the U.S. national security policy.

Earlier this year, I was disappointed to hear the Secretary of Defense say that the U.S. military must prepare for fighting wars against insurgents and militias, he is talking about the future, such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, rather than spend time and resources preparing for future conventional conflicts.

I find these comments to be misguided and lacking in strategic vision, and the subcommittee agrees. When 90 percent of our ground combat units are rated as not fully mission capable and with what happened in Georgia, we need to be prepared for a contingency to prevent war.

This lack of strategic foresight has left our Armed Forces in a degraded state of readiness, has left our military facilities in disrepair, and has left many defense acquisition programs broken or badly damaged. That is in spite the fact that under Jerry Lewis and under Bill Young we put all the money we could put into the products in order to get them upgraded.

The bill addresses our future military needs and provides the resources urgently needed by the Department of Defense to prepare the United States military forces for threats to our national security beyond the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I am inspired by our troops and their families. Their sacrifice and service to this great country are applauded by both the American people and this Congress. We may disagree on matters of policy, but we can all agree on the need to take care of our troops and tend to the needs of their families. This bill addresses these needs in many ways.

For medical treatment and research, the bill adds $1 billion over the budget request within the Defense Health Program. Some of the recommendations include $300 million for traumatic brain injury and psychological help. Our subcommittee has been in the forefront of making sure that we have PTSD in mind; $40 million for medical care centers of excellence at Walter Reed Army Medical Center; $150 million for breast cancer research; $80 million for prostate cancer research; $20 million for ovarian cancer research; and $20 million for lung cancer. We found that 20 percent more military families have lung cancer than nonmilitary families, so we put money in trying to detect it early, which is how we prevent it.

For Family Advocacy Programs, the bill includes $102 million above the budget request, for a total of $410 million.

The bill provides $72 million to compensate servicemembers for Stop- Loss. We originally had more money in, but we couldn't figure out exactly how many people we had with Stop-Loss, so we said to the military, okay, we put $72 million in. After October 1st, anybody that has Stop-Loss gets paid, but you have to go back, do a study, and then tell us how much money you need for the period after that.

The bill provides $734 million above the budget request for the renovation and repair of barracks, military hospitals and other O&M funding for these facilities.

The bill includes language to ensure that the DOD takes steps necessary to ensure that Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and Fort Belvoir remain the gold standard of military medicine.

The bill expresses concern over the frequency of troop deployments and the stress this places on the servicemembers and their families. All of us have seen the stress on the families.

Equipment and support of the forces. Key to improving U.S. military posture is to maintain our domestic industrial base.

Shipbuilding, $14.1 billion.

The bill provides an additional $523 million for the F-22.

The bill more efficiently aligns funding of the Joint Strike Fighter, $6.3 billion.

The bill includes $750 million for the National Guard, and we put $750 million in the supplemental unanimously.

The bill includes $3.6 billion for the Army's Future Combat Systems.

Improving fiscal responsibility. This bill reduces programs which have experienced uncontrolled cost growth due to poor management and designed instability while increasing funding for oversight activities.

The bill cuts $650 million from unjustified and uncontrolled growth in outsourcing, and adds $24 million for additional personnel required by the DOD Inspector General to oversee growth of DOD contracts.

For instance, I just saw in the news media, and that doesn't mean it is true, but there is $13 billion that has gotten lost someplace in the Iraq spending, $9 billion of it U.S. funds, according to the newspaper.

The bill reduces the presidential helicopter program, but we kept it alive, hoping we can get the cost down for the individual.

It cuts $197 million and 16 aircraft from the Armed Recognizance Helicopter.

I recommend that the Members vote for this bill. It is an entire bill. When the bill is signed by the President, it will be money for the rest of the year.

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Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the heroes who died seven years ago today in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in the Congressional district that I represented, Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

On September 11, 2001, I was in the U.S. Capitol, where the subcommittee I now chair was marking up the annual Defense Appropriations Bill. After the order was given to evacuate, I headed back to Pennsylvania. The next day, September 12, 2001, I visited the crash site of United Flight 93 in Shanksville, only 30 miles south of my home. We all owe

a deep debt of gratitude to those heroic passengers who foiled the terrorists' plan and saved the lives of countless Americans working and visiting in the U.S. Capitol.

In our darkest hour, Americans everywhere joined together in acts of bravery, compassion and hope. Our first responders worked round-the- clock to help those in need, and millions of us gave our time and resources to relief organizations like the American Red Cross. In the months following September 11th we found comfort and pride in each other. We were all Americans, and we were determined to move our great Nation forward.

Madam Speaker, our number one duty is to ensure the safety and security of the American people. Our brave men and women in uniform are fighting around the globe so that our children can grow up in a world absent of war and terrorism. We pay tribute to their bravery and to their sacrifice on this anniversary of September 11th, 2001.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Richland Township in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, as it celebrates its 175th Anniversary and to commend the township on its first annual Richland Community Days.

Madam Speaker, Richland's history dates back to the second half of the 18th Century when the area was still part of Bedford County. Some of the area's earliest settlers were the Adams family, which included Samuel, Rachel, and Solomon. Their legacy lives on through the various landmarks in the area that were named after the members of the family. Richland Township was officially formed in

1833 out of land from Conemaugh Township in the new Cambria County. The township was given the name of ``Richland'' because of the quality of its land.

