Jody Hice

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3739) to amend the Act of August 25, 1958, commonly known as the ``Former Presidents Act of 1958'', with respect to the monetary allowance payable to a former President, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of one of my constituents and an American hero, Corporal Virgil Hanks. Corporal Hanks passed away last week at the age of 96, just a few days before Veterans Day. Corporal Hanks joined the United States Army Air Corps in 1942 and was honorably discharged from the military at the end of World War II following four years of service. In 2015, in his hometown of Social Circle, Georgia, I had the distinct honor of presenting Corporal Hanks with a certificate of Congressional Recognition and a World War II Victory Medal for his valuable and selfless contribution to our Nation's wartime efforts. Virgil Hanks will be remembered as an incredibly kind and humble man, dedicated to his late wife, siblings, and children, whom he loved fiercely. His legacy of service survives to this day throughout Georgia's 10th Congressional District, and he will be buried at the Georgia National Cemetery with his other brothers and sisters in arms. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence to honor the life of Corporal Virgil Hanks, a hero who deserves the respect of all Americans and will be sorely missed by so many in the community.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my good friend from Arizona for holding this Special Order. What an incredibly important issue. Over the past year, we have heard nearly on a daily basis accusations of what Russia tries to do to undermine the United States. I think most of my colleagues would agree that Russia's actions over the past 2 years, which include everything from cyber attacks to supporting Assad's bloody regime in Syria, all of it demonstrates that their intention is to disrupt the stability both of the United States and the entire world. But here is the deal: none of this happened overnight. No one in Russia flipped a switch on their foreign policy and it suddenly changed from being friendly to the United States to trying to cause us harm. The fact is the United States did not remain vigilant. Our foreign policy suffered. We ignored the fact that Russian interests and goals are not our interests and goals. Nothing demonstrates this more than the Uranium One case. In 2010, the Committee on Foreign Investments of the United States approved a partial sale, as you have heard this evening, of a Canadian company to the Russian-owned nuclear giant Rosatom. We have heard about all of this. One-fifth of our uranium capacity gone. In the United States, we have been long aware of the fact that the Russian Government's request is, among other things, to control the production of energy, both at home and in other nations, and then use that energy as a source of leverage during conflicts. Furthermore, striking information has been uncovered that Federal agents used a confidential U.S. witness working inside the Russian nuclear industry to gather extensive evidence that showed Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm with bribes and kickbacks, all, of course, in violation of the law. Rather than bringing these charges up, however, the FBI kept this secret. They didn't tell anyone about it for 4 years. That is unacceptable. We need to know why the FBI didn't share this information. Why was this crucial information about Russia's actions in our nuclear energy sector not shared? This is absolutely unacceptable. Then, as we have been hearing tonight, we have the cases where Russian officials spent millions of dollars to benefit former President Bill Clinton's charitable family foundation while Hillary was Secretary of State. These are all extremely serious allegations, and it is absolutely our responsibility to investigate them. There was a fundamental conflict of interest here, and I think you would have to be blind not to recognize that. Our Secretary of State was making decisions that impacted the entire world while, at the same time, receiving massive amounts of money from foreign donations. As the Russians assumed control of Uranium One, the company's chairman was giving tons of money to the Clinton Foundation. Of course, none of this was disclosed as it was supposed to be. So from what we know, the decision to allow the Clinton Foundation to continue soliciting foreign donations was, at best, naive, if not criminal. This seems to be a pattern of the previous administration. It is absolute cluelessness and self-interest, at best, perhaps even worse than that. It is hardly surprising that Russia believed it could pull the wool over our eyes with impunity and increased its malicious behavior. I look forward to this investigation going forward, and I thank my friend from Arizona for having this Special Order.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely appreciate the gentleman's great leadership in this, and I am grateful to be able to speak on this issue of life. There have been, as mentioned a few moments ago, some 300, plus or minus, bills sent to the Senate that we have labored here in the House and worked through, negotiated, duked it out, so to speak, gotten ideas on the table, worked it out, sent it over to the Senate, only to see them sit there and do nothing. Right in the midst of all of that, at the heart of it all, are a couple of very important bills dealing with the issue of life, which is important to all of us. I firmly believe, and I know my colleagues do as well, that all human life at every stage of development is worthy of protection. I am deeply honored and proud of the fact that this House has passed a couple of extremely important bills in that regard. As the gentleman from Colorado just mentioned, H.R. 7, No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion, by our friend from New Jersey, Chris Smith, and H.R. 