Gerald Connolly

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and commend my good friend, Stella M. Koch, on the occasion of her retirement after a distinguished career with the Audubon Naturalist Society, where she led conservation and environmental education and protection efforts throughout Northern Virginia and the Commonwealth. Safeguarding our natural environment has been more than a profession for Stella, it's been her passion. She truly embodies the famous epithet of the late Connecticut Governor Ella Grasso, ``bloom where you're planted.'' Stella's environmental advocacy took root in the classroom, when she taught biology and was the science department chair at the Edmund Burke School in Washington, D.C., from 1977 to 1991. A fortuitous call to the Audubon Naturalist Society to inquire about working with its membership on Chesapeake Bay and land conservation issues ultimately led to her being hired by ANS to join its Virginia conservation staff, where she has spent the past 24 years. Through her professional duties and personal engagement in multiple community organizations, Stella has played a vital role in virtually every major environmental initiative in Northern Virginia for the past quarter century. I was pleased to be among the first to recruit Stella into our effort more than 20 years ago, and she has been a wonderful partner ever since. At the time, I was president of the Fairfax Federation of Citizen's Associations and convinced Stella to become the Federation's Environmental Chair. She wasted no time, diving into weighty issues during her two-year tenure, including helping to prevent a planned roadway from splitting Huntley Meadows Park in southern Fairfax and blocking a private effort to bring public sewer service and new development to Mason Neck, an environmentally sensitive area along the Potomac most notable for its National Wildlife Refuge that was created to protect local bald eagles. During this time she was instrumental in establishing the Virginia Environmental Network, and its successor the Virginia Conservation Network, which coordinated the activities of local and regional environmental groups across the Commonwealth. Through the Audubon Naturalist Society and her local civic engagement, Stella successfully pushed back on the proposed Disney theme park in Haymarket. Building on the public interest in the region's growth generated by that experience, the environmental community launched an effort that led to the creation of the Coalition for Smarter Growth to focus on educating people and community leaders about the importance and value in building more livable communities with mass transit connections and walkability. Stella was first appointed to serve on the County's Environmental Quality Advisory Committee in 1996. She has since been reappointed by me and my successor as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, Sharon Bulova. Stella has served as chairman of the Committee for several years, and she also serves as one of the County's appointees to the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority. Under Stella's leadership, the Committee has become an influential voice, filing an annual report with the Board of Supervisors that serves as the blueprint for most local efforts to improve and protect our natural environment-- addressing air quality; climate change; ecological resources; energy efficiency; hazardous materials; land use and transportation; noise, light, and visible pollution; solid waste; water resources; and wildlife. It has become a model nationwide. Stella was instrumental in crafting Fairfax County's 20-year Environmental Agenda, the first such long-range vision ever adopted by the County, addressing all facets of the environment from improving air quality to preserving more of the county's green spaces to providing recreational options for residents. As a result of that plan, the County's Environmental Improvement Program won its first Achievement Award from the National Association of Counties, and we built on that success with the Cool Counties initiative, a national effort to help local governments reduce their carbon footprint. Stella also served as one of my appointees to the Tysons Land Use Task Force, a multi-year effort to re-envision the National Capital Region's second largest economic center as a transit- oriented, walkable, green city served by the new Silver Line rather than a collection of disjointed office parks reachable only by automobile. Today, thanks to the leadership of Stella and so many others, that vision is becoming a reality. In addition to her work in our local community, Stella works on regional water quality issues. She has served on the Boards of the Center for Watershed Protection and the Potomac River Keeper, and as a Virginia appointee to the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Chesapeake Bay Council. Stella also is a founding member of the Fairfax League of Conservation Voters, which assesses the environmental agendas and records of candidates for local public office for endorsement. Her many accomplishments were recognized by the National Association of Biology Teachers' Outstanding Biology Teacher Award in 1989, the Virginia Wildlife Federation's Water Conservationist of the Year award in 1992, and the Fairfax County Park Authority's Sally Ormsby Environmental Stewardship Award, which was named for our late friend and fellow champion for the environment. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Stella Koch on her retirement and thanking her for many years of dedicated and selfless service. Thankfully, she is only retiring from her professional duties. In fact, she'll now have even more time to continue sharing her expertise and advocating for our environmental agenda. Much like the saplings, stream restoration, conservation easements, and many other projects in which she has had a hand, our community will continue to benefit from Stella's handiwork for generations to come. On behalf of a truly grateful community, I wish her all the best in this semi-retirement.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I just want to say in response to my friend from Utah, also a neat argument. All of a sudden we are now retreating from the economic rationale for moving beyond unfunded mandates, for getting the hobnail- booted government off the necks of business so jobs can grow and the economy can just take off. Now, that is not really the purpose of this. It is transparency and getting unfunded mandates exposed. I think that is a fairly weak argument and justification for a bad bill. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), the distinguished ranking member.

