Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4152 and strongly support this bipartisan legislation before us today to provide economic assistance to Ukraine during her hour of need. This loan guarantee will help stabilize the Ukrainian economy during a time of political transition and when this country's sovereignty is being tested by Russia. Now, more than ever, the United States needs to demonstrate bold leadership and stand up for those who choose democracy over tyranny.

This bill does not mean the end of Ukraine's serious challenges, but it is an important first step that will allow the government to begin to repair the economic damage caused by the former leadership and will help bring stability back to a nation that values freedom.

This legislation also sends a clear signal to Ukraine and the world that the United States stands by our friends. The Ukrainian people want democracy, justice, reform, and peace. The American people will stand with Ukraine as they chart a new course forward.

I want to thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Lowey for their immediate, bipartisan response to this crisis in Ukraine.

Mr. Speaker, this is important legislation at a very important time. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' so we can send this bill to the President's desk for his signature without delay.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1762, the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bob Bolen, the beloved former mayor of Fort Worth, Texas. Mayor Bolen passed away in the early morning hours of January 6th, 2014 at the age of 87 at his home in Fort Worth.

Robert Eugene Bolen was born on April 10, 1926 to Milford and Bee Bolen in Chicago, Illinois. While he and his family moved more than a dozen times during his youth, Texas is where he would ultimately call home.

Bob Bolen gravitated to public service at a young age. He chose Texas A&M University in College Station for his undergraduate degree in the 1940s. However, he soon left College Station to serve in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery officer on the USS Iowa during the waning days of combat in the Pacific Ocean during World War II. Following his military service, he returned to College Station where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1948.

Upon graduation from Texas A&M University, he began his career as a management trainee with McCrory's, a chain of five and dime stores. While his career led him to locations like Syracuse, New York, he would later be transferred to McCrory's Fort Worth store and he never moved again.

Bob Bolen was first elected to public office in 1979 as the District 6 representative on the Fort Worth City Council. After just one term on the city council, he ran in the special election for mayor. He won and served until 1991, cementing his legacy as the longest serving mayor in Fort Worth history.

He was a dedicated public servant throughout his time as the mayor of the ``Panther City". Bob Bolen's efforts were carefully watched by other cities. What the city is today is a direct result of much of the work he accomplished while leading the city as mayor.

During his tenure, Bob Bolen's Fort Worth experienced a rebirth and revitalization of the downtown area. Companies like Burlington Northern expanded and public-private partnerships helped to cultivate the growing community. Alliance airport was developed within the city limits and Fort Worth became home to the only printing location outside of Washington, DC for the Federal Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The Bureau continues to print money there today.

He was a renowned leader and in the process he helped so many people. He had a particular affection for helping young people as well. He would go out of his way to encourage them and steer them either toward public service or toward appreciating it.

Bob Bolen left an indelible mark on the city of Fort Worth and the transformation that he oversaw helped create the distinguished city that it is today.

Bob Bolen loved Fort Worth and Fort Worth loves Bob Bolen. He gave the city far more than it was ever able to give him and that's a legacy worth remembering.

Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest untold stories from World War II is a story of the brave men and women known as the Monuments Men.

This special military unit was tasked with helping to locate works of art confiscated by the Nazis and return them to their rightful owners. The Monuments Men, and women, were able to locate, preserve, and return almost 5 million cultural items, including many of the world's great works of art.

Today, there are only five surviving members, four men and one woman, of the Monuments Men. I believe the veterans who participated in these daring missions are certainly worthy and deserving of the recognition of Congress' highest expression of appreciation. That is why I am honored today to introduce legislation recognizing these heroes with a Congressional Gold Medal.

While we can never say thank you enough, I believe the Congressional Gold Medal is a worthy token of appreciation from a grateful Nation to Members of the Greatest Generation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Army Staff Sergeant Alex Anthony Viola who was killed in the Kandahar province of Afghanistan on November 17, 2013 while serving with the 7th Special Forces Group at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Staff Sergeant Viola was born in New York and moved to Keller, Texas at the age of nine. He earned a degree in engineering from the University of North Texas before embarking on his lifelong goal to serve in an elite military unit.

Upon graduating from college he entered the Navy and was accepted for the elite Navy SEAL program. While injury prevented him from completing the program, he never gave up on his dream. Staff Sergeant Viola joined the Army National Guard in 2009 and began Special Forces training in the spring of 2010.

Staff Sergeant Viola lost his life to an improvised explosive device five weeks after starting his first deployment to Afghanistan.

Staff Sergeant Viola was a true patriot whose persistence and commitment are to be applauded. His mother said it best, ``He was just a great guy and I'm not saying that because I'm his mother. This is what he wanted to do, and he kept trying and training. We were just in awe of him, his drive to do that.''

I wish to extend my condolences to Staff Sergeant Viola's family and hope that they continue to find solace in his lasting impact on both his grateful country and his proud Special Forces family.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 611, I had to miss the vote for final passage of H.R. 1900, the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act because of a previously scheduled event in my district with constituents. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Stated against:

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 587, due to a previously scheduled, important event in my district with my constitutents that could not be rescheduled, I was not present for this vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding me time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of an outstanding public servant, Bill Young. It is a true honor to have been able to know a man like Chairman Young and to be able to call him both a friend and a role model for all of us. There is no one who was more respected, decent, gracious, dedicated and humble. Everyone who crossed his path is richer for the experience. That is evident through the hundreds of people who attended his memorial service last week. His service was attended by over 30 Members of Congress. During a time of such partisanship, the respect for Chairman Young was illustrated through the attendance from both sides of the aisle, including leadership.

The respect the military has for his lifelong advocacy for our national security and for our servicemembers was evident through the attendance and heartfelt eulogies of former Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James Amos.

It was clear that the Department of Defense depended on him. Immediately before the service began, General Amos bestowed a very rare and appropriate honor by naming Chairman Young an honorary marine.

I will never forget when I was first appointed to the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. As one of the first women ever to serve on the subcommittee, I wasn't sure how I would be treated, but Bill immediately brought me in and treated me with respect and kindness, as he did to everyone. Gender didn't matter to him; he only cared about my commitment to the military and to our Nation.

When John Wooden wrote ``the true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching,'' he clearly was talking about Chairman Young. Over the years, we have all heard many, many stories about the personal interest and assistance that he and Beverly provided for our wounded soldiers, but we never heard these stories from him. He never talked about what he did. He was motivated by doing what was right for someone else's health and well-being.

When Marine Lance Corporal Josh Callihan spoke at the memorial service, it was the first time that most of us had ever heard about the extraordinary efforts the Chairman and Beverly took to help this wounded warrior.

Lance Corporal Callihan had been shot in the back and sustained significant damage to his spinal cord. With no family support system, he was in Bethesda injured both physically and emotionally. Then he met Bill and Beverly Young, and his life changed forever. They stepped in and became his family, helping him to recover. Today, Josh calls the Chairman and Beverly ``mom'' and ``dad.'' After many years of hard work, he is now married and expecting his first child. According to Josh, none of this would be possible without Bill Young.

As I was thinking about what I wanted to say about Chairman Young, I realized it was impossible to do justice to such an extraordinary man merely through words. He was truly one of a kind. The best way we can honor this man is to redouble our efforts to our national security and to the treatment of our servicemembers and their families. I ask that all of my colleagues join me to make sure that we carry on his legacy.

In closing, I want to let Beverly, their children, his friends and his staff, who were part of his family, know that you all remain in our thoughts and our prayers.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for allowing me to speak. Thank you for the hard work you've put into the bills in our committee.

I rise in support of the continuing resolution to keep the Federal Government operating through December 15. We hope this resolution will give the Congress and the White House time to come together on a comprehensive budget agreement.

I chair the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, and funding the bill directly supports U.S. national security. The world has never been a more dangerous place, and to cut back our diplomatic activities at this time would be irresponsible.

Failure to get a CR enacted would impact key posts, including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This would mean dramatically reduced influence in key regions like the Middle East and Asia. Military assistance to our allies, such as Israel, could be affected if payments are not made as planned, potentially jeopardizing the readiness of our partners. This could also impact the U.S. jobs of the men and women producing American-made equipment.

One year ago, terrorists attacked and killed Americans in Benghazi. Failure to pass this CR could delay implementation of the Benghazi Accountability Review Board recommendations and jeopardize the safety of our diplomats who continue to serve abroad.

It's important that we pass this CR today and that the Senate consider it as quickly as possible. It is a basic function and the responsibility of Congress to keep the government open and working for the people who elected us. This bill simply does that.

I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes.''

Madam Chair, situations in Egypt have been problematic, and we're all dealing with that and trying to come to terms. But I want to remind Members that one reason we have a relationship with Egypt is the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. We helped forge peace between Egypt and Israel, a peace that has held for over 30 years.

Our military-to-military relationship has been a key component to keeping that peace. Since the signing of the treaty, the Egyptian military has been a reliable partner and ally. Throughout all the changes and turmoil, the Egyptian military has upheld our security arrangements, including the peace treaty. They've also maintained priority access for U.S. ships through the Suez Canal and allowed U.S. military planes to use their airspace. We cannot underestimate the importance of this.

Furthermore, since July 3, the Egyptian military has successfully closed nearly 80 percent of the tunnels used to smuggle goods and arms into the Gaza Strip. This is an important part of our partnership and how we've worked together. The relationship between the United States and Egypt has never been more critical than it is now. This amendment could jeopardize our ability to help Egypt and Israel secure the Sinai if the intent were other than it has been explained just a few minutes ago. It could harm our efforts to secure the Libyan border with Egypt, which is used to smuggle weapons to be used against Israel.

It's vital to the United States national security that we maintain our long-standing relationship with the Egyptian military. I'm not going to oppose this amendment as long as the intent is not to interfere with this 30-year partnership and relationship. U.S. and Israeli security are simply too important to put at risk.

I appreciate the time and the effort.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 55 I missed the vote due to an illness. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, we're here tonight to honor our friend and colleague, Sam Johnson, a man of service, a man of faith, and a man of tremendous courage.

