Floor Statements

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 648. The bill before us today represents some of the hard work done in conference between the House and the Senate. House Democrats closed the bills without Republican signoff. Therefore, this bill leaves many items yet to be negotiated.

It has no chance of becoming law in its current form because it does not include funding for border security. The Senate will not take it up, and the President will not sign it.

Today marks day 33 of an unnecessary government shutdown. Democrats have failed to come to the table to

offer a serious compromise solution to reopen the government, pay our Federal employees, and fund border security.

In contrast, over the last 33 days, Republicans have offered multiple plans to do just that. Last week, I put forward a plan that would allow Federal employees to immediately receive pay while Members of Congress and the White House continue working toward a permanent solution to end the shutdown. Sadly, Democrats in this Chamber voted against this commonsense measure.

Over the weekend, President Trump put forward a reasonable compromise proposal that provides something for both sides: funding for border security and protections for Dreamers. Once again, Democrats rejected this plan before they even heard the details.

Mr. Speaker, we face a true humanitarian and security crisis at our border. More than 30 percent of women who come to the border are sexually assaulted on their trip, according to Doctors Without Borders. The number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally has increased dramatically, up nearly 150 percent in December.

My friends on the other side of the aisle talk often about the need to help these women and children, and I agree with them. So why are they refusing to accept this compromise proposal put forward by the administration that would provide relief for 700,000 child immigrants brought here by their parents and another 30,000 immigrants whose protected status is in jeopardy?

This shutdown has caused real-world consequences for Federal employees who have bills to pay and families to support. The hardworking men and women of the TSA, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, air traffic control, and others are suffering. The continuing refusal of Democrats to come to the negotiating table only further harms these employees.

The shameful gamesmanship must stop. I call on my friends on the other side of the aisle to get serious about working with us to secure our border, end this shutdown, and pay our Federal employees.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Graves).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the bill before us today, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the dais.

I am, in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, my motion amends the bill by striking all of its contents and replacing it with an appropriation to ensure Federal employees will get the backpay they deserve.

I am offering this motion because the overall bill we are considering today does not address the Department of Homeland Security's funding requirements to secure the border. Therefore, we know the President will not support it, so it will not reopen the Federal Government or ensure our employees are paid.

Last week, I essentially offered this same motion, which, again, will immediately provide the backpay our hardworking Federal employees have earned since this shutdown began.

This should be something that all Members of this Chamber support, so it is troubling that my friends on the other side of the aisle chose to vote against this measure when it was brought to the floor last week. So we are giving them yet another opportunity to end the political gamesmanship and vote for this measure today.

This shutdown has caused real-world consequences for Federal employees, such as Border Patrol and DEA agents, TSA personnel, air traffic controllers, and the hundreds of thousands of other Federal employees suffering during this shutdown.

These employees have bills to pay and families to support. This motion will ensure that they are able to do that immediately while we continue working toward a permanent solution that will reopen the government.

We need to start working on legislation that can be enacted into law. This motion is one such measure.

Federal employees should not suffer because of the Democrats' refusal to negotiate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.J. Res. 28.

I support the goal of reopening the government. There are many critical programs that are on pause that are important to my constituents, as they are to all of us.

This prolonged shutdown has been particularly hard for Federal employees like our TSA screeners, Border Patrol agents, Coast Guard defenders, and air traffic controllers. Like all of us, these workers have families and bills to pay. It is vital that we come to an agreement, and soon.

Unfortunately, the bill we are considering today will not restart those programs or help our districts. That is because it is not a comprehensive solution to resolve the government shutdown and fully address the security and humanitarian crisis we face on our southern border.

Criminals, terrorists, and drugs are flooding our shores. Tens of thousands of children, many of them without their parents, make the dangerous trip to the United States every year.

I have been to the border and to Central America, and I have heard the heartbreaking stories. I have looked in the faces of those mothers and children.

This situation is unacceptable, and it must be addressed for the safety and security of Americans and those coming to the border. We can and must do better.

Mr. Speaker, again, I share the concern that parts of the government remain closed and employees are not yet being paid, but moving this bill across the floor will not help those employees. To put it simply, that is not a bipartisan consensus.

I hope Members on the other side of the aisle will come back to the negotiating table and work with Republicans in the House, the Senate, and the White House to find a compromise that will address the crisis on the border and reopen the government.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Florida.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

I am in its current form.

Mr. Speaker, my motion to recommit amends this joint resolution, changing the date of the continuing resolution to January 15.

