G.K. Butterfield

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I thank the gentleman for his kind comments. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch), a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the instructions of the House in the motion to recommit, I report the bill, H.R. 4785, back to the House with an amendment.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. You certainly appreciate the disadvantage at which I find myself.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. I do not have that material in front of me, Mr. Barton.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I stand to offer this amendment as a designee.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I am told that the gentleman from Washington is en route to the floor. I simply stood to offer the amendment to make it in order. The gentleman who offered the amendment should be here momentarily.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. To the extent that I can, Mr. Barton.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I am a proud cosponsor of H.R. 4785, a bill authored by the distinguished majority whip, Mr. James Clyburn of South Carolina. The Rural Energy Savings Program Act will not only quickly create construction and manufacturing jobs, but it will also help Americans make their homes more energy efficient. The Agriculture Committee reported this bill favorably in July. I want to commend the chairman of the committee, Mr. Peterson, and Mr. Clyburn for subsequently working with my committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee, to actually improve the legislation. The bill includes the Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program that was reported by the Energy and Commerce Committee on April 15, 2010, as part of H.R. 5019, the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010. Mr. Chairman, H.R. 5019 was approved by the committee with a bipartisan vote of 30-17. It was supported by a broad array of stakeholders, including energy efficiency advocates, manufacturers, business and industry trade associations, and small businesses. Under this bill, homeowners anywhere in the country will be able to work with their rural cooperative, utility, or other governor-designated lender to borrow money for proven energy efficiency investments in their homes. They would repay the loans over time, generally from a portion of the money they save on their energy bill, and at an interest rate of not more than 3 percent. The lenders would repay their States, and the States would repay the Federal Government after not more than 20 years. The Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program is a natural companion to the Rural Energy Savings Program Act. As you may know, the Rural Energy Savings Act authorizes zero-interest loans to rural electric cooperatives for purposes of offering consumer loans for energy efficiency home retrofits. The Home Star Energy Efficiency Loan Program will authorize zero-interest loans to those portions of the country not served--I repeat that--not served by rural electric cooperatives. I originally cosponsored this bill because it provided enormous assistance to consumers served by rural electric cooperatives across the country. My district in North Carolina is served by 10 rural electric co-ops in addition to the 20 municipal power utilities and two investor-owned utilities. Across the country, cooperatives only serve about 12 percent of the Nation's population. So the provisions included in the substitute amendment will ensure that a homeowner will have the same access to a low interest energy efficiency loan whether or not they are served by a co-op, an investor-owned utility, or a municipality. Under the Home Star loan program, States could borrow Federal funds to allow entities like electric utilities or other entities provide loans to consumers for residential energy efficiency measures. The Department of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, would identify the eligible energy efficiency measures. The programs in this bill, Mr. Chairman, vary significantly from the Weatherization Assistance Program. Weatherization is a grant program used by low-income households to reduce their energy bills by making their homes more energy efficient. The programs in this bill are loans, and thus do not increase the deficit. They are available to anyone, regardless of income. Some of my Republican colleagues have questioned this bill's necessity due to the significant investment made in the Weatherization program in the Recovery Act. Well, while I concede that Weatherization got off to a slow start, today over 30,000 homes each month are being weatherized across the country. In September, the Department of Energy announced that it had weatherized over 200,000 homes across the country. In June, 960 homes were weatherized in my State of North Carolina. Each of the low-income families living in those 960 homes will save an average of $437 annually on their energy bill. But that's not why we are here today. We are here to offer all Americans a chance to lower their utility bills and put their neighbors back to work. The recession has had a significant impact on the home construction and services industry, which has experienced unemployment rates of 27 