Sam was released from captivity 40 years ago as part of Operation Homecoming. It was a plan to bring home POWs. As part of the Paris Peace Accords of 1973, 591 POWs were brought home as part of that operation, and our dear friend, Sam, was one of those.

Sometimes there are people that do great things but very few people know about it, people in their family or a few close friends. Sam Johnson's life has not been that way because it's been recognized because his achievements are so outstanding and he's been such a leader. So I think those recognitions deserve to be repeated tonight: two Silver Stars, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star with Valor, two Purple Hearts, four Air Medals, three Outstanding Unit Awards; and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society gave Johnson their highest civilian accolade, the National Patriot Award.

Sam, it's such an honor for all of us to serve in this House with you, be a friend of yours and learn from you. Thank you for all your service.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to rise today to honor a true American hero, who is Chris Kyle, a retired Navy SEAL chief petty officer who was killed in Glen Rose, Texas, on February 2.

Chris Kyle heroically defended his country through four tours of duty in Iraq, where he participated in major battles throughout the country. He was the single deadliest sniper in the history of the United States military. Chief Kyle was shot twice in the fighting and was in six separate IED explosions. However, he never received the Purple Heart because he didn't want to be separated from his unit while the paperwork was being processed.

Chris Kyle fought for his country and saved the lives of many of his fellow Americans, but his accomplishments extended far beyond the battlefield. After 10 years of service as a SEAL, Chris retired from the Navy to focus on his family. He continued to train military personnel and security staff, and he wrote a book documenting his time in combat, which one of the Members talked about. Rather than keep the proceeds from the sale of the book, he donated the money to the families of two fellow SEAL members who had fallen in battle.

On February 2, Chris and his friend Chad Littlefield were tragically killed by a veteran they had sought to help. This act of violence may have taken Mr. Kyle's life, but it doesn't erase the powerful legacy he leaves behind.

Mr. Kyle is survived by his wife and two young children. He lives on through his family, through the lives he saved through his heroism in combat, and through the veterans he helped. He continues to be a source of inspiration to all who know his story.

On February 11, more than 7,000 people from around the country gathered in Cowboy Stadium for Chris Kyle's memorial service. Hundreds more braved bad weather to line roads and highways to honor Chris by watching his funeral procession on the way to the Texas State Cemetery. It was a fitting tribute to a man who touched the lives of so many and who will continue to do so even after his death.

This country owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to Chris Kyle for his selfless service to his country, both on and off the battlefield. His heroism and the heroism of all his fellow veterans will never be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, his children, his family and friends, and especially with his teammates.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Wayne Nichols of Fort Worth, Texas for winning the ``Outstanding Teaching of the Humanities Award'' from Humanities Texas.

Each year, Humanities Texas selects eleven teachers who have demonstrated outstanding skill and dedication in the teaching of the humanities to Texas students. The winning teachers and their schools receive a generous grant to purchase materials to enhance humanities education.

Mr. Nichols teaches a variety of History, Geography and Culture classes for grades six through eight at the Middle Level Learning Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and was recognized for his ability to instill a love of learning in his students through innovative and interactive teaching methods.

Because of Mr. Nichols work, thousands of students have been given a new appreciation of the vital subjects that he teaches and the importance of those subjects in their own lives.

I offer my hearty congratulations to Mr. Nichols for this well- deserved award, and I am proud to have such an outstanding educator in my district.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Congregation Ahavath Sholom for its 120 years of dedication to the Fort Worth community. Congregation Ahavath Sholom was established in1892, and is the oldest Jewish congregation in Fort Worth, Texas.

Led by Rabbi Andrew Bloom and Cantor Shoshana Abrams, this Conservative Congregation holds a deep commitment to Tikkun Olam, repairing of the world. Through inter-faith programs and outreach, Congregation Ahavath Sholom acts upon this commitment.

For many years the congregation has collected food for the Tarrant County Food Bank on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. This year, Congregation Ahavath Sholom is holding its 2nd Annual Community-wide Chanukah Candle Lighting in which the City of Fort Worth has joined as an official sponsor. Mayor Betsy Price and I will serve as honorary candle lighters.

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish victory over an oppressive army of Syrians and Greeks in 165 B.C.E., who had not allowed the Jewish people to live or worship freely. This Festival celebrates the freedom of religion, culture and self-determination that God has granted to all human beings--a founding principle of our country.

Congregation Ahavath Sholom participated in Mayor Betsy Price's ``Connect with the Community'' program on October 25th. During the ceremony, the Congregation was honored for its participation in the Tarrant Area Community of Churches and Fort Worth Housing Authority's ``Clean for Quarters'' program--a program allowing those who were formerly homeless to have clean clothes ready for job interviews and work assignments.

Through Rabbi Bloom's involvement and leadership, the congregation has enjoyed new initiatives in the areas of pluralism and cultural diversity in collaboration with the Fort Worth Intermediate School District, and has worked to foster greater understanding between faiths with its neighboring churches, the Brite Divinity School and Texas Christian University.