This will ensure that Federal employees will get the retroactive pay they deserve, consistent with the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019, that the President signed yesterday.

The Senate will not take up, and the President will not sign, a continuing resolution through February 28. The President has made clear that he will not open the government until our Nation's border security is addressed. But, the Democrats refuse to negotiate with Republicans. They refuse to come to the table.

This shutdown has caused real-world consequences for Federal employees, people who keep us safe and protect our borders, like the TSA, the Border Patrol, the air traffic controllers, and the Coast Guard. My motion will allow Federal employees to get the paychecks they recently missed.

This resolution provides some relief to Federal employees, while we wait for Democrats to come to the negotiating table. We need to start working on legislation that can be enacted into law.

Federal employees should not suffer because of the Democrats' refusal to negotiate.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on the motion, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Chair, I rise today on H.R. 268, the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019.

On December 20 of last year, the House considered a bill that included a continuing resolution to keep the government open, more than $5 billion to secure our southern borders, and a supplemental appropriation to help disaster-affected areas. That bill passed the House, but it was not taken up by the Senate.

As it did in December, the bill before us today also includes funding for disaster relief. In fact, it includes $4.3 billion more for communities recovering from national disasters, including storms and other events that occurred in 2017 and 2018. This would help the American people get back on their feet after these devastating events.

The bill also includes help for farmers and ranchers for crop and commodity losses, assistance for flood and storm damage, and allows our military and Federal agencies to repair facilities and assets.

Like it did in December, the bill we are considering today also includes a continuing resolution to fund the government and ensure that our hardworking Federal employees are paid.

What this bill does not include is funding for border security needs identified by the agents and officers on the front lines. Therefore, the bill before us today will not resolve the government shutdown. It will not reopen the government and ensure that our TSA screeners, our Coast Guard defenders, our Border Patrol agents, and our air traffic controllers are paid.

We must stop wasting time voting on bills that have no chance of becoming law. We should, instead, work with urgency to get our government back up and running. In order to do that, we must address border security and funding for the remaining appropriations bills.

I thank Chairwoman Lowey for her work, and I am hopeful that in the coming days, together, we can come to an agreement with all of our partners in the Senate, the House, and the White House to address the remaining funding issues in 2019.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry).

Madam Chair, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Chair, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Rice).

Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Dunn) for the purpose of a colloquy.

Mr. Chair, I thank my colleagues for this colloquy.

Tyndall Air Force Base is vital to Florida and the United States. I look forward to working with the gentleman as well as the gentlewoman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee to rebuild this base.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Puerto Rico (Miss Gonzalez-Colon).

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I rise in opposition to the amendment.

Madam Chair, the funds in this bill, especially those funds for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Coast Guard, are specifically for repairing storm damage in our communities. The agencies have identified specific projects and calculated estimates to bring our infrastructure and agency assets back to full operation.

Not a single paragraph in the bill before us includes funds for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, yet this amendment restricts funds for this purpose.

My colleagues, this amendment walks away from all the good work Chairwoman Lowey tried to do for the Corps and the Coast Guard and blocks the necessary border investments required in a final compromise.

Unfortunately, this amendment will be viewed by many of my colleagues as a poison pill. It ignores investments that those on my side of the aisle believe are necessary to fund a way forward, that will provide disaster funds, address the border crisis, and reopen the government.

I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I have no further speakers.

Madam Chair, I urge a ``no'' vote on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Speaker, due to circumstances outside of my control, I was unable to be present for this vote.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 28.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.J. Res. 27, a continuing resolution providing funding through February 1.

I support the goal of reopening the government. There are many critical programs that are on pause which are important to my constituents and all of us, programs like TSA, Border Patrol, Coast Guard, and air traffic controllers.

Unfortunately, the bill we are considering today will not restart those programs or help our districts. That is because it is not a comprehensive solution to resolve the government shutdown and fully address the security and humanitarian crisis we face on our southern border.

Criminals, terrorists, and drugs are flooding our shores. Tens of thousands of children, many of them without their parents, make the dangerous trip to the United States every year. I have been to the border and to Central America, and I have heard the heartbreaking stories. This situation is unacceptable and it must be addressed. We can and we must do better.

Madam Speaker, again, I share the concern that parts of the government

remain closed and employees are not yet being paid, but moving this bill across the floor will not fix the problem. To put it simply, there is not a bipartisan consensus on this plan.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann).

