Rick Allen

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, first, I want to applaud Chairman Shuster and the members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for bringing the Water Resources Development Act of 2016 to the floor. WRDA is a crucial piece of legislation which authorizes our Nation's locks, dams, harbors, and many other water resources vital to our Nation's economic competitiveness. However, today, I rise to speak of an issue that is very close to home. The Army Corps of Engineers' New Savannah Bluff Lock and Dam is only 13 miles south of my hometown of Augusta, Georgia, and is essential to the towns of Augusta and North Augusta, South Carolina. Authorization for the lock and dam has been changed numerous times over the past few decades, and the Senate version of WRDA includes broad language for additional needed changes. I understand the complexities of changing authorizations or even deauthorizing projects on a river as vital as the Savannah River. Mr. Chairman, I look forward to the opportunity to work with Chairman Shuster and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on language to correct this process, working with the Senate to better serve our community and our country.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act, the House's legislative response to the administration's shady cash transfer to the Iranian regime; a cash transfer resulting in the release of American hostages, which the administration denies was a ransom but acknowledges the cash was used as leverage. The American people are much smarter than that. Either way the administration or media try to spin it, a ransom was paid. For years and years, the United States Government has held a longstanding policy of not paying ransom for prisoners, but our legacy has quickly diminished. The President continues to invest our trust and money into Iran, a country that is the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. Why in the world is our President rewarding Iran for its bad behavior? This cash transaction sets a dangerous precedent for Americans abroad and our national security. I won't stand for this type of deceit by our Commander-in-Chief. That is why I urge my colleagues to support and pass the Prohibiting Future Ransom Payments to Iran Act. The name of the bill says it all.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, recently, President Obama's activist Department of Labor released its final rulemaking to revise overtime regulations. This rule doubles the overtime salary threshold to just over $47,000 virtually overnight when it goes into effect on December 1. Many Americans will soon realize they have fewer job prospects, less flexibility in the workplace, and less opportunity to move up the economic ladder. Those who least can afford it will be hit the hardest--small businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions. Augusta University, the second largest employer in my district, is just one example of the many organizations that is affected by this ill-advised rule. The school just announced it will have to switch about 800 employees from salary to hourly wages to comply with this new mandate resulting in a partial paycheck for them during this transition. A university administrator stated that keeping the employees salaried is not an option and, while tearing up, said this move will be tough for the employees and their families. Even one employee went so far as to say: It is going to kill us. We need to get the government out of the way to let Americans do what they do best--innovate, flourish, and create jobs for generations to come.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Career technical education is critical to the development of a growing workforce. As I go into the schools today, I often ask the students: Why are you getting an education? These are questions that I ask the students: Why is education important? The answer is to get a good job, to build a career. Our schools teach children all the necessary and important subjects, but it is important that we offer programs that prepare students for the workforce. We have to work to bridge the existing gap between the business community and education. That means encouraging students to find their passions early on and choosing programs that will build their resumes and set them up for their chosen occupation. As a member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, a member of the Congressional Career and Technical Education Caucus, and with over 40 years in the business world, I am a strong supporter of this bill. Growing this economy starts with jobs and getting people back to work. So why not start by preparing America's future workforce early? I urge support of the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, with summer coming to an end and a new school year underway, the threat of Zika still lingers on, a threat we in the House took up months ago. The House passed legislation back in June ensuring the administration would continue to have resources in place to protect the public from the threat of Zika. This legislation came with tight restrictions to ensure the funds are spent appropriately. Despite this and after already agreeing to the proposed funding levels, Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked this much-needed funding. Tuesday night, Harry Reid and Senate Democrats, again, voted to block this legislation--leaving the public's health in limbo. This is unacceptable. Before the district work period, I joined my colleagues in the Georgia delegation, along with our Senators, Isakson and Perdue, in a letter to the President demanding that we put aside politics and urge immediate passage of Zika funding. With newly reported Zika cases in our country daily, we should be focusing on protecting Americans from this virus and not petty politics. I am so thankful that our 12th grandchild, Robin Hampton Wills, born Monday, January 12, did not have to face this threat. That is why I urge Senate Democrats to give up partisan politics and move this legislation forward so that families do not have to face the threat of this terrible virus.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, July 14, 2015, the day our President went against Congress and the wishes of the American people and signed a nuclear agreement with Iran. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, more commonly known as the Iran deal, provided Iran sanctions relief in exchange for Iran to dismantle their nuclear program. One year later, America has upheld its part of the bargain, but Iran continues to violate the terms of the agreement with little to no consequence. That is why today, on the 1-year anniversary of the Iran deal, the House passed legislation to reinstate sanctions on Iran. History has proven Iran cannot be trusted. I thought it was a bad deal for America and Israel from the beginning, and I still do. Mr. Speaker, no one can predict the future, but it is foolish to turn a blind eye to history. I voted to stop the Iran deal because I could not support any agreement that puts the security of Americans and our allies at risk and emboldens the Iran regime. A year later, I feel the same way.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of the Separation of Powers Restoration Act, legislation that works to scale back the power of the administration's regulatory agencies and, instead, returns the interpretation of laws to the courts. For too long, unelected Federal bureaucrats have been running rampant on our Constitution, taking interpretations of the law further than Congress intended them. If you would have told me that 90 percent of my time here in Congress would be spent fighting Federal agencies' overreach, I would have thought you were joking, but that is the truth. It is sad. Our Founding Fathers never intended for faceless bureaucrats to have this power. The power of lawmaking is in this body. There are many examples out there as well, not only the coal industry. You know, West Virginia had the tenth best economy in this Nation just 10 years ago. Now it is the worst economy in the Nation. I have got lots of electric membership corporations in my district and, you know, they spent billions of dollars upgrading their coal- powered plants, but they continue to be harassed by the EPA. It is time that this agency top-down approach is dealt with. It is not in the best interest of the folks in Georgia, in the 12th District of Georgia, let alone the rest of the country. It is time to get back to Congress writing the laws and the courts interpreting them, and to dismantle the growing fourth branch of this government. I am proud to support this legislation that gives Federal agencies a reality check. We wonder why the economy is not growing. Everywhere I go, people say that the biggest restriction on this economy is the regulatory overreach. We must stop this, and that is why I am proud to support the Separation of Powers Restoration Act.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Murphy for this great piece of legislation. I rise today in support of H.R. 2646, the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act. Too many families across America have experienced a loved one who is living with or has been diagnosed with a mental illness. Sadly, one in five children ages 13 to 18 have or will battle a mental illness. As a proud member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I had the privilege of visiting schools across Georgia's 12th Congressional District and visiting with educators and staff members. School leaders from elementary school to college all say that mental health is one of their top concerns for the students. These heartbreaking statistics are more than data and numbers on a spreadsheet. They are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, students, friends, and children. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 2646.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Scott for allowing me time to speak on this. Obviously, I rise today in support of H.R. 5525, the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2016. This administration has continued to expand existing programs for their own political benefit, with one of the most glaring examples being the ``Obama phone,'' also known as the Lifeline program. This was created back in the 1980s. Lifeline brought telecommunication services to consumers, including those with low income. While this program started with good intentions, like most programs do, the Lifeline program has spiraled out of control, and the budget for this program is growing astronomically. In an effort to curb wasteful spending, I am proud to support my colleague from Georgia's legislation. It is a commonsense approach to reining in wasteful spending in Washington. Americans are tired of the Federal Government spending taxpayer money that is not accounted for, and this bill is a step in the right direction. Americans watch their money, and Washington should too. This legislation restores the Lifeline program back to its original purpose and narrows its scope to cut fraud and abuse, which has been mentioned multiple times here this morning. We have to put an end to bloated bureaucracy one Federal program at a time.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank the Subcommittee on Health of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for their recent hearing on my legislation, H.R. 4262, the Transparency and Accountability of Failed Exchanges Act. ObamaCare just had its sixth anniversary. In those 6 years, we have learned just how disastrous ObamaCare is, exposing its many flaws. One of those being when the President freely gave money away to States to establish State exchanges, he forgot a major piece of the puzzle. The administration failed to provide a solution to recover these funds when these State exchanges failed. Since then, billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent, and exchanges in multiple States have failed. Well, what has happened to the money if the exchange failed? My legislation establishes a two-step plan to recover Federal funds. It conducts an audit to see how and where the money was spent and requires unused funds be returned back to the Treasury for needed deficit reduction. Again, I thank the committee for their interest in H.R. 4262 and encourage my colleagues to cosponsor this legislation. It is time to bring transparency and accountability to State exchanges.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 4775, the Ozone Standards Implementation Act. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA has used the National Ambient Air Quality Standards to impose costly and burdensome regulations on American manufacturers and the American people. By the EPA choosing to lower the NAAQ Standards further, many businesses will suffer while still struggling to meet the original standard. American businesses have already spent billions of dollars and years of planning to meet the 75 parts per billion original standard and will now find themselves unable to meet the new requirements. We can't and shouldn't change the rules in the middle of the game. Businesses across America and in Georgia 12, like many paper mills and manufacturing plants that are economic drivers in our area, have already spent billions to make our air cleaner. H.R. 4775 ensures that States and counties have the needed flexibility and time to comply with these standards while keeping our air clean and safe. I am proud to support this bill and commend my colleagues in the House for passing it this week.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend my colleagues for passing H.R. 897, the Zika Vector Act. This legislation works to remove duplicative and costly permitting requirements that create barriers to fighting the Zika virus, barriers put in place by one of America's most political agencies, the EPA. It is another classic example of the Federal Government finding problems in every solution. Now is not the time to nit-pick policies for politically charged reasons. The Zika virus is a public health emergency that deserves our immediate attention. This is close to home for me. My youngest daughter is in her first trimester with her third child. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to deal with Zika. We cannot let it get caught up in Washington politics. With the summer months approaching rapidly, we need to harness our resources and wipe out this virus. I would hope that we can all agree that the Federal Government should not be making it harder for people to kill mosquitoes, which could be carrying Zika, with pesticides. I strongly support this legislation, and I encourage the administration to change their position on this legislation. The public's health deserves it.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend my colleagues for supporting and passing the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017. The NDAA reaffirms our commitment to supporting our men and women in uniform by enhancing pay and benefits for our servicemembers and their families, providing not only for the country as a whole, but also for back home in the 12th Congressional District of Georgia. It authorizes full funding requested by the Army for construction projects at Fort Gordon--projects that bring state-of-the-art technology and training to our troops--and authorizes funding for the Savannah River Site so that it can continue leading the globe in nuclear waste management. I am very pleased the committee adopted the Allen amendment expanding Army cyber ROTC programs to those universities already working with our Nation's service academies, like Augusta University in my district. Simply put, the NDAA is a key piece to our national security, and I was proud to wholeheartedly support it. Our troops deserve it, and our national security depends on it.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, thanks to a report by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, we now know that a top CMS official misled Congress during a hearing that was investigating wasted funds on ObamaCare State exchanges. I have the report right here in my hand. When ObamaCare was enacted, the President freely gave taxpayer money to States to establish these State exchanges. Since then, exchanges in Oregon, New Mexico, Hawaii, Nevada, among others, have failed and billions of taxpayer dollars have been squandered. I think I speak for the American taxpayer when I ask: Where is all the leftover money? My legislation, H.R. 4262, addresses this problem by establishing a plan to recoup Federal funds and, most importantly, protect American taxpayers from having to pay back the balance. Clearly, State exchanges are a mess if a CMS administrator cannot speak correctly or accurately on them. Faulty State exchanges are not going away. It is a problem that is only just beginning, and it is going to get worse. I thank the committee for their investigation, and I urge my colleagues to support my legislation, the Transparency and Accountability of Failed Exchanges Act.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding to me to speak on this important threat to our country, our State, and our communities. Our Founders made a promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In America today, in every State, in too many families, there is a palpable undercurrent of pain, loss, and suffering that is caused by this horrendous opioid crisis. Sadly, nearly one in five Americans knows someone who has been addicted to opioids. Nearly every 12 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies of a drug overdose; every 25 minutes, a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal. A recent CDC study found that, in 2009, more Americans died from prescription drugs than motor vehicle accidents, marking the first time drug-related deaths have outnumbered motor vehicle-related deaths since 1979, when the government started tracking drug-related deaths. Unfortunately, my home State of Georgia is not immune to this growing epidemic. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, in 2012, prescription drugs played a role in 592 deaths in 152 of the 159 counties in Georgia for which it performs autopsies. These heartbreaking numbers are far too high and tragic. We must take action to combat this crisis so that those addicted and their loved ones may start the road to healing. This week my colleagues and I in the House of Representatives are bringing opioid addiction out of the shadows to stop this devastating crisis. I am proud of the tireless work of my colleagues in the Judiciary Committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Education and the Workforce Committee, on which I serve, to prevent, treat, and streamline access to care for those addicted to opioids. My colleagues and I have worked to advance bipartisan solutions that address this crisis, from helping newborns who are born into addiction to creating an interagency task force to update best practices for prescribing opioid painkillers.

