Barbara Comstock

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize three students from Dominion High School who recently led a Distracted Driving Campaign at Dominion High School in Sterling, Virginia. Kirsten Chun, Bryce Griffin, and Joseph Pavich took on this campaign as part of their Creative Marketing Project, which focused on Distracted Driving and Joshua's Hands. Joshua's Hands is a non-profit organization based in the 10th District whose mission focuses on community service and teen safe driving, founded in memory of Joshua Guthrie who died in a car accident. Their mission is to keep roads safe and to educate teens about the consequences of distracted driving. To create a visualization to meet this awareness goal, these students removed 15 students from classes throughout the day and instructed them to dress in black and not interact with their classmates. This exercise served to represent the 15 people that are killed each day due to distracted driving. Ms. Chun, Mr. Griffin, and Mr. Pavich utilized the school announcement system to convey their message, in addition to selling t-shirts which said ``Take Action STOP the Distraction.'' Students at Dominion also took a distracted driving survey in order to gain a better understanding of their peers' views of distracted driving. These students partnered with Chantilly Autobody in addition to Joshua's Hands for their project. Driving while distracted seems to plague many of our drivers today, and young people are particularly susceptible to this. I am honored to recognize these students today for their mission to educate their peers about the grave consequences of texting while driving. It is my sincere hope that their project will facilitate more awareness in the future about the growing problem of distracted driving so that our community will remain safe.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Michael Burnett, who the NFL and Washington Redskins recently recognized as the Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year. The award was created to honor exemplary high school football coaches who exhibit a commitment to the health and safety of their players as well as integrity in leadership. Michael is the head coach of Tuscarora High School's Varsity Football Team. Following a coaching career in California, he led Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia to two consecutive state titles. He moved to Tuscarora High School to start their football program. Michael has taken the opportunity as a high school football coach to build character in his players and ensure their growth as both players and leaders. It is fitting that he earned this high honor from the NFL because of his commitment to personal growth in youth and their overall health and safety. In addition to his recognition by the NFL, Michael will receive $25,000 from the NFL Foundation which he plans to donate to the Adam Fortune Scholarship Fund, which was created in honor of his close friend and former defensive coordinator at Broad Run and Tuscarora, who died in 2014. The fund is designed for players who exemplify strong character on and off the field. In addition to coaching, Michael teaches Advanced Placement (AP) Economics and serves as Department Chair of Social Studies at Tuscarora High School. I am honored to recognize him today for helping shape young athletes in our community to lead lives of integrity.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Janet Clarke on her retirement from the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and I want to take this opportunity to thank Supervisor Clarke for her extraordinary service to the people of western Loudoun County, as Blue Ridge District Supervisor. My congressional district includes all of Loudoun County, and it has been a privilege to have worked with an elected official of such high caliber and commitment. The Blue Ridge district is situated east of the Blue Ridge Mountains in some of the most scenic countryside imaginable. Encompassing 45% of the area of the county, the Blue Ridge District includes the beautiful, historic towns of Purcellville, where Janet earlier served on the Town Council, Middleburg, Round Hill, Hillsboro, Aldie, St. Louis, Bluemont, Arcola, Brambleton, Upperville and Philomont. From the moment she was sworn in to office, Janet Clarke began taking action to preserve and protect the special history and rural character of western Loudoun County, by finding ways to strengthen its economic viability and the quality of life of its people. Supervisor Clarke was a strong ally of the Rural Economic Development Council, an important advisory board of Loudoun County government that promotes the sustainable growth and vitality of Loudoun County's agricultural, horticultural, equine and other rural industries. And to bolster the effectiveness of the commission, she successfully advocated for the hiring of another staff member, dedicated to supporting the commission's work. Another aspect of maintaining the rural character of the region is the ongoing challenge of maintaining roughly 280 miles of rural roads. After organizing meetings with their western Loudoun constituents, Supervisor Clarke and her colleague, Supervisor Geary Higgins from the neighboring Catoctin District, with the legislative help of State Delegate Randy Minchew, worked with the Virginia Department of Transportation to initiate a repair and restoration project on gravel roads, prioritizing 11 roads that were in most need of repair. To protect and enhance the quality of life of her constituents, Supervisor Clarke took on another vexing problem. Many of the people she represented could not obtain adequate connectivity to the Internet. Collaborating with those who had an interest in improving the situation, she and Supervisor Higgins held a Broadband Summit at Woodgrove High School, that included a panel discussion consisting of members of the Loudoun County Communications Commission, Loudoun County Public Schools and other county experts and various improvements are taking place. While the broadband problem has not been fully solved, Supervisor Clarke and Supervisor Higgins are to be commended for initiating the Let's Stand for Broadband! movement, that is gradually resulting in better educational opportunities for students, expanding economic opportunities for businesses and providing greater public safety for western Loudoun residents. Shortly after taking office, Supervisor Clarke immersed herself in another complex problem affecting the quality of life of her constituents. Although Lyme Disease is generally underreported, in 2011 alone, 261 cases of the disease from Loudoun County were reported to the Virginia Department of Health. Realizing that Loudoun County was at the epicenter of this epidemic, and after months of gathering information and speaking with Lyme experts and citizens, then Vice Chairman Clarke, along with her colleagues Supervisors Higgins and Ken Reid, put forth a Resolution and Proclamation Recognizing 2012 as Lyme Disease Awareness Year, as well as a 10-Point Action Plan to Mitigate Lyme Disease in Loudoun County. One of the action plan items was the creation of the Loudoun Lyme Disease Commission which is made up of citizens and health care professionals with a strong interest in Lyme Disease prevention and education. The commission has been instrumental in implementing other provisions of the 10-point plan, including the development of educational materials for schools, information for the county website, and the launching of Lyme Education Forums throughout the county. In August, 2013, the initiative of Supervisor Clarke and her two colleagues, entitled ``Loudoun Targets Lyme,'' was recognized by the Virginia Association of Counties as a model government program in the area of Health and Human Services. Janet Clarke was also a great champion of capital improvements for the people of her magisterial district. Her efforts included advancing the construction project for Loudoun Valley High School into the budget and onto the ballot for approval. She also secured funding to assist the town of Purcellville with improvements to Fireman's Field and to design the Purcellville to Franklin Park trail. Supervisor Clarke's efforts also led to the construction of the second entrance and exit to Woodgrove High School, the sidewalks in Middleburg and Purcellville, the Hillsboro water improvement project, the Upper Loudoun Youth Football League facility, and lighted fields at Franklin Park. Supervisor Clarke's desire to protect and enhance the quality of life of the people she represented included standing with Delegate Randy Minchew and the Green Mill Preserve residents in stopping the expansion of the gas compression station and tirelessly working to ground the Red Hill water tower. These types of controversies often pitted one group of constituents against another, but Supervisor Clarke did not hesitate to take a stand and advocate for what she believed was in the best interests of her constituents. At Thanksgiving in 2011, shortly after being elected to the office of County Supervisor, Janet Clarke wrote a message to her Blue Ridge District constituents promising three things: First, that she would work hard to preserve their community's culture and heritage; second, that she would represent their diverse interests and needs with an open door policy; and third, that because our ``children are watching,'' she would attempt to do her work ``in a respectful manner that they can be proud of and learn from.'' Mr. Speaker, in my view, Janet Clarke managed to fulfill these promises with grace, courage and compassion and our children and grandchildren will be the ultimate beneficiaries. After having given so much of herself to protect and preserve the quality of life of others, it is understandable that Janet Clarke has decided to focus on her own quality of life, by spending more time with family, church and her own health and well-being, not to mention the job that helps provide financial sustenance for her and her family. Whatever she does in the next chapter of her life, whether it is in the area of education, mental health or some other societal need, I know that Janet Clarke will approach it with total commitment and effort and will continue to leave a lasting positive influence on the lives she will touch.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Christina Anton, a student in my district who was chosen to receive a grant to do a community service project through GenerationOn and the National Rural Electrical Cooperative Association. GenerationOn is a global youth service movement with the goal to empower youth to change the world around them through service to both their communities and countries abroad. GenerationOn is the culmination of a number of youth service organizations that was formed five years ago in 2010. The National Rural Electric Cooperative is very selective, choosing only one Youth Tour student from each state to receive a grant. Christina Anton is an exceptional student and strives to create a better world for herself and her peers through community service. Her community service project is one that is of great importance to Virginia's 10th Congressional District, and concerns an issue I have been working on for a number of years, Lyme disease. The town of Clifton has a beautiful park that gives the community access to a number of trails. The amount of ticks has grown quickly in recent years and has caused people to avoid the area. As a direct result of the increase in ticks, a campsite in the park has become overgrown. Christina aims to partner with my former colleague in the Virginia House of Delegates, Delegate Tim Hugo, Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity, and the Clifton Betterment Association to assist with Lyme disease prevention and clean up the campsite. This is an admirable project that will greatly contribute to the prevention of Lyme disease, a terrible and debilitating disease that affects so many. I truly appreciate all that Christina is doing to help our community.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on January 13, 1903, 102 Korean immigrants first arrived in the United States. Today we celebrate Korean American Day and the contributions of our Korean American community. Earlier this week, we had a celebration right here on Capitol Hill, with many of my colleagues joining our local and national community. When I previously served as the State delegate and now, as a Member of Congress, I have been privileged to work with our Korean American community in northern Virginia and throughout the 10th District through organizations such as the Korean American Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area; the Korean Medical Society; the Korean Women's Chamber of Commerce, which has worked with us tirelessly on battling the human trafficking issue. These are a few of the many organizations that serve in our area. I have also been privileged to visit with the Korean faith community and attended many cultural festivals, such as the annual KORUS Festival, which I was honored to chair just last year, and Korean Independence Day, which we celebrate annually in August with our local community--and I know we celebrate it throughout our country--so that we can all unite in our passion for freedom and for the ``One Korea'' cause, something we are all united on. Near my home in the 10th District is Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, which is home to the Korean Bell Garden, a gift to the community and to our park system from the Korean American Cultural Committee, which serves our whole community as a beautiful symbol of goodwill towards all. I am proud to be a member of the Korea Caucus, and I appreciate that goodwill and the goodwill that is found throughout our Korean American community. I join with them today in celebrating this anniversary.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 36, had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 22, I was unavoidably detained on official business and missed the vote. The vote was on H. Res. 581, the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 1927, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation Act of 2015. Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye.''

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 5, my vote did not register. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes.''

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the following law enforcement personnel who have recently been honored at the 11th Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner in my district for their invaluable service and commitment to our communities. I submit the following excerpts from a speech delivered by Mr. Jim Wink, who spoke at this event in the fall. This year's honorees are Officer Dustin Bowers of the Mount Weather Police Department, Officer William McCann of the Northwestern Regional Adult Detention Center, Deputy Shane Jewell of the Clarke County Sheriff's Office, Deputy Mackenzie Carter of the Winchester City Sheriff's Office, Deputy Aaron Jeter of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Laura Patten of the Berryville Police Department, Corporal Richie Lewis O'Connor of Winchester Police Department, Trooper Terry Hilliker of the Virginia Department of State Police, and DEA Special Agent Thomas Hickey of the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force. Officer Dustin Bowers has continually displayed the highest degree of competence, esprit de corps, and dedication to the mission at Mount Weather. He routinely goes above and beyond to perform his duties as a police officer, and in doing so, improves the Mount Weather department. Officer Bowers, without hesitation, took on the responsibility of serving as the field training officer for new officers. This year, Officer Bowers was selected to attend the federal law enforcement training center's active shooter instructor course. Since completing the course, Officer Bowers has worked to improve the department's capability to respond to an active shooter incident. He is currently developing an active shooter training program for Mount Weather emergency operation center employees focused on teaching them how to react to shooting incidents in the work place and other public locations. Officer Bowers also, through his own initiative, researched and proposed new equipment that the department purchased, which improved police officer readiness at all levels. Mount Weather Police Department can think of