Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the citizens of Norwich Township, located in Franklin County, on their bicentennial anniversary.

Though the first pioneers west of the Scioto River and South of Hayden Run arrived in 1807, the Township was not officially founded until 1813--a year after the City of Columbus, 56 years before the City of Hilliard was incorporated, and 10 years after Ohio was admitted into the union.

Norwich Township boasts a rich history. The township's one-room schoolhouse known as ``Smiley's Grove'' opened in 1814, and by 1878 the school system was fully integrated. In fact, many early settlers in Norwich were emancipated slaves.

One of the largest limestone deposits in the world can be found in the southeast corner of Norwich, bringing scores of jobs to the area at the turn of the century.

Wesley Chapel Methodist Church is a historical landmark in the township. It was organized in 1832, and a public cemetery was added on adjacent to the church in 1836. This fall, citizens will celebrate their bicentennial anniversary with a historical walk beginning at the cemetery.

Mr. Speaker, I would like all Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Norwich Township and its residents as they celebrate their bicentennial anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, as you all know, Monday was tax day, so it's an appropriate time to talk about the need for tax reform. We need a simpler, more competitive Tax Code that's flatter and fairer so that we can create jobs and put Americans back to work.

We need a simpler code. In fact, the code, when you include all its regulations, annotations, and explanations, totals 74,000 pages. And according to

the latest estimate from the United States Treasury, Americans spent 6.1 billion hours complying with the Tax Code. We also need a more competitive Tax Code. The United States has the highest corporate tax rate in the world.

Simplifying our Tax Code and closing loopholes for everyone will help create an environment that encourages job growth and increases wages. The Ryan budget is based on such reforms. These reforms can help get Americans back to work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Ohio Christian University men's basketball team on their first-ever National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Championship win.

Ending a perfect season, the OCU Trailblazers triumphed over the Arlington Baptist University Patriots with a score of 73-62. It was a very close game, and the Patriots had a one point lead by the end of the first half. However, the Trailblazers came back in the second half, limiting the Patriots to 24 points. The OCU defense shut down ABU in the final two minutes, leading the team to the championship title.

Again, I extend my congratulations to the Ohio Christian University men's basketball team on their perfect season and NCCAA title. I am proud of all the hard work and dedication that has led to the team's accomplishments. These hardworking young men have brought pride to the people of Ohio's 15th Congressional District, and I commend them for this outstanding achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish Vinton County resident, Mr. John Crow, a very happy 100th birthday.

Mr. Crow was born in Eagle Township on March 4, 1913. His family moved to Trumbull County briefly when his father went to work in the mines. After returning to Vinton County, Crow decided to enter politics and was elected mayor of McArthur at age 23. He was the youngest mayor of a county seat in Ohio at the time, and he served for 12 years. He then worked in the treasurer's office for four years, eventually serving in the state auditor's office and spending a total of 49 years in public service.

Crow was also a longtime businessman, having owned a Firestone tire store and a Marathon service station in McArthur. He also operated a star mail route, a rural delivery service contracted out by the U.S. Postal Service.

Mr. Crow has led an incredible life of public service. His genuine love of helping people has served him well, and he continues to bring joy to those around him with his handmade rocking horses that he gives to children throughout the community.

I would again like to wish John Crow a happy 100th birthday. He is a great example of the remarkable, hardworking people of Ohio's 15th district who I am proud to represent, and I am thankful for his many years of public service to Vinton County and to the state of Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to wish a very special constituent, Anna Hubbard, a happy 100th birthday.

Hubbard was born March 13, 1913, to Jordan Hager and Malinda Arizona Coleman in Jamboree, Kentucky. She was one of ten children, nine of whom survived, living in a three-room house with no living room. Her family used any means at their disposal to put food on the table, such as selling the excess vegetables from their garden.

After eighth grade graduation, Anna took a couple years off before moving on to Phelps High School, where she cooked, cleaned, and laundered bed clothes to earn her $12 monthly room and board fee. She graduated in three years.

Anna raised her four children by herself after she was widowed when her husband, Pike County Deputy Sheriff Home Wolford, was shot and killed in the line of duty. To help support her family, she opened up a lunch room called Cozy Corner.

In 1944, Anna married Dewey Hubbard. He worked in the mines for the next 20 years, and they were able to buy a nice home. She moved to London, Ohio, two years ago to be closer to her son, Bill.

Anna's hard work and perseverance serve as a lesson to us all. Despite her hardships, she always provided for her children and, above all, valued family and education. I would again like to congratulate Anna Hubbard on her 100th birthday, and I ask that all Members of Congress stand with me to congratulate her for her hard work and exceptional life. She is an outstanding example of the accomplished people who make Ohio's 15th Congressional District truly exceptional.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina for yielding, as well as her sponsorship of this important bill.

You know, job creation and getting Americans back to work is the number one priority facing this country. And in talking to people from my district, talking to people who are unemployed, people who are underemployed, they tell me that they need skills to get back to work.

We need workforce development programs that work. We need to train people for jobs that are here today and jobs that are going to be here tomorrow.

