H. Griffith

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 2722.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks today in honor of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, which will be celebrating its 125th anniversary on July 7. Sadly, too often it seems as if lessons from history are overlooked or forgotten. But in Virginia, we are proud of our history, of our love of freedom, and of our dedication to independence. I commend the important efforts of the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution to keep in our hearts and minds American patriotism and the memory of our Revolutionary War heritage. As a student of history myself, I could spend hours discussing not only the various events preceding and succeeding our nation's fight for independence, but also the crucial role by Virginians. Countless patriots, battles, and events from this pivotal period in our nation's history ought to be commemorated and remembered, battles including but not limited to the Battle of Point Pleasant, which is credited as being the first battle of the American Revolution by the Senate of the United States, to the Battle of Great Bridge, the Burning of Norfolk, etc. May we forever remain vigilant and committed to preserving and protecting the self-evident truths and freedoms fought for and so carefully outlined in our nation's founding documents by our Founding Fathers. I extend to all those involved with the Virginia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution my best wishes on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, and look forward to this organization's continued success.

Mr. GRIFFITH

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

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, expanding the number of Appalachian States eligible for this program from three to six will allow additional States, including Virginia, to be able to participate. The committee and the subcommittee came up with a great idea. I just want to make sure it is expanded so that more States can benefit. The Kentucky Coal Association was in this week for a press conference, and one of their members said to me at that time that the sickness that has been in Kentucky is now spreading to Virginia, and they are absolutely right. In 1 year's time, my district has lost hundreds of coal mine jobs due to this administration's burdensome regulations on the coal industry; but it is not just the coal mine jobs. Many more jobs in related industries have also been lost. With those jobs, jobs in things as diverse as the hardware store, the Long John Silver's--you name it--are being lost throughout the coal country of Appalachian Virginia. The downturn of the coal industry in my district has led to many economic difficulties for many of my constituents and the local governments. I believe it is critical that we work to find ways to provide assistance throughout all of the Appalachian coal country, and my amendment would go part of the way to helping restore some economic vitality to my district. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I certainly have no quarrel with the committee or the committee chairman or the subcommittee chairman. I think this is a great pilot project, which was why I thought it was a brilliant idea, which is why I wanted to at least put this on the table. It is not my habit to offer and then withdraw. Sometimes, you lose; and I understand that is probably the case. I did want to put it on the table, and I do appreciate the gentleman's kind remarks. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 382 I inadvertently voted ``yes'', when I wanted to vote ``no.'' Amendment No. 4 Offered by Mr. McNerney

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, earlier, we heard the gentleman from Illinois say that this was a just say no bill. You bet it is. That is exactly what it is. It is the just say no bill--no to a weaker electric grid; no to fewer jobs, particularly in manufacturing and also in the coal and energy industries; no to regulations that do little to help the environment, but do a lot to raise your electric rates. When we are talking about protecting the ratepayer--that is who we are talking about, the average man and woman in this country, the families that are out there struggling, trying to make ends meet in an economy that is flat--this bill says no, we are not going to pass a bill on to you for little gain in the environment, but to raise your electric rates tremendously. The American families cannot afford it. Mr. Chairman, as an example, we heard from a former regulator earlier, but the Virginia State Corporation Commission--and that is the organization in Virginia--appointed judges who make the decisions on what you are going to pay for power in Virginia based on what is an appropriate amount. They said that customers in Virginia will likely pay significantly more for their electricity. The incremental cost of compliance for one utility alone--Dominion Virginia Power--would likely be between $5.5 billion and $6 billion on a net present value basis. That is just for one of the companies providing power. Let me give you an idea, Mr. Chairman, of exactly what that means to the people of Virginia. In my district, I have 29 geopolitical subdivisions, 29 different jurisdictions. Only two of those jurisdictions get their power from Dominion Virginia Power. Now, remember, Dominion Virginia Power is going to cost the ratepayers $5.5 billion to $6 billion, but that doesn't cover the whole State and doesn't cover very much in my district at all. And, accordingly, again going back to the statements of the Virginia State Corporation Commission, they say that, contrary to the claim that rates will go up but that bills will go down, experience and costs in Virginia make it extremely unlikely that either electric rates or bills in Virginia will go down as a result of the proposed regulations. So this is a very important measure. One of our prior speakers said that we should take the time to craft some kind of a compromise. This bill puts everything on hold until court cases can be decided and let Governors come in and say: Well, wait a minute. We can't make this happen in our State--or in our Commonwealth, as the case would be with Virginia. That is important. And maybe if we get this bill passed, we can sit down and find some way to compromise between the regulators at the EPA and the interests of the ratepayers. But because they are going to come out with this rule sometime later this summer, and the States have roughly 13 months thereafter to come up with their plan to meet the regulations, we do not have the ability to give that time.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. I yield to the gentlewoman.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I feel so bad that the gentlewoman thinks this is politicizing this bill. That is the furthest thing from my intent. I know the gentlewoman does not know me and she does not know that, for 17 years, I served in the Virginia House of Delegates. In Virginia, any time we created a board or policy advisory group like this, we generally had legislative members on there. What we found when we did that was that, when an idea came from the administrative branch, whether it was of the party that I was in or of a different party, we generally found that, by having people that were familiar with both sides of the issue, but people who also relied on and came to talk to us on a regular basis in the legislature, we felt more comfortable with those recommendations that had been made. We understood better what the background was. It made for better government. That is what this is intended to do. I didn't ask for a majority. I didn't say that Congress should have complete control. It just says there ought to be some members appointed by the Senate and appointed by the House. It doesn't matter which party is in control of the House or Senate. Recently, that was divided. It doesn't matter which party is in the executive branch. It just says this is a way to make sure that when you think it is important enough--when Congress thinks it is important enough to create an advisory board--that we both have some members, both the House and Senate, on that advisory board to make sure that there is interaction with us, as well as with the executive branch. Unless the belief is that the executive branch wants to politicize it because they get all the appointments, I don't know why they would think these appointments would be politicizing it. It is just for informational purposes and to make sure that everybody is heard at the table and that those ideas are shared.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, my amendment would make a couple of slight changes to two new advisory boards created in this bill: the STEM education advisory panel and a new Department of Energy advisory committee. My amendment sets the total number of members for these two new advisory boards at 15 each, and most importantly, it ensures that five of the members on each board are chosen by Congress, three by the Speaker of the House and two by the Senate majority leader. The purpose of my amendment is to ensure that the advisory boards have congressional representation, that we have people on there who work with Congress. The legislative branch is a coequal branch of government, and I believe that, as an institution, Congress should more aggressively assert itself as a coequal branch. This amendment has nothing to do with which party controls the legislative branch of government or which party, for that matter, controls the executive branch at any given time, nor does it ask for a majority of the members of these new boards to be congressionally appointed. The amendment would simply ensure that the legislative branch is involved in these boards that it, the legislative branch, is creating and that we are involved in the process of creating the reports which both the legislative branch and executive branch will rely on to make important decisions for these United States. If Congress deems an issue important enough to warrant an advisory board that is included in a bill we are passing, it just makes sense that we also appoint a portion of that board's membership. I hope we will do that as we go forward with many of our boards. I also think it will facilitate more conversation between the executive branch and the legislative branch as time goes forward. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).

Mr. GRIFFITH. Reclaiming my time, I would say that I don't know the gentlewoman's concerns on this particular bill. I do believe, as a Congress, we ought to be working to make sure that we have input on all of these advisory committees, whether it is on this bill or any other bill. Mr. Chairman, how much time do I have remaining?

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

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to commemorate the life of my colleague and friend Henry Jablonski of Christiansburg, Virginia, who passed away on April 26, 2015. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Henry went on to attend the University of Delaware, where he studied physics. He went on to work for Hercules, Inc. in Salt Lake City, Utah, Princeton, New Jersey, and Radford, Virginia. He married fellow Wilmington native Norma while in Salt Lake City. The pair were married for 53 years before Norma passed away in 2012. In Princeton his son Neil was born, and his daughter Jennifer was born in Radford. Henry truly was a rocket scientist, having worked in Utah to demonstrate the reliability of the Minute Man and Polaris missile stages. In 1967, Henry moved to Southwest Virginia in order to assist in designing a Hercules automated manufacturing facility for propellants. After 36 years of service, Henry retired from Hercules Inc./Alliant Techsystems in 1995. Later, he returned to work at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant at Valentec Systems, Inc., where he provided engineering and management services for a manufacturing operation. Additionally, Henry was very involved in public service. He was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors for four terms, and served from 1982-1997 as the county's District D representative. During that time, Henry was elected Chairman of the Board for three years and Vice Chairman for seven years. From 1982-1997, Henry also served on the Montgomery County Public Service Authority (as Chairman for two years and as Vice Chairman for two years) and the New River Valley Planning District Commission (again as Chairman for two years and Vice Chairman for two years). Additionally, Henry was active with the Montgomery County Regional Economic Development Commission (from 1988-1993), the New River Valley Development Corp. (from 1985-1997, Vice President and Board of Directors), the MBC (Montgomery County, Blacksburg, Christiansburg) Development Corp. (from 1990-1997, Board of Directors), the Montgomery County Planning Commission (from 1994-1996), the Montgomery County/ Floyd County Regional Library--Main Branch Building Commission (from 1986-1987), the Montgomery County School Site Selection Committee (from 1996-1997), and the Riner Fire Station Building Committee (from 1984- 1985, Chairman). Henry served on the Boards of Directors of the Warm Hearth Village and the Montgomery Museum and Lewis Miller Regional Art Center. Henry was the chairman of and a writer for the museum's book project committee. This committee lead to the publication of the 772-page book Virginia's Montgomery County, which covers the history of the county. Further, Henry served in the United States Air Force Reserves from 1958-1963, and graduated from the Aircraft and Engine Mechanics School at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. Henry is survived by son, Neil Jablonski and wife, Dianna, of Spotsylvania, Virginia; daughter, Jennifer Jablonski, of Columbia, South Carolina; and sisters, Pat Allen, of Kansas City, Missouri; Nannette Cannon and husband, Jim, of Wilmington, Delaware, and Mary Julia Stachecki and husband, Chester, of Dover, Delaware. Henry was predeceased by cherished wife, Norma. A man whose legacy and love for family, neighbors, and community will long be remembered, Henry will be greatly missed. I am honored to pay tribute to Henry's many contributions. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to congratulate Mr. Ben Talley, a science teacher at Van Pelt Elementary School in Bristol, Virginia, on being inducted into the 2015 National Teachers Hall of Fame. Education is important to the Ninth Congressional District and the future of our nation. Mr. Talley has 24 years of teaching experience, and has been awarded the prestigious McGlothlin Award for Teaching Excellence, the Bristol Mayors' Award of Distinction, a Rotary Outstanding Teacher, and Virginia Teacher of the Year. In addition to teaching at Van Pelt Elementary School, Mr. Talley teaches GED courses at the Bristol Virginia Jail. He has also written several books, including his 2007 book entitled ``The Game My Father Taught Me.'' Mr. Speaker, I again congratulate Mr. Ben Talley on his remarkable accomplishments and, on behalf of many in the Ninth District, thank him for all he has done for our area. Best wishes for many more years of continued success.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, over the past 6 years, the policy of the current administration has been to wage a war on coal that has crippled the coal industry and left areas like Virginia's Ninth District economically devastated, and I believe it has put our access to reliable, affordable electricity in jeopardy. The onslaught of harmful, burdensome, and unreasonable regulations on coal-fired power plants is continuing in the President's Clean Power Plan. States must come up with a plan for CO2 in 13 months after the final rule is released, which is supposed to be that summer. That State plan is then to begin by 2020 and completed by 2030. There are a number of clean coal technologies currently in development, but according to the testimony from the Department of Energy, these new technologies are not likely to be ready for prime time until 2025. That is 9 years after the States have to come up with a plan and 5 years after the States have to begin implementing that plan and halfway through the time to come into compliance. This is not right. If we are to avoid rolling brownouts, coal will have to continued to be used; but, if we don't take action, it will be illegal to use coal. While I fight and will continue to fight more for more reasonable regulations, we must take action to ensure that we can still use coal, should the next administration also be unreasonable and anticoal. Mr. Chairman, to bend the curve of development and bring the new coal technologies to market, we must spend some money. My amendment will simply add $50 million for fossil energy research and development from energy efficiency and renewable energy for the purpose of aiding the development of these new clean coal technologies so we can continue to have reliable, affordable energy. The very least we can do is to make sure that coal-fired power plants have access to these new technologies in a timely fashion so that they can meet these extremely burdensome regulations. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that the underlying bill provides a 6 percent increase in fossil fuel energy research. However, when districts like mine are seeing mine after mine shut down and power plants shut down because of numerous regulations on coal, it is clear that more needs to be done. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Chairman, I yield to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), the chairman.