no finer officer more deserving of recognition. Officer William McCann is the head of the field training officer program, a CPR instructor, training officer, and constant mentor at the detention center in Winchester. He has been nominated and will be the recipient of two life-saving awards. In addition to these two critical incidents, Officer McCann's impact is present on a daily basis. He is one of the most respected and influential staff members in the detention center which accounts for nearly 200 employees. Officer McCann's wealth of knowledge comes from over 20 years of experience in the Maryland department of corrections where he served as a lieutenant. Deputy Shane Jewell joined the Clarke County Sheriff's Office in 2009. He is a respected instructor at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, where he teaches defensive tactics. Deputy Jewell supports the mission of this office and is the epitome of a team player. Deputy Jewell's hard work and dedication to the Clarke County community is valuable. Deputy Mackenzie Carter joined the Winchester City Sheriff's Office only a year ago; however, in a short time, she has displayed her dedication to the office and her team. She exerts a strong ability to assist others and volunteers for extra duties at the sheriff's office. Deputy Carter has the willingness to take on difficult projects and see them to a successful completion, which has repeatedly impressed the sheriff over the past year. Deputy Carter has also shown that she is dedicated to going above and beyond in serving her community. She has participated in and started several community-based fundraising events and community service incentives, such as the CCAP food drive, Evans Home for Children food drive, the Winchester Literacy Foundation summer reading program. While on patrol one evening, Deputy Aaron Jeter, observed a speeding violator. He made the decision to stop the vehicle for the violation. With the assistance from other deputies; Deputy Jeter was able to recover a large amount of heroin from under the vehicle. The total amount seized from the traffic stop was 261 individual packets of heroin and over $400.00 in cash. Following this seizure, Deputy Jeter continued his increased effort to combat the local heroin epidemic, which plagues our community. Deputy Jeter's work against the local heroin problem is truly noteworthy. The efforts of deputies, like Aaron Jeter, will help curb the amount of heroin related overdoses and deaths, which our community has recently faced. Deputy Jeter's outstanding work with these cases makes him a worthy and deserving candidate for this year's HSCBA award. Laura Patten serves the Berryville Police Department as the sole civilian employee in the capacity of administrative assistant. She began working for the department in August of 1989 and is looking forward to her upcoming retirement in 2016. Early in her career she served as a crossing guard making sure the children of the community made their way safely to school and back home. In the office, Laura keeps the flow of communication working between the community and officers in the field. Indeed, she is the face and voice of the department working the front desk and answering the phones. It is often an under-appreciated function that Laura provides to the department. Berryville PD Chief Neal White states he is very thankful that she is getting the credit she truly deserves. Corporal Richie Lewis of Winchester responded to a violent kidnapping last year that involved a male holding a knife to the throat of a female. Lewis helped to neutralize the situation with the help of his team. Upon seeing the officers the suspect became agitated, so the officers withdrew from the building out of fear the suspect would harm the female. When the suspect shut the hall door Cpl. Lewis reentered the building and snuck up to the landing on the third floor. While Cpl. Lewis was approaching the landing, with gun drawn, the suspect reopened the door. Out of fear of shooting the female Cpl. Lewis transitioned from his pistol to his Taser. When the suspect gave Cpl. Lewis an opening between the female's body and his own, Cpl. Lewis was able to shoot the suspect with his Taser and incapacitate him, bringing the situation to a quick and effective resolution. Trooper Hilliker handles all traffic and criminal matters with professionalism and personal pride. He continues to take on the extra responsibility of being an explosive K-9 handler on top of his other duties. Trooper Hilliker's dedication to the department and the citizens it serves is unmatched. 2001-2002 Winchester Police Department, 1997-1999 Muskego Police Department Muskego, WI. Terry Hilliker served as a member of the Winchester and Muskego Police Departments as a patrolman where he was tasked with a multitude of responsibilities and challenges when working in local law enforcement. The experience Terry learned during this time is evident in his current role as a trooper. Terry Hilliker started his service related professions with the United States Marine Corps (1976-1996). He served in various command, staff and administrative billets from the platoon, company, and battalion levels to the regimental, brigade, and division level. Terry retired from the Marine Corps with the rank of lieutenant colonel. DEA Special Agent Thomas Hickey is a contributing member of the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force and assists members of the force with numerous narcotics cases annually. Special Agent Hickey has