Joe Courtney

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank and congratulate Rear Admiral Jeffrey Trussler on the day of his change of command ceremony for his service as the Commander of the Undersea Warfighting Development Center in Groton, Connecticut. RDML Trussler led the UWDC during a momentous time in Connecticut's history. For the past year, the Groton community has been celebrating the centennial anniversary of Naval Submarine Base New London, the nation's first continental sub base. It has been a joyous and proud time for the Base and the region, as they honor a rich maritime military heritage and the many accomplishments the sailors and the local industry have achieved. RDML Trussler has been an integral part of this progress during his time in Groton, and a crucial partner during the early planning stages of UWDC. I personally appreciate his active engagement and his ability to see the possibilities for this new warfighting center. As the first Commander of the newly formed UWDC, he took charge as the Navy refocused our warfare centers for our current and future warfighting needs. With his leadership, he focused on antisubmarine warfare and warfighting strategy and training for our entire Naval fleet. His leadership no doubt enhanced the strategic value of Submarine Base New London, solidifying it as a center of excellence entering the next 100 years. RDML Trussler came to New London from the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, DC. After he leaves New London, he will return to Washington to serve again in the office of the CNO as the Director of Future Plans. I look forward to continue working with RDML Trussler in this new role. Most of all, I thank him for his excellent leadership in Groton, and for his service to our country, our Navy, and the future of undersea warfare.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I unfortunately missed a vote during a vote series on September 14, 2016. Had I recorded my vote, I would have voted: ``No'' on roll call no. 510, on the passage of the Regulatory Integrity Act of 2016 (H.R. 5226).

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5587, which addresses the most urgent workforce challenge in our Nation by updating and strengthening career and technical education programs at the secondary education level. First, the good news. All across the country, there is an exciting and growing need for trade and technical skills to fill jobs that young people can build a career and life around. Advanced manufacturing opportunities in aerospace, maritime, and even health care are happening from coast to coast. And the question of the day for many employers is whether our education and job training systems are ready to fill the need. Recent updates to K-12 and job training programs signed into law by President Obama in 2014 and 2015 built a positive platform to address this challenge, and passage of this bill for technical programs will add to that capability. In southeastern Connecticut where I hail from, the U.S. Navy's demand signal for new Virginia class and Columbia class submarines is projected to require up to 14,000 new hires in metal trades, design, and engineering over the next 10 years. For my region, passage of this bill is not just feel-good legislation but a critical, existential requirement. I strongly urge passage of this bill and swift concurrence by the Senate.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to, again, thank my friend, Mr. Tonko, and salute his great work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as Mr. Burgess and Mr. Kinzinger. For the last two Congresses we have worked together to get this legislation to the place we are at this evening. Again, it really recognizes the passionate work and highly skilled work that over 700,000 ham radio operators conduct every day in this country. A couple of years ago in Hartford, Connecticut, they had the Centennial Convention of the American Radio Relay League, which brought together thousands of ham operators from all over the country to share their skills and to look at the latest innovation and technology, which Mr. Kinzinger referred to and, again, talked about the networks that they collaborate on in terms of early weather warnings as well as assisting the American military. Last Congress, we had 69 bipartisan cosponsors. This year, it grew to 126, and, again, that is because of the external grassroots pressure which these groups brought forward. Again, they have no sort of skin in the game in terms of any personal benefit. As the Congressman from Illinois said, they are all basically volunteers. But I think it is important to realize this is not just a feel-good bill. This is about really strengthening our systems of emergency services and first responders that are out there. In the State of Connecticut in 2014 we got a pretty good taste of this when Hurricane Sandy hit. It basically struck the power grid down for about 10 days or so. In the wake of that, we saw all the advanced communication that we take for granted--whether it is cable communication or cellular communication--completely sort of fall by the wayside. So the only way that first responders could communicate, the folks who were delivering emergency medical care to the State during that time period was, in fact, going back in time and relying on the ham radio operators to make sure that these groups were in real-time communication. So what this bill seeks to do is to rebalance what has happened out there in terms of land use restrictions that have inhibited the ability of these really hardworking volunteers--American patriots I would argue--to really perform this critical duty. The vast majority of homes that have been built since the 1980s in this country have contained some type of deed restrictions that have inhibited that capability. As a result of this legislation, it will sort of rebalance legitimate property rights of private property owners to make sure that non-intrusive antennas and technology will be able to allow this network to continue to thrive and to do the great work that it does to support local disaster response all across the country. I had a conversation recently with the chairman of the FCC, Tom Wheeler, who, again, as an organization going back to the 1970s, has recognized the value of amateur radio in terms of bolstering America's communication system providing kind of a redundancy system, a backup system, in case, again, the advanced stuff that we take for granted now is struck down by external events. He strongly supports this legislation. Again, I want to salute the great bipartisan work that was done on the Energy and Commerce Committee to bring this bill after 3 long years to the floor here, and I strongly urge all the Members to support its passage.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank an outstanding public servant for his many years of service to my home state of Connecticut. Mr. Ed Jutila has served as State Representative for the 37th District of Connecticut since 2005, where he earned a reputation of pragmatism and commitment to the residents of East Lyme and Salem. When he retires from public service at the end of this term, he will wrap up a robust and multifaceted career serving his community. Ed served on the local Democratic Town Committee, the East Lyme Board of Selectmen, Charter Revision Commission, and as Deputy Town Meeting Moderator. His lifetime of service began at age 15 when he joined the junior firefighters. In the State House, Ed currently serves as the Chairman of the Government Administration and Elections Committee as well as a member of the Transportation Committee. He also served as vice chairman of the General Law Committee and Public Safety and Security Committee and as assistant majority leader and deputy majority whip. His constituents know him as a friendly, warm and completely dedicated stalwart in the community. In his capacity on the Transportation Committee, he successfully advocated for expansion of the Shoreline East rail line to New London. Ed and I worked together towards gaining federal recognition of the Eightmile River as a Wild and Scenic watershed, an example of his commitment to protecting Eastern Connecticut's natural beauty and precious resources. Although his time as an elected official will end at the conclusion of this term, I suspect that his involvement in Salem and East Lyme will not come to an end. For someone like Ed, community engagement is a way of life. I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Ed for his decades of service, and wish him well in life after public service.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate Bonnie Edmondson of Coventry, Connecticut, an exceptional athlete and public servant, for being chosen as a coach for Team USA's track and field team at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Bonnie has a long and dedicated track and field career. During her time at Eastern Connecticut State University in 1987, she threw discus and hammer, earning the title of All-American. Thanks to her talent and commitment, Bonnie ranked tenth in the world and fifth in the nation in hammer throw between 1990 and 1996 and won national championships for her skills in both 1990 and 1991. Later, Bonnie dedicated her career to coaching at all levels of the sport. Most notably, she held positions as an assistant coach in the 1998 World Junior Championship and as a coach for the Team USA throwing events in 2012 and 2014 during the IAAF World Indoor Championships. Most recently, she served as a mentor to the 2015 NESCAC hammer throw champion, Lily Talesnick. Currently, Bonnie is a track and field coach at Trinity College, while also working at the Connecticut Department of Education, overseeing a comprehensive school health education program aimed at motivating children to lead healthier lifestyles. During her years as a thrower, Bonnie's scores in the 1992 Olympic trials would have qualified her for the Games if there had been a women's division in her sport. However, it wasn't until 1995 that the International Olympic Committee established the Women and Sport Advocacy group which works to implement gender equality policies in all Olympic competitions. In 2000, women's hammer throw was included in the Olympics for the first time. Instead of succumbing to disappointment and defeat, Bonnie contributed to the evolution of the sport, and of the Games, by helping to introduce women's events in the hammer throw. Her talent and passion for the sport makes her an incredible coach, and she has served as a wonderful representative of the United States, and of Connecticut, this August in Rio de Janeiro. Bonnie is more than deserving of this opportunity, and her debut at the games is long overdue. Mr. Speaker, I ask all my colleagues to join me in congratulating Bonnie and the U.S. track and field team for a terrific performance in the Summer Games. Bonnie and her team have not only brought pride to the State of Connecticut, but to the entire nation.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in sadness to honor and remember a lifelong friend and colleague, former Connecticut State Representative, Mary Fritz, who honorably served constituents in Cheshire and Wallingford for an impressive thirty-two years and who passed away last week. Mary dedicated her life to serving the people of the 90th district, and will forever be remembered for her fighting spirit and genuine care for constituents. Her strong sense of morality guided her work in the legislature and marked her as a truly exceptional representative. Before her tenure in the Connecticut General Assembly, Mary studied at Emmanuel College, Boston College, Trinity College, and Fairfield University. She later expanded her role in Connecticut school systems, serving as a Wallingford Public School teacher, the president of the Yalesville School PTA, and ultimately, the Chairwoman of the Wallingford Board of Education. She was an outstanding model for the value of education--a sentiment that translated to her work in the legislature, as she prioritized education policy. Mary also spent years forging the way for new legislation to battle crime and advance health care in Connecticut, while also paying special attention to protecting and serving senior citizens. I couldn't agree more with Governor Malloy's recent statement, ``She was a true public servant who put the priorities of her constituents first and represented her district with distinction.'' From 1987 to 1994 I represented the citizens of Vernon, Connecticut at the General Assembly alongside Mary. For two years we sat side by side in the House chambers and I enjoyed every minute of her steady commentary on the bills we were working on, the speeches we listened to, and the people who paraded by our seats on the back benches. She had a biting wit and shrewd mind that sized up every bit of action going on--even into the late hours. During those long sessions she brought her quilting with her, and one time I voted a way she didn't like, she poked me with her quilting needle--with a big devilish grin on her face. She was focused on two things as a person and a public official. First, representing the voters who elected her. Winning a swing seat sixteen times shows how successfully she accomplished that mission. And second, she was truly devoted to her family--her husband, William, and their children who are all special and successful in their own right. The positive footprint of Mary's work will be gratefully remembered for years to come. I trust that her legacy will live on through the work of loving family--her husband, six children, and fourteen grandchildren. Her presence and spirit will be greatly missed both in and out of the legislature. I now ask that my colleagues please join me in remembering Mary's full and altruistic life, and in offering our sincere condolences to her friends and family.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the horrific events in Orlando on June 12, an extraordinary group of Americans have come together calling for commonsense gun control legislation. The Veterans Coalition for Common Sense was formed, again, within hours, and among its ranks are General David Petraeus; General Stanley McChrystal; Admiral Thad Allen, the retired commandant of the Coast Guard; and General Michael Hayden, former head of the Air Force. The list goes on and on. And why? General Pete Chiarelli, the former vice chief of staff of the Army, stated it very clearly: ``I have seen firsthand what weapons of war can do. There is no reason we cannot close the loopholes that allow these killing machines to fall into the hands of criminals, those who are mentally ill or those who wish to do harm to innocent men, women and children.'' The sit-in a couple of weeks ago was exactly about what General Chiarelli said, which is to pass the King-Thompson bills to close the loopholes and to require that people who are on the no-fly list cannot purchase weapons that go out and result in mass killings of far too many Americans. We should listen to the people who wore the uniform of our country, those leaders who, again, protected and defended not only the Constitution but all of us, and listen to their message and pass the King-Thompson bills.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I was delayed in my return to Washington, D.C. due to inclement weather and missed the following votes. Had I been present, I would have voted: ``No'' on roll call No. 334, on the End Taxpayer Funded Cell Phones Act of 2016 (H.R. 5525); and, ``Yes'' on roll call No. 335, on the Support for Rapid Innovation Act of 2016 (H.R. 5388); and, ``Yes'' on roll call No. 336, on Leveraging Emerging Technologies Act of 2016 (H.R. 5389).

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished service of Marie Spak who will retire after 43 years as office manager in the State Attorney's office at the Tolland Judicial District. I had the special privilege of witnessing Marie's diligent work for many years. First when I was an Assistant Public Defender and later as an attorney in private practice. Marie started her work with the judicial branch for the State of Connecticut in East Hartford during September of 1973. In 1974, she joined the State Attorney's Office, where she worked with four different State's Attorneys during her tenure. She is finishing her service as the most senior member of AFSCME in the Division of Criminal Justice. I had the privilege of witnessing her admirable and dedicated efforts during these years. Her command of the office operations, getting cases ready for court, lining up witnesses, and executing judgments for trials, probation, and incarcerations was outstanding. Her ability to perform was also shown in Marie never making a single mistake in the thousands of files she worked on. I honestly do not remember Marie ever making a mistake in the thousands of files she worked on, dealing with very sensitive issues such as citizens' property and personal freedom. She is extraordinary. I also want to express my admiration for the way she handled all of the stress, drama, and emotion that were part of the office environment, day in and day out. Marie was incredibly ``cool, calm, and collected'' in that arena, while at the same time always willing to listen and help visitors to the office, if she could. Marie always had a sense of humor--there were days when life in the Tolland Judicial District felt like a sitcom, with laughs and eye rolls. Also, at the same time, Marie balanced family life as a devoted daughter, wife, and mother. When I talked with Marie about her family, it was clear to me that they appropriately always came first. Now, Marie embarks on this new chapter of her life, with the ability to spend more, well deserved, time with her family. I would like to thank her again for her outstanding service for 43 years and for setting an example of diligent, hard work for the public good for our state and region.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Jean Pierre Grillo who will retire after 26 years as Investigator for the State's Attorney's office at the Tolland Judicial District, located in Union, Connecticut. The State's Attorney's office handles all prosecution of criminal offenses from minor infractions to major felonies. The Investigator's role is to be a liaison between all police departments, local and state, as well as to coordinate the State's Attorney's arraignments, bond hearings, trials, and sentencing. Jean Paul, or J.P. as he is known, has done an outstanding job over the last 26 years handling these tasks. I have been privileged to see Investigator Grillo's work up close. Before assuming his duties 26 years ago, J.P. had a 17 year law enforcement career with the Norwich and Danielson Police Departments. Investigator Grillo is also a Veteran who served with the U.S. Naval Reserves. It was clear that J.P.'s analysis and judgment of the cases he handled was considered invaluable by the attorneys he worked with. In essence, he was a de facto attorney when it came to strategy and tactics in handling cases. I can attest to the fact that J.P.'s experience working as a police officer and his innate sense of fairness were invaluable assets to the attorneys he assisted. I admire the respectful way he interacted with visitors to the office and courtroom. Criminal courts are high stress environments and people walk in confused and anxious. He always treated people courteously and politely which kept the pace in the building day in and day out. I would like to congratulate Investigator Grillo on an outstanding career, and for setting such an incredible example for us all in how to use the public trust that working for the people of Connecticut involves. It has been a pleasure having him in the State's Attorney's Office, and I wish him and his family all the best in this new, exciting chapter of their lives.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, President Calvin Coolidge once said that nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Genius will not. Education will not. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. Yesterday, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut reminded us of the truth of that statement when, for 15 hours, he stood on the floor of the United States Senate and refused to yield until he got a commitment from the Republican leadership of the Senate to hold a vote on a no fly, no buy piece of legislation to restrict people on the terrorist watch list from buying firearms and also for having a commonsense background check reform which allows Internet sales and gun show sales to be included in the background check system, which is supported by 53 percent of NRA households. Mr. Speaker, finally, at 2:11 a.m., he got a commitment for those votes. I congratulate him. I am proud of him, as a fellow Connecticut citizen, for the persistence and courage that he demonstrated to the world yesterday on the floor of the United States Senate. It is time for us now in the House to do the same. We have tried 12 times in the House to force a vote on these measures, which the public is craving by huge majorities. After the events of this last week, it is time for us to listen to Chris Murphy, to follow his example, to thank him for his leadership and persistence and courage. Let's do what the American people are looking for: ways to protect us from these mass shootings of which there are far too many and that are far too damaging to the people of this country.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished military service of Army Sergeant Micah Welintukonis of Coventry, Connecticut who will retire on May 19, 2016 after 16 years and 5 months of active duty. Sgt Welintukonis' record reads like a history book of U.S. military action over the last 22 years. He served in Kosovo during his first stint of active duty in the 1990s. Later, as a member of the Connecticut National Guard he deployed to Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom, then served in Afghanistan where he was severely injured by a suicide bomb attack in 2012. During that time, he rose through the ranks to Sergeant and accumulated an impressive array of awards and medals, including the Purple Heart, Army Commendation with Valor, Combat Medic Badge, Expert Infantry Badge, Commanding Generals Certificate of Merit, and the Coast Guard and United States Marine Corps Certificates of Appreciation. At the time of his injury, he was a medic, certified at the highest levels and performed many life-saving missions with skill and care for the men and women he served with. The first time I met Sgt. Welintukonis was under extraordinary circumstances. He had just arrived at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland where he had flown in from Landstuhl Hospital in Germany, still suffering in agonizing pain from his life threatening abdominal injury. His amazing wife, Camilla, was at his bedside comforting him, but it was clear that his condition was very critical. Even though he was not aware of my presence, I had the opportunity to witness his incredible inner strength and ferocious will to live that carried him through that dark hour and a long and difficult recovery. With the support of his wife and family, Micah is healthy and ready to start a new chapter of his life. Wherever he and his family go, one thing is sure. Micah will be a passionate advocate for American veterans and for a strong national defense. I know that because my email inbox has been bursting with messages, articles, and suggestions--sometimes sent in the middle of the night--about improving services for those who wear the uniform of our country. Today, he is active in veterans' service organizations such as the Connecticut American Legion, Special Operations Wounded Warriors, and as the Director of InTheLineOfDuty, a volunteer-run charity for First Responders. In addition to that formal involvement he has organized fund raiser walk-a-thons, school visits, and national veterans media events to generate funds and awareness of the challenges America's veterans, in particular wounded veterans, confront every day. America has been, and still is, lucky to have the tenacious, spirited, (sometimes a little grouchy) and high-quality contributions of Sgt. Micah Welintukonis over the last 22 years. Please join me in thanking him, his wife Camilla, and their children for all they have done for our nation and wish them well in all their future endeavors.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Chair, I enthusiastically support the seapower portion of the defense bill, which is a strong bipartisan boost to our security on, below, and above the seas. The Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee worked hard this year examining the President's budget as well as the larger strategic maritime context that we are considering these programs in. We have determined the following, that the demand for our naval fleet is higher than ever and so is the strain on the force. A casual review of the headlines explains why. China's navy is militarizing the South China Sea, threatening good order and commerce on the world's seaways, completely in violation of international maritime law. Russia's navy is recapitalizing its fleet, particularly its undersea fleet, and operating at a level not seen since the cold war. These are just two examples of the up-tempo challenges that the Navy faces every single day. In this strategic context, the seapower portion of our bill builds on the work done by the Navy, the Obama administration, and this Congress to put us on a path to a 308-ship Navy within the next 5 years. That is good, but it is clear we need to do more to ensure that we have the capability to keep pace with the growing and changing threats around the world. That is why this bill adds three new ships to the seven ships in the President's budget, a third littoral combat ship, funding to complete a third DDG-51 destroyer, and resources to add an additional amphibious ship. Our bill also has another area of good bipartisan work. It is in the area of our undersea forces. Our bill not only sustains the two-a-year build rate of our advanced Virginia-class submarines, but also includes a measure that I pushed for to continue that build rate through the 2020s to provide the undersea capabilities our military leaders are pleading for. Our bill also fully funds our Nation's top strategic priority, the Ohio replacement submarine. We also continue our bipartisan work to strengthen the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund to support this critical program outside of the regular shipbuilding account. We provide this fund with new authorities to save additional funds during the course of building the Ohio class program--perhaps as much as 10 percent on components like missile tubes--on top of the billions in savings that already existing authorities in the fund were shown to garner by the CRS and the Congressional Budget Office. The bipartisan seapower mark is a down payment on the additional naval capabilities and capacity that we will need to keep pace with the fast-changing security challenges around the globe. I am confident that it will emerge in the final enactment of the 2017 NDAA.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to, first of all, thank Mr. Thompson of Mississippi for his interest and support in this measure, even though he hails from a part of the country which is far away from the Long Island Sound. But, again, going back to his days on the Agriculture Committee, he clearly knows the forensics of this legislation, and, again, his interest and support is much appreciated. I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ratcliffe) for bringing this bill up today. Again, Long Island Sound, maybe, is not right on your radar screen, but as Congressman Zeldin said, it is an incredibly special place, a tidal estuary which separates Connecticut from New York, and it is within the New York territory. Frankly, it is a very small, densely populated area, and the interest level on both sides of the Long Island Sound in terms of passage of this legislation is off the charts. I again want to thank Mr. Zeldin for his efforts. Again, this measure started in 2013 in response to the GAO report that basically signaled that the sale of this island was on the fast track, and it really took persistence up until today's vote on the floor to make sure that we stop that process, as Mr. Zeldin indicated, and send the message that Plum Island is not for sale. Again, because of its unique history, the activity that took place there with the Animal Disease Center made it unsuitable for residential development and commercial development, but sort of the outcome of that is that this incredibly rich diversity of biology has sprung up there. Like the gentleman from Long Island, I have had the opportunity to visit there, and it is as if you were in a different world. That is something that we can never take for granted, particularly in a part of the country where, again, there are tremendous amounts of sea traffic, maritime activity, and economic activity. To try and, again, basically preserve this 840-acre parcel with its incredible richness is something that really will live on for generations and, really, I think, will make the 114th Congress memorable, certainly in terms of that region, for many years to come. Again, like the gentleman from New York, I want to say that the external pressure which was brought to bear by municipal officials and by folks from Save the Sound--that is an umbrella group on both sides of the Long Island Sound--and the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, again, is what really kept the interest level and the pressure on both delegations to make sure that this didn't get lost in the process and allow that mandated sale to move forward. Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge passage of this bill, and, again, with the gentleman from New York, am determined to make sure that this moves as quickly as possible through the Upper Chamber and is signed into law by President Obama, sending a message to all the individuals and groups that are so interested in preserving Plum Island that, in fact, we, again, have taken it off this sort of conveyor belt and we are going to make sure that it gets the careful treatment that it deserves. At the end of the day, it is going to basically preserve this for generations to come.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, next to me is a map of the United States which shows the sickening increase in overdose deaths in this country due to heroin and opioid use over the last decade or so. The first map is a map from the Centers for Disease Control statistics in 2004, when roughly 7,000 Americans lost their lives to opioid overdose. Again, the red color shows the intensity of regions where deaths occurred in excess of 20 per 100,000. The blue is 10 per 100,000 or less. In 2014, over 28,000 Americans lost their lives to heroin and opioid overdose deaths. As you can see, the red portions of the country are increasing at an alarming rate. We have not gotten the 2015 statistics yet from the Centers for Disease Control, but by all indication from State numbers that are coming out, this map is actually going to get worse for the 2015 numbers. Mr. Speaker, we have an epidemic in this country which far surpasses any challenge that is presented by any natural disaster. If we had an attack on the homeland that took the number of lives that these maps represent, this Congress would be on fire in terms of trying to move resources and help to communities all across the country. Again, it is indiscriminate. It hits rural America, it hits suburban America, it hits urban America, and it hits age groups and ethnic groups across the board. Today we are going to be taking up some legislation, H.R. 4641 and H.R. 5046. The first bill has 2 cosponsors; the second has 10 cosponsors. The first provides for establishment of an interagency task force to talk about pain medication, and the second is to authorize, not appropriate, different programs for heroin and opioid reduction. They are benign bills. It would be impossible for anyone to object to them. But to be very clear, there is not a penny in either of these measures to help law enforcement. The police and fire who are responding to these crises day in and day out back home in eastern Connecticut are burning out because of the frequency of these calls. There is not a penny in these measures for treatment beds, for detox, or for long-term care treatment. In the State of Connecticut, it takes 4 to 6 months to get treatment. These are addicts who are at points in their lives where to talk about a 4- to 6-month time span is to talk about an eternity. If you talk to the families who are dealing with their loved ones who are ensnared in these addictions, 4 to 6 months is really basically being told that there is no treatment available. There is not a penny for prevention and education. If we go upstream, that is how we solve this problem in terms of better practices for opioid and heroin prescription. It is not a coincidence that the White House last night issued a statement on this legislation, which basically points out the fact that they ``do little to help the thousands of Americans struggling with addiction.'' The statement goes on to say that these alarming trends which are represented on this map ``will not change by simply authorizing new grant programs, studies and reports. Congressional action is needed to fund the tools communities need to confront this epidemic and accelerate important policies like training health care providers on appropriate opioid prescribing, an essential component of this effort.'' The President submitted a budget with $1 billion of new funding paid for offset for 2017 that would put money into those three buckets: prevention and education, law enforcement, and treatment, again, no action by the majority in terms of dealing with actual funding to help people out there desperate for help. There is a bill also to provide emergency supplemental funding of $600 million for this year to get that help out now. We presented it to the Rules Committee last night, and it was rejected. If we had a hurricane or a tornado or a forest fire that was ravaging parts of this country or an attack on the homeland, this place would not hesitate about getting resources out there to help the folks that would respond to that type of a crisis; yet, somehow we have turned a blind eye to the thousands of Americans who are suffering from addiction and to the thousands of law enforcement fire and police who are responding to these calls literally as we are sitting here today. There are hundreds of people per day who are dying because of this problem, and we, again, are providing no resources about better opioid prescription practices and getting better education, particularly to our young people, that clearly this map shows we must do if we are going to get our arms around this conflict and this problem. Today there will be votes. There will be a lot of self-congratulatory rhetoric about the fact that we are moving on this. But, remember, there is not a penny for law enforcement, for treatment, or for prevention and education. Until we do that, we are kidding ourselves that we are going to turn this alarming, disturbing trend around.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Pascrell for yielding time, and I thank my good friend and colleague Erik Paulsen for his great work in getting us to this point today where finally we are going to move this measure forward. It is almost 5 years to the day that Mr. Paulsen and I introduced this legislation, along with a number of others, in 2011, to deal with this really, just almost inexplicable anomaly in the law which basically says that one arm of the government--the IRS--can actually know the whereabouts of a missing child but can't share that information with another arm of government--namely, State and local law enforcement--which, in most cases, almost 100 percent of cases involving missing children, is the level of government that actually deals with the investigation and attempts to recover children. So you have a situation where you have got all these resources and efforts happening at the State and local level scurrying around, trying to find leads for abducted children, yet the government is sitting on information in terms of tax returns that were filed with the Social Security number of the child who is missing or the suspected abductor, and the two levels of government can't talk to each other. This legislation will break down that barrier and allow, again, timely information to be shared for the thousands of children, which we know from data that the missing children foundation and other law enforcement groups have been sharing with Congress over a number of years. So again, as was said earlier, the data is astonishing: 200,000 abductions are reported each year; 12,000 tend to last longer than 6 months. In 2007, the Treasury Department looked at 1,700 Social Security numbers of missing kids and found that, as Mr. Pascrell said, over a third had been used in returns after the abduction. For some it is really kind of hard to imagine how an abducting relative or even stranger could have the nerve to file a tax return and claim the Social Security and child exemption for the child that they have in their possession, but the data shows that, in fact, that happens. It may be because they are anxious to get the refund; it may be because they don't want to be violating a second set of laws in terms of not filing a tax return. But the fact of the matter is that there are thousands of children that the government knows their whereabouts, and this law will allow that information to be shared. For every family that will benefit from it, it really is just an amazing opportunity for us to really relieve the stress and pain that these horrible cases inflict year in and year out. As I said, it took 5 years. We have a great coalition of outside groups that are supporting it. As Calvin Coolidge once said: ``Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence . . . The slogan `Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.'' This, I think, is an example of it. It took 5 long years, but the House is now poised to move forward on H.R. 3209, Recovering Missing Children Act, and again we want to get swift passage and move this through the Senate and to the President's desk so that we can, again, provide a lot of relief and solace to families that are anxiously looking for their loved ones.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Clark for organizing this really important discussion here this evening. The scope of the problem in terms of what is facing our Nation is pretty astonishing when you look at the statistics from the Centers for Disease Control. In 2004, 7,000 Americans lost their lives to heroin overdoses. Fast- forward 10 years and that number is now over 27,000. Again, the statistics land in suburban America, rural America, and urban America. But at the end of the day, behind every one of those numbers is a story of a human being and a family. That is why this discussion is so important tonight. Next to me I have a chart showing the face of Justice Kelly, who is a 21-year-old from Tolland, Connecticut. Tolland, Connecticut, is the quintessential small-town New England community. It is about 5 miles from where I live. Her mother, Jennifer, moved there hoping that this was going to be a great community to raise her child, and she went through the public school system. Battling depression, she fell victim to heroin addiction and for the last number of years has been battling this with methadone treatment in and out of facilities and programs. Last summer she really finally went to her family and just begged them to get access to a long-term rehab program. Unfortunately, the waiting lists were months. The facilities in Connecticut, like so many other parts of the country, were full. In August of 2015, when she again was in a predicament where she lost her asthma medication, the combination of suffering from asthma and a heroin overdose resulted in her being rushed to the hospital with an overdose condition. The good news is that the folks at the emergency room were able to save her life. But as her mother said, ``As we pulled into the parking lot of the ER, I knew at that moment I was losing her. All I remember from that moment on was being more scared than I have been in my entire life. I saw a whole team of people come outside and try and save my baby's life. I stood there helpless and alone. All I could do was look to God.'' She now is in a permanent vegetative state, as the photograph next to me indicates, and there really are no signs of improvement. Her mother went on to say, ``They saved my daughter's life that day, but it's been a very hard journey. Justice's injury is so severe that the likelihood Justice will ever recover is very slim. More than likely, I will have to make the decision to bring my baby home with hospice.'' This story shows that this problem extends far beyond even the fatalities. It also is going to leave people with chronic life-changing conditions, like this beautiful young girl from Tolland, Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, this issue is now coming to the floor this week with a number of measures authorizing different changes and approaches to this program. I want to, again, emphasize the fact that I come from the State with the highest per capita income, but even in Connecticut, people cannot find access to treatment beds. That is why at some point we have to bring this discussion to a higher level and realize that we need to get resources out to the communities so that law enforcement can at the front lines deal with this issue in emergency situations, so that we have treatment options for families like the Kelly family in Tolland, Connecticut, and so that we go upstream in terms of prevention and education so as to get to the root causes of the pathways to heroin and opioid addiction. This is going to require an all-hands-on-deck approach. Yes, let's support the legislation that is coming forward this week, let's make smart policy changes, and let's authorize different programs. At the end of the day, we need to put our money where our mouth is in that we need to treat this like it is a natural disaster. As a Nation, we would instantly respond to a hurricane that is taking human lives at a clip much slower, in fact, than what is happening with the heroin opioid crisis. Let's move forward with the $600 million request for emergency supplemental funding, which is before the Appropriations Committee, so that we will not just talk about solving this problem but, again, put the resources out there so that the police, the addiction counselors, the treatment folks, and all of the families who are out there who are desperate for help will know that our country is going to treat this as the true crisis that it is and will know we will get the resources all across the country. Again, I thank Representativ Clark for organizing this discussion. Jennifer Kelly, Justice's mother, thanks the gentlewoman for letting us have an opportunity to tell the story about her daughter. As a Nation, let's move forward with all of the resources and good ideas because that is the only way we are ever going to come to terms with this problem and solve it.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, the chart that is being set up next to me here depicts graphically one of the most sickening trends in terms of an increasing cause of death in the United States, which is heroin and opioid overdoses. On the top, the map shows data from 2004 from the Centers for Disease Control, when 7,500 Americans lost their lives to overdose deaths. In 2014, that number has grown to 27,000. The red shaded area is high-intensity areas of death of up to 20 per 100,000 in the population. The blue is 10 or less. And in 2014, as you can see, the red is slowly but inexorably taking over the entire country. This is a crisis which, again, affects every part of our country, whether it is rural, suburban, or urban. It affects Republican districts. It affects Democratic districts. And it is time for our Nation to recognize that this needs to be treated the same way we would any natural disaster or public health emergency in the country. In 2016, we know these numbers are, in fact, going to get worse. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in the State of Connecticut released their 2015 numbers a few weeks ago, and the number grew in the State of Connecticut by 20 percent, to 723 deaths in 2015. Just this morning in the local press in southeastern Connecticut, a 25-year-old was found dead in a motor vehicle on Route 12 outside the Groton Navy Base, and a young man, an 18-year-old, was found dead in Norwich just a couple of days ago. It is time for us to listen to the folks who are on the front lines-- the police officers, the addiction counselors, and the folks that are dealing with this program bringing people to life with Narcan--and understand that we need a new approach to solving this incredibly dangerous crisis for our Nation. The good news is that the Senate, a couple of weeks ago, passed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act 94-1. It is a good bill. It makes some smart changes in terms of the overprescribing of painkillers. It deals with the disposal of the proliferation of painkillers that is far too great in the Nation today. It also talks about changing protocols in the FDA, HHS, DOD, VA, all of the agencies of the Federal Government that deal with folks suffering from pain. Unfortunately, though, the bill does not contain a single penny of emergency assistance which the police departments across the country, the addiction counselors across the country are begging for. In the House, there is a bill, H.R. 4473, which does provide emergency supplemental appropriations this year to try and get resources so that folks who are dealing with this crisis and families that are dealing with this crisis are actually going to get real help. And this bill has been endorsed by 21 organizations, from the Fraternal Order of Police, the police and the cops and the firefighters who are out there saving people's lives right now with Narcan, and also the addiction counselors who, again, do not have adequate detox facilities and beds to deal with the carnage that is happening all across this country. The Republican majority leader announced last week that in May, the House will take up the Senate bill. I wish it was this month. I wish we could move with the urgency of a natural disaster like a fire or hurricane or tornado striking parts of our country that causes devastation much less than what these maps depict. However, the fact that there is going to be some movement is some sign of hope. But it is important to remember it is not enough to just pass authorizing language that is about trying to change policy without funding, because the folks who are dealing with this problem, who are watching us like a hawk because they are dealing with this problem, like that young man who was found dead last night, understand that resources are needed, just like in any other natural disaster or public health emergency facing this country. Again, we need to turn this map around. We need to change this so that, again, the devastation that is being caused in families of middle class, upper class, lower income families across the country is going to stop. There are real-life solutions that the folks who are at the front lines are prepared to move forward. They are on standby. What they are waiting for is this Congress to move forward with the real resources that we would deal with as a great Nation in terms of any other epidemic or any other massive public health or health emergency in this Nation. We need to include H.R. 4473. We need to listen to the 21 organizations that deal with this problem all across America so that we get real help out on the streets of America and not just give lip service to solving this critical problem.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Sikh Community of Connecticut, and their dedicated leaders who are working hard to challenge the misconceptions and stereotypes the Sikh community faces in Connecticut, and the nation as a whole. Many American Sikhs face misunderstanding in their schools and workplaces, despite the over 100-year history of the faith in America. I thank the Sikh Community of Connecticut for their work to bring greater understanding of Sikh values to all Americans. In particular, Mr. Swaranjit Singh Khalsa and the Sikh Sivak Society, who organized an awareness campaign in my district to educate eastern Connecticut residents about Sikhism through public service advertisements seen around town. I was fortunate to meet Mr. Singh in my office recently to discuss the project and the challenges the community is facing. Sikhism originated in the Punjab region of South Asia, founded on the ideals of devotion to God, service to others, social justice, and equality of all people. Twenty-five million people practice Sikhism all over the world, including 250,000 Sikhs in the United States, making Sikhism the fifth largest religion in the world. Immigration of Sikhs to the United States primarily began in the 1960s, as many came in search of higher education, and stayed to raise families. Indeed, Sikhs have made great contributions to the culture, economy, and society of the United States. This month, Sikhs all over the world will be celebrating Vaisakhi. This holiday commemorates the founding of the Khalsa, or the collective body of committed Sikhs. Vaisakhi is a time to acknowledge the values of Sikhism, and the growth of the Sikh community. This year, the Sikh Community of America organized the Freedom March for Sikh Nation on April 9th in Washington, D.C. This event is a time for all Americans to come together to learn about and celebrate Vaisakhi, and bring attention to issues surrounding Sikh identity in the United States. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the Sikh community for their many contributions to American culture, Mr. Singh for his efforts to bring understanding about Sikhism to my region, and to wish all a joyous Vaisakhi.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, in a few moments this morning, I will be introducing a House resolution, a bipartisan House resolution, with Congressman Don Young from the State of Alaska calling on the Senate to, once and for all, ratify the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaty. Mr. Speaker, this is a treaty which was negotiated by the Reagan administration back in the late 1980s. It is a treaty which has been endorsed by Democratic Presidents, Republican Presidents, Condoleeza Rice, and military leadership of all stripes, to create a system of rules of the road in terms of maritime disputes. As I said, the military leadership of this country has been adamant and consistent year in and year out about the need for our country to join 166 other countries in the world in terms of ratifying this treaty. As Marine General Joe Dunford said a short time ago, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: ``We undermine our leverage by not signing up to the same rule book by which we are asking other countries to accept.'' Today, as this map shows, all the purple countries are those that have ratified the treaty, and the blue countries are those that have not. The United States joins the following company in terms of refusing to ratify this treaty: North Korea, Iran, Syria, Libya, and Venezuela. Now, again, this is a measure which has been debated over the years, and it has been, I would argue, sort of a Washington, D.C., parlor game in terms of the theoretical impact that it may or may not have; but in recent months, the need to do this has become much sharper and clearer. This past week at the House Committee on Armed Services, which I serve on, and I am the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, Admiral Harry Harris testified. He is our commander of PACOM. He has all of Asia-Pacific, the region of the world where China today is blatantly violating maritime law by creating islands out of nothing, creating landing strips and militarizing those new land masses in a clear attempt to, again, violate the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea Treaty by creating an economic zone that is going to interfere with the free passage of commercial traffic. Ninety-five percent of the world's commodities go by sea. Their intentions are crystal clear. Admiral Harris, when he testified the other day, made it also very clear that ``acceding to the convention''--the Law of the Sea Treaty-- ``gives us the moral high ground to criticize those countries that would seek to inhibit freedom of maneuver in the oceans and airspace around the world, including the Asia-Pacific region.'' Interestingly, the following day, General Philip Breedlove, the commander of NATO, European Command for the U.S., came in and without any prompting testified to exactly the same policy position because what he is seeing in his region of the world is that a resurgent Russia is militarizing the Arctic Circle, that they are using this, again, melting of the ice cap as an opportunity to militarize that region of the world and try and control what is going to be a maritime passage, where both military assets and commercial traffic are going to move back and forth. General Breedlove, again, made exactly the same point: we need to get into the game. This was made crystal clear just a few months ago. The Government of the Philippines, to its credit, has challenged China. They filed an application before The Hague, citing the Law of the Sea Treaty, that what they are doing in the South China Sea blatantly violates international law. The United States asked not to participate directly as a party, because we haven't ratified the treaty, but simply to be an observer, to be a friend of the court to be able to contribute ideas and data-- which our Navy has more than any other Navy in the world--and we were denied observer status because we have not ratified this treaty. So right now people are hard at work in The Hague writing the rules of the road in terms of maritime issues that are going to determine budgets. And, again, I am the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, so this is driving a lot of decisions about building submarines and surface ships and stronger munitions because of what is happening in the South China Sea. It is also going to be driving the outcomes of what is happening with resurgent Russia. Putin is not kidding around in terms of what he is doing in the Arctic Circle or in the North Atlantic. General Breedlove made that very clear. We are playing, right now, zone defense in terms of what is happening in that region of the world. It is time for the Congress to listen, if nothing else, to our military leadership and recognize the international Law of the Sea Treaty, which 166 nations in the world have ratified. It is time for the U.S. to get in the game, get off the bleachers, and be able to set those rules because it is going to determine, for decades to come, decisions that this body is going to be stuck with if we are not part of that process. Again, our military leadership, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, our CNO of the Navy, the head of the Coast Guard, they have all been very clear and public about the fact that it is time for this Nation to get into the game and endorse the international Law of the Sea Treaty. I am very pleased that Congressman Young is joining me in this effort. I urge all Members to support this resolution which will be filed this morning.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, on December 22, 2015, Zachary Paul-Allen Greenough, a veteran of the U.S. Army, lost his life to an accidental overdose of heroin in the city of West Haven, Connecticut. The press accounts after his death, unfortunately, tell a story that is far too common in this country. During the time that he served in the Army, he suffered an injury, which caused great pain and resulted in the prescription of painkillers. That pathway started, which led to an opioid addiction and, unfortunately, him losing his life on December 22 to an overdose of heroin. The Centers for Disease Control tells us that, in 2014, 27,000 Americans suffered accidental overdose deaths across the country, a drastic increase from 2013. This trend is happening again all across the country. In the State of Connecticut, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported its statistics for 2015, which showed that 723 individuals lost their life, including Mr. Greenough, to overdoses of heroin and opioids. Again, this is a trend line which shows that it was a 20 percent increase from the year before. We are in the midst right now of a problem that is sweeping across the country, that is affecting States that are Republican and Democrat, blue and red, and we as a Nation need to get all hands on deck and come to grips with it. President Obama, in his budget that he submitted a few weeks ago, made a promising start. He proposed $1.1 billion in new funding to law enforcement, to folks who are involved in treatment, whether it is detox centers or treatment programs, or whether it is programs for education and prevention; because we know, from talking to people in the field, you need to get early and quickly to young people to make sure that they understand that this pathway, which has exploded across the country, is something that people need to know about and to avoid. In New London, Connecticut, over the course of 2 days in February, we had a summit involving law enforcement, healthcare providers, and others. We had the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy from the White House, Michael Botticelli, come in. Again, the good news is that there is a lot of good work that is being done at the local level--not just in New London County, Connecticut, but all across the country--where people understand that this is a problem that requires everyone working together in all those factions and all those sectors. But the fact of the matter is that President Obama's proposal is not until 2017. We need help now. We need to get an emergency appropriation, just as we would if there were a hurricane or an earthquake or a wildfire that was sweeping across different regions of this country. We need to understand that emergency appropriations for our military, which the Speaker and I will be voting on together in the Committee on Armed Services, that this problem which is affecting thousands of families and resulting in fatalities for people, again, who follow a pathway that, through legally prescribed medications, needs to be addressed, and we need to get those resources out to people as soon as possible. I have a bill in the House that tracks a bill sponsored by Senator Shaheen in New Hampshire, another State that has been hit hard by the problem. The bill provides $600 million of emergency assistance--again allocated to police, providers, education, and prevention--and this week they will begin consideration in the U.S. Senate. It has been endorsed by law enforcement groups. It has been endorsed by people who are in the field dealing with this problem, who are dealing with families who can't get beds in detox centers, who can't get beds in treatment facilities, with police departments that are trying to get Narcan, a miracle drug, so that they can save lives. But the fact of the matter is we need everybody involved, particularly the Congress, to help communities solve this problem. Last week the National Governors Association--Republicans and Democrats--convened in Washington, D.C., to talk about their priorities. This emergency funding was their number one request to Congress because they are the ones on the front lines who are being confronted and forced to deal with this issue. We have an opportunity to listen to the people who know what they are talking about, to just drain away the politics and the partisanship and understand that veterans, people living in rural communities, people living in suburban communities, people living in urban areas of our country are getting hit with this problem. Just like any other disaster, we as a Nation need to come together to address it now and not wait for 2017--now--to pass this measure. We can do more in terms of reforming the protocols, as the VA and DOD and the civilian healthcare sector, frankly, have gone too far in terms of overprescribing. We can do more about the disposal of drugs. Walgreens, to their credit, has set up disposal sites all across the country where people can come in with excess opioids to get rid of them safely. The fact of the matter is that the willingness is there but the resources are not to deal with a problem of this magnitude. Let's pass the Shaheen-Courtney measure. Let's get emergency funding to the folks who need that help and who are ready. They are on standby. They are there to help those families and those individuals who need the help that we, as Americans, should come together and support.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to thank a public servant from Clinton, Connecticut who has served his community with distinction for more than ten years. Mr. William ``Willie'' Fritz, First Selectman since 2005, spent his decade of tenure leading the town into improved financial and physical shape, and constantly making himself accessible to town residents. Willie's public service started in Clinton local government in 2000, when he served on the Public Works and Planning and Zoning Commissions and immediately displayed a knack for putting the town's needs into action. After his election as first selectman in 2005, Willie championed the needs of the people of Clinton. His legacy is visible in the beautiful buildings and public spaces around town. These efforts resulted in numerous state grants for the Main Street streetscape, the renovation of the Town Dock uplands, and a modern multi-use turf field at the Indian River Recreation Complex. Each of these spaces and the value they provide to the Clinton community is a testament to Willie's achievements as a local leader. One of Willie's noteworthy achievements was in managing the renovation of the Andrews Memorial Town Hall. After two decades of inattention, the hall's magnificient architecture required urgent repairs and adjustments. Willie secured vital funds from the state Commission on Historic Preservation, and utlimately restored the hall to its former glory. The beloved building, which houses offices, meeting rooms, a kitchen and auditorium, is now fit for use by the community, and is a destination for architecture historians and students. Willie has also had a hand in the construction of the new Morgan High School, and in bringing new senior housing to Clinton. As Willie has said ``Nobody is more hands-on than a first selectman in a smaller town.'' Willie has been an exemplary town leader; responsive to his neighbors, forward-thinking in his vision for the town, and full of energy. His extraordinary career for some of us is not too surprising. After all, his mother Mary Fritz is a legendary State Representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, representing the towns of Cheshire and Wallingford. I not only served with Mary during my time as a State Representative, but sat next to her on the House Floor. She has the same commitment to the public interest as her son, and the State of Connecticut has benefitted greatly from the Fritz legacy. I truly believe that Willie's work for the people of our state is not done and hope he will find new ways to contribute to the public good. I ask my colleagues to please join me in thanking Willie for his many years of service as First Selectman in Clinton, and in wishing him well in the years to come.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor President of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut (MTAC), Michael Riley, upon his retirement. For just under three decades Mike has represented the commercial trucking interests of almost 1,400 member companies as a trusted and respected advocate. From 1979 to 1987, before his involvement with MTAC, Mike was an executive assistant to Senator Christopher Dodd and he used that experience to work with lawmakers and Connecticut administration officials to improve the regulatory structure surrounding the trucking industry. These efforts resulted in achievements like the installation of weight station bypass systems, online permit processes, and important legislation to define ``independent contractors'' who work in the industry. Mike's work at MTAC has tangibly increased the safety of Connecticut road users, as he led efforts to create a consortium for testing the use of controlled substances and alcohol abuse among drivers. Since 1989, and in conjunction with Gregory & Howe, MTAC has helped create the largest testing program in the state, so successful that even non- truck drivers from member companies are part of the program. Mike's focus on safety extended to spearheading a commercial lines insurance program, which offers property and casualty insurance for members. The success of this venture is demonstrated by its size and support within the industry. Indeed the fund has become large enough in recent years to pay significant workers compensation dividends back to participating companies, showing what a sustainable and robust program Mike has developed. Please join me in congratulating Mike for the significant impact he has made on the state of Connecticut, and wishing him an enjoyable and well-earned retirement.

Mr. COURTNEY

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 350th Anniversary of The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme and to thank its generations of members for their community building efforts over the past three and a half centuries. The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme was founded in 1666 in Old Lyme, Connecticut, fifteen years after the Mayflower arrived in North America and has maintained its place as a facet of early American history. Since its founding, the church has been a pioneer in its faith and continues to contribute to the rich history of our region. Its congregation has included many notable Americans including the Noyes, who were original trustees of Yale University, and Samuel Holden Parsons, who led his regiment in the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolution. Over the decades the church dealt with disaster and growth, and the church meetinghouse was rebuilt many times. The current meetinghouse is a landmark and an icon in the region and has served as inspiration for many artists from the area. Today, The First Congregational Church of Old Lyme has grown to include almost a thousand members in its congregation. These members participate in efforts all over the world to improve the lives of others. From local Habitat to Humanity efforts, to establishing partnerships with churches in South Africa, to building interfaith relationships in southeastern Connecticut, the First Church of Old Lyme has built a legacy of service and community that will continue for many decades to come. I ask my colleagues to please join me in wishing the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme a joyous celebration of their 350th Anniversary.