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Rutherford).

Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this continuing resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 266.

Unfortunately, moving this bill across the House floor will not resolve the partial government shutdown, as the President has said he will not sign this bill into law.

It is the job and responsibility of Congress to appropriate funds. We must come together to find a solution that will reopen the government and fund border security. We need a compromise that represents the will of both Chambers and the American people.

By considering the Senate-passed version of the appropriations bill, we are eliminating House Members' involvement in the process. This bill in particular ignores 93 percent of all House Member requests that were included in our bill, including the 50 amendments that were adopted on the floor.

This appropriations bill for the Interior Department fails to include the $12 million that House Members provided to U.S. Geological Survey programs, like the earthquake early warning system that saves lives.

It also reduces the amount of funds available to clear dead and dying trees from forests, to help prevent the kind of devastating wildfires we saw this year, by $21 million.

We have heard a lot about the National Park Service during this shutdown. This bill reduces funding for our national parks by $27 million.

These are just a few of the priorities of the House that are not included in this bill before us today.

Madam Speaker, Republicans stand ready and willing to negotiate with our friends on the other side of the aisle on legislation that includes priorities of both parties and both Chambers. That is how this legislative body and our system of government are designed to work.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from California, Mr. Calvert, for his efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the House's voice is heard in this debate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 265.

Unfortunately, moving this bill across the House floor will not resolve the partial government shutdown. As the President has said, he will not sign this bill into law.

It is the job and responsibility of the Congress to appropriate funds, who must come together to find a solution that will reopen the government and fund border security. We need a compromise that represents the will of both Chambers and the American people.

By considering the Senate-passed versions of the appropriations bills, we are eliminating House Members' involvement in the process. When it comes to investment in agriculture, rural development, and public health programs that are important to Americans across the country, H.R. 265 funds Senate priorities by shortchanging House priorities.

For example, this bill provides less funding for food and drug safety and public health. For the average American, this means decreased access to medical products because there are less resources to bring those products to market in a safe and efficient manner.

This bill also leaves behind funding to address persistent poverty in rural areas. This is a vital resource as rural communities across the country seek to break the cycle of poverty. We can and we must do better.

Madam Speaker, Republicans stand ready and willing to negotiate with our friends on the other side of the aisle on legislation that includes priorities of both Houses, and both Chambers. This is how this legislative body and our system of government are designed to work.

I want to thank my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) for his efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the House's voice is heard in this debate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 267. Unfortunately, moving this bill across the floor will not resolve the partial government shutdown, as the President has said he will not sign this bill into law.

It is the job and responsibility of the Congress to appropriate funds. We must come together to find a solution that will reopen the government and fund border security. We need a compromise that represents the will of both Chambers and the American people.

By considering the Senate-passed version of the appropriations bills, we are eliminating House Members' involvement in the process. When it

comes to Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies, H.R. 267 places a lower priority on creating jobs and expanding opportunity.

For example, this bill provides $1.4 billion less for highway funding to the States and territories. That is less money to address our Nation's crumbling roads and bridges.

When it comes to the Federal Aviation Administration, this bill provides $250 million less to modernize our air traffic control system.

The bill also reduces programs for the most vulnerable among us. It provides millions less for a voucher program that enables families with children to move to neighborhoods with greater economic opportunity and virtually eliminates funds that House Republicans provided for impoverished citizens living with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, Republicans stand ready and willing to negotiate with our friends on the other side of the aisle on legislation that includes priorities of both Houses and both Chambers. That is how the legislative body and our system of government is designed to work.

I thank the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Diaz-Balart) for his efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the House's voice is heard in this debate.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 264.

Unfortunately, as with all the appropriations bills we consider this week, moving this bill across the House floor will not resolve the partial government shutdown.

It is a job and responsibility of Congress to appropriate funds. We must come together, both Republicans and Democrats, in the House and the Senate, to put together a legislation solution that will reopen the government and fund border security, one that represents the will of both Chambers and the American people.

By considering only the Senate-passed versions of these appropriations bills, we are ignoring the will of this Chamber by eliminating House Members' involvement in the appropriations process.

The bill before us today funds Senate priorities at the expense of House priorities. In particular, the Financial Services and General Government bill falls short in several areas: constructing border points of entry, assisting taxpayers and U.S. businesses, and following through on commonsense bipartisan financial reforms.

I want to thank my colleague from Georgia (Mr. Graves) for his efforts today and over the last several months to ensure that the House's voice is heard in this debate.