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, by Trent Franks of Arizona, are fantastic bills. One basically says that the American taxpayer should not be footing the bill to end the life of unborn children. It has been sitting for over 200 days in the Senate without even a debate. The other says that, after 20 weeks, when an unborn child is capable of feeling pain, we are not going abort that child in the midst of a period of time where pain is absolutely scientifically proven to be felt. Again, that bill is sitting across the way in the Senate Chamber, and they have not done anything about it whatsoever. These are important bills. These bills affect lives. Every day that the Senate does nothing, lives are being lost. The question is: Where is the Senate? We all sit here and we wait and we wait and we wait. The time has come that the Senate has to take ownership of what the American people elected not only us, but the American people elected them to do, and that is the job, the task, the platform that we all ran on, and at the heart of that is the fight, the battle for life. I am also proud of the fact that the House, in our appropriations package, defunded Planned Parenthood. This is a promise that we made the American people after the gruesome discovery of how Planned Parenthood was selling baby body parts. Again, we just recognize that life is a gift from God and it is precious and it is to be protected. It is an inalienable right that we as Members of Congress have the responsibility to defend those inalienable rights. Obviously, without the right to life, there, likewise, is no right to liberty, and certainly no right to the pursuit of happiness. Again, the question is: Where is the Senate on these issues? It is time that we join together. Again, I thank my friend for having this Special Order and calling on the Senate to deal with this 60-vote threshold that has become an enormous barrier, causing all of us to be dysfunctional in that which the American people sent us here to do. Our conservative principles, as well as our whole Nation, rests upon us advancing these things that the American people sent us here to do, and at the heart of that is to defend life. I just join in calling on the Senate to deal with this 60-vote rule and move forward on the agenda that we are here to do. Again, I just thank the gentleman for his kindness in allowing me to speak on this issue, which is important not only to me, but to all of us; and for his leadership on joining us in having a united voice, calling our colleagues down the hallway here to do the job that they were called on to do.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Nolan Watson, a Georgia resident and veteran of the United States Air Force, who joined our Heavenly Father earlier this year after battling kidney cancer for over a decade. In 1966, Mr. Watson was one of the heroic men during the Cold War who was involved in the cleanup efforts after a B-52 bomber collided with a KC-135 tanker over Palomares, Spain, releasing four hydrogen bombs. After his service, Mr. Watson suffered from severe medical problems and was ultimately diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2002. Nolan is survived by his lovely wife, Nona, who has been a fierce and devoted advocate for her husband, working tirelessly throughout the years to garner the recognition these young men deserved for the sacrifices they made responding to this unfortunate disaster. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to stand with me and join me for a moment of silence to honor the life and legacy of Nolan Watson, a hero who deserves our respect and who will be sorely missed.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Frelinghuysen and Interior Subcommittee Chairman Calvert for their efforts on this legislation, and I thank them for the opportunity to speak today. I am committed to pursuing a comprehensive all-of-the-above energy strategy, and I would like to take this time to engage in a colloquy on section 438 of this bill, pertaining to offshore wind development. As a representative from a coastal area, I want to ensure that all offshore energy development is pursued in a pragmatic manner. Section 438 restricts funding for the Department of the Interior to administer offshore wind leases within 24 nautical miles off the coast of Maryland. This language hinders offshore wind development by imposing unprecedented and burdensome requirements on three existing leases. Typically, offshore wind turbines are constructed roughly 12 nautical miles from the coastline, which is generally out of sight from shore. By doubling the setback, section 438 unreasonably restricts these projects and sets a poor policy precedent for future development. Furthermore, modifying the terms and conditions of the leases violates the sanctity of the lease and creates considerable uncertainty for companies pursuing any offshore wind project. It is critical that we establish regulatory and contractual certainty in all areas of natural resource development. America's offshore wind industry is in its infancy, and the policies and precedents that we set today will affect investment long into the future. The language contained in section 438 is concerning for this reason, and I look forward to working with the gentleman from Maryland in the future to find a more appropriate solution.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Larry Jeff Eley, Sr., a friend and strong advocate for farmers, growers, and landowners in my home district. He passed away suddenly at the age of 71 on July 17. He was well known in Greene County, Georgia, as a gentle giant and will be remembered for his love for his family and his tireless efforts as president of the Greene County Farm Bureau and his steadfast leadership in the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts. Farming was Larry's life. He was a guiding force in the community, who actively worked with State and local leaders to foster and promote a better understanding of agriculture. He was a leading voice for Georgia's farmers. Larry's legacy will better ensure that our children and grandchildren will experience the same opportunities to enjoy the natural resources of Georgia's 10th Congressional District just as our parents and grandparents. Mr. Eley is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Nancy, and their four children and their grandchildren. Dee Dee and I both extend our thoughts and prayers to the family during this time of bereavement. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have known Larry and to witness his passion firsthand. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his unyielding commitment to the State of Georgia and our agriculture community.