Ander Crenshaw

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the hard working men and women of the USO in celebration of their 75th Birthday of entertaining and supporting our troops and families. I especially applaud the work of the Greater Jacksonville Area USO which makes it its mission to lift the spirits of our service members and their families. This small army of mostly volunteers reaches out to active duty military at our three large navy bases, Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. They also support our United States Coast Guard men and women, the Marines at Blount Island Command, Army personnel stationed in the area, and those serving in the Florida National Guard. The USO was formed in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who realized he needed a civilian organization to handle on- leave recreation. This call to action led six agencies to coordinate their civilian war efforts and resources to form a new organization-- the USO, United Service Organizations. Today, the USO is a private, not for profit organization, supported entirely by donations from citizens and organizations. Since its inception, the USO has been that ``Home Away From Home'' for our military during wars and during peace time. The Greater Jacksonville Area USO was established as an independent branch of the national USO in 1979. Today, its three centers continue to serve over 250,000 military and families with quality of life and morale boosting programs. I have had the privilege of working with the USO and its many volunteers in serving dinners prior to pay days. They are called No Dough Dinners and are hugely popular with our junior ranking families. In addition, our USO mails over 15,000 goodie boxes to front line troops and distributes hundreds of calling cards for deployed troops to call home. Here in Jacksonville, the USO operates Internet cyber cafes, assists families and troops with programs like United Through Reading where the deployed member reads a book on a DVD to his or her children back home. Two of the USO's most popular programs are the Welcome Center at our airport and free or reduced cost tickets to local sporting and cultural events. On February 4, 2016, the Greater Jacksonville Area USO will celebrate 75 years of serving our military and providing help on the home front for those who give their all for the security of this nation. The Greater Jacksonville Area USO is 100 percent self-funded and relies on donations from citizens and corporations like Boeing, Jacksonville Jaguars, W.W. Gay, VyStar Credit Union, Siemens, Northrop Grumman, Florida Blue, Jacksonville International Airport and the PGA Tour among others. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and Members of the House of Representatives to join me in acknowledging the 75th Birthday of the USO and its commitment to our active duty military.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate University of Alabama Running Back Derrick Henry for winning the 2015 Heisman Trophy and to honor his hard work on and off the football field. Derrick Henry was born and raised in Yulee, Florida, located in the Fourth Congressional District of Florida. This small Nassau County town of about 11,500 people is named after Senator David Levy Yulee, the first Jewish Member in the United States Senate. Accepting the award in our country's most populous city--New York--Derrick Henry suddenly became Yulee's most notable person. Back home in Yulee, however, it was just another day in the life of Derrick Henry. He has always been extraordinary. Born to teenage parents, Derrick Henry, Sr., and Stacy Veal, Derrick was raised in a large family headed by his grandmother Gladys Henry, who gave him his nickname Shocka. Derrick's family instilled in him a strong work ethic and inspired him to run for his dream of playing football and one day winning the Heisman Trophy. Today, at 6 foot 3, 242 pounds, Derrick is a force to be reckoned with on the gridiron. He has handled his new-found fame with humbleness and humility and with the same strong faith in God that was taught to him by his grandmother and his family. At Yulee High School, they have a program that pairs special needs students with classmates. It is called Hornet Buddies, and Jake Martin, who was born with Down syndrome, was Derrick's buddy. Derrick taught Jake how to play football and in the final game of the Hornets' season, Jake lined up at running back. He made two carries--both for negative yardage--but he was in the game. Derrick's football career will be much longer than Jake's, but on that day the game highlight showed what a winner Derrick Henry already was. Before America met Derrick at Alabama, he set a Florida high school record for rushing yards in a single game on September 21, 2012, rushing for 502 yards and six touchdowns on 48 carries. In his final high-school game, on November 16, 2012, Derrick Henry rushed for an incredible 52 yard touchdown run. With this touchdown run, Derrick Henry broke the legendary Ken Hall's career rushing high school record for most career rushing yards, a title Hall had held for 59 years. Coached by Bobby Ramsay at Yulee High School, Derrick finished his high school career with 12,124 rushing yards. He was awarded the Florida Times Union Offensive and Super 24 Player of the Year, Florida's Mr. Football, and Parade Magazine's All-American Player of the Year. None of these awards and accolades were shocking to Coach Ramsay, Derrick's middle school coach and longtime mentor J.T. Medley, or the entire Yulee community. They have always known Derrick as a quiet, polite, hard-working young man both in the classroom and on the field. It does not come as a surprise to his teachers that Derrick will complete his degree at Alabama and graduate this spring. Finishing what he starts is what Derrick Henry does. Leading up to winning the Heisman Trophy, Derrick Henry gained ground on the competition in each game Alabama played this past year. Along the way Derrick won the 2015 SEC Offensive Player of the Year Award, and his 1,986 yards rushing broke Herschel Walker's 1982 single- season SEC rushing record by four yards. He also won the Maxwell Award as college's most valuable player and the Doak Walker Award as the top running back. At Alabama, Derrick holds the school's record for most consecutive games with a touchdown and tied former Heisman Trophy recipient University of Florida's Quarterback Tim Tebow's SEC mark of 14 straight games with a touchdown score in the November 2015 game against Mississippi State. Tim Tebow is also from Florida's Fourth Congressional District. A role model not only to football fans everywhere but especially to his supportive community in Yulee, Florida, Derrick Henry is a respected leader on the football field and in life. He has always put team before self and his generous spirit and infectious smile make Derrick Henry a local hero. I send my heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to Derrick and his family and friends. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and Members of Congress to join me in congratulating Derrick Henry on winning college football's most coveted and prestigious award, the Heisman Trophy. In addition, I must note to all college and high school football players, if you want the best chance of winning the Heisman Trophy . . . move to the Fourth Congressional District of Florida . . . home of two Heisman Trophy winners in the last ten years.