Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding artist and homegrown legend, the late great Gregg Allman. Sadly, on Saturday, May 27, 2017, Gregg passed away peacefully at his home in Savannah, Georgia. A private funeral was held in his hometown of Macon, Georgia on Saturday, June 3, 2017 and he was laid to rest at Macon's Rose Hill Cemetery beside his brother and bandmate, Duane Allman, and bandmate, Berry Oakley.

Born in the ``Music City'' of Nashville, Tennessee, Gregg Allman's connection to music runs deep. Appropriately, it was a concert in Nashville with Jackie Wilson, Otis Redding, B.B. King, and Patti LaBelle that jumpstarted Gregg's passion for music. Though he is best known as a keyboardist and singer, he also performed on acoustic guitar, which he learned to play from a neighbor. He worked as a paperboy to buy his first Silverstone guitar, which he and his brother often fought to play. Ultimately, it was Duane who became the paramount guitar player of the family.

Gregg and Duane Allman formed a series of bands in cities ranging from Los Angeles to Jacksonville to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Eventually, in Daytona Beach, they formed what is considered their first ``real'' band, the Escorts, which later evolved into the Allman Joys. Then in 1969, the Allman Brothers Band officially formed and moved to Macon, Georgia, captivating a generation of music lovers with their distinctive sound. Songs such as ``Whipping Post,'' ``Ramblin' Man,'' and ``Midnight Rider'' helped define what is known as Southern rock and set the stage for other musicians such as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Marshall Tucker Band.

In October 1971, Gregg's brother Duane was killed in a motorcycle accident in Macon. One year later, the band's bassist, Berry Oakley also died in a motorcycle accident just a few blocks from where Duane lost his life. Music was the best release the band members found, so they continued performing and recording over the next four decades. Throughout the years, the band dismantled and reformed several times, allowing Gregg to produce a few solo albums and even one with his former wife, Cher. Eventually, the Allman Brothers Band regrouped for the final time in 1989 and continued performing until 2014.

As a member of the Allman Brothers Band, Gregg Allman was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. He was also inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2006 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Grammy Awards. Those who knew Gregg personally spoke fondly of him, describing him as a jokester and a man with a kind heart.

Gregg Allman is survived by his wife, Shannon, five children, and three grandchildren. Not surprisingly, several of his children have played music professionally.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife Vivian, and the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District in recognizing Gregg Allman for his remarkable accomplishments as a pioneering and world-renowned musician. His timeless talent and everlasting legacy live on in the hearts of those who loved him and will continue to be remembered by generations to come.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to extend my personal congratulations to Mr. Richard ``Ricky'' McCorkle, Superintendent of the Marion County School District, on his retirement after 30 years as an educator and civic leader. He will be honored at a retirement celebration on Wednesday, May 24, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at the Marion County Middle and High School cafeteria.

Before becoming an educator, Mr. McCorkle was an insurance salesman from 1977 until 1987. That year, he earned a bachelor of arts degree in history from Georgia Southwestern College. He then became a history teacher and a basketball and baseball coach at Tri-County High School. In 1997, he earned a Master of Science degree in Educational Leadership from Troy State University. That year, he became the Tri-County High School principal. Within two years, he was elected as Superintendent of the Marion County School District.

Aristotle once said, ``Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.'' Mr. McCorkle was an educator of both. He is rooted in the belief that children need constant love and encouragement. As such, he was most known for walking through Marion County schools on a regular basis and talking with students from pre-K to 12th grade. He frequently visited teachers and staff to show his care and support for them as well.

Outside of his tremendous scholastic dedication, Mr. McCorkle is also very involved within the community. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for South Georgia Technical College and is the Executive Director of Chattahoochee-Flint RESA. He is also a Board Member of the Greater Columbus Chamber of Commerce Valley Partnership Joint Development Authority and the River Valley Regional Commission. He is a member of the Buena Vista/Marion County Chamber of Commerce, Georgia School Superintendents Association, Georgia School Boards Association, and Georgia Association of Educational Leaders. He is a founder of Pastors Partnering with Education.

