Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary trailblazer, sailor, World War II veteran, and dedicated civil servant, Parachute Rigger Petty Officer 2nd Class (P/R 2) Reba Alexander Moncus, who was honored at Veterans Day Program for the American Legion Post 30 on November 11, 2021, at 8 a.m.

Reba Alexander Moncus was born November 30, 1921, in Berrien County, Georgia, to the union of the late Mr. J.H. and Mrs. Lodia Alexander. As a family of sharecroppers during the Great Depression, the Alexanders often moved around, and with money being scarce, the only food they purchased was the food they could not grow on their own. Because her family could not afford to buy schoolbooks for her studies, Reba had to drop out of school in the third grade. It was not until Ed Rivers became Governor of Georgia, that the state began furnishing free schoolbooks, and Reba was able to return to her studies. She attended six different schools in a three-county area, before graduating from high school at the age of 21. After high school, she went to Thomaston, Georgia where she worked for Thomaston Mills, and after some time there, she realized that a life of drudgery working in a cotton mill was not the life she wanted to live.

On March 10, 1943, Reba answered the call to serve her nation and enlisted in the newly formed U.S. NAVY WAVES (Women Appointed for Volunteer Emergency Services), the women's branch of the U.S. Navy, and was the first woman to be recruited from the Albany, Georgia area. Upon enlisting, she started basic training at Hunter College in New York along with 10,000 other women on July 15, 1943. After Basic she was assigned to the Recreation Department onboard Naval Air Station Anacostia, in Washington, D.C. Reba was adamant about wanting to serve her country in every capacity and wanting to contribute to the World War II efforts, and after battling with the Navy Bureau of Personnel for four months, she finally convinced them that she was capable of serving on the front lines. On January 1, 1944, Reba was assigned to Naval Air Station Lakehurst, New Jersey for training as a parachute rigger. On April l, 1944, upon completion of her training, she was sent to Naval Air Station (NAS) Melbourne, Florida, where new Naval Aviators were taught tactics, gunnery, and general flight prior to shipment overseas. During her tenure at NAS Melbourne, she was also able to participate in the drop test flights but, as one of two female riggers, she was not allowed to test jump chutes, as they were reserved only for the male riggers. Reba spent the most fulfilling days of her life, interrupted by moments of pure horror at Melbourne, as her duties included inspecting and repacking unused military parachutes and salvaging the hardware from burned parachutes, which included smelling the horrible stench of human flesh mixed with burnt aviation gas, oil, and everything involved with an airplane crash. She was later reassigned to NAS Opa Locka in November of 1944 and was released from active duty on November 24, 1945.

Following her military service, she continued to serve her community and make an impact in the lives of others. Her contributions include serving her fellow Veterans as a member of the American Legion Post 30 in Albany, Georgia and serving on the Honor Guard Burial Detail for more than two decades. Moreover, she urged her fellow vets and first responders suffering from the effects of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to seek help.

Douglas Adams once said that ``To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.'' P/R 2 Reba Alexander Moncus has demonstrated through her career and life, outstanding achievement, service, and public distinction. Our community, our state, and our nation are better because of her.

Reba accomplished much in her life, but none of it would have been possible without the Grace of God and the love and support of her family including her late husband, Albert Holton Harrell; and her children, and her grandchildren.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District in honoring and commending Parachute Rigger Petty Officer 2nd Class (P/R 2) Reba Alexander Moncus for her outstanding service to her nation, community, and humankind.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to a devoted Man of God, a distinguished public servant, dedicated husband, loving father, inspiring mentor, and dear friend of longstanding, The Honorable Lynmore James. Sadly, Lynmore transitioned from labor to reward on Friday, October 29, 2021. His funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 6, 2021, at the Macon County High School Gym in Montezuma, Georgia.

Lynmore James was born on August 28, 1937, in Byromville, Georgia to the union of the late Mr. Will James and Mrs. Hannah James Johnson. A product of the Macon County School System, he graduated from Flint River Farms School, before going on to receive his Bachelor of Science degree in Building Construction from Tuskegee University in Alabama. Lynmore was a very successful farmer in Macon County and a valued team leader in the Quality Control Division at Ford Motor Company.

He served in the General Assembly of Georgia for nine terms from 1992 through 2010. While proudly serving as the State Representative for House District 135, he served on several House Committees including Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Appropriations, Regulated Industries, and Retirement. Lynmore was actively involved in improving the quality of life and local economies for his constituents in Dooly, Peach, Talbot, and Taylor Counties.

But Madam Speaker, his commitment to public service did not end there. Lynmore was more than a legislator, he was a servant to all humankind. He gave of himself to countless causes and organizations including the Flag Bank Board of Directors, the Flint River Community Hospital Governing Board, the Georgia Center for Youth Advisory, the Georgia Agri-Leaders Forum, the Fort Valley State University Foundation Board, and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. Dr. Maya Angelou once said that ``I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.'' Lynmore threw a prodigious amount of love and service back to the communities and state he loved so dearly.