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ron Gamble, a local Navy veteran and small business owner of Veterans United Craft Brewery, located in Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Gamble, along with a group of military veterans, started the local craft brewery in 2013. As a former Naval Flight Officer, Mr. Gamble spent eight years active duty in the Navy and four years in the reserves. Mr. Gamble first found his interest in brewing craft beer when his wife, Sheryl, presented him with a gift-wrapped box containing a bucket, a funnel, tubing, and various other odd-looking components. It was a simple, beer making kit. With a few, carefully-chosen ingredients, the possibilities for experimenting with this new home brewing hobby were endless. Hobby turned to passion, and Mr. Gamble attended the renowned Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois for professional brewing. After several years managing brewhouse and cellar operations at multiple breweries in the New England area, Ron and Sheryl headed back home to sunny Jacksonville, Florida. Veterans United Craft Brewery opened in August of 2014 with a goal to expand as a regional brewery. Today, Veterans United Craft Brewery is working to be known throughout the state of Florida as a quality craft brewery. Veterans United is not only a veteran owned business, but a veteran operated business. Mr. Gamble believes it is important to employ local veterans looking for work but also finds that they are some of the best employees. Walking into the taproom you will find the walls covered in memorabilia connected to Mr. Gamble and his service, as well as history through the years of all branches of the military. It is truly an honor to recognize Mr. Gamble and his contributions he has made to our Jacksonville community. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in this very special congressional salute to Navy Veteran and Jacksonville business owner, Ron Gamble.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 100th Birthday of Ms. Virginia Inez Bates Veal on December 17, 2015. Born on December 17, 1915, Ms. Veal has called Jacksonville, Florida home since her family moved from Bartow, Florida in 1918 when she was just three years old. Virginia's life reads right out of the pages of a Jacksonville history book. As a young girl, she survived the Spanish Flu Epidemic that ran rampant through Florida in 1918. Her family endured the difficulties of the Great Depression in the late 1920's. And in 1934 Virginia graduated from Jacksonville's second oldest high school, and also my alma mater, Robert E. Lee High School. After graduation, Virginia began working at Furchgott's, a local department store, in the Ladies Fine Wear section. After a 20 year career she retired as the Department Manager. During this time, Virginia raised two sons, Lamar Jr. and Lewis, in Jacksonville's well known preservation area of Murray Hill. Her two sons, also graduates of Robert E. Lee High School, went on to college and graduated from the University of Florida. Virginia was married for almost 58 years to Mr. Prentice Veal. Mr. Veal managed and owned several dry cleaning plants around Jacksonville and Orange Park, Florida. Virginia today still enjoys cooking, gardening, visiting with family and friends, and is very active in her ladies' circle and Sunday school class at Riverside Park United Methodist Church. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in wishing Jacksonville native, Ms. Virginia Veal, a very special happy 100th birthday.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank the chairman for the recognition. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this funding bill for 2016. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, I want to highlight some of the areas that I think are important for Members to understand. We oversee, in the subcommittee, a myriad of agencies; all have an impact on our functioning Federal Government and also on the constituents that we represent. We oversee and fund the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, the Securities Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission, the Small Business Administration, and many other agencies. I think that while we, overall, fund this section of the bill $1 billion less than the President requested, there are some areas where we increase funding that are important, that are priorities, like law enforcement and drug abuse prevention. There has been a lot of discussion about the IRS over the years, and, quite frankly, they have betrayed the trust of the American people and have a long way to go to restore that trust; therefore, they are funded at a flat level. However, we give them additional money to try to do a better job of customer service. They can't answer the phone and they can't respond to mail, so they have additional dollars to improve that. We do other things to rein in some of their out-of-control activities. Overall, Mr. Speaker, this is a good bill. We increase funding for some of the priority items, as I have mentioned, like the Small Business Administration. They actually help create jobs. They help grow the economy. Drug abuse prevention is important, and we fund those levels. Some of the areas that aren't so important, we reduce funding; we actually freeze their funding. Overall, this is the result of a lot of hard work by the committee members. And a special thanks to our Ranking Member Serrano. Mr. Speaker, overall, I urge all of the Members to support this legislation.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of National IBD Awareness Week, which brings attention to over 1.6 million Americans affected by Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. These disorders impact the gastrointestinal tract, the area of the body where digestion takes place. They cause inflammation of the intestine, which leads to ongoing symptoms and complications. There is currently no known cause or cure for IBD, and individuals with IBD may suffer from various symptoms from mild to severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, and intestinal bleeding. The impacts are devastating to both patients and their families. Unfortunately, IBD can affect anyone, though it is most commonly diagnosed in adolescents and young adults between 15 and 25 years old. And though we still do not have all the answers, there is hope. An increasing number of genes have been identified--over 100 today--that may cause an increase in the risk of developing IBD, confirming that IBD has a strong genetic component. With these discoveries and new technological advances, researchers are working furiously to find cures. Despite this, the unpredictable nature of these painful and debilitating digestive diseases creates a significant burden on the community and economy. Every year, there is more than $1.26 billion in direct and indirect costs to the United States healthcare system due to surgeries and hospitalizations as a result of IBD complications. This week, patient advocates from the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) are marching on Washington to meet with their Representatives and ask them to be a part of the movement and join the bipartisan Crohn's and Colitis Congressional Caucus. I would like to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Michael Osso, as CCFA celebrates the foundation's newest President and CEO. Mr. Osso is taking over from recently retired Mr. Richard Geswell, who in his turn has dedicated 10 years of remarkable leadership and service for patients with IBD. I am confident that Mr. Osso will continue Mr. Geswell's legacy of remarkable vision and drive on the journey forward towards a cure. As co-chair of the bipartisan Crohn's and Colitis Congressional Caucus, a group of dedicated Members educating the public and other Members of Congress on IBD, I am grateful for the opportunity to raise awareness for IBD as well as improve patients' access to treatments. Let us use this week, IBD Awareness Week, as a call to action for all Americans. Together, with the help of researchers, educators, medical professionals, patients, and families, we can find a cure and end this devastating disease for millions of people around the world. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate CCFA on their efforts to bring awareness to this awful disease and I urge my colleagues to recognize Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week as a way to build upon our efforts for the IBD patient community and to join the Crohn's and Colitis Congressional Caucus.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor eighty-eight military veterans who reside in my Congressional District in Nassau County, Florida and recognize them with a special medal in honor of their military service and in gratitude of our country The veterans' ceremony carries special significance as it falls during Northeast Florida's Week of Valor and in light of the fact that brave American military members continue to serve across the globe. Veterans in Nassau County have always taken part in our Nation's battles dating back to the Seminole-Indian Wars, Civil War, World War I and II, Korea, Vietnam and operations in the Middle East. These citizens have served with distinction and courage no matter their assignments. Each veteran accepted the call to serve and take his or her turn on the watch. The secret of our outstanding military is the citizens from communities, like Nassau County, stepping forward to serve. The faces of America's military can be found right here in Bryceville, Callahan, Fernandina Beach, Hilliard and Yulee, Florida. The veterans we honor were nurses, doctors and aircraft mechanics. During World War II, one sat in a ball turret as a gunner; one was a P- 17 pilot. In Korea, they called in air strikes as forward air controllers and worked in MASH units. In Vietnam, they were on the ground as infantrymen or in the air in helicopters. One of them helped develop the assault amphibious vehicle still used by the Marine Corps today. Some saw fierce combat in Iraq and worked counter drug operations in South and Central America. Several earned Bronze Stars and other service medals. Some wear Purple Hearts. All of them served with distinction, dedication and devotion to our country. Over the years I have had the honor of recognizing over two thousand veterans in Florida's Fourth Congressional District. This year, I am honored to commend the following men and women for their service to our country and to salute them for a job well done: John W. Ashmead; Emily Jo Baumgartner; George P. ``Pat'' Beamer; Ula E. Bennett; John S. Billings; Thomas Blackwelder; Robert S. Bolan, Jr.; Joseph H. Bottoni; Harry E. Bowman; Paul Henry Brown; Stanley R. Bunch; Gerald B. Burford, M.D.; G. Kyle Burford; Robert R. Capps; Edward M. Coop; William Larry Cravey; Noah S. Crawford; Steven John Crounse; Andrew J. Curtin; Cara A. Curtin; Robert J. De Angelo; Harry Duccilli, Jr., M.D.; Samuel O. Entriken; M. Daniel Fullwood; Erving Gilyard; Thomas J. Gora; Leo Green; Eugene Rawson Griffin, III; John Halliday; James W. Hendricks; Walter A. Hickey; Thomas J. Higginbotham; Henry L. Hines, Jr.; Roy Holland; Darryl J. Hooper; Roger L. Horton; James II. Jones; Gordon E. Jonsrud; Edward Lee Kaywork; Conrad Kohlman; Gene A. Kyzer; Erik Larsen; Joseph R. Laspina; Andrea E.I. Latza-Meires; Leonard L. Lyons; Susan L Marden; William J. Marsh; Paul N. Massing; William G. McKeown; Patrick A. Meires; Gerald R. Miller; Presley K. Mitchell; W. Patrick Monaghan; Victor X. Monroy; Alva Barry Moody; Cynthia J. Morley; John D. Morley; Albert F. Nelson; Mary A. Nuttall; Alice Faye Overstreet; Kenneth B. Overstreet; Albert D. Owens; LeRoy Owens; Kenneth W. Pennington; George T. Pippin III; Gordon A. Plugge, Jr.; John D. Pruitt; Francis R. Quattrene; Josef I. Reece; Charles E. Revels; Sylvester Ross, Henry M. Rothschild; John W. Scherer; Eddie W. Shepherd; Edwin C. Sherer; Cleo F. Smith; John W. Stephens, Jr.; Dale C. Stickrath; Rick Traum; Jerry A. Tyner; James Bruce Underwood; Dumas J. Vines, Jr.; Willie F. Watson; Ralph L. Wickson; Thomas T. Workman; Jesse L. Wright; Edward A. Zack; and Nello R. Zortea.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this rule and the underlying legislation. I am the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. My subcommittee is charged with overseeing the budget of the Securities and Exchange Commission. That is the agency of the Federal Government that is charged with protecting investors and making sure that the capital markets are fair and orderly, and that is what they do every day. In fact, Dodd-Frank gives them more authority in this area than any other agency in the Federal Government, so I find it a little bit surprising that the Department of Labor, whose day-to-day job is not to oversee investment advisers, whose day-to-day job is not to oversee broker-dealers, and yet they will decide that they are going to write a rule dealing with fiduciary standards for those that are involved in retirement accounts. Well, it just seems to me that is backwards. That is upside down. The SEC ought to be acting in this area. That is their primary role. If we are going to let other agencies write rules that might be in conflict, might create confusion, and might be duplicative, then it seems to me we are going to give those individuals who are struggling to make a living and to make ends meet, we are going to have a difficult time understanding what their retirement accounts are all about and who is in charge and what are the rules and the standards. So the SEC should act first, and that is all this bill does. It says the SEC should act first in dealing with investor security to make sure that capital markets are fair and orderly and that the Department of Labor is prohibited from finalizing any rule in this regard. So I think it is a commonsense piece of legislation. I thank the sponsors for bringing it, and the committee for bringing it up, and so I urge adoption of this rule and adoption of the underlying legislation as well.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the crew of the El Faro, the 790-foot container ship that recently perished in the Atlantic during Hurricane Joaquin. We cannot know the heartache that their families and friends are facing in the midst of the unanswered questions surrounding this maritime disaster. In their time of need, we send them strong prayers of support to help ease their pain. The 33 crew members aboard the vessel, 18 from Florida, 12 from my hometown of Jacksonville, 10 others from cities and towns across America, and five Polish nationals, all faced the toughest of odds from a Category 4 hurricane. These brave men and women include: Jacksonville residents Roosevelt Clark, Brookie Davis, Frank Hamm, Carey Hatch, Jack Jackson, Jackie Jones, Jr., Lonnie Jordan, Roan Lightfoot, James Porter, Theodore Quammie, Lashawn Rivera and Anthony Thomas. Florida residents Louis Champa of Palm Coast, Keith Griffin of Fort Myers, Joe Hargrove of Orange Park, Howard Schoenly of Cape Coral, German Solar- Cortes of Orlando and Mariette Wright of St. Augustine were also aboard. Sylvester Crawford Jr. of Lawrenceville, Georgia; Michael Davidson of Windham, Maine; Michael Holland of North Wilton, Maine; Mitchell Kuflik of Brooklyn, New York; Jeffrey Mathias of Kingston, Massachusetts; Dylan Meklin of Rockland, Maine; Richard Pusatere of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Danielle Randolph of Rockland, Maine; Jeremie Riehm of Camden, Delaware; and Steven Shultz of Roan Mountain, Tennessee are also mourned as are Piotr Krause, Marcin Nita, Jan Podgorski, Andrzej Truszkowski and Rafal Zdobych of Poland. As we learn more about their lives we see the experience and professionalism they brought to their careers, their love of family and the hope they had for the future. May those closest to them take comfort from this diverse collection of stories. We also take time to recognize the United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, United States Air Force and other maritime assets who combined forces in the search for the stricken ship and its members. They are to be commended for their full commitment and dedication to that mission. As we move ahead, investigations are underway by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard to determine what happened and how to prevent another such disaster from happening in the future. I have no doubt that those answers will come. In the meantime, America's maritime community is a tight one and will rally around those who need it the most right now--the loved ones of the El Faro crew. We stand with them, ready to meet their needs in whatever way we can, today and in all of the tomorrows.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Mr. Richard Geswell, for his tireless efforts and dedication to patients with inflammatory bowel disease. After 10 years with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Mr. Geswell is retiring as President and Chief Executive Officer. The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America is one of the best- run, well-funded disease organizations in the country. Since its founding in 1967, CCFA has awarded more than 1,300 IBD grants totaling approximately $164 million of funding invested in research related to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The bonds forged by CCFA between donors, researchers, and doctors have put us closer than ever to finding a cure. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, collectively known as inflammatory bowel disease, are chronic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. IBD is one of the five most prevalent gastrointestinal disease burdens in the United States. This chronic condition is without a medical cure and commonly requires a lifetime of care. In order to bring more awareness to this disease, Mr. Geswell and I worked together to establish the Congressional Crohn's and Colitis Caucus, a caucus that has grown steadily for three consecutive congresses and boasts 57 bipartisan members. The caucus works to promote awareness of IBD, the need for expanded research at the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the importance of accessible insurance and disability coverage for this vulnerable patient population. I commend Mr. Geswell for his remarkable vision and drive to improve the lives of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Mr. Geswell spent nearly 10 years with CCFA and during his tenure he significantly expanded the CCFA medical research portfolio as well as services to support and educate patients managing IBD. I believe it is no coincidence that the last 10 years have seen innovative new medicines hit the market for IBD. He was also instrumental in his work in the procurement of federal dollars from the Centers for Disease Control for a critical epidemiology study of Crohn's and Colitis, work that has yielded an important view into the origins of the disease. Mr. Geswell retires with nearly 40 years of experience with non- profits seeking to find cures and improve the lives of patients. I applaud and commend Mr. Geswell for his service to the nation and for his accomplishments for the IBD community. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Mr. Geswell for his tremendous leadership and exemplary efforts as President and CEO of CCFA, and wish him success in his future endeavors.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the crew of the El Faro, the 790-foot container ship that recently perished in the Atlantic during Hurricane Joaquin. We cannot know the heartache that their families and friends are facing in the midst of the unanswered questions surrounding this maritime disaster. In their time of need, we send them strong prayers of support to help ease their pain. The 33 crew members aboard the vessel, 18 from Florida, 12 from my hometown of Jacksonville, 10 others from cities and towns across America, and five Polish nationals, all faced the toughest of odds from a Category 4 hurricane. These brave men and women include: Jacksonville residents Roosevelt Clark, Brookie Davis, Frank Hamm, Carey Hatch, Jack Jackson, Jackie Jones, Jr., Lonnie Jordan, Roan Lightfoot, James Porter, Theodore Quammie, Lashawn Rivera and Anthony Thomas. Florida residents Louis Champa of Palm Coast, Keith Griffin of Fort Myers, Joe Hargrove of Orange Park, Howard Schoenly of Cape Coral, German Solar- Cortes of Orlando and Mariette Wright of St. Augustine were also aboard. Sylvester Crawford Jr. of Lawrenceville, Georgia; Michael Davidson of Windham, Maine; Michael Holland of North Wilton, Maine; Mitchell Kuflik of Brooklyn, New York; Jeffrey Mathias of Kingston, Massachusetts; Dylan Meklin of Rockland, Maine; Richard Pusatere of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Danielle Randolph of Rockland, Massachusetts; Jeremie Riehm of Camden, Delaware; and Steven Shultz of Roan Mountain, Tennessee are also mourned as are Piotr Krause, Marcin Nita, Jan Podgorski, Andrzej Truszkowski and Rafal Zdobych of Poland. As we learn more about their lives we see the experience and professionalism they brought to their careers, their love of family and the hope they had for the future. May those closest to them take comfort from this diverse collection of stories. We also take time to recognize the United States Coast Guard, United States Navy, United States Air Force and other maritime assets who combined forces in the search for the stricken ship and its members. They are to be commended for their full commitment and dedication to that mission. As we move ahead, investigations are underway by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Coast Guard to determine what happened and how to prevent another such disaster from happening in the future. I have no doubt that those answers will come. In the meantime, America's maritime community is a tight one and will rally around those who need it the most right now--the loved ones of the El Faro crew. We stand with them, ready to meet their needs in whatever way we can, today and in all of the tomorrows.