percent. Additionally, manufacturing plants that produce construction- related products have operated at 50 percent of capacity. Home energy retrofit work can provide, and it will provide, significant employment opportunities for construction workers while boosting domestic manufacturing. More than 92 percent of the energy-efficient products and materials for which the Home Star program will stimulate sales are manufactured here in the United States of America. Home energy efficiency retrofits can also cut the Nation's energy use, saving consumers money and cutting pollution. American homes account for about 33 percent of the Nation's total electricity demand, and approximately 22 percent of all energy use in the United States. This legislation, Mr. Chairman, presents an opportunity for all of us to work together to save energy and create jobs. I urge all of our colleagues to seize this opportunity. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I would like to proceed as the designee.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I thank the ranking member for his comments. We continue to say that this legislation is a good bill and it is certainly deficit neutral. It has been judged that way by the Congressional Budget Office. It is a loan program. It is not a grant program. It will not add to the deficit. It will not add to the debt in any respect. I would like to encourage my colleagues to distinguish this program from the Department of Energy program that is a weatherization program. The weatherization programs, as we all know as Members, are intended to help low-income families, and it is a grant program. This is a loan program whereby Federal dollars are given to an investor-owned utility or to a municipality or to a rural cooperative, and the money is used then, in turn, to make low-interest loans to families who qualify. It is not income based. There are qualifications for the loans, but the family income is not a qualification to qualify for the loan. We must enable the American people to weatherize their homes. Forty percent, in some instances, of their utility bill can be attributed to the loss of heat and air within the homes. And so this program is intended to help install replacement windows and insulation and other things that will make homes more energy efficient. It will pay for itself. It's a good bill. I ask my colleagues to support it.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Let me apologize to the Chair, to the ranking member and to my colleagues for all of the confusion, but we are ready to proceed on this matter. Mr. Chairman, I have reviewed this amendment. It appears to be in keeping with the spirit of the underlying legislation. I would urge my colleagues to support it. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to call my colleagues' attention to the tragic slaying of a 30-year-old Sheriff's Deputy in my home state of North Carolina. Greene County Deputy Jon Willis died in the direct line of duty on July 28, 2010 while responding to a domestic disturbance call. During the call, Deputy Willis was shot and killed before the shooter ended his own life. I have expressed my condolences to Greene County Sheriff Lemmie Smith, and I know that the department and the entire community are shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic event. Flags at the Greene County Courthouse were flown half-staff yesterday as the community paid tribute to Deputy Willis. The father of two children, Deputy Willis joined the Greene County Sheriffs Office in December 2001, but left for a job at the Winterville Police Department. He returned to the Greene County Sheriff's Office in April 2009. Deputy Willis' death marks the second time the Greene County Sheriff's Office has lost a deputy in the line of duty. Deputy Ernest Martin Hull died in a vehicle crash on Jan. 2, 2000. Deputy Willis is also the second area officer to lose his life in the line of duty in the past 15 months. Lenoir County Deputy Allen Pearson was shot and killed in April 2009 near Grifton, N.C. On average, a law enforcement officer is killed in America every other day. Since 1792, when recordkeeping started, more than 20,000 officers have lost their lives in service to their communities. And sadly, 101 officers have already been killed in the line of duty across the country this year. This event reminds us of the mortal dangers that our officers face each day in the line of duty. Madam Speaker, it is with both sadness and pride that I share with you the death of Deputy Jon Willis. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing his loved ones the strength they require to overcome their loss. God bless Deputy Jon Willis. His bravery, courage, and goodness will never be forgotten by his community or his state.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, in 1935, President Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress envisioned and passed a safety net for senior citizens and the disabled. We call it Social Security. It has worked well, and I cannot imagine what we would be as a Nation without it. The cash flows of the fund will see a deficit in just a few years because of the aging of the baby boom generation. We will fix this problem, and hopefully, our Republican colleagues will work with us for a bipartisan solution. In December, I'm confident that the President's fiscal commission will present well-conceived ideas. We must use their recommendations to develop a bipartisan solution to protect Social Security. When those recommendations are presented, bipartisanship must prevail. Partisanship must take a hike. I am committed to doing my part and look forward to the commission's report.