Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I have a unanimous consent request at the desk.

My request is to allow a 30-second moment of silence for the passing of Rush Limbaugh, one of the greatest radio hosts ever, and I make that as a formal request.

Madam Speaker, may I request a point of personal privilege.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the accomplishments and life of a true family man and public servant, Maxy Hugh Hammond. Maxy was born in Lancaster, South Carolina, on October 19, 1956.

Maxy was from a family that was heavily involved in every facet of service. His father, Maxy Sr., was very active in serving in the Lancaster community, having served on the Lancaster School Board and Lancaster City Council for years and ``whetted the appetite'' for his son to serve the public, which he did for many years, including serving on the Lancaster County Council, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Economic Development Board, Boy Scout Council, school improvement councils, and many more boards and commissions.

Maxy began his work career 45 years ago, including 7 years with the Catawba nuclear plant; Springs Industries for 12 years, where he worked in the engineering department; Kanawha Insurance in sales for 15 years; and vice president of Founders Federal Credit Union for 10 years, retiring on December 31, 2020.

Maxy has been married for 42 years to Jennifer Starnes Hammond and has two children, his son, Garrett, and his wife, Elizabeth; and his daughter, Holly, who is married to Matthew Whitley.

The joys of Maxy and Jennifer's life are their two granddaughters, Avery Oak, who will be 2 years old in June, and Maryn Reese, who will be 1 year old in April.

I had the privilege of viewing and listening to a series of testimonials posted on Facebook about Maxy and what he and his family have meant to the greater Lancaster community, which included heartfelt comments by his family, his friends, and his coworkers from all walks of life.

Those who knew him the best had this to say:

``Our office is like a six-pack, and Maxy is the plastic ring that holds our office together.''

``He never puts himself first. It is about everyone else.''

``If this building was burning down, he would circle the building two to three times before worrying about himself.''

``Maxy doesn't care about titles, accolades, or recognition. It is all about others.''

``If Maxy can make everyone else happy, that is all he wants.''

Maxy Hammond is a true public servant who has lived his life for his God, his family, and his country.

On behalf of the Members of the 117th United States Congress, I wish you Godspeed in your retirement years as you spend time with your family and your many friends on the heavenly beaches of the Carolinas.

Mr. Speaker, here we sit on this fourth day of February and, here we go, we have a pandemic that is shutting down businesses all across this country. We have schools shut down, causing havoc with our children. We have a national debt of over $30 trillion. We have seniors wondering if their Social Security payment will be suspended due to anticipated bankruptcy. We have a Democratic Party focusing today and yesterday on bypassing the legislative process and issuing executive orders defunding our police departments, destroying our energy independence by shutting off our production of oil and gas, allowing men to identify as women and going to any bathroom of choice.

And what is the majority, who are spending the hard-earned tax dollars, doing today?

Attempting to throw a member of our party, who was duly elected, because of something purportedly to have been said before she got into Congress.

Here is what I ask: Throw us all off the committees. Throw all of us off.

God, I hope the American people see what you are doing and that this is nothing more than an abuse of power by a party drunk with power.

Madam Speaker, I rise today for two reasons: One, to voice my strong opposition for the impeachment of this President with 7 days left. Two, to also voice my support for the strong police department many of you want to defund.

Where were your cries to defund when you were leaving this office, this very room, on January 6?

Height of hypocrisy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support the foundation of our democracy, the Constitution of the United States of America. This document is the fabric and the solid foundation of a nation we call America, which has been a beacon of hope and a shining city on the hill for over 230 years.

The words of our Constitution, as spelled out in Article II, Section 1, are very clear when it comes to our elections: mandating, not suggesting, not implying, but mandating that State legislatures, not secretaries of State, not State commissions, not county officials, not Governors, but State legislators prescribe the time, place, and manner of holding elections.

This mandate was not followed in the great State of Pennsylvania. If we allow this fraud to go on--in a football analogy, the moving of the goalpost after the ball has been kicked and in the air--the preview of coming attractions will be future elections that do not adhere to honest and open voting by ``We the People'' and the loss of our great Republic.

As a lady told me not long ago, don't spit in my face and tell me it is raining. This is exactly what has happened to the American people in this election. In the words of Winston Churchill, when Great Britain was under siege by Germany, he said: There will be a

time when doing your best is not good enough. We must do what is required.

And we must do what is required to save this great Republic.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of a truly great American, Mary Phillips White Gettys, who will turn 99 on August 6 of this year.

Ms. Gettys was born in Chester, South Carolina, on August 6, 1920, which was the same year that women gained voting rights. She graduated from Chester High School, where she was valedictorian of her senior class. She enrolled in Erskine College and graduated in 1941 with a degree in music.