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 75th anniversary of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, one of the United States Navy's pivotal bases. For Jacksonville citizens, this anniversary brings back a flood of memories. Many began their journeys here as young sailors ready to go to sea. They enlisted and scattered far and wide. Now, years later, many of these same sailors will commemorate this important base. For these sailors their sea anchor is right here in this military friendly town. In 1938, before there was an NAS Jax--as we lovingly call the base-- there were citizens who lobbied the Hepburn Board as it searched for a new naval base in the Southeast. The citizens voted to support bonds to purchase the property and construction began in 1939. The base was commissioned on Oct. 15, 1940, with Captain Charles P. Mason serving as its first commanding officer. Walt Disney drew a logo for the new base depicting Donald Duck in flight gear and sporting gold wings emerging from an egg as NAS Jacksonville was given birth. As America entered World War II, construction and the pace of training increased at NAS Jax. Soon, there were three runways operating as well as seaplane ramps. An overhaul and repair facility was begun to rework the station's planes. Today, that facility is called the Fleet Readiness Center Southeast, and they still inhabit some of the original buildings from the 1940's. By 1949, NAS Jacksonville was the plane capital of the East Coast and handled 60 percent of the fleet's air striking force in the Atlantic area from pole to pole. As the Navy led the dawning of the jet age, the first jet carrier air groups and squadrons came to Jacksonville. So it was only natural that the Navy's first Flight Demonstration Team--later known as the Blue Angels--got its start at NAS Jacksonville. Fleet Air Wing 11, now the Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing 11, relocated to the station followed in the 1970s by Helicopter Antisubmarine Wing, U.S. Atlantic, and its squadrons. Over the ensuring decades, NAS Jacksonville supported the Navy's efforts during wartime and peace. Its pilots and planes flew in combat and training. Planes and other airframes were retired and new ones put into the inventory. As with other bases, buildings were added, old buildings were renovated, and personnel came and went. Today, the runways are being totally rebuilt. The new airframe is heavier and larger than its predecessor and after 75 years of service, those original runways are being recycled. In a way, today's pilots will still be taking off and landing on the history of those who went before them. NAS Jacksonville is a recent two-time winner of the Commander's in Chief, Naval Installations Command Excellence Award and is home to the newest manned and unmanned systems that Naval Aviation has in its inventory. The Navy has led in advancing innovation because the Navy must ensure our maritime supremacy and national security. NAS Jacksonville has for 75 years been the face of that strength in Northeast Florida. Our citizens hear the sounds of freedom in support of our Nation's defense. NAS Jax has been a constant in my life and in the lives of all in Jacksonville. The greatness of this premier base is woven into the memories of all who have shared in the pride of having NAS Jacksonville within our city limits. I salute the 75th Anniversary of Naval Air Station Jacksonville, which continues to be a major employer and economic stimulator, but more importantly, its personnel continues to contribute through their hard work and dedication to the important missions of our Nation's defense.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the fine Sailors who have served on the USS Simpson (FFG 56). On September 30, 2015, the Simpson, which is the last active Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate, will be decommissioned and leave the active United States Navy fleet. The Simpson is named for Rear Admiral Rodger W. Simpson (1898-1964), who was a distinguished officer during World War II. RADM Simpson was awarded the Navy Cross, Silver Star and Legion of Merit for rescuing and evacuating more than 7,500 Allied prisoners of war and civilians interned in Japanese concentration camps. The USS Simpson was commissioned on November 9, 1985. From its first overseas deployment, the USS Simpson and her crew have distinguished themselves in combat. On April 18, 1988, along with two other navy ships, the Simpson responded to the Iranian mine attack on the USS Samuel B. Roberts by destroying an Iranian oil platform and sinking the Iranian Navy mission patrol combatant, Joshan. Over her 30 years of service, the Simpson made 14 deployments. Her final deployment was for seven months to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation in which she conducted theater security cooperation exercises. As in the past, the crew was called on to support various task forces and performed perfectly never missing an operational commitment. Every sailor made a difference every day. In addition, some of the newest technologies in the Navy were aboard, four Fire Scouts (MQ-8B) vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicles. The crew on the last deployment was comprised of reservists as well as active duty individual augmented personnel with zero previous experience with UAV's. Despite the challenges, the officers aboard reported the crew achieved the highest ever recorded maintenance readiness and sortie completion rate of any Fire Scout deployment in the program's history. The Simpson will be decommissioned but the friendships and camaraderie this ship established on its decks will last for ages. It is a pleasure and honor to represent the great men and women who serve in the 4th Congressional District of Florida and to see them successfully complete the mission of the USS Simpson. Their hard work and dedication contributes to the important missions of our Nation's defense and reiterates our community's importance as an anchor of national security.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Chairman, I would like to take this opportunity to update my colleagues on a competition that takes place each year between House Democrats and House Republicans. It is called The First Tee Congressional Challenge. It is a golf match that is patterned after the Ryder Cup golf matches that you watch on television from time to time. It is sponsored by Roll Call. The winner of the event each year is entitled to keep for a year what has been known as the coveted Roll Call Cup. I want to announce to the Members that, this year, the Republican team won the competition, so we will keep the cup. This is the fourth year in a row that the Republicans have won the coveted cup. Let me just say ``thank you'' to all of my teammates. I would like to congratulate my teammates for their fine work and fine play. I would like to congratulate the Democrats for their sportsmanship. We had a couple of rookies who played well. It is a spirited competition, Mr. Chairman. It is a chance for individuals to meet some folks across the aisle and to build friendships. It is made more meaningful by the fact that the money that is raised each year goes to an organization called The First Tee. It is a group that is active in all 50 of our States, and it has touched the lives of over 10,000 young people. It uses the game of golf to teach values such as hard work, honesty, and integrity. It is a wonderful organization. Over the years, we have raised over $2 million for The First Tee, so that makes it even more meaningful. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth), my counterpart and the captain of the Democratic team.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank the gentleman for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, this is legislation that is the result of the hard work of the Small Business Committee here in the House, the Appropriations Committee here in the House, along with the United States Senate. What this does, as has been pointed out, is simply allows the 7(a) lending program to continue on. It is a program that doesn't cost the taxpayers any money, and, yet, it allows the Small Business Administration to lend money to thousands of small businesses all across this country to keep the economy growing, to keep jobs being created. And as chairman of the subcommittee that oversees and funds this program, the SBA, let me assure my colleagues that this will not require any additional appropriations this year. It would simply lift the cap, as has been pointed out, let this continue on, and, again, do the good job that the SBA does. So I urge my colleagues to support this. I thank everyone involved that has worked in such a timely manner to make this happen so quickly so that we don't interrupt the lending that goes on.