Michael Doyle

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, for far too long, Republicans in Congress have kept our Nation stuck in neutral, while our highways, bridges, and transit systems crumble around us. They keep riding the clutch with these short-term patches to keep the highway trust fund solvent for another couple of months. You could say that we are in a big race and the road ahead is long. We can't keep stopping for gas every 5 minutes, and we have got to stop scrounging under the seats and the floormats for enough change to buy a gallon here and a gallon there. America's been in the lead, but now, we are just inching along. If we don't get back on track soon, we are going to be left in the dust by our foreign competitors. In the next few months alone, more than 600,000 American jobs are at risk. Mr. Speaker, congressional Republicans are in the driver's seat, so they need to start driving like pros. It is time for Congress to do their job and pass a long-term plan to pay for much- needed investments in our roads, rails, and bridges. I say: ``Fill her up with hi-test.''

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. First off, I want to thank my good friend, Joe Barton. Joe, you know, you used the tools that are at your disposal. This was a great game. It was good. I think all the fans were treated to a very competitive game this year. We had almost 10,000 people attend the game this year. As we all know, the real winners here are our charities. This game helps raise money for the Washington Boys & Girls Clubs, the Washington Literacy Council, and the Nationals Dream Foundation. I am happy to report, after expenses, we were able to write checks in excess of $100,000 to each of the three charities. So those are the big winners of the game. This was a hard-fought game. In the last 3 years that we have played this game, our team has made only one error. We made that this game, but I think the difference in the score was that we made the plays in the field. Both pitchers were outstanding. Your new pitcher, Mark, we weren't used to that knuckle ball and some of those curves. He kept us off balance, and he pitched a brilliant game. I believe you guys actually had one more hit than we did. You had six and we had five. Cedric Richmond, coming off of shoulder surgery, pitched a gutsy game for seven innings. And I should also mention that, after striking out, he hit a double over the center fielder's head, just to throw that in. I want to also note Joe Donnelly, our first baseman, made some unbelievable plays at first base that, I think, saved the game for us. And then, as always, anytime I ask Linda Sanchez to put a batting helmet on, she gets a hit. So those three individuals share our team MVPs. Also, there are lots of ways to contribute, and Eric Swalwell stole three bases for us and scored. He did it all on the base pads, and he deserves some notice for that, too. Joe, I just want to say it was a great game. I want to thank you for how hard your team fought, and we look forward to a competitive game next year. We know some day, you know, the shoe will be on the other foot. But for the past 7 years, we are kind of enjoying this. So God bless.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Talk is cheap, Joe. Bring it on.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the artistic ability of a young man from my Congressional District, Andrew Lowery from the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School. Mr. Lowery is the winner of the 2015 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania's High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery.'' Mr. Lowery's artwork, a self-portrait in graphite, was selected from a number of outstanding entries to this year's competition. In fact, 63 works from 15 different schools in Pennsylvania's 14th Congressional District were submitted to our panel of respected local artists. It's a real tribute to Mr. Lowery's skill and vision that his work was chosen as the winner of this year's competition. Mr. Lowery's artwork will represent the 14th Congressional District of Pennsylvania in the national exhibit of high school students' artwork that will be displayed in the United States Capitol over the coming year. I encourage my colleagues as well as any visitor to Capitol Hill to view Mr. Lowery's artwork, along with the winning entries from the high school art contests held in other Congressional Districts, which will be on display in the Capitol tunnel. It is amazing to walk through this corridor and see the interpretation of life through the eyes of these young artists from all across our country. Cassandra Finnegan from Springdale High School was awarded second place for her watercolor and pen composition ``The Early Bird.'' Miranda Miller from Woodland Hills High School received third place for her acrylic on board painting entitled ``Corner of Hanover and Church.'' Faiza Amir from Woodland Hills High School was awarded fourth place for her acrylic painting on canvas entitled ``Flat Out Majestic,'' and Jared Bollman from Northgate High School received the fifth place award for his untitled chalk pastel composition. In addition, Honorable Mention Awards were presented to works by Shannon Nelis from East Allegheny High School, Andrew Beninate and Katie McGregor from Montour High School, Spencer Condon from the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School Jimmy Niu from the Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy, Shannon Kelly from Riverview High School, Brandon Konkiel and Natalie Walker from Sto-Rox High School, and Isis Duncan of Woodland Hills High School. I would like to recognize all of the participants in this year's 14th Congressional District