been and continues to be a major supporting federal entity essential to fighting the current heroin epidemic. Special Agent Hickey has been instrumental in numerous local heroin cases by providing intelligence information, identifying major Baltimore, Maryland heroin suppliers and arresting and prosecuting large scale Baltimore heroin distributors who have plagued our communities. Special Agent Hickey is a dedicated law enforcement professional who believes in the working relationships between state, local and federal law enforcement agencies. He continues to provide an expert element to the drug task force that is necessary in combating the drug epidemics that plague our communities. Special Agent Hickey responds to active drug overdoses and assists agents by providing support and advice. He prefers to be involved in local drug cases from the beginning, and often responds to and assists local agents at all hours of the day and night. In 2014 special Agent Hickey initiated, investigated, and prosecuted fourteen large scale federal heroin investigations all of which were directly related to the Winchester, Frederick and Clarke county communities.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize Richard Shickle, an extraordinarily gifted leader from the northern Shenandoah Valley, on his retirement. Very proud of his roots in Frederick County, Richard Shickle has applied the values with which he was raised and the education he received at James Wood High School and Virginia Tech to have an extraordinary influence on the place he has always called home. Armed with a bachelor's degree in Public Administration and a professional designation as a Certified Public Accountant, Richard Shickle has spent decades as a strong and visionary leader of two of the most important institutions in the Shenandoah Valley, the Government of Frederick County and Shenandoah University. Richard Shickle is the longest serving Chairman At-Large of a county board of supervisors in the Commonwealth of Virginia. For twenty years, he has served the citizens of Frederick County, four as Supervisor for the Gainesboro District, and sixteen as Chairman of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors. Under Chairman Shickle's conservative leadership, Frederick County has experienced great economic growth that has included business relocations and expansions by H.P. Hood, Kraft Foods, Fisher Scientific, McKesson, O.N. Minerals and Navy Federal Credit Union. The county's low taxes have fostered the growth of many small businesses while still providing for important capital improvement projects, including the Bowman Library, the Frederick County Public Safety Building, several schools including Millbrook High School, and the Frederick County Transportation Center. And Chairman Shickle's penchant for careful planning has resulted in the Rural Areas Recommendation and Report, as well as the establishment of the Frederick County Economic Development Authority, which has proven to be an important economic development tool for the county. As though the responsibilities of being Chairman of the Frederick County Board of Supervisors had not been sufficiently challenging, until recently, Richard Shickle also served, for 32 years, as Vice President for Administration and Finance of Shenandoah University during a period of rapid growth. In that capacity, he oversaw the offices of the university that are responsible for its administrative, financial, budgetary, and physical plant functions; and coordinated its student employment, legal services and insurance programs. In retirement, Richard will continue to serve on boards and commissions, generously offering his knowledge and wisdom to the many valley leaders who will be seeking his counsel. He and his wife, Louise Marie Grube Shickle, are also looking forward to spending more time with their four children, Denise, Lisa, Richard, Jr. and Martha, as well as their eight grandchildren. As the member of the House of Representatives from Virginia's 10th Congressional District, I know that I echo the sentiments of the people of the northern Shenandoah Valley in expressing deep gratitude for the strong leadership and dedicated service of ``favorite son'', Richard C. Shickle, Sr., who has left such a positive and lasting mark on our valley community. I also know I'm joined by thousands of others whose lives he has touched, in wishing him and Louise many interesting and satisfying years of retirement to come.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bipartisan transportation authorization, the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, also known as the FAST Act. I thank the Chairman for his leadership on this bipartisan transportation reauthorization. This is a 5-year bill that provides both budgetary certainty and project flexibility for our states and localities so that they may invest in and upgrade our transportation system and do so with more innovative technologies and approaches. The certainty provided by this long-term bill also saves money by stopping the short term patches that complicate planning and yield cost overruns. As a representative in Northern Virginia, I know too well the traffic congestion issues we face and appreciate that this bill provides much- needed assistance in this area. I am pleased to have served on the Conference Committee for this bill, and pleased that numerous provisions from one of my bills on congestion relief and research were included. This measure will help promote the development of transportation technologies and tools for congestion relief. The bill also includes some of my provisions related to Metro safety and accountability that I worked on with my DC and Maryland counterparts, Ms. Holmes Norton and Ms. Edwards. Again, I thank everyone involved in this process. I urge my colleagues to support the FAST Act.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself and Congressman Robert Hurt, I submit these remarks in remembrance of Dr. H. Gilbert Miller, an enthusiastic innovator, a champion of technology, and a good man. We join the Miller family to mourn his loss, which is felt by all who knew him, and celebrate his life, which has left an indelible impact on many in our districts and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Dr. Miller was a visionary--a gifted engineer who spent his career supporting the development and innovation of cutting edge technology into our federal government programs most recently as Chief Technology Officer of Noblis, Inc., a non-profit science, technology, and strategy organization. At Noblis, he was the champion behind the development of the Noblis Innovation and Collaboration Center--the NICC--a place where great minds had room to grow and an incubator for transformative collaborations that yielded innovations and discoveries. Dr. Miller's mission was to help solve the world's toughest big data and analytic challenges by seeding and developing the nation's best minds and supporting their efforts with the power of technology. His leadership brought one of the world's largest and most dynamic supercomputers to Danville, Virginia for private sector use. But Dr. Miller's love for technology and innovation went far beyond the walls of Noblis. He was a passionate supporter of STEM educations. Dr. Miller chaired and served on numerous volunteer, educational advisory boards, including most recently as Vice Chairman of the Dean's Advisory Board for the Volgenau School of Engineering at George Mason University and on the advisory board for the Data Analytics Engineering Program at George Mason University. In recognition of his many accomplishments, his leadership role in advancing science and technology at Noblis and in support of Noblis' federal government clients as well as advancing the public-private partnership with the Commonwealth of Virginia, in 2011 Dr. Miller received the CTO Innovator Award from the Northern Virginia Technology Council. But more than his extensive list of professional accomplishments, Dr. Miller was a loving husband, a caring father and a devoted grandfather. His greatest joy was in spending time with his family. We extend our deepest sympathies to Gil's wife, Dot, and three children Ryan, Matthew, and Kristen, his grandchildren, and the entire Miller family. We hope that they can take comfort in the love they share and the knowledge that they do not walk alone in their grief. We have lost Gil far too soon, but his legacy lives on. Thank you for sharing him and his talents with us. We are forever grateful.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Bonnie Carroll, of Loudoun County, Virginia, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 24th. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is our nation's highest civilian honor, and I am humbled to recognize Mrs. Carroll today. Mrs. Carroll is a retired major in the United States Air Force Reserve who has dedicated her career to aiding family members of our nation's veterans and service members. Following the death of her husband--Brig. Gen. Tom Charles Carroll, who died in an Army C-12 plane crash in Alaska in 1992--she founded the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which seeks to support families who have lost loved ones in the military. Mrs. Carroll utilized the resources given to her following her husband's death to start this fantastic organization that offers help to so many families who are grieving. As Founder and President, Mrs. Carroll has made it her priority to provide resources to families of fallen service members in their time of need. TAPS runs a peer support network that connects families with others who are grieving across the United States. Since its founding, TAPS has assisted over 50,000 family members. Mrs. Carroll, we thank you for your stewardship in our community and your lifelong commitment to public service. You have made your nation and the 10th District of Virginia proud. I wish you the best of success in the years to come.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the 5th Anniversary of a truly great institution in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, Jill's House. Jill's House is a home away from home for children with a variety of disabilities. It gives the hard-working and caring parents of children with disabilities an overnight respite in order to provide parents the time to focus on their marriage and family, rest, and get ahead on work and refresh their lives. Their children spend the night at Jill's House, where they have highly trained staff to provide care.