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

Mr. GRIFFITH. Using the remainder of my time, Mr. Chairman, I would have to say that I appreciate the gentlewoman's comments, and I appreciate the chairman's support. The bottom line is that we are losing thousands of jobs in the central Appalachian region, and according to the Bristol Herald Courier in a recent article, 1,000 jobs have been lost in the last year alone in the coal fields. That is one concern. We are shutting down this month several coal-powered power plants in my district, and we are going to have serious problems if we don't do something. If we are going to continue down this path, we have to help the industry. We have to help make sure that we are burning the coal in a clean manner, and this is the way to do it. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to commemorate the life of my friend Allan Lee McCroskey of Roanoke County, who went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, April 7, 2015. Allan served our nation in the United States Air Force during Vietnam. In spite of his service-related ailments, Allan was always quick to greet you with a smile. He went on to serve as Commander for the Disabled American Veterans, Department of Virginia (2012-2013). In fact, Allan was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, and was a Disabled American Veterans National Service Officer. He also was retired from the Veterans Administration. Not only did Allan serve our nation, he actively served the community as well. He was Assistant Scout Master and Board Member of the Blue Ridge Council of Boy Scouts of America, and received the District Award of Merit, the Silver Beaver Award, and the James E. West Fellowship Award. He also was a member of the Scouting Heritage Society. Additionally, Allan was board member for Climbing Higher Ministries of Lynchburg and Combining Chapters of the DAV. He also was a member of Living Water Christian Church and Cave Spring Masonic Lodge #230. Allan was preceded in death by his father, Richard L. McCroskey; his stepmother, Agnes McCroskey; his mother, Virginia Johnson McCroskey; his loving wife of 37 years, Reatha Tuck McCroskey; and his second wife of eight years, Linda Perkins McCroskey; his sons, Matthew David and Stephen Paul McCroskey; and his brother, Richard F. McCroskey. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Eric and Anne McCroskey of Goodview; his brother, Michael E. McCroskey of Mechanicsville; and his sister, Carolyn S. Wallace of Colonial Heights. Known for his exceptional goodwill and dedication to the United States military, veterans, and our community, I am honored to pay tribute to this man's many contributions. My thoughts and prayers go out to Allan's family and loved ones. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to commemorate the life of my friend Richard Langley Settle, who passed away on April 16, 2015. Richard served our nation in the United States Air Force Communications Service at the Pentagon. He graduated from Russell County Public Schools, and went on to attend Clinch Valley College. He was a 31-year employee of Verizon Virginia, and had an immense knowledge of telecommunications and legislative history. Richard left the company in 2003, having started as a pole climber and worked his way up to Southwest Area Manager of External Affairs. He was President of Settle Associates, a consulting group specializing in business development, telecommunications, government relations, and economic development. Richard is well known for his public service, having served as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Russell County Board of Supervisors. He also served as a member of the Foundation Boards of both the Mountain Empire Community College and The University of Virginia--Wise. In 2003, he was the honeree of the Mountain Empire Community College Hall of Honor. Further, Richard worked tirelessly to encourage economic development in Southwest Virginia. Appointed by three Governors, Richard served the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority as Chair and Vice- Chair. He attended the 2001 Economic Summit in Tokyo, Japan as a special envoy of Virginia, and was also appointed to the Virginia Workforce Council. Richard was appointed by the General Assembly of Virginia as a non- legislative member of the Southwest Economic Development Commission. He also was a charter member of the Southwest Virginia Technology Council, and was honored with a lifetime membership. Additionally, Richard served as a member of the Board of Directors of Virginia Economic Bridge, and held