One step we can take is to reform our workforce development program. Our system currently isn't flexible. It has too much red tape, and we need to make sure it works for people who are looking for jobs and connects people who are looking for jobs with employers that have open positions.

We need a nimble system that can respond to our changing economy, and we have to streamline our current system. Today we have at least 47 duplicative or ineffective programs. We need a simpler, more comprehensive system, a system that employers and job seekers can navigate and successfully complete.

The SKILLS Act will address these issues and set up a workforce development program that will train people looking for jobs to get them back to work. That's why I look forward to voting in favor of the SKILLS Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Clifford Bowen for celebrating his 100th birthday on February 8, 2013. Mr. Bowen is Madison County's oldest veteran, and his life and service to our country are nothing short of outstanding.

Born in Bell County, Kentucky, in 1913, Mr. Bowen grew up on a farm as one of six children. When he was 16, he followed in his father's footsteps and began working in a coal mine, where he was assigned to operate the tram motor.

When World War II broke out, Bowen left the coal mine and was assigned to the Army motor pool. The trucks he and his crew kept running supported the ordnance corps in Luzon and New Guinea in the Pacific Theater, and he was promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant in 1946. After the war, Bowen met his wife Lucille in a dance hall, and the two were married for 27 years until she passed away in 1973. Mr. Bowen moved to Ohio in the 1980s, and he has remained there ever since.

I would again like to wish Clifford Bowen a very happy 100th birthday, and I ask that all Members of Congress stand with me and thank him for serving our country as Madison County's oldest veteran. The people of Ohio's 15th District are remarkable and hardworking, and Mr. Bowen is a perfect example of the sort of accomplished, admirable people who make my district truly exceptional.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Lloyd Andre Rollins of Columbus, Ohio. A true American hero, Mr. Rollins' service here on earth came to a close on January 30, 2013. An Ohioan and veteran of the United States Air Force, he is among the countless number of fearless warriors and veterans who have devoted their lives to serving our great nation.

In 1957, Mr. Rollins began his service in the United States Air Force. He was later transferred to the Department of State and sworn into the U.S. Foreign Service, where he served for 27 years. Mr. Rollins was awarded a Medal of Valor after he was taken hostage during the 1979 siege of the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran.

Mr. Rollins is survived by his wife, Judy, and his two daughters, Patricia and Terri. As I pray for the family and friends of Mr. Rollins, I ask that all Members of Congress join me in offering our deepest appreciation and gratitude for his life and service to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Lloyd Andre Rollins of Columbus, Ohio. A true American hero, Mr. Rollins' service here on earth came to a close on January 30, 2013. An Ohioan and veteran of the United States Air Force, he is among the countless number of fearless warriors and veterans who have devoted their lives to serving our great nation.

In 1957, Mr. Rollins began his service in the United States Air Force. He was later transferred to the Department of State and sworn into the U.S. Foreign Service, where he served for 27 years. Mr. Rollins was awarded a Medal of Valor after he was taken hostage during the 1979 siege of the United States Embassy in Tehran, Iran.

Mr. Rollins is survived by his wife, Judy, and his two daughters, Patricia and Terri. As I pray for the family and friends of Mr. Rollins, I ask that all Members of Congress join me in offering our deepest appreciation and gratitude for his life and service to this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brillo, based in London, Ohio, for its centennial year as one of the world's most trusted and prominent household cleaning brands.

On January 31, 1913, the Brillo Manufacturing Company was born when a cookware peddler and a jeweler partnered with an attorney in New York and patented their idea for cleaning blackened aluminum pots and pans. 100 years later, Brillo is celebrating its 100th anniversary with the 55 employees who make it possible for the company to continue providing household cleaning products made right here in the United States of America.

Brillo turns 100 this month because of the hard work, commitment, and creativity that has gone into this company throughout the years by the employees and innovators who call Ohio's 15th District their home. Again, I offer my sincere congratulations to Brillo on its 100 years and I wish the company many years of success in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Grove City High School Marching Band on receiving the top honors in the Fiesta Bowl Band Championship. The band earned six awards total, including the grandmaster's trophy for the field competition and grand champion for the parade contest.

The marching band was among nine in the country participating in the national competition at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Grove City has won more than 80 grand champion awards in regional and national competitions in the past 25 years.

Again, I congratulate the Grove City High School Marching Band on all of its success. I am proud of all the hard work and dedication that has led to the band's great accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Village Administrator Ed VanVickle and Mayor Eric Sandine of Lithopolis, Ohio, for their heroic efforts to fix a water main break that left half of the village without water.

In most cities, a water main break would mean hiring someone else to fix it, but in Lithopolis, Mayor Sandine has made unconventional, but necessary, cuts to save money. Now he and Mr. VanVickle roll up their sleeves and do the dirty work themselves, even though it is not part of their job descriptions. With no more than household plumbing experience, these men were able to fix the water main break in freezing temperatures.

On top of fixing the water lines, these men, along with the village's maintenance crew, fix sewer lines and pot holes. They even go as far as operating snow plows and the water treatment plant.

