Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlelady for giving me this opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I, along with 71 of my colleagues, have signed on to the brief in support of Hobby Lobby. We must fight for religious freedom. In responding to the Hobby Lobby case, the President has acknowledged how critical religious liberty is to our freedom. I couldn't agree more.

There is a reason why the Bill of Rights prioritizes our right to religious freedom: our Founders knew people could never be free if they could not worship in a manner they found appropriate. Sadly, ObamaCare takes away that right by forcing Americans to participate in a practice they are morally opposed to. ObamaCare is more about forcing Americans to follow a certain dogma rather than promoting a healthy society.

Tomorrow, the Supreme Court will hear the advocates for religious liberty pitted against the voice in support of government moralism. From Plessy v. Ferguson to Roe v. Wade to the ObamaCare ruling, we have seen how a handful of judges can take away our natural rights. I pray the Supreme Court will rule on the side of American liberty.

The Supreme Court must protect the First Amendment. The foundation of our Nation rests upon it.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize Ms. Yushu ``Joy'' Xie's acceptance into the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program.

The Fulbright Program is universally recognized as America's premier international exchange program. I am honored to represent Joy and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize Mr. Patrick Pijls' acceptance into the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program. The Fulbright Program is universally recognized as America's premier international exchange program. I am honored to represent Patrick and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize Ms. Josephine Kao's acceptance into the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program. The Fulbright Program is universally recognized as America's premier international exchange program. I am honored to represent Josephine in Congress and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize Ms. Stephanie Chen's acceptance into the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program. The Fulbright Program is universally recognized as America's premier international exchange program. I am honored to represent Stephanie in Congress and wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I seek recognition on behalf of Al Fracassa, head coach

of Birmingham Brother Rice's football team for 45 years. Throughout these years, Mr. Fracassa taught young men at Brother Rice the values of leadership, teamwork, and discipline. In a world where mediocrity is encouraged, and even praised through things like ``participation awards,'' Mr. Fracassa accepted nothing less than the best from his teams. As he said, ``. . . the difference between good and great is just a little effort.'' It is this mindset, that success must be earned through hard work and perseverance, which has made America the great nation it is today.

Whereas, Mr. Fracassa has achieved a record 430 wins over the course of his career, along with nine playoff titles, and the most wins in Michigan football history, putting him at fifth in the nation; and

Whereas; he has raised an estimated $150,000 for Brother Rice by auctioning off pasta dinners with Al; and

Whereas; he has won awards including the 1997 and 2006 NFL High School Coach of the Year, the 2002 American Football Coaches Association National Coach of the Year, and the Fred Danzinger Award; and

Whereas; he has been named Michigan's Coach of the Year four times, been inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame, and received the MSU Duffy Daugherty Memorial Lifetime Achievement; and

Whereas; the Brother Rice Football Field was renamed Fracassa Field in 2006, and he will be Coach Emeritus following his retirement; and

Whereas; he has been praised as influential, inspirational, caring, and humble, and been called a leader, a mentor, and a legend; and

Whereas; he will remain active at Brother Rice and in the community as a motivational speaker, continuing to be a paragon of strength and virtue; now, therefore be it proclaimed by the Congress of the United States of America that Al Fracassa be honored for his commitment to excellence, his pursuit of greatness, and his stalwart demonstration of American traditions and values.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize Mr. Mark Jackson's acceptance into the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship Program. The Fulbright Program is universally recognized as America's premier international exchange program. I am honored to represent Mark in Congress and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to celebrate Pastor Charles J. Whitfield, who has defined and dedicated his life to spreading the grace-filled love of our Lord.

Alongside with the wonderful support of his wife Judy, daughter Susan, and son Daniel, Pastor Whitfield has lead Grace Baptist Church for over 57 years. He is the longest serving pastor in the history of the City of Birmingham, Michigan. Through his leadership, Grace Baptist has financially supported hundreds of missionaries across the world. He has shared the Gospel with over 172 countries.

Pastor Whitfield's accomplishments will be forever recorded in the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Record. Future generations must know of his invaluable service to our community and service to all mankind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the outstanding young men of the Olivet Michigan Middle School Football Team.

At one of their football games this past fall, the Olivet Eagles planned what is now called ``The Remarkable Play''. The play involved giving the ball to a teammate with special needs so that he could score his first career touchdown.