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Curry Tommy Haynes, a longtime Georgia resident and brave hero of the Vietnam war, who joined our Heavenly Father on July 16 after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Haynes was one of the most decorated soldiers in our Nation's history, earning 10 Purple Heart awards for his bravery in combat in the jungles of Vietnam. Mr. Haynes remained an active member of the community after returning from duty by launching the Newton County EMT services, teaching locals to fly and skydive, and serving as a VA counselor to his fellow servicemembers. Mr. Speaker, while serving in Vietnam as part of the U.S. Army 173rd Airborne Brigade, Company C of the 503rd Infantry, Mr. Haynes was wounded multiple times. He was shot in the arm, the thighs, the hand; he lost two fingers in one enemy ambush alone. Yet despite the multiple injuries, he never quit fighting. In 2015, he was presented with a special letter of proclamation issued by Georgia Governor Nathan Deal during a special ceremony recognizing his sacrifice. When asked how he survived combat with his numerous injuries, Mr. Haynes simply replied: I don't believe in luck. I owe it all to Jesus Christ. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please stand with me and join me in a moment of silence to honor the life and legacy of this American hero who deserves the respect of all Americans.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of the amendments offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. DeSantis) and the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Pittenger). As we all know, North Korea has targeted the United States with cyber attacks, and they are well on their way to being able to strike the United States with conventional and nuclear weapons. These two amendments would prohibit the Department of Defense from contracting with telecom companies found to be complicit with North Korean cyber attacks or Chinese companies found to be providing support for the North Korean regime. There is no reason that we should be contracting with countries that are enemies of the United States. I also support the amendment offered by my friend from Michigan (Mr. Bishop). Without a doubt, NATO is the greatest military alliance in the world, but that alliance works most effectively when the members of those various countries are pulling their weight and fulfilling their commitments in regard to their own defense budgets. This amendment calls on the President to encourage NATO allies to fulfill their commitments and to recognize those who are currently doing so. I wholeheartedly agree with these amendments, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in strong opposition to this amendment. As we all know, over the past 8 years, the world certainly has become a more dangerous place, and we face a variety of threats that, quite frankly, we are not keeping pace with, and we simply cannot continue a pattern of underfunding our military. Yes, we must keep our financial house in order, but we absolutely cannot afford to allow the quality of our national defense to decline by further defense budget cuts. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 60.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of two Georgia State corrections officers, Sergeants Curtis Billue and Christopher Monica, who were killed in the line of duty on June 13 in Putnam County, Georgia. I share with their families the deep sorrow perpetrated by the violence of two rogue inmates, and I pray that God comforts the Billue and Monica families in their time of grief. Described as hardworking, kind, and devoted, Sergeants Billue and Monica will be remembered for their service and sacrifice, for their loyalty as public servants, and for their love and dedication to their families. I am grateful that the two perpetrators of this crime have been brought back into custody, and I am confident that justice will be served. American law enforcement officers make a promise to keep our country and communities safe. In return, we must restore the tradition of respect and honor that is owed to all members of the law enforcement community who are on the front lines. In gratitude to Sergeants Billue and Monica, Governor Nathan Deal ordered the flags of Georgia to fly at halfstaff on July 17 and 20. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing their lives and service and to say ``thank you'' to every brother and sister in uniform who stand on that thin blue line.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues for the comments that have been made regarding this very important piece of legislation. We all know that securing American energy independence is absolutely critical to the future prosperity of this Nation, and nuclear power plays a major role in that mission. At the Vogtle plant in Georgia, thousands of engineers and craftsmen, many of whom live in my district, are hard at work putting the United States at the forefront of advanced nuclear technology. The Vogtle plant and its sister plant in South Carolina, V.C. Summer, have four new, state-of-the-art reactors under construction. The clean, low-cost, safe energy that is produced from both Vogtle and V.C. Summer will pave the way for future reactors and mark a new era for nuclear power in the United States. H.R. 1551 makes relatively small changes to already established tax credits, but this legislation will have an enormous impact on ensuring nuclear power remains a viable source of energy. So I, again, just want to thank my good friend, Mr. Rice, for introducing this sincerely important piece of legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues here to support H.R. 1551. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to support this bill.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc.'s Monroe-based manufacturing facility on its 20th Anniversary. It is with a great sense of pride that I rise to celebrate its achievements and the positive contributions it has made to Georgia's 10th Congressional District. Built in 1996, the plant has undergone three expansions over the years and employs a myriad of Georgia workers in the manufacturing industry. In 2014, Hitachi continued its commitment to the citizens of Georgia by approving the latest expansion, which increased its size to include 520,000 square feet of manufacturing space and doubled its workforce to provide more than 600 jobs in the 10th District. Monroe's Hitachi facility remains extremely competitive and was named the 2014 Manufacturer of the Year for the State of Georgia for its commitment to manufacturing in education, community service, and economic growth. These achievements are a result of the partