Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a truly outstanding North Carolinian, Mrs. Barbara Featherson, who has

served the Social Security Agency in Whiteville, North Carolina, for forty years. Mrs. Featherson's service began in 1974, when she was hired for a part-time administrative position. Consistent hard work and dedication earned her the position of District Manager, and she has worked every day to provide peace of mind to North Carolinians as they prepare to retire. She has committed herself to bettering her community, and I ask you to Mrs. Featherson's enduring commitment to her community makes her an exemplary public servant, and her accomplishments will continue to benefit North Carolina for many years to come. As her time as District Manager comes to a close, let us honor Mrs. Barbara Featherson's long and honorable career and pray that she may receive God's richest blessings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this farm bill. This is a strong, reform-minded bill with bipartisan support. It will grow our economy, create jobs, provide certainty, reduce our deficit, and save the American taxpayers $16 billion.

The bill reforms the farm safety net, strengthening crop insurance and commodity programs. These risk management tools assure farmers that help is there when they need it.

The bill also encourages conservation and develops export markets to help our farmers sell their products worldwide. Rural communities depend on the farm bill too. Through critical rural development programs, small towns can build hospitals, schools, fire departments, and police departments. This bill helps create jobs and economic development.

Water and wastewater programs, the most basic of public services that allow industries to come to rural areas, give access to healthy drinking water, and sanitary sewers, are part of this as well.

This bill has important tools for new farmers, and I can tell you, as one in the State of North Carolina, where one out of every five jobs are dependent upon agriculture or agri-related business, this bill is about jobs and our economy and ways that it helps States throughout America.

There is still some work to do, like bringing Country of Origin Labeling rules into compliance with WTO and reducing the GIPSA rules. However, our farmers, their families, and small towns all across America have waited too long for a new farm bill.

Our citizens in rural America are taxpayers just as much as those who live in urban and suburban areas. They deserve the respect of this Congress. They deserve a farm bill that works for our citizens who live in rural areas. They deserve the passage of this bill.

We all as Americans enjoy our wonderful supply of food and fiber that the good Lord has blessed us with and that our farmers work so hard to supply. We ought to work with our farmers and with agriculture and have a strong farm bill that our citizens in all of America deserve to have passed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Sergeant Chris Bohler of Willow Spring, North Carolina, who gave his life while defending our Nation on December 17, 2013, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Sergeant Bohler was one of six U.S. servicemembers killed when a helicopter crashed in Zabul Province, Afghanistan. He shall be remembered by all those whose lives he touched as the finest example of altruism, integrity, and patriotism. His life and his sacrifice merit our utmost respect and gratitude.

Chris came from a long line of soldiers. His great-grandfather served in Europe during World War I. One of his grandfathers enlisted in the Army during World War II, and a great-uncle enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War. His father also served in the Army.

Chris graduated from South Johnston High School in Four Oaks in 2003 and went on to attend Johnston Community College, where he was admired as a man with high aspirations and the tenacity to achieve his goals. Eager to protect his country, he joined the Army in 2007, and was assigned to B Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas. Chris was a humble hero that lived his life the best way he knew how--by serving others.

Chris was serving our country dutifully when his life was taken. He will be missed by his family and friends. He was the son of Deborah and Pete Bohler and the oldest of three children. Although he is now gone, his courage will continue to be an inspiration to us all. He shall be remembered as the finest example of bravery, honor, and public service. May God comfort his family, and may we always remember the life of Sergeant Chris Bohler.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my strong and heartfelt appreciation of Mr. Dean Maxwell Mitchell, who has served as my Chief of Staff and Press Secretary since I was first sworn in to Congress in 1997. As he prepares to retire from more than seventeen years of service to my staff and me to the State of North Carolina, and to our nation, it is only appropriate that he be honored today.

A native of Quitman, Georgia, Dean graduated from the University of Georgia in 1986. He moved to Washington, D.C. and worked for U.S. Representative Charles Hatcher for eight years, during which time he rose from Staff Assistant to Legislative Assistant to Legislative Director, and ultimately served as his Chief of Staff. Before joining my office, he also worked as a Government Affairs Representative at King & Spalding Law Firm.

Upon my election to Congress in 1996, I knew I wanted to select an ethical, effective, intelligent Chief of Staff and Press Secretary who would serve the people of Eastern North Carolina with honor and kindness. Not only did I find those qualities in Dean, but I also found a friend and brother in Christ whom I have not only depended upon, but also admired.

For the past seventeen years, Dean has served as Chief of Staff and Press Secretary in my Washington office, which serves North Carolina's Seventh Congressional District. In his two critical roles, Dean has acted as my chief advisor on policy, communications, political matters, budget, and personnel; he has successfully managed the day-to-day operations of five congressional offices and twenty-one employees; he has instituted a number of effective outreach initiatives to assist constituents; he has supported our democracy by keeping the people of Eastern North Carolina informed about the work we do on their behalf. Not only this, but he has personally helped thousands of residents of the Seventh District with a wide range of requests, from the simple to the complex. On countless occasions, he has gone far beyond the obligations of duty for our constituents and staff.

