Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Mr. George M. Roach of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for his service in the U.S. Air Force. After he was honorably discharged, he became a career member of Pennsylvania's Air National Guard and has since been deployed to Kuwait and Qatar.

In his capacity with the National Guard, Mr. Roach has also served many humanitarian missions. He supported Pennsylvania's National Guard activation for the response to Hurricane Katrina's devastation, and was deployed again to provide recovery assistance to areas affected by Hurricanes Gustav and Ike in 2008.

In 2011, Mr. Roach was deployed to Afghanistan as a Public Affairs/ Military Liaison for Armed Forces Entertainment. Mr. Roach also participated in a NATO mission to support Hungarian forces and voluntarily deployed himself to Houston this year to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey. He currently has a civilian career in TV photojournalism, and helped found FOX's annual ``Military Appreciation Day.'' He has also produced recruitment content for the Philadelphia Police Department that the force uses to help bring in qualified applicants.

Mr. Roach's career speaks for itself. He's a proven humanitarian, public servant, and role model for others who wish to dedicate their own lives to public service. I commend Mr. Roach for all his work over the years and thank him for his service.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Lieutenant Colonel Dale Glenn Derr of Berks County, Pennsylvania. Lt. Col. Derr served our country in the U.S. Air Force for two decades during which he received many honors and awards.

Lt. Col. Derr decided to commission into the Air Force after receiving his teaching certificate. His mentor, Samuel Gundy--World War II bomber pilot, POW, and esteemed naturalist, was a major influence in the future Lt. Col.'s life and his decision to join the military. This decision began an illustrious 20 year career of service to our nation.

Lt. Col. Derr quickly became known for his keen operational and scientific talents during his tours of duty in Europe. Here he received Distinguished Graduate honors at the prestigious NATO School in Oberammergau, Germany. Upon returning home, the Lt. Col. was selected to be an instructor on weapons of mass destruction at the Interservice Nuclear Weapons School. He would go on to again be awarded the Distinguished Graduate Honors while at the Technical Instructor School. Eventually, he was named top instructor for the Technical Training Group in 1990.

Since retiring from the Air Force, Lt. Col. Derr has continued his dedication to our country and those who have served it by directing the Department of Veteran Affairs for Berks County. In this capacity he works to ensure the county's 27,000 veterans have access to the department's many services and benefits.

I commend Lt. Col. Derr for his dedication to our country and community through his teaching and service. He is a leader in his community and continues to do his most to help those around him.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Mr. Paul J. Wechsler III, of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for his service to the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War and his continued leadership at home in Springfield,

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Mr. Wally Nunn of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, for his honorable service in the U.S. Army, his continued service to his community, and his work to honor fallen soldiers.

Mr. Nunn served as an Army door gunner in the Vietnam War, attached to the 17th Assault Helicopter Company with both the First and Third Platoons.

After serving eight years in the service, Mr. Nunn returned to Pennsylvania to pursue a successful career in the private sector. But Mr. Nunn also wanted to continue serving the public. He became Chairman of the Board of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. In 1964, ground at Valley Forge was dedicated to Medal of Honor recipients. Over the years this grove was ignored and became dilapidated. Mr. Nunn took the initiative to create and lead the nonprofit, ``The Friends of the Grove,'' who restored this land and care for it today. Thanks to Mr. Nunn's efforts, 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients are recognized again for their courageous acts in support of our nation.

Mr. Nunn continued his service to his community, serving as a member of Delaware County Council and eventually becoming its Chairman.

I thank Mr. Wally Nunn for his dedication to our nation and community. He has shown a selfless devotion to helping others and honoring our nation's heroes. His invaluable impression he made on his community to restore Medal of Honor Grove will be felt for decades.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Mr. James Harrell, Jr. of Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for his service in the United States Navy and his continued service at home with the Veterans of Foreign War post in Norwood, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Harrell served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Upon returning home, he committed to selflessly serve his community and fellow veterans. He joined VFW Post 7213 of Norwood and eventually became Commander of the Post after holding several leadership positions with the organization.

In 2011, Mr. Harrell helped create the Interboro School District Memorial Day Contest to better connect students and veterans. Additionally, he helped implement the annual Flag-In Ceremony, where students place flags on the graves of over 5,000 veterans at Holy Cross Cemetery in our district. Mr. Harrell continues to dedicate his life to the service of our nation and even manages to help young people recognize the sacrifice that so many Americans have made for our country.

I commend Mr. James Harrell, Jr. for his honorable service to our country and I thank him for his continued effort to bring together his community to honor our country's veterans

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Mr. Frederick M. Lynch of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania for his military service in the U.S. Air Force, and continued service in his community, particularly his efforts to improve his community's relationship with their law enforcement.