Mr. CONNOLLY. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support this simple, clear amendment to H.R. 50. This amendment seeks to establish a performance-based sunset mechanism stipulating that, in the event that the average annual rate of real GDP growth remains below 5 percent over the first 4 quarters occurring after the date of enactment, then the statutory changes made by H.R. 50 are repealed because the bill will have been proved to have been ineffective. This amendment sets up a real world measurement and a sunset mechanism that supporters and opponents, it seems to me, can support, since it features the flexibility to ensure an optimal response to whichever prediction of the impact of H.R. 50, positive or negative, takes place over the year following enactment. If the Unfunded Mandates Act, by lessening the independence of independent regulatory agencies and strengthening the influence of the private sector in the Federal rulemaking process, does, in fact, spur the economic growth we have heard so much about to at least match the average annual real GDP growth rates achieved during two administrations, the Johnson and Kennedy administrations, and in the last 2 quarters of this administration so far, what is the threat? What are we afraid of? However, if it fails to spur the promised economic growth to at least achieve an average annual growth rate of 5 percent over the year following the enactment of the law, then the statutory changes made by H.R. 50 will be repealed. Five percent is reasonable. It is a reasonable target goal when one considers that, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, real GDP growth under the Obama economy reached 4.6 percent in the second quarter and 5 percent in the fourth. Why wouldn't we expect H.R. 50 to be able to sustain that growth rate and, indeed, improve on it in the first full year after enactment? Finally, I would note that, according to the preliminary estimate of the Congressional Budget Office, this amendment would not increase direct spending or reduce revenues, and I strongly urge all of the Members in the body to adopt this commonsense amendment. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I thank the distinguished gentleman from Maryland. I rise today in opposition to H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act. This act boasts an Orwellian title that attempts, I think, deception of the public into believing that it is simply an innocuous attempt to enhance transparency for the public and State and local governments while masking the true nature of this act which--make no mistake--is a subversive legislative assault of public health, safety, and environmental protections. This bill is simply an effort to throw a wrench into the rulemaking process, ensuring that private industry is provided privileges and rights above any other stakeholder in the process. In many respects, H.R. 50 represents the ``Mitt Romney principle'' on steroids, for it appears that in the minds of some of my colleagues, not only is it a fact that ``corporations are people, my friend,'' but under this measure, they appear to be embracing an ethos that treats corporations even better than people. My longstanding principle is that I will never defend the indefensible, and regrettably, this bill provides private corporations with an unfair consultation over every other stakeholder in the regulatory process, and that is indefensible. Under this bill, Federal agencies would be required to consult with private industry ``before issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking,'' yet it does not afford that same level of protection or consultation to average citizens, consumers, or anybody else who relies on agency rules to preserve and protect their health, welfare, and safety. There is no justification for enacting an irrational statutory framework that requires the Federal Government to consult with private firms and nobody else--such as a large agribusiness, for example--prior to proposing a rule that could have an impact on that company, yet does not require such consultation on public health with public health experts. I cannot defend a regulatory framework that would provide big oil companies a guaranteed right to weigh in before any drilling regulation is promulgated to protect the public from big oil spills, such as one we experienced just a few years ago. To be clear, I strongly support the right of industry to have its voice and to have the opportunity to provide comments on proposed rules. This fosters more informed and high-quality rulemaking, benefiting business and society; indeed, that is why our current administrative procedures mandate that a public comment period be provided prior to the adoption of such rules. Equally concerning, H.R. 50 would also undermine the critical independence of aptly titled independent regulatory agencies. It is not clear how eliminating the independence of agencies, such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission, by empowering Presidential administrations to play a significant role in shaping the rules for those agencies before they issue them, would in any way address unfunded mandates.