Lynmore accomplished much in his life, but none of this would have been possible without his enduring faith in God, and the love and support of his wife of 49 years, Faye Hardrick James; his sons Lynorris, Mack Carlton, and Jefferey; and a host of other family, friends, and associates, all of whom will miss him deeply.

On a personal note, Lynmore James was a dear friend to me. He was elected to the Georgia General Assembly the same year that I was called to serve in the U.S. Congress, and we represented the same constituencies during his service. We bonded over helping our constituents, especially during the flood of 1994 when many of them were displaced and disadvantaged because of the natural disaster. The advice, counsel, friendship, and support that I received from Lynmore as Congressman for the Second Congressional District was immeasurable. He never told me what I wanted to hear, but he always told me what he felt I needed to hear.

Lynmore was truly a great state representative for Middle Georgia and a stellar example of how a public servant should serve his constituents. His friendship, leadership, and counsel will be sorely missed.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in honoring the life and legacy of The Honorable Lynmore James for his remarkable service to humankind. Moreover, we extend our deepest condolences to Lynmore's family, friends, and all those who grieve his loss, during this period of bereavement. We pray that they will be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to a

dedicated teacher, school administrator, and beloved coach, Dr. David C. ``Butch'' Mosely, Jr. Sadly, Dr. Mosely transitioned from labor to reward on Friday, October 8, 2021, at the age of 80. His funeral service was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 16, 2021, at Shady Grove Farm in Climax, Georgia.

David Clark Mosely, Jr., affectionately known as ``Butch'', was born in Bainbridge, Georgia, on July 22, 1941, to the union of David Clark Mosely, Sr. and Rosalie Evans Mosely. Butch graduated from Climax High School in 1959 and started his post-secondary academic career in Americus on a basketball scholarship before attending Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, and the University of Georgia, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He attended Valdosta State University, where he earned his Specialist Degree and Nova Southeastern University, where he earned his Doctorate.

Aristotle once said, ``Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.'' Accordingly, Butch, throughout his career, stressed not only achieving academic success in his students, but also building character. His impressive career spanned decades and impacted teachers and students across the State of Georgia. He served as Physical Education teacher and Coach of boys and girls basketball teams at Pelham High School and Principal of Whigham Public Schools. He served as Superintendent of Schools in Decatur County, City of Vidalia, Glynn County, and Dougherty County. He served as Interim Superintendent in Carrollton, Douglas, Camilla, and Dougherty. His passion for education and his straightforward approach to making things happen resulted in his being named 1999 Superintendent of the Year by the Georgia Association of Education Leaders.

But Madam Speaker, his commitment to public service did not end there. Butch was elected to represent his community of Climax, Georgia as a Decatur County Commissioner. He later worked with the Southwest Georgia Regional Educational Service Agency and was appointed to the State Board of Education where he continued to serve as a voice for both educators and students in the state.

Butch was also a man of deep faith and served his God in various capacities at the Climax United Methodist Church, where he volunteered countless hours on various committees for many years.

Butch accomplished much in his life, but none of this would have been possible without his enduring faith in God, and the love and support of his wife of 54 years, June Cox Mosely; his children, Sylena and John David; and a host of other family and friends, all of whom will miss him deeply.

Shirley Chisholm often said that ``Service is the rent that we pay for the space we occupy on this earth''. Butch paid his rent and he paid it well. He gave so much to so many for so long and continued until he could give no more. He made students, teachers, and all those whose lives he touched better for having known him.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in honoring the life and legacy of The Honorable David C. ``Butch'' Mosely, Jr. for his remarkable service to humankind.

Moreover, we extend our deepest condolences to Butch's family, friends, and all those who grieve his loss, during this period of bereavement. We pray that they will be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the weeks, months, and years ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5305. Keeping our government funded and functioning is a basic responsibility of the Congress. This is must-pass legislation.

Passage will give time to finalize the fiscal year 2022 funding bills without a government shutdown, and we should get that done as soon as possible. As chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I want to highlight several items in our jurisdiction.

First, the bill includes $10 billion for agricultural disaster assistance programs to cover events in 2020 and 2021.

It includes $275 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to help communities address damages caused by natural disasters that impair the watersheds.

Moreover, it ensures USDA can continue to help expand economic opportunity, create jobs in rural areas, and fully meet the demand for farm ownership loans. And it provides the authority and funding to allow the Food and Nutrition Service to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in the WIC Food Package, increasing nutrition security at a time when food insecurity is rampant across our country.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the committee staffs on both the Appropriations and the Agriculture Committees. I want to thank Chair DeLauro, the ranking member, and the committee members for their dedicated work on the many difficult issues addressed in this bill.