Mr. ALLEN. This is only the start of our work in the United States Congress on this important subject. The road to recovery will be long and hard fought, but the American spirit is as strong as ever and will prevail. Together we will help our brothers and sisters in Christ become whole again. The very soul of this country is at stake. I am pleased the people's House is taking proactive steps to fight this epidemic. I urge my colleagues to support the rule and support the numerous bills coming before the House this week.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding and for his work on this important legislation. As a proud member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, I rise today in support of H.R. 4901, the Scholarship for Opportunity and Results Reauthorization Act, also known as the SOAR Act. This legislation would reauthorize the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to low-income students so they may attend a D.C. private school of their parents' choice. School choice is an effective tool that has proven to be successful in Washington, D.C. These scholarships have resulted in a 90 percent graduation rate, which is simply outstanding. I congratulate them on this. Both of my parents were educators who instilled in me the importance of a good education, and I believe we should extend this opportunity to those who might not otherwise have it. God created every child to be unique. As such, this legislation gives opportunities to students to receive an education chosen by their parents, those who know their child's needs best. I encourage my colleagues to stand up in support of school choice and the SOAR Act to empower both parents and the students.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 88, legislation that would disapprove of the Department of Labor's fiduciary rule. This new DOL fiduciary rule definition will impose costly new mandates and burdensome regulations on retirement advisers. This will negatively affect and disproportionately hurt low- and middle-income families who seek retirement advice but who do not have enough in savings to afford an ongoing fee-for-service approach. In other words, it is just another Washington one-size-fits-all solution that hurts those who may need financial advice the most. Five years ago the Obama administration introduced a similar rule that was met with much opposition. Well, not much has changed in those 5 years. This rule will do more harm than good to the very people it is claiming to protect. The majority of my time in Washington is spent fighting executive and agency overreach, and this rule is just another example of the failed Obama administration's attempt at Federal Government monopolization of retirement advice. Everyone deserves accessible advice when planning and saving for retirement. The people in my district are sick and tired of these unelected bureaucrats in these departments and agencies imposing these rules. I am proud to cosponsor H.J. Res. 88, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from South Dakota. Yesterday marked the deadline for all Americans to file their 2015 taxes, and Americans from all walks of life disclosed some of their most private information and handed over their hard-earned dollars to the government. With this in mind, last week I was proud to introduce legislation prohibiting the use of funds by the IRS to target citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights. Americans have seen Federal agencies abuse their power, and the IRS is one of the worst offenders. The IRS has specifically targeted conservative groups simply for being conservative. This is a direct violation of the First Amendment. My bill preserves the integrity of the First Amendment by ensuring its protections are never compromised by unelected Federal bureaucrats. Specifically, H.R. 4903 protects Americans by prohibiting use of funds by the IRS and its rogue bureaucrats to carry out government abuse on citizens for exercising their constitutional rights. I can think of nothing more despicable than persecution for beliefs. Tax day is stressful enough with the Tax Code we have in place. The IRS has no business in striking fear into the hearts of Americans for expressing their strongly held beliefs and convictions. The Constitution is the law of the land, whether the IRS likes it or not. We must hold the IRS and its unelected bureaucrats accountable, especially because they have overstepped their constitutional bounds before, as my colleague pointed out. My colleague on the other side may dispute our legislation, but they can't dispute the facts, Mr. Speaker. My colleagues serving on the Oversight and Government Reform committee and the Ways and Means Committee have been investigating the IRS' unlawful targeting of conservative groups since 2012. They were dogged in their pursuit of justice for every American's fundamental right, the freedom of speech. The investigation revealed that, as a result of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, democratic leadership pressured IRS bureaucrats to fix the problem by taking an aggressive stance against political speech by tax-exempt entities. My colleagues also found clear evidence and testimony that the Tea Party and other conservative organizations were targeted for enhanced scrutiny because their organizations' names reflected their conservative beliefs. For 27 months, from February 2010 until May 2012, the IRS systematically targeted conservative tax-exempt applicants for additional scrutiny and delay. This is an egregious violation of the First Amendment rights of all Americans. The leader of this scheme was Lois Lerner, an IRS official at the time, as was mentioned. In April 2010, a sensitive case report on the targeted Tea Party groups is shared with Lerner, when she first learned of a spike in Tea Party applications. In June and July of 2011, Lerner is briefed that employees are using such terms as ``Tea Party,'' ``patriots,'' ``9/12 Project,'' ``government spending,'' ``government debt,'' ``taxes,'' and ``make America a better place to live'' to flag applications. Lerner, after learning about such terms, tells the Cincinnati office to revise its guidelines for flagging applications. The guidance is expanded to include ``organizations involved with political lobbying or advocacy for exemption under 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4).'' Also, Lois Lerner's hard drive supposedly crashed that June, erasing 2 years worth of emails. How convenient was that? In March 2012, Darrell Issa, then-chairman of the Committee on House Oversight and Government Reform, expressed concern to the IRS inspector general that Tea Party groups were being targeted by the IRS. Doug Shulman, IRS Commissioner at the time, vehemently denied on the record to Congress that the agency was targeting conservative groups. In May 2013, Lois Lerner testified before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. She proclaimed her innocence before invoking her Fifth Amendment right and refusing to answer questions from lawmakers. For 2 more years, the IRS circumvented Congress' investigations. Lois Lerner, time and time again, refused to cooperate with Congress in its investigation of targeting conservative groups and, instead, hid behind the Fifth Amendment. Before I was elected to Congress, my colleagues in the House of Representatives rightly voted to hold Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress for her refusal to cooperate with ongoing investigations into the agency's special targeting of groups with ``Tea Party'' or ``patriot'' in their names that were seeking tax-exempt status.

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, a decision to hold Lois Lerner in contempt of Congress was not taken lightly. Not surprisingly, the Obama administration's Department of Justice unilaterally decided not to prosecute Lois Lerner for her unlawful actions. However, Congress vowed to continue to find answers and hold the IRS accountable for its actions. This is why I stand before you today. I refuse to allow another American to be persecuted and targeted by IRS bureaucrats for expressing their First Amendment rights, no matter their beliefs. The House holds the power of the purse. As such, it is within our authority to gut the IRS where it hurts the most: their use of hard- earned tax dollars. H.R. 4903 prohibits the IRS from using funds made available by any law to target citizens for exercising their First Amendment rights. Today I urge my colleagues to stand with me to ensure that the IRS no longer oversteps its authority and supports the God-given constitutional rights of every American. No American should fear persecution from the government for expressing his or her strongly held beliefs and conviction. Please join me in supporting H.R. 4903.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. I thank the chairman for his work on this important bill. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of H.R. 2666, the No Rate Regulation of Broadband Internet Access Act. The bill does just that--prohibits the Federal Communications Commission from unnecessarily regulating broadband rates. This legislation ensures that not only the current Commission but future Commissions will not have the option to regulate broadband Internet rates, which will protect the free market, encourage competition, and promote jobs; and that is what we need to be all about. Plain and simple, unelected Washington bureaucrats at the FCC have set out with another solution in search of a problem. By shifting the classification of broadband Internet to be a title II common carrier, the FCC is, simply, reclassifying broadband Internet to fall under their rulemaking purview. This is nothing more than another power grab by the administration to regulate and control yet another industry. It is estimated that, if rules regulating broadband services are carried out, it could cost over 43,000 jobs, and I think we can all agree that it is not time to gamble with American jobs. When bureaucrats in Washington play the regulation game, no one wins. I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 2666, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in support of this legislation.