Floor Statements

I thank you very much, Mr. McKeon, for the time.

Mr. Chairman, let me just talk about the positives about this for a moment. We all believe in school construction. We all believe that our children should be able to attend the best school facilities we can possibly provide, and I happen to believe in the green energy aspect as well. I give Mr. Loebsack credit. I give Mr. Miller credit for that.

But there is another factor here that I think we need to consider before we go forward with legislation such as this, and this is where we are financially in this country today. I had an amendment, which was not approved by the Rules Committee. There was another amendment, also not approved by the Rules Committee, and mine would have dealt with funding title I fully. That's to help the lower, the schools with lower-income students in it.

We now fund that at $13.9 billion, I think, and the authorization is $25 billion. This has been underfunded forever under the previous Democratic Congress, under the Republican Congress, and now under the Democratic Congress again. So we simply have not lived up to our promise to these schools to bring in money to help with their education.

The same thing is true of IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. And, yes, we have increased that somewhat. As a percentage, we are supposed to be up to 40 percent. I don't think we have reached quite the halfway point yet with respect to that. And, again, that has crossed a lot of Congresses, a lot of Presidents, and we can point fingers at one another. There are Members on both sides who tried to help with that, many good Democrats and many good Republicans, but the bottom line is we have not funded those programs adequately.

Obviously low-income schools and children with disabilities need all the help they can possibility get, and yet we are starting a new program today, and I believe the authorization is something like $40 billion or something of that nature in this. We won't live up to that. We won't be able to live up to it. So this is good headlining, The Public Government to Help with Schools.

School construction has been the responsibility of local school districts and, of course, the surrounding properties that may pay the taxes for that and the States. I know in my State the State has stepped up and is a big part of school construction. That's vitally important. We try to keep our schools up with local taxpayers' dollars.

The Federal Government has assigned roles dealing with certain things that we already do that we are not really living up to as fully as we should, try as we might. My judgment is, if we start this program, you are going to see an increase in requests for school construction that is going to blow everything out of the water, probably a tripling and a quadrupling in a year, if I had to guess. All kinds of schools that believe they are okay now are going to find, gee, there's Federal dollars to be had. We will put together a green energy program, make an application for it, and you are going to see the demand triple and quadruple in a period of a year or so, in my belief.

So I think we need to consider seriously what we are doing. Again, we are all for this. I can't imagine anyone who would be opposed to it conceptually. But can we afford to add another education program that's going to be underfunded?

And that says nothing about the overall deficit of our country. We have seen reports in the last day or two that this deficit is the highest that we have ever had.

This administration has indicated it's more than willing to spend money, but how are we going to get the revenues to offset that? And now we are going to add a new program that we simply, unfortunately, cannot afford at this time.

So for all these reasons, I would hope that we would think carefully before we would advance this legislation, a good cause but unaffordable at this time for this country.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to celebrate and pay tribute to the 20th anniversary of Delaware Greenways. Preserving Delaware's scenic corridors and back country roads, getting children and their families out on the greenways, and promoting responsible and environmentally sensitive growth are some of the tenets of Delaware Greenways.

Greenways are linear corridors of open space that can be used for conservation or recreation. They may include stream corridors, abandoned railroad rights of way, scenic highways like Route 52 in Wilmington, greenbelts around cities or towns and riverfront walks like we see today along the Christina River. A greenway is capable of providing individuals and families an opportunity to experience the outdoors in a safe and enjoyable fashion while also giving them good exercise and educational opportunities close to home.

Programs supported by Delaware Greenways, such as No Child Left Inside, help children at a very early age understand the importance of exercise and provide them with a hands-on opportunity to learn about nature and our community. Trail Days provide families with experiences they will cherish for generations. Many of the projects Delaware Greenways either initiated or supported have had great success. Examples include: Blue Ball Greenway and Barn restoration, East Coast Greenways, Rail-to-trail, Northern Delaware Greenway, Junction & Breakwater Trail, and the Hockessin and Mill Creek Greenway. Each of these projects has helped connect communities and provide thousands of families with a remarkable opportunity to experience the outdoors.

I express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported Delaware Greenways, and to those who have been fortunate enough to utilize these facilities. I hope you will continue to support and use these facilities while enjoying the outdoors.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 367. This resolution marks the 140th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad and the beginning of America's strong dependence on rail transportation.