I urge my colleagues to support this bill and keep the government open so that the programs meant to help America grow economically and recover from natural disasters can continue to help people all across this country.

Madam Speaker, today, my colleague, Mr. Fortenberry of Nebraska, and I will introduce the bipartisan Equal Access to the Right Nutrition Act for Military Families--better known as the EARN Act.

The food insecurity rate among active-duty military families is 14 percent higher than the national average of 10.5 percent.

This affects service members from all ranks, especially junior enlisted as well as service members of color.

The EARN Act is an innovative solution to this problem that will increase military family access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program--commonly known as Foods Stamps or SNAP.

It removes variability in state administered SNAP programs by establishing a federally administered SNAP benefit for military families with streamlined national eligibility requirements for military households.

It encourages participation in SNAP by requiring the U.S. Department of Defense to notify qualifying military families of their eligibility and automatically enroll families in the program unless they decide to opt out.

Finally, it eases the transition back to civilian life by establishing a transitional, temporary SNAP benefit for those leaving service.

When a person makes the commitment and sacrifice to serve our country in the military, we must honor this by ensuring that their basic needs are met.

I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5305. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, I would like to highlight several items in our jurisdiction.

The legislation includes $10 billion for agricultural disaster assistance programs to cover events in 2020 and 2021. Farmers, ranchers, and producers continue to face extreme climate events from extensive droughts out West and unprecedented heat in the Pacific Northwest to another year of massive wildfires in California and hurricanes that continue to batter the Gulf and Eastern seaboard States. Every region of our country is impacted.

The bill also includes $275 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to help communities address damages to infrastructure caused by natural disasters that impair the watersheds.

Furthermore, it ensures that USDA can fully meet the demand for farm ownership loans, especially for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers. It allows USDA to continue to provide loans to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas, and it provides the authority and funding to allow the Food and Nutrition Service to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables in the WIC food package.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the committee staff of both the Appropriations and Agriculture Committees. I also thank Chair DeLauro and the Members for their dedicated work on the many hard issues addressed in the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill so that programs meant to help America grow economically and recover from natural disasters can continue to help people across this country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Malinowski).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress, our first duty is to the American people and especially to those in need. With the Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, we are supporting our Nation's working families, so many of whom are struggling to get by.

By responding to the devastation of recent natural disasters, we can help the target communities and help the survivors rebuild and restore their lives, their livelihoods, and their homes.

We can also do what is right to help those who risk their lives to serve our Nation in Afghanistan. By providing urgent humanitarian assistance and resources to allow for the resettlement of Afghan evacuees in the United States, we can honor our commitment to these people and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to do the right thing and pass this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary public servant, mentor to many, trailblazer, mother, and dear friend of longstanding, Judge Mary Alice Buckner. Sadly, Judge Buckner transitioned on Friday, September 10, 2021. A celebration of her life was held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, September 18, 2021, at the Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, 4400 Old Cusseta Road in Columbus, Georgia.

Mary Alice Buckner was born in Columbus, Georgia on March 3, 1948, as the fifth of nine children to the late Reverend Otis Buckner and Mrs. Beatrice Rogers Buckner. She was educated in the Muscogee County public schools, graduating with honors in 1966, from George Washington Carver High School. She decided early what career she would pursue, choosing law because she wanted her voice to be heard and to make a difference in society. Mary enrolled at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in History and Political Science in 1970. She was accepted into Emory Law School, and after completing her first year, transferred to Mercer University, where in 1973 she received a Juris Doctorate from the Walter F. George School of Law, becoming the first African American female to graduate from Mercer Law School.

Mary Buckner accepted Christ at an early age becoming a lifelong member of Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church, serving over the years in the Sanctuary Choir, the Pulpit Search Committee, the Welcome Circle Mission, the Mount Pilgrim Legal Counsel Board and President of the Matrons 2. In 1975, Mary Buckner joined my law firm, Bishop and Hudlin. In 1978, the firm changed to Bishop and Buckner, P.C., and she became a full partner specializing in real estate, probate, bankruptcy, and domestic relations. We continued our practice up through 1992 when I was elected to Congress at which time, she formed her own private practice. Madam Speaker, Mary Buckner was a pioneer, paving the way for women and minorities. In February of 1984, she became the first African American woman appointed Judge Pro Tem of the Columbus Recorder's Court, and in 1991, she was appointed by the City Council to serve full time, which she did with distinction until her retirement in 2019.