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 145, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, the first full week of April, since the 1930s, America and the world get a peek at the world-famous Augusta National Golf Course for Masters Week. Spectators gather in Augusta, Georgia, or join family and friends around the television to watch the world's most talented golfers compete for the highly coveted green jacket; and for 1 week each year, the world gets a glimpse into Georgia 12 and the wonderful people who live and work there, the district I have the great honor of representing. From the pimento cheese sandwiches to the perfectly-manicured grounds, the rich tradition that encompasses the Masters is truly something special. The course, the creation of the great Bobby Jones, has seen the likes of Arnold Palmer, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and spectators from all walks of life, making it a living history in the game. Jordan Spieth has been a great champion and made a historic effort to repeat as its champion. Congratulations to this year's winner, Danny Willett, on his victory and the newest addition to his wardrobe, as well as a big thank-you to the members of the Augusta National Golf Club and all those who worked tirelessly to put the tournament on, which means so much to our district. It was my privilege to welcome all people from around the globe to the world's greatest sporting event, as we now count down the days until Masters 2017.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exemplary service of our Marine Corps. The 12th District of Georgia is extremely proud of our strong military presence and the role that all the military men and women play in keeping our nation free. The Marines here in Georgia and all around the world make incredible sacrifices every day and we could not be more thankful for them and their families. It is with great honor that Augusta hosts the Southeastern Marine Corps League Conference this year. The conference is sponsored by the Jimmie Dyess Chapter of the Marine Corps League and features a performance by the Parris Island Marine Corps Band. The Lt. Col Jimmie Dyess MCL Detachment 921 is a proud sponsor of the 2016 MCL Southeast Regional Division Conference in Augusta, Georgia. The Detachment is named for Lt. Col Aquilla James ``Jimmie'' Dyess, a remarkable Georgian who is the only American to have received both the Medal of Honor and the Carnegie Medal for Civilian Heroism. A graduate of Clemson University, Dyess accomplished many great things in his too short life. He was appointed a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1936, and one year later was awarded the bronze star as a shooting member on the Marine Corps Rifle Team. He was killed by enemy gun fire on February 2, 1944 while leading his infantry in an attack against the Japanese on the island of Namur. The Lt. Col Jimmie Dyess MCL Detachment 921 and many other Southeast Divisions support various programs that promote and honor the spirit and traditions of the Marines, including the Boy Scouts of America, the U.S. Marines Youth Physical Fitness Program, and Marines-for-Marines: Wounded Marines Program. Performing at the Conference this year is the Parris Island Marine Band, from Parris Island, South Carolina. Consisting of one officer and 50 enlisted Marines, the band is one of the leading musical units in the United States military. The band was founded in 1915 and has continued to perform for their country in exciting and versatile concerts ever since. They perform all around the United States, always displaying their dedication to upholding the high standards and traditions of the United States Marine Corps. Their dignified musical expertise, culminated with great military pride and efficiency, sets the United States Marine field bands apart from any other military unit. The valiant efforts made by our Marines and all of the United States military do not go unnoticed. The support we can offer them is nothing compared to the contributions they make for this great nation every day. Every active duty soldier, veteran, and military family member has devoted themselves to the United States, and it is an honor to pay them the respect they deserve.

Mr. ALLEN

Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, my office hosted the first- ever Georgia-12 Youth Leadership Summit at Georgia Southern University. Over 400 students and educators from around Georgia's 12th Congressional District represented their high schools at the summit. I was amazed by the turnout. The energy of the students was inspiring. Many thanks to Colonel Sam Anderson, Garrison Commander at Fort Gordon; Stephanie Miller, morning host of Hot Country Hits Y96; Tyson Summers, head football coach at Georgia Southern University; and Congressman Tom Graves of the 14th District of Georgia, for sharing their experiences with these young leaders. These students are the future leaders of Georgia and our country, and I want them to realize their potential, and I want to see them succeed. I would like to give a special thanks to Georgia Southern University for hosting us, and members of my staff for their hard work in organizing and setting up this event. Our district is very fortunate to have these great students and educators. It was evident that the young folks of Georgia-12 are an exceptional class of leaders who will step up to any occasion. What a wonderful honor it was to host this important event last Thursday in Statesboro, Georgia.