Floor Statements

On this last day of the year and on one of the last days of this 112th Congress, we are awaiting a fiscal deal that will strengthen the fiscal health of this country. I want to take a few moments to reflect on my service here in the House of Representatives and to personally thank many who helped me get here and to do the work of the people whom I represent and love in the State of Missouri.

First, Mr. Speaker, Debra Carnahan, my wife but also an accomplished attorney, a former State and Federal prosecutor. She's really been the rock of our family and has been with me through the great highs and tough lows of this job. So I want to thank her.

Also, our two great sons--Austin and Andrew--who have shared me with thousands of constituents for several years. They have grown into amazing young men, young men who I think will, in their own rights, make a difference as they work their way through their lives.

Mr. Speaker, I want to also thank some of my amazing staff who are too numerous to name--dozens over many years--but there are four in particular who worked with me through the entire 8 years that I served in this Congress: Jeremy Haldeman, who has

staffed the Foreign Affairs Committee for me and the Oversight Subcommittee, and who has also been my chief of staff in the Washington office; Jim McHugh, who has been my district director and longtime friend and colleague in St. Louis; Suzanne Archer, who has been my deputy director; and Kathy Waltz from Sainte Genevieve, Missouri, a former mayor there but an invaluable part of our constituent outreach team. There are many other staff members, but I thank those in particular for their long and loyal service and for the difference they make in so many people's lives.

To the Missourians whom I've had the great honor to represent, I am gratified and humbled beyond belief to have been able to represent them in this U.S. House of Representatives for 8 years and to also have represented many in the State house of representatives for 4 years prior to that. In working with them and for them we've been able to get some great things done on big national issues but also on important local issues back home.

From ribbon cuttings and orange cones and construction signs all across the St. Louis region to investments in our infrastructure, which have created real jobs at home and have helped rebuild our region's roads, bridges, ports, lochs, dams, levees, flood walls, airports, high-speed rail, light rail, and our bus systems, those have made a real difference in people's lives. It was the reason I got on the Transportation Committee in the first place. We had two of the most deadly roads in America in Jefferson County, Missouri, and we got special funding to help rebuild those roads--to not only help their economy but to save lives. Recently, our firefighters were able to obtain a Federal grant for special patrol boats-rescue boats on the Mississippi River, which will serve the region for years to come.

These kinds of investments are important, and I want to urge this new Congress that will be taking over in just a few days to pass a major transportation bill. It's one of the best investments we can make in this country in order to continue to grow this economy.

We've seen after growing out of this Great Recession over the last few years the Recovery Act passed, the auto industry saved, major Wall Street reforms passed, health care reform passed, and stem cell research measures adopted in unprecedented bipartisan ways. I'll never forget the mothers with their young children who were sitting in my office the day that the health care bill was approved. There was not a dry eye in the room because all of their kids had preexisting conditions. Because of the new health care law, that cannot be the case anymore. I was also proud to serve on our House Foreign Affairs Committee and to chair the international organization's committee, so I just want to urge this Congress to take on the needed reforms to make this Congress work better for the American people.

In closing, we recently greeted World War II veterans here at the monument built in their honor. They said that this Congress needed to take on the spirit they had in World War II--to put the country first and to put our differences aside--and that we could achieve great things.

I rise today on behalf of H.R. 6582, the American Energy Manufacturing Act. This is truly a commonsense, bipartisan bill. I've been proud to work on it with my friend and neighbor, Representative John Shimkus of Illinois, and also with Congresswoman Judy Biggert, who has been my cochair of the High-Performance Building Caucus. I want to thank Congressman Whitfield and Congressman Waxman for their leadership on this matter here on the floor today.

And, finally, the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt) for his leadership in moving this bill forward today and for including legislation that I sponsored in 2010, the Small Duct, High Velocity Energy Efficiency Standards for America Act. Small duct, high velocity systems are a special type of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. It is more energy efficient than traditional units, especially for older and historic homes and buildings with limited space for new duct work.

Even though it's more efficient, the Department of Energy lumped these new systems in with a rulemaking for regular systems in 2002. The Department eventually granted a waiver, basically saying that these new small duct systems could be sold anyway as efficient products. But the legislation before us today will codify that waiver into law so that American manufacturers and consumers can truly benefit from the advantages of these types of products.

Unico is a company that is one of several that manufacture these systems. It is a small business of about 80 employees in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. I've toured the Unico plant, and I've met with their employees. I've seen the pride in their work, the craftsmanship that they display. And those products go not just around the U.S., but around the world.