Her first job was teaching junior high school in Anderson, South Carolina, and she later joined WAVES, which stands for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, in 1943. She began her training at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she specialized in communications while studying at Smith College in North Hampton, Massachusetts. She was assigned to the communications office in the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia.

After achieving the rank of lieutenant, she was tasked with the complicated task of coding and decoding communications received and sent by the Naval Command. Her duties included delivering urgent top secret messages to military leaders, where she would have to strap on her weapon and be escorted across the yard to deliver the vital information.

In 1946, Ms. White left the Navy and began working for AAA, the American Automobile Association, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In 1947, she met Tom Gettys, whom she would become engaged to after 3 weeks and married 3 months after their engagement. Little did she know that she would become the lifelong partner of a man who would successfully become the Fifth District Congressman of South Carolina, where he would serve for five terms until retiring in 1974.

They returned to his hometown of Rock Hill, South Carolina, where they would raise two daughters, Julia Martin Gettys Burchett and Sara Elizabeth Gettys Pierce. The Gettys were married for 56 years until the death of Congressman Gettys in 2003.

Mary Phillips Gettys is a true leader in her community and received many awards, including: Woman of the Year from the First ARP Church, where she faithfully attended; the Cross of Military Service from the United Daughter of the Confederacy in 2001; the Quilt of Valor award in 2015, presented by the Quilts of Valor Foundations for veterans touched by war; the National Award in 2017, presented from DAR, the Daughters of the American Revolution for Women in American History.

Mary Phillips Gettys is the proud and devoted grandmother of six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. She is the epitome of a gracious and charming Southern lady, and by her life, she has demonstrated a love for her God, a love for her family, the love of her fellow man, and the love of her great country.

She is a true American patriot who always has a smile on her face and has lived her life in true service to her fellow man.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a true American hero, Pierre King, who is a police officer with the York Police Department in York, South Carolina.

I say this because, on May 11, 2019, Jamie Brock and his wife, Kimberly, were having dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse, celebrating their oldest son's graduation from the University of South Carolina. While eating their food, Jamie began choking and unable to breathe due to experiencing an allergic reaction to the food.

Kimberly, his wife, began screaming for help, and Officer King, who was off duty at the time, rushed to help the choking man, whom he did not know, and was able to use lifesaving techniques that he had been trained to administer and was successful in dislodging the food from Jamie's throat.

Due to the actions of Officer King, a life was saved, and in the words of Brock family: ``God put you there that day, and you saved my husband and you saved our kids' father.''

In the words of Officer King: ``All I knew is that I was not going to let this man die, and he would do the same thing for me.''

Officer King is a true American hero who epitomizes the slogan ``to live is to serve'' and is an example for all of us to follow.

When I think of Officer King, I think of the words of Winston Churchill, who, when Great Britain was about to be under siege by Germany, said:

There will be a time when doing your best is not good

enough. We must do what is required.

Mr. Speaker, Officer King did what was required.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table H.R. 3401, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment. This bipartisan bill passed the Senate with 84 votes and could be sent to the President's desk for his signature today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of America's finest servicemen, Colonel Frank Childress.

Colonel Childress exemplifies the honor and fortitude of the men and women who make up our armed services. Colonel Childress was placed on an assignment in the Pentagon in 2001 and was set to arrive in Washington, D.C. on September 6.

Destiny arrived in a humble disguise when a clerical error delayed his household goods from being delivered on time. He was offered the choice of a new delivery date, either September 10 or September 11. He chose September 11.

The Colonel lived a mile away and heard when the plane crashed into the Pentagon. He turned on his TV and saw the carnage that took place in New York and immediately headed for the Pentagon to help in any way possible. In a time of crisis and panic, Colonel Childress ran toward danger when many would have fled.

Among the thousands who died that day, Colonel Childress survived. Twenty-six of his fellow servicemen and -women were killed in the very office he would have been working in that day.

At first, he was nearly consumed by survivor's guilt, but instead of surrendering, he joined a Bible study group for Pentagon employees. Once again, he chose not to run and instead face reality through his strength and faith in God who led him through those dark and difficult days that he would face ahead.

In his immediate response to the 9/11 attacks and his fortitude in dealing with the aftermath, Colonel Childress is a paragon of bravery. He exemplifies the words of Winston Churchill before Britain was about to be under siege by Germany when Prime Minister Churchill said:

There will be a time when doing your best is not good

enough. We must do what is required.

Colonel Childress did what was required in the service to freedom. His actions set the example that all Americans can share pride in and follow.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to enter into the Congressional Record a special poem that was written by Harold Renwick, Jr. to his daughter, Penny, on her second birthday.

Harold Renwick never delivered the poem as he was killed in action during the Vietnam war. The poem was discovered by Captain Bennet and mailed by a friend of Harold Renwick's, Major Charles King. It was mailed to Harold Renwick's wife, Penny's mother, on March 22, 1968.

