Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is with enormous pride and admiration that I rise today to recognize Angela Bruscato.

Angie joined the St. Francis Medical Center volunteer program in May of 1975, and recently surpassed 20,000 hours of service. Needless to say, this is a tremendous feat.

In her long-standing role as a volunteer, Angie has been recognized for her caring service. Over the years, this extraordinary woman has been awarded the Auxilian of the Year, bestowed St. Francis Medical Center's Certificate of Merit for Dedicated Auxiliary Service, and last year, Angie was named one of my Hometown Heroes.

Angie has provided decades of consistent strength and a caring heart for the patients and staff of St. Francis Medical Center. I am honored to bring forth her exceeding 20,000 volunteer hours before this body and our Nation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the St. Francis's Auxiliary Members ringing in their 85th year of service and assistance to the patients of the medical center. These men and women have dedicated countless hours to help those during times of need, and I am evermore grateful.

To say that this group is a source of strength within the Monroe community is an understatement. Bringing comfort and hope to patients and their families is a priceless gift. They have made a real difference in the lives of many, and I commend each member, past and present, for their admirable service and leadership.

This group is among Louisiana's finest, and it is an honor to pay tribute to the 85th anniversary of such devoted and selfless individuals. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in applauding such an outstanding benchmark.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, it is with great pride that I rise today to recognize Louisiana's longest-married couple, Norman and Norma Burmah.

The Marksville couple, who celebrated their 81st wedding anniversary, will be inducted into the Louisiana Family Forum's Marriage Hall of Fame, and were recently commended by Governor Bobby Jindal in a reception held in their honor on Valentine's Day.

After an introduction by Norma's friend, the couple began their courtship in 1930 at the Roof Garden Dance Hall in New Orleans. The following year, Norman and Norma were married at Holy Ghost Church in the Crescent City.

Known as ``Maw'' and ``Paw'' to their loved ones, they are the proud parents of two daughters, and have been blessed with six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed their home in 2005, Norman and Norma relocated to Marksville where their strong commitments to each other, family and God have continued.

It is an honor to recognize Norman and Norma Burmah and give my heartfelt congratulations to them on this truly incredible event in their lives. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending best wishes to Louisiana's longest married couple.

Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment.

Mr. Chairman, as we decide whether or not the President of the United States should have the

authority to propose cuts to funding that Congress appropriates money to, I cannot help but be gravely concerned about how he may use those powers.

While I, as much as anyone here, agrees that our government must constrain and cut the unnecessary expenditures, I fear that giving the President certain powers to take away that which Congress has given would severely harm certain States and regions whose needs the President may not fully understand.

Of particular concern to me, Mr. Chairman, is the importance of the water resources, the projects across this country that are vitally important to our national security and economy. With this in mind, I believe that a line must be drawn when it comes to the President's authority to propose a rescission to the budget of the Army Corps of Engineers, an agency that's older than our Nation itself.

The Corps of Engineers helped General Washington win the Revolutionary War. The Corps of Engineers carries out water resource projects throughout the United States, including projects that protect citizens from flood hazards and keep commercial waterways navigable.

These projects are important. They are important to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The congressional appropriations for the Corps typically exceed what the President's requests have been. I believe that we must prevent any President, Republican or Democrat, from having the authority to reduce funding for critical water resource projects. It is just too important to this Nation.

With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to commend Rep. Noble Ellington, who has devoted over two decades to serving the citizens of Louisiana. His unwavering dedication and staunch support of those living in the Bayou State are deserving of our gratitude and appreciation.

Noble has served in the Louisiana Legislature since 1988, where I had my first opportunity to work alongside this devoted public servant as we both represented the people of Jackson Parish. Not only did I have the privilege of calling him a colleague for many years following, but it was there that I first had the honor of knowing him as a friend. Looking back on those years, Noble's upbeat spirit and his ability to be kind to everyone is what I remember most.

A man of many talents, Noble's career includes successful business endeavors in addition to his public service. For 40 years, he has been the owner of Noble Ellington Cotton Company, Inc., and is the director of Franklin State Bank and Franklin Cotton Warehouse.

A true product of Northeast Louisiana, Noble was raised on a farm in Richland Parish and received his education from Mangham High School and Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. He has made his home in Winnsboro with his wife, Brenda Armstrong, and is the proud parent of four children and five grandchildren.

He is a driving force in Louisiana for his committed leadership on various business, civic and governmental boards and committees. He currently serves as the National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council resulting in positive, nationwide attention for our state.

Through his numerous accomplishments, Noble has earned the respect and regard of those with whom he has served and the gratitude of the people he has diligently represented.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending best wishes to Rep. Noble Ellington upon his retirement and wishing him future success in all his efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commend Mr. James L. Meyer for his unfailing service to Alexandria and Central Louisiana. Due to his prominent and tireless efforts for our great state, his legacy will live on as the Alexandria International Airport Commercial Terminal will now be named the James L. Meyer Commercial Terminal.

Mr. Meyer's ambitious career started at Louisiana Tech University where he earned two degrees: one in Chemical Engineering and the latter in Civil Engineering. After his marriage to Mrs. Joy in August of 1957, he served as an officer in United States Air Force from 1957 until 1960. He eventually returned to Alexandria where Mr. Meyer was employed as a design engineer.

In 1968, he decided to start his own engineering firm. While growing James L. Meyer & Associates--his consulting, engineering, and surveying firm--to a successful business with five locations across Louisiana, he also held numerous board positions and received many distinguishable awards for serving his region.

Mr. Meyer's presidency for the Central Louisiana Chamber of Commerce and becoming the first Chairman of the England Authority are the reasons he is being honored today. His services from both positions evolved a military base closure into a commercial international airport; therefore, air passengers were doubled and millions of dollars were brought into region through capital construction.

Mr. Meyer's efforts reflect how one dedicated person can affect an entire region and his life should be an inspiration to others. His career has brought honor and pride to his family, friends, community, and the state of Louisiana. I congratulate Mr. Meyer upon his legacy that will be known as James L. Meyer Commercial Terminal.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Mrs. Nita Thomas, whose life and countless contributions to this world should be celebrated by all.

The definitive Southern woman, Nita possessed outstanding character, unwavering faith and matchless elegance. She carried herself with such charisma and poise guaranteed to light up every room she entered.

Her deep devotion to her family and friends is one of her most memorable qualities. With each encounter, Nita's love and joy she felt for her loved ones was evident. I extend my deepest condolences to those this wonderful mother and grandmother leaves behind.

In Acts 20:35, the Lord Jesus himself said ``it is more blessed to give than to receive.'' She was a champion for those with special needs and passionately worked to ensure each person was met with an accepting heart. With all that Nita gifted to everyone she came across, it is indeed apparent she lived her life by these words.

Nita grew in Jackson Parish, where she was taught to love thy neighbor as thyself. She never lost touch with her roots. Nita had the stature and charm to walk with those in the upper echelons of power, but she had the grace and dignity to remember those whom society had forgotten.

Today, our words may seem futile in comparison to the indelible mark Nita left in our hearts. Some say--and I honestly believe--that the heart has its own memory, one that is

more genuine and more sincere than the memory of our minds. Without a shadow of a doubt, I know Nita has a permanent place in the hearts of those who had the good blessing to know her.

To say that Nita left her fingerprint on the world is an understatement. She was a friend and confidant to many, and deemed a source of strength by all; I know she will continue to touch and guide the loved ones she leaves behind.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady for their century of faith and service to the State of Louisiana. This honor is shared as many lives have been touched through the three sanitariums operating in our state.

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady started in France in 1854 when seven groups of Franciscan sisters banded together. As the organization rapidly grew throughout the world, the first North American expansion happened in 1911 with the healing ministry being established in Monroe, La. Two years later, St. Francis Sanitarium opened in Monroe.

After the first establishment in this city, the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady were invited to open two more sanitariums throughout Louisiana: Baton Rouge's Our Lady of the Lake Sanitarium was dedicated in 1923 and Lafayette's Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in 1949.

Even today, the congregation of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady remains committed to the ministry of healthcare and spiritual wholeness--serving all of God's people.

This organization is an example of how a small founding group can grow to touch the lives of many, and I commend their hard work and dedication to making a positive difference across our state. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady for their century of service.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Grambling State University (GSU) on its 110th anniversary. This milestone is a testament that GSU is a true leader in education.

Opening on November 1, 1901, GSU was organized by a group of African American farmers who wanted to organize and operate a school for African Americans in north Louisiana. What began as an industrial school, Grambling State shifted its focus to rural teacher education in the late 1930s. GSU transformed in the early 1950s into an institution that offered students education in the areas of science, liberal arts, and business. The university now offers 68 degree programs to its students.

In recent years, Grambling has incorporated new academic programs and has added new facilities including a business and computer science building and school of nursing. Throughout the university's 110-year history, the value of each individual student has always been emphasized. GSU continues to be an institution ``where everybody is somebody.''

I commend Grambling State University on this significant milestone, and its dedication to positively influencing the lives of its students. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Grambling State University for this momentous occasion.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate and honor a true living legend. This September, Mrs. Ruth Broussard will be honored by her induction into the ``Order of Living Legends.'' Mrs. Broussard's dedication to the Acadian Museum, her town of Abbeville, Vermillion Parish, and the Acadian community as a whole make her deserving of this recognition.

After the completion of Mrs. Broussard's Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University, she began her career as an educator in Lake Charles before returning to her birth town of Kaplan, La. Upon her return to Kaplan she became an active member of her community by joining the La Clique D' Etud where she organized many fundraising drives to help raise money for cancer research, and by forming the first Girl Scout Troop. Shortly after marrying her late husband, Justin John Broussard in 1941, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard and they were briefly relocated to Galveston, Texas while he served his country. Upon their return to the state they so dearly loved, they made their new home in Abbeville, La. where they raised 3 children, Jay, Rebecca, and Eric. It did not take long for Mrs. Broussard to once again become an active part of her community. Over the years she has played an important role in many local organizations throughout the Acadian region, such as the Vermillion Historical Society, which reflects her love for history and the history surrounding South La., serving as chairman of the Executive Committee for the Acadian Museum, her founding role of the Abbeville Tour Guides, a member of the St. Anne Alter Society, her involvement with the historic St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church that she loves so much, and is a member of the Abbeville Arts Council, as well as being a very talented artist in her own right. In addition to her numerous roles of community service, she continued teaching elementary students for 18 years at Eaton Park Elementary. Mrs. Broussard's strong belief and value of education continues to be evident as she recently, at the young age of 93, began taking continuing education classes at the University of Louisiana- Lafayette.

Altruistic service and commitment to one's community like Mrs. Broussard's are what make our Bayou State's rich history transparent. The love for her culture and region has created a lifelong passion for service to her community and state. I ask my colleagues to join me in passing good wishes to a true living legend, Mrs. Ruth Broussard.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Wilmer Ray Bailey for being selected as a recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award for Cooperative Weather Observing. This award is testament that Wilmer is a true leader for his volunteer service to National Weather Service in Jena, La.

Wilmer has served as a volunteer weather observer for over 43 years, working closely with the local forecast office and serving his community as a long-standing reliable resource for weather and storm information. In addition, he served Louisiana for 30 years as a fire protection coordinator and dispatcher with the state's Office of Agriculture and Forestry. He works with the National Weather Service in Shreveport by giving accurate, timely, and reliable weather observations, but also as a trained Storm Spotter. Wilmer provides the irreplaceable service of relaying important and potentially dangerous weather conditions and damage reports from his community, which is hard hit by hazardous weather on a regular basis.

He is an example of how one person can affect the lives of many, and I commend Wilmer for his hard work and dedication to making a positive difference in the community. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Wilmer Ray Bailey for this significant achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ms. Annelise Bergeron for being chosen as Queen Evangeline of the 43rd International Acadian Festival held annually in Iberville Parish. The International Acadian Festival is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, Council #970 of Plaquemine, La, which is the 3rd oldest K.C. council in the State of Louisiana.

It always brings about personal pride to see young students of the Bayou State achieving their goals while simultaneously working to give back and improve their communities. This talented young woman is currently a senior at St. Joseph Academy in Baton Rouge. I have the highest confidence that Annelise will succeed in whatever endeavors she pursues.

I ask my colleagues to join me in passing good wishes to Annelise Bergeron, her family, and the International Acadian Festival. Annelise is truly deserving of this recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and commend Mr. Michael Howard Madison's retirement from Cleco Corporation. After 40 years of service in the electric power industry, in April of 2011, Mr. Madison announced his plan to retire from Cleco Corporation.

With his professional endeavors spanning an impressive four decades, his career began working as an electrician to put himself through college, graduating from the University of Oklahoma in 1971.

Various career choices, with one highlight being his position as state president for American Electric Power, led to his eventual position as president and CEO of Cleco Corporation in 2005. Of his many contributions, of special note are that he strengthened the utility company, proposed a new solid-fuel generating unit near Boyce, and grew the stock price by 71 percent.

Not only should Mr. Madison be celebrated for his ambitious career, but for his public service. Some of the active boards he has served on include the Better Business Bureau, Capital One Bank, Christus St. Frances Cabrini Hospital, Council for a Better Louisiana, the Governor's Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, along with many others.

Mr. Madison's career has brought honor and pride to his family, friends, community, and the state of Louisiana. I congratulate Mr. Michael Howard Madison upon the occasion of his retirement.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to congratulate Dr. Nick J. Bruno for becoming the eighth president of the University of Louisiana-Monroe (ULM). Dr. Bruno began his new position in November of 2010 after 30 years of distinguished service in Louisiana higher education.

A Bayou State native, his career has been dedicated to strengthening the state's education system. Dr. Bruno worked in business affairs for the University of Louisiana system, holding a variety of titles, formerly served as vice president of business affairs at ULM at a critical juncture in the school's history, and also assisted in several capacities at Southeastern Louisiana University.

In addition to a praiseworthy higher education career, Dr. Bruno is regionally and nationally recognized for his consulting expertise in areas relating to financial, organizational, and business affairs.

Dr. Bruno's educational background began at Southeastern Louisiana University where he earned a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's degree in Business Administration from Southeastern Louisiana University. He later received his doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Mississippi.

Dr. Bruno and wife, Linda, have three children together: one son, Steven, and two daughters, Victoria and Christina. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Dr. Bruno, and his family, for his new role as University of Louisiana-Monroe's eighth president.

Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Madam Chairman, the question is, just how important is the Mississippi River? The Mississippi River system connects approximately 30 States in our Nation's heartland with the international markets. Sixty percent of all U.S. grain exports are shipped from the Mississippi River. Twenty-five percent of all large commercial bulk ships that arrive in the U.S. come to the mouth of the Mississippi River. U.S. Customs and Border Protection estimates that the river system facilitates between $85 billion and $104 billion annually in foreign trade through the Mississippi River system. And one-third of the Nation's oil comes up the river to refineries in Louisiana.

This year's historic flooding carried an estimated 60 million cubic yards of sediment down the Mississippi River. This sediment doesn't just float on out into the gulf; it settles. It settles all along the river, from Missouri to Lake Providence, Louisiana, on down to New Orleans, where currently 5 extra feet of sediment has built up over the normal levels. Five feet. And for every foot that's taken away from the draft of a ship, it costs that ship $1 million. Madam Chairman, one doesn't have to be a mathematician to tell that that's pretty expensive to our economy.

The flood has not only highlighted a need for dredging, it has also damaged levees and floodways all along the Mississippi. The Corps of Engineers estimates that on the river alone it will have to spend an additional $1 billion to $2 billion to repair levees and floodways damaged by the recent floodwaters. This is work that must be done to allow these levees to again protect Americans from future floods.

Madam Chairman, I know that there aren't many out there speaking against the Mississippi River and the need for maintenance. They are just arguing that the money does not need to be offset since we could call it emergency funding. And yes, we could go that route. But as we are in the middle of negotiations and debate about raising the debt ceiling, the last thing we should be thinking of is adding more to the pile of debt. We cannot continue to do this, Madam Chairman, especially when we have seen the national debt increase at an average of $3.9 billion per day, especially when the Treasury Department now projects that the U.S. debt will exceed the GDP by the end of this year.

The Congressional Research Service study reports that if supplemental operations had been fully offset over the last three decades, the Federal debt could have been reduced by at least $1.3 trillion. That translates to a reduction of public interest payments of $57 billion per year. Ignoring the need to offset spending is a mistake, Madam Chairman, a mistake that our children cannot afford for us to make.

I yield back the balance of my time.