After retirement, Mr. McCorkle will enjoy spending time with his wife, Marie, and their two children and two grandchildren. His love for education was also instilled in his own children, both of whom are now educators and married to educators. Richard McCorkle has accomplished much in his life, but none of it would be possible without the love and support of the family he cherishes so dearly.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Superintendent Richard McCorkle upon the occasion of his retirement from an outstanding career spanning 30 years in education.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the omnibus appropriations bill. As the ranking member on the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I would

like to take a few moments to highlight a few areas in the bill's agriculture section.

This has been a long time coming, beginning with a markup over 1 year ago in April 2016. Since then, many things have changed, but what has remained constant is the desire of the House Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee to address the needs of rural America by adequately funding programs that serve them and the country.

While the total funding level is below 2016 and the House-reported bill, I believe we used what we had wisely. For example, we secured increased funding for agriculture research, food and plant health programs, the Farm Service Agency, and for rural development.

The bill also expands telemedicine, broadband access, and STEM distance learning, as well as provides $400 million in Community Development Block Grant funding for disaster assistance.

In rural development, which is central to rural communities and the economies vital for producing America's food and fiber products, the bill provides $37 billion in direct and guaranteed loans to support clean water, decent housing, telecommunications, electric services, and rural businesses, which is more than we provided last year.

On the grant side, water and waste grants are more than 10 percent higher than the President's budget request, broadband grants are more than three times higher than 2016, and community facility grants are 25 percent higher than the 2016 request and what was appropriated.

All the domestic nutrition programs, Mr. Speaker, are funded at levels that will fully meet estimated needs for the rest of the fiscal year. FDA is funded above both FY16 and FY17 requests.

However, for the third consecutive year, I am disappointed that Congress continued to keep the Commodity Futures Trading Commission at $250 million, making it increasingly difficult for the CFTC to carry out its core mission as well as its responsibilities under Dodd-Frank.

I am very disappointed the omnibus does not include carefully crafted cottonseed legislation to assist American cotton producers. I am looking forward to beginning FY 2018 reviews and farm bill negotiations to close the remaining gaps left with the FY 2017 omnibus.

Despite those concerns, I think this is a good bill. As a proud Representative of the largest cotton-producing district in the State of Georgia and the number one peanut- and pecan-producing district in the country, I urge my colleagues to support it so that we can get started on FY 2018 work and complete it in a timely manner for the benefit of our fellow Americans.

I want to thank the ranking member, chairman, and the majority and minority staffs for their bipartisan, hard work in getting this bill to the floor, along with my personal staff, particularly Ms. Ada Bacetty, who worked so hard.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincerest congratulations and Happy Birthday wishes to Mrs. Pearl Biggs, who is celebrating her 100th birthday on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. A birthday celebration will be held for Mrs. Biggs on Saturday, April 29, 2017.

In 1917, the United States entered World War I, women did not yet have the right to vote, and segregation was rampant in the South. This is the year Mrs. Pearl Biggs was born to Mahaley Jones and Wiley Bunkley. Indeed, Mrs. Biggs has seen much in her lifetime and through it all, she has relied on her faith in the Lord.

Mrs. Biggs began working as a cook at a young age and so it was inevitable that she would become known as a very good cook. In 1937, she married Pedro Biggs and they would spend the next 76 years together until his passing in 2014.

Pearl and Pedro Biggs opened one of the first Black-owned businesses in the Geneva and Box Springs area in Southwest Georgia. They owned several businesses, including Biggs Sandwich Shop, a movie theatre, and a pulpwood company. They were also farmers.

Mrs. Biggs loves to sing and she sang in the choir at her church. Her favorite song is ``Let Jesus Lead Me.'' She loves collard greens and the color pink. She enjoys fishing and talking on the phone. Mrs. Biggs has never met a stranger--she always wants to feed people and no one ever goes hungry around her.

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.'' Mrs. Biggs has advanced far in life because she never forgot these lessons and always kept God first.

As she celebrates 100 years of life, Mrs. Biggs will be surrounded by her sons, Monroe and Allen; daughters-in-law, Mildred and Cynthia; grandchildren, Timothy, Kelton, and Amelia; and great-grandchildren, Jackson and Christopher; plus a host of other family members and friends.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me, along with my wife Vivian and the almost 730,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in honoring an outstanding citizen and woman of faith, Mrs. Pearl Biggs, as she, her family, and friends celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 222.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to an outstanding public servant and friend of longstanding, the Honorable Dawson Mathis. Sadly, former Congressman Mathis passed away on Monday, April 17, 2017. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017, at 2 p.m. in Nashville, Georgia.