Mr. CONNOLLY. The bottom line is that well-reasoned agency rules have made our air cleaner to breathe, water safer to drink, and our products safer to use. That is a good formula, and we should preserve it.

Mr. CONNOLLY. I thank my friend. Mr. Chairman, I think we do have something to be concerned about with this provision of the bill, and I rise enthusiastically to support Mr. Cummings' amendment. He has raised serious issues about the constitutional nature of this provision which could take down the whole bill. I was working in the United States Senate at the time of the Chadha rendering by the Supreme Court, and it is crystal clear. It is crystal clear to me that this retrospective provision, empowering Congress, tantamount to a legislative veto, though we don't call it that, is an encroachment on executive authority, and will be so found by courts. Therefore, I think it is prudent for this body to adopt the Cummings amendment and clear that constitutional cloud that hangs over H.R. 50.

Mr. CONNOLLY. In summary, Mr. Chairman, I think this is a commonsense amendment. I think it sets a metric that I would hope my friends on the other side of the aisle would actually embrace so that we can see whether a new piece of legislation is, in fact, working. It would allow the bill to go into place for a whole year before that metric kicks in. I think it is a commonsense amendment that actually gives us a chance to see whether the philosophy undergirding this legislation is, indeed, justified. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY. I would inquire of the Chair how much time remains on this side.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Madam Speaker, goundhog Day isn't for a couple more weeks, but you wouldn't know that from looking at the Republican majority's agenda these past few weeks. They've brought up one partisan bill after another that already proved unsuccessful in previous years. Today, we are revisiting the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, which is misleading and redundant to say the least and represents yet another attempt by Republicans to restrict a woman's reproductive rights and access to lifesaving health services. In fact, it's their second attempt this week after they had to pull a controversial and unconstitutional 20-week (abortion) ban due to lack of support on their side of the aisle. The contradiction between this narrow, ideological agenda and the message Republicans attempted to convey in their response to the President's State of the Union address this week--in which they claimed they would be ``working to change the direction in Washington'' and passing ``serious job-creation ideas''--is stark. Aside from denying care to women in the most desperate of circumstances, this bill would go beyond the current Hyde Amendment to place restrictions on how women with private insurance can spend private dollars in purchasing health insurance. It is a prima facie infringement of women's constitutional rights. Madam Speaker, as polarizing as these debates continue to be, I believe we should make decisions based on this country's founding principles of personal liberty that should always guide this body on the subject of women's reproductive health.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CONNOLLY. I yield to the gentleman from Michigan.