Judge Buckner made significant contributions to the community through her involvement and volunteer work in organizations such as the Columbus Community Center, Past President of the Columbus Technical College Board, member and Past President of the Georgia Legal Services Board, member of the A.J. McClung YMCA Board, and a member of

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her concern for others, especially children, led her to become a foster parent. Judge Buckner's bar affiliations include memberships in the State Bar of Georgia, American Bar Association, National Bar Association, Columbus Bar Association, and the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys.

Among her numerous honors and awards are: The Tony Baldwin Trailblazer Award presented by the Black Law Students Association Alumni Council of Mercer University; The Barbara A. Harris Award for Service to the Community; and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Gamma Tau Omega Chapter 2009 Rosa Parks Women of Courage Honoree. She always advised others and especially young people that a person can achieve any goal with hard work, dedication, and commitment. She continued to make strides and create paths for diversity in the legal profession and wanted her legacy to show that she was fair yet compassionate on the bench. She knew that she had to follow the law but at the same time show empathy and concern for the wellbeing of all.

Judge Buckner accomplished much throughout her life, but none of this would have been possible without her enduring faith in God, the love and nurture of her parents, siblings, children, Jontell and Jackie, as well as her vast extended family, friends, and associates, all of whom will miss her deeply.

On a personal note, I have known Judge Buckner as ``Mary B.'' since 1970, when I met her at Emory Law School. She and her family have inspired me and countless others. Not only was she my law partner, but she was my sister and trusted friend. Her friendship and support over the years have contributed mightily to my professional and political success, and I will be forever grateful that she has been a part of my life.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia in paying tribute to the Honorable Mary Alice Buckner for her service to humankind and in extending our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and all those who mourn her loss. Moreover, we pray that we will all be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chair, Chair Takano, for yielding time. I thank the ranking member, along with you and the entire Committee on Veterans' Affairs for all the work that you do in support of our Nation's veterans and, of course, this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague, Drew Ferguson, in offering this legislation to honor the former mayor of Columbus, Georgia, Colonel Robert Stephen ``Bob'' Poydasheff, Sr.

The naming of this VA clinic in Columbus for Bob Poydasheff honors a great champion of veterans, an exceptional soldier, a distinguished public servant, and a dear friend.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, and the Disabled American Veterans, and it is cosponsored by every single member of the Georgia congressional delegation.

Sadly, Bob passed away last year on September 24. He was a native of the Bronx, New York, and he was born with an innate determination to excel, which was apparent in virtually every single aspect of his life. He served honorably in the United States Army for 24 years, and he retired at the rank of colonel.

He began his distinguished military career as an infantry officer, serving one combat tour in Vietnam before transferring to the Judge Advocate General's Corps.

In recognition of his service to our country, he received the Vietnam Ribbon, the Legion of Merit, and the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He was also elected to the Ranger Hall of Fame, located at Fort Benning, Georgia.

Following his military service, Bob Poydasheff made Columbus, Georgia, his permanent home. Through his leadership, first as a member of the city council, then as mayor of the city, Columbus experienced extraordinary growth and prosperity.

He was a longtime advocate working on behalf of disadvantaged veterans, including supporting the location of the new VA clinic in Columbus, which this bill will name in his honor. Bob will be missed, but his legacy will live on through the lives of veterans who will be helped at this clinic.

It has been said that you make your living by what you get, you make your life by what you give. Robert S. ``Bob'' Poydasheff gave so much to so many for so long, and this clinic memorializes his legacy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and my colleague, from Georgia, Drew Ferguson, the entire Georgia delegation, the VFW, the American Legion, the DAV, in supporting this bill to name the new community-based outpatient VA clinic in Columbus, Georgia, the Robert S. Poydasheff VA Clinic.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an extraordinary leader, soldier, veteran, and dedicated civil servant, SFC (Ret.) Joseph F. Kyles, who most recently retired from an impressive career with the United States Postal Service spanning almost three decades. He was honored at a retirement event on Saturday, August 7, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Civic Center.

Joseph Frenchman Kyles was born in Sampson, Alabama on July 26, 1950, to the union of Nathaniel and Corine Kyles as the oldest of seven children. He is the loving husband of Minister Nila Kyles, the father of four children, and the grandfather of five grandchildren.

In 1972, Joseph Kyles answered the call to serve his nation and joined the United States Army. During his distinguished 20-year career in the U.S. Army, he became a non-commissioned officer retiring at the rank of Sergeant First Class. During his Army career, he served at Fort Benning in the Harmony Church area (specializing in Engineering, Weapon Night Firing, Leadership Training, and Tactical Training Maneuvers) and completed various overseas duties and assignments before retiring in 1992. To further hone his skills, he attended Columbus Technical College to obtain a degree in Engineering, Leadership, and Tactics Training.

Following his retirement from the U.S. Army, SFC (Ret.) Kyles built quite an impressive public service career with the United States Postal Service (USPS), beginning in 1992, when he started as a mail clerk. Over the span of 29 years, he served in several other capacities with USPS including mail handler, mail carrier, and mail truck driver.

Also, following his military service, he continued to serve his community and make an impact in the lives of others. His contributions include serving and financially supporting youth through Little League Football and Softball; Lonnie Jackson Academy Tutorial program; South Columbus Coalition; South Columbus Exchange Club; Youth of the Year program; and The House Of Refuge Ministry with his wife and son, Darian Hall, who is the pastor. He has also served as mentor and financial supporter for his fellow Veterans by assisting and transporting veterans to and from appointments, helping them acquire benefits and receive medical supplies for life endurance following their military service.

Douglas Adams once said that ``To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.'' SFC (Ret.) Joseph F. Kyles has demonstrated through his career and life, outstanding achievement, service, and public distinction. Our community, our state, and our nation are better because of him. In honor of his commendable accomplishments and years of service, B.H. ``Skip'' Henderson III, Mayor of Columbus, Georgia, signed a proclamation declaring August 7, 2021 as ``Joseph Frenchman Kyles Day''.

Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District in honoring and commending SFC (Ret.) Joseph Frenchman Kyles for his outstanding service to his nation, community, and humankind as well as upon the occasion of his retirement from the United States Postal Service. We extend our best wishes to him as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated community leader, an outstanding Man of God, and a dear friend of longstanding, Pastor Chad D. Bryant who is retiring and celebrating his 40th anniversary as the distinguished pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia. An anniversary worship service will be held on Sunday, August 8, 2021 at 3 p.m. at the church located at 3601 Yeomans Street in Columbus, Georgia.

A native son of Columbus, Georgia, Pastor Chad D. Bryant was born to the late William Bryant, Sr. and Mattie Bryant. Pastor Bryant began his Christian journey after accepting Jesus at the age of 8. At the age of 16, he confessed a calling to the preaching ministry and by 18, he was ordained--all of which happened under the tutelage of the late Reverend C.C. Cloud of New Providence Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia. Pastor Bryant received his grade school education in the public schools of Columbus, Georgia before graduating from Spencer High School in 1974. He then went on to attend Morris Brown College, where he studied Sociology with an emphasis in Psychology. He also received a certificate in Church Administration and the Old and New Testaments from the American Baptist Theological Seminary in Columbus, Georgia.

In addition to being the beloved pastor of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and a founding active member of the Fellowship Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc., he has also served as Assistant Pastor of Galilee Baptist Church; Associate Minister of Greater Beallwood and New Providence Baptist Churches in Columbus Georgia; a former instructor of the American Baptist College Extension Center; Assistant Director-General and Director-General for the Congress of Christian Education; and President and Dean of the Fourth District Congress of Christian Education under the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc.

George Washington Carver once said, ``How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong because someday in your life you will have been all of these.'' Pastor Bryant has gone far in life because his everlasting faith in the Lord is a vivid testimony of His greatness to all whom he encounters. His love and commitment to Christ are reflected in his compassionate and considerate leadership, which makes him a guiding light within the community. He is a humble man who always puts himself in the shoes of others. It has been said that, ``The true person of success is not the person that climbs the ladder of this life with one hand, but climbs the ladder of this life with two hands and reaches back with the other.'' Pastor Bryant has always climbed the ladder of life with an eye towards helping others to reach their full potential, both spiritually and socially.

On a personal level, Pastor Bryant has been a friend and supporter for many, many years, and his friendship, advice, and counsel have always been valued by me. I am grateful and honored to be able to call him my friend.

Today I ask my colleagues to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the congregation of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, and the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District in honoring and commending Pastor Chad D. Bryant on his outstanding career and upon the occasion of his retirement. We wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Madam Speaker, it is with deep gratitude and great admiration that I rise today to honor and commend an extraordinary public servant, husband, and friend of long standing, Mr. Michael Joseph Reed. Michael, my Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor, will be retiring from federal public service effective August 3, 2021. He will leave behind a stellar career and a void in my office that will be hard to fill. A retirement reception will be held for him at 5:00 p.m. on July 28, 2021 in Washington, D.C., attended by numerous friends, family, colleagues, and others with whom his life and career have intersected.

Michael Joseph Reed is a native of Buffalo, N.Y. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. He also earned a Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Michael's career in public service began as a Presidential Management Intern (PMI) at the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Budget Policy. This experience led him to his first Capitol Hill position as an intern for former Congressman Louis Stokes of Ohio, who was a member of the House Appropriations Committee. After leaving Congressman Stokes, he joined the staff of Congressman William Gray, Chairman of the House Budget Committee and a member of the Appropriations Committee, as Legislative Director.