A Georgia man through and through, Dawson Mathis was born on November 30, 1940, in Berrien County, to Marvin Wilbur Mathis and Nell Dawson Abell. He attended South Georgia College, now South Georgia State College, in Douglas. Before seeking public office, Dawson made a name for himself as the anchor and news director at WALB-TV in Albany, Georgia, from 1964 until 1970.

That year, the young 29-year-old Dawson was elected to represent Georgia's Second Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. He served on the House Agriculture Committee where he was a staunch advocate for the farmers, ranchers, and producers of the district and the Nation. He was known for working with lawmakers across the aisle to find common ground that would best serve the interests of Americans across the country.

In 1980, Congressman Mathis ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate. After being defeated in 1982 to regain his House seat, Congressman Mathis became a lobbyist in Washington, D.C., advocating on behalf of groups including Georgia peanut farmers.

George Washington Carver once said: ``No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.'' Indeed, Congressman Dawson Mathis devoted many years of dedicated service to the people of Georgia through his meaningful contribution of energy, skill, and genuine passion, and for it, he will be remembered for years to come.

On a personal note, Congressman Mathis was one of my predecessors in serving the Second Congressional District of Georgia, and I was blessed with his friendship, counsel, and mentorship over the years. Congressman Mathis was a great Representative for southwest Georgia and rural America, and I looked up to him as an example of how a public servant should serve his constituents.

Mr. Speaker, my wife, Vivian, and I, along with the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District, salute Congressman Dawson Mathis for his outstanding

public service and his everlasting commitment to improving the quality of life for our citizens. I ask my colleagues here in the House of Representatives to join us in extending our deepest condolences to Congressman Mathis' family and friends during this difficult time.

We pray that they will be consoled and comforted by an abiding faith and the holy spirit in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I ask at this time for the House to observe a moment of silence in remembrance of the late Congressman Dawson Mathis.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize today to recognize National Volunteer Week, which will take place the week of April 23-29, 2017. During National Volunteer Week, organizations across the country celebrate the efforts of volunteers who share their time and talents with those in need--the homeless, the hungry, the elderly, the at-risk youth, and other marginalized populations.

National Volunteer Week was established in 1974 by President Richard Nixon. Every U.S. president since then has issued a proclamation during National Volunteer Week, encouraging Americans to volunteer in their communities. This week serves to remind us all that we are a nation of people that thrives on serving others. The volunteering of time and resources has been an instrumental part of the essence and tradition of our country and remains essential to its spirit and vitality.

I especially would like to recognize the great work of the Tri- Community Directors of Volunteer Services (Tri-DVS), which has been providing support to professionals working in the volunteer services field in Columbus and Fort Benning, Georgia and Phenix City, Alabama since 1985. In addition to promoting volunteerism, Tri-DVS provides support, training, networking opportunities, and professional skills accreditation to its members.

Each year, Tri-DVS holds a luncheon during National Volunteer Week to recognize and thank the volunteers in the tri-city area. In September, the group sponsors a seminar, Investing in Volunteerism, to help organizations integrate volunteer services into their operations.

Tri-DVS is a leader in the movement to improve communities through volunteerism and I applaud their resounding efforts to encourage and expand volunteer services for individuals and organizations throughout the tri-city area.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in recognizing National Volunteer Week by acknowledging the positive impact volunteerism has on communities throughout the country. In addition, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the Tri- Community Directors of Volunteer Services for their efforts to provide support for the volunteers who tirelessly share their time and talents with those in need.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to extend my personal congratulations to an exceptional community leader and outstanding citizen, Mrs. Rhudine Warren Nelson Dorsey, fondly known as Dina, as she celebrates 45 years of service with the Georgia Legal Services Program.

Dina was born to John and Minnie Warren in Columbus, Georgia. As an ``Army brat,'' her family moved around a lot and she attended several schools. She finished high school at William H. Spencer High School in Columbus, Georgia. She furthered her education at Columbus College (now Columbus State University) and Chattahoochee Valley Community College.