While in the Air Force, Mr. Lynch served in the Honor Guard and as a Security Specialist. Following his service he returned home to North Wales, Pennsylvania with a commitment to continue serving the public.

After his decision to dedicate his life to public service, Mr. Lynch enrolled in and graduated from Upper Gwynedd Township's Police Academy. After entering the force, Mr. Lynch realized he had found his calling. He particularly enjoyed his work to help bring closer his community and their law enforcement.

This effort took many forms. He became a leader at the Upper Gwynedd Junior Police Academy where he trained young officers for twenty-one years. He also taught the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE, program in local schools, expanding the program's positive impact on youth throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. Today, Mr. Lynch continues to be active in the Police Academy, as well as the area's Boy Scouts troop, where he serves as a mentor to young scouts so they may contribute to their community just as he has throughout his career and beyond.

I thank Frederick M. Lynch for his service to the United States. Through his time in the military, to his many contributions in his local community, his commitment to be a positive influence for others has been unwavering and invaluable

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize President Robert Kreider and his over 20 years of dedication to Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. President Kreider has been a successful and honorable servant for Devereux in a variety of capacities since joining the company in the mid 90's; first as a consultant and eventually rising to become its President and Chief Executive Officer in 2004. Over this time, Mr. Kreider has worked selflessly to expand the business in a manner consistent with its mission--changing lives by unlocking and nurturing human potential for people living with emotional, behavioral or cognitive differences.

Under his leadership, Devereux survived the most serious economic recession since the Great Depression, experienced $310 million growth in annual revenue, and has increasingly become a nationally influential company. The work its employees do impact the lives of countless individuals across the United States and I commend President Kreider for positioning the company in a place where they can do the most good.

Mr. Kreider has always been dedicated to both the field and to the employees who advance it. He even facilitates the learning of others through lectures he presents at health care institutes like the National Health Lawyers Association and the Leonard Davis Institute of the University of Pennsylvania.

The United States remains a hot bed for innovation and progress through the hard work and dedication of individuals like Robert Kreider. I thank him for his years of service and wish him well in his next endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present for roll call votes 560 through 563 because I was traveling to Pennsylvania with President Trump.

Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on roll call No. 560, YEA on roll call No. 561, YEA on roll call No. 562, and YEA on roll call No. 563.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to today to recognize Dr. Chris Domes and congratulate him on the occasion of his inauguration as the sixth president of Neumann University in Aston, PA. Dr. Domes succeeds my friend of many years Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, who served Neumann and our wider community for more than four decades.

Neumann University is a well-respected Catholic institution founded with the mission of nurturing the intellectual and religious spirit of its students. Neumann opened its doors as Our Lady of Angels College in 1965, with the Sisters of Saint Francis of Philadelphia educating 115 female students. In the years since, it has welcomed male students and changed its name to honor Saint John Neumann, the fourth Bishop of Philadelphia and a pioneer in Catholic education in the United States. Today, Neumann educates almost 3,000 students and nearly 14,000 alumni have benefitted from their Neumann education.

It was at a school not unlike Neumann where Dr. Domes found both his Catholic faith and his love of teaching--St. Bonaventure University, in Upstate New York. Since then, he has devoted his life to scholarship and worship.

Dr. Domes is exceptionally qualified for this position. He has over 31 years of experience in education and most recently served as president of Silver Lake College in Wisconsin. In this capacity, Dr. Domes oversaw a 52 percent expansion of the school's enrollment and a 64 percent increase in annual fundraising. He is a proven leader who will bring years of relevant experience to Neumann.

I know Dr. Domes will fit well into the Neumann University family and will work to make it stronger. I also wish Dr. Mirenda the best as she moves on from her position as President, and I wish the Neumann community continued prosperity with Dr. Domes at the helm.

Madam Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I want to express my deep appreciation for the opportunity to join in this advocacy for this very important bill.

One of the great frustrations I know I share is when we have to make choices, and I see people come to me and they want us to increase the funding for those who are on the front lines fighting for our country, to increase the funding for those who are suffering from diseases, to increase the funding to protect senior citizens in various capacities, and every one of them tears at your heartstrings.

That is why, to me, it is such an incredible accomplishment when you are able, at this particular period of time, with huge deficits, to be able to fight to make sure that we can retain the funding to drive a fundamental program. The chairman has done that in this case, and I find the arguments to double that to be just a Trojan horse, an impediment to helping us take a meaningful program and make sure that it is authorized and supported.