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Spirit AeroSystems on the grand opening of their new facility that will build major components for the Airbus A350 aircraft. Spirit AeroSystems recently completed construction of a 500,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Kinston, North Carolina at the Global Transpark. Spirit AeroSystems will employ over 1,000 individuals who will be responsible for building the main fuselage and portions of the wings for Airbus' Xtra-Wide-Body A350 passenger aircraft. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Spirit AeroSystems could have built a manufacturing facility anywhere in the world. But they chose eastern North Carolina, and I am grateful for their decision. Madam Speaker, I represent the fourth poorest Congressional district in the country. The daily struggle to make ends meet for many of my constituents is an unfortunate reality. More than anything, eastern North Carolina needs good-paying jobs. And I hope that other companies who are looking to expand will see the great success and mutually beneficial relationship Spirit AeroSystems and Lenoir County have fostered. Eastern North Carolina's ready workforce and strategic location provide a competitive advantage for any organization. North Carolina has a strong history of aviation. In 1903, the Wright Brothers took to flight in, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina--about 150 miles from where the Spirit AeroSystems facility is located today. As we all know, the Wright Brothers are credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane, and I am confident that Spirit AeroSystems will be credited with revolutionizing the aviation industry in eastern North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Spirit AeroSystems on the grand opening of their new manufacturing facility. I thank Spirit AeroSystems for the trust and confidence they have in the State of North Carolina, the Eastern Region, and most importantly the local, homegrown people that will proudly serve Spirit AeroSystems and their customers.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, as we work to resolve our Nation's fiscal crisis, we must have bipartisan cooperation to best find ways to balance economic recovery and job creation with long-term deficit reduction. Americans clearly understand the danger of debt and the need for a serious long-term plan. What they don't understand is sound bites and political rhetoric. And so to my Republican colleagues, as you come to the well today, put your ideas on the table. It doesn't help to demagogue this issue. The fact is, and it remains, President Obama inherited a $11 trillion debt on day one, and we are trying to recover. The American people need your constructive ideas.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, on Saturday, July 17, 2010, friends and family will gather to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Gladys Haskins in Wilson, North Carolina. Mrs. Haskins is a strong and caring woman who strives to treat everyone well and always tries to do what is right. The youngest of 12 siblings, Mrs. Haskins was born in Florence, South Carolina on July 3, 1910. Because her family worked as sharecroppers, she had to leave school after the third grade to work. Her family later moved to Wilson, North Carolina where she met and married her husband, Nathan Haskins, Sr. After living in Washington, DC for a decade, Mrs. Haskins returned to Wilson, North Carolina where she lives to this day. She maintains an interest in gardening, and has been a faithful member of Wilson Chapel Free Will Baptist Church for more than 50 years. And, as the Bible commands in Exodus 20:12, Mrs. Haskins has always sought to honor her father and mother in order to live long in the land the Lord has provided. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Mrs. Gladys Haskins. She is a truly remarkable person deserving of our deepest good wishes as she and her loved ones celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor the Applewhite family, which will soon be holding its reunion in my hometown of Wilson, North Carolina from July 2nd through July 4th, 2010. The family reunion includes the descendants of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and Dinah Horne Applewhite, who were born in 1880 and 1884, respectively. They lived in the area of Saratoga and Garner, North Carolina where they raised eight children--Walter, Lonnie, Lossie, Minnie, Almeta, Sherman, Mattie and Nettie. While past reunions have been held individually by the Applewhite descendants, this will be the first reunion to include the entire family. More than 125 family members are expected to come together in Wilson, North Carolina from as far away as Arizona, Utah, California, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. America is truly a nation of families. We take pride in our families and we value family life. Our families teach us the values of loyalty, independence, responsibility and mutual love. Strong, stable families are our nation's greatest asset. But to remain strong, families must nurture and reinforce their bonds. Family reunions provide a wonderful opportunity to strengthen and preserve those family ties. It is a time to learn, laugh and renew the ties of affection. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the Applewhite family as generations gather for this special occasion. Let their celebration remind us of our own roots, and of the strength and importance of our own families. May their family reunion be a successful event full of happy memories they can pass along to future generations.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation on their recent $100,000 donation to Weldon Elementary School in Weldon, North Carolina. This much needed funding will be used to renovate facilities, make technology upgrades and improve security. Lowe's was founded in 1946 in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The company now operates stores in all 50 states, Canada, and Mexico and serves over 14 million customers per week. Lowe's operates a distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina, a small town of just over 1,200 residents, located in my Congressional District. Over 750 people are employed at the distribution center and more than 1,500 people are employed at Lowe's six home improvement stores located in my District. Many of them have friends or family that have attended Weldon Elementary School and understand the potential impact of Lowe's gracious donation. Donating funds to needy school districts across the country is nothing new for Lowe's. Founded in 1957, Lowe's Charitable and Education Foundation is dedicated to improving the communities they serve through support of public education and community improvement projects. The Foundation donates millions of dollars annually to public schools, community organizations, and individual students. Madam Speaker, I am encouraged by Lowe's strong involvement in communities across the country. I hope that other businesses will follow Lowe's example and work to build public-private partnerships that yield tremendous benefits for communities across the country. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Lowe's for their recent donation to Weldon Elementary School and to the many other worthwhile projects they support across the country.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate MSgt Vandiver ``Van'' Hood of the 4th Civil Engineer Squadron, 4th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on receiving his third Bronze Star. Master Sergeant Hood's actions while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom saved the lives of his fellow servicemen and provided invaluable intelligence toward ending the ongoing global war on terror. Master Sergeant Van Hood was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina on November 19, 1973. He was an extremely active young man. He participated competitively in soccer and swimming, leading him to varsity letters all 4 years of high school. Master Sergeant Hood graduated from Page High School in Greensboro in 1992 and joined the United States Air Force less than 2 years later on April 26, 1994. Master Sergeant Hood was first stationed at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico. While there, he excelled, and won the First Sergeants Association's Diamond Sharp Award, was named the Master Blaster of the Year, and in 1997, was selected as Cannon Air Force Base's Airman of the Year. Master Sergeant Hood served at Cannon Air Force Base for over 4 years before being assigned to Ramstein Air Base in Germany. After arriving at Ramstein Air Base in June 1999, then-Sergeant Hood was promoted to staff sergeant. He conducted explosive ordnance disposal testing on large caliber munitions as part of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe's, USAFE's, Projectile Attack Trials, yielding beneficial data for U.S. military efforts. While at Ramstein Air Base, Master Sergeant Hood won the USAFE Major General Eugene A. Lupia Military Technician of the Year award. Further, the unit he led received three ``excellent'' ratings on nuclear surety inspections. Following his 4 years at Ramstein Air Base, Master Sergeant Hood was stationed to Fort Dix, New Jersey, to work at the Air Mobility Warfare Center. After arriving at Fort Dix, Master Sergeant Hood completed degrees in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and in Technology and Military Science. The latter afforded Master Sergeant Hood the opportunity to teach new airmen and prepare them for the rigors of the military. Twice deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, during his first tour, Master Sergeant Hood safely destroyed and recovered 164 improvised explosive devices, IEDs, unexploded ordnances, and weapons caches. Master Sergeant Hood led five separate missions where his team encountered enemy fire. On one such mission, he and his team were targeted with a rocket-propelled grenade, RPG. The RPG missed Master Sergeant Hood by less than 5 feet, but unfortunately struck a vehicle and injured a member of the Army's Quick Reaction Force. Master Sergeant Hood administered immediate medical care to the injured soldier and after support arrived, Master Sergeant Hood completed his initial mission. For this and other heroic efforts, Master Sergeant Hood received his first Bronze Star Medal. Master Sergeant Hood was redeployed to Iraq as a Weapons Intelligence Team Leader in 2007. While there, he and his team successfully completed over 90 combat missions including 80 IED responses, recovery of several weapons caches, and serving in four named missions. One of those missions found Master Sergeant Hood and his team in danger of a radio-controlled IED. Through his quick thinking, Master Sergeant Hood immediately cleared the engagement zone from first responders and local citizens. He and his team were successful at rendering the IED safe, protecting local residents, first responders, and American warfighters. Master Sergeant Hood also designed a comprehensive curriculum on proper sensitive sight exploitation and conducted over 10 hours of training for the Iraqi Army Bomb Disposal Unit. His actions during his second deployment earned him his second Bronze Star Medal. When Master Sergeant Hood returned to the United States, he received a promotion to the rank of Technical Sergeant. After nearly five years at Fort Dix, Master Sergeant Hood was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Master Sergeant Hood was at Seymour Johnson for less than a year when he deployed to Wardak Province, Afghanistan, to serve as leader for an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team. His third deployment to the region, Master Sergeant Hood again put himself in harm's way, saving the lives of his team and others. While on counter-IED operations, Master Sergeant Hood identified a hidden IED in rough terrain. Unable to remotely inspect the IED, he approached the device in a bomb suit and successfully disabled the hazard. Master Sergeant Hood and his team were responsible for an area over 6,000 square miles. He was instrumental in safely resolving over 150 emergency response missions including 75 IED incidents as well as 16 weapons caches. For his outstanding and distinguished service, Master Sergeant Hood received his third Bronze Star Medal. When he returned from Afghanistan, then- Technical Sergeant Hood was promoted into the senior noncommissioned officer ranks as a master sergeant. Madam Speaker, I am honored to share MSgt Vandiver Hood's story. He has bravely and selflessly served the United States for over 16 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Master Sergeant Hood for having received three Bronze Star Medals. I also ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Master Sergeant Hood for his meritorious service to the United States.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, on Saturday, June 19, 2010, friends and family will gather to celebrate the 100th birthday of Mrs. Estell Rountree. Mrs. Rountree is a strong and caring woman who believes that families should be bound by love, and that the families that pray together, stay together. The proud grandmother of two, great-grandmother of four, and great great-grandmother to five, Mrs. Rountree is the oldest member of her community. Born in Nash County, North Carolina on June 15, 1910, she was the sixth of eight children born to William and Isabelle Ricks. Mrs. Rountree attended Robin School in Nash County, and married Eddie Rountree from Pitt County, North Carolina. The couple had four children--Ernestine Rountree Porter, Gloria Rountree Williams, Barbara Rountree Petty and Deloris Rountree. After the death of her husband in 1948, Mrs. Rountree took on the full responsibility of supporting the family as a full-time seamstress. She made clothes for herself, her children and people in the community. She also made uniforms for ushers of various churches, and continues to sew today. She also enjoys working in her flower garden whenever she gets the chance. Mrs. Rountree is a dedicated member of the Little Hope Baptist Church. She served as an usher for over seventy years, and she has served on the Hospitality Committee and as janitor of the church. She also served as a Deaconess of the Church and later became one of the Mothers of the Church. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in recognizing Mrs. Estell Rountree. She is a truly remarkable person deserving of our deepest good wishes as she and her loved ones celebrate her 100th birthday.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 13th Annual Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Expo here on Capitol Hill. As we struggle with rising energy costs and the BP oil spill, we are reminded every day about the importance of a sustainable energy policy. This important event will bring together nearly 50 businesses, sustainable energy industry trade associations, government agencies, and energy policy research organizations to showcase the enormous potential of renewable energy and energy efficient technology. As we search for ways to stimulate the economy, create green jobs, lower costs, reduce reliance on energy imports, and lessen the threats posed by the emission of greenhouse gas emissions, we must pay attention to this. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in welcoming this year's participants, and I encourage everyone to take some time to see the exhibits and speak with the participants.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Let me thank the gentlewoman for yielding the time and thank her for her work on the committee and her work here in the Congress. She is certainly representing her district very well, and I thank her for that. Let me also thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Wisconsin, who is managing the bill on the floor today for his friendship and thank him for the kind words he said about my alma mater, North Carolina Central University. I particularly want to thank my good friend, Congressman David Price, who proudly and effectively represents Durham County and the surrounding counties, which is the home of North Carolina Central University. I thank him for what he means to that community. Congressman Price has been so involved in the life of the university for so long, and I want to thank him publicly for that effective leadership. Madam Speaker, I first arrived on the NCCU campus way back in August of 1965. It was a great year. I remember it so well. At the time, the university was named North Carolina College at Durham. It was while I was there at Central that the name was actually changed to North Carolina Central University. Not only did I receive a very effective and appropriate undergraduate education at the university, but I also received my law degree there at North Carolina Central University School of Law. So I have a lot to be proud of, and I have a lot to be thankful for. That's why I have come to the floor today to pay tribute to this great institution for its service over the past 100 years. As Congressman Price said a moment ago, North Carolina Central University was established in 1910. It has grown into one of our Nation's oldest and most prestigious Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and all of us who attended North Carolina Central know the history of Dr. James E. Shepard. He was an extraordinary leader whose vision for the university has come to fruition. We call ourselves the Eagles. Congressman Price referred to that a few moments ago, and so we are certainly Eagles. NCCU offers degrees in more than 100 fields of study. It awards graduate degrees in approximately 40 disciplines to a student body of 8,500. I believe when I started at the university in 1965, there were some 3,500 students at the school, and so the census and the population of the student body has actually doubled. North Carolina Central University boasts a state-of-the-art biotechnology research institute that allows students to collaborate with pharmacy and biotechnology companies in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park. North Carolina Central University holds the top spot among public schools in the U.S. News & World Report's latest ranking of the Nation's Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Finally, Madam Speaker, as I take my seat, I cannot help but mention the fact that we have nine NCCU law students on the Hill serving as interns this summer. They have been placed in various offices throughout the House of Representatives, and they represent the best of North Carolina Central University. They are our future leaders, indeed. And so we honor this great institution today. I ask my colleagues to join with us in voting ``aye'' on H. Res. 1361.

Mr. BUTTERFIELD

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate New Bern, North Carolina residents Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher, Sr. on 86 years of marriage--the longest marriage of a living couple in the world. Mrs. Zelmyra Fisher, born on December 10, 1907, and Mr. Herbert Fisher, Sr., born on June 10, 1905, have been married since 1924. In that year, Calvin Coolidge was President; New York taxis cost 10 cents per half-mile; the Teapot Dome Scandal broke; the Ford Model T was the most popular automobile; and a postage stamp cost 2 cents while bread cost 9 cents a loaf. In 1942, Mr. Fisher built what would become the family's home in the James City neighborhood. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher would raise five children in that home, and continue to live there today. The couple met in elementary school and married when he was 19 years old and she was 18 years old, and they have shared 86 blissful years. On Valentine's Day this year, Mr. and Mrs. Fisher gave free marriage advice on Twitter. When asked to share the best marriage advice they've received, they advised couples to ``respect, support and communicate with each other. Be faithful, honest and true. Love each other with all of your heart.'' Mr. Fisher, a retired worker from the Coca-Cola Bottling Company, has a great passion for baseball, especially for his two favorite teams, the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Braves. Mrs. Fisher, a retired caretaker, greatly enjoys reading the Bible. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have contributed a lifetime of service to the fabric of their community through various community organizations and their respective churches, Jones Chapel A.M.E. Zion and Pilgrim Chapel Missionary Baptist. Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and congratulating Mr. and Mrs. Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher, Sr. on the blessing of 86 years of marriage. They serve as a wonderful and enduring inspiration of love, family and sacrifice.