In 1972, Dina began working at the Georgia Legal Services Program, formerly the Legal Aid Society, and has been an advocate for low-income clients with the organization ever since. She started as a receptionist under the management of attorney Rufe McCombs. She has since served as Domestic Relations Coordinator, Communications Coordinator, Pro Bono Coordinator, and Paralegal. In these roles, she has helped numerous clients collect countless dollars owed to them by government agencies such as the Social Security Administration.

The Georgia Legal Services Program was founded in 1971, just one year before Dina began to work there. While independent of the Georgia State Bar, the organization was formed to establish a statewide legal services program and provide expanded legal services in Macon, Columbus and Savannah. Today, the Georgia Legal Services Program serves about 10,000 clients a year directly and many more through free legal clinics and ``Ask a Lawyer'' days.

Dina's work with the Georgia Legal Services Program over the past 45 years has been widely recognized in the Columbus community. In 2006, she received the Liberty Bell Award from the Columbus Bar Association. That same year, she received the Mayor's Commission on Unity and Diversity Distinguished Woman Award.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays often said: ``You make your living by what you get; you make your life by what you give.'' Not only has Dina established a legacy in advocating for quality legal services for low- income people, but she has also done a tremendous job of giving back to the great city of Columbus, and I am very grateful for her tireless efforts to make the community stronger. A woman of great integrity, her efforts, her dedication, and her expertise in her field are unparalleled, but her heart for helping others is what has made her life's work truly special.

On a personal note, I have been blessed to know Dina since 1972 when I first moved to Columbus. She and her family have been dear friends to me and my family and I can say without reservation that she is one of the most passionate and warmhearted individuals with whom I have had the pleasure of working.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincerest appreciation to Mrs. Rhudine Dorsey as she celebrates 45 years of service with the Georgia Legal Services Program.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincerest congratulations and Happy Birthday wishes to Mrs. Emma Brown, who is celebrating her 100th birthday on Sunday, March 12, 2017. On this day, the Greater Beallwood Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia will honor and celebrate Mrs. Brown during the Sunday Worship Experience.

In 1917, the United States entered World War I, women did not yet have the right to vote, and segregation was rampant in the South. This is the year Mrs. Emma Brown was born. Indeed, Mrs. Brown has seen much in her lifetime and through it all, she has relied on her faith in the Lord.

Mrs. Brown and her family have been longtime fixtures at Greater Beallwood Baptist Church. Mrs. Brown's mother, Lillie McGruder Morris, was very active within the church as a deaconess and choir member. Her engagement laid the foundation for the family's commitment to the church.

After Mrs. Brown accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior in 1942, she immediately became a servant of the church. She served as an usher for more than 50 years. She held the title of Church Mother for several years. In 2004, she was commended for her decades of service with a meritorious award from the Georgia Missionary Convention. She also received an achievement award from the Mount Calvary Women's Mission Christian Education Auxiliary in recognition of her lifetime commitment to modeling Christian values.

In 1947, Mrs. Brown and her late husband Sgt. Lonnie Brown purchased their East Wynnton home in Columbus, where she still resides. For many years, Mrs. Brown worked at Saint Francis Hospital and as a private duty nurse. In her retirement, she has enjoyed participating in the Victory Play Girls Bowling League.

In addition to serving her church, Mrs. Brown felt a great sense of duty to be involved in her local community. She worked diligently to protect, educate, and encourage the youth of Columbus, Georgia and organizations such as Carver Heights Against Drugs (CHAD) have honored Mrs. Brown for her years of devotion to this work.

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.'' Mrs. Brown has advanced far in life because she never forgot these lessons and always kept God first.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring an outstanding citizen and woman of faith, Mrs. Emma Brown, as she, her family, and the congregation of Greater Beallwood Baptist Church celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to extend my personal congratulations and best wishes to an exceptional community leader and outstanding citizen, Ms. Kay H. Hind, on the occasion of her retirement from the SOWEGA Council on Aging in Albany, Georgia on Friday, March 31, 2017.

Kay Hind was born in Albany, Georgia. She attended Georgia Southwestern College (now University) in Americus, Georgia before transferring to the University of Georgia, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Home Economics in 1951. She then worked as a Home Economist Extension Agent in Crawford County and Lee County, Georgia.