In April, I visited the Crozer-Keystone Community Foundation in my own district. The foundation operates MIECHV and uses the Nurse-Family Partnership model to serve women and families in Delaware County. The model enables nurses to conduct regular home visits for first-time mothers and their children who are less than 2-years-old. It is designed to improve prenatal health and outcomes, improve child health and development, and improve families' economic self-sufficiency.

The success is evident to the experience of the women and families in the programs. In fact, the Nurse-Family Partnership model has been shown to reduce child abuse by 48 percent, reduce emergency room visits for accidents and poisonings by 58 percent, and reduce behavioral and intellectual problems by age 6 by 67 percent.

A study found that $6 is returned to the community for every dollar it invests in the program. Did you hear that? For every dollar the community invests, they will get $6; so it is not wrong to ask our partners in the States to match this commitment. In fact, my own State of Pennsylvania, I am proud to say it has actually exceeded the

matching because they know it works and it makes a true partnership with the States.

So I want to, once again, conclude by applauding the efforts of the chairman to position this in such a way for us to be able to move forward, to create the opportunity for this genuine partnership, to move on, on behalf of the--not programs just like the Nurse-Family Partnership, but the broad spectrum that are supported.

Mr. Speaker, today I honor the West Nantmeal Township Historic Commission. The individuals who make up this commission dedicate their time to the preservation of their community's past. This team ensures historic records and structures are not lost to time. They also hold monthly meetings and informative events that engage and stimulate the community's appreciation for their shared history. This engagement provides an opportunity for individuals to share their own history, which the historic commission uses to build upon the community's story, deepening everyone's understanding and appreciation for their past.

On September 23rd, this group will hold a dedication ceremony that honors the crew and pilot of a B-24 Bomber that crashed in the West Nantmeal Township during a World War II training mission.

It is because of their efforts that stories like that of the flight crew will not be lost to history.

I thank the West Nantmeal Township Historic Commission's dedication to their community's past

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Delaware County Community College on its 50th Anniversary.

Since its establishment in 1967, Delaware County Community College has educated thousands of students from southeastern Pennsylvania, giving them the skills they need for good-paying middle-class jobs in the modern economy. The college awards degrees in fields as diverse as accounting, carpentry, computer-aided drafting and nursing--and its distinguished faculty has always provided a first-class education to its students.

Mr. Speaker, as Delaware County Community College celebrates the 50th anniversary of its founding, it's also celebrating a transition: Dr. Jerry Parker will retire after 40 years of service to the college, including 14 as President. He'll be succeeded by Dr. L. Joy Gates Black, who will be the first woman and the first African-American to lead the college.

I congratulate Dr. Gates Black on her appointment, I thank Board Chairman Michael L. Ranck for his service to our community, I wish Dr. Parker the best in his retirement and I hope Delaware County Community College enjoys another prosperous 50 years of educating hardworking Pennsylvanians

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Amity Fire Company for serving Berks County, PA since 1961. These men and women work tirelessly to ensure the safety of the community to which they belong. Since extinguishing their first fire in 1963, the Amity Fire Company continues to help local citizens who find themselves in harm's way.

The Amity Fire Company held its first social event in 1964. They sought to provide an opportunity for citizens to kindle relationships with their first responders. Since then, the fire company has become a pillar of stability in the area. They serve as a model for how an engaged and proactive group of leaders can contribute to a community's safety and welfare. I commend the personnel of the Amity Fire Company for all their efforts and wish them another 56 years of success.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize Judge Gregory G. Mallon of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Judge Mallon has honorably served Delaware County since 1982 as both a Magisterial District Judge and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

After completing law school, Judge Mallon began his distinguished career in public service as a district judge for Rutledge and Eddystone in Delaware County. In 2008, he was appointed to Judgeship in the Court of Common Pleas Criminal Division. Many of his most notable cases came during his time on this bench. His decisions show a clear respect for due process and an unbiased judiciary.

I commend Judge Gregory G. Mallon for honorably serving our community with his passion for justice. He has earned the respect of both his colleagues and the public he served. I wish him well in retirement.

Mr. Speaker, today I recognize the Upper Merion Senior Service Center of King of Prussia, PA for its twentieth anniversary. Caring for our senior citizens is a challenging yet immensely rewarding experience to which those at UMSSC have dedicated their lives.

The Center enables seniors in the Seventh District to live life to the fullest. They facilitate activities that allow seniors to engage in physical, educational, and recreational activities. This social environment and steadfast care helps seniors enjoy their retirement and stay healthy.

I hope UMSSC continues to provide their services for many years to come. The senior citizens of our district deserve the best care we can provide and UMSSC is a treasured place that does just that.

I congratulate UMSSC for their twenty years of service to our community, and I wish them well in their efforts to provide top quality care for Upper Merion area seniors.