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Katie Arroyo and Jared Bailey of the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida for receiving the Florida Innovative Service and Best Practice Award of 2015. Katie and Jared received this prestigious award for their hard work and expertise in creating the International Marketing Metrics tool. Using the International Marketing Metrics tool as part of the network's international trade services, small business exporters are able to quickly compare dozens of markets via the interactive country ranking matrix and illustrative graphing system. Jared and Katie developed this new and progressive tool for the Small Business Development Center at the University of North Florida. The Florida Innovative Service and Best Practice Award is given in recognition for significant contributions to organizational improvement and enhanced performance in Florida's SBDC network, which is exactly what the International Marketing Metrics tool accomplishes. They were presented this prestigious award by Florida SBDC Network CEO and State Director Michael Myhre in Miami, Florida on June 23, 2015 as part of the Florida SBDC Network's professional development conference. At the annual conference, they recognize top personnel, volunteers, and partners for their contributions to the Network's mission in helping Florida's small businesses grow and succeed. I am honored to have two such motivated and dedicated individuals living and working in the Fourth Congressional District of Florida. They truly exemplify what it means to work tirelessly in their effort to provide small businesses with the tools they need to grow and be successful here in Florida and across the nation. I salute the dedicated work of both Katie Arroyo and Jared Bailey, and their well-deserved recognition upon being selected for this prestigious award.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Dr. Jay L. Schauben, PharmD, DABAT, FAACT, and his election as President of the Board of Directors for the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), As President, Dr. Schauben will oversee the national agency responsible for the accreditation of poison centers and the certification of its specialists. Throughout his career, he has completed four terms on the AAPCC Board of Directors. I am honored to recognize Dr. Schauben as the first Floridian to be elected to this prestigious position. In 1992, Dr. Schauben developed and implemented the Florida/U.S. Virgin Islands Poison Information Center in Jacksonville, Florida. Today, the Florida/USVI Poison Information Center--Jacksonville continues to work in improving the three-center Statewide Florida Poison Information Center Network. Dr. Schauben has been Director of Jacksonville center, located at UF-Health Jacksonville Medical Center, since 1996. His work is both widely known and greatly admired. He holds the rank of Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine within the College of Medicine and the Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research in the College of Pharmacy, University of Florida Health Science Center. Since 1987, he has held board- certification in Clinical Toxicology by the American Board of Applied Toxicology and was awarded the status as a Fellow of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology. Dr. Schauben also has served as President and At-Large Member to the Board of Directors of the American Board of Applied Toxicology. He is a member of the International Society for Disease Surveillance. Dr. Schauben is a recognized expert witness in the field of clinical toxicology and often consults with federal and state agencies on issues relating to toxic exposures, poisonings and overdoses. Under the National Disaster Medical System, he held a Federal Emergency Management Agency/Department of Homeland Security rank of Deputy Commander for the Florida-4 Disaster Medical Assistance Team. In addition, he has authored 54 journal articles and 21 chapters in major medical textbooks and is the Associate Editor for the Advanced HAZMAT Life Support Course. Although larger states have more than one center, the nation has 55 poison control centers that cover every state, Puerto Rico, the Federated States of Micronesia, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. Callers are provided free, 24-hour professional advice on poisons and treatments. Our Jacksonville Center serves a population of approximately six million people and receives 160-200 calls per day from Floridians in 42 northern and eastern coastal counties and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Florida/USVI Poison Information Center--Jacksonville, under the leadership of Dr. Schauben, conducts a full spectrum of poison prevention educational programs for the general public and health care professionals. The Center serves as a teaching facility for clinical and medical toxicology fellowships; and facilitates academic rotations for nursing, medical and pharmacy students; pharmacy, emergency medicine and other health professional residents in training; pediatric critical care fellows and pediatric emergency medicine fellows. One of the highlights of the year in Jacksonville is the children's poster contest for National Poison Prevention Week. Jay and his staff have also instituted a video contest, and kids can earn a Deputy badge by completing the Poison Patrol Checklist. I salute the dedicated hard work of Dr. Schauben, and his well- deserved recognition by fellow colleagues in electing him President of the Board of Directors of the AAPCC.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Jacksonville Sheriff John H. Rutherford, who is retiring after 12 years as our city's sheriff and after serving more than 40 years in law enforcement. He has been a voice of vision and action in our Jacksonville community. Although law enforcement always has its challenges, John's leadership style embraced the opportunities to make a difference and better the quality of life for the citizens of Jacksonville. Sheriff Rutherford always wore his badge with pride. He received expert training as a law enforcement professional, and he made sure each one of his police officers received the best training available. That being said, I can tell you that John would be the first to acknowledge that though training is vital to the officers, it's not everything. It is his belief that a police officer also must learn to respect others who have different perspectives, beliefs, and histories, and to learn from them. John, a devout Christian, never shied away from that foundation in his beliefs and principles. The list of programs that benefitted Jacksonville under Sheriff Rutherford's tenure is both long and varied. He believed strongly that we must put resources into programs for our youth as investments in our future and that crime prevention is the most cost-effective method of law enforcement. John utilized $3.7 million in seized drug money for prevention and intervention projects that made a significant difference in many lives. He engaged in the community and encouraged his officers to set good examples, urging them to volunteer as