Since the golden spike was driven into the final tie at Promontory Summit in 1869, our nation has relied on passenger and freight rail to build our communities and enhance our way of life.

And like then, our economic growth depends on the ability to move goods and people quickly and reliably.

For anyone who has driven on the I-95 corridor recently, it is strikingly clear that highway congestion has become a critical problem--threatening business productivity, increasing safety risks, and hindering efforts to improve air quality. In fact, studies have shown that travelers in the Northeast waste approximately 700,000 hours and 500,000 gallons of fuel sitting in traffic delays every year.

Fixing our transportation system will take a sustained, long-term investment. Last month, President Obama announced a new Strategic Plan to build a national high-speed rail network. Now, it is incumbent upon us to ensure this plan is effective in addressing the critical mobility challenges in heavily congested areas of the country, like the Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington, DC.

In 2008, Amtrak set a new record with 28.7 million passengers-- including millions of travelers and commuters in the Northeast. I commend Amtrak for its efforts to increase ridership and improve its on-time performance over the last several years.

As cochair of the House Passenger Rail Caucus, and more importantly one of the thousands of commuters who rely on Amtrak almost daily, I can attest to the accomplishments of our nation's railroads and I look forward to joining my colleagues in exploring their untapped potential.

I thank Chairwoman Brown for her strong leadership on this important issue and I congratulate America's railroads in celebrating National Train Day.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 1271, designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2351 West Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach, Florida, as the ``Elijah Pat Larkins Post Office Building.''

Elijah Pat Larkins dedicated his entire life to public service, and the citizens of Pompano Beach, Florida, are better off today because of his tireless service. In 2008, the Florida League of Cities recognized him for 25 years of public service.

Mayor Larkins was the first of 10 children born to a farmer and homemaker in Pompano on April 29, 1942. Nicknamed ``Prez,'' and voted class president every year from 5th to 12th grade, he graduated from what is now Blanche Ely High School.

He grew up in a segregated society, but spent a lifetime in public service fighting for equal rights, and was elected Pompano Beach's first African American mayor in 1985, and subsequently served a record seven terms. Prior to that, he served 19 consecutive years as City Commissioner.

A Ford Foundation Fellow, Mayor Larkins was a federally-certified housing development specialist who created the Broward County Minority Builders Coalition, and was a director of his own, not-for-profit, Malar Construction, Inc., in Fort Lauderdale.

In fact, throughout his career in public service, he made significant contributions in housing, working tirelessly to ensure that safe and adequate housing was available to all. While mayor, he also helped transform the city's economy from agricultural to urban, all while mentoring local civic-minded residents and minority activists.

In addition to his many professional achievements, he took an active role in countless public service, social, and religious organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Broward County Boys and Girls Club, the Juvenile Justice Intensive Halfway House, and Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church. In fact, he was affiliated with more than a dozen national, State, and local political and service groups.

Mayor Larkins was twice married to retired schoolteacher Bettye Lamar-Larkins, with whom he had a son, Gerald Todd. He also had another son, Tory Larkins, from a prior relationship. He is also survived by his nine younger siblings and his mother, Alberta Griffin.

In recognition of Mayor Larkins' commitment to public service and tireless efforts on behalf of the citizens of Pompano Beach, I urge all members to join me in supporting H.R. 1271, which will designate the United States Postal

Service Facility located at 2351 West Atlantic Boulevard in Pompano Beach, Florida, in his honor.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 382, congratulating charter schools and their students, parents, teachers, and administrators across the United States for their ongoing contributions to education.

This week has been designated as the 10th Annual Charter Schools Week. And it is entirely appropriate that we take a few minutes to recognize the contributions charter schools make every day in the lives of millions of children.

Charter schools are innovative public schools with a simple interest in providing a quality education to children in their community. They explore new educational approaches, such as longer school days or an extended school year, and are free from most rules and regulations governing conventional public schools.

Every day, however, charter schools face the unarguable facts of free market pressures. Unlike traditional public schools, charter schools must demonstrate the success of their students' academic achievements to parents, policymakers, and their communities or face closure. From the time the first charter school opened its door, they have risen to the challenge. For example, charter schools made an important contribution to rebuilding and strengthening Louisiana after Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, particularly in New Orleans.