Mr. Speaker, George H.W. Bush was a giant of a man, a decorated naval aviator who nearly lost his life in World War II, Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Vice President, and, most notably, President of the United States.

But more than any of that, he is someone to admire because he spent his life dedicated to serving his country and his fellow man. His dedication to his country was only rivaled by his dedication to his family, marked by his 73-year marriage to his wife, Barbara, and his loving relationships with his children, his grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.

As important as he was, he took time to greet people who came to see him. He knew the value of a written note of praise and a hug and a handshake. He laughed as well as he led, and he knew the importance of relationships.

Those who didn't have the privilege of knowing President Bush personally were given a glimpse of his character through his loved ones on Wednesday during his memorial service. As his son President George W. Bush said--who has the same sense of family and dedication to the Nation--of his father: ``Your decency, sincerity, and kind soul will stay with us forever.''

So through our tears, let us know the blessings of knowing and loving you, a great and noble man. George H.W. Bush's greatness shows in the strength of his family, and he has given us all a lesson in how to be a good friend.

President Bush accomplished much in his long life. He epitomized what it means to be a public servant, and I am honored to recognize this distinguished Texan today and thank him for his service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors (GFWAR) on their 100 years of service to the Fort Worth community. With more than 3,200 realtor and affiliate members, GFWAR is a strong advocate for real estate professionals and Texas property owners.

The members of GFWAR are devoted to protecting private property rights and supporting homeownership, and their members have been among Fort Worth's most prominent citizens.

Among the leading members of GFWAR include the late Charles McMillan, former president of GFWAR, the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR) and the National Association of Realtors. Several other GFWAR members have also served as president of TAR; these include Walter Curlee, James D'Arcy, Raymond Estes, A.L. Purvis, Lester Weatherby, and William C. Jennings.

Additional prominent members of GFWAR include my friend State Representative Charlie Geren, who serves Texas House District 99, former State Representative Rob Orr, who served Texas House District 58, and Billie Heffner who was the first woman to chair the Texas Real Estate Commission. Prominent past members of GFWAR also include the Mayor of Fort Worth, Betsy Price.

Members of the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors have provided valuable professional services to Fort Worth residents for a century. On their 100th anniversary, I would like to commend all those affiliated with this notable organization and extend best wishes for continued success.

Please join me in thanking the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors for their proud history and centenary of service to Fort Worth, Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present to vote on H. Res. 1099. Had I been present, I would have voted yea on Roll Call No. 415.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the FY19 Defense and Labor-HHS Appropriations conference agreement.

Congress' number one responsibility is to provide for the defense of this Nation. This agreement enables us to fulfill that most fundamental constitutional duty.

Since becoming chair, it has been my goal to ensure that this bill reflects the needs of our defense and intelligence experts so that they have the resources needed to combat the threats of today and in the future.

I want to thank Members for their participation throughout this process. Their input on how we can best address the needs of our military has been invaluable. This agreement includes many of their ideas and priorities by taking into account the over 6,600 requests submitted by Members.

With this agreement, we will be able to do something that has not been done in a decade: provide our military with the funding they need on time so we can rebuild our Armed Forces.

This is an agreement we can all be very proud of. It provides Secretary of

Defense Mattis with the resources he needs to implement the new National Defense Strategy and restore our military.

This conference agreement includes major investments in air superiority, shipbuilding, and the ground forces, including strong support for the National Guard.

This bill provides 18 C-130 aircraft, including 8 for the Air National Guard; 24 F-18 Super Hornets; 58 Black Hawk helicopters; 66 Apache helicopters; 93 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters; 13 V-22 aircraft; 13 Navy ships, including 2 Virginia-Class submarines, and 3 Littoral Combat Ships; upgrades for 135 Abrams tanks, and $1.3 billion for additional National Guard and Reserve equipment.

This agreement also invests in the research and development needed to maintain our technological superiority, including critical investments in space, hypersonics, nuclear forces, and missile defense, including the Israeli cooperative programs.

Finally, this agreement strongly supports our servicemembers and their families by funding the largest pay raise for our troops in 9 years;

Growing the force by fully funding the authorized increase in end strength; and,

Investing in the defense health program, including critical medical research.

I would like to thank Chairman Frelinghuysen. This is his last defense bill, and we are thankful for his leadership on our national security.

I would like to thank Ranking Member Visclosky for being a great partner on this bill.