After leaving Congressman Gray's office, he was Vice-President for Marketing at the United Negro College Fund. He was also the Director of Regional Card Marketing and Vice-President for Government Affairs for the American Express Company.

In 2003, when I was selected to serve on the House Appropriations Committee and was searching for a seasoned Appropriations Specialist and Legislative Policy Advisor, I was blessed to hire Michael as my Special Assistant for the Appropriations Committee. He served in that capacity for twelve (12) years until he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff in 2011 and Chief of Staff in 2015.

For eighteen (18) years, I have been matriculating in ``The Michael Reed School of Budgetary Policy.'' He has been a master teacher of the process and its nuances. While he initially had no working knowledge of agriculture issues, he worked hard to learn these issues and used his skills to help my growth and effectiveness in the Agriculture Subcommittee of Appropriations and facilitate my securing the Chairmanship. Michael drove the Congressional response in the form of agriculture disaster relief over the past three (3) years to include typhoons, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, and other exigencies. Georgia and American Agriculture were able to get relief because of his significant work. Georgia agriculture producers and rural communities benefited mightily from his efforts. Michael led my staff with great aplomb. He never told me only what I wanted to hear but always told me what I needed to hear. Because of him, we have been able to serve the people better.

Former Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm once said, ``Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy on this earth.'' Michael has paid his rent and paid it well.

Having served in the public sector, corporate sector, and the nonprofit sector, he has truly made a difference. But none of this would have been possible without the grace of God, the love and support of his loving wife, Attorney Diane Fields Reed, his father-in-law, Judge Richard Fields, and their beloved dog, Alexandra.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives, to join my wife, Vivian and me, along with our entire Congressional staff, past and present, and the 730,000 residents of the Second Congressional District of Georgia in honoring and commending Mr. Michael Joseph Reed on his outstanding career and upon the occasion of his retirement. We wish him well as he begins a new chapter in his life.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate India on its 75th Independence Day, which will be celebrated this year on August 15. On that date, its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru proclaimed that his country, in casting off its British rule, had ``made a tryst with destiny.'' He said that ``[at] the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance . . .''

Of course, India's history stretches back thousands and thousands of years. Its civilization and its contributions to the world are countless--from literature to philosophy to mathematics. India today is continuing in that tradition by extending a hand to other nations in their fight against the pandemic as the country itself manages its own severe COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, Indian Americans are making countless contributions here in the United States as doctors, lawyers, scientists, business owners, artists, and even in the White House in the person of Vice President Kamala Harris whose mother was Indian.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that India's own struggle for independence greatly influenced the United States' own civil rights movement. America's civil rights leaders, from Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King to my late colleague and friend Congressman John Lewis, were inspired by the revered leader of Indian independence Mahatma Gandhi. They followed in his footsteps by embracing Mahatma Gandhi's non-violent approach to achieving social and political justice.

In fact, when Dr. King left for India in February 1959, he was just beginning to make his mark as a leader of the national movement for civil rights. He had organized the successful boycott of Montgomery, Alabama's public transportation system in 1955, and founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference two years later. His burgeoning success had provided his non-violent movement with the momentum and potential to become a truly powerful force in the pursuit of equal rights for all Americans. This momentum became entrenched during Dr. King's trip to India, where his immersion in the world of Mahatma Gandhi's own non-violent success led King to commit himself in his philosophical entirety to the principle of meeting hate and injustice with persistent non-violence.

Though Gandhi had passed away eleven years prior to Dr. King's journey, King was no less attentive to the followers of the great shanti sena--the ``non-violent army'' that Gandhi led in his successful effort to free his country from the grasp of colonialism. He encountered those who had stood with Gandhi through the long, arduous struggle for India's sovereignty, and came to deeply understand the necessary commitment and purpose of which believers in non-violence must never lose sight. Dr. King came to believe that if India can assert its independence from the bonds of the British Empire without violence, then the United States of America can achieve racial equality with the same approach. He took the lessons of a people half a world away and applied them to the struggle of his own nation, illustrating that a righteous cause pursued by means which justify its ends holds universal promise. Perhaps it is best articulated by Dr. King himself: ``As I delved deeper into the philosophy of Gandhi, my skepticism concerning the power of love gradually diminished, and I came to see for the first time its potency in the area of social reform.''

India and the United States share many deep and historic ties. I want to congratulate India and its people on the 75th Anniversary of its independence. I wish it many more years of peace and prosperity.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise in support of H.R. 4502. As chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I am pleased to highlight the national priorities that are funded in our division.

First, I would like to thank our distinguished ranking member, Mr. Fortenberry, and the entire subcommittee for their continued bipartisan cooperation.