Since 1967, Ms. Hind has served as Executive Director of the SOWEGA Council on Aging, leading the organization for 49 of the 50 years it has been in operation. It was established to promote the well-being and independence of older and disabled people in the Southwest Georgia area. The Council started out with an $8,000 budget, one employee, and one volunteer. Under Ms. Hind's leadership, the agency has been designated as an Area Agency on Aging by the state and expanded into a $6 million operation with more than 20 programs. It serves more than 25,000 seniors per year and offers information and resources to 67,000 seniors living in fourteen counties in Southwest Georgia.

In 2014, the SOWEGA Council on Aging opened a new Senior Center and Agency Office in Albany, fulfilling Ms. Hind's longtime vision. Prior to the construction of the building, the agency operated out of five old buildings spread out across town. This 45,000 square foot state-of- the-art facility allowed the agency to streamline operations, increase visibility in the community, and serve more seniors with new programs, including educational programs, computer classes, arts and craft courses, exercise programs, a fitness center, and more. In recognition of Ms. Hind's work and advocacy for seniors in the community, the Kay H. Hind Senior Life Enrichment Center was named after her, further cementing her great legacy.

Ms. Hind is a familiar face around Albany, where she is an active member of the community. She has served in leadership roles for many professional and civic organizations, including the Southeastern Association of Area Agencies on Aging; National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; Southern Gerontological Society; and the Albany Hospice Board, among others. She is also a member of First United Methodist Church and Kiwanis Club, to name a few. She has been appointed as delegate to the White House Council on Aging several times and was honored by Georgia First Lady Sandra Deal with the Servant's Heart Award, which recognizes individuals dedicated to helping others. Ms. Hind has received numerous other awards and accolades for her work.

Dr. Benjamin E. Mays often said: ``You make your living by what you get; you make your life by what you give.'' Not only has Ms. Hind established a legacy in fighting to improve the quality of life for seniors, but she has also done a tremendous job of giving back to the great city of Albany, and I am very grateful for her tireless advocacy to make the community stronger. A woman of great integrity, her efforts, her dedication, and her expertise in her field are unparalleled, but her heart for helping others, especially seniors, one of the most vulnerable populations, is what has made her life's work truly special.

On a personal note, I have been blessed to know Kay Hind for many years and I can say without reservation that she is one of the most passionate and warmhearted individuals with whom I have had the pleasure of working. Although we will miss her leadership with the SOWEGA Council on Aging, we are consoled knowing that this will only free up more time for her to continue to be involved in the community and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our sincerest appreciation and best wishes to Kay Hind upon the occasion of her retirement from an outstanding career spanning nearly five decades with the SOWEGA Council on Aging.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Karen Baynes-Dunning for her noteworthy work as a lawyer and former Juvenile Court judge in the state of Georgia. Ms. Baynes-Dunning will be honored at the 18th Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. Since 1998, the Benham Awards have been presented to Georgia lawyers and judges in recognition of their commitment to volunteerism and the positive contributions to their communities.

Karen Baynes-Dunning earned a bachelor's degree in Politics from Wake Forest University in 1989 and a juris doctorate degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 1992. She began her legal career as an associate at Alston & Bird in Atlanta. In 1996-1998, she served in the Fulton County Juvenile Court as the first Executive Director of the new Court Appointed Special Advocates program and then as Director of Program Development. In 1998, she was appointed as an Associate Judge in the Fulton County Juvenile Court.

Following these legal roles, Ms. Baynes-Dunning became involved in the world of academia. She served in the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia and was appointed as an Associate Professor at the University of Alabama College of Human Environmental Science. Drawing upon her experience with juveniles in the court system, she was appointed in 2013 to lead the State Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, an Alabama statewide juvenile justice reform effort. In Georgia, Ms. Baynes-Dunning now serves as President of Baynes-Dunning Consulting and as one of two Federal Monitors overseeing reform efforts in the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services.

With a passion for improving the lives of children and young adults in the court system, Ms. Baynes-Dunning has been a strong advocate for juvenile justice reform. She served on the American Bar Association's Project for Judicial Excellence in Child Abuse and Neglect Proceedings and taught a juvenile justice course as a Visiting Clinical Professor at Emory University School of Law.

Ms. Baynes-Dunning lives in Albany, Georgia, where her husband, Art Dunning, serves as president of Albany State University. She is an active member of many professional and civic organizations through which she continuously devotes her time to bettering the community, both in Albany and throughout the state of Georgia.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``Life's most persistent and urgent question is, `What are you doing for others?'' Karen Baynes- Dunning undoubtedly lives by this philosophy. From her advocacy for young people in court to her efforts to reform juvenile justice, her work has made a tremendous impact on the lives of children and families.

Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife, Vivian, and the more than 730,000 residents of Georgia's Second Congressional District in congratulating Karen Baynes-Dunning on receiving a well- deserved Justice Robert Benham Award recognizing her commitment and contributions to the community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the work and service of a prominent attorney, exemplary civil rights leader, and former Georgia State Senator, the Honorable Leroy Reginald Johnson. Senator Johnson will be honored at the 18th Annual Justice Robert Benham Awards for Community Service on Tuesday, February 28, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. Senator Johnson will be awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest recognition given by the State Bar of Georgia and the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism to a lawyer or judge who has demonstrated an extraordinarily long and distinguished commitment to volunteer participation in the community throughout his or her legal career.

Leroy Reginald Johnson was born on July 28, 1928 in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1945. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in 1949 and a master's degree from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1951. From 1950 to 1954, Senator Johnson taught social science in the Atlanta school system. He then enrolled in law school at North Carolina Central University, earning his law degree in 1957.

Following his graduation from law school, Fulton County hired him as a criminal investigator, the first African American to be hired by the solicitor general's office (now the district attorney's office). As the Civil Rights Movement ramped up, he became involved in demonstrations and protests. When black college students conducted mass sit-ins at Rich's Department Store lunch counters in October 1960, he was present as one of the several community leaders advising the students, who included Julian Bond.

In 1962, he was elected to the Georgia State Senate, making him the first African American to be elected to the Georgia General Assembly since the end of the Reconstruction Era. He was also the first African American elected to public office in the Southeast United Mates that year. In the beginning, Senator Johnson faced many obstacles due to segregation but rose above the adversity, becoming an influential lawmaker and attaining the position of chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

All the while, Senator Johnson has maintained a successful law practice. He was the driving force in getting the legendary Muhammad Ali's boxing license reinstated in 1970. Ali had been stripped of his boxing license in the prime of his career due to his opposition to the Vietnam War. After big cities across the country refused to host a match in which Ali would participate, Senator Johnson offered Atlanta as a location where the fight could take place. Senator Johnson fought behind the scenes to get state and local officials to agree so that ultimately, Muhammad Ali could fight inside the ring in a match that would lead the way for Ali to eventually reclaim the heavyweight crown.

Over the years, Senator Johnson received many awards and accolades for his legal, political, and social work. In 1996, his portrait was hung on the third floor of the State Capitol near the Senate chamber where he served for twelve years. In 2000, the Senate passed a resolution renaming a portion of Fulton Industrial Boulevard as Leroy Johnson-Fulton Industrial Boulevard. Senator Johnson has accomplished much in his life but none of this would be possible without the love and support of his wife, Cleopatra, and son, Michael Vince.

On a personal note, I have had the great pleasure of knowing Senator Johnson since high school in 1964 when he spoke in Montgomery, Alabama at the Alabama State Association of Student Councils' meeting where I was presiding as State Student Council President. I was inspired by this successful lawyer and public official and was motivated to emulate his career path. I became a lawyer and twelve years after meeting him, I was elected to the Georgia General Assembly and later, to the U.S. Congress. I have truly been blessed by Senator Johnson's friendship, counsel and mentorship throughout the years.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and my wife, Vivian, and the people of the state of Georgia, in honoring former State Senator Leroy Johnson for his outstanding professional achievements and service. We congratulate Senator Johnson on receiving the Justice Robert Benham Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and privilege to rise today to recognize a legendary baseball player, great philanthropist, and outstanding citizen, Henry L. ``Hank'' Aaron. Hank and his wife, Billye, will be honored by the Mobile Area Mardi Gras Association (MAMGA) in Mobile, Alabama on February 26-27, 2017.

Henry Louis Aaron was born in Mobile, Alabama, on February 5, 1934, the third of eight children born to Herbert and Estella Aaron. Hank was interested in sports from an early age. Although he worked several jobs to help support his family, he spent a lot of time playing baseball at a neighborhood park. He transferred to the Allen Institute in Mobile his junior year of high school to participate in the school's organized baseball program.