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Chairman, as someone who comes from local government, I was encouraged last week to hear the Speaker call for us to find common ground. I know firsthand the music that can be made when elected officials allow their commitments to improving the quality of life for our neighbors to guide their actions rather than partisan ideology. Sadly, we are only 2 weeks into the new Congress, and the House majority has brought to the floor a string of divisive bills. Last week we debated without amendment a plan to bypass the normal review process to expedite approval of the Keystone pipeline for the 10th time, and today we consider a repeat of anti-public health and safety legislation that was debated and defeated in the 112th and 113th Congresses. The seductively titled Regulatory Accountability Act would actually effectively block new Federal regulation and is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to roll back important public health and safety protections. What is more, my friends on the other side claim they want to reduce regulatory burdens, but their bill adds more than 70 new analytical steps to the final rulemaking process while jeopardizing science-based methodology. The Union of Concerned Scientists warns that if this bill becomes law, Mr. Chairman, agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission would all be subject to more special interest interference, would be much more vulnerable to legal challenges, and even if those challenges are crucial to protecting our air and water and safeguarding public health, they could prevail. That is why I offer what should be, I hope, a simple amendment to exempt any rule or guidance pertaining to public health or safety. This bill directs agencies to adopt the least costly regulatory action, notwithstanding any other provision of law, meaning that the benefits of safeguards to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat would be considered secondary to the cost of those safeguards, even if the benefits exceed the costs. My friends falsely claim that regulations impose unreasonable costs on the economy and industry. The facts don't justify that rhetoric. OMB's latest report to Congress on Federal regulation found the monetized benefits of Federal regulations over the past decade alone are significantly higher by a factor of 10 than the costs. But why let facts trump belief? An American Lung Association survey found that three out of four respondents feel we should not have to choose between protecting health and safety and promoting the economy. They understand we must and can do both. Mr. Chairman, I am curious if my friends on the other side have asked their constituents what they think. For example, I wonder if the residents near North Carolina coal ash spills--which is affecting drinking water there and in my home State of Virginia--share the same disdain for water quality regulation. Maybe we should ask the millions of parents who own a child car seat subject to a nationwide recall if they would feel better with less rigorous safety standards for their children. My friends continue to perpetuate this notion that government regulation is a heavy boot on the throat of business, but a poll conducted by the American Sustainable Business Council found 78 percent of employers believe responsible regulation is important for protecting small businesses from unfair competition and leveling the playing field.

Mr. CONNOLLY. I thank my friend from Michigan. Mr. Chairman, my amendment is an important step to protecting public health and safety. It will ensure the lifesaving benefits of protecting air quality, water quality, and food safety so that they are not automatically ruled out because of the cost alone. It will ensure, for example, that the CFPB can proceed with Dodd-Frank regulations protecting Americans from risky practices that led to the financial crisis and save lives by allowing the FDA to continue implementing provisions of the bipartisan Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and protect the public health and safety of our communities. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Fairfax County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and to congratulate the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation on the long-awaited dedication of the Tinner Hill Historic Site. On January 8, 1915, at the home of Joseph Tinner in Falls Church, nine community leaders formed the Colored Citizens Protective League (CCPL) in order to fight an ordinance in the then Town of Falls Church that would have legalized forced segregation in the town. This pioneering group evolved to become the Fairfax County Branch of the NAACP, which has played an instrumental role in the struggle for civil rights in Fairfax County and the nation for the past 100 years and will continue to do so in its next century. The Tinner Hill Foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit founded by Edwin B. Henderson II, a descendant of E.B. Henderson, the CCPL's first Secretary, to preserve this important piece of our community's history. The Foundation helps prepare tomorrow's leaders by ensuring they understand our community's past through cultural enrichment, arts, career and entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and counseling opportunities and by sponsoring clubs, groups, and organizations. The Foundation also has been engaged in the creation of The Tinner Hill Historic Site, The African American Heritage Walking Tour, The ``Dear Editor'' Contest, and The Tinner Hill Blues Festival. I am proud to have partnered with the Foundation since I was the Providence District Supervisor on the Fairfax County Board. It was at a Foundation event like this where we first discussed the idea of preserving this property, and the very next day I worked with my colleagues on the Fairfax Board to direct the County Executive to collaborate with the City of Falls Church to purchase this site, which is so significant to the cultural history of our community. And earlier this year, I was pleased to help capture moving and inspirational stories from some of the Foundation's members as part of the Northern Virginia Civil Rights Archive, which my office assembled in collaboration with the Library of Congress and local library branches. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the Tinner Hill Heritage Foundation on this momentous occasion and commending its members for their steadfast efforts to preserve and promote the legacy of the brave African Americans who established the Fairfax County Branch of the NAACP and for their commitment to advance educational opportunities for students in the community. I also congratulate the Fairfax County Branch of the NAACP on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your tireless efforts in support of equal rights and justice for all.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. ``. . . to coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures; ``To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States; ``To establish post offices and post roads; . . .''