The jurisdiction of our bill is far-reaching and touches the lives of every citizen, and while we may disagree on matters of policy from time to time, agriculture, rural development, the safety of our food and drugs, and the livability and sustainability of our ecosystems here and across the globe are indeed bipartisan concerns, and we truly approach our work collaboratively to achieve the greater good for our country and humanity.

However, our FY22 allocation is $26.55 billion, which is $2.85 billion over the fiscal year 2021.

The bill addresses three key priorities:

First, it ensures equitable participation in USDA programs.

Second, it addresses the impacts of climate change.

Third, it reinvests in staff and leadership offices at USDA.

The bill provides $4.7 billion for rural development initiatives, including more than $900 million for broadband expansion to provide economic development opportunities and improved education and healthcare services in rural communities. The bill continues important funding for the Community Facilities Program that supports everything from libraries and fire stations to childcare centers and nursing homes.

The bill provides $2.9 billion in farm and conservation programs, $3.4 billion for agricultural research including a significant increase for the 1890 land-grant institutions, $1.74 billion for Food for Peace grants, and $245 million for the McGovern-Dole program, both in support of our diplomacy.

Food insecurity continues to hurt millions of Americans. Our bill fully funds the SNAP, WIC, and child nutrition programs and helps increase access to healthy, nutritious food.

The Food and Drug Administration is funded at $3.47 billion in discretionary funding, with increases that help combat the opioid crisis, rare cancers, foodborne outbreaks, and heavy metals in baby food.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my personal staff, Michael Reed, Tynesha Boomer, and Danny Giddings; and the subcommittee staff, Martha Foley, Diem-Linh Jones, Perry Yates, Joe Layman, Randy Staples, Justin Masucci, and Echo Domingues for their hard work on the bill.

Also, I would like to thank Tom O'Brien from the minority staff. And, of course, I thank Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger for their tremendous leadership.

Madam Speaker, I want to give a special shout out to Michael Reed, who is retiring as my chief of staff and senior policy advisor for appropriations after 18 years of extraordinary service. We thank him mightily for his service, for his monumental contributions to Georgia's Second District, and we wish him well as he enters the next chapter of his life.

I am proud of this division and the entire bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it. It is a good bill. It is good for America.

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride and admiration that I rise today to honor and commend an extraordinary public servant, wife, mother, political operative and friend to many, The Honorable Vivian Creighton Bishop, upon her retirement as the elected Clerk of The Municipal Court of Columbus, Georgia. Ms. Bishop retired on December 31, 2020 after 28 years of distinguished service. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a retirement celebration was delayed and combined with a belated birthday party that was held at 6:30 pm on July 23, 2021 at Warehouse Nine, 920 9th Street, Columbus, Georgia.

Vivian Francine Creighton was born July 9, 1951 to the late Frank Richard Creighton and Evelyn Rushin Creighton at Martin Army Hospital, Fort Benning, Georgia. Because her father was a career noncommissioned officer in the United States Army, she and her older sister, Jacqueline and her younger brother Frank, Jr. as military dependents lived and traveled in multiple places across the United States and abroad. Vivian graduated high school in Wurzburg, Germany, but frequently during her childhood and adolescence, the family lived in Columbus, Georgia where she and her siblings would attend school. Following graduation in 1969, she was accepted to the University of Maryland Campus in Wurzburg but had to withdraw when her father received orders for Viet Nam. She attended Columbus Technical College, Atlanta Junior College and Georgia State University. After perfect scores on the Georgia State Merit Exams she secured employment in Atlanta with the Department of Family and Childrens' Services and later with the Georgia State Department of Education where she managed Human Resources for Georgia Public Television.

In 1999 she married Meldon Owens and they produced a daughter, Aayesha. They moved to Columbus where she was hired as an Accounting Clerk in Operations and Purchasing at Jack T. Rutledge State Prison where she rose through the ranks to become comptroller at the Prison, being among the first African Americans and females to do so at the Georgia Department of Corrections. Although her marriage ended in divorce, she worked hard in her career and was named Georgia Department of Corrections ``Employee of the Year for Administrative Support'' after she developed an innovative program for managing inmate accounts that was utilized system wide. After 16 years, Vivian left State government to become an entrepreneur, opening a gift and flower shop, ``Baskets of Delight.''

In 1992, Vivian was asked by a friend who was a victim of domestic violence to go with her to get a warrant from the Municipal Court of Columbus, Georgia. Witnessing the rude treatment she was receiving from Court employees, Vivian questioned their conduct and was told that if she did not like the way the office was being run she should run for it herself. And run she did. Vivian Creighton was elected countywide and became the first African American female to win countywide office in Muscogee County, Georgia--a position she held for 28 years. As Clerk she reorganized the office to maximize customer service, promote efficiency and achieved flawless audits with special recognition noted to City Council regarding her exit audit. During her years as Clerk she was loved and respected by all who used the court as being competent, kind, compassionate and helpful.

In 2001, Vivian Creighton married yours truly, Congressman Sanford Bishop, after a long courtship. We recently celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary, having survived as a political couple in spite of conflicting views. She was Co-Chair of the Georgia Hillary Clinton Presidential Campaign and I was Co-Chair of the Georgia Barack Obama Presidential Campaign. In her own right she helped elect countless state and local officials including me, mentored others and is constantly sought out for political advice and counsel.

Vivian was elected President of the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses. She was the first Georgian and the only African American elected President of the prestigious Congressional Club, the Congressionally Chartered bi-partisan organization of the spouses of members of Congress, ambassadors, Supreme Court Justices, and Cabinet secretaries. She chaired the annual ``First Lady's Luncheon'' with First Lady Michelle Obama. Moreover, she raised over$ I million for the National March of Dimes Gala and won top awards as a celebrity chef.

On the local level Vivian has been active in numerous groups, including NAACP, Rotary Club, Girls Inc., The Links, Inc., American Cancer Society, Muscogee Democratic Party and more. She is a longtime member of M.L. Harris United Methodist Church although she regularly attends Mount Zion Baptist Church of Albany, Georgia wherein I am a Deacon.

Vivian has accomplished much in her life but it would not have been possible without the continuous love and support of her family-- daughter, Aayesha; granddaughter, Londyn; sister, Jacqueline, nieces, nephews, cousins and legions of friends, all of whom love her dearly. And beyond the shadow of a doubt, she is the love of my life.

It has been said that ``Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy on this earth.'' Vivian Creighton Bishop has paid her rent and paid it well. She has done so much for so many for so long.

Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues of the House of Representatives join me, along with the more 730,000 people of the 2nd Congressional District in honoring and commending The Honorable Vivian Creighton Bishop for her outstanding career of public service and her many contributions to her community, her State and this nation. Best wishes to her as she enters this new chapter of her life.

Madam Speaker, this month marked the one-year anniversary of the passing of our dear friend and beloved colleague John Lewis. Sadly, while we reflect upon his legacy, there are efforts underway in State Houses across the nation to turn back the clock and erect barriers to voter participation in elections.

We all know that the premise behind these efforts is a lie--namely, that the 2020 election was stolen and that there was rampant voter fraud. In my home state of Georgia, these falsehoods led to the passage and ultimate enactment of Senate Bill 202, which was given the misleading name, ``the Georgia Civics Renewal Act.'' The lie also provided the impetus for the attack on the United States Capitol on January 6.

The measures being put forward in states like Georgia reduce voter access to the polls under the guise of protecting the vote. Georgia's SB 202 limits drop boxes, imposes ID requirements on absentee voting, restricts early voting on weekends, allows state officials to circumvent the work of election officials if they do not like the results they are seeing, and even makes it a crime to offer food and water to voters waiting in line.

It is a ruse that disproportionately impacts voters whose voices have too often been silenced. Why? Because those voices--African American voices in Georgia--made all the difference in 2020.

The integrity of our elections is enhanced by greater voter participation--not less. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``voting is the foundation stone of political action.''

Earlier this year, I co-sponsored H.R. 1, For the People Act, which is a voting and elections bill that protects access, promotes the creation of fairer districts, and supports public financing of campaigns. The legislation passed the House on March 3 by a vote of 220 to 210.

I also supported H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Enhancement Act, which the House had approved last Congress.

H.R. 4 is intended to fix the enforcement provisions of the original Voting Rights Act that were gutted by the Supreme Court in the 2013 Shelby County v. Holder decision.

The Court's conservative majority held that the formula for determining whether jurisdictions were subject to the law's Justice Department pre-clearance procedure for voting and election changes by state and local governments were outdated. This mostly focused on southern states with a long history of racially discriminatory voter suppression.

Contrary to the court's opinion and since then, hundreds of bills across several state legislatures have been proposed that would make access to the ballot box increasingly difficult for many people--more so for communities of color, students, seniors, and disabled people. Some of these bills have become law.

In many cases, those who are rolling back access to the vote are also involved in the decennial redistricting process in which congressional and state legislative maps will be set until 2032.

These are precisely the kind of decisions the Justice Department was able to scrutinize under the pre-Shelby County Voting Rights Act.

The John Lewis Voting Rights Enhancement Act will rectify this wrong and fine-tune that

formula so that the Supreme Court cannot strike it down again.

Madam Speaker, I know that John Lewis is looking down upon us now. If he were here with us today, I know that he would be on the House floor tonight and would be imploring us in that booming voice of his to continue the fight for voting rights to which he devoted his life and career.

It is the same fight for which he endured unspeakable brutality while attempting to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge on the march from Selma to Montgomery. We cannot turn back now.