The poem is titled: ``Now You Are Two.''

Rejoice and be happy this fine day.

Have fun in all the games you play.

Run, sing, be happy and gay,

For you are 2, my daughter, today.

Of all the wonderful days of the year,

Today especially I wish I could be near

To hold you, to hug you and share your world

Of being a year older and being a girl.

But alas, my child, with you I cannot be

Because there is a need to keep the world free.

A need that was created many years ago,

When a people's thirst for freedom began to grow.

You do not know these people; they are strangers to us.

And you may ask, ``Daddy, why all the fuss

For a people who live in a land far away?

Daddy, why can't you be with me on my birthday?''

As you grow older, my child, you will learn

That in men's hearts a spark will burn.

A spark so intense that it cannot be denied,

So strong it is that men have died

Fighting for what they believe is true;

Fighting for freedom the way all men do.

We have watched enough television to know

That in this world bad people will go

And try to hurt and harm the good guys.

Cheat, steal, and tell all kind of lies,

These are some of the things these bad guys do.

This is the reason that your daddy flew

Across the oceans to a land far away

To help other daddies with their children to play,

To help these daddies see their struggle through

So they can say, ``Happy birthday, my daughter, now you are

2.''

Don't weep, my child, for this birthday I'll miss.

Go to your mommy and she'll give you a kiss

From me, to remind you I've not forgot.

You see, my child, I do love you a lot.

So much, in fact, that to you I do pledge

That a world of freedom shall be your heritage.

Sleep, my child, the night is here.

Sleep, my child, and wake without fear.

Grow, my child, be happy and free,

For these are the dreams I have for thee.

This poem was written in 1968, over 51 years ago, and I submit to you that now is the time for America to heed these words of this poem written by a father who voluntarily made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom.

Madam Chair, I rise today because I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Chair, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

This amendment would establish a pilot program that would allow an expeditionary sea base, ESB, to be equipped with weaponry to defend itself.

This pilot program is needed because, currently, an ESB must be accompanied by a destroyer when on a mission. To deploy a destroyer, operational costs add up to $33 million.

If the $7.5 million pilot program--which is the cost--is passed, then this expeditionary sea base will be able to protect itself and a destroyer will no longer be required to accompany it, allowing the destroyer to complete other missions.

This pilot program does not mean the ESB will go out actively using its weaponry. Rather, the intent of this program would be to free up the destroyer for other missions without leaving an ESB defenseless.

Madam Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Chair, I would just say, this is a return on investment. This is a good investment that will save this country a lot of money with its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Luther Eugene Rollins. Gene, as he was better known, was the son of Mr. and Mrs. James F. Rollins of Greer, South Carolina.

Gene, like many Americans, wanted to serve his country, and he joined the Army during the Vietnam war and was assigned to Company A in the 6th Battalion Infantry in the 9th Division.

The commander of his battalion was Captain Vernon Green, who quickly became his lifelong friend. Gene's unit was known as the Polecats or Bearcats and, in March of 1968, was assigned to the advance party in Southeast Asia.

While serving in combat on the front lines, he quickly became known as the ``preacher'' because of his daily reading of the Bible and dedicated prayer life. During an attack on his battalion, Gene was asked to lead his men in prayer, which he did on numerous occasions. Gene credits his many prayers to God as the reason for his survival during an attack when his M60 machine gun jammed and he was unable to return fire to the enemy.

Gene became a radio operator during his service in Vietnam, attaining the rank of platoon sergeant. When his best friend, Captain Green was promoted to the battalion staff, Gene was invited to join him. He declined to do

so saying, ``I want to stay with my men.'' As he later told members of his hometown church, his service in the Vietnam war was a ``missionary journey'' where he was doing what God wanted him to do. For Sergeant Rollins' heroic efforts, he was awarded the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

After the war, he returned to Rock Hill, South Carolina, where he married his wife, Brenda Faye, and had three children, a son, Wendell, and two daughters, Tabatha and Tonya. He worked as a machinist for several years until joining Duke Energy in June of 1973 where he was an operator and coordinator for maintenance, working until March of 2016 at the Catawba Nuclear Station in York County, South Carolina.

Just as Gene Rollins had heeded the call of God during his service in Vietnam, he continued to serve his Lord by joining Woodhaven Baptist Church, where he served as Sunday school superintendent, finance committee member, and usher. Gene and his family united with their grandchildren by joining Calvary Baptist Church. And as said by Pastor Reggie Hopkins, ``We love having a man of God like Gene Rollins and his family'' in our church.

He spends his time by continuing to serve his fellow man by cutting his neighbor's grass, giving rides to those who need medical care, and numerous other tasks that epitomize the saying ``to live is to serve.''