Unico is an American success story. It's a small business created in America, manufacturing products in America, and creating good-paying manufacturing and construction jobs--exactly what this Congress and this country should be all about. And when the actor Brad Pitt, also a Missouri native, and the Make It Right Foundation unveiled plans to build over 100 super-energy-efficient homes in New Orleans, they looked around the world to find low-cost, energy-efficient systems, and they chose Unico, creating more jobs in my hometown. We're proud of that. But it isn't just about jobs, though. It's about becoming more energy efficient as a Nation.

Heating and cooling account for 56 percent of energy use in the typical house, making it the largest energy expense for most families. Air conditioners alone use roughly 5 percent of all electricity nationwide, at a cost of

over $11 billion to homeowners, releasing nearly 100 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Domestic manufacturing and use of high-energy heating and cooling systems like the ones produced by Unico will reduce energy up to 50 percent, save consumers billions of dollars a year, and create jobs. I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill and thank my colleagues for their work today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize one of St. Louis' finest citizens and community leaders, Mr. Chris Saracino. Chris Saracino comes from a restaurant family that has been serving St. Louisians for over 50 years. His father Bartolino Saracino, Sr. opened his first restaurant in the 1960's. Chris has been working in his family's business since he was a young boy.

Currently Chris and his brothers own three of the most profitable restaurants in St. Louis; Bartolino's Osteria, Bartolino's South and Chris' Pancakes and Dining. His service to the Italian American Community is exemplary. Chris has been President of the Hill Business

Association for several years, an organization residing in one of America's most famous Italian-American neighborhoods. As President, Chris has promoted and helped grow businesses on the Hill, creating jobs for his fellow citizens. Chris has also led the Hill Business Association in numerous community improvement initiatives such as successfully organizing neighborhood parades and festivals, raising money for local park improvements, and securing funding for beautification projects.

Chris is very active with St. Ambrose Catholic Church where he volunteers helping the school prepare healthy lunches for the students. Imagine running a business, volunteering for community and business organizations, raising a family, and still having time to go to your church and make meals for school age children. Chris is a very special person.

This is the kind of citizen our founding fathers hoped our Nation would have--engaged citizens in the private sector and the public square. This October, The Italian Club of St. Louis, celebrating its 90th Anniversary, will recognize Chris Saracino for his outstanding contributions to St. Louis and the Italian-American community by presenting him with the Club's Italian Heritage Award. This award salutes Chris Saracino for demonstrating excellence in business, leadership in the community, and compassion for others. I congratulate my good friend Chris Saracino for this well deserved honor. St. Louis, Missouri, and America are fortunate to have such a committed and unselfish citizen. May he continue to lead and inspire others to do the same.

Thank you. I want to thank the gentleman from Maryland for his leadership on this issue as this Congress shuts down.

It was Harry Truman from Missouri who coined the term the ``do- nothing Congress'' in 1948. But that Congress was 10 times more productive than this Republican Congress of 2012. To call this Congress a do-nothing Congress is an insult to the do-nothing Congress of 1948. So we're leaving today, the earliest this Congress has ever left for a campaign in an election year in 52 years.

Look at how disconnected this Congress has been from the urgent needs of the American people. Thirty percent of the bills passed were for the purpose of attaching someone's name to a building. We voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act 33 times. The Republicans passed 30 jobs message bills that didn't do a thing to create jobs. They voted so often to restrict women's freedom and access to health care that one female Republican lawmaker said, Are you kidding me? How many times are we going to vote for this? And we have voted on the Romney-Ryan plan to end the Medicare guarantee and increase cost to seniors by $6,400. It's no wonder this Republican Congress has the lowest approval rating ever.

There are urgent priorities on the table that many have talked about here today: the middle class tax cuts, the farm bill, the Violence Against Women Act, responsible deficit reduction, and President Obama's jobs bill. This Republican wall of obstruction is wreaking havoc on this country. It's leaving a trail of dysfunction. And now Republicans are running for the exit door to cut their own political losses. They're shutting down this people's House without getting the work done. This Congress should be here. Our Democratic leaders have made it clear we're ready to do that work. People will be the judge.

I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his leadership on this order.

Mr. Speaker, President Harry Truman of Missouri famously labeled the Republican Congress of 1948 the ``Do-Nothing Congress.'' But to call this Congress the do-nothing Congress would be an insult to the 1948 Congress that was 10 times more productive than this Congress.

With the House recessing on the 21st, this is the earliest Congress has left to campaign in an election year in 52 years. The GOP-led 112th Congress has achieved the lowest approval rating ever--nearly 9 out of 10 Americans say they disapprove of this Congress.

Maybe we should feel lucky that Congress hasn't been here, because when they have been here, they voted to end Medicare as we know it and give tax breaks to millionaires over the middle class. They have left town without passing middle class tax cuts, the farm bill, the Violence Against Women Act, and responsible debt reduction. And they have voted for corporations that ship jobs overseas instead of passing the American Jobs Act.

Let's stop calling this the do-nothing Congress. This is worse than the ``Do-Nothing Congress.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of my colleague and Illinois neighbor Congressman Jerry F. Costello for his tireless efforts in representing part of the St. Louis metro area in Southern Illinois.

His 24 years in the House of Representatives have been distinguished by his exceptional ability to achieve and selfless resolve to advance our nation and our bi-state region.

Jerry's civic work began well before his tenure in Congress. This was apparent even in college, where his eagerness to serve the community he called home led him to divide time between his studies and a job as a full time law enforcement officer. He chose to follow this path after college, and his ingenuity and knowledge of the regional court system made him prominent throughout Illinois. His devotion, practicality, and unwavering focus on his community would see his election as chief executive of one of Illinois' largest counties and eventual rise to Congress.

His career has been marked by leadership and consistent achievement, particularly in the field of transportation, where his record is as extensive as it is impressive. In 2005, he took the lead role to secure $150 million for a new Mississippi River bridge as part of one of the biggest earmarks in U.S. history because of its classification as a project of national significance. He brought MetroLink to Southern Illinois, a new transportation network that has improved infrastructure and simultaneously boosted and connected the regional economy. I have been proud to serve alongside Congressman Costello on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Science Committee and I know all his colleagues on both sides of the aisle will deeply miss his leadership and knowledge. Furthermore, his constituents will miss his devotion to improving their lives, creating jobs, and bettering the region's infrastructure.

Jerry's accomplishments exemplify his commitment to issues ranging from safety to poverty, from the economy to defense. His efforts have benefitted not just his district, but the nation as a whole. Beginning in 1995, for example, Jerry undertook a decade-long endeavor to save Illinois' Scott Air Force Base from closure. Continuous efforts to improve base facilities and funding to keep it off the closure list eventually prevailed. The Air Force base is now one of the largest employers in the St. Louis region and ranks among the nation's most important with the operation of the Air Mobility Command.

As the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, he has led the effort to modernize our aviation system and helped pass a bill this year that secured the place of our aviation system as the best and safest in the world for years to come. Several years later, he helped write the Airline Safety and Pilot Training Improvement Act of 2009. The bill requires pilots to now log more hours and undergo more rigorous training before being able to pilot commercial airplanes.

This coming January, my good friend Jerry will be retiring.

His decades of service have provided Illinois, the St. Louis bi-state region, and Congress a guiding voice that will be sorely missed. He retires with a legacy that the next generation of American leaders should hope to emulate.

I have been proud to serve alongside Jerry in Congress, serving the same region, and serving on two committees together. I have seen firsthand the incredible work he has done, and the stamp he has left on this place and the impression he has made on all of us who have had the good fortune to work alongside him. While Jerry will no longer be in Congress, I have no doubt that he will continue to serve his community and his country.

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Jerry Costello on a successful career and wishing him and his family all the best as he retires. Thank you, Jerry.

Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed the suspension votes on July 31, 2012. Please let the record reflect my position on each of these pieces of legislation.

(1) S. 679 (Roll no. 537)--Presidential Appointment Efficiency and Streamlining Act of 2011. I would like the record to reflect that I would have voted in favor of this legislation, which I support, had I been present to record my vote.

(2) H.R. 828 (Roll no. 538)--Federal Employee Tax Accountability Act of 2011, as amended. I would like the record to reflect that I would have voted against this legislation, which I oppose, had I been present to record my vote. I believe that holding individuals with seriously delinquent tax debts accountable is important--to address our fiscal deficit and to ensure all Americans are fulfilling their responsibilities as citizens of this country. However, this legislation unnecessarily and unfairly singles out federal employees. For this reason, I oppose this legislation.

(3) H.R. 3803 (Roll no. 539)--District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. I would like the record to reflect that I would have voted against this legislation, which I strongly oppose, had I been present to record my vote.

The District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act represents just one more step in the Republican's agenda to undermine women's access to reproductive health care. This measure cruelly contains no exemptions in the case of rape, incest, or a terminal fetal anomaly, requiring a woman to carry a non-viable fetus to term. Moreover, this bill is another instance of a congressional overreach into the District of Columbia's affairs. If supporters truly deemed this legislation acceptable for all Americans, they would have moved to enact it nationally, as opposed to imposing it solely on D.C.'s population.

I have long been a strong supporter of women's reproductive rights, and I have continued to work to ensure that women's rights and access to abortion care remain safe and legal. This Congress, we have seen the rights of women come under attack repeatedly in the House of Representatives. Though I firmly believe in encouraging healthy debate, the attacks we have seen are an affront to the rights and health of women around this country. I have, and will continue to, consistently oppose measures like this legislation, which undercut critical access to reproductive health care.

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

With respect to the gentleman from North Dakota, there are some differences on this bill.

I rise to ask my colleagues to vote ``no'' on S. 2039, a bill that would increase the likelihood of flooding along the Missouri River that impacts several States, putting millions of people at risk. This legislation has not had a hearing in either the House or the Senate, nor has the public or impacted federal agencies had an opportunity to weigh in.

The bill goes against longstanding Federal policy that would still apply to the other 49 States--just not North Dakota. Once Federal funds are used to relocate communities and buildings out of floodplains, that land is meant to be dedicated and maintained in perpetuity for a use that is compatible with open space, recreational or wetlands management practices. This bill would stop that from happening in North Dakota, despite the fact that the issue was already addressed with specific allowances for communities in North Dakota in the recently signed into law Biggert-Waters Flood Reform Act of 2012. This bill that's on the floor today doesn't require local communities to reimburse the Federal Government and taxpayers for those previous buyouts.

Without hearings, it's hard to understand why S. 2039 is even necessary. Mr. Speaker, floods are the most frequently occurring natural disaster in this Nation. They happen in all 50 States. According to NOAA, there has been a steady increase in the U.S. of extreme flooding events. In fact, my home State of Missouri has had its fair share. In 2008, we faced a 200-year flood. In 1993, it was a 500- year flood. We're talking about incredibly abnormal levels of flooding that would only be exacerbated by this bill.

Last year, in St. Louis, we faced millions of dollars in losses because of weeks upon weeks of flooding. Again, it was a flood that the Army Corps of Engineers expects to occur every 10 to 25 years. River barge traffic, transporting billions in crops, were delayed. Riverboat casinos were closed for 6 to 8 weeks. Estimates of farmland crop damage was as high as $2 billion.

Missouri was not the only State to suffer. Kentucky saw $5 million in damage, and 1,300 homes around Memphis were damaged. Mississippi suffered hundreds of millions of dollars of damage. This devastation was not from rainfall in Missouri or in the other States affected. It was created by runoff a thousand miles north in North Dakota.

Increased rainfall in that State leads to flooding downstream in my State and others. This bill would allow levees to be created that would greatly increase the chances of that flooding. Rather than exempting North Dakota from the Stafford Act, we should be returning North Dakota to a natural state of marshes and wetlands along the river. These areas absorb significant amounts of water, slow runoff water and minimize the frequency that streams and rivers reach catastrophic flood levels.

Rather than protecting the environment and letting nature do what it is designed to do, this bill would set precedent for other States-- increasing catastrophic flood levels across the country and devastating our Nation's businesses, farms and infrastructure.

Therefore, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. Speaker, again, I think we're seeing the complexity of this issue.

I just want to follow up on the gentleman from Oregon's remarks, that the groups that have weighed in on this bill, from taxpayer groups on the conservative side, to professional managers, to more progressive environmental groups have weighed in against this bill.

Under the previously agreed general leave request, I want to include letters and statements in opposition to S. 2039 from over 30 national and State organizations, including the Association of State Floodplain Managers, Taxpayers for Common Sense, the National Taxpayers Union, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, American Rivers, the National Wildlife Federation, the Nature Conservancy, and Republicans for Environmental Protection--not a list of groups you often see on the same page, Mr. Speaker.

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

Taxpayers for Commonsense, R Street, National Taxpayers

Union,

July 23, 2012.

Dear Representative: We are strongly opposed to S. 2039, a

bill that is on the suspension calendar for a vote today.

This bill would allow communities in North Dakota to

construct levees on land that was so flood-prone that federal

taxpayers bought out the property owners on the condition of

no future development Construction of the levees will

inevitably lead to more high risk development and future

costs to taxpayers. In short, the taxpayer will be forced to

pay twice or more.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency Hazard Mitigation

Grant Program (HMGP) enables voluntary buy-outs of frequently

flooded property, and to prevent future losses (and costs to

the federal government) the communities agree not to develop

the property in the future.

Instead of rectifying specific instances where problems

with the program may have arisen, or pursuing other

solutions, this bill applies broadly across the state of

North Dakota. In fact, while this legislation is specifically

targeted at North Dakota, the bill would set a precedent that

could have national implications. And it would trigger

potentially significant future costs that would be avoided by

simply not building on the land as was originally agreed. In

fact, taxpayers would be subsidizing the levee construction

by purchasing the land, which would enable the future levee

project and the local cost-sharing partner to avoid real

estate fees. A costly pattern could develop: the federal

taxpayer buys the property and a short while later the

community opts out of the program and builds a levee on the

``free'' land.

We urge you to oppose S. 2039. This controversial bill

should not have been placed on the suspension calendar and

should not be approved. For more information contact Steve

Ellis at 202-546-8500 x126 or steve,taxpayer.net.

Sincerely,

Stephen Ellis,

Vice President, Taxpayers for Common Sense.

Eli Lehrer,

President, R Street.

Andrew Moylan,

Vice President of Government Affairs National Taxpayers

Union.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a World War II Veteran, Mr. William Kampelman. He passed away in St. Louis, Missouri on Saturday, July 7, 2012. He will be deeply missed.

After serving in World War II, Mr. William Kampelman founded an electrical business in Webster Groves, Missouri. Then he strengthened the community of Webster Groves by working for the Webster Groves Public Library.

He was the beloved husband of the late Phillis Kampelman; father of Ann Amato, Bill, and Pat Quarles; and grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, and friend.

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor the life of William Kampelman. I invite my colleagues

to join me in this tribute to this incredible man, and hope that his legacy lives on for future generations.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to warn of the danger to our Armed Forces and their families not on the battlefield, but here on American soil.

The Military Spending Act, passed in 2006, stopped much of the predatory lending that once sunk its claws into our military families, but loopholes remain.

The rent-to-own industry constructs stores outside our military bases, while car title lenders and Internet payday lenders find ways around the law by creating open-end loans with interest topping 500 percent.

A counselor at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, reports that most servicemembers seeking financial counseling are burdened with expensive rent-to-own contracts. One soldier earning less than $1,000 a month paid nearly $500 a month in furniture rent.

The Senate recently held hearings on this, and the Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2013 would mandate regulating open-end credit loans and close the loopholes.

This must change. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to address this problem. We must add rent-to-own and open-ended loans to ``covered'' credit and stop the use of allotments for military pay for credit.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, a Republican Representative from my State actually told the truth about the 31st attempt to repeal the new health care law. He told a St. Louis newspaper that today's vote is just because ``we want to get people on the record.'' We've done that 30 times already.

The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land. It was passed by the Congress, signed by the President, and found constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This Republican health care repeal bill isn't about people. It's about more divisive, dysfunctional politics. They know the repeal bill is pointless, and there is no way we're going backwards to the broken health care system of the past. Let's use the time to pass a jobs bill. Let's pass the middle class tax cut extension that we all agree with. Let's pass my bill that will protect veterans returning from war zones from the impacts of psychological damage.

Today, our troops are killing themselves at a rate of nearly one a day. They urgently need our help. Let's do something for them. Let's do something that actually matters to the American people. Let's put ourselves on record for the people, for jobs, rather than wasting time casting the same vote 30 times.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose the Republicans' attempt to repeal the new health care law.

When people in St. Louis go to work, they want fair pay for a day's work. When they buy dinner on the way home, they expect to pay a fair price. They don't expect to get gouged because the chef needs a new set of golf clubs. Yet those are examples of what has happened in the health care industry. Private health insurance premiums are rising faster than Medicare costs in order to provide the same services. Bonuses, advertising, overhead have crowded out dollars for actual health care.

The Affordable Care Act, or the ACA, changes that.

Now, by law, 80 percent of private insurance premiums must be spent on paying for health care. Some companies cannot or will not lower overhead and profits to 20 percent. So this year they will be forced to pay refunds of more than $170, on average, to more than 580,000 residents in my State of Missouri.

So, Mr. Speaker, for those who have stood up for health care today, I stand with them. The Republican idea is to go backward to the broken system of the past. They are trying to end insurance for kids with preexisting conditions; to end the protection from prescription drug costs; to end free mammograms; to end the affordability tax credits for small businesses; to end refunds from insurance companies that don't spend enough on health care.

Let's call this Republican repeal bill what it is. This is a distraction from addressing the jobs agenda of this country. Let's get past this Republican stunt. Let's get back to work on things we can do together to continue to grow this economy.

Madam Speaker, I stand here today frustrated but determined. Frustrated because I've heard from so many people in St. Louis, Missouri, that I represent, small business owners, veterans, students, and others. They're all saying the same thing: ``Put me to work.''

They want to help rebuild our economy. They want to help create new American jobs.

They're not saying, ``Kill me a sea lion.'' They're not saying, ``Allow corporations to pollute my air and water.'' They're not saying, ``Give more breaks for the well-off Americans and more burdens for seniors.'' They're saying, ``Put me to work.''

They are determined, and so am I. So I say to you, put Congress to work. Put us to work passing the student loan interest extension to protect students who are graduating into an unstable marketplace. Put us to work passing the Senate transportation bill that passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support and would create thousands of jobs. Put us to work passing the STARTUP Act, to create new opportunities for American innovation.

Listen to our constituents. They want to go to work. They are cheering for our country to succeed and to work, and they expect and deserve their Congress to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Linda Henke, for her years of service to the people of the St. Louis area.

Dr. Henke is retiring as Superintendent of the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, MRH, where she demonstrated a true passion for excellence during her years of service. When she first joined MRH, the district was one point away from losing its accreditation from the state of Missouri. After a decade under Dr. Henke's guidance, the school district now operates with Missouri's top Annual Performance Report Score; a true testament to Dr. Henke's hard work, dedication, and leadership.

Her personal approach towards the staff and the students has been a hallmark of her tenure. She made a point to know the staff and the students by name, and she attended nearly all sporting events, school plays, and concerts her students took part in. She actively sought to include her students in the development of successful school policies by regularly meeting with an advisory team of middle and high school students to openly discuss problems and possible solutions.

Dr. Henke not only cares about her students' academic success, but also about their health and well-being. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Henke as she has endeavored to provide locally produced, healthy food choices to her students in the cafeteria. She has worked hard to engage students in learning about our food system and teaching them that good eating habits are connected to excellence in education.

Her life has been defined by remarkable service to others. Dr. Henke has an exceptional ability to identify needs and works to fulfill them, as she has demonstrated many times while leading the MRH school district. A great example of this was when she saw that some students and families had lost their homes and had trouble finding regular meals. She addressed this by developing Joe's Place, where teenage boys can go to find affection, support, a home, and regular meals. In previous years, each of the boys who lived at Joe's Place not only graduated from MRH High School, but also went on to attend college. In many cases, they were the first members of their families to accomplish this feat.

Without Dr. Henke's passion for her students and determination to provide them with every opportunity for success, MRH would not be the model school district it is today. Educators from across the country visit MRH schools to understand how she has transformed the district, and how they can replicate her successful programs in their own districts.

I congratulate Dr. Linda Henke on her retirement, and I thank her for her service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Gedlu Metaferia, for his decades of service to the people of the St. Louis, Missouri.

Mr. Metaferia started the African Mutual Assistance Association of Missouri, AMAAM, on April 10, 1983 and for nearly 30 years has helped over 30,000 African immigrants and refugees settle into the St. Louis metropolitan area. Today St. Louis is home to almost 6,400 African immigrants and refugees.

As Executive Director, Mr. Metaferia skillfully managed the day-to- day operations of his organization, and he successfully led it toward the fulfillment of its mission to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate social services to African refugees and immigrants. The work of this organization includes: assistance with applications and insurance forms, mediation, education about civic participation, interpretation during medical visits, transportation, and locating housing. Sadly, we are all aware of the plight of refugees and other displaced communities; therefore, I am eternally grateful for the adjustment assistance provided by Mr. Metaferia and his organization.

Mr. Metaferia's efforts have fostered a greater appreciation of diversity, and have advanced ethnic inclusion in the St. Louis community. Moreover, he remains active in the community as a poet, freelance writer, human rights activist, advocate for refugee and immigrant rights, and a member on several non-profit boards. Mr. Metaferia has led by example and demonstrates resilience as a pillar of strength, sound judgment, and compassion.

Mr. Metaferia has dedicated his life to serving and promoting the welfare of others, and he has exemplified extraordinary commitment and selfless dedication. I congratulate Mr. Gedlu Metaferia on his many accomplishments, and I thank him for his continued service to our community.