Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Trapper Clark and Thomas Sturtevant, the co- recipients of the 2010 Small Business Association's, SBA, Maine Small Business Persons of the Year Award.

The annual SBA Maine Small Business Person of the Year Award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs for their contributions to the Nation's economy and for their personal achievements based upon staying power, employee growth, sales increases, current and past financial performance, product or service innovation, response to adversity and contributions to community. Trapper Clark and Thomas Sturtevant, co- owners of the aluminum trailer manufacturing company Alcorn in Winslow, Maine, embody the spirit of this award.

On March 1, 2006, Alcom got its start in a small section of an old mill with only a handful of employees. Five years and one recession later, the manufacturers inhabit a seventy-thousand square foot factory, employing eighty workers and serving over two-hundred dealers. As of last month, Alcom was supplying its ``mission line'' trailers to customers from New England, throughout Canada and as far west as Utah.

Mr. Clark and Mr. Sturtevant have achieved remarkable growth even during these tough economic times. Alcom took on 25 new workers since last October, and Clark and Sturtevant have surpassed their projected sales and growth goals for 2010 inside the first three months of the year. Most impressively, with an ambitious business plan and expected sales of $44 million and 196 employees in 2013, Alcom has found a way to grow while still keeping their employee base in Maine.

Madam Speaker, Alcorn is a remarkable Maine success story. Please join me in honoring Trapper Clark and Thomas Sturtevant for their accomplishments and their dedication to community.

I'd like to thank the gentleman for yielding. I rise today in support of this amendment. This is a bipartisan effort to ensure that our troops are outfitted with American-made goods as much as possible. Under current policy, clothing items that soldiers purchase with DOD-issued cash allowances are not subject to the Berry amendment. Our amendment asks GAO to determine whether U.S. companies make enough of these cash-allowance items to meet the demands of our troops. DOD will report to Congress on GAO's findings and indicate whether or not they will extend the Berry amendment to any of these American-made products.

This amendment supports United States businesses. This amendment protects and creates American jobs. And this amendment makes sure that, wherever possible, our troops are outfitted with goods made with pride in the U.S.A.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Chairman. I also want to thank Ranking Member Buyer for all his hard work on this bill before us today, as well as my colleague, Mr. Brown, for working in a bipartisan manner throughout the years on veterans affairs issues.

I rise today in strong support on S. 1963, the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act. This landmark bill reflects a strong commitment to family caregivers, who are often underappreciated in their efforts to care for our wounded servicemembers. We must recognize that family caregivers in Maine and throughout our country often put their lives on hold to care for our injured veterans, and their duties take a heavy toll on them financially, emotionally, and physically.

Our brave men and women who serve our country have come to rely on our spouses, parents, siblings, and close friends to be there with them. We owe it to these devoted caregivers to offer them the support they need.

That's why this bill creates a robust, supportive services program for caregivers. This includes counseling services and respite care to help relieve the heavy emotional and physical stress of caregivers.

The bill also attempts to alleviate the financial difficulties facing eligible caregivers by providing a monthly financial stipend, as well as access to health care through the CHAMPVA program. The bill also recognizes the importance of caregivers being by veterans' sides during every step of their medical treatment. The bill authorizes the VA to pay lodging and other costs incurred by caregivers for accompanying veterans during medical appointments.

In addition to addressing the needs of caregivers, this bill helps the VA deliver high quality health care for our rural veterans. The bill improves the VA ability to recruit and retain qualified medical personnel. It addresses the barriers of long trips to medical appointments by providing reimbursement for air travel.

The bill also creates a more robust health care infrastructure in our rural areas. It does this by supporting collaboration with other Federal providers and fostering the VA's ability to contract with community providers.

I urge my colleagues to support this critical bill that supports caregivers and expands health care for our rural veterans.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to offer special recognition to William J. Ryan as he announces his retirement from TD Bank, N.A.

William arrived in Maine amidst the real estate recession of the early 1990s. In a climate similar to the economic hardships the country faces today, much of the state's banking industry was in turmoil. Peoples Heritage Bank, the forerunner of TD Bank, NA, was on the verge of being closed down by the FDIC when William was named its CEO in 1990. Not only was Peoples Heritage Bank restored to solvency, but under the stewardship of Mr. Ryan and his team, over 30 banks and insurance industries in New England were brought together under the Bank North banner.

William's capacity for turning institutions on the verge of ruin into spectacular success stories has impacted Maine greatly. The Bates Mill Complex in Lewiston, once the site of the state's largest single employer, was on schedule to be torn down before the bank intervened. Today, the bank is one of Lewiston-Auburn area's largest employers, including over a thousand TD jobs filling the mill alone. Additionally, West Falmouth has been transformed into a regional commercial and business hub since a new bank operations center was opened there. Lastly, thanks to the efforts of William Ryan, Portland now boasts the corporate headquarters of one of the fifteen biggest banks in the country.

Outside his positions as a board member and Vice Chair of TD Bank Financial Group and as CEO of TD Banknorth Inc. William serves the community in a variety of civic capacities. He is a Trustee of the Libra Foundation, a group advocating the advancement of human rights, an Emeriti Trustee of Colby College in Waterville Maine and a member of the Board of Advisors at the University of New England.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Mr. Ryan on his retirement, and thanking him for his tremendous contributions to the people of Maine.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Edward F. Gorham of Randolph, Maine on the occasion of his recent retirement as president of the Maine AFL-CIO.

For over forty years, Eddie Gorham has been a voice for working men and women in Maine. He has been tireless in fighting to ensure that ordinary Mainers have a chance to join the middle class, and he embodies the Maine values of fairness and equality. Born March 8, 1944 to Joe and Betty Gorham, strong union members with roots in Connemara, Ireland, Eddie grew up in the Munjoy Hill neighborhood of Portland. After graduating from the University of Maine with a degree in history and government in 1966, Eddie heeded President John F. Kennedy's call to service and went to India as a volunteer with the Peace Corps. Back in Maine, Eddie joined Local 29 of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers and became a journeyman boilermaker.

In 1976, Eddie began his nearly thirty-five years of dedicated service to Maine workers at the Maine AFL-CIO. During his tenure there, he never stopped advocating for the Maine men and women who build our ships, make our paper and keep our state running. Eddie started out as a legislative liaison. He quickly and deftly learned the political and legislative process in Augusta, participating in labor committee sessions, researching and revising labor bills and lobbying for their passage. In 1977, he was elected Secretary-Treasurer, a position he held for twenty-two years until becoming president in 1999. During these years,

Eddie's prowess in the halls of the State House in Augusta became legendary. He has forged coalitions, organized participation in hearings and provided key facts to legislators on labor issues. There is no doubt that Eddie's legislative skills have been a driving force behind the passage of major legislation benefiting Maine's working families, including the first in the country Chemical ID Law, Community Right To Know, minimum wage, severance pay, sexual harassment, toxic use reduction, VDT standards, workers' compensation and unemployment and training benefits.

In addition to his professional contributions, Eddie is a leader in his community. He currently serves as selectman in his hometown of Randolph, where he lives with his wife Diana and his three children, Matthew, Delia and James.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Edward F. Gorham for his life-long dedication and service to the working people of Maine.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of

Wayne Werts of Auburn, Maine on the occasion of his retirement.

Having served his community for 33 years as a firefighter and an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Wayne Werts exemplifies the dedication and perseverance that our country holds in the highest esteem. Wayne joined the Auburn Fire Department on May 2, 1977. As an EMT, Wayne further advanced himself through an Associate's Degree in Fire Science, and then through a Paramedic certification--credentials which helped lead to Wayne being named Auburn Fire Department Chief on March 22, 2001.

In addition to his accomplishments as an active firefighter and EMT, Wayne is a longstanding leader in his community. He served as President of the Auburn Firefighters Association for 6 years and is in his seventh year serving on the Maine Fire Chiefs' Association Board of Directors as the representative for Androscoggin County. For 12 years, he has been appointed by the Governor to serve on the Maine Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Board as the Municipal EMS Provider Representative. In addition, Wayne serves on the Task Force for the All Hazards Training Facilities Study. While Wayne's dedicated leadership will be missed, he leaves a legacy that has increased the effectiveness and strength of his community's safety departments as well as that of the entire State of Maine.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Wayne Werts for his lifelong dedication and service to his community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Theodora J. Kalikow and the University of Maine at Farmington's Sustainable Campus Coalition.

Earlier this month President Theodora J. Kalikow announced that the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) had finalized its roadmap to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality by 2035. The ``Climate Action Plan'', as it is called, was developed through UMF's own Sustainable Campus Coalition, a collaborative group of driven students, faculty, staff and community members. The plan identifies a number of strategies to reduce carbon emissions, including implementing energy efficient behavior and policies, ensuring future campus structures conform to LEED standards and investing in the use of renewable energy.

According the U.S. Department of Energy, the UMF campus uses approximately 20 percent fewer British thermal units (BTU) per square foot than the national average for colleges of similar size and climate. Despite an 11 percent increase in campus building space, the university managed to reduce campus wide energy costs by 5 percent of the 2005 levels. A new geothermal heating and cooling system is projected to save $60,000 and 325 metric tons of carbon emissions per year. These astounding feats are made even more impressive by the fact that the university community led the planning process, with little to no cost to the university system.

The leadership of UMF President Theodora Kalikow in guiding the campus towards energy solutions that reduce greenhouse gases and long- term energy costs is an inspiration to institutions everywhere. I applaud the efforts of the Sustainable Campus Coalition, which reminds us that biggest force of change in a community is the drive of its members. Although the nation has a long way to go in moving towards a clean energy future, the people of UMF have shown that progress is possible and that it is happening now.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Theodora J. Kalikow and the University of Maine at Farmington's Sustainable Campus Coalition for their efforts in making a clean energy campus a reality.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of William H. Beardsley.

William Beardsley served for the past 22 years as president of Husson University in Bangor, Maine. When Mr. Beardsley took over, the University was threatened by eminent bankruptcy, but because of William's strong leadership, the University today is financially solid and continues to educate the future leaders of Maine and the United States.

Under his guidance, enrollment at Husson tripled, the campus doubled in size and degree offerings multiplied, including the establishment of a new law school. Mr. Beardsley's strong, pragmatic leadership has created a thriving academic center with a promising future indeed.

Prior to his service at Husson University, Mr. Beardsley worked with the University of Vermont, Green Mountain Power Corp., Bangor Hydro Electric Co., Alaska Pacific University, the state of Alaska and Bar Harbor Banking & Trust Co. Humble, down to earth, engaging, eloquent and a visionary entrepreneur, Mr. Beardsley is a husband and father of three with a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University.

As the faculty and staff of Husson University prepare to continue educating its students without Mr. Beardsley, they are left in charge of an academic institution dedicated to providing quality private education with tuition costs comparable to many public universities. The low tuition and high level of financial aid at Husson University is one of Mr. Beardsley's most important legacies.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring William H. Beardsley for his life of dedication and service to his community and the education of Maine's students.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Janet M. Roderick of Rome, Maine.

Janet Roderick has been a longtime proponent of the small business community that drives Maine's economy, and her hard work

has helped numerous individuals and small businesses throughout Maine.

Janet has been a Maine Small Business Development Center (Maine SBDC) certified business counselor since 2006 at the Maine SBDC service center at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. On December 21, 2009, Janet will be acknowledged as the 2009 Maine State Star. This honor recognizes her exemplary service on behalf of the small business community in Maine, particularly in Kennebec and Somerset counties in central Maine.

The State Star award is presented each year by the national Association of Small Business Development Centers and recognizes an outstanding SBDC employee from each state. The 2009 award is based on Janet's efforts in 2008 when she worked with 148 small businesses, provided 1,070 hours of one-on-one counseling, and helped to launch 20 new businesses in central Maine. Her efforts led to the creation of 37 new jobs and the retention of 21 jobs. Through her efforts, her clients were able to access capital totaling over $4 million.

Janet has long been involved in helping small businesses, and she has been especially active with women-owned businesses and nonprofits. A certified public accountant, Janet was previously a counselor for 11 years with the Women's Business Center at Coastal Enterprises, Inc. in Augusta. Later, she was an accounting supervisor with an Augusta-based accounting firm, where she specialized in small and women-owned businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Janet was the SBA 1993 Accountant Advocate of the Year and the SBA 2002 Women's Business Advocate of the Year and this further recognition is well deserved. The State of Maine and its small business community owe a debt of gratitude to Janet M. Roderick for her commitment to the success of small business. I applaud Janet's work and extend congratulations to her as the 2009 State Star.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Janet M. Roderick for her life of dedication and service to her community and the growth of Maine's small businesses.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of William H. Cassidy of Calais, Maine.

A native of Calais, Bill has dedicated himself to public education for the past 36 years, serving as president of Washington County Community College since 2003. Under his strong leadership, the college added new academic programs, undertook significant capital improvements and formed new partnerships with many other universities and colleges in Maine and New Brunswick, Canada.

He has previously served in a number of senior administrative posts within the Maine Community College System as an associate commissioner within the Maine Department of Education, director of the Waterville Regional Vocational Center, and a teacher at the middle, high school, and college levels.

An accomplished academic, Bill holds credentials from Northern Maine Technical College, the University of Maine at Machias, Husson College, the University of Maine and Nova Southeastern University. Bill has been recognized for his achievements and leadership in collaborative international education, receiving the Lady Dunn Award of Excellence by the St. Andrews Campus of the New Brunswick Community College. Most importantly, Bill has left a lasting mark at Washington County Community College with his emphasis on volunteerism and the role of the college in the life of the local community.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring William H. Cassidy for his life-long dedication and service to his community and the education of Maine's students.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Pamela Thompson.

Pamela has been selected to receive the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics & Science Teaching. This prestigious award distinguishes Pamela as one of the best elementary school science teachers in the nation.

Pamela has been hailed for her enthusiasm, knowledge and ability to instill a love of learning in her students over her 27 dedicated years of teaching the students of Madison, as well as her contributions to Maine's overall education system.

An exceptional science teacher, Pamela constantly seeks methods to enrich her students' grasp of complex ideas. She is commended for deepening her own understanding

of science, learning and applying the best instructions and strategies available. Most importantly, Pamela listens intently to the needs of her students and shares her awareness with colleagues.

Pamela is also credited with leading Maine School Administrative District 59's success in obtaining and implementing two consecutive science grants from the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance. She has served on the Leadership Design Team since its inception in 2004, spearheading the integration of formative assessment probes, new science literature and science notebooks in a program that provides science kits to kindergarten through fifth grade classes. She piloted the new strategies developed under the grants and shared her successes with the K-12 Science Design Team, which led to the creation of a professional development plan for the entire district science staff.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Pamela Thompson for her life-long dedication and service to her community and the education of Maine's students.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Dale Hanington of Benton, ME.

Dale Hanington has served the trucking industry for the past two decades, with the last 17 as the president and CEO of the Maine Motor Transport Association, MMTA. During his long and distinguished career, Dale has admirably represented the transportation industry by promoting highway safety and tirelessly advocating for sound public policy affecting members of the MMTA.

Dale's insistence on integrity and the honest sincerity of his approach has gained him the respect of those who have worked with him, both in the trucking industry and during his career with the Maine State Police. It is his unwavering character and consistent advocacy for highway safety that led to his nomination by the Governor to serve on every Maine's Motor Carrier Review Board since its inception. Dale has never taken this reasonability

lightly, and has always dedicated his time and expertise to the group's role of reviewing the records of motor carriers with significant and repeated violations and ensuring that proper steps are taken to mitigate safety risks.

His many accomplishments while at the MMTA include increasing the association's strength to over 1,200 companies, as well as adding valuable services for the benefit of the membership. On a personal note, Dale has been a long time and trusted adviser of mine when it comes to the issue of truck weights in Maine. He has worked tirelessly with me and the entire Maine congressional delegation to advocate for a fix to the problem. We are getting closer to a permanent solution and we have Dale and his advocacy to thank for it.

Prior to his leadership at the MMTA, Dale graduated from the Northwestern Traffic Institute and served for 20 years with the Maine State Police, achieving the rank of lieutenant by the end of his career. He is actively involved in community and fraternal organizations such as the Freemasons, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Order of the Amaranth and he spent many years as a Scout Master for the Boy Scouts. Dale and his wife Jean are also very active in the First Baptist Church of Fairfield.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring Dale Hanington for his life of dedication and service to his community and his country.

Almost every Mainer has been affected by this recession or knows someone who's been struggling. Moving forward into the new year, our Nation's record unemployment rate threatens our economic recovery.

While I do not support a second stimulus bill, we must refocus our efforts on initiatives that create jobs and promote long-lasting economic development. We must continue to help those who are unemployed in this country support their families until they are able to find a job. And we must pass serious reforms and make efforts to reduce our unsustainable debt, because we cannot grow our economy on the backs of future generations.

Any initiatives considered by Congress must be targeted and fiscally responsible to build a foundation for long-term economic growth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of William J. Rogers of Auburn, ME.

Bill Rogers was a model American. He fought to protect our country, was an advocate for veterans and a leader in his community. Bill was born and grew up in Auburn, Maine. He attended Syracuse University, but his education was cut short when he enlisted in the Navy to fight in World War II. During flight school he was classmates with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams and Boston Red Sox great Johnny Pesky. He was roommates with the latter. Bill Rogers flew F6F Hellcat Fighter planes and Lockheed Ventura Submarine hunters in the pacific theatre. When he left the military after the war in 1946, his decorations included the Air Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation.

After the war, he became very active in veterans affairs. He was a founding member of American Legion Post 153 in Auburn, where he held several offices at both the local and state levels including adjutant, vice commander and department commander. On the national level, he was Maine's national executive committeeman, a member of the liaison committee to the National Public Relations Commission and national vice commander from 1965 to 1966. In 1976, he was elected national commander of the American Legion, the first national commander from the State of Maine. In his capacity as commander, he met with Panamanian dictator General Omar Torrijos and then testified before a congressional committee on the process of returning the canal back to Panama.

During his tenure as commander, he also met with Presidents Ford and Carter, Mexico's President Lopez Portillo, Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines, and President Chieng of the Republic of China. During his year as national commander, he traveled more than 300,000 miles throughout the world representing millions of veterans in all 50 states and 17 countries.

Bill Rogers was a lifelong member of the American Legion, the Army/ Navy Club, the Navy League of the U.S., the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a trustee of the Maine Veterans' Home. Bill was named Auburn Maine's Citizen of the Year in 1995. The State of Maine and the American Legion are honoring his memory and hard work by dedicating American Legion Post 153 to him.

Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring William J. Rogers for his life of dedication and service to his community and his country.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Gifford's Ice Cream of Skowhegan, Maine.

Gifford's Ice Cream recently won the ``World's Best Chocolate Ice Cream'' award at the World Dairy Expo. This Maine product earned a perfect score and was the only product that did. A few days after winning the Dairy Expo Award, Gifford's was named as a ``Best Place to Work'' by the Griffin Report on Food Marketing.

Gifford's Ice Cream stands have been Maine landmarks for almost 30 years. In 1980, Gifford's opened its first location in Skowhegan, Maine and has now expanded their business to five locations across the state. Even though they have grown, Gifford's of Maine has never forgotten to give back. Gifford's remains the family owned, community oriented business that it always has been. They have sponsored Maine youth soccer and supported local charities like the Lions Club. Gifford's also donates 10 percent of their profits, company wide, to various organizations

that support healthy and active children's activities.

Gifford's Ice Cream shops also play a key role in supporting other local businesses. Gifford's buys all of its milk and cream from Maine dairy farmers who pledge not to use artificial growth hormones. They also use locally grown products, like Maine wild blueberries and Maine made maple syrup, in many of their great flavors.

Madam Speaker, please join me in congratulating Gifford's Ice Cream of Maine on their recent awards and nearly 30 years of successful business.