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on House Administration be discharged from further consideration of House Concurrent Resolution 93, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's desk (S. Con. Res. 24) the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for the unveiling of the marble bust of Vice President Richard Cheney on December 3, 2015, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 250th anniversary of the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church of Lovettsville, Virginia. This past Sunday, New Jerusalem held a special anniversary worship service, led by Pastor Joel Guttormson and the head of the Washington Metropolitan Synod, Bishop Graham, who delivered the sermon. Following the service, over 200 people gathered for a luncheon at Lovettsville Fire and Rescue station in celebration. New Jerusalem traces back to 60 German families seeking fertile farmland who journeyed south from Pennsylvania. These early settlers came from the Palatine region of Germany, Alsace, and Lorraine, France and referred to their church as ``the new Jerusalem,'' where they could gather in fellowship and worship. The current structure has been in use since its consecration in 1869, but the original congregation first gathered for worship in a log structure which served as both a school and a church. New Jerusalem is recognizable by its distinctive bell tower that serves as a landmark in the Washington Metropolitan area. The original buildings sit on property granted by Lord George William Fairfax, while the nearby Lovettsville Union Cemetery acts as the final resting place of many of Lovettsville's residents from over the last two and a half centuries. It is the oldest Lutheran church in the Washington, D.C. area and serves as an important landmark for its historic significance and contributions to the community. New Jerusalem has made a significant impact on the community for over two and a half centuries, and we join them in celebration of 250 years of worship. I am honored to recognize this momentous occasion today and wish New Jerusalem Lutheran Church all the best moving forward.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. I thank the chairman. I would like to reiterate my thanks to the chairman and to everyone on the committee for working with so many Members on this bipartisan surface transportation reauthorization, which is very important legislation. Mr. Chairman, included in this bill is a provision that is vital not only to the entire national capital region but also to my district. It contains the text of the Protect Riders of Metrorail Public Transportation Act, which is the product of collaborative efforts between Ms. Norton, Ms. Edwards of Maryland, and me. The language facilitates a necessary change to the safety oversight structure of the Washington Metrorail system in the wake of recent accidents and incidents, safety problems, and problems in the reliability of the system. It does so by reinforcing and expanding the authority of the Secretary to use the Federal Transit Administration to directly oversee Metro and to provide safety and reliability to our commuters. Our Metro is the second busiest transit system in the country, and it must be the gold standard in safety as well as in reliability because it serves our entire Federal workforce as well as our many visitors to this important national capital region.

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Madam Chairman, I thank Chairman Smith, and I thank Ranking Member Lipinski for their support. I also thank Chairman Shuster and our ranking member for working with us on this amendment. I urge passage of this amendment that will help bring our transportation system into the 21st century. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Madam Chair, I rise today in support of my amendment, which incorporates important provisions from a bill of mine, H.R. 3585, the Surface Transportation Research and Development Act of 2015. I appreciate that I serve on two committees that are very important to my district: the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. I am also honored to chair the Subcommittee on Research and Technology, which came together to pass this measure. This amendment, which consists of parts of this bill, is common sense and bipartisan. It provides for more and better solutions to ease traffic congestion and provide key research for transportation. The first part of the amendment further clarifies language in the underlying bill regarding universities' abilities to submit grant applications for the University Transportation Centers program as either the lead or partnering applicant. This provides more universities the opportunity to seek these funds. The second part directs the Secretary of Transportation to develop a 5-year Strategic Plan for Transportation Research and Development. The third part of the amendment covers an issue that will be appreciated by Members representing urban and suburban areas of the country, and that is traffic congestion. It provides authority for the Transportation Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology to conduct research to reduce traffic congestion. That research would ask the Assistant Secretary to: First, help accelerate the adoption of transportation management systems that allow traffic better to flow in safe and more efficient ways; Second, to assess traffic, transit, and freight data from various sources; Third, develop and disseminate strategies to reduce congestion for high-density traffic regions; and Fourth, to collaborate with other Federal, State, and local governments as well as industry and universities. The fourth and final part of this amendment authorizes the Assistant Secretary to transmit a report to Congress on rail safety issues. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment. Madam Chair, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith), the chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee.

