Robert Brady

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, we all know that the U.S. needs a long term strategic energy policy if we are ever to break our addiction to foreign oil and become energy independent. Part of that long term solution is to focus on a policy that allows us to begin using less oil today. The United States transportation system is the largest in the world and is almost entirely responsible for our Nation's dependence on using oil as the major source of energy. For instance, while the United States has only 4.5 percent of the world's population, it uses 25 percent of the world's oil. About 60 percent of this oil is imported. The transportation sector consumes seven of every ten barrels of oil consumed in the United States. In addition, about 28 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, GHGs, in the U.S. are attributed to the transportation sector, making it the second largest contributor to GHG emissions, trailing only electricity generation. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this figure is expected to rise to 36 percent by 2020. In a carbon-constrained world, it makes sense for government to invest in transportation infrastructure that will promote the use of technologies that improve fuel efficiency, while also reducing carbon emissions and traffic congestion. Railroads are the most fuel efficient mode of surface transportation. In 2007, freight railroads moved one ton of freight an average of 436 miles per gallon of fuel--roughly the distance between Boston and Baltimore. In its January 2008 final report to Congress, the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission stated that ``intercity passenger rail is . . . more energy efficient than many other modes of passenger transportation.'' The report notes that the average intercity passenger rail train produces 60 percent lower carbon dioxide emissions per passenger-mile than the average automobile, and half the carbon dioxide emissions per passenger-mile of an airplane. Using railroads more means consuming less fuel, and that's more important today more than ever. However, the railroads may not currently have the capacity to handle socially optimal amounts of freight and passenger traffic. Freight railroads are reinvesting record amounts of their own funds into their systems, but that will not be enough to take full advantage of railroads' potential to meet our transportation needs. One step we must take is to provide relief to states, local communities, and captive rail customers who continue to suffer from unreasonably high railroad rates and poor service. This relief cannot be accomplished through capital improvements alone. Reforms to reduce impediments to competition must also be enacted. Further, railroads have traditionally invested in their own networks and there is increased interest in public-private relationships to help address the projected underinvestment in our Nation's rail network. However, the government as a public partner has a duty to ensure that the public interest is best served under any agreements it enters into. We need to be careful when creating these partnerships as private businesses' objectives and motivations may not necessarily be aligned with the public interest. When public-private partnerships are used to finance, design and build roads, bridges, rail projects, and transit facilities, we must safeguard the public interests. H.R. 2116, an excellent piece of legislation introduced by my friend from Florida, Kendrick Meek, will provide a 25 percent tax credit for railroads to invest in capital expansion. This will help augment their financial capacity for transportation investments. As we review this legislation, we should also consider including a provision that ensures prevailing wages for the workers responsible for the construction of this expansion. Amtrak ridership may reach 28 million this year--the highest it has ever been and up from 25.8 million passengers last year. In fact, Amtrak ridership and revenues are up and experiencing significant growth in all categories: short distance, long distance, and Northeast Corridor services. Last month, Amtrak had the highest revenue and ridership of any month in its history. Fiscal year 2008 year-to-date ridership is up 11 percent and revenues are up 14 percent over the previous year. We also need to consider extending the ``Section 45G'' tax credit for investments in short line track rehabilitation that expired in 2007. The Section 45G tax credit has helped hundreds of short line railroads increase the volume and rate of track rehabilitation and improvement programs. This allows them to offer more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly rail service to communities throughout the country. The key to reducing fuel consumption in transportation and our addiction to oil and dependence on foreign oil is by encouraging the use of the most fuel efficient modes of transportation--railroads. America's freight and passenger railroads offer a simple, cost effective and meaningful way to do this, thereby helping to ensure a sustainable future for our planet.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the Senate bill (S. 2967) to provide for certain Federal employee benefits to be continued for certain employees of the Senate Restaurants after operations of the Senate Restaurants are contracted to be performed by a private business concern, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Resolution 1325 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary congressional service of three individuals who will be leaving the United States Capitol Guide Service at the end of June. Tom Stevens, Sharon Nevitt and Jeannie Divine have together provided 87 years of service to Congress, and their departure will certainly leave a void that is difficult to fill. Tom Stevens has served as the Director of Visitor Services, charged with managing our dedicated crew of Capitol Guide Service and Congressional Special Services employees. He first came to the Guide Service in March 1985, and has served as the head of this organization since 2003. Tom has done an outstanding job, managing the group that provides assistance to literally thousands of visitors who come to the U.S. Capitol from around this Nation and the world every day. In addition, Tom has worked tirelessly to help plan and prepare for the opening of the Capitol Visitor Center. Sharon Nevitt has served the Guide Service since November 1977, in a variety of management positions, and she currently is the Assistant Director of the Guide Service. Her commitment to this institution has been dedicated and extraordinary. Working side by side with Tom Stevens, Sharon has worked diligently over the past few years to ensure that the transition to operations in the Capitol Visitor Center will be successful and beneficial for all of our visitors. Jeannie Divine joined the Capitol Guide Service in May 1988, coming directly from 13 years of service with the Architect of the Capitol. Jeannie is part of the fabric of this institution, as she is one of the unheralded staffers who work with our offices every day to schedule tours and coordinate the many visits we have by constituents. She has done a difficult job with consummate professionalism and ceaseless good humor. Madam Speaker, we are indeed fortunate to have had the services of these dedicated individuals. Their work on the behalf of our constituents and visitors has been exemplary and I invite my colleagues to wish them well in their future endeavors.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a man who exemplified the ideal husband, father, and human being to all whose lives he touched. James Arthur Johnson was born and raised in Philadelphia, where he lived his entire life. He graduated from Bok Vocational High School and went on to the Marine Corps, where he honorably served our country. After serving in the Marine Corps, Officer Johnson continued his life's work in public service with the United States Post Office, followed by an appointment to the All Philadelphia Police Department in September 1957. As a police officer, his detail included the Highway Patrol, 19th Police District, and Narcotics Unit. During his career in the Philadelphia Police Department, Officer Johnson earned the respect of all who knew him. His strong moral fiber, wise counsel, fatherly ways made him a pleasure to encounter. In 1971, Officer Johnson suffered an injury in the line of duty. Yet, he continued to serve our city from within the Mayor's Office of Information and Complaints. With 23 years of service on the Police Force under his belt, Officer Johnson retired in 1980. He then went on to become the housing site manager for the Philadelphia Housing Authority until he retired in 1990. Even though Officer Johnson entered his second round of retirement, he never gave up his cherished role as a public servant. He was a well-known member of the Cobbs Creek community, where he was a baseball coach for the Cobbs Creek Cubs, as well as a mentor, Scout leader and surrogate father to many of the community's youth. Madam Speaker, Officer Johnson's light was extinguished on June 13th, but the light he has shared with others bums ever so brightly. His loving family, friends, and community will miss him very much. I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing the condolences of the House to his family. I hope that they find comfort in the knowledge that his time on Earth was well spent and that he left the world a better place than the one he found.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement on July 6, 2008, we rise today to thank Daniel (Dan) Doody for over 23 years of combined federal government service within the Department of Defense and the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to his tenure with the House, Dan spent approximately 15 years of his career in the Department of Defense with responsibilities ranging from program control officer and staff engineer to various management positions supporting complex systems development activities. In January 2000, Dan came to the U.S. House of Representatives, within the Office of Chief Administrative Office, CAO, as the Deputy Associate Administrator for House Information Resources (HIR). In this role, Dan managed the CAO's technology planning and budgeting activities as well as overseeing systems development projects and operations. In August 2001, Dan took overall responsibility for HIR, an organization of approximately 270 staff. This role was quickly tested when in September 2001 the nation experienced the tragic events of September 11th followed quickly by the House Office Building anthrax contamination and subsequent closures in October 2001. Immediately thereafter, Dan was assigned the critical role of Program Manager for the House's Business Continuity Disaster Recovery (BCDR) initiatives. The focus of this program was to dramatically improve the House's business continuity planning and recovery capabilities so that House essential support services were easily restored or transitioned to backup systems in the event of an emergency. Dan continued his duties as HIR Associate Administrator until February 2006 at which time he became the Deputy CAO for Operations. In this role, Dan had responsibility for the operations of HIR, Administrative and Financial Services, Workforce Services, and Business Continuity. Dan's attention to detail, skill in developing working relationships at all levels of the House, Legislative Branch, and industry, as well as his uncanny ability to discern good ideas and implementation approaches from the bad, Dan was a voice of reason whose recommendations and opinions were always sought after and held with the highest regard. Dan has dedicated his life to making the federal government and, in particular, the CAO and the U.S. House of Representatives a better and more secure place to work. After his retirement from the government, Dan's plan is to return to private industry. On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Dan for his dedication and outstanding contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish him many wonderful years in fulfilling his retirement dreams.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a great Philadelphian and a great American, the late Sam Evans. He had firsthand experience as a victim of oppression. His mother was born before abolition, and he witnessed five lynchings before he turned 9 years old. But, he refused to live his life as a victim. His childhood under Jim Crow spurred an adulthood spent as a champion of justice. He led protests against American Nazism and discrimination of all kinds. He was jailed for his activities, but he never stopped standing up for his beliefs. He went on to organize and lead the 43,000 Philadelphians who joined Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Mr. Evans founded and led the American Foundation for Negro Affairs and the multi-ethnic Family of Leaders. He was a visionary and champion of the right to a decent education, decent housing and justice for all. But, more than anything, Sam Evans was a friend and a mentor to anyone who walked through his door. He never refused anyone who sought the benefit of his wisdom and experience. I spent many hours learning from him myself. I am proud to call myself a follower of Sam Evans. Sam is resting now. I know that he and his beloved Edna are swapping stories about Retha and the grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great- grandkids. We will miss you, Sam. But, after 105 years of hard work on this Earth, we will never feel that you are gone.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Philadelphia institution and a staple in our community, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has always held itself to the highest standard of care. This month, they have been recognized for their excellence as they were rated as the best over all children's hospital in America in a U.S. News & World Report exclusive annual ranking, receiving this honor for the sixth year in a row. The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 and was the first hospital devoted solely to the care of children. Today it houses 430 beds and treats more than one million patients a year. Children's Hospital of Philadelphia specializes in cancer, digestive disorders, heart and heart surgery, neonatal care, neurology and neurosurgery and respiratory disorders. While coming in first for overall general practices, the hospital also ranked in the top three in the country in each of these individual categories. Since it was established the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has been concentrated on caring for the families of patients as well as the patients themselves. Now they have programs where parents teach the physicians what it is like to care for a child with a specific disease, because they have the best knowledge of this. The Children's Hospital also encourages families to stay with their children at all times, making the treatment more bearable for the children and their families. Madam Speaker, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a key institution in Philadelphia and I congratulate them on this honor and thank them for their dedication to excellence and their service to our community.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Again, I thank the gentleman from Michigan. He is right: it is a pleasure to work together. I look forward to working together with you in your interest on the Capitol Police Board. With that, I urge an ``aye'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5972) to make technical corrections to the laws affecting certain administrative authorities of the United States Capitol Police, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks on the bill under consideration.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I have no further speakers.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to present the United States Capitol Police Administrative Technical Corrections Act of 2008. As its title suggests, H.R. 5972 is not intended to make substantive policy changes for the Capitol Police. It corrects drafting errors, modernizes outdated terms, and repeals redundant and inconsistent provisions already on the books. My favorite correction is a long overdue repeal of the 1868 law requiring Capitol Police officers to buy their uniforms. Congress decided years ago to provide their uniforms, but has never repealed the 1868 law. Chief Phillip Morse requested most of these corrections, the committee found others, and we included several excellent suggestions offered by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Ehlers). Again, it was a pleasure to work with him and his staff, as always. The bill has the support of Chief Morse and our House Sergeant-at- Arms, Wilson Livingood, and I urge an ``aye'' vote. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks in the Record and to include extraneous matter.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5893) to reauthorize the sound recording and film preservation programs of the Library of Congress, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, as always, I would like to thank the ranking member, my friend from Michigan, for his cooperation, and I urge an ``aye'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This bill reauthorizes the Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs of the Library of Congress through the year 2016. The National Film Preservation Board was created in 1988 to address the rapid deterioration of important films. The Film Preservation Board is responsible for identifying and preserving films they deem are ``culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.'' Along with the National Film Preservation Foundation, the Film Preservation Board ensures that all generations from all over the world will be able to view these remarkable films and experience their power and importance firsthand. The National Recording Preservation Board was created by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000. There are currently 225 entries in the National Recording Registry, and that number may only continue to grow. From music to historical speeches, the Recording Preservation Board makes certain that future generations can experience these historically important and powerful sounds that helped shape decades. It is necessary that we reauthorize the Recording and Film Boards to allow them to continue their vital mission. We will see to it that those who come after us will be able to listen to and witness those sounds and sights that are essential to our national heritage. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, Washington, DC, June 4, 2008. Hon. Robert A. Brady, Chairman, Committee on House Administration, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Chairman Brady: This is to advise you that, as a result of your working with us to make appropriate revisions to provisions in H.R. 5893, the Library of Congress Sound Recording and Film Preservation Programs Reauthorization Act of 2008, that fall within the rule X jurisdiction of the Committee on the Judiciary, we are able to agree to discharging our committee from further consideration of the bill in order that it may proceed without delay to the House floor for consideration. The Judiciary Committee takes this action with the understanding that by foregoing further consideration of H.R. 5893 at this time, we do not waive any jurisdiction over subject matter contained in this or similar legislation. We also reserve the right to seek appointment of an appropriate number of conferees to any House-Senate conference involving this important legislation, and request your support if such a request is made. I would appreciate your including this letter in the Congressional Record during consideration of the bill on the House floor. Thank you for your attention to this request, and for the cooperative relationship between our two committees. Sincerely, John Conyers, Jr., Chairman.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it is now my pleasure to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Davis).

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor a great Philadelphian and a giant of America's cultural community, Anne d'Harnoncourt. Ms. d'Harnoncourt came to the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 1967 and became curator of 20th century art in 1972. She became the museum's director in 1982, beginning a renaissance at the venerable institution. Ms. d'Harnoncourt has been justifiably credited with being responsible for launching Philadelphia's modern concept of cultural tourism with a blockbuster 1996 Cezanne retrospective that drew a record 800,000 viewers. She provided the drive and the vision needed to launch a $590 million expansion and renovation of the museum and completed the opening of the architecturally and historically significant Perelman annex. Most recently Miss d'Harnoncourt had landed the Art Museum an enviable spot at the Venice Biennale, curating the American Pavilion with a major Bruce Nauman show. And, perhaps most importantly, she led our city's unprecedented effort to keep The Gross Clinic in the city. Anne d'Harnoncourt had an unmatched impact on the world of art. Through her pioneering of the blockbuster exhibit, she had an equally unmatched impact on Philadelphia's economy. But, her true impact was most felt in the lives of Philadelphia's children. Under Ms. d'Harnoncourt's leadership, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has devoted significant staff and monetary resources to exciting and innovative educational efforts for our kids. The museum has developed curricula and exhibits designed to teach children the arts, math and history. Every exhibit in the museum is welcoming to kids and the sight of busloads of delighted, beaming faces brings joy to everyone who sees them. Madam Speaker, Anne d'Harnoncourt is one of those once in a lifetime people who can never be replaced. She will be sorely missed. But, because of her work, her legacy will live forever.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Joseph Sellers, Jr., President and Business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 19 Union. Throughout his career, Mr. Sellers has exemplified exceptional labor leadership for the Sheet Metal Workers, the city of Philadelphia, and beyond. Mr. Sellers began his career as a sheet metal worker apprentice in 1980, and became a journeyman four years later. In the years since, Mr. Sellers has been honored with a number of leadership positions within the Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 19. He was first appointed Training Coordinator in 1996, and was then elected to the position of Business Representative four and a half years later. Just two years after that, he was unanimously appointed by the Local 19 Executive Board to his current position as President and Business Manager. He was overwhelmingly elected to the same position in 2003 and 2006, and is currently serving a three-year term. During his current tenure, he also holds a number of prominent leadership positions, including President of the Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Councils of Sheet Metal Workers, Vice-President of the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, President of the Mechanical Trades District Council of Delaware Valley, President for the Metropolitan Association of Presidents and Business Representatives, and many other prestigious positions. Mr. Sellers has also been active on behalf of a number of charities throughout his career, and is a long time supporter of the Unico Salute to Labor. Mr. Sellers's unwavering dedication to organized labor is commendable, as are his enthusiasm and proficiency in leadership. He truly embodies the Unico motto, ``Service Above Self.''

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on the occasion of his retirement on June 30, 2008, I rise to thank Mr. Frank Jones for his 32 years of outstanding service to the United States House of Representatives. Frank graduated from Brook High School in Calvert County, MD and moved to DC in 1962. He started working at the Washington Post selling subscriptions. He wanted to learn a trade and decided on printing. Frank went to work at A&E Blueprinters learning all facets of the trade from 1963-1969. Looking for a change in profession, he obtained a job at Seibert Decorators in Washington, DC in 1969. It was there that he began to learn and hone his skills as an accomplished upholsterer. Frank came to the House upholstery shop in February 1977 and worked there until his retirement. Over the next 15 years he artfully upholstered many pieces of House furniture. Among his list of accomplishments is the upholstery shop's most valued piece of furniture, the Turkish Chair. He has trained numerous employees, teaching the techniques, touch, and feel needed to upholster this chair. He redesigned and tufted the ``Sam Rayburn Chair'' for the then Clerk of the House, Donald Anderson. Over the years he has worked on the Lincoln Catafalque several times, preparing it for ceremonies for Presidents lying-in-state at the Capitol. For the last 17 years he has served as Foreman of the House Upholstery Shop, passing on his wealth of knowledge and talent in the trade. On a more personal note, Frank has always gone out of his way to ensure that all of his customers are completely satisfied. Frank has operated his own upholstery business for almost 40 years and the quality of his work and dedication to his craft are well known in the DC-MD-VA area. In addition, Frank is part owner and driver of Millennium Tours bus service. He has always been interested in team sports and played with many of his co-workers on the House Rockers softball team from the late 1980s to the 1990s in the Congressional Softball League. He now enjoys bowling and travels around the country participating in tournaments. Frank is, and always has been, very involved with his church, singing with the choir, performing solos, and participating in services. On behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives, I personally congratulate Frank on his retirement and thank him for all he has done for this institution. I wish Frank the best and good luck in all his future endeavors.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to announce the recipients of the 2008 Awarding CAO Excellence, ACE Awards, being recognized by Dan Beard, the House Chief Administrative Officer, CAO, for their particular contributions to the House community over the past year. This year's award winners are Monica Bar nabae, Nicholas R. Gar ner, John J. Heeb III, Joseph L. Adams, Saint Juan ``Angel'' McFadden, Angel M. Goldsborough-Lee, Susan Marone, Andrew C. Graeub, Brent S. Conran and Marie Bums. Their ACE Awards acknowledge the exceptional efforts made by these employees to provide the highest quality service to the Members, Committees and offices of the House of Representatives. Considered the highest honors awarded to CAO staff, the foundation of these awards are exemplary customer service, a commitment to delivering solutions and the highest standards of performance excellence. These recipients of the 2008 CAO ACE Awards represent many areas of the CAO organization, perform a variety of jobs and provide a wide range of services to the House community. Whether working directly with Members or staff, supporting CAO inter nal operations or ensuring the technical infrastructure is operational, each serves as an exemplary role model for the entire CAO community. Collectively, and individually, they deliver solutions that fulfill the CAO organization's goal of providing a quality customer experience. Monica Bar nabae and Nicholas Gar ner are the recipients of the 2008 ``Darrell Norman Excellence Award.'' This award is named after an exemplary CAO employee who died in January of 2007 and whose long-time career with the House exemplified the customer service standards, the performance excellence and the ``can do'' spirit of the CAO organization. In her role as Director of the House Child Care Center, Monica Bar nabae has been instrumental in directing her staff through several critical undertakings over the past year. She worked to address a number of issues vitally important to the continuing enhancement of the team and the work environment, creating additional professional development opportunities for the staff and improving their job satisfaction. Monica's commitment to, and communications with, both the staff and the parents have been instrumental in improving the Center's operations. Under her leadership this past year, the facility was awarded the revised accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children NAEYC, making it one of the first programs in the country to go through this extensive re-certification process. The center received an 80% or better rating in each of the critical areas of assessment, including teaching, evaluation of child progress, relationships, families, health and leadership and management--all reflective of the attributes of the CAO's standard of excellence. Nicholas Gar ner, a Senior Office Coordinator in the CAO/AOC Joint Service Center in the Capitol, serves as the primary point of contact for coordinating major renovation projects and events for the House's Leadership Offices and Officers. Nick regularly goes above and beyond the expectations of his customers to meet the offices' needs and to provide a quick and complete solution. He supports a very large number of clients and coordinates an extensive array of customer requests, but yet consistently manages that workload without a hitch. Nick has built and continues to foster solid relationships with the Members and staff he serves--relationships reliant on Nick's approachability, integrity, trust, knowledge, experience and problem solving skills. All of these hallmarks are criteria for selection as a recipient of the ``Darrell Norman Excellence Award.'' John Heeb III and Joseph Adams have been selected for the 2008 ``Knowledge Award.'' John Heeb of the CAO Advanced Business Solutions (CABS) team is recognized for his work in developing the business process designs for the Accounts Receivable Module as part of the ongoing development and configuration process of the House's new financial system (known as ATLAS). His work has been critical in addressing and mitigating potential problem areas with the required Treasury Reports that can be difficult to transition with financial system installations. John took the initiative to master a significant amount of new subject matter and he engaged the appropriate resources in developing the desired reporting capability. He developed an independent analytical tool and drove a meticulous and detailed analysis with the project team to get to the right solution, which included the development of the training materials. Joseph Adams of CAO Technology Infrastructure Solutions is being acknowledged with the ``Knowledge Award'' as the embodiment of one of the CAO organization's critical attributes: providing expertise and advice to customers. With his exceptional technical ability and his tireless work ethic, Joe seeks constant feedback from his customers by asking the right questions to get to the fundamental user requirements. He is the ``go-to'' person for House data network technical questions and implementation issues. Joe not only directs the day-to-day operations of nine senior engineers and five contractors, but he is responsible for reviewing and approving all network designs. He has directed the Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery, BC/DR, designs for the Alter nate Computing Facility, as well as the Capitol Visitor Center, and he has personally designed voice applications in response to the industry-wide convergence of voice and data technologies. Saint Juan ``Angel'' McFadden of the CAO Payroll and Benefits team is the recipient of the 2008 ``Simplify the Day Award.'' Angel has the reputation of going the extra mile for her customers, whether they are the staff in Member and Committee offices or her colleagues in the Payroll and Benefits office. When the Payroll and Benefits office carried out an innovations project this past April, Angel was a member of the Payroll ``help desk'' during the project. She was on the front lines of responding to customers by phone and in-person. Although not in a supervisory capacity, and not directed to do so, Angel took the initiative to create a set of procedures for her colleagues on the ``help desk'' that resulted in considerable improvements in client service. Specifically, her ingenuity and persistence in identifying unnecessary processing steps resulted in reducing average cycle time for document imaging from about 39 days to 10 hours, while also eliminating seven unnecessary processing steps. Angel Goldsborough-Lee of the CAO Technology Support team is being recognized with this year's ``One Team Award.'' Angel consistently demonstrates an ability to reach across teams in support of important CAO and House initiatives. Charged with the oversight of the Escalations Team, she is responsible for managing a dynamic group of support engineers who assist the Technical Support Representatives, TSRs, in the field with identifying and resolving complex problems and keeping customers informed of system outages, house-wide email delays and system failures. Angel's ability to engage and drive team collaboration has been particularly evident this past year in her work with the Exchange 2003 migration effort, the execution of the Daylight Savings Time workstation software upgrade and her coordination with the Committee on House Administration in the delivery of the ``Working Smarter Series,'' which familiarizes House staff with information and services to enhance their day-to-day productivity. Susan Marone of the Resume Referral/Outplacement Services office is the ``Personalized Solutions'' award recipient. Susan is being recognized for the practical resolutions she devises in response to the unique and varied needs of Member and Committee offices that post their vacancy announcements with the CAO's Resume Referral Service. Relying on her extensive knowledge of Capitol Hill and her exceptional understanding of the day-to- day operations of a Congressional office, and by asking the right questions to help offices identify and articulate their hiring requirements and selection criteria, Susan has been able to tailor her standard posting processes to the needs of each requesting office. This has resulted in a reduction in the time for the requesting office to not only post, but to fill, the vacancy. In 2007 alone, Susan posted over 486 positions for nearly half of the House Member and Committee offices. Andrew Graeub and Brent Conran are the recipients of the 2008 ``Jay Eagen Dedicated Award,'' renamed by CAO Dan Beard in honor of the House's previous CAO, whose years of unwavering dedication to the organization and the House have become a standard. Andrew Graeub of the CAO Technology Infrastructure Solutions team is being recognized this year for his dedication and energy as the driving force for the successful design and implementation of data networks for a critical Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) project. Like so many other projects Andrew manages, this one necessitated an exhaustive identification of user requirements from across the House community as well as maintaining proficiency in current networking technologies, while anticipating and expertly evaluating emerging ones. As with most projects of this magnitude, obstacles and challenges arise. Andrew consistently manages and solves those challenges through his blend of technical know-how, customer focus, exceptional interpersonal skills and an infectious positive attitude--all reflective of his dedication to his customers throughout the House community and to his colleagues across the CAO organization. Brent Conran of CAO Information Systems Security is our second recipient of the ``Jay Eagen Dedicated'' award. Brent is being acknowledged by the CAO organization for his dedication in managing his team of security engineers, responsible for keeping House production security systems up and running, 24/7. Brent is responsible for making sure the network remains secure from hacker attacks, viruses and spam. By staying current with the latest technology and through his ability to maneuver through CAO systems and processes, he has implemented new firewalls, spyware filtering and intrusion detection upgrades that have guaranteed the ongoing security and integrity of House systems. Brent has an insatiable appetite for keeping up with the newest detection technologies. The House benefits from his dedication to keep the institution's computer network secure and his desire to constantly do things better and quicker, staying ahead of the newer and more creative technology threats. The CAO's final award recipient for 2008 is being acknowledged with the newest ACE award: the ``Green the Capitol Award.'' This new award recognizes an employee who exhibits a commitment to the Green the Capitol Initiative by seeking innovative, cutting-edge approaches to traditional ways of doing business, promoting resource conservation and supporting an environmentally-sustainable and healthier workplace. Marie Bur ns of the Office Supply/House Gift Shop is the recipient of the first CAO ``Green the Capitol Award.'' Marie is being recognized for her commitment to the Green the Capitol Initiative and her effort to promote its goals within the CAO organization and the larger House community. Specifically, Marie has been involved in driving the purchase and availability of more environmentally-friendly products in the Office Supply Store and the House Gift Shop. As an example, by selling only 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper in the Office Supply Store, the House is helping to save 29,400 grown trees. Marie's personal commitment to the goals of the Green the Capitol Initiative and her leadership in focusing on the sustainability of the House supply chain has been instrumental in raising environmental awareness among her colleagues and the customers she serves. On behalf of the entire House community, I extend congratulations to Monica Bar nabae, Nicholas Gar ner, John Heeb III, Joseph Adams, Angel McFadden, Angel Goldsborough-Lee, Susan Marone, Andrew Graeub, Brent Conran and Marie Bur ns for their tireless efforts and outstanding service to the Members and staff of the U.S. House of Representatives. I wish this year's group of CAO ACE Award recipients continued success in their endeavors and I look forward to their ongoing contributions in support of the vital work of ``the People's House.''

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Madam Speaker, on the occasion of her retirement in April 2008, I rise to thank Mrs. Patty Korin for 11 years of outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives. Patty joined the Chief Administrative Officer, CAO, Financial Solutions Staff in the summer of 1997 as a senior accountant. Patty brought a wealth of accounting expertise relating to the creation of financial statements. Her attention to detail has been a significant contribution to the Accounting department. She has instructed CAO staff on proper accounting usage and written beneficial procedures to assist others. Her passionate customer service, organizational skills, resourcefulness and dedication to her work have benefited Member offices and staff over the past years. In 1999, Patty received the Distinguished Service Award in recognition of her contribution to the first clean audit opinion for the U.S. House of Representatives. On behalf of the entire House community, we extend congratulations to Patty for her years of dedication and outstanding service to the U.S. House of Representatives. We wish Patty many wonderful years in fulfilling her retirement dreams.

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania

Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1068) permitting active duty members of the Armed Forces who are assigned to a Congressional liaison office of the Department of Defense at the House of Representatives to obtain membership in the exercise facility established for employees of the House of Representatives, as amended.