More often than not, charter schools meet the student achievement and accountability requirements under No Child Left Behind and in the same manner as traditional public schools, but often set higher individual goals to ensure that they are of high quality and truly accountable to the public. Yet, despite these innovative approaches and promising reports of parental satisfaction, charter schools across the country have struggled through a myriad of obstacles to create such successful schools.

One such obstacle is State caps that limit growth. Twenty-six States and the District of Columbia have some type of limit or cap on charter school growth. Most caps restrict the number of charter schools allowed, while others restrict the number of students that a single school can serve. Caps on charter schools are often the consequence of political tradeoffs and not the result of agreement on sound education policy.

I am pleased that Congress has continued to support the public charter school programs authorized under No Child Left Behind. These programs provide support at key points in the development of charter schools, helping cover the extraordinary costs of launching successful charters, disseminating their successful innovations to other public schools, and providing financial incentives to State governments and private lenders that help enable schools to build and renovate facilities.

These programs have been a tremendous success, helping to create public charter schools all across the country that work to improve academic achievement for low-income students. It is my hope that the charter community will continue to build on its 16-year history of providing a high-quality option in public education that is based on innovation, freedom from red tape, and partnership between parents and educators, an option that is giving new hope to disadvantaged and minority families across the country.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I would like to thank Congressman Bishop, the sponsor of the legislation who is not able to be here today, for his sponsorship.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 338, supporting the goals and ideals of National Community College Month, and congratulating the community colleges for their role in educating the Nation.

As a co-chairman of the Congressional Community College Caucus and a member of the House Education and Labor Committee, I have witnessed the

benefits community colleges have to offer.

Community colleges serve a diverse body of students by providing them with a unique flexibility. Most community colleges offer evening courses that allow students to work towards earning their degree while working full-time to support themselves and their families. This flexibility allows many older working adults to further their education and advance their careers. In fact, the average age of a student attending community college is 29, and 50 percent of full-time students are employed part-time and 50 percent of part-time students are employed full-time.

Community colleges' flexibility also enables students whose cultural traditions may encourage them to fulfill more traditional familial roles and may not encourage them to take 4 years to attend a traditional college or university to pursue higher education or job training while fulfilling familial duties. The flexibility of most community colleges helps to draw in a diverse student body, and the relatively low cost of most community colleges provides an educational opportunity to many students who otherwise could not afford to further their education or careers.

The average cost of attendance at a community colleges is $2,402 per year. This is significantly less than the average annual cost of attending a 4-year public or private university or college at $6,585 for in-state, and $17,452 for out-of-state tuition and fees at a public institution, and $25,143, for tuition and fees at a private institution.

Community colleges provide a diverse body of students from various income levels with an opportunity for education. Students may be working toward a 2- or 4-year degree, a professional certification, or furthering their careers through job training, learning a second language, or attending employer-recommended classes in order to receive a promotion. Community colleges award approximately 555,000 associates degrees and approximately 295,000 professional certificates annually. In addition, many community colleges work closely with their community's one-stop employment center to provide skills, training, and other services to unemployed or dislocated workers, which is especially important in these difficult economic times.

Community colleges provide innumerable education opportunities to people of all ages, professions, cultures, and stages of life. These institutions enroll an estimated 11.5 million people annually, and open the door to education for people who would otherwise be unable to pursue it.

This is why I stand in support of this resolution, and I ask for my colleagues' support.

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

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

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

I would like to congratulate the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. I don't have the same level of connection with North Carolina as does Mr. Price, but I did pick them in my basketball pool, which I didn't win, by the way, but at least I won on that aspect of it; so I congratulate them for that.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to Mr. Latham. He, too, will congratulate North Carolina, but he wants to comment on the previous bill, which, unfortunately, he couldn't quite get here for, on community colleges.

(Mr. LATHAM asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

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

I thought somebody who's not from North Carolina should say something nice about North Carolina basketball in North Carolina, and I have a full statement, which I will submit.

But I just want to congratulate the team and the university. And it's happened a lot before. We all know the excellence of North Carolina basketball. This is their sixth national title. Roy Williams has won twice now in his 6th year in coaching the team, improving to 594 wins and 138 losses in 21 seasons as a head coach, which gives him the highest winning percentage of any active coach in men's basketball. The individual players who are graduating this year excelled, obviously, and they deserve a tremendous amount of credit. Junior Wayne Ellington was the Most Outstanding Player. He, too, deserves a great deal of credit.

And to our friends from North Carolina, I also recognize the academics of the institution and the great work which they have done not only for the State of North Carolina but other States such as my State of Delaware and other places that the North Carolina graduates have gone. North Carolina is in its third century. It has 71 bachelor's, 107 master's, 74 doctorate, and four professional degree programs, and they're all very important for the future of North Carolina and for America.

So we offer our congratulations to the entire University of North Carolina, to their athletic department as well as the basketball team, and obviously the academic school for all the great work which they have done. They are a shining example for the rest of us in this country.

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

Madam Speaker, I had yielded back the balance of my time, but the distinguished gentleman from Kentucky has arrived and would like 2 minutes.

I ask unanimous consent to yield him 2 minutes.

Before he starts, I am just surprised that the gentleman from North Carolina didn't object to somebody representing Kentucky basketball speaking, but Mr. Rogers is a distinguished gentleman.

I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers).

Madam Speaker, I urge everybody to support this resolution, and I yield back the balance of our time.

I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise in support of House Resolution 353, a Resolution Supporting the Goals and Ideals of Global Youth Service Days. Organized by Youth Service America, the National Youth Leadership Council, and Global Youth Action Network, and sponsored in the United States by the State Farm Companies Foundation, Global Youth Services

Day provides young people with an important opportunity to serve their local communities around the world.

Held every year during one weekend in April, over 100 countries participate in Global Youth Service Days. This year, young people from around the world rolled up their sleeves and partnered with various nonprofits and faith-based organizations to dedicate their time during the weekend of April 24 through April 26. Some past events include the following projects:

In Corona, California, youth studied and delivered reports on local areas' disaster preparedness. These reports led to an event dedicated to raising public awareness about homelessness and natural disasters.

Here in Washington, D.C., youth from various faith-based communities partnered with Habitat for Humanity to help with housing needs in Northeast D.C. and worked on a shoreline cleanup along the Anacostia River.

In Bolivia, with the help of a Disney Minnie Grant, youth were trained as public health educators to facilitate workshops to educate the community on public health issues surrounding unsanitary drinking water.

In Zimbabwe, youth volunteers refurbished 35 rural schools, worked to clean up parts of one of the cities in the country, and conducted an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.

Introducing our young people to true volunteerism will help build a sense of civic duty early in their lives, which will lead them to become more civic-minded citizens, citizens who will continue to donate their time and skills to their local communities in the future as they get older. For that reason, I rise in support of House Resolution 353 and urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I would encourage everyone to support the resolution.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of House Resolution 396, the resolution honoring the first graduating class of the University of California, Merced.

Opening on September 5, 2005, the University of California, Merced became the 10th campus in the University of California system and was founded with a mission to increase college-going rates among students in the San Joaquin Valley. San Joaquin Valley was California's largest and most populous region without a UC campus before the founding of UCM. With a total of just over 2,500 students currently, UCM is expected to grow to about 25,000 students within the next 30 years.

UCM charges just over $8,000 in tuition and fees; 75 percent of UCM's students receive financial aid; 42 percent of the student population are eligible for Pell Grants. UCM offers 18 undergraduate majors and nine areas of emphasis for graduate students through their three schools, the School of Engineering, the School of Natural Sciences, and the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts. It also has plans to open a School of Medicine and a School of Management in upcoming years.

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the 518 students who have persisted over the past 4 years and will walk across the stage to receive their degree, in acknowledgement of all their hard work, next week.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the young individuals who are graduating with their degrees from all of our country's institutions of higher learning. For all these reasons, I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of this resolution.

I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, we have no further speakers at this time. I encouraging everybody to support the resolution, and I yield back the balance of our time.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Bruce Thompson for his recent promotion to the rank of Brigadier General. Through years of relentless hard work and determination, General Thompson ascended to Brigadier General, a rank that only a few will obtain in their lifetime. I am proud that this man serves the state of Delaware, as well as the United States of America.