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Again, I thank the chairman, and I thank everyone involved in this important legislation, of which I am happy to rise in support.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Speaker John Boehner, a hardworking, dedicated gentleman who has served this institution with dignity and diligence. His perseverance in this role has been a true service to the Nation. He is a class act whose respect for the institution and his love of country are extraordinary. I have been privileged to work with Speaker Boehner, first when I was a congressional staffer on Capitol Hill back in the nineties, when I worked for my predecessor. At that time, Republicans took a historic majority in 1994 and Speaker Boehner then was in the leadership. Then this year I was able to join, as a Member of Congress myself, with the largest Republican majority since the 1920s and serve with Speaker Boehner once again. I know from that experience, both as a staffer as well as a Member, the incredible, great treatment he always gave his staff, how we all know the legendary ``Boehnerland,'' and how he has always been so wonderful to work with. All of them continue to keep in touch with him. Speaker Boehner has taken on each of these tasks, when he was a Member, when he was a Gang of Seven member, when he was a chairman, when he was a leader, and now a Speaker, with an energy and willingness, regardless of the headwinds. He is an honorable man of faith and conviction who has always served his constituents and the American people, particularly children and the most vulnerable, in a faithful and consistent way. I particularly appreciate the Speaker bringing this year the Prime Minister of Israel, Mr. Netanyahu, and Pope Francis to this body to make historic addresses to Congress, addresses that we will always remember and that were just inspiring this year. I so appreciate his leadership in insisting on having us hear from those wonderful leaders of the world. He has always served as a patriot committed to our founding principles. He will be missed by many on both sides of the aisle, although I know he welcomes this new chapter in his life. I am very happy that he will be able to spend more time with his beloved new grandson and his family. I thank Speaker Boehner for his service to this country, and I wish him well again as he begins this new chapter in his life.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. I thank the chairman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3033, the Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia Act, also known as the READ Act. Coming from a family of educators and as the daughter of a librarian, I truly understand the effects a reading disability can have on children. Reading opens up such a wide world for children and for all of us, and no one should be cut off from that beautiful world that reading opens up to us. When dyslexia goes undiagnosed, it can result in struggles in the classroom and continue through into their careers as adults. Despite knowledge of the condition since the 19th century, many Americans remain undiagnosed and untreated. Given what we know today and we know the advancements we can make with research and technology, we need to make sure we are not letting that stand. In July, I joined a bipartisan group of my colleagues to cosponsor the READ Act. The bill requires the President's annual budget request to Congress to include a line item for the Research in Disabilities Education program of the National Science Foundation. It also requires the National Science Foundation to devote at least $5 million annually to dyslexia research, which would focus on best practices for early identification of children and students with dyslexia, professional development about dyslexia for teachers and administrators, and then programs development and evidence-based educational tools for children and all of those who are dealing with this. I would like to thank Chairman Smith, the committee staff, the ranking members, and everyone who supported this important bipartisan legislation.

Mrs. COMSTOCK

Mrs. COMSTOCK. Mr. Chair, I rise today in support of H.R. 702, a bipartisan bill to lift the 40-year old, self-imposed, crude oil export ban. The United States is now among the top oil producing nations in the world. Lifting this export ban will bring us roaring back into the global oil markets at a time when market conditions are particularly competitive. Contrary to what some of my friends across the aisle may say, this bill would actually lower gas prices here at home. We live in a global economy, and participation in a global market leads to competitive pricing. The non-partisan Government Accountability Office--in addition to the world-renowned analytics firm, HIS--have both determined that enacting this bill will lower gas prices, create hundreds of thousands of jobs, and provide a much-needed boost our economy. With all these benefits, why would we continue to hold onto this export ban? The only reason it was imposed in the first place was in response to the Arab oil embargo. That was over 40 years ago. It is prudent to move past these decades-old issues, and instead focus on the issues we face today. Today, we are facing a dangerous nuclear deal with Iran--a deal of President Obama's making. And one component of this terrible deal is that sanctions will be lifted on Iran so that they will be able to access a much larger portion of the world oil market, yielding billions of dollars to their coffers. Why would we make a deal with Iran--a deal that allows them to export their oil so they can fund terrorism around the world--but still hold onto this self-imposed ban? Without this bill, the U.S. would be missing out on billions in direct revenue to the Treasury, not to mention the secondary revenue streams from improved economic conditions. Let's pass this bill to unleash economic growth. Let's pass this bill to create hundreds of thousands of much-needed jobs. Let's pass this bill to counterbalance the exports of Iran, Russia, and the OPEC nations. I urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill.