Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Nathan Jay Chaloupka. Nathan is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 397, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Nathan has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Nathan has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Nathan has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Nathan designed and built an outdoor prayer and meditation area for the First United Methodist Church of Kearney.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Nathan Jay Chaloupka for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Christopher Noal Browning. Christopher is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 237, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Christopher has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Christopher has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Christopher has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Christopher designed and constructed a divider wall around the restrooms at Bunceton Park in Bunceton, Missouri.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Christopher Noal Browning for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Austin Salmon. Austin is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1376, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Austin has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Austin has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Austin became a brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and earned the rank of Fire Builder in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, as well as maintaining a position on the Honor Roll of Liberty North High School in Liberty, Missouri. Austin has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Austin built shelving and renovated the basement of Blue Ridge Trinity Lutheran Church in Raytown, Missouri, a small church long in need of the renovation.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Austin Salmon for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Samuel Morrison Evans. Samuel is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 87, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Samuel has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Samuel has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Samuel has earned 65 merit badges and spent countless hours volunteering at the Cameron Food Pantry and with the American Legion. Samuel has also contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project. Samuel planned and constructed landscaping around Parkview Elementary in Cameron, Missouri. Samuel also designed and painted murals inside the school gymnasium to make the room more appealing to the student population.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Samuel Morrison Evans for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize the outstanding achievements of Northwest Missouri State University Football Coach Mel Tjeerdsma. Coach Tjeerdsma is one of the most successful and well respected coaches in the history of collegiate football, coaching Bearcat Football for 17 seasons. I join with the rest of the Bearcat Nation in congratulating Coach Tjeerdsma on his many years of success, contributions to the community and retirement.

Mr. Speaker, Coach Tjeerdsma orchestrated arguably the greatest football program transformations in the history of collegiate athletics. In his first season, Coach Tjeerdsma went from 0-11 in 1994 to 183-32 with three national championships and 12 conference championships. He coached 44 All-Americans, 119 All-MIAA student athletes, and 14 National Football League players. Coach Tjeerdsma's leadership and mentoring has made a difference in the lives of his student-athletes. Coach Tjeerdsma was recently recognized and inducted into the NCAA Division II Football Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Mr. Speaker, Coach Tjeerdsma is not only the Bearcat football program's all-time winningest coach, but his focus on the classroom is second to none for his student-athletes. Coach Tjeerdsma's teams have featured seven academic All-Americans and one National Scholar Athlete of the Year. Coach Tjeerdsma's football graduation rate is far above the national average of 53 percent with an impressive 85 percent.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me and the rest of the Bearcat Family in applauding Coach Mel Tjeerdsma's outstanding achievements and contributions to the community and to the sport. We wish Coach Tjeerdsma and Carol the very best in years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise to recognize Mr. Carlie Erdman on the occasion of his 100th birthday celebration. Mr. Erdman was born on August 11, 1911 in a sod house near Benkelman, Nebraska. He arrived in Missouri as soon as he could, though, moving here when he was just two months old. In 1936 he married his late wife, Arlene Thompson, on June 20th.

Mr. Erdman has been a lifelong farmer in Northwest Missouri and a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church. Carlie was my neighbor for as long as I can remember. In fact, he taught my brother Todd and I to water-ski at Big Lake. He spent many gorgeous summer afternoons boating at Big Lake and enjoying the water.

It is amazing, Mr. Speaker, when you stop and look at all the historical events that Carlie has seen firsthand. He saw the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, the First Man on the Moon, the invention of the computer, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, September 11th, and so on.

However, the greatest tribute to Carlie is not his longevity. You see, everyone in Atchison County knows Carlie. He is the first one there if you ever need help, and he is the first one there if you have something to celebrate. It's a tribute to the kind of person Carlie is that if you ask people who know him, they all say the same thing: Carlie is a good man, a good neighbor, and a good friend.

Mr. Speaker, this Sunday Carlie's friends and family will gather to mark this extraordinary occasion. I hope that the whole House will join me in celebrating Carlie's 100th birthday and wishing him good health.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, August 1, I missed a rollcall vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on No. 691.

Mr. Speaker, on Monday, July 25, I missed a couple of rollcall votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on No. 630 and ``nay'' on Nos. 631, 632, 634, 635, 636.

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, July 21, I missed a rollcall vote. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on No. 612.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Maxwell Kenner Dusch. Maxwell is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Maxwell has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Maxwell has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Maxwell has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Maxwell Kenner Dusch for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Kevin James Gordon. Kevin is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Kevin has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Kevin has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Kevin has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Kevin James Gordon for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Ian Michael Niemeyer. Ian is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Ian has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Ian has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Ian has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Ian Michael Niemeyer for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Deklan Louis Kennedy. Deklan is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Deklan has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Deklan has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Deklan has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Deklan Louis Kennedy for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Connor James Pace. Connor is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Connor has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Connor has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Connor has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Connor James Pace for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly pause to recognize Ethan Patrick Turner. Ethan is a very special young man who has exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship and leadership by taking an active part in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 362, and earning the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout.

Ethan has been very active with his troop, participating in many scout activities. Over the many years Ethan has been involved with scouting, he has not only earned numerous merit badges, but also the respect of his family, peers, and community. Most notably, Ethan has contributed to his community through his Eagle Scout project.

Mr. Speaker, I proudly ask you to join me in commending Ethan Patrick Turner for his accomplishments with the Boy Scouts of America and for his efforts put forth in achieving the highest distinction of Eagle Scout.