Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, due to testing positive for COVID-19 and following recommended isolation protocols, I was unable to vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 120 and ``yea'' on rollcall No. 121.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with Congressman Bobby Scott and Congressman Rob Wittman, to recognize Ann Swanson as she retires as Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission.

As Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission for more than 34 years, Ms. Swanson has played a definitive role in the progress that the Bay has made, helping to ensure the renewal and restoration of the nation's largest estuary and the economic engine of the region.

The Chesapeake Bay is a unique natural resource and national treasure, and because its watershed spans six states and the District of Columbia, protecting the Bay poses a distinct challenge and requires commitment and resources across state and party boundaries. In leading the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative authority which serves Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, Ms. Swanson has fostered bipartisan and multi-state coordination that has been integral to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay.

Through her tireless work with countless advocates, legislators and regulatory agencies on both the state and federal levels, Ms. Swanson has brokered deals and encouraged legislative action, funding allocations and regulation implementation that give due consideration to each region's unique cultural, financial and economic conditions. Under Ms. Swanson's leadership, the Chesapeake Bay Commission has addressed issues including agricultural runoff, fisheries management, water cleanliness, habitat restoration and public access.

Ms. Swanson's dedication to and effectiveness in conserving the Chesapeake Bay has made her a well-respected figure in the environmental restoration community and beyond. Trained as a wildlife biologist and forest ecologist, she has been awarded honors such as Admiral of the Chesapeake by the State of Maryland, the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Leadership Award from the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Chesapeake Conservancy and an Honorary Doctor of Laws from her alma mater, the University of Vermont.

As we approach the deadline for the 2025 Chesapeake Bay Goals, though work unquestionably remains to be done, Ann Swanson's legacy has laid a strong foundation upon which further restoration of the Chesapeake will be built. I commend Ann Swanson for her four decades of public service at the Chesapeake Bay Commission and wish her the best in the next chapter of her life. All of us in its watershed owe her a debt of gratitude for her tireless efforts to improve the Bay, recognizing that when the environment thrives, so do our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, rise today in support of H.R. 7666, the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act of 2022.

Our Nation, as you know, is facing a continuing mental health and substance use crisis that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis touches the lives of individuals in each and every corner of our country and has a particularly acute impact on children and teens.

Recognizing this, last October, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children's Hospital Association declared a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health.

To wrap our arms as a society around children facing mental and behavioral health challenges, I recently joined in introducing H.R. 7248, the Continuing Systems of Care for Children Act, with my colleagues Representatives Joyce, Underwood, and Gimenez, a bipartisan bill that I am proud is included in H.R. 7666 today.

This legislation would reauthorize for 5 years two important grant programs; one that provides comprehensive community mental health services for children with serious emotional disturbances, as well as the Youth and Family TREE Program.

These programs connect children and teenagers to services that meet their individual needs and have a sustained positive impact on their well-being.

As we confront the compounding challenges posed by our mental health and behavioral health crisis and our national gun violence crisis, Congress must provide our children every resource they need to lead safe and healthy lives.

That is why it is so important that we pass the Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act today to bolster mental health services and better support our communities now and into the future.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I join Congressman Eric Swalwell in rising today, to recognize Donald Tobin as he steps down as Dean of the University of Maryland's Carey School of Law and returns to being a full-time member of the Law School's teaching faculty.

As Dean of the Law School for the past eight years, Dean Tobin has played a critical role in expanding and strengthening the Law School's engagement on key issues including systemic racism, poverty and democratic governance.

For example, as Baltimore City grappled with the tragic death of Freddie Gray, Dean Tobin created opportunities for community outreach and engagement through the Law School. He also established new clinical opportunities for students to address criminal defense, seek justice for victims of crime and provide free legal services to asylum seekers.

As a leading expert on the intersection of tax and campaign finance laws, Dean Tobin has also testified before both Congress and the Federal Election Commission--sharing his insights of how the tax code can contribute to regulating political contributions in our electoral process.

Early in his career, right out of college, Dean Tobin also dedicated eight years in service to the Maryland community as a professional staff member for my father, the late Senator Paul Sarbanes, whom he considered a mentor and friend.

In a wonderful tribute to Senator Sarbanes which he shared with the Law School community in December 2020, Dean Tobin described traits that are equally applicable to him: a strong moral compass, a dedication to hard work and a commitment to the rule of law.

Dean Tobin embodied these traits in his work on the Senate Committee on the Budget and the Joint Economic Committee as well as

throughout his legal career as a clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and an appellate attorney in the Tax Division of the Department of Justice.

I commend Dean Tobin for his public service and his service as the leader of the Carey School of Law, and I wish him the best as he returns to educating the next generation of lawyers in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, out in the country, the voice of the people is diminished by voter suppression, partisan gerrymandering, and election subversion.

Here in Washington, the voice of the people is diminished by big money, the insiders, and the lobbyists, who use their influence to block progress on so many of the things that Americans care about.

But we can do something about this. The Freedom to Vote: John R. Lewis Act will ensure free and fair access to the ballot box, with expanded registration opportunities and the broad availability of early voting and vote by mail, something that voters of both political parties took advantage of in the last election.

It will ban partisan gerrymandering so that congressional districts are drawn fairly and with respect for the people.

It will prevent the arbitrary removal of local election officials from their positions, and it will protect election officials from harassment and intimidation.

It will pull dark money out of the shadows in order to combat the corrupting influence on our democracy.

It will make meaningful investments in efforts led by the States to strengthen and fortify their electoral infrastructure.

Too many Americans have become cynical about our politics, and they are angry. But there is hope in that anger because it means they still care; they still believe in American democracy; they cherish it.

In November 2020, 150 million Americans overcame tremendous obstacles to get to the ballot box, to pull our democracy back from the brink.

The question now is, will we do our part? As their elected Representatives, will we show that our love for this great Republic is equal to theirs? Will we exercise the right to vote that we have in this Chamber in order to protect the right of every American to vote in their local library or their firehouse or senior center?

The answer must be yes. And after we pass this bill in the House, we look to our Senate colleagues to do whatever they can to secure the passage in that Chamber.

The stakes are too high. Failure is not an option.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following letters of support for the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5746.

Declaration for

American Democracy,

January 13, 2022.

Dear Representative: I write on behalf of the Declaration

for American Democracy, a coalition of over 240

organizations, to express our strong support of the House

Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 5746, the Freedom

to Vote: John R. Lewis Act, which will ensure that voters can

safely and freely cast their ballots, protect against

election sabotage, stop partisan gerrymandering, and limit

the influence of dark money in politics so that billionaires

can't buy elections.

Nineteen states enacted 34 new laws that restrict access to

the ballot box in 2021 alone and more are under consideration

today. Candidates are running for top election offices

peddling the Big Lie. States are passing racially-

gerrymandered maps that dilute the power of Black and Brown

voters. This legislation would fight back against all these

attacks and ensure the ability of every American to

participate in safe, accessible, and transparent elections.

Our organization fully endorses this bill and urges you to

support this legislation.

Sincerely,

Jana Morgan,

Director, Declaration for

American Democracy.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring congratulations to the division 3A women's volleyball State champions, Reservoir High School of Fulton, Maryland, a school I am proud to say is located in Maryland's Third District.

This outstanding team finished the season with a remarkable 18-1 record. They won the triple crown of championships: the Howard County Championship, the 3A East Region Championship, and the 3A State Championship.

The Gators were led by head coach Carole Ferrante and assistant coaches Holly Hynson, Julie Poston, and Meghan Kelley.

Again, congratulations to these outstanding athletes: Gabby, Lexi, Haley, Samiha, Azariah, Chaeli, Madison, Destiny, Kelsey, Anjola, Elsie, Maddie, Jessica, Madison, and Mayah.

We are proud of their accomplishments. Well done.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my amendment to H.R. 2467, the PFAS Action Act.

I thank my colleague, Representative Fitzpatrick, for joining in this bipartisan proposal. PFAS chemicals, as we have been hearing today, are harmful, manmade forever chemicals that are persistent, bio- accumulative, and toxic.

These chemicals, which threaten more than 100 million Americans, pose serious risks to human health, including cancer, immune disorders, and reproductive system maladies.

The PFAS Action Act will take critical steps to protect all Americans from PFAS chemicals by helping clean up contaminated sites under the Superfund program, limiting the exposure of PFAS chemicals, and establishing a health-protective drinking water standard that limits the amount of PFAS in our water systems.

My amendment would strengthen the PFAS Action Act by expanding EPA's ability to use the best-available science to address PFAS risks by requiring manufacturers to provide reference standards for all PFAS chemicals. This effort will help reduce PFAS pollution and keep our families safe.

My amendment will provide the EPA with critical data about PFAS chemicals and help the agency better identify these toxic substances in our communities.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the amendment and the underlying bill and vote in favor of this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Congresswoman for yielding. I appreciate it very much.

I want to speak today about the 47th anniversary of the Turkish invasion and occupation of the tiny island of Cyprus. For the last 47 years, Turkish troops have occupied the north of that island which is a direct violation of human rights. They have taken that opportunity to engage in disruption and desecration of cultural and religious sites.

Today, President Erdogan of Turkey visited Cyprus on this day, the 47th anniversary of the Turkish occupation.

Why did he come?

Was it to negotiate in good faith for a solution to the division of the island?

No.

Did he come to apologize for the continued occupation of the island?

No.

He came to announce the reopening of the beach town of Varosha in direct contravention of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 550 which ``considers attempts to settle any part of Varosha by people other than its inhabitants as inadmissible.''

Varosha was a once-bustling resort town. It was an international tourist destination in the Famagusta district of the Republic of Cyprus. But with the advance of Turkey's invading forces to the town in August of 1974, Varosha's native Greek Cypriot population fled for their lives.

Erdogan's visit is a cynical and shameful act designed to mock the rightful inhabitants of Varosha and to advance Turkey's agenda of dividing Cypress into two separate states instead of pursuing a bizonal, bicommunal federation that all parties of good faith have endorsed.

I urge the Biden administration to use all means at its disposal to resist Turkey's creeping partition of Cyprus and to bring international condemnation to these outrageous steps that President Erdogan is taking which disrespect and violate the rights and human dignity of the refugees of Varosha.

One day Cyprus will be reunited, but that can only come with the forceful leadership of the American Government, deployed consistently, morally, and with an abiding sense of justice.

I want to thank the Congresswoman for yielding to me so I could address an important issue of human rights, and I want to thank her for her incredible work over decades and certainly during her service here in Congress to make sure that in this country we are recognizing human rights and the dignity of every individual. I want to thank her for her leadership on H.R. 40, this very, very important commission, and thank her for being part of the conscience of this Congress.

Madam Speaker, I thank madam chair, Zoe Lofgren, for her incredible work on this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, a bill that was designed to respond to the deep cynicism so many Americans feel when they look at their democracy and wonder if their voice still matters in it.

We heard many grievances from Americans across the country over the last few years, but they fall into three basic categories. The first was, they kept saying to us: We want to get to the ballot box every 2 years without having to run an obstacle course.

We should be the gold standard among our peer nations when it comes to voting, but we haven't reached that point yet. H.R. 1 creates that opportunity.

By the way, let me thank the Republican voters across the country who, in the last election, used automatic voter registration where it existed, used early voting opportunities where that was afforded, and used a no-excuse absentee ballot to cast their ballot in the midst of a pandemic. To Republican voters, Independent voters, and Democratic voters this is not controversial.

We are just trying to create some baseline, uniform standards and best practices so people can get to the ballot box. When they get up in the morning and they have decided that is the day they are going to go vote, it shouldn't be a trial to get to the voting booth and to the ballot box. That is all we are trying to do. That is not controversial, and that is not partisan out in the country. Maybe here it is, but not out in the country.

The second thing they said to us is: When you get to Washington, behave yourself, act right, act ethically, be transparent, and be accountable.

So we have a whole set of reforms in here that are designed to do that.

The third thing they have been pleading with us about is: Don't get tangled up in the money. Remember where you came from and remember who you work for. Lean towards the people and not towards the special interests, the deep-pocketed donors, the insider political donor class, the big money, the PACs, the super-PACs, and the lobbyists. Work for us, the people.

So we are trying to address that in H.R. 1. None of these things is controversial. The only controversy is how it has taken us this long to address these grievances that people feel across the country. H.R. 1, the For the People Act, is our opportunity to do that.

Why is it a whole package?

Sometimes people say: Well, we are going to take this piece and take that piece.

It is because the people told us--they were smart enough to know--if you fix one thing and you don't fix the other thing, our voice still doesn't matter.

Madam Speaker, if you get fair elections in place but, when the Representatives get to Washington they get taken hostage by the special interests and still get influenced by the big money, then you haven't solved our problem as the American people who want our voice to be heard. So we have to do the whole package.

Let me close with this. John Lewis, who is not with us anymore, fought for voting rights. He knew the vote was sacred. He told us to keep our eyes on the prize. Today we do that.

Elijah Cummings, whom I served with in Baltimore for many, many years, often told the story that on his mother's deathbed she beckoned him close, and the last thing she said to him was: Don't let them take the vote.

We are not going to let them take the vote.

Madam Speaker, this beautiful Capitol dome is a symbol of freedom and democracy, not just for Americans but for people the world over. The action we take today, this impeachment, is a declaration to the world that when there is an attack on our democracy, whether it comes from without or whether, tragically, in this instance, it comes from within, we will respond to that threat and attack, and we will do what is necessary to strengthen our democracy.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I very strongly support the SAFE Act. This is something that the Democrats have been focused on from day one. Day one meaning, the day after the 2016 election, when we saw the attacks that had come in against our democracy, we realized we were very exposed, and we needed to take action.

This is our chance to stand up against interference from foreign adversaries who are trying to hack in, sow discord, undermine our elections, and create havoc here in our own country. This is fundamental to protecting our democracy.

So we were on the case from the beginning. We convened the Election Security Task Force, which was led by Zoe Lofgren, Bob Brady, Bennie Thompson and others. They looked at all of the best practices that we need to put in place to make sure that our elections are strong and sturdy, and how do we fortify them, and they produced those recommendations.

We then took those recommendations and we put them into H.R. 1, the For the People Act, and we passed those on March 8 of this year, because we knew that this was a priority and that there is no time to waste.

Now, our Republican colleagues, unfortunately, did not want to go along with those broad, sweeping reforms that were contained in H.R. 1, including election security measures. So we made it easy for them, we said, ``Okay. We will start to break those things out. We will take the election security piece and we will bring it as a separate bill to the floor of the House.'' That is the SAFE Act. But we still, apparently, don't have their support.

This is their opportunity, this is their chance to stand up and show their patriotism, to defend our democracy, to protect our Constitution, to make sure that our elections are going to be safe.

So let's talk about what is in the SAFE Act, the Safeguarding America's Federal Elections Act.

We have significant resources that are going to be brought to bear to build up, to fortify the election security infrastructure of our country. This is what the public wants to see. They want to be ready for the 2020 election.

We have risk-limiting audits to make sure that States across the country are figuring out what is going on. Where do we make changes? How do we protect ourselves?

Paper ballots. We have had a lot of discussion about that today. Paper ballots are incredibly important in terms of boosting the confidence of the public that elections will be carried out in a way that you can verify the tally, people have the confidence that when they go to the ballot box, they put their ballot in there, that that vote will be counted.

We have no time to waste. We need to get this done now if we are going to be ready for the 2020 election.

Bob Mueller came along with his report and he said that the Russian interference was sweeping and systematic in 2016.

Every leader in our intelligence community has also echoed the fact that 2016 was a dress rehearsal. They are coming in 2020.

We need to be ready. We need to protect our elections. Let's support the SAFE Act.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an obituary of Gerald Fischman, a writer for the Capital Gazette in Annapolis Maryland.

[From the Baltimore Sun]

Gerald Fischman, Capital Gazette Victim Editorial Writer, Was Known and

Respected for His Sharp Wit and Command of Facts

(By Frederick Rasmussen)

If veteran Capital Gazette editorial writer Gerald Fischman

could have chosen what he would be doing on the last day of

his life, this was it:

He was a newspaperman.

Mr. Fischman, longtime editorial page editor for The

Capital, was killed June 28 in the attack on the newspaper's

Annapolis office. He was 61.

``You know the cliche, still waters run deep? That was

Gerald,'' said Rick Hutzell, editor of the Capital Gazette

newspapers. ``He was thoughtful, witty, dedicated to his

craft--all the things you hear other people say. But he also

had a strong sense of what was moral and what was right.''

``He was a wonderful person and really quiet, but if you

took the time to get to know him you discovered how brilliant

he was and his extraordinary dry wit,'' said Teri Winslow, a

former Capital Gazette writer,

editor and State House correspondent who sat next to him for

20 years.

``He was a walking encyclopedia of Maryland history and

just plain facts. His desk was overrun with books,'' said Ms.

Winslow, a Hanover resident who is now digital news manager

for the state Department of Transportation.

``At night, Gerald wrote his editorials and when he was

finished, would help me proof the paper. . . . He never

missed anything, and if we found something funny we'd crack

up and double over laughing,'' she said.

``When he finished an editorial he'd read it out loud to

check its cadence, and had a clicker he used to count the

words,'' she recalled. ``He was incredibly thorough.''

Gerald Fischman was born in Washington, the son of Morton

and Charlotte Fischman. He was a year old when the family

moved to Silver Spring.

After graduating from high school, Mr. Fischman attended

the University of Maryland, College Park, and received a

bachelor's degree in journalism in 1979. During his college

days he was an editor for The Diamondback, the university's

student newspaper.

He began his career in 1980 as a reporter at The Carroll

County Times and later was promoted to copy editor. Edward J.

``Mac'' McDonough, public information officer for the

Maryland Emergency Management Agency, was sports editor of

The Times during Mr. Fischman's tenure there.

``Fisch, we always called him that, was very meticulous,

quiet and gifted, with a wry sense of humor,'' said Mr.

McDonough, a Towson resident who was later an editor on The

Baltimore Sun's old Carroll County edition.

``As the chaos of deadline approached, he'd come up with

some wry observation, and then he'd go back to work. This

happened fairly frequently,'' he said. ``He was a great copy

editor; the paper would never have gotten out on time without

him.''

He recalled Mr. Fischman as being ``not gregarious . . .

but very engaging when talking to you. [He] was not the kind

of guy who'd go out for a drink with the staff after the

paper was put to bed.''

In 1990 he joined the staff of The Montgomery Journal in

Rockville. He did a two-year stint as a copy editor, then was

promoted to assistant city editor.

Ron Jones was a friend of Mr. Fischman's for more than 30

years. They had worked together at The Carroll County Times

and later The Montgomery Journal.

``As an editor, Gerald was incredibly thorough and always

had tons of questions for reporters unless their pieces were

incredibly well-written, which was not often,'' said Mr.