Over the last 175 years, Richland Township has seen tremendous growth, and, in the last 2 decades in particular, has transformed itself into a hub of commercial, educational, retail, and high-tech opportunities. I'm proud of these accomplishments and I look forward to working to ensure continued growth and a brighter future for both Richland and our region.

The Richland Community Days are an extraordinary way for the citizens of Richland to recognize their township's history as well as to look forward to its future. Madam Speaker, I finish my remarks by congratulating Richland Township on its 175th Anniversary and to recognize the many volunteers who have worked hard to make the first annual Richland Community Days a success.

Madam Speaker, on August 15 of this year, the Observer- Reporter will celebrate its 200th anniversary of providing accurate and reliable news to the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

In 1808, printers William Sample and William B. Brown were on their way to Kentucky when they stopped in The Sign of the Swan Tavern in the small village of Washington, Pennsylvania. There, they were convinced to set up shop, and on August 15, 1808, The Reporter, a weekly newspaper, was born. Ownership of the paper, as well as its name, changed hands over the next century, until John L. (Jack) Stewart and George E. Acheson formed the Observer Publishing Company on July 24, 1902.

Acheson retired in 1912, turning over ownership and the presidency to Stewart. When Stewart died in 1940, the company was turned over to his wife, Margaretta. Her grandsons John L.S. and William B. Northrop became co-owners and president and vice president, respectively, following her death in May 1966.

In 1967, the Observer Publishing Company merged its morning paper, The Washington Observer, and its afternoon paper, The Washington Reporter, into the Observer-Reporter.

Over the last three decades, the Observer Publishing Company acquired additional newspapers throughout Washington and Greene Counties. On April 17, 2000, John and Bill Northrop's sons, Tom and Bill Jr., became co-publishers of the company. Tom became sole publisher and president of the Observer Publishing Company in 2004.

Madam Speaker, today the Observer Publishing Company is one of the largest employers in Washington County. Their talented and hardworking staff produces a daily paper that reaches tens-of-thousands of subscribers in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The company is active in both the local community and the newspaper industry. I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the award-winning Observer-Reporter for printing a quality news product that has been part of Southwestern Pennsylvania since 1808.

Madam Speaker, on August 4 of this year, the name of one of the great military leaders of our time will pass on to the retirement rolls. I am speaking of my good friend, GEN Richard Cody, the 31st vice chief of staff of the United States Army.

On August 4 our Armed Forces will lose one of its greatest warriors. GEN Dick Cody has commanded American soldiers for 20 of his 36 years of service. In 1991, then Lieutenant Colonel Cody personally led Task Force Normandy, the joint aviation task force that fired the opening salvoes of the gulf war, and, as GEN H. Norman Schwarzkopf recounted, ``plucked out the eyes'' of Saddam Hussein's air defenses. Cody went on to command the First Cavalry Division's Aviation Brigade; the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment; the fabled 101st Airborne Division ``Screaming Eagles''; as well as commanding in our Nation's most elite special operations unit.

On August 4 our Armed Forces will lose a gifted strategic leader. With 1.3 million men and women serving around the globe, there are few organizations in the world as large and complex as the United States Army. For 6 years, spanning the tenures of 3 Army Chiefs of Staff, 4 Secretaries of the Army, and 3 Chairmen of the Joints Chiefs of Staff, Dick Cody has provided stalwart leadership to our Army. He has overseen the day-to-day details of a plethora of daunting tasks. He oversaw the Army's transformation from a Cold War-era, division-based force, to a modular, brigade-centric force. He revitalized and modernized the Army's aviation forces. He supervised the transformation of the reserve component from a strategic reserve to a part of the operational Army. He is the architect of the Army's growth and restationing plans, which will eventually relocate over one-third of the Army. He has also completely revitalized the outpatient care systems for our wounded warriors and their families.

On August 4 our Armed Forces will lose one of its ``straightest shooters.'' We in Congress rely on senior uniformed leaders to give us apolitical, straight forward assessments based on their years of military experience. No one shoots straighter with the Congress and the American people than Dick Cody. Going back to his first testimony before the Congress in 1999, when he warned the Nation to ``beware of a 14 division mission with a 12 division Army,'' he has never flinched from hard questions, and he never sugar coats the truth.

On August 4 the head of a wonderful Army family will retire, a man who is just as proud to be known as ``Vicki's husband'' and ``Tyler and Clint's Dad'' as he is proud of the stars on this shoulders. The Cody boys, with six combat tours between them, will continue to serve. Vicki Cody will never stop advocating for soldiers and their families, and Dick Cody's own personal ``Rendezvous with Destiny'' will continue.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge a 36 year career of heroic and selfless service, one that reflects all that is good and right about our Nation and her Armed Forces. On behalf of the United States Congress, we say ``thank you'' to a man and a family who place the well-being of the American soldier ahead of their own ambitions and dreams. God Bless Dick and Vicki Cody, their sons Tyler and Clint, and God Bless the American soldier who they love so much.