I am honored to recognize these young men. The selflessness and caring for their teammate is we should all celebrate. The Eagles exemplify how caring for others can go a long way.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Piraneo defends our country everyday as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. Thank you to Mr. Joseph Piraneo for his service.

Mr. Speaker, congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Phyllis Freudenberg who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 2, 2014.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Dalton was appointed to the Livonia Human Relations Commission by Livonia Mayor Jack Kirksey and was elected by his fellow commissioners to serve as the Vice Chairman of the city commission. He takes his new position on the commission at the start of 2014. Congratulations to Mr. John Dalton.

Mr. Speaker, as the United States continues to improve relations with the Islamic world, partnership with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation has become indispensable in creating mutual respect and progressive reform that has served as a bulwark against extremism, conflict, and suffering around the world.

Comprised of 57 states, the OIC specifically has been identified by the previous and current U.S. administrations as a key partner in changing the dynamic between the U.S. and the worldwide Muslim community through ongoing cultural dialogue and extensive humanitarian efforts.

Joint initiatives between the U.S. and the OIC have helped to eradicate polio and promote maternal health in Mali, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nigeria.

This partnership has also facilitated discussions on creating economic opportunity worldwide as a permanent solution to extremist recruitment endeavors, which continually seek out the most disadvantaged in society.

Interfaith and intercultural discourse focusing on promoting religious respect and the modernization of the Muslim world have provided the means to produce new, lasting foundations of cooperation, which will be fundamental in ensuring American interests and international stability in the future.

The continued support of the OIC and its efforts to promote peace, security, and fundamental rights should be of paramount importance in U.S. foreign policy.

It is through relationships such as these that the United States will remain a consistent engine of positive international change.

Mr. Speaker, on rollcall Nos. 588 and 589, I was unable to be present. My wife had surgery that day, November 18, 2013, and I needed to be by her side.

Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye'' on all said votes.

Mr. Speaker, doing the right thing is a core principle for our American soldiers. Doing the right thing for the right reason and with the right goal is even better. People of character must possess the desire to act ethically in all situations. One of our military's primary responsibilities is to maintain an ethical climate that supports development of such character. General Douglas MacArthur once said, ``No nation can safely trust its martial honor to leaders who do not maintain the universal code which distinguishes between those things that are right and those things that are wrong.''

Organizations often reinforce its belief system to its members. In the United States, our founding documents reflect the fundamental principles of our nation.

The Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. The military, which swears to protect the Constitution, places high value on the rights of its personnel to observe tenets of their religious faiths. It also demands respect for all individual differences in moral background and personal conviction. While religious beliefs and practices remain a decision of individual conscience, military commanders

are responsible for ensuring that their subordinates have the opportunity to practice their religion. Under no circumstances can they deny military personnel the freedom of religion.

Military Chaplains are staff officers with specialized training and specific responsibilities for ensuring the free exercise of religion. They advise and assist leaders and individual personnel on matters of faith and conscience, especially in a hostile environment. We must support our chaplain corps to help military personnel who desire it to achieve a proper faith based mindset.

The Honorable Representative Sam Johnson of Texas is a former Vietnam prisoner of war. He recently mentioned his faith helped him through the hardships of his years of captivity. In Vietnam, as a young infantryman, I witnessed countless soldiers saying prayers before missions. In Iraq, I heard many of our National Guardsman praying before performing our Convoy Combat missions. The importance of a faith cannot be understated.

Our country's distinguished military history gives ample testimony to the need for a faith-based character. Every combat veteran understands the basic requirements for readiness are not only their training and their equipment, but also a prepared mind, heart, and soul to face the enemy. An individual's beliefs assist our military personnel on the battlefield. Faith helps us face the horror and challenges of battle.

In combat, ethical choices are not always easy. The right thing may not only be unpopular, but dangerous as well. Complex and frightening situations often reveal a person's character. Faith-based ethical behavior helps prevent atrocities during battle and soldiers and Marines have demonstrated a duty-consciousness that ultimately enforces a standard of moral decency. The moral courage to do the right thing in the midst of chaos and violence stems from the belief in a higher power.

Mr. Speaker, living a faith and ethics go hand in hand. Ethical decisions are made every day in military organizations throughout the world. They include decisions that directly affect the lives of military personnel in the field, innocent noncombatants, military civilians, and contractors in the theatre of war. I encourage my fellow colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to make value and faith-based ethical choices for the good of the Nation. As members of Congress it is our duty to have the strength of character to make the right choices that ensure the protection of individual natural rights rather than taking them away.