I would also like to thank the members of the Defense Subcommittee, as well as the staff, for their many hours of work on this bill.

On our majority staff: Jennifer Miller, Walter Hearne, Brooke Boyer, BG Wright, Allison Deters, Collin Lee, Matt Bower, Jackie Ripke, Hayden Milberg, Bill Adkins, Sherry Young, and Barry Walker.

On our minority staff: Becky Leggieri, Jennifer Chartrand, and Chris Bigelow.

On my personal staff: Johnnie Kaberle and Spencer Freebairn; and on Mr. Visclosky's staff, Joe DeVooght.

In closing, I, again, urge my colleagues to support this agreement and fund our national security. It is vital that we pass this agreement this week and have it signed into law. The men and women of our Armed Forces deserve no less.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the dedication of the Dee J. Kelly Law Learning Center at George Washington University Law School.

Dee J. Kelly, Sr. was a dear friend of mine. His dedication and public service to Fort Worth pioneered the growth and development that we see in the community today. The dedication of the Dee J. Kelly Law Learning Center is well-deserved, and I was honored to be invited to the very special event. I include in the Record the remarks of those who spoke at the ceremony last Friday, August 31, 2018.

Remarks by Blake Morant, Dean of the George Washington University Law

School

It is indeed a great privilege for me to lead this

dedication ceremony--my first since arriving at GW Law four

years ago. Dee J. Kelly was an extraordinarily distinguished

and cherished alumnus of our law school whose contributions

to GW Law and the legal profession were myriad. I will be

honored to say a few words about Mr. Kelly's illustrious life

and career in a moment, but first I would like to express my

heartfelt gratitude to Cindy, Craig, Dee Jr. and the rest of

the Kelly family for your immense generosity.

Many thanks, as well, to the dedicated faculty and staff of

the GW Law community for their invaluable contributions

through the years. And finally, a special thank you to Dean

Scott Pagel and Karen Whal for your many hours of work with

the Kelly family to archive and display the fascinating

collection of Dee J. Kelly's memorabilia.

The late Dee J. Kelly, who graduated from our law school in

1954, was a giant of the legal profession, whose myriad

accomplishments brought us great pride. Mr. Kelly, who

founded Kelly Hart & Hallman, was one of the most prominent

lawyers in Texas with offices in Fort Worth, Austin, New

Orleans and Midland. He was also a force in state politics as

a fundraiser and power broker on the local level in Fort

Worth and as the friend of numerous governors, state

officials and U.S. presidents.

In addition to his myriad professional achievements, he is

remembered as a philanthropist and served on a number of

nonprofit boards including the Van Cliburn Foundation, Sam

Rayburn Foundation, and UT Southwestern Moncrief Cancer

Center.

Finally, he was a great supporter of education as evidenced

by his support of his undergraduate alma mater, Texas

Christian University (TCU), his law school GW Law, and other

Texas institutions including Texas A&M University School of

Law. His name will live on in perpetuity here at GW Law,

where we will forever be proud to call him an alumnus of our

law school.

Remarks by Thomas J. LeBlanc, President of George Washington University

Thank you, Dean Morant. I am delighted to join all of you

to honor the legacy of Dee Kelly, Sr., and to celebrate the

dedication of the Dee J. Kelly Law Learning Center.

I am so pleased that the Kelly family could be here today

for this special occasion. I especially want to thank Cindy,

Craig and Dee, whose collective philanthropy in memory of

their father has made today's dedication possible. I would

also like to thank the current and former public officials

here for joining us.

We are here today to celebrate the dedication and loyalty

of Dee Kelly to his alma mater.

From what I have learned about the life of the late Dee J.

Kelly, Sr., his legacy of service through law and

philanthropy embodies what it means to be a GW Law alumnus,

and we are pleased to continue his legacy for generations of

GW Law students to come.

I know that our students will be inspired and motivated by

Dee's incredible life and career, which were distinguished by

hard work, diligence and a commitment to all that he did--

and, as such, the resulting success and respect he earned and

deserved from so many, including each of us here today.

With this generous gift and through the naming of the Dee

J. Kelly Law Learning Center, we hope to honor Dee's memory

by continuing to foster a dynamic, student-focused community

stimulated by cultural and intellectual diversity. I think

the studying, legal research and moot court competitions our

students hold here will help to do just that.

Remarks by Dee J. Kelly, Jr.

Thank you Dean Morant and President LeBlanc. I should

mention that LeBlanc is a very important name in our family.

It is not only my mother's maiden name--and she will be very

excited to see the pictures from today--but also my brother's

middle name. I want to introduce my brother Craig, his wife,

Robyn, and their two boys, Patrick and Ryan.

And I could never forget the President of the Dee Kelly

Foundation, my wonderful sister, Cindy. She's a tough steward

of the Foundation's dollars but a soft touch when it comes to

honoring our father. Cindy is joined by one of her two sons,

Kelly, and his wife Paige. Her oldest son, Ben, just moved to

California and his new employer has him hard at work but he's

represented today by his beautiful wife, Shelby.

And of course my group is here as well. I want to recognize

my wife, Dana, and two of my three girls, Lynn and Cate.

Number three, Camille, just started classes and is allegedly

studying hard. Yes, that's a look of skepticism on my face.

A couple more thank you's. Two active members of Congress

took the time to be with us today. I know they both have many

other important duties to attend to but they still made time

to be here. Back home, we know them as just Kay and Roger,

but in Washington they are known as two of our finest members

of the House of Representatives. Thank you Congresswoman

Granger and Congressman Williams. Your presence means a great

deal to my family. And you know my father loved you both.

Last but not least are two former pols who were dear

friends of my father. Pete Geren and Ben Barnes. Thank you

both for being here.

Today's event would have meant a lot to my father . . . and

not just because his name is splashed across the building

over there. GW was the school that launched Dee Kelly's

career and set him off on a course that lead to great success

and, lucky for all of us today, financial reward. I doubt Dad

would have ever dreamt when he was working for Speaker

Rayburn and going to night school at GW, that he'd have a

building on campus dedicated in his honor.

I think what he'd say today, if he was alive, is that this

building is about honoring those who gave him a chance in

life and helped set him off on a course for success. Our

father clawed and scratched, and yes sometimes fought, his

way to the top of the legal profession, and I know that he

credited GW for giving him the legs to stand on to build his

career

So thank you again, President LeBlanc and Dean Morant. By

honoring my father, you honor all students who are hoping

education gives them a chance in life. I know that--because

my father was one of those lucky few

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to a dear friend, a fine Texan and a great American, Dwight Albert Sharpe. Known as ``D.A.'' Sharpe to his friends, he graduated to heaven on July 12, 2018.

D.A. was one of my first and most ardent supporters and his inspiring and encouraging messages encouraged me and others on a regular basis.

My friend D.A. was born June 24, 1939, in Ballinger, Texas. He was a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas and held a bachelor of business administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin. D.A. married his wife, Suzanne Margaret Boggess, in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1962, where their three children were later born. The family resided in St. Louis County, Missouri between 1972 to 1982 in Dallas between 1982 to 1999, and for the last 19 years, in Aurora, Wise County.

D.A. served as the chairman of the Republican Party of Wise County from 2000 and 2008. Even in retirement, D.A. remained active as a national and state GOP delegate. In

addition to his political service, D.A.'s professional pursuits were in the fields of technology, as well as in administrative management for non-profit Christian entities. In 2004, he retired as the Executive Administrator for the Senior Pastor at Highland Park Presbyterian Church .

D.A. studied genealogy extensively, tracing his ancestry back more than 1,300 years. He also found genealogical relationships to 20 of the 45 U.S. Presidents. Above all else, D.A. was privileged to call himself a fifth-generation Texan. His great, great grandfather, Judge Felix Benedict Dixon, immigrated from Ohio to Texas in 1841, when it was still the Republic of Texas. D.A.'s lineage also has roots going back in America as a sixth-generation United States citizen, being a descendant of American Revolutionary soldier, Lt. George P. Sharp, of New York.

D.A. is survived by his wife, Suzanne Margaret Boggess Sharpe and their three children: Taylor Marcus Sharpe; Tiffany Lenn Sharpe Westmoreland and her husband, Steven O. Westmoreland; and Todd Wittman Sharpe, and his wife, Carrie Ann Maxwell Sharpe. There are seven grandchildren: Katherine Michelle, John David (Jack), Lily Taylor, Sarah Todd and Samuel Lee (Sam) Westmoreland; and Luke Maxwell and Brooke Eden Sharpe.

Though D.A. is no longer with us, his memory will not be forgotten by those of us who were privileged enough to know him. I ask Members to please pray for my dear friend D.A. Sharpe and his family during this difficult time.