After graduating from high school, Hank began to make a name for himself playing with local amateur and semi-pro teams, including the Pritchett Athletics and the Mobile Black Bears. In 1951, Hank was signed as a shortstop for the Indianapolis Clowns, which was part of the professional Negro American League. In 1952, the Boston Braves purchased his contract and he was assigned to Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Hank batted .336 and won the minor Northern League's Rookie of the Year Award. He was then assigned to the Braves' Jacksonville, Florida team, in the South Atlantic (Sally) League. Despite enduring racial insults from fans and fellow players alike, Hank batted .362, with 22 homers and 125 runs batted in. He was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 1953.

In 1954, Hank began to play for the Braves' major league team. After the 1965 season, the Braves moved to Atlanta, where on April 8, 1974, Hank hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth's 39-year-old Major League record. By the time he retired in 1976, Hank had raised his all-time homer output to 755. But although Hank had retired from baseball, baseball had not retired from him. He became Vice President and Director of Player Development for the Braves, scouting new team prospects and overseeing the coaching of minor leaguers, before becoming Senior Vice President for the team. Due to his efforts, the Braves became one of the strongest teams in the National League.

While many people know of Hank Aaron because of his accomplishments in baseball, it is

Hank's philanthropy that truly sets him apart. In 1995, Hank and Billye established the Hank Aaron Chasing the Dream Foundation to give young people with limited opportunities a chance to pursue their dreams. While Hank had initially envisioned helping 755 youngsters, the Foundation has provided vital financial assistance to more than 1,000 young people. The Foundation provides scholarships to college students and partners with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the country to help young people develop their talents.

Hank has received numerous awards and tributes for both his athletic ability and his charitable efforts. In 1982, he was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. In 1997, Hank Aaron Stadium in Mobile was dedicated to him. In 1999, Congress passed a resolution recognizing him as one of baseball's greatest players and praising his work with the Chasing the Dream Foundation. That year, Major League Baseball announced the creation of the Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the best overall hitter in each league. In 2002, Hank received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States.

On a personal note, I am proud to consider Hank and the Aaron family friends of longstanding. He and I grew up in the same area of Mobile, Toulminville, and his sister, Alfredia, was my classmate from elementary school through Central High School Class of 1964. She and her husband, Congressman David Scott, continue to be dear friends to my wife and me.

Indeed, Hank is a baseball legend but he is also an entrepreneur, civil rights leader, philanthropist, humanitarian and just an outstanding human being, period. His humility is unparalleled and his heart for helping others has made a tremendous impact throughout our nation and the world. He continues to make Mobilians proud.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and my wife, Vivian, in recognizing the perseverance, generosity, and legacy of Hank and Billye Aaron. Winston Churchill said: ``You make your living by what you get, you make a life by what you give.'' The Aarons embody this ideal perfectly and their spirit of giving is making lives for generations yet to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the most courageous and distinctive military leaders of our time, Lieutenant General Harold ``Hal'' G. Moore, the commander at the Battle of la Drang in the Vietnam War in 1965. Sadly, LTG Moore passed away on Friday, February 10, 2017. A funeral mass will be held on Friday, February 17, 2017 at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Auburn, Alabama, followed by a memorial service and internment at Fort Benning in Georgia.

Hal Moore was born in Bardstown, Kentucky on February 13, 1922. He began his military career in 1945 upon graduating from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the infantry. His first tactical assignment was with the 187th Glider Infantry Regiment in Sapporo, Japan. After being reassigned, he made more than 130 test jumps with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he also jump-tested experimental parachutes. LTG Moore went on to serve in the Korean War as a regimental operations officer. In 1964, he was stationed at Fort Benning and commanded the newly formed air mobile 11th Air Assault Division.

As a lieutenant colonel during the Vietnam War, Moore was commander of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment during the first major battle between the United States and the North Vietnamese forces in November 1965, the Battle of la Drang. Arriving with about 450 soldiers at Landing Zone X-Ray, a field near the Drang River in South Vietnam situated six miles from the Cambodian border, LTG Moore quickly realized he and his men were vastly outnumbered. Nevertheless, he vowed: ``I'll always be the first person on the battlefield, my boots will be the first boots on it, and I'll be the last person off. I'll never leave a body.'' During the battle, American forces were able to gain the upper hand and lead the U.S. to a triumphant victory.

Alongside award-winning journalist Joe Galloway, who was in la Drang as a war correspondent, LTG Moore documented his experiences during the battle in the highly acclaimed 1992 book, We Were Soldiers Once . . . and Young. The book received such recognition that it was made into the film, We Were Soldiers. The proceeds from the book helped establish the la Drang Scholarship Fund, which aimed to help the children and

grandchildren of veterans of the la Drang battle.

LTG Moore has certainly accomplished many things in his life but none would have been possible without the love and support of his late wife, Julia; his children, Harold Gregory Moore III, retired Lt. Col. Stephen Moore, Julie Moore Orlowski, Cecile Moore Rainey, and retired Col. David Moore; his eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me, my wife, Vivian, the nearly 730,000 people in Georgia's 2nd Congressional District, and all Americans, in extending our sincerest appreciation to Lieutenant General Hal Moore, an outstanding leader who, in addition to his selfless service and instrumental role in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, has the respect, admiration, and affection of his brothers-in-arms. Indeed, LTG Moore leaves behind a distinguished legacy of service and leadership in the United States Army.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor and pleasure to rise today to recognize my alma mater, Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, as it celebrates 150 years of educating, training, and empowering outstanding leaders. The year-long Sesquicentennial Celebration began in January 2017 and will include many events for students, faculty, staff, administrators, donors, families, and friends of Morehouse College. The theme of the Celebration is A House United, which highlights Morehouse's position as a unifying force around the globe and here at home.

Tracing its roots back to the Reconstruction Era after the Civil War, Morehouse College was founded in 1867 as the Augusta Theological Institute in Augusta, Georgia. The school was founded by Rev. William Jefferson White with the encouragement of Rev. Richard Coulter and Rev. Edmund Turney, and it aimed to prepare black men for ministry and teaching.

In 1879, the Augusta Theological Institute moved to the basement of Friendship Baptist

Church in Atlanta and was renamed the Atlanta Baptist Seminary. In 1885, the institution relocated to its current site in Atlanta's West End community. The seminary became a liberal arts college and was subsequently renamed the Atlanta Baptist College. During these early years in Morehouse history, the institution expanded its curriculum and established the tradition of educating leaders for all areas of life. In 1913, Atlanta Baptist College was renamed Morehouse College after the corresponding secretary of the Northern Baptist Home Mission Society, Henry L. Morehouse.

Throughout its 150-year history, Morehouse College has made a significant mark on our state, our nation, and the world. Here, many notable men gained the knowledge and training that enabled them to become some of the greatest influencers of our time, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; noted theologian, Dr. Howard Thurman; civil rights leader, Julian Bond; filmmaker Shelton ``Spike'' Lee; Olympic gold medalist Edwin Moses; CEO of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Emmitt Carson; and many more.

Morehouse principles often instill a desire for public service to benefit mankind. In the United States Congress, Representative Cedric Richmond, Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, as well as many staff members and former Members of Congress, hold degrees from Morehouse. U.S. Presidents have relied on alumni such as former Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson; former Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Louis Sullivan; former Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher; and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, James Nabrit. Around the country, state and local governments have been led by alumni such as Maynard H. Jackson, the first African-American mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.

As a 1968 graduate of Morehouse College, this one-of-a-kind institution has a special place in my heart. During my matriculation, I got to know on a personal level the late Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, the most renowned President of Morehouse who was a mentor to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through him, I met Dr. King during his life, followed him in protest marches, and sang at his funeral, which was held on the campus and attended by many national and international luminaries.

Today, under the leadership of the 11th President of Morehouse College, Dr. John Silvanus Wilson, Jr., also an alumnus, the school continues to be consistently ranked as one of the top colleges in the nation and among the highest respected Historically Black Colleges and Universities. As the nation's largest liberal arts college for men, Morehouse has conferred more bachelor's degrees on black men than any other institution in the world.

Mr. Speaker, today I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Morehouse College for 150 years of preparing young men to aspire to unique and distinctive goals while leading lives of leadership and service. This institution was born out of the death of slavery in America, it guided young black men through the era of segregation in the South, and it continues to empower marginalized populations against the oppression still prevalent in the world today. It is my hope that the generations of Morehouse Men of today and tomorrow will continue the progress and continue to leave their marks on our nation and the world.