High School Art Competition, ``An Artistic Discovery:'' from Carrick High School, Kiera Manus; from East Allegheny High School, Adrienne DeLisi, Katlin McArdle, Shannon Nelis, and Abigail Petrocelli; from Montour High School, Andrew Beninate, Grady Butler, Joanne Fowkes, Erin McCleary, Katie McGregor, and Olivia Trevenen; from Northgate High School, Jared Bollman and Jesron Hall; from Penn Hills High School, Racine James, Anna Lintelman, Areanna Russell, and Sarah Wheeler; from the Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts School, Spencer Condon, Andrew Lowery, Gigi Varlotta, and Rosalea Williams; from Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy, Jimmy Niu; from Pittsburgh Westinghouse School, Margaret Ahmad-Revis, Christjon Malloy, Layla Miller, William Penn, and Alanna Young; from Riverview High School, Shannon Kelly, Kylie Mericle, and Kelly O'Donnell; from Serra Catholic High School, Tyler J. Gedman, Kalin Greene, Victoria Hart, Jen Pricener, Erin Thomas, and Rachel Vidil; from South Allegheny High School, Matthew Dougher, Noah Elder, Adriann Frantish, Tywan Igles, Nicolette Ruhl, and Lesley Taylor; from Springdale High School, Cassandra Finnegan, Zachary Lamperski, Maria Lucas, Marisa Stover, Emily Thomm, and Milana Yaksich; from Sto-Rox High School, Brian Berry, Tieka Berry, Brandon Konkiel, Alanna Molter, Katelyn Parker, and Natalie Walker; from Wilson Christian Academy, Nicole Bonomo and Haley Peretic; from Woodland Hills High School, Faiza Amir, Isis Duncan, Miranda Miller, Rayven Smith, and Tonee Turner. I would like to thank these impressive young artists for allowing us to share and celebrate their talents, imagination, and creativity. The efforts of these students in expressing themselves in a powerful and positive manner are no less than spectacular. I hope that all of these individuals continue to utilize their artistic talents, and I wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. I thank my good friend for yielding me time. I want to thank him as well for his support for this legislation in committee and here today on the floor. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1690, legislation to designate the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse. I have the honor and privilege of representing the city of Pittsburgh in the House of Representatives. Joseph F. Weis, Jr., was a well known and respected individual in western Pennsylvania who served his country both as a soldier and as a judge. Naming the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh would be fitting recognition for an individual with such a long and distinguished record of service to his country. Joe Weis left college and enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. Later in life, he described that decision simply as ``the thing to do. The country was at war, and I felt I should be out there doing my share.'' And he clearly did. He was wounded twice fighting in France with the 4th Armored Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and a Purple Heart with an oak leaf cluster for his action in combat. After the war, Joe Weis completed his undergraduate degree at Duquesne University and then pursued a legal career, joining his father's practice after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh Law School in 1950. After a number of years in private practice, he was elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 1968 as the first choice on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. As a judge, he rapidly earned a reputation for dedication, integrity, and hard work. Two years later, Judge Weis was appointed to the Federal bench, and in 1973, he was appointed to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, one step below the Supreme Court. He served on that court for 40 years, retiring just 2 years ago when he was 90 years old. He worked tirelessly to improve the judicial system, advocating for innovative courtroom technologies and enforcement of judicial ethics. He was recognized for his outstanding service on the bench with the Devitt Award, the highest honor given to Federal judges. Amidst this impressive list of accomplishments, he was known most of all for the strength of his character. Joe Weis was beloved by his colleagues and his law clerks, who to this day call themselves ``Weis guys.'' Joseph F. Weis, Jr.'s life is a model all public servants should aspire to emulate. Naming this Federal courthouse in his honor is a fitting way to honor this long, faithful, and capable service to our country and to hold him up as an example of a true public servant. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to name the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh in his honor.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment today to highlight the contributions of the Oncology Nursing Society to cancer care in our Nation. Oncology nurses care for cancer patients during some of the most critical and challenging times of their lives. As cancer treatments have become more complex, oncology nurses have been called upon to acquire new knowledge and skills while continuing to provide compassionate care and emotional support to their patients. This is where the Oncology Nursing Society comes in. Since 1975, the Oncology Nursing Society has worked tirelessly to lead the transformation of cancer care and ensure that our Nation's oncology nurses are well equipped to tackle the healthcare challenges of the future. Next week, the Oncology Nursing Society will hold its 40th Annual Congress. I want to commend the Oncology Nursing Society for its commitment to the highest quality care possible for cancer patients, and I want to offer my congratulations on its 40th anniversary.