mentors, coaches, charity board members, and participants. John Rutherford is a man of vision who encouraged others to take courageous steps and make difficult decisions. He instituted crime fighting initiatives, such as Operation Safe Streets, that helped achieve the lowest crime numbers since records were first kept 35 years ago. In an effort to increase citizen engagement, John also established Advisory Councils, an initiative greatly appreciated in our Jacksonville community. Furthermore, Sheriff Rutherford regularly participated in Crime Prevention Walks throughout the city to meet with and listen to citizens one-on-one in their own neighborhoods. He hosted live Internet Call-In shows, established the Six Pillars of Character Award, and regularly recognized employees for their good works. In all of these ways, John led the 3,000 men and women at our Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to become a vital and interwoven part in the fabric of our community. Sheriff John Rutherford led our Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for 12 years. He was an effective leader and his quiet, firm voice was always listened to during times of alarm. I am proud to call him friend and thank him for his service.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young leader from Northeast Florida who has been selected as a winner of the 2015 Congressional Gold Medal Award. Sabrina Saintil has shown incredible dedication in completing the rigorous challenges that the Gold Medal demands. She has set and achieved goals in volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration. Ms. Saintil and her comrade, Jessica Ocampo, are the first two Gold Medal recipients from my district, and I could not be more proud to recognize both of them. Ms. Saintil is a recent graduate from Fletcher High School who is planning on attending the University of South Florida to study international business in the fall. This promising young woman took on and directed the after school program at the Beaches Habitat Education Department. She has shown incredible passion, not only in her pursuit of education, but also in her work to better the greater Jacksonville community. As a part of the exploration requirement for the Award, Ms. Saintil planned and went on a historical journey that began in Savannah, Georgia. From there, she ventured through the historic downtown section of the city and proceeded to Koinonia Farms, the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity. She then travelled to President Jimmy Carter's home in Plains, Georgia, followed by a trip to Global Village, a model village containing various types of homes built in Habitat for Humanity communities worldwide. Her last stop on the historical exploration was the Kingsley Plantation back in Jacksonville. I am so proud of what this young woman has accomplished. When I look at all that she has done, I am not worried about the future of this great nation, for we will surely have great people to lead it. I would also like to take this time to recognize Kathy Christensen from Habitat for Humanity, who served as Ms. Ocampo's and Ms. Saintil's adult advisor and has been essential to the success of this program in Jacksonville. Thank you, Ms. Christensen, for all that you do and for your constant assistance and support. I first met Ms. Saintil back in 2012, and since then she has grown both as an individual and as member of the Jacksonville community. I could not be happier with Ms. Saintil's success in receiving the Congressional Gold Medal Award, as it stands as proof of a culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating this young leader of Northeast Florida.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a young leader from North Florida who has been selected as a winner of the 2015 Congressional Gold Medal Award. Jessica Ocampo has shown incredible dedication in completing the rigorous challenges that the Gold Medal demands. She has set and achieved goals in volunteer public service, personal development, physical fitness, and exploration. Ms. Ocampo and her comrade, Sabrina Saintil, are the first two Congressional Gold Medal recipients from the 4th District of Florida and I could not be more proud to recognize both of them. Ms. Ocampo is currently studying at Florida State College of Jacksonville and plans to attend the University of North Florida after her graduation. She tutors her fellow students in Spanish at FSCJ and despite the huge load of requirements the Gold Medal requires, she still finds time to work in a doctor's office during her free time. This inspiring young woman has shown incredible passion, not only in her pursuit of education, but also in her work to better the greater Jacksonville community. As a part of their exploration requirement for the Award, Ms. Ocampo planned and went on a historical journey that began in Savannah, Georgia. From there, she ventured through the historic downtown section of the city and proceeded to Koinonia Farms, the birthplace of Habitat for Humanity. From there, she travelled to President Jimmy Carter's home in Plains, Georgia, followed by a trip to Global Village, a model village containing various types of homes built in Habitat for Humanity communities worldwide. Their last stop on the historical exploration was the Kingsley Plantation back in Jacksonville. I am so proud of what this young woman has accomplished. When I look at all that she has done, I am not worried about the future of this great nation, for we will surely have great people to lead it. I would also like to take this time to recognize Kathy Christensen from Habitat for Humanity, who served as Ms. Ocampo's adult advisor and has been essential to the success of this program in Jacksonville. Thank you, Ms. Christensen, for all that you do and for your constant assistance and support. I first met Ms. Ocampo back in 2012, and since then she has grown both as an individual and as member of the Jacksonville community. I could not be happier with Ms. Ocampo's success in receiving the Congressional Gold Medal Award, as it stands as proof of a culmination of years of hard work and sacrifice. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating this young leader of Northeast Florida.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I rise in support of passage of H.R. 1295, the Trade Preferences Extension Act, and I want to thank Chairman Ryan and Chairman Tiberi for their hard work and dedication in getting this important piece of legislation to the floor. This bill contains many beneficial trade programs that have furthered our Nation's foreign policy and national security goals. Specifically, this bill renews the Generalized System of Preferences program and includes legislation that I authored, along with Mr. Smith of Nebraska, on a commonsense and helpful update to the GSP program. The GSP program helps many designated beneficiary developing countries around the world. Stable countries with employed and productive citizens lead to a safe global environment that deters wars, terrorist groups, and violent uprisings and further allows our allies to develop their own economies, health care, and educational systems. The GSP UPDATE, which would add travel goods to the list of items eligible for review, would specifically benefit our ally the Philippines, which has suffered multiple devastating weather events. It will also help Cambodia, one of the poorest countries in the world. Goods are not eligible for the GSP program if they are ``import sensitive'' or compete with U.S. goods. This is decided by the International Trade Commission. Therefore, having travel and luggage items placed on the GSP-eligible list does not automatically give them preferential trade status. The overall GSP program is a win-win for the U.S. and our allies around the world. Through this program, we are able to help countries develop their economies with little cost to the United States Government. I want to thank Chairman Ryan for all of his hard work. I urge passage of this bill, the Trade Preferences Extension Act.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen for yielding. I want to say a special word of thanks to Chairman Frelinghuysen and Ranking Member Visclosky for the hard work they have put into bringing the bill before us today. I think, arguably, this is the most important issue we face every year. Last year, I pointed out the fact that I think the number one responsibility of the Federal Government is to protect American lives, and we work to do that every day. We talked about the fact that the best way to keep America safe is to keep America strong. I think that, if you look back, here we are a year later, and not much has changed. National security is still a critical element of what we do here. Back home in northeast Florida, the constituents that I represent are greatly concerned about national security. They are greatly concerned about the men and women in uniform and greatly concerned that they will have the necessary resources to accomplish their mission successfully and return home safely. They are also concerned that we don't get caught up in the politics of the moment and lose sight of the fact that we have a constitutional responsibility to provide for the common defense. I just want to say in closing, Mr. Chairman, that, when we look at the ever-increasing dangerous world that we live in, I think we have to meet these challenges head on. I want to remind my colleagues that most of everything that we have accomplished as a great nation, we have accomplished with the foundation built on national security. This bill moves us forward down that path. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Macclenny, Florida resident Anita Gerson, recipient of the 2015 Delores Barr Weaver Elder Advocate Award from ElderSource, an organization devoted to helping seniors across North Florida live independent lives. A dedicated volunteer, Mrs. Gerson, 87, has served the elderly since her youth with ElderSource as her latest focus. For the last 15 years, she has put the needs of Baker County, Florida elderly at the top of her list, serving on the ElderSource board of directors and ensuring organization services are efficient, effective, and meet client needs. Additionally, she brought her devotion to the Baker County Council on Aging, where she served on the board of directors for seven years and president for one year. Mrs. Gerson has been described as a ``woman of great passion, wisdom and humor''--qualities she embodies day-in and day-out as she cares for her community and those in need. She is a leader, a doer, does not shy away from hard work, and will stop at nothing to serve the elderly in her community. ``Bloom where you are planted,'' her mother once told her, and make a positive difference in the lives of those around you. She has met that goal and then some throughout her entire life. Mr. Speaker, I ask you to please join me in a very special Congressional salute to volunteer leader Northeast Florida resident Anita Gerson--an example for us all.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Alivia Davis, winner of the 2015 Fourth Congressional District of Florida Art Competition in my home town of Jacksonville, Florida. Nationally, the Congressional Art Competition recognizes some of the finest high school student artists, and there is no doubt that Alivia belongs among this illustrious group. Her drawing, titled ``Magnif.eyed,'' could not be a better representation of the artistic ability of Northeast Florida, and I am proud to recognize her on the House Floor today. Alivia recently completed her freshman year of high school at Stanton College Preparatory School, an academically renowned public high school in Jacksonville. Competing against thousands of high school students across the Fourth Congressional District, Alivia's artistic ability and execution set her apart from the rest. Alivia's ``Magnif.eyed'' depicts her younger brother's face as seen beneath a magnifying glass. The attention to detail is extraordinary; the hair is vivid and lifelike, the eyes incredibly vibrant, and the shading meticulously applied. Alivia shows artistic skills far beyond her years. Alivia comes from a large and loving family. Her proud father and mother, Daniel and Rebekah, as well as her siblings Caroline, Christian, and Gabe, have been a constant source of support throughout her life. Tony Wood, art teacher at Stanton College Preparatory School, and a renowned artist himself, has paintings displayed in various art galleries around Jacksonville. He mentored and encouraged Alivia to submit her artwork for the competition, and I can only hope that in her upcoming years at Stanton, he will continue to guide Alivia in all of her artistic abilities. I am honored to recognize Alivia Davis as the winner of the Fourth Congressional District Art Competition, and I could not be happier to see her drawing hang in the halls of Congress over the next year, proudly representing Northeast Florida. Alivia has a bright future ahead of her. Regardless of what that future holds, whether that be to pursue her artistic talents or otherwise, I believe that she will always find success.

Mr. CRENSHAW

Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as the co-chair of the Congressional Nepal Caucus and as an ardent supporter of the U.S. Military, to express my deepest condolences to the families of the six U.S. Marines and two Nepali soldiers, who died in the helicopter crash last Tuesday, May 12, 2015 in Nepal. As we all know, Nepal suffered from the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Saturday, April 25, 2015, as well as many large aftershocks, including a 7.3 magnitude aftershock on May 12, 2015. Reports indicate that more than 8,000 people have been killed and 17,000 people have been injured in this poor and fragile country. Among the first responders to this crisis were our dedicated men and women of the U.S. Marine Corps. America has a long and honorable history of humanitarian assistance during worldwide disasters and conflicts, and our men and women in uniform have consistently put themselves in harm's way to protect America and to protect our allies during times of need. On this occasion, the eight were aboard a UH-1Y Huey helicopter that disappeared over northern Nepal, during a trip to fly relief materials to stricken villages. Capt. Dustin R. Lukasiewicz of Nebraska; Capt. Christopher L. Norgren of Kansas; Sgt. Ward M. Johnson IV of Florida; Sgt. Eric M. Seaman of California; Cpl. Sara A. Medina of Illinois, and Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Hug of Arizona have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the Nepalis, and they make me proud, once again, to be an American. I am grateful for the leadership and dedication of Ambassador Bodde, the U.S. Embassy team in Nepal, the Department of Defense, and our service men and women for their efforts and their sacrifices to aid Nepal. To the people of Nepal, the United States stands with you during this difficult time. To the families of the six Marines, we thank you for paying the ultimate sacrifice, and our prayers are with you during this time of loss and immeasurable sadness.