A native of Westchester, Pennsylvania, General Thompson's military career began when he received his commission through the Air National Guard Academy of Military Science in 1980. He quickly earned his pilot wings a year later, and became an Instructor and Standardization/ Evaluation Pilot for the C-130 Aircraft with 32 combat sorties and 197 combat support sorties. He served as the 166th Airlift Wing Commander and is a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. General Thompson is a command pilot with over 4,500 hours in the C-130A, C-130H2, T-37 and T- 38. During his service thus far, General Thompson has earned numerous awards and decorations, including the Legion of Merit and the National Defense Service Medal. I fully expect that he will continue to earn awards and citations under his new rank.

I commend Bruce Thompson upon receiving this great honor and for his years of extraordinary service and countless contributions to the Delaware Air National Guard. General Thompson is an exemplary citizen, and on behalf of all Delawareans I would like to thank him and his family for the many sacrifices they have made during the past twenty- nine years. His promotion to the rank of Brigadier General is an appropriate milestone in a truly remarkable career.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Ms. Madison Devon Dodge for her efforts in the fight against diabetes and her profound impact on the lives of thousands of individuals who suffer from the disease.

From May 2 to 5, 2009, Madison Dodge will be honored here, in Washington, D.C., at the 14th Annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. I find Madison's accomplishments over the last eight years, although she is only thirteen years old, beyond extraordinary. She has raised in excess of $40,000 for diabetes research and treatment since she began volunteering in 2001. I am confident that she will not only continue to raise money to fight diabetes, but more importantly, that she will continue to bring hope to those suffering from diabetes and impact their individual lives in meaningful ways.

To promote her fight against diabetes, Madison familiarized herself with Washington D.C. at an early age. She has met with numerous congressman and senators to keep them informed about the challenges associated with this debilitating disease. She also holds the distinct honor of being named a two-time Delaware delegate to the Call to Congress program. Additionally, Madison was invited to attend a recent House Education and Labor Committee hearing entitled Renewing America through National Service and Volunteerism to discuss and examine the importance of national service in meeting some of our country's critical economic needs, at which I had the opportunity to highlight her volunteer work. In Delaware, she takes part in several fundraisers every year such as her biannual Skate 4 A Cure, Dinners for Diabetes, and other events including raffles and craft sales. It is inspiring to see that such a young lady can be so passionate about this worthy cause and demonstrate her passion so vigorously on a daily basis. As the co- chair of the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, I personally understand how important her mission is to Members of Congress, as well the countless families impacted by diabetes.

I would like to thank Ms. Madison Dodge for her years of service to the men and women suffering from diabetes, as well as our greater community here in the State Delaware. I am confident that her Prudential Spirit of Community Award will only inspire her to help more people and strengthen her resolve in the fight against diabetes.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to recognize Ms. Amy Liu for establishing the Sichuan Earthquake Relief Fund and raising over $43,000 to aid victims of the earthquake that struck south-central China in May 2008.

From May 2 to 5, 2009, Amy Liu will be honored here, in Washington, D.C., at the 14th Annual Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The efforts of Ms. Liu in her attempt to aid those devastated by the disaster in China are remarkable in and of themselves. Amy founded, organized, and led a month long fundraising effort that sent more than $20,000 directly to the Chinese Red Cross, where it was redistributed for disaster relief and rebuilding. I find Amy's accomplishments in this situation to be absolutely extraordinary. Not only did she raise an incredible amount of money to help people in dire need, she served as an exemplary role model for her peers in the process.

Ms. Liu has also volunteered at the First State Chinese School, the A.I. DuPont Hospital, the Brandywine Hundred Library, and the Stand Up for What is Right and Just program. In addition, Amy was a guest of mine at a recent House Education and Labor Committee hearing entitled Renewing America through National Service and Volunteerism to discuss and examine the importance of national service in meeting some of our country's critical economic needs. At the hearing, I had the opportunity to highlight Amy's exemplary community service. I am confident that Amy will not only continue to volunteer and serve the Delaware community and people in need, but more importantly, that she will continue to impact individual's lives in profound and meaningful ways.

I would like to thank Ms. Amy Liu for her service to the men and women who suffered in China after the May 2008 earthquake, as well as for her continual service within our greater community in the State of Delaware. I am confident that her Prudential Spirit of Community Award will only inspire her further to help more people and act as an even larger and more prominent role model for the young and old in our community.

I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1913.

This legislation will provide needed assistance to State and local law enforcement agencies, and it will make changes to Federal law to facilitate the investigation and prosecution of violent, biased- motivated crimes against people for no other reason than their perceived or actual race, religion, natural origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability.

We must work together to protect all Americans from hate-motivated violence, which is alarmingly prevalent and so often goes unreported. Such crimes of hate have dramatic impacts on individuals, families and communities, and they must be subject to comprehensive Federal law enforcement assistance and prosecution. While State and local governments will maintain principal responsibility, an expanded Federal role will help ensure the investigation and prosecution of serious forms of hate crimes in cases when local authorities are either unable or are unwilling to do so.

Concerns have been raised that the measure will impinge free speech. I would like to reiterate that H.R. 1913 applies only to biased- motivated, violent crimes, violent actions that result in death or bodily injury. It does not restrict speech in any way. In fact, the bill explicitly states, ``Nothing in this act or the amendments made by this act shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clause of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.''

H.R. 1913 is supported by virtually every major law enforcement organization in the country as well as by civil rights, education, religious, and civic organizations. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act today.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the Delaware Autism Program as it celebrates its 30th anniversary in the State of Delaware. The Delaware Autism Program currently serves approximately 700 students statewide in six approved centers and operates at more than 30 community-based sites with the support of more than 400 staff members.

Designed in 1978 through the collaboration of state legislators and parents of children with autism, the Delaware Autism Program (DAP) offers valuable services to both students and families. DAP seeks, in its core components, to provide access to respite for parents of children with autism, residential support through the public school system, and community and vocational training and support. Along with the dedication to providing students with the best educational services in the nation, these have established DAP as a significant and invaluable resource for Delaware's Autism community

Since its inception, DAP has been a leader in autism education. The development of the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), an educational tool now recognized worldwide for its initiation component of communication, was pioneered at DAP in 1985. The Brennen School in Newark, along with other DAP sites, has proven itself a leader in the implementation of evidence-based best practices in education for students with autism, including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) interventions. Over the past 30 years, DAP has continued to grow and expand; in the past decade alone, the number of school districts hosting the program and the number of students and staff have doubled. With a continuum of educational settings ranging from separate schools, to community-based preschools, to inclusive settings in general education classrooms, the Delaware Autism Program has done and continues to do our great state of Delaware an immeasurable service.

On this 30th Anniversary, I would like to recognize the unequaled devotion of the Delaware Autism Program staff and the ongoing support of their parent community and host districts. Since 1978, DAP staff have given their time, their energy, and their hearts in the support and education of students and their families. I commend the Delaware Autism Program for its tireless dedication and I look forward to its continued success in serving this special group of students and their families.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the Knights of Columbus ``Christopher Council'' (Council #3182) as they celebrate their 60th anniversary of service to the Church and Community in the State of Delaware.

The Knights of Columbus exists throughout the United States, providing valuable services to their communities that would otherwise be left undone. For over 125 years, the organization has dedicated time, money, energy, and service to the sick, disabled, and anyone in need of help through a variety of programs. During the last sixty years, the Christopher Council has gone above and beyond its call of duty and provided an extraordinary amount of service to our local community. I commend them for their efforts.

This Council's work here extends to a variety of organizations and interests, as the members have continually sought to help others indiscriminately since the inception of its charter on September 29, 1948. Most recently, this Council has given major support to the St. Helena and Holy Rosary Parishes and Schools by actively supporting their annual carnivals and by sponsoring scholarships. Furthermore, the Christopher Council regularly offers numerous services to the Claymont and Wilmington area outreach programs as well as Claymont's annual Community Pride Festival and their yearly Christmas parade. Additionally, this organization assists the Cub Scouts, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and the Special Olympics, among other worthy organizations. They act as a leader within their own great institution by hosting our statewide Knights of Columbus summer picnic each year.

Once again, I am proud to recognize the Knights of Columbus Christopher Council for the profound impact they have made on our community. I am confident that they will continue to build on their accomplishments and strengthen their organization while improving our community even further. I wish them all the very best for the future.