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and commend Paula C. Sampson on the occasion of her retirement after a long and distinguished career in public service to the residents of Fairfax County, Virginia. For the past 15 years, Paula has been the director of the Department of Housing and Community Development. She has spent her career focused on putting home ownership within reach of more people and finding more affordable options for those not yet able to purchase their own home. After graduating from the University of Michigan with degrees in political science and history, Paula landed a job as a local urban planner. She then relocated to the National Capital Region and accepted a position with the National Association of Counties in its Legislative Affairs Office. Fairfax County recruited her to become the Housing Department's Director of Real Estate Finance in 1986. In 1994, Paula left Fairfax to become CEO of the Connecticut Housing Investment Fund, a state-wide, nonprofit organization focused on affordable housing. Thankfully Paula realized her true home was here in Fairfax, returning in 1999. I served on the Board of Supervisors at the time and knew she would be a real champion for housing, which is no small feat. On the administrative side, you're managing public dollars, gauging the local housing market, and building community partnerships with banks and nonprofits. But there is also a human side, in which you're working to assist residents across the spectrum, from those seeking help buying a first home to those wanting assistance managing their money so they can one day afford a home to those who are homeless and simply need a warm place to rest their heads. Paula truly gets it and proved adept and skillful in juggling those different aspects of her duties. In describing herself, she says, ``While the complexities of real estate finance, the challenges of deal-making and the excitement of the ribbon-cutting are all fun, the real motivator for me is helping an individual have a place to call home. My own modest beginning showed me that growing up in a stable home is the stepping stone to future success.'' I had the pleasure of working closely with Paula during my tenure as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors on a successful affordable housing preservation initiative. We had identified the growing shortage of affordable housing as a primary challenge for the County. Job growth was significantly outpacing construction of new housing units, and those that had once been affordable were quickly being converted or redeveloped into condominium units to capitalize on the hot real estate market at the time. We convened a summit of business, faith, nonprofit, and community leaders, and from that exercise we appointed a task force, which recommended the Board of Supervisors establish a goal of preserving 1,000 affordable housing units over a four year period, which at the time we viewed as a stretch goal. As Chairman, I was pleased to champion that goal and set that course for our community, but it was Paula who seized the mission and kept the Department's staff focused on advancing this cause at every turn and through every hurdle. Thanks to her efforts, and those of our many partners, we not only surpassed our goal, we nearly tripled it with 2,700 homes preserved. We were so successful that at one point, the Board dedicated the value of one penny on the local real estate tax to the preservation effort. Based on the success of that initiative, we launched a campaign to prevent and end homelessness in 10 years, again hosting a summit and appointing a task force to build community support. It is because of that effort that Fairfax was able to break the mold and actually reduce its homeless population during the Great Recession while other communities struggled. Through it all, Fairfax has been blessed to have the strong support of the faith, nonprofit, and business communities, including Catholics for Housing, Homestretch, Cornerstones, Pathway Homes, United Community Ministries, Sekas Homes, Deloitte, the Fairfax County Chamber, and so many other community partners. We also worked together in advancing the concept of Magnet Housing in the County to provide workforce housing for nurses, police officers, firefighters and other young professionals serving the community. More recently, I was pleased to collaborate with Paula in support of the County's application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for acceptance as a Move to Work agency. That designation provides invaluable flexibility with federal dollars to allow Fairfax to better leverage its housing and human service funds with assistance from community partners to provide homeless residents with housing and job training so they can ``move to work'' and self-sufficiency. In addition to her regular duties, Paula also has served on multiple regional, state, and national boards, including the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies, the National Community Development Association, and the Freddie Mac Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. Without question, she has helped make our community stronger, and helped provide other communities with the tools to model our success in Fairfax. Thanks to Paula's leadership Fairfax is moving ever close to goal of providing safe, affordable housing for all those who wish to call our community home. Mr. Speaker, Paula Sampson's commitment to public service has set an example that will benefit our community for generations to come. Her accomplishments are truly outstanding and deserving of our sincere appreciation. When I was Chairman of the County Board, we often joked when retirement announcements like this came before the Board that we should pass a resolution to not allow such talented and dedicated staff to leave public service, and I certainly wish that was the case here. I wish Paula the best of luck in her retirement, and I ask my colleagues in the House to join me in expressing our appreciation for her long and fruitful service to the residents of Fairfax County.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I would just say to my friend from Illinois that, yes, this is politicized all right, and now we have got Congress in the business of permitting. And if we are going to go down that route, I have a 7-Eleven in my home county that can't get a permit. Maybe I will bring it to Congress. This is not the way to solve environmental problems, and this oil is for export from Port Arthur, Texas. It is not designed to help domestic supply in the United States. Mr. Speaker, my friends on the other side of the aisle have now tried more than 54 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act in some fashion. Today they are at it once again, offering the so-called, Orwellian- named Save American Workers Act. I am still trying to figure out what they are trying to save the American workers from. Good health care? Doctors? Nurses? Free preventative checkups? The denial of insurance based on a preexisting condition? Exactly what are you trying to save them from? Despite the repeated distortions and assaults, the Affordable Care Act is working. In the most recent open enrollment, more than 6.5 million people have registered for or renewed their health insurance coverage through the marketplace exchange, and open enrollment will continue through February 15 of this year. Just this week, new data show the uninsured rate has sunk to 12.9 percent, a 4-point drop in the past year, and one of the lowest in decades. Many of these are our constituents who, without the Affordable Care Act, would not have health insurance. They are realizing the benefits of a patient-centered insurance model in which their coverage cannot be rescinded or denied because of a preexisting condition and does not put them at risk of bankruptcy in the event of an emergency. But my friends on the other side will not be deterred in their zeal to repeal, at any cost, no matter who it hurts, even if it means abandoning their own professed principles. The Congressional Budget Office says this bill would increase the Federal deficit by at least $53.2 billion over the next 10 years. I thought my colleagues wanted to reduce the deficit, which is exactly what the Affordable Care Act does do, to the tune of $109 billion over the same period.

Mr. CONNOLLY. But rather than save workers, as its title would suggest, this bill will actually sabotage them. Again, CBO says 1 million people who currently have insurance will lose it under the Republican plan today, half of whom will have to go to Medicaid, and the other half will just be left on the street. Mr. Speaker, American workers need the Affordable Care Act. I urge my colleagues to oppose the rule and the underlying H.R. 30.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise with the members of the Virginia delegation to inform our colleagues of the passing of one of our colleagues, former Member of this Chamber, Herbert Harris. Herb died at the age of 88 on Christmas Eve at his home in the Mount Vernon district of Fairfax County. He served three terms in this body, from 1974 to 1980, representing what was then Virginia's Eighth Congressional District. Like his predecessor Stan Parris, my predecessor Tom Davis, and myself, Herb served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors prior to his election to Congress, and that experience served him well here in the House. He was a champion for the region, helping secure the necessary Federal funds to complete construction of the Metro system here in the Nation's Capital and to expand the Manassas National Battlefield Park for Civil War preservation. He returned to private law practice after leaving the House. Our former colleagues, Representatives Moran, Davis, and Wolf, collaborated in 2001 on a bipartisan basis to honor Herb by naming a new post office in the Mount Vernon district in his honor. Many of us attended funeral services for Herb earlier this week, and flags were flown at half-mast throughout Fairfax County and at the capitol in Richmond. Mr. Speaker, I now ask my colleagues to join all of us in extending our gratitude for his public service and our sympathy to his family and friends by standing with us at this moment to observe a moment of silence in Herb Harris' memory.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I welcome you and all of our colleagues back for the start of the 114th Congress. I was encouraged by Speaker Boehner's remarks yesterday calling for all of us to begin this shared endeavor on common ground. I couldn't agree more. As someone who comes from local government, I know firsthand the music that can be made when elected leaders allow their commitments to improve the quality of life for our neighbors to guide their actions rather than partisan ideology. My predecessor in this Chamber was also a veteran of local government. And although we had our share of partisan differences, we both like to say that we belong to the same party, the party of getting things done, a moniker to which this new Congress should aspire. Without question, there will be rigorous battle of ideas, and we should expect nothing less in the arena of elected leadership. But at the end of the day, our constituents expect us to resolve those differences, to accomplish something on their behalf rather than on behalf of our respective parties. Mr. Speaker, when a final tally is taken of this Congress, I hope we do prove the pessimists wrong and show we were a Congress that got things done.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise with the members of the Virginia delegation to inform our colleagues of the passing of a former Member of this Chamber, Herbert Harris. Herb died at the age of 88 on Christmas Eve at his home in the Mount Vernon neighborhood of Fairfax County. He served three terms in the House from 1974 to 1980, representing what was then Virginia's 8th District. Like his predecessor, Stan Parris, my predecessor, Tom Davis, and me, Herb served on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors prior to his election to Congress, and that experience served him well here. He was a champion for the region, helping secure the necessary federal funds to complete construction of the Metro system and to expand the Manassas National Battlefield Park. He stood out as an outspoken liberal at a time when most of Virginia, even Northern Virginia, was still largely conservative. During his tenure on the Fairfax County Board, he fought for community infrastructure investments, particularly for transportation and sewer system modernization. He also helped with Inova Health System's expansion to Mount Vernon. It was during these years that he served on regional transportation boards, including the Metro Board of Directors, and became one of its chief regional advocates. Upon his election to Congress, he pushed to secure the necessary federal funds to complete the regional Metro system, and he was an early proponent for expanding the system further into Virginia to reach Dulles International Airport and other communities. A veteran of the Navy, Herb fought the Carter Administration on proposed cuts in national defense and military pay. And based on his experience in local government, he became an advocate for granting full voting representation in the House for the District of Columbia. After narrowly losing his bid for re-election in 1980 and then a rematch in 1982, Herb put his political career aside, telling one confidant that the time required by today's Members to raise campaign funds put too much emphasis on chasing money rather than exchanging ideas. He returned to private law practice after leaving the House. Our former colleagues, Representatives Moran, Davis, and Wolf collaborated in 2001 to name a new Post Office building in the Mount Vernon area to honor Herb's service. Many of us attended funeral services for Herb yesterday, and flags were flown at half-mast at the Fairfax Government Center and the capitol in Richmond. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join us in extending our gratitude for his public service and sympathy on his passing to Herb's family and friends by standing with us to observe a moment of silence.

Mr. CONNOLLY

Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Bruce Roland, of Clifton, Va., on the occasion of his retirement today, January 2, 2015, after more than 29 years of invaluable service to the United States House of Representatives. Mr. Roland began his career with the House in December 1985, after working six years in the private sector. He was hired by former Clerk of the House, Ben Guthrie, as a Service Coordinator for Property Supply. Mr. Roland was responsible for initiating service and delivery orders and managing event setups. He progressed to become the Assistant Purchasing Manager for the Operations Support Center, which offered an opportunity to learn new skills. Eventually, his tasks evolved into managing the budget and advocating for the financial needs of the Logistics & Support Office. During the span of his career, Mr. Roland worked for the Directors of Non-Legislative and Financial Services including General Leonard Wischart and Randall Medlock. When that position was renamed the Chief Administrative Officer, he worked under Scott Faulkner, Jeff Trandahl, Jay Eagen, Dan Beard, Dan Strodel and the current CAO, Ed Cassidy. For many years, he worked directly under Cosmo Quattrone and Tom Van Dyke in the Furnishings Department, lending his expertise in purchase orders, and acquiring items for the House. It soon became clear that he was proficient in budget and finance, so he took that task on full- time. Eventually, he became the Budget Point of Contact for the Logistics & Support Department, working closely with Deputy CAO, Walt Edwards and Chief Logistics Officer, Jerry Bennett. Had Mr. Roland not worked for the House, he might have tried to become a professional golfer. He is an accomplished golfer and often played on teams fielded by the CAO for charity events. Mr. Roland says he now intends to enjoy a little more golf while balancing his responsibilities for his three children, his daughter, Antoinette, who is now in college, and twin boys, Robert and Anthony, following the passing of his wife, Marguerite, in 2013. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Mr. Bruce Roland for his distinguished service and tremendous contributions to the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Roland's duties, like those of all his colleagues within the CAO, are vital to helping make sure we are able to perform our duties as the elected representatives of our communities and the nation. I want to thank Mr. Roland for his commitment to public service, and I wish him and his family all the best as they begin this new chapter of their lives.