several advisory board positions for privately held companies. He was involved in additional public service work and charitable work, having served as a Deacon of Miller View Primitive Baptist Church in Lebanon, VA. He was also an active member of the Sandy Valley Masonic Lodge #17, the Wise County Shrine Club, and the Kazim Temple in Roanoke, VA. Richard is survived by his wife Janet Swearingen Settle of Abingdon, VA; son Jamie Settle of Carbo, VA; daughter Sarah Rae Easter, MD and husband Nick Easter of Boston, MA; grandsons Tommy Settle and Taylor Settle; brother Billy Settle and sister-in-law Judy, daughter-in-law Jennifer Taylor Yates, and niece Sally Ketron and husband Wes all of Lebanon, VA; niece Lora Beth Settle of Denver, CO and niece Lindsay Greer and husband Joe of Damascus, VA. Also surviving are his mother-in-law Sarah Baird Hutcheson; brother- in-law James Baird Swearingen, niece Alissa M. Swearingen MD and husband Nick Alexiou, nephew Travis B. Swearingen and wife Aftin all of Brentwood, TN; nephew Christopher J. Swearingen PhD and wife Emilee of San Marcos, CA; brother-in-law Ray Hutcheson and wife Sue of Franklin, KY; great nieces Avery Ketron, Ava Swearingen, Denbigh Swearingen; great nephews Joe Hank, Jacob and Britt Swearingen. Richard was preceded in death by his parents Richard L. and Lillian Jackson Settle, son Robert Kyle Settle, sister Mary Kay Settle, brother Fred Settle, and sister-in-law Martha Jones Swearingen. Richard's counsel to me and others over the years was truly invaluable. His expertise and devotion had a tremendous impact on our region, and made it a better place to live. His input and dedication will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Richard's family and loved ones at this time. May God give them comfort.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to recognize volunteers with the Mountain Empire Older Citizens Foster Grandparent Program, which pairs people aged 60 and older with students for tutoring and mentorship purposes. The Foster Grandparent Program is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and has been operating at Mountain Empire Older Citizens, Inc. since 1997. It is my honor to submit the names of Mountain Empire Older Citizens Foster Grandparent Program volunteers: Irene Bailey, Lucille Baker, Minnie Baker, Betty Barker, Mary Dawson, Nelda Denninson, Shirley Gardner, Ruth Gibson, Bess Gillenwater, Ruth Hogue, Patsy King, Janie Marshall, Sheila Miller, Edith Moore, Sharon Mullins, Bonnie Olinger, Mary Rogers, Ruth Shawver, Marie Smith, Thelma Smith, Betty Stewart, and Thelma Welch. Additionally, I would recognize Sarah Parsons for her 15 years of service, and note with sadness the passing of Aleatha Strong, who served for 7 years as a Foster Grandparent. Mr. Speaker, I want to send my genuine thanks to folks working with and volunteering for the Mountain Empire Older Citizens Foster Grandparent Program. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing these volunteers and others throughout the nation for their efforts on behalf of America's young people. Best wishes to the Foster Grandparent Program many more years of success.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks in order to extend my sincere congratulations and gratitude to Dr. Samir Saliba on his remarkable 51 years as a full-time faculty member at the College. He has had many titles and jobs in his 51 years at Emory, but from my time as a student I fondly remember him as `Dean Saliba.' More importantly, I recall the positive influence Dean Saliba had on me. I am confident he has similarly impacted countless people he came across over the years, whether in Virginia or wherever he has been. Dean Saliba's influence at Emory and Henry, of course, is immeasurable, as he established the Political Science Department and implemented additional, remarkable visions as chair of the Division of Social Sciences, Dean of Faculty, advisor for the pre-law program, and director of the Center for International Studies. I commend him on these accomplishments, and on his numerous awards and accolades, including the 2014 William and Martha DeFriece Award. Dean Saliba will soon be taking a well-deserved sabbatical, following his decades of hard work instructing young people and improving the Emory brand not just across the Commonwealth, but across the country. It is my hope that he enjoys this time, and returns refreshed to work on a memoir of his years at Emory and Henry. I am honored to officially congratulate Dr. Saliba, pay tribute to his legacy, and thank him for all he has done for the Emory and Henry family.