Gene Rollins is a man who continues to serve his God, his country, his family, and, just as our Savior Jesus Christ did, his fellow man.

May God continue to bless Gene Rollins for years to come.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, it is--what?--20 till 2. We have got a group here that is willing to stay all night until we address this problem with the supplemental.

You can talk about children, but, just like my good friend from Texas says, go to the border. See these children who are going, who are being drug back and forth, charged, making money for these adults.

Let's put the money--we don't have to just go to Virginia. I feel for these children in Virginia, but I feel for those 144,000 whom they caught, much less the ones that got by.

I further feel for the children who, according to DHS, were saying that they are being carted back and forth, raped. They have rape trees. Go to the border. Where is the compassion for them?

It is high time for us to debate a supplemental. And if it takes however long on this clock, we are going to do it, because we are tired of it.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Madam Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to recognize one of the most accomplished constituents in the Fifth District of South Carolina.

Janie L. Mines, who lives in Fort Mill, encompasses what it means to serve and honor one's country. In 1975, after the United States Congress authorized the entrance of women into our first-rate military service academies, Janie soon applied to enter the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Out of 81 women who entered the academy in 1976, Ms. Mines was the first and only Black woman to graduate from her class and the first ever Black woman to graduate from the United States Naval Academy as a whole.

After her departure from the academy with the rank of ensign and a bachelor of science in engineering, Ms. Mines was trained as a supply officer and became a supervisor at the former Naval Training Center in Orlando, Florida. She proceeded to serve in the former Naval Annex at the Pentagon, aboard the USS Emory S. Land, and as a senior adviser to the Secretary of the Navy. In fact, she has continued her work in the Armed Forces on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women.

Her exceptional accomplishments include being granted the position of torchbearer for the 2002 Olympic Games, starting a foundation that tends to the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged boys, and being honored by the United States Navy with a business achievement award in 2010.

In 2018, Ms. Mines wrote and published the book ``No Coincidences: Reflections of the First Black Female Graduate of the United States Naval Academy.'' In it, she shows us the true meaning of faith, patriotism, and persistence. We can all learn from her story and her deep love of this country.

I will end with a quote from her book: ``God has a plan for us all. If we submit to His will, we need not fear. We are prepared and protected.''

We thank Ms. Mines for her continued service to this great country.

Honoring Southside Fire Department

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Southside Fire Department on March 19.

The fully volunteer fire department has protected the people and property of Union County since 1974 when the first call rang. The station has grown from as little as five calls a year to 98 calls in 2018 alone.

The foundation of Southside Fire Department was a community effort. The seed was planted in 1969 when a meeting was held at Roper Chevrolet to hear the public's opinion on the organization of a fire district for the local area in Union County.

However, it was not until 1972 that Southside received its first truck and could finally open its station. Supported by the local community's generosity, the fire department established itself and eventually joined South Carolina's Firefighters Association.

For almost 50 years now, Southside Volunteer Fire Department has fought fires to protect the great folks in the district. The station currently has an ISO Class 3/9 rating and serves over 3,500 residents.

As a Nation, we ask much of our citizens. Yet, even on top of the burdens and the toil of everyday life, some

choose to volunteer to save the lives and property of their neighbors. With nothing to gain and everything to lose, they head straight toward danger.

I congratulate the fire chief, Michael Lancaster, and the rest of the crew at Southside Fire Department on this incredible milestone. We thank them for their tireless, continued service to our community and our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Gary Lee Mitchell, who passed away on March 13, 2019.

Gary was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, and was the son of the late Eldred Dale Mitchell and the late Mary Green McGath. Gary served in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1972 aboard the USS Nathaniel Green submarine as a nuclear reactor operator.

Gary worked with Duke Energy for 43 years, where he was known as the resident expert in the field of nuclear energy and oversaw mentoring new interns coming into the field. Gary was awarded the prestigious J.B. Duke Award, which recognized his career knowledge of how to react to critical situations in saving a coworker from serious injury or death.

Gary lived a life of service to others and voluntarily joined many organizations, including the American Legion in 1972, where he served as district commander at the South Carolina Department American Legion. He served as zone commander and all vice commander levels. On June 2, at the 94th annual convention held in Greenville, South Carolina, Gary was elected department commander of the South Carolina American Legion Department.

Gary was married to Marlene A. Mitchell for over 50 years and had two daughters, Stephanie and Stacy, and his grandchildren, Victoria, Alexandria, and Mitchell Friel. In describing what type of husband Gary Mitchell was to his wife, Marlene, she stated that ``he was her best friend and was the kindest person she ever knew.''

The world is a better and kinder place because of the life of Gary Lee Mitchell, and he was a man who served his God, his family, and his country.