Mr. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Girls of Steel robotics team on winning the Chairman's Award at the 2015 Buckeye Regional FIRST Robotics Competition in Cleveland, Ohio. This is the most prestigious award at FIRST and it honors the team that best represents a model for other teams to emulate and best embodies the purpose and goals of FIRST. The Chairman's Award is presented to the team judged to have the most significant measurable impact of its partnerships among its participants and community over a sustained period, not just a single build season. The winner is able to demonstrate progress towards FIRST's mission of transforming our culture. I think that winning this award is a remarkable accomplishment that speaks volumes about the dedication these young women have in pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math or ``STEM'' careers, along with the hundreds of hours they have spent conducting outreach in the community. They even served to inspire the two female tech characters in the recently released Pixar film, ``Big Hero 6''. FIRST, which stands for ``For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,'' is an organization dedicated to engaging students in STEM fields. Hundreds of thousands of students gain practical, team- based engineering experiences through FIRST every year. As a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Robotics Caucus, I believe competitions like these are valuable tools for helping our young people explore potential careers in STEM. I've witnessed firsthand the incredible economic growth and development that these fields can produce in my district, and I strongly believe that these fields are crucial to our nation's future prosperity. I want to commend organizations like FIRST for their important work in encouraging young people in these pursuits. The FIRST Robotics Competition allows students to apply creativity and critical thinking in the demanding and competitive field of robotics, all while instilling a strong sense of pride in participants. Fifty young women from 8th through 12th grades associated with schools located in and around the Pittsburgh area are members of this year's Girls of Steel, and in recognition of their hard work, intelligence, and teamwork, I would like to mention each of these aspiring STEM professionals by name. They are Vishi Agrawal, Sonia Appasamy, Isabella Arnone, Arushi Bandi, Emilia Bianchini, Madeline Butch, Tristan Close-Abuyen, Samantha Eppinger, Adelle Fernando, Mackenzie Ferris, Payton Ferris, Marie Gerges, Kyra Halbert-Elliott, Corinne Hartman, Kristina Hilko, Sydney Hnat, Anna Jablonowski, Alaina Kotchey, Greta Lazzara, Jisue Lee, Sophia Lee, Sylvie Lee, Gayathri Manchella, Clara McCormick, Sree Mekala, Cheyenne Meyers, AJ Molder, Hera Mukhtar, Gigi Nieson, Anne Kailin Northam, Maddie Oppelt, Sanam Parwani, Helen Paulini, Sofia Porter Bacon, Priya Ray, Rachel Sadeh, Isabella Salvi, Lauren Scheller-Wolf, Sarah Seay, Alexa Selwood, Kriti Shah, Makayla Shreve, Annika Urban, Molly Urbina, Becca Volk, Mhairi Webster, Ziya Xu, Alayna Yates, Julia Young, and Natalie Young. In addition, I want to commend the staff of Carnegie Mellon University's Field Robotics Center, who have mentored the Girls of Steel since 2010. As a result of their efforts, more young women can experience real-world technological challenges and learn from some of the nation's best at solving these problems. These experiences will certainly benefit these young women in the future. I look forward to hearing about their progress as they advance to the FIRST Championship in St. Louis--the final and largest competition of its kind. This will be their fifth consecutive trip in five years and they will be competing against top teams from all over the world. I congratulate the Girls of Steel and wish them all continued success in their academic and professional endeavors.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to oppose this irresponsible and dishonest budget recently proposed by the House Budget Committee Republicans. Under this budget's grossly misguided priorities, people at the top continue to get richer while hardworking American families fall further behind. Last fall, at election time, congressional Republicans said they understood the pressures that American families were feeling, and they promised to help hardworking Americans. But this Republican budget would squeeze hardworking Americans even harder in countless ways, making it harder to pay for college, making it harder to pay for their health care, making it harder to ensure a secure retirement. This budget would eliminate health care coverage for tens of millions of Americans, cut nondefense government programs, from transportation to research to education, and make more than $1 trillion in unspecified cuts in Federal entitlement programs. This House Republican budget would make life a lot harder for hardworking American families like the ones I represent in western Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, this is a budget that needs not to pass.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Joseph Matthew Gaydos, Sr., a member of this body for twelve terms and a tireless advocate for working Americans. He passed away on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. He was 88 years old. Born July 3, 1926, Mr. Gaydos was the youngest of seven children. His parents, Helen (Elena) Megella and Joann (John) Gajdosh, (later changed to Gaydos) emigrated from Hungary and first settled in Greene County, Pennsylvania. Mr. Gaydos was born in Braddock, but grew up in Glassport where he attended Glassport High School before joining the Navy during World War II. After returning from the war, he attended Duquesne University and then the University of Notre Dame Law School. Following his graduation in 1951, he served as general counsel to the United Mineworkers Union District 5. He also served as Deputy Attorney General of Pennsylvania and Assistant Solicitor of Allegheny County before entering politics. Mr. Gaydos served briefly as a state senator for the 45th District from 1967 to 1968 before being elected to fill the seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Representative Elmer Holland. He was sworn in as a Member of Congress on November 5, 1968; he was the first Slovak- American to serve in Congress. He subsequently served nearly 25 years as the Representative for Pennsylvania's former 20th District. In Congress, Mr. Gaydos was a strong supporter of the steel industry and a dedicated advocate for his constituents. He founded the Congressional Steel Caucus in the early 1970's, and he was one of the first to alert the public to the consequences of subsidized foreign steel being dumped on the American market. Through the Congressional Steel Caucus, Mr. Gaydos encouraged members ``to strengthen trade law enforcement from unfairly subsidized and dumped steel imports,'' United Steel Workers spokesman Gary Hubbard said to the Pittsburgh Tribune- Review. ``He sponsored bills for job safety in industrial workplaces and the coal mines.'' In addition, Congressman Gaydos played an important part in drafting the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which protects workers' pensions. Shortly after retiring, Mr. Gaydos joined his son's law firm in 1992 and the name changed to ``Gaydos, Gaydos & Associates''. Mr. Gaydos remained with the firm handling Governmental Relations until 1994 when he retired for the second and final time. In a recent interview, Joseph Gaydos, Jr. described his father as a humble, hardworking man who had a pragmatic attitude and took the concerns of his constituents very seriously. ``He was never somebody who needed to drive a big car and have the fanciest of things,'' Joseph Gaydos, Jr. said. ``He was a regular fellow who told us to always remember where we came from.'' Mr. Gaydos was a proponent of actions over words, his son said. ``Don't tell me what you're going to do,'' Joseph Gaydos, Jr. recalled him saying often. ``Show me what you've done.'' Mr. Gaydos strived to live up to his own advice and often quoted ``A Politician's Prayer,'' a poem his wife wrote early in his career: So as a public servant / I pray to God above For guidance and humility / and a little bit of love. And after my life's ended / and I lay down to rest I'll know I can truly say / I've done my very best. Mr. Gaydos' friends, family and constituents can all attest to the fact that he did indeed do his very best. Joe Gaydos was a dedicated, hardworking public servant who spent his life championing the interests of working men and women. We could use more men and women like him in public life today. Joe Gaydos was a good man. I was proud to know him, and I want to extend my deepest condolences to his family and friends on their loss.

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania

Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, 16 days--House Republicans are playing a dangerous game of chicken with America's security, threatening to shut down the Department of Homeland Security unless we give in to their extreme demands on immigration; threatening to force DHS employees on the front lines who keep us safe--people in the Border Patrol, TSA, the Coast Guard--to go to work and risk their lives while they are not getting paid; threatening to furlough DHS workers who support the frontline folks by training new agents, purchasing new equipment, and collecting intelligence. Republicans are wasting our time on an unnecessary and dangerous showdown when they should be focusing on economic growth, creating new jobs, and increasing hardworking Americans' paychecks, so that we can preserve and expand the middle class in this country. I call on my colleagues in the Republican Party to abandon these unacceptable tactics, pass a clean DHS funding bill for the remainder of 2015, and start focusing on creating new jobs and increasing Americans' paychecks.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of the greatest legislators of recent decades, John Dingell, who will retire at the end of the 113th Congress. John Dingell has diligently served the people of Michigan's 12th district and our nation for nearly 60 years. John is recognized as the Dean of the House and the longest-serving Member of Congress in our nation's history, but it's not his longevity that has made him so special--it's the impact that his legislative accomplishments have had on our society. Through his service in Congress, he has crafted a legislative legacy that I believe to be unparalleled in its scope and its importance. John developed his reputation as a legislative giant with years of hard work, persistence, and shrewd coalition-building. Throughout his tenure, he has been at the forefront of passing groundbreaking, commonsense legislation. Most notably, John has been a strong, tireless leader in Congress in enacting important civil rights laws. Not only does this includes his work on the Civil Rights Act, but also his work to renew the Voting Rights Act and pass the Employment Nondiscrimination Act. This type of diligent persistence and strong leadership is something every one of us can learn from going forward. 1John served for many years as Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where he drafted landmark legislation and conducted painstaking oversight of the federal agencies within the Committee's jurisdiction. This includes championing environmental protection--from the groundbreaking legislation of the 1970s to the revolutionary Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 to fighting in recent years against efforts to roll back the progress that we've made. His passion for the environment and the outdoors is unmatched, and his accomplishments reflect his deep determination to make America a better place. Impressively, along with the issues I've already mentioned, he has had a tremendous impact on policies as varied as consumer protection and health care. Few Members of Congress have done as much to improve Americans' lives as John Dingell, and we can't thank him enough for his service. John's record of public service will be hard to match. As a youth, John served as a Congressional page. After serving our country in the Army in World War II, John served as a county assistant prosecutor before succeeding his father in Congress in 1955. Since then, he has served 29 remarkably productive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. I am proud to call John Dingell a good friend and respected colleague. It has been an honor working with him on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He has been a great mentor, a gifted leader, a skilled policy-maker, and a dedicated public servant. I wish John, his wife Debbie, and the entire Dingell family all of the best.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time and for his support of the legislation during consideration in the committee. I also want to thank every member of the Pennsylvania delegation who cosponsored this bill with me. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5146, legislation which would officially designate the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, my home district, as the Joseph F. Weis Jr. United States Courthouse. This would be fitting recognition for an individual who served his country so well, first as a soldier and then as an outstanding jurist. Throughout his 91 years of life, Joseph F. Weis, Jr., served our country with humility, integrity, and an unfailing sense of duty. As a young man, he enlisted in the Army shortly after Pearl Harbor. Reflecting on that decision later in life, he said plainly: ``It was the thing to do. The country was at war, and I felt I should be out there doing my share.'' He was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor and a Purple Heart with oakleaf cluster after sustaining multiple injuries over the course of his service. Upon returning back home, Joe Weis pursued a legal career, joining his father's practice after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh Law School in 1950. After becoming a respected trial lawyer, he was elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in 1968 as the first choice on both the Democratic and Republican ballots. As a judge, he quickly developed a reputation for patience and hard work. He always strove to improve our judicial system, advocating for innovative courthouse technologies and enforcement of judicial ethics. Two years later, Judge Weis was appointed to the Federal bench, and in 1973 he was appointed to the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, one step below the Supreme Court. He served on that court for 40 years, retiring just last year when he was 90 years old. He was recognized for his outstanding service on the bench with the Devitt Award, the highest honor given to Federal judges. Amidst this remarkable list of accomplishments, he was known perhaps most of all for the strength of his character. ``He is, if anything, an overly modest and unassuming individual,'' said the University of Pittsburgh chancellor at his Devitt Award ceremony. Joe Weis was equally beloved by his colleagues and his law clerks, who to this day still call themselves the ``Weis guys.'' The life of Joseph F. Weis, Jr., is a model that all public servants should aspire to emulate. Naming this Federal courthouse in his honor is a fitting way to recognize his long, faithful, and extremely capable service to our country, to inspire trust in the Federal justice system which he served for so long and with great integrity, and to provide future generations with an outstanding example of a great public servant. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation to name the Federal courthouse in Pittsburgh in his honor.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Chairman, I want to start off by congratulating our Republican opponents for putting up a hard-fought game in last night's Congressional Roll Call game. As you know, we broke two records. Last night, we broke an attendance record and a record for the amount of money raised for the charities. We raised over $400,000 for three charities. They were the real winners last night. I want to congratulate the Democratic baseball team. This is our sixth victory in a row, not that we are counting. Our guys played a hard-fought game. I want to very quickly single out two people that I think really made a difference. They both played second base. One was Raul Ruiz, our MVP, who made some outstanding plays; and second, our co-MVP, Linda Saanchez, brought the crowd to its feet. With that, I yield to my good friend and Republican manager, Joe Barton.

Mr. DOYLE. I will tell the gentleman that won't be permanent either.

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time. Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Lowenthal

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Thank you, Mr. Green, for yielding and for your support of the Autism CARES Act. First off, I want to thank my good friend and Autism Caucus cochair Chris Smith for his leadership and work on this critical legislation over the past 11 years. It has been a real pleasure and a labor of love to work with Chris on these issues. He is truly a champion in the autism community. I look forward to continuing that great working relationship with him. Mr. Chairman, it seems that every time new data is released on autism spectrum disorders, the numbers become more and more troubling. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control's most recent data show a continued rise in autism prevalence rates: 1 in every 68 American children. That is 1 in 189 girls and 1 in 42 boys. These are staggering numbers with serious implications for many aspects of American life. That is why passage of the Autism CARES Act today is so important: to continue research into the causes of autism, to educate health care providers and the public, to improve early diagnosis and intervention, to identify effective treatments, and to evaluate the types of services available to young adults with ASD. We can and must do better for the millions of Americans living with ASD and their families. Many Federal autism programs were first authorized by the Combating Autism Act of 2006, which has made a huge difference in the lives of autistic Americans and their families. Since its inception, Congress has reauthorized these Federal autism programs twice. Without new legislation to reauthorize them, the funding for these important programs will expire on September 30 of this year. We have made tremendous advances in understanding autism spectrum disorders, but this progress will be lost if Congress allows these programs to expire. This is why it is so important that Congress pass this commonsense, bipartisan, bicameral legislation like the bill that is before us today. The autism programs this legislation would reauthorize are vitally important to many families and individuals across the country. Early diagnosis and intervention can make a huge difference in an autistic individual's life and can have a dramatic impact on the individual's family and community as well. With the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders much higher than we thought just a few years ago, inaction is simply not an option. I urge my colleagues to support the Autism CARES legislation.

Mr. DOYLE

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

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Chairman, I want to start off by saying to my good friend the chairman that I plan to withdraw the amendment. Mr. Chairman, my good friend and colleague Tim Murphy and I are offering this bipartisan amendment that directs the Department of Commerce, the United States Trade Representative, and the United States International Trade Commission to report to Congress on the sanctions they can bring against companies that benefit from information acquired by hacking into private computers in the United States. The Justice Department recently indicted five Chinese military officers for stealing commercially valuable information from a number of companies in the United States. These indictments highlight what we have known for a long time: namely, that China and governments around the world are hacking into computers in the United States and using that information they steal for their own economic advantage. These hackers have targeted the offices of Westinghouse, U.S. Steel, the United Steel Workers Union, Alcoa, Allegheny Technologies, and SolarWorld, five of which are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The information they stole helped Chinese companies in negotiations or trade disputes with each of the targeted organizations. While these indictments are the first of their kind, businesses in the United States have been facing cyber attacks like this for years. I would like to think that these cyber spies will be prosecuted and imprisoned for their actions at some point, but that won't do anything to reverse the damage that they have done. Congress needs to focus right now--today--on protecting the American workers and businesses who face these attacks every day. I would urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our amendment and begin taking the necessary measures to counter cyber espionage against American workers and businesses. This amendment would take the first step by determining whether the U.S. government has the tools it needs to do just that. Let's send a clear message to bad actors around the world that the United States has the power and the will to punish those that engage in criminal trade practices. Mr. Chairman, at this time I yield to my good friend and colleague, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy).

Mr. DOYLE. Reclaiming my time, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Chairman Wolf for his efforts and support. Hopefully, we can work together to achieve the goals of this amendment with language in the conference report or some other means.

Mr. DOYLE. I yield to the gentleman from Virginia.

Mr. DOYLE. Reclaiming my time, I thank the chairman, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent to withdraw my amendment.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, today marks the second annual Childhood Apraxia of Speech Day, during which we will raise national awareness about Childhood Apraxia of Speech, a particularly difficult, persistent, and severe speech and communication disorder in youngsters. Today I want to recognize the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA), whose mission is to strengthen the support systems in the lives of children with apraxia. CASANA offers information and support related to CAS on its website, www.apraxiakids.org. Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) causes children to have extreme difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the tongue, lips, jaw, and palate that are necessary for the production of proper speech. It is among the most severe of speech and communication problems in children. While the act of learning to speak comes effortlessly to most children, those with apraxia endure an incredible and lengthy struggle. Although not life threatening it is life altering as families are left to cope with the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of having a child diagnosed with CAS. Additionally, without appropriate intervention, children with CAS are at high risk for secondary impacts in literacy and other school-related skills. We encourage states, insurance providers, and schools to recognize the critical need to provide adequate speech therapy and other services so that the impact of this disorder can be minimized and so that affected children can grow into productive, contributing adult citizens. Every child should be afforded their best opportunity to develop speech. With early intervention and appropriate therapy, most children with CAS will learn to communicate with their very own voices. These children, as well as their families, deserve our highest respect for their effort, determination and resilience in the face of such obstacles. Let's use Childhood Apraxia Day to raise awareness about CAS and support the goals of Better Hearing and Speech Month.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Girls of Steel robotics team on winning the Engineering Inspiration Award at the 2014 Pittsburgh Regional F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition. This is the third year in a row in which they have won this prestigious award, which goes to the team that does the most to increase appreciation for engineering in its community. I think that the remarkable accomplishment of winning this award three years running speaks volumes about the dedication these young women have to engineering as well as their considerable talent. The Girls of Steel also won the Entrepreneurship Award at both the Buckeye Regional and the Greater Pittsburgh Regional competitions. This award recognizes a team that developed the best business plan to identify, manage, and accomplish its objectives. F.I.R.S.T., which stands for ``For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology,'' is an organization dedicated to engaging our students in the vital fields of science, technology, math, and engineering (STEM). Hundreds of thousands of students gain practical, team-based engineering experiences through F.I.R.S.T. every year. As a founder and co-chair of the Congressional Robotics Caucus, I believe competitions like these are incredible tools for helping our young people explore potential careers in STEM. I've witnessed firsthand the incredible economic growth and development that these fields can bring in my home district, and I strongly believe that these fields are crucial to our Nation's future prosperity. For encouraging young people in these pursuits, I want to commend organizations like F.I.R.S.T. for their important work. The F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Competition allows students to apply creativity and critical thinking in the demanding and competitive field of robotics, all while instilling a strong sense of pride in participants. Thirty-nine young women from high schools located in and around the Pittsburgh area are members of this year's Girls of Steel, and in recognition of their hard work, intelligence, and teamwork, I would like to mention each of these inspiring ladies by name. They are Isabella Arnone, Sonia Appasamy, Arushi Bandi, Elizabeth Bianchini, Grace Brueggman, Abbey Ceraso, Rachel Cherian, Claudia Contreras, Laurel Donatelli, Samantha Eppinger, Clarisa Espinoza-Delgado, Mackenzie Ferris, Naoka Gunawardena, Heather Harrington, Rosanne Harrison, Sydney Hnat, Shoko Kanemoto, Campbell Konrad, Elizabeth Kysel, Jisue Lee, Sylvia Lee, Sophia Lee, Cheyenne Meyers, Gigi Nieson, Anne Kailin Northam, Maddie Oppelt, Simran Parwani, Korryn Resetar, Rachel Round, Kaitlyn Schaffer, Kriti Shah, Grace Schneider, Katie Shreve, Makalya Shreve, Lynn Urbina, Molly Urbina, Becca Volk, Alayna Yates, and Natalie Young. I would also like to mention that that two of the Girls of Steel, Simran Parwani of Fox Chapel High School and Sylvie Lee from Shady Side Academy, were awarded the prestigious F.I.R.S.T. Dean's List Award. This award highlights and celebrates exemplary student leaders who demonstrate and embody F.I.R.S.T.'s ideals. Additionally, I want to convey my sincere appreciation to the staff of Carnegie Mellon University's Field Robotics Center, who have mentored the Girls of Steel since 2010. Because of their efforts, more young women can experience real-world technological challenges and learn from some of the Nation's best at solving these problems. These experiences will certainly benefit these young women in the future. I look forward to hearing about their progress as they advance to the F.I.R.S.T. Championship in St. Louis--the final and largest competition of its kind. This will be their fourth trip in four years and they will be competing against top teams from all over the world. I congratulate the Girls of Steel and wish them all continued success in their academic and professional endeavors.

Mr. DOYLE

Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to one of my constituents who is truly an American hero. Mr. Robert Harbula of West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, fought bravely as a U.S. Marine in the Korean War--including the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Private First Class Harbula served in G Company of the Third Battalion of the First Marine Regiment, part of the First Marine Division, in the Korean War. His unit was referred to initially as ``George Company'' and then, later, after Chosin Reservoir, as ``Bloody George.'' Private First Class Bob Harbula was assigned to the Marine unit guarding Camp David, the Presidential retreat, when he served as an usher for the Washington, DC, premiere of ``Sands of Iwo Jima'' in January of 1950. After seeing the movie, he decided that he ought to get a more dangerous posting, so he volunteered for a marine raider unit several months later. Soon thereafter, he ended up in Camp Pendleton as part of the First Marine Division--and in August 1950, he found himself on a troopship headed for Japan with the First Marines as one of the early reinforcements for the hard-pressed UN forces in Korea. Mr. Harbula was part of the machine gun squad attached to G Company's First Platoon. Korea had been occupied for 35 years by Japan until the end of World War II, at which point it was partitioned at the 38th Parallel. South Korea was occupied and protected by US forces. North Korea was occupied by the Soviet Union. UN plans to hold elections and unify the country were rejected by the Soviets, and a communist dictatorship was established in the north. On June 25th, North Korean troops crossed the boundary separating North and South Korea, taking the ill-prepared South Korean Army by surprise and overwhelming it. Three days later, the North Korean army occupied Seoul, the South Korean capital. US troops from the Eighth Army based in Japan rushed to aid the South Koreans. They were thrown into battle piecemeal in a desperate effort to gain time for more reinforcements to arrive. South Korean troops and the US 24th Infantry Division fought the North Korean troops relentlessly, inflicting substantial casualties, but they were repeatedly defeated by superior numbers and forced to retreat. By August, US and South Korean forces had been pushed back to a fragile perimeter around the port city of Pusan in the southwest corner of the Korean peninsula. Despite repeated North Korean attacks, the Pusan Perimeter held and bled the North Koreans dry. General Douglas MacArthur, commander of US forces in the region, decided to launch a major amphibious landing deep in the North Korean army's rear at the port city of Inchon on Korea's west coast. Mr. Harbula's unit was in the first wave of the assault craft, which landed under heavy fire on September 15th. From that moment on, George Company was in nearly constant combat as US forces captured Inchon and fought their way into Seoul, where the fighting often deteriorated into vicious house-to-house combat. On the night of September 25th, George Company--heavily outnumbered--stopped a major North Korean counterattack by tanks, self-propelled artillery, and hundreds of men along Seoul's Ma Po Boulevard. Mr. Harbula and his section did what they could, firing a machine gun non-stop at the lead tank. With artillery support, George Company withstood and repelled the attack-- but at a terrible cost. The Inchon landing and the liberation of Seoul caused the weakened and over-extended North Korean forces in the south to collapse and beat a panicked retreat northward. The US Eighth Army began pressing northward in aggressive pursuit along Korea's west coast. The X Corps, which included the First Marine Division, was pulled out of the line and loaded onto amphibious transport ships. They sailed around the Korean Peninsula and disembarked at the end of October in the port of Wonsan on North Korea's southeastern coast, which had already been secured by South Korean units. George Company's first assignment after landing at Wonsan was holding a village called Majon-ni several miles inland at the junction of roads leading to Seoul, Wonsan, and Pyongyang. On November 2nd, PFC Harbula's machine gun squad was helping to escort a re-supply convoy through a treacherous mountain gorge when it was ambushed. Bob Harbula provided cover, firing a .30 caliber machine gun from the hip, while the surviving trucks were carefully turned around on the one-lane, cliff- edged road and driven out of the ambush to Wonsan, where they reported to headquarters and requested a rescue mission for the remaining survivors. George Company garrisoned Majon-ni for several weeks after the ambush. PFC Harbula took command of his 10-man machine gun squad after the sergeant who had been in charge was seriously wounded in the ambush. On November 14th, George Company moved north to the Hungnam- Chigyong region. That same day, a cold front moved into the region from Siberia, sending temperatures as low as -35 degrees each night. Such brutal weather would continue for the next two weeks, making weapons and equipment inoperable and causing thousands of injuries and deaths from frostbite and exposure over the course of the battle. The rugged Taebaek Mountains that ran up the middle of the Korean peninsula divided the Eighth Army from X Corps as each force pushed north. On November 24th, MacArthur ordered the ``Home by Christmas'' offensive to conquer all of North Korea up to the Yalu River, which formed the boundary between North Korea and China. The Eighth Army was to push north, while the First Marine Division was to push west from the Chosin Reservoir, cut off a North Korean major supply line, and link up with the Eighth Army. Unbeknownst to General MacArthur and his advisors, hundreds of thousands of Chinese troops had begun infiltrating into North Korea in mid-October. The General and his staff thought that there were only a few small Chinese units fighting in North Korea. In fact, Chinese troops were massing for attacks in both the east and west. In the east, the 9th Army Group of the Chinese ``People's Volunteer Army'' had encircled most of the Chosin Reservoir, a large man-made lake north of Wonsan and 65 miles northwest of the port city of Hungnam. On November 25th, nearly two hundred thousand Chinese troops launched a surprise attack on the Eighth Army, defeating it resoundingly in the Battle of the Ch'ongchion River and sending it retreating southward in what came to be called ``the Big Bug-out.'' On November 27th, however, the First Marine Division's orders were still to attack northwestward. Most of the Division's combat troops, primarily thousands of Marines from the First Marine Division's 5th and 7th Regiments, were positioned around the village of Yudam-ni west of the reservoir. An understrength regimental combat team from the 7th Infantry Division held territory on the east side of the reservoir up through the village of Hudong-ni to Sinhung-ni. A winding narrow road led through the mountainous terrain from each village to the bottom of the lake, where they met in the village of Hagaru-ri, which was lightly defended by a hodgepodge of units from the First Marine Division, including a number of companies from George Company's First Marine Regiment. Essential supplies had been stockpiled at Hagaru-ri, and engineers were desperately trying to build a small airstrip when they weren't fighting off enemy attacks. It was 14 miles of treacherous terrain from Yudam-ni to Hagaru-ni. To the east of the reservoir, it was a similar distance from Sinhung- ni to Hagaru-ri. From there, the road wound 11 miles through more mountainous terrain to the town of Koto-ri, where the 1st Marine Regiment's headquarters was located--defended by the Regiment's Second Battalion--and then another 10 miles to Chinhung-ni, defended by First Battalion, First Marine Regiment. From there, it was another 37 miles to the port city of Hungnam. That one narrow road was the only way First Marine Division and the other units from X Corps could get out of the mountains and back to the coast. Meanwhile, George Company was stuck somewhere in the rear echelons for lack of transportation. On the night of November 27th, all hell broke loose. The 9th Army Group of the People's Volunteer Army attacked the X Corps forces on either side of the Chosin Reservoir and at various points along the road as far south as Koto-ri. Tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers attacked the outnumbered Americans' positions. The Marines at Yudam-ni were surrounded and cut off, as were the soldiers of the 7th Infantry's Regimental Combat Team 31 on the east side of the reservoir--and the Divisional headquarters and elements of the 1st Marine Regiment at Hagaru-ri. On the morning of November 28th, George Company finally got some wheels. They were ordered into trucks and headed north, arriving in Koto-ri at nighfall. That night, the Chinese launched a massive attack on Hagaru-ri. They almost succeeded in overwhelming the outnumbered Marines, who had thrown every able-bodied man who could fire a rifle into the front line--down to, and including, the cooks and truck drivers. When dawn came, the defenses had held, but Chinese forces occupied the strategic high ground--East Hill--and unless reinforcements arrived, it seemed inevitable that Hagaru-ri would fall and the units around the Chosin Reservoir would be doomed. George Company's 200 men formed part of the 900-man ``Task Force Drysdale'' that was rapidly thrown together on the morning of November 29th in Koto-ri to reinforce Hagaru-ri. It took the column all day to fight their way up the 11 miles of road between Koto-ri and Hagaru-ri. They had to stop repeatedly to clear enemy roadblocks, and they were under fire the whole time from thousands of Chinese soldiers dug in on either side of the road. The route was subsequently given the name ``Hell Fire Valley.'' Late in the day, the rear of the convoy was stopped by a burning truck and surrounded by Chinese troops. Fighting through the night until their ammunition was nearly all gone, the surviving soldiers finally had no choice but to surrender. The front of the column, consisting of the surviving tanks, George Company, and some of the Royal Marines pushed on and finally broke through to Hagaru-ri. Only a third of the men who set out that morning in Task Force Drysdale made it to Hagaru-ri, but the 300 soldiers and the tanks that made it through Hell Fire Valley at such a terrible cost significantly bolstered the town's defenses. The next morning, November 30th, George Company was given the daunting mission of retaking East Hill. They slowly advanced up the hill, slipping and falling repeatedly on the ice and taking heavy rifle and machine gun fire. By the end of the day, they held the south end of the ridge, but the Chinese still held the center. George Company dug in as best they could, but the temperature that night dropped below -20 degrees and the ground was frozen hard. Private Harbula was forced to resort to piling dead Chinese soldiers around his machine gun like sand bags. Once it was dark, Chinese forces counterattacked, charging down the hill several thousand strong. The men of George Company fought bravely--eventually hand-to-hand. Private Harbula's machine gun jammed, and his position was overrun by the enemy. An officer ordered the men to pull back. He remembers hitting one Chinese Soldier in the face with his helmet and firing his pistol at several others. As he slipped and slid back down the hill, he fell into a shell crater. In the crater, he found several dead Americans and one of his comrades, Richard Haller, still alive but wounded in both legs. Private Harbula carried Haller down the hill to safety, but he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the process. Private Harbula was out of the fight, but the surviving members of George Company fought on. Finally, near dawn on December 1st, the Chinese attack petered out. December lst was something of a turning point. That day, the Marines in Yudam-ni began a break-out to the south. By nightfall, they had fought their way to Toktong Pass, halfway to Hagaru-ri. In addition, the engineers who had been working on the airstrip completed enough of the runway that C-47 transport planes could use it. That afternoon, planes started bringing in supplies and reinforcements and flying out the wounded. There was bad news on December 1st as well, however. With half of the men in Regimental Combat Team 31 dead or wounded, its commander, Lieutenant Colonel Don Carlos Faith, ordered his troops to destroy any equipment they couldn't carry and attempt to break through to Hagaru- ri. As the column advanced, it was attacked constantly by thousands of Chinese soldiers on each side of the road to Hagaru-ri. As night fell, Lieutenant Colonel Faith was killed trying to take a roadblock and the column disintegrated. Many small groups of soldiers fled through the night and made it to the Hagaru-ri perimeter alive, but everyone who stayed with the convoy was killed. Most of the First Division was now reunited in Hagaru-ri. The remaining able-bodied but exhausted members of George Company continued to defend the perimeter, moving to one end of the runway on December 5th and repulsing another large Chinese attack. On December 6th, the First Marine Division began its breakout effort--or as its commanding officer General O.P. Smith put it, not so much retreating as attacking in a different direction. George Company fought its way back down Hell Fire Valley--but this time as part of a unit powerful enough to defend itself. They reached Koto-ri by the end of the next day. The retreat continued the following day with the 5th and 7th Regiments pushing ahead and the 1st Regiment and George Company acting as a rear guard. Finally, they reached the port of Hungnam, where an armada of ships evacuated a quarter of a million soldiers and civilians, as well as a great deal of equipment. The ``advance in a different direction'' by the ``Chosin Few'' has become a legendary example of heroism, sacrifice, endurance, and suffering. Thousands of American soldiers rebuffed surprise attacks by overwhelming numbers of enemy forces and then conducted a 70-mile fighting retreat through treacherous mountain terrain in subfreezing weather. George Company, now ``Bloody George,'' did their part, fighting their way into Hagaru-ri, up East Hill, and then--outnumbered 10 to 1-- holding their perimeter against determined enemy counterattack. Private First Class Bob Harbula served bravely in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir until he was injured. Remarkably, several months later, Bob's brother, John, who was a Marine stationed in Norfolk, saw a Marine on crutches hitchhiking. John picked him up and they got to talking, and the Marine mentioned that he was at the Chosin Reservoir with G-3-1. John told his passenger that he had a brother who had also fought there with G-3-1. The hitchhiker asked John what his brother's name was, and when John told him that it was Bob Harbula, the Marine's face turned white and he said, ``that's the SOB that saved my life!'' John had given a lift to Richard Haller! Chosin Reservoir didn't mark the end of Bloody George's or Bob Harbula's combat action in Korea by any means. Soon after, he was back in combat. On April 15th, 1951, he was promoted to Corporal and put in charge of 2 machine guns and 20 men at the start of Operation Ripper. He fought again with G Company in North Korea at the Hwachon Reservoir, where the First Marine Division was awarded its third Presidential Unit Citation for action on Hill 902. He was finally rotated home on June 6, 1951. Mr. Harbula was recently quoted in the McKeesport Daily News as saying, ``I don't consider myself a hero.'' Well, I think it's safe to say that the rest of us do. I am grateful to U.S. Marine Corporal Robert Harbula for his heroic service to our country, and I am very proud to represent him in the House of Representatives. Mr. Harbula may not consider himself a hero, but he believes deeply that his comrades in George Company, especially those who gave their lives for this country, are heroes who never got the recognition they deserved. He has endeavored for years to educate the American public about the critical role George Company played in reinforcing and defending Hagaru-ri and holding it until the 5th and 7th Marine Regiments could reach it and the First Marine Division could carry out its legendary fighting withdrawal. That may finally be happening some 60-odd years after the fact. In 2010, a writer named Patrick K. O'Donnell published ``Give Me Tomorrow: The Korean War's Greatest Untold Story--the Epic Stand of the Marines of George Company.'' The book is based on extensive interviews with the surviving members of G Company. In addition, earlier this week, the story of George Company's actions in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir was the subject of an episode of ``Against All Odds''--a six-part series about battlefield heroism on the American Heroes Channel--which until recently was known as the Military Channel. Mr. Speaker, all Americans can be proud of the fact that in the course of our nation's history, there have been many inspiring, often heartbreaking stories of heroes who have given their lives for this country. There are many, many more Americans who have served this country who have risked their lives for this country. Many have come home wounded and disabled. We owe them all a debt we can never begin to repay. It's my belief, though, that we should remember them and honor them as best we can for what they've done. That's why, when I learned about Bob Harbula and George Company's service in the Korean War, I felt it was only right that I share their story with you and have it included in the Congressional Record. Mr. Harbula has spent much of his life trying to call attention to his brothers in arms--the Chosin Few--so I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the bravery and tremendous sacrifices of Bob Harbula and the men of Company G, Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment for their heroic service in the Korean War. God bless them, and God bless everyone who serves or has served our nation in its armed forces.