Jones, a Gaithersburg resident who is a night copy editor for

The Washington Post. ``He rarely got upset or raised his

voice and was always calm, collected and very detailed-

oriented.

``He wanted stories to be as objective and accurate as

possible,'' he said. ``He wanted to know their core themes

and that everything made sense, and it was the same with his

editorials.''

Mr. Fischman went to work for The Capital in 1992, and

quickly developed a reputation for his trenchant, hard-

hitting and fact-laden editorials that reflected the

newspaper's community temperament and roots. Mr. McDonough

said his colleague ``found his niche'' at The Capital.

``When he had an idea for an editorial, he'd parse every

word and check every fact,'' he said. ``That he was a

survivor for more than 30 years in the business is a

testament to who he was.''

Mr. Fischman was fascinated by the bizarre absurdities of

government and wrote often about them. He also wrote about

mass shootings, gun violence and gun ownership.

``He loved the odd things from history, and was skeptical

of any New Age stuff and religion,'' Mr. Jones said.

Mr. Fischman's work earned him numerous awards from the

Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association--including two

recent honors for editorials related to the case involving a

noose found at a Crofton school, and a piece about censorship

at County Council meetings. He also received awards from the

Chesapeake Associated Press, as well as Mark Twain Awards for

Outstanding Editorial, Best Editorial and Best of Show

Editorial.

Mr. Fischman brought an unflappable nature and strong work

ethic to the newsroom. Long hours and days were not uncommon,

and he steered clear of debates over long hours, low pay and

where newspapers will be in 10 years--or in 10 minutes.

``When deadlines approached and things were going on,

Gerald never panicked,'' recalled Mr. Jones. ``He was the

kind of person who always kept his cool. He was level-

headed.''

``He was a human search engine and did he know Maryland

politics,'' Ms. Winslow said. ``He was so loved by his

colleagues.''

``I've have the difficult task of trying to write in

Gerald's place,'' Mr. Hutzell said. ``I've written four

editorials so far, and before I start every one I ask myself:

What would Gerald say? I wish I had half the insight into our

community and human nature that he brought to the job every

day.''

Mr. Fischman had lived most of his life as a confirmed

newspaper bachelor, and surprised his colleagues when he

announced some years ago that he had fallen in love and was

marrying the former Saran Erdenebat, a noted opera singer

from Mongolia.

He had met the lyric soprano at the John F. Kennedy Center

for the Performing Arts while attending a performance of

Richard Wagner's ``Die Walkure.'' They were married shortly

thereafter.

The Pasadena resident who enjoyed collecting books and

reading was also a classical music, opera and ballet fan.

Services scheduled for Sunday are private.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a stepdaughter,

Uka Saran of Miami, Fla.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an obituary of Rob Hiaasen, an editor of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis Maryland.

[From the Baltimore Sun]

Capital Gazette Victim Rob Hiaasen Remembered as a Writer With a Deft

and Gentle Touch

(By Jacques Kelly)

Rob Hiaasen, a feature writer and editor recalled for the

deft and understanding touch he applied to his off-center

stories, will be remembered Monday at a private memorial

service. He was one of the five staff members killed Thursday

at the Annapolis Capital Gazette.

The Timonium man was 59.

``Rob was a terrific reporter because he had an innate

curiosity,'' said the former Baltimore Sun columnist Kevin

Cowherd, a close friend. ``He was a master of asking

questions of the people he wrote about. It was one of his

strengths. He was also drawn to quirky characters. In all his

writing he tried to bring out the humanity.''

Mr. Hiaasen was born in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Kermit

Odel Hiaasen, an attorney, and Patricia Moran, a homemaker.

He graduated from Plantation High School and earned a

bachelor's degree in communications at the University of

Florida.

He initially worked as an AM radio reporter and landed a

job in Raleigh, N.C. There he met a competitor, Maria Mills.

``It was a small town and small radio market and everybody

knew each other,'' she said. ``We got married and moved

around and landed in San Antonio.

``We both hated our jobs there.''

Mr. Hiaasen reconsidered his radio work and decided instead

to pursue newspaper writing and reporting. He got a reporting

job at an afternoon paper, the Petersburg, Va., Progress

Index. But first, he had to pass the paper's oral spelling

test.

``He remembered to put the P in raspberry,'' Maria Hiaasen

said. ``He was always a good speller.''

Within 18 months, he and his wife moved on to the Palm

Beach Post. He worked in its downtown newsroom; she covered

police in Palm Beach, County.

Tom O'Hara, the retired managing editor of the Palm Beach

Post, recognized the last name on Mr. Hiaasen's job

application. He knew Mr. Hiaasen's brother, the novelist and

longtime Miami Herald columnist Carl Hiaasen.

``Rob was just charming,'' Mr. O'Hara said. ``It was a like

a no-brainer to hire him. He was a Florida boy and that was a

great attraction to me.''

Mr. O'Hara assigned Mr. Hiaasen to cover county government,

a beat overseen by a meticulous editor. Mr. Hiaasen often

began his stories with colorful anecdotes, while his editor

required numbers.

``For Rob, it was a baptism by fire,'' Mr. O'Hara said.

``His editor would lop off the first three paragraphs. It was

clear Rob belonged in features.

``He thrived there and was a delight. He was enthusiastic

about his stories. Everybody loved him. I liked sitting by

him and listening to his little asides.''

In 1991, Mr. Hiaasen wrote a feature about five people who

contracted AIDS from a Palm Beach dentist. ``Dr. Acer's

Deadly Secret: How AIDS joined the lives of a dentist and his

patients,'' won a national journalism writing award, and Mr.

Hiaasen was hired by The Baltimore Sun as a features writer.

Colleagues recalled his daily routine. He took long walks,

and became enamored of Baltimore's neighborhoods and their

characters. He ambled through Bolton Hill, Mount Vernon and

Fells Point in search of offbeat tales to tell.

Friends said Mr. Hiassen steered clear of newsroom factions

and social circles. One described him affectionately as ``a

tall, brooding Norwegian.''

``Only two words in that phrase are true,'' Mr. Cowherd

said. ``Rob was never brooding. He needed to laugh the way he

needed oxygen. He was the best colleague you could ever have.

In a roomful of towering egos, he was the first guy to come

up and say, `You did a great job.' ''

Mr. Hiaasen wrote about Mel Sherr, a veteran of D-Day

familiar to Baltimoreans as a strolling violin player.

``Mr. Sherr knows what your favorite song is,'' Mr. Hiassen

wrote. ``While he's asking guests where they're from, he'll

be guessing their age and era. He'll then pluck a song from

his play list and play. Guests nod their heads and smile.

Some blush. They now remember what they had forgotten. . . .

Mr. Sherr will not be stumped by requests.''

He also wrote about Kirk Bloodsworth, the ex-Marine and

Eastern Shore waterman who was the first person to be

sentenced to death and then exonerated by DNA evidence.

Mr. Hiaasen spent a year from 2003 to 2004 as a John Knight

Fellow in Journalism at Stanford University. While there, he

acted in a play and studied singing.

Mr. Hiaasen accepted a newsroom buyout offer in 2008 and

left The Sun. By 2010 he joined the Annapolis Capital. He

mentored reporters as an editor and wrote a Sunday column.

``He did an amazing pivot to become an editor,'' Mr.

Cowherd said. ``He became everything you want of a good

editor--gently pushing them to do their best work and to not

accept mediocrity.''

He also taught a news writing class at the University of

Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

And he kept telling his stories in his gentle tone.

``When there's no hiding from news, it's time for a

haircut,'' he advised in a column late last year. ``Getting a

haircut--once a horrific, spirit-crushing event during the

teenage years--is a safe haven for the news beleaguered.

There, in the wrapped confines of your barber's or stylist's

chair, you can slink away to a news-free zone. There, on your

temporary throne, you are clipped and pampered by intimate

hands.'' In addition to his wife of 33 years, an English

teacher at Dulaney High School, he leaves a son, Ben Hiaasen,

a Towson attorney; two daughters, Samantha Hiaasen, an

assistant manager of the Pratt Street Barnes & Noble store in

Baltimore, and Hannah Hiaasen, a craft associate at Apparatus

in New York who lives in Brooklyn, NY; his brother, Carl, in

Vero Beach, Fla.; two sisters, Judy Hiaasen of Plantation,

Fla., and Barb Hiaasen of Davie, Fla.; and many nieces and

nephews

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an obituary of John McNamara, a reporter for the Capital Gazette in Annapolis Maryland.

[From the Baltimore Sun]

John McNamara, Capital Gazette Sports Reporter, Recalled for His Vast

Knowledge and Love of the Terps

(By Jacques Kelly)

John McNamara, an editor and sports reporter for The

Capital Gazette who covered the University of Maryland

Terrapins and was a high school basketball history

specialist, died June 28 at the attack at the Annapolis

newspaper's office.

The Silver Spring resident was 56.

``Basketball was a love of his and he had a great feel for

the game,'' said former Maryland men's basketball coach Gary

Williams. ``He could have made a lot more money elsewhere,

but he had the job he wanted and it was what he wanted to be.

I gave him a lot of credit for that.''

Born in Washington and raised in Bethesda, he was the son

of Thomas McNamara Sr., a federal Department of Education

financial analyst, and his wife, Elizabeth Lynch.

He was a 1979 graduate of St. John's College High School in

Washington and obtained a journalism degree from the

University of Maryland College Park, where he had reported

sports for campus newspaper, The Diamondback.

``John was one of the most honest and fairest reporters I

have ever met,'' said Johnny Holliday, sportscaster and

longtime radio personality. ``I enjoyed being around him.

``He was of the mindset that he was going to pick out the

positive aspects of an individual player. He told me he

understood the greatest thrill for a 9- or 10-year-old was

seeing their name in print.''

Mr. McNamara played softball and basketball informally in

school and had delivered newspapers for the old Washington

Evening Star. He retained childhood memories of watching the

old Washington Senators play at RFK Stadium. He was also a

Bullets basketball fan. While at Maryland, he covered high

school sports for The Washington Post.

``He had two job offers right out of college,'' said his

wife, Andrea Chamblee, whom he met while both were Maryland

students. ``One was for $15,000 a year as an agate-type clerk

doing box scores for USA Today. The other was writing sports

for $13,000 at the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. He took [the

Herald-Mail] because it allowed him to do what he wanted to

do--and in that first year [1983] he covered the Orioles, who

were in the World Series.

``He felt he made the right choice. His first year out of

the college and he was covering a World Series. He was

exhilarated.''

She said they married in 1985 because by then he was making

$15,000--they had agreed to delay their wedding until he had

passed that financial milepost.

``He could talk sports to someone who knew plenty and he

could talk to someone who knew almost nothing.'' his wife

said. ``And both parties would leave feeling they understood

the game better.''

``Coaches were always impressed by his insight and

knowledge of the game, but John was a good enough storyteller

that he could give a casual fan great insight,'' said Doug

Dull, a friend and colleague at the Hagerstown paper.

``He'd hang out at the local grocery store when the Street

& Smith's college basketball yearbook came out and he would

pull out a highlighter as if he were doing homework. He knew

more about Pepperdine and Fresno State than anyone in

Maryland.''

In 1987 Mr. McNamara joined The Capital as a copy editor,

then worked as sports editor for the old Prince George's

Journal from 1989 to 1994. He then rejoined the Annapolis

paper.

``John never changed,'' said David Elfin, a freelance

journalist and friend who lives in Bethesda. ``He always

loved sports and he was very passionate about the University

of Maryland. I can't tell you how many games he had covered

at Maryland for all the papers where he'd worked.''

He was particularly fond of the university's Cole Field

House.

``No matter if I met him at a Nationals game or at the

Capitals or Redskins, Maryland was his comfort level,'' Mr.

Elfin said. ``It was almost as if he were walking into

Cheers.''

In 2001 Mr. McNamara and Mr. Elfin wrote ``Cole Classics:

Maryland Basketball's Greatest Men and Moments.''

Eric Prisbell, who previously covered college sports for

The Washington Post and is now a Dallas sports freelance

writer, said: ``John's basketball knowledge was second to

none. He had a sharp eye and everyone respected him.

``He was an old-school journalist. He valued the

relationships he'd established with coaches. John could be

very funny. With just a look he could make a whole table roar

with laughter.''

In 2014 his editors at The Capital Gazette changed his

assignment and named him editor and reporter of the Bowie

Blade-News and Crofton-West County Gazette.

``He took the job change as gracefully as any sportswriter

can,'' said his wife.

He had been completing research and conducting interviews

for a book on the history and roots of high school basketball

in the District of Columbia and its suburbs. As part of the

project he had visited former NBA and college players who

grew up in the area.

A memorial service for Mr. McNamara will be held from 10

a.m. to noon Tuesday at the chapel at the University of

Maryland, College Park.

In addition to his wife of 33 years, a Food and Drug

Administration attorney, survivors include two brothers,

Charles McNamara of Bethesda and Danny McNamara of Amsterdam,

N.Y.; and three sisters, Jane McNamara of Mercer Island,

Wash., Mary McNamara of Washington and Peggy Pyles of

Bethesda.

Madam Speaker, I include in the Record an obituary of Wendi Winters, a writer for the Capital Gazette in Annapolis Maryland.

[From the Baltimore Sun]

Wendi Winters, a Prolific Writer for The Capital Enjoyed Sharing

Stories About Local Residents

(By Jacques Kelly)

Wendi Winters, a feature writer for The Capital and The

Maryland Gazette who earlier had been a public relations

executive in Manhattan, died Thursday in the attack at the

Annapolis newspapers' office.

She was 65 and lived in Edgewater.

Wendy Anne Winters--known throughout the community as

``Wendi''--was born in Coronado, Calif., the daughter of

Leigh Cosart Winters, a Navy commander and real estate agent,

and his wife, Dorothy Breuninger Grigsby, who had worked as a

Capitol Hill secretary and was in the visitors' gallery in

December 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked

Congress for a declaration of war on Japan.

She attended Saint Rita's School in Alexandria, Va. and was

a 1971 graduate of the old St. Mary's Academy, a high school

also in Alexandria.

``She vividly recollected her semi-nomadic childhood as a

Navy brat,'' said her daughter, Winters Leigh Geimer. ``Her

fondest childhood memories were of her family's time in

Turkey when her father was a naval attache with the American

Embassy in Istanbul. She spent most of her time getting in

trouble with the local residents and exploring off-limits

places.''

``Our mother showed an aptitude for art and writing. At age

10, she wrote a poem for then-President John F. Kennedy and

she received a personal response with photographs from his

secretary, Evelyn Lincoln,'' said her son, Phoenix Winters

Geimer. ``She kept the photograph near her desk and it has

been in the house as long I can remember. She had a couple of

recollections of President Kennedy coming into her church.''

She obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree with a

specialty in fashion design from Virginia Commonwealth

University and later went to New York City on a fellowship to

the Tobe-Coburn School for Fashion Careers. She was class

president at the school and graduated with honors.

She remained active in alumni circles at Virginia

Commonwealth, and was invited there to sit on critic panels

of student work at university fashion shows.

In a resume, Ms. Winters said most of her career was in

public relations--backed by experience in fashion retailing,

wholesaling, textiles, marketing, advertising, design and

promotion. She created and directed campaigns for two

``international public relations firms and had her own

successful fashion public relations, advertising, special

events [and] runway show production firm for seven years,''

her resume said.

She lived in the Gramercy Park section of New York City and

later moved to Montclair, N.J.

``In her New York days her pay often included some of the

clothing she was promoting,'' said her daughter, a Purdue

University student who is a naval officer candidate. ``She

had a fairly large wardrobe because she didn't believe in

throwing things

out. Her fashion aesthetic looked like the 1980s had never

ended.''

Her son said Ms. Winters routinely corresponded with

figures of the era--including Patty Hearst, Robin Leach,

Michael Douglas, the Trumps, Christian Lacroix, Oscar de la

Renta, Donna Karan, Iman, Keith Haring, Neil Sedaka, Leroy

Neiman, Regis Philbin, Cybill Shepherd, Lionel Hampton and

Sally Jessy Raphael.

``She regularly ran into Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali on

the street,'' said her son.

In 1990, she won the Golden Apple Award, presented by the

New York City Chapter of the Public Relations Society of

America, for a campaign she orchestrated for the Polyester

Council of America.

In 1986 she married Tod Geimer, who built computer networks

for banks.

He suggested a change of pace and less hectic life in the

Annapolis area. They left New Jersey and moved to Arnold in

1999. They later lived in Cape St. Claire.

``My mother always needed to be doing something,'' her son

said. ``She started writing for small local publications.

``Her day's schedule was filled with so many events,'' he

said. ``You could plan for her showing up late, late--but

with a great story to tell. Her daily routine was to wake up

at 5:30 a.m. and work and work and work. At midnight she went

to bed.''

She wrote on a freelance basis for The Capital and later

joined the publication full-time. She often took her own

photographs.

Ms. Winters wrote three weekly columns: Around Broadneck,

Teen of the Week and Home of the Week.

``My mother learned to type on a manual typewriter and she

had a heavy touch. She could wear away the letters on a

keyboard. She also typed very fast,'' said her daughter.

``She also wrote fast.''

She had written for many other publications, including

Waterfront Living and Inside Annapolis Magazine, and wrote

theater criticism for Theatre Spotlight and The Review and

the DC Metro Theatre Arts website. She was a Helen Hayes

Awards nominator for two terms.

She was named honorary vice president of her father's Naval

Academy Class of 1940. Family members said she organized the

class's 70th reunion.

Ms. Winters had also been a Girl Scout leader, a church

youth adviser and ran an annual Red Cross Blood Drive. She

was also a cat fancier and enjoyed roller skating sessions at

Wheels Skating Center in Odenton.

``Wendi was always the same as the first day I met her in

high school--we were both cast in `Witness for the

Prosecution,' '' said Paul Donnelly, a friend who lives in

Honolulu, Hawaii.

``She was tall, elegant, self-possessed and dynamic,'' Mr.

Donnelly said. ``She lived life to the fullest and was not

one to sit around and watch television. Her writing was

meticulous and reflected her personality. She was

compassionate about the people she wrote about. It was never

a chore for her to write The Teen of the Week column.''

A celebration of life will held at noon to 3 p.m. Saturday

at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, 801 Chase Street

in Annapolis. A reception will follow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis, where she

was a member.

In addition to her son and daughter, survivors include two

other daughters, Montana Winters Geimer, a Naval Academy

graduate who is stationed in Pensacola, Fla., and Summerleigh

Winters Geimer of Edgewater, a home remodeling manager; three

sisters, Sandra Winters of Key Biscayne, Fla., Dana Rengers

of Alexandria, Va., and Debra Winters of Yuma, Ariz. Her

marriage ended in divorce.