Mr. GRIFFITH

Mr. GRIFFITH. Mr. Speaker, I submit these remarks to commemorate the life of Paul Torgersen of Blacksburg, Virginia, who passed away on March 29, 2015, and to pay tribute to his tremendous legacy at Virginia Tech. Paul was born on October 13, 1931 in Staten Island, New York. In 1953, he graduated from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania with a B.S. in industrial engineering, and went on to earn his M.S. and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University in 1956 and 1959, respectively. Paul joined the faculty of Oklahoma State University in 1959, and served until 1966 first as an assistant professor and later as an associate professor. In 1967, Paul began his long and distinguished career at Virginia Tech. He served as professor and head of the Department of Engineering from 1967 through 1970, Dean of Engineering from 1970 through 1990, President of the research park from 1990 through 1994, and President of the University from 1994 through 2000. While serving as President, Paul helped grow Virginia Tech's influence in the nation in both academics and athletics. Under his leadership, U.S. News & World Report ranked its engineering and business colleges among nation's top 50. Furthermore, the university's endowment nearly doubled. Importantly, even while serving in senior leadership posts, Paul never forgot his roots, teaching at least one course each year for 58 years (which began before he arrived at Virginia Tech). Accordingly, Paul referred to himself as ``a professor who is also serving as President.'' Paul's numerous professional accomplishments include his appointment to the National Academy of Engineering and the National Research Council. He also authored several books, and served on the editorial boards of the Journal of Engineering Education, the Journal of Industrial Engineering, and AIIE Transactions. Additionally, Paul served on the Virginia Governor's Task Force on Science and Technology, received the 1992 Virginia Engineering Educator of the Year Award, and was a Fellow in the Institute of Industrial Engineers and the American Society for Engineering Education. Outside of his professional success, Paul was an avid tennis player. At 55, he was ranked 8th in the nation in doubles for his age group by the United States Tennis Association. He was even able to spend a week at Wimbledon at Centre Court, courtesy of Tech engineering alumni. Paul is predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Dorothea Torgersen. He is survived by two daughters Karen Torgersen (Mike Boyd), of Blacksburg, VA, Janis Torgersen, of Oxford, NC; and a son James Torgersen (Lynda), of Claytor Lake, VA; six grandchildren, Lindsay Nalevanko, Bryan Reisch, Erin Reisch, Michael Reisch, Paul Torgersen, Samantha McElwee; and two great-grandchildren, Isabelle and Collin Nalevanko. Paul's impact on Virginia Tech is immeasurable. I have no doubt his legacy will continue on in the work of the many people he taught, mentored, and influenced throughout his lifetime. My thoughts and prayers go out to Paul's family and loved ones.