Over the course of seventeen years, Dean has held his position of leadership with integrity, grace, and a spirit of giving. He has demonstrated an enduring and enthusiastic dedication to public service that makes him worthy of this recognition. Mr. Speaker, as Dean Mitchell's service to the Seventh Congressional District comes to a close, I ask you to join me in applauding his hard work and unwavering leadership.

May God's blessings always be upon him and his dear wife, Maggie, as well as his sons, Campbell, Henry, and Porter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a truly outstanding doctor, loving father, and exceptional North Carolinian, Dr. David Lee Simel of Durham.

Dr. Simel was raised in Greensboro before attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduation, he completed medical school and an internal medicine residency at Duke University. He is now a professor of medicine and vice chair for veterans affairs at Duke. And he has dedicated himself wholly to our veterans, serving them across our great State of North Carolina.

The influential book of which he was coauthor, ``The Rational Clinical Exam,'' is a comprehensive guide for patient exams and has become a powerful reference tool for those in the field of medicine.

Dr. Simel's enduring commitment to his family, his students, his patients, and to our veterans make him an exemplary citizen. His passion for medicine and improving the health of others will continue to benefit our veterans and North Carolinians for years to come.

Indeed, we should honor those who serve our veterans and set an example, like Dr. Simel has done. And we also honor him for his intelligence, compassion, and selfless dedication. We pray that he and his family will receive God's richest blessings, and we are thankful for role models like Dr. Simel, who serves those who served our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a truly outstanding doctor, a loving father, and an exceptional North Carolinian, Dr. David Lee Simel, of Durham, North Carolina. Dr. Simel was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, before attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After graduation, he completed medical school and an internal medicine residency at Duke University, and he has been an avid Blue Devils fan ever since. Dr. Simel is now a Professor of Medicine and also Vice-Chair for Veteran's Affairs at the prestigious Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Simel has dedicated himself

wholly to our veterans across North Carolina. I ask you to join me in recognizing his long and honorable career.

Dr. Simel's hard work and leadership have been vital to the continued success of the Duke University School of Medicine. After being the Associate Chief of Staff of Ambulatory Care for the Department of Veterans Affairs, he was named the Vice-Chair for Veteran's Affairs in the Department of Medicine. Both of these honorable positions have given Dr. Simel the opportunity to serve those who have served us, and he does so with integrity and discipline. The influential book of which he was co-author, The Rational Clinical Exam, is a comprehensive guide for patient exams, and has become a powerful reference tool for those in the field of medicine. He has been the recipient of several honors throughout his career, including the Joseph Greenfield, Jr. Award for Research Mentorship from the Duke University Medicine Housestaff in 2011, accepted the Barnett Berris, MD Lectureship from the University of Toronto in 2006, and was inducted as a member of the medical society of high achievement, Alpha Omega Alpha, in 1985.

Mr. Speaker, even as Dr. Simel has dedicated many years of his life to life-saving medical research and educating future physicians, he has managed to remain a devoted father and husband to his family. He and his wife, Dr. Joanne Piscitelli, have three accomplished children: Lauren, Michael, and Bryan. All of his children were active in soccer and basketball growing up, and Dr. Simel rarely missed a game. They maintain a strong tradition of an annual family trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina, during the summer during which the entire family participates in baseball games and sandcastle building competitions. Dr. Simel and his wife also share a passion for bike riding that has taken them around the world. Together they have visited Tuscany, the Canadian Rockies, Patagonia, Vermont, and Slovenia, with Argentina and Nova Scotia planned for later this year.

Mr. Speaker, Dr. Simel's enduring commitment to his family, his students, his patients, and our veterans makes him an exemplary citizen, and someone that I am proud to know. His passion for medicine and improving the health of others will continue to benefit North Carolina for many years to come. Please join me in honoring Dr. David Simel for his intelligence, compassion, and selfless dedication. I pray that he and his family may receive God's richest blessings.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a truly outstanding North Carolinian, Will Crocker, who has served as the Clerk of Court for Johnston County, North Carolina, for almost thirty-five years. Mr. Crocker assumed his current post in 1978, but has been an outstanding public servant since 1959, when he first began working as a clerk for Selma Recorder Court. He has since dedicated himself wholly to bettering this great community, and I ask you to join me in recognizing his long and honorable career.

Mr. Crocker's hard work and devotion have been vital to the continual development of Johnston County. Throughout Mr. Crocker's

tenure, he has continuously held an open-door policy, and has committed himself to high ethical standards. Respected by all who know him, he has been the recipient of many awards and accolades recognizing his hard work and dedication to his job. After Hurricane Fran, the violent storm that devastated much of Eastern North Carolina in 1996, every government office in town was closed except one: the clerk's office.

Mr. Speaker, Will Crocker has selflessly dedicated many years of his life to serving the citizens of Johnston County. His enduring commitment to his community makes him an exemplary public servant, and his accomplishments will continue to benefit Eastern North Carolina for many years to come. As his time as Clerk of Court comes to a close, let us honor Mr. Crocker and pray that both he and his family may receive God's richest blessings.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak on this most important subject of my hometown of Lumberton, North Carolina. Credit.com has used wrong figures and erroneously reported that Lumberton is the ``poorest city in America.'' I strongly urge that the facts be accurately presented and this report be corrected to reflect the current economic situation in Lumberton and Robeson County.

Lumberton's economic, social, historical and cultural strides and values have been honored on the national and state levels.

Twice Lumberton has been chosen as an All-America City because of its clear vision on promoting the positive attributes of diversity. Lumberton has been named a ``Main Street City'' on the state level, and its Downtown Historic District has been recognized on the national level. Its schools have produced leaders recognized on the national and state levels in areas such as business, banking, literature, athletics, government, law, military, education, religion, health care and the arts.

With its strong sense of purpose, a community filled with people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work, and its partnership of elected officials, community leaders, businesses, and economic development team, Lumberton will continue to march forward and meet the challenges of the day. However, Lumberton should not have one hand tied behind its back with this inaccurate report, and we urge an immediate correction in this economic indicator.

Like many other small towns and communities, Lumberton has its challenges and obstacles to overcome, but the foundation on which this community was built is strong and solid. Indeed, Lumberton lives up to its motto of ``Progressus cum Concordia'' or ``Progress with Harmony''.

Among the many positive economic, social, and geographic attributes Lumberton has includes: ideally situated on I-95 as the halfway point between New York and Miami; over 1600 rooms of hotels and suites; national and state historical attractions; numerous meeting and gathering facilities; a wide variety of restaurants and local entertainment establishments; a nationally-designated black water river voted as one of the top ten natural wonders in North Carolina; a multi- racial community and a workforce committed to helping others and building a better tomorrow; and a strong faith-based community with a broad range of places to worship and a diverse number of ministries, demonstrating positive values of service and commitment.

Mr. Speaker, Lumberton and its elected officials, businesses, community leaders, economic development officials, and citizens are all dismayed at this recent inaccurate article and stand ready to showcase all the positives that Lumberton and Robeson County, North Carolina have to offer. We hope that everyone will come and visit and see first- hand the great people that live in Lumberton, the purpose in which they are committed to improving their city, and the partnerships they are willing to form to keep moving Lumberton forward. You will be glad you came.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Hastings for this time.

As the cochairman of the Congressional Waterways Caucus, I do support many of the provisions of this bill, but I am concerned that it has no language to reauthorize expiring coastal protection projects.

Our beaches are the economic engines and environmental treasures that protect our coasts from storms and create jobs for our community. In fact, when you talk about return on tax dollars, the beaches can't be beat. For every $1 spent by the Federal Government on beach renourishment, $320 is returned in revenue. I know of no other Federal program that gives that kind of return.

When we think about the inclusion of coastal renourishment projects, there are over 50 that will be expiring if this is not addressed. We have found at Carolina and Kure Beach in North Carolina, and as many of our colleagues all over the Nation have found, a few thousand dollars on the frontside saves millions of dollars on the backside after a vicious storm like Sandy, Katrina, Fran, or Hugo. The list goes on.

It is imperative that the WRRDA language contain the reauthorization of these projects that are already in progress; otherwise, we lose these investments, and that is not a good use of taxpayer money. These are investments that ultimately create jobs and save money.

Madam Speaker, on Monday I visited a food bank in my district to discuss the importance of healthy food for healthy families. It is clear from their example, among many, that a healthy mind and a healthy body means a healthy workforce and a more productive economy.

In May, the Agriculture Committee passed a bipartisan farm bill with reforms to nutrition that would have saved almost $40 billion. That bill was defeated, and now we're considering a bill with serious ramifications that have proposed cuts that are not bipartisan and that go way too far. They will take away food from children, seniors, veterans, and military families.

Our children are our future, and ensuring their access to healthy meals at school and at home is critical. The Greatest Generation paved our path to prosperity. How dare we not honor our seniors and we take food from them on their tables.

Third, those who serve in our military, we should keep our promises and make sure that they and their families and our veterans do not go hungry. As one who has worked with both sides of the aisle, I implore my colleagues to oppose this bill. Work together. Find a bipartisan, commonsense solution that stays true to our Nation's commitments to our children, our seniors, our veterans, and our military families. For I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a truly outstanding North Carolinian, Mayor Daniel Evans, of Smithfield, North Carolina. Mayor Evans was elected to his post sixteen years ago and has since dedicated himself wholly to bettering this great community. I ask you to join me in recognizing his long and honorable career.

Mayor Evans' hard work and leadership have been vital to the continual development of Smithfield. During Mayor Evans' tenure, he has administered projects to fix water and sewer infrastructure in the East and South Smithfield and was instrumental in the expansion of Neuse Charter School, an institution that has made a tremendous impact in the community since its opening in 2007. He has also been a great force for economic progress through his pivotal role in the development of innovative projects, such as the Smithfield Farmer's Market, as well as securing lower energy prices for the citizens of Smithfield. All of these achievements have contributed to the growth of Smithfield.

Mr. Speaker, even as Mayor Evans has dedicated many years of his life to solving the complex problems facing Smithfield, he has managed to remain openly accessible to its citizens. His enduring commitment to his community makes him an exemplary public servant, and his accomplishments will continue to benefit Eastern North Carolina for many years to come. As his time as Mayor of Smithfield comes to a close, let us honor Mayor Evans and pray that both he and his family may receive God's richest blessings upon them.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week seeking comments from the general public as the Agency contemplates the future of menthol cigarettes.

As part of the agency's review process, the FDA released a report entitled ``Preliminary Scientific Evaluation of the Possible Public Health Effects of Menthol Versus Nonmenthol Cigarettes,'' which documents the FDA's review of the currently available science on menthol. Disappointingly, the report relies heavily on social sciences while admitting that menthol cigarettes are no more harmful than their nonmenthol counterparts.

Specifically, the report states that ``No studies found an increased risk of cancer or non-cancer diseases in menthol smokers compared to nonmenthol smokers. From the available studies, the weight of evidence supports the conclusion that menthol in cigarettes is not associated with an increase in disease risk to the user compared to non-menthol cigarette smokers.''

In addition to the FDA's conclusion that menthol cigarettes pose no greater disease risk than nonmenthol cigarettes, it is insensible for the agency to conduct a review of perception of menthol products. While the review of this type of information may be useful to understanding adult consumer choice, it should not form the basis of any policy decision within FDA. Rulemaking should be rooted in science.

Finally, the real world health consequences of a potential ban are very alarming. Implementing a ban unfounded in science could lead to the creation of a black market for menthol products. Such an illegal market would result in an influx of illegal, unregulated, counterfeit products into the marketplace.

Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that these concerns will be addressed during the public comment period, and that the FDA will treat this issue fairly and with the scientific integrity it deserves.

Mr. Chair, on rollcall Nos. 415 Waxman Amend, and 416 Tonko Amend, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on both.

Mr. Chairman, when you talk about helping with education, when you talk about helping food banks, and when you talk about helping our military families, it really was worth raising a racket about. That's what happened down at the Kastle stadium. We want to thank them for their hospitality.

Tennis is a lifetime sport, but this offers a lifeline to those in need in our schools, those who are hungry, and also to our military families. We appreciate the great opportunity. It truly was a great time to have the ball in our court to do something in a positive way.

Madam Chairman, for decades, Congress has worked in a bipartisan fashion to craft farm bills that protect and support our farmers, strengthen rural economic development, encourage conservation and provide nutritional support for the most vulnerable in society. These bills have generally received wide bipartisan support.

This year I was pleased to, once again, work with my colleagues on the Agriculture Committee to advance a strong, reform-minded, fiscally responsible and bipartisan farm bill. This bill preserves the farm safety net and provides regional equity while consolidating over 100 programs and making targeted cuts to rein in Federal spending and move toward a balanced budget.

These reforms will save almost $40 billion. In fact, do you realize that less than 1 percent of our entire Federal budget is agriculture? Yet, by God's grace, it feeds us all.

The farm bill is critical not only to our Nation. I know in North Carolina agribusiness and farming are the number one industry. Each year, agribusiness brings millions of dollars in revenue to our State, supporting countless families. When we talk about economic opportunity for families in rural America, we are talking about the farm bill.

Last Congress, we brought a broad, bipartisan bill, but the committee was never able to get a vote on the floor. Now is our chance. Now is the critical time for rural America. People in our rural communities do count, and they ought to have the opportunity to have a farm bill voted upon. Now is the time that our farmers need to be able to plan for the future, and now we must have that opportunity to give them the chance to plan to help feed all of us.

This is the place, now is the time, now we have that opportunity to do something about it. Delay is serious, not only for our farmers, but for all of us. Short-term extensions only provide a band-aid. Uncertainty diminishes agriculture's ability to face the challenges associated with a growing population in our country and indeed a growing world population.

Yes, rural Americans are willing to do their part to cut the deficit and rein in spending, but we should not disproportionately put the burden upon the backs of families who live in small towns and communities across America. We hope that you will stand together and let's get the farm bill done for all Americans.