These two men represent what it means to be a true leader. They do not do this extra work for money or recognition. Instead, they do what is best for their community because it is what they believe is the right thing to do.

I would again like commend Ed VanVickle and Eric Sandine for their heroic efforts and their incredible leadership in the Village of Lithopolis.

I would like to thank the gentleman for yielding.

I would like to say a few things about our five departing colleagues, who have given great service to our country. I want to thank them on behalf of the people of the 15th District for their incredible service and talk a little bit about each one.

I'll start with Congressman Steve LaTourette, whose service in Congress has really been incredible, and he's been a role model for many of us who are younger. He's been a great mentor. He's not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. He knows that we've got to work together as Republicans and Democrats to solve our Nation's problems. He's an illustration of what a good Member of Congress should be-- someone who's always thinking about their constituents.

Steve LaTourette had been a mainstay of Congress, and it won't be the same here without him, especially on transportation issues. I'd like to just thank him for his support, as I had a transportation bill earlier in this Congress. He was very helpful. I had a plan to try to fund transportation projects differently, and he sat down with me and worked me through the process and helped me sit down with the folks at the Congressional Budget Office and folks in leadership to sell my idea. That bill passed the House with bipartisan support, with 20 Democrats voting for it and a lot of Republicans voting for it. I know I couldn't have gotten that done without Congressman LaTourette. I'm sorry to see him retire. But he's leaving behind a legacy of outstanding service, and he's been an incredible Member of Congress, and I know there are great things in his future.

The gentlelady to my left, Congresswoman Schmidt, I grew up in her district. My family lives in her district, and they really appreciate her hard work and constituent service. She's a runner. She runs marathons in her spare time, but she runs her office like a marathon. She's always working for the people of her district, the Second District. It's been incredible just to watch her advocacy for important things in all of her district. We share some territory down in southern Ohio now. She's been a leader on the uranium enrichment plant in Piketon and what it can do for our country, for safety in our nuclear arsenal, and for what it can do as an economic driver in southern Ohio. On behalf of the people of southern and central Ohio, I want to thank the gentlelady for her work on that. She's left a legacy that's really going to make a difference in the future.

The Congressman from the Seventh District, Congressman Austria, and I served as State senators together. He got up here a couple of years before I did in 2008, back when my race was still in a recount. We came up to orientation together, and he showed a willingness and an interest to run for leadership of the class, to be the president of the class. I worked hard as his campaign manager. He got elected class president that year, and he went on to give great service to this class in Congress. He's also been a leader on the Appropriations Committee for these 2 years.

I've seen him work on some tough issues in the State senate, and I know he's got great things in his future. I'm certainly sorry to see him retire. I'm proud of his service, and I'm happy to call him a friend. I'm looking forward to what is next in his life. And I know he's going to do great things.

Also, our Members from the other side of the aisle. Congresswoman Sutton and Congressman Kucinich have really worked hard, and I appreciate all their work and efforts. Dennis Kucinich is really a man who sticks up for his principles. I certainly respect him for that. He's willing to stand up for what he believes is right when nobody in this institution will. I really respect him for that. He's also become a good friend. He's a really nice fellow. I want to thank him for his service and wish him great luck in his future.

Congresswoman Betty Sutton, I really appreciate her service back to her time on the city council and the Summit County Council and the State legislature. She's advocated for her constituents. I just want to thank her for her service.

I think it's important that we as Republicans and Democrats work together on the issues that are facing our country, and I want to thank these Members for their service to our country and thank them for everything that they've done for the people of Ohio. And as a grateful coworker, I want to say: job well done.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate The Ohio State University football team on a perfect record during the 2012 season. The Buckeyes have now recorded six undefeated seasons in a 123-year history. The determination of this team to win, despite the fact that a postseason was not possible, is truly inspiring.

I would also like to commend Head Coach Urban Meyer on his success with the Buckeyes in his first season with the team. Coach Meyer has shown Ohio State fans that he means business and I look forward to many more perfect seasons under Coach Meyer's watch.

In Columbus, football is a tradition and we take it very seriously-- the Buckeyes' perfect season proves that once again. The football team at Ohio State means so much to the people of Ohio and we are truly proud of their perfect season this year. Go Bucks!

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Benjamin Straley on being named Assistant Organist at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C. His dedication to sacred music and continued education is truly remarkable. Today, Mr. Straley holds his position on the incredible music staff at the National Cathedral and shares playing responsibilities with two other organists.

Mr. Straley is an Ohio native from the 15th Congressional District, and he has proven to be one of the top organists in the nation. A recent graduate of Yale University, Mr. Straley studied sacred music and theological education and earned many awards and recognitions. Included among his many accomplishments is the Baker Prize, a prize awarded to incoming organ students at Yale deemed to be in the top one or two percent of young organists in the country. Mr. Straley was also one of the few Americans in the entire history of the Haarlem Organ Festival invited to compete in its prestigious improvisation contest.

I would again like to congratulate Benjamin Straley on being named Assistant Organist at the National Cathedral. The people of Ohio's 15th District are dedicated, hardworking people, and Mr. Straley's accomplishments make me proud to represent the 15th District in Congress.