Mark Meadows

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, this amendment withholds an additional $33 million from Pakistan, in addition to the $33 million that is currently being withheld. This seems like it should not be necessary, but, indeed, it is.

Dr. Shakil Afridi has been in prison for his role in helping the United States Government locate Osama bin Laden. The message, Mr. Chair, needs to be clear that imprisonment, in violation of human rights, of this fine doctor needs to cease.

Mr. Chair, you probably find the same thing back home in your State as I do in mine. Many of my constituents question why we are sending money to Pakistan anyway, let alone if they are going to violate the human rights of someone who has helped bring justice to a terrorist.

In prison since 2011, Dr. Afridi was almost entirely restricted. He was prevented from meeting with his lawyers. Indeed, his previous lawyer was murdered. Dr. Afridi has been tortured, reportedly. He has been described as now looking like a skeleton.

Mr. Chair, this body needs to stand unanimously together and send a clear message to the Pakistani Government that we will not tolerate this kind of behavior and this violation of human rights. We need to stand with his wife, and we need to stand for freedom.

We appreciate the support of Freedom House in supporting this amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), someone I fondly refer to as ``Mr. Chairman,'' who has been a leader on so many of these issues.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for his passion.

In the interest of time, I encourage all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand for freedom and to make sure that what we do is send a clear message to those who will stomp out and try to eliminate those who are freedom-loving across the globe.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Tiawana Ramsey, who is retiring from her position with North Carolina Emergency Management. Tiawana proudly served the great state of North Carolina in the Division of Emergency Management

for over 30 years, providing a great service to the people of North Carolina.

I am honored and humbled to represent a woman who served her state with such dedication, courage, and selflessness. Tiawana Ramsey began her career with North Carolina Emergency Management in November of 1988 as Secretary. She performed her job with great attention to detail and was promoted to Program Assistant in January 1994. After well-deserved promotions to Administrative Assistant and then Emergency Management Planner Specializing in Earthquakes, Mrs. Ramsey was honored with the job title of Area 12 Coordinator in July 2007. In this role, Tiawana oversaw a three-tiered response system which serviced disaster events in both familiar and unfamiliar areas in the counties of Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, McDowell, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey.

In her positions of responsibility, Tiawana demonstrated poise, foresight, and accountability in constructing disaster preparation and disaster response plans. Her efforts have undoubtedly saved numerous lives and prevented many deaths from natural disasters in the areas she has served.

Mrs. Tiawana Ramsey is the proud wife of Mr. Jimmie Ramsey, who also serves in the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management. Mrs. Ramsey has had a tremendous impact on her community, and she will always be remembered for her diligent, professional service to the state of North Carolina. I thank Tiawana for her three decades of service and wish her the best in her retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Police Chief William H. Hollingsed of Haywood County, North Carolina on his retirement from public service. I would like to honor the service of Chief Hollingsed and his significant impact on the town of Waynesville and the great state of North Carolina.

Chief Hollingsed's career began with the Orange County Sheriff's Office in Orlando, Florida, where he served for 13 years as a member of the SWAT team and achieved the rank of Lieutenant. He then moved to North Carolina, where he was appointed as the Chief of Police at Western Carolina University. In 1999, he became the Chief of Police for the Waynesville Police Department where he has selflessly served since.

Throughout his remarkable career, Chief Hollingsed has served in numerous capacities. He is an Executive Board member and former President of the North Carolina Police Executives Association, he serves on the Attorney General's Law Enforcement Opioids Task Force, the Task Force on Reforms for Opioid Drug Convictions, and the North Carolina Joint In-Service Training Committee. He further serves as Chairman of the NC Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, as Regional Director of the NC Association of Chiefs of Police, and as the Police Chiefs representative for the Governor's Impaired Driving Task Force. He was appointed by the NC League of Municipalities as a member of the Risk Management Assessment Team. Dedicated to the safety of his community, Chief Hollingsed was recently honored with the North Carolina Dogwood Award.

In addition to his career, Chief Hollingsed is dedicated to his wife, Karen, and their three daughters. Furthermore, Chief Hollingsed has served on a number of boards and commissions, including Kids Advocacy Resource Effort (KARE), United Way, Salvation Army, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Child Abuse and Neglect Task Force, Boy Scouts of America, Waynesville Rotary Club, Domestic Violence Task Force, Folkmoot Board, Criminal Justice Partnership Program, and the Haywood Arts Council.

Chief Hollingsed earned his Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from Columbia University and earned his Master's of Public Administration Degree from Troy University. Desiring to equip the next generation, Chief Hollingsed has spent the last 20 years as an Adjunct Professor of Criminal Justice at Western Carolina University and is a member of the Haywood Community College Board of Trustees.

It is my sincere honor to acknowledge Chief Hollingsed for his hard work and selfless dedication to our country and his community. His diligent pursuit of excellence is evident through his 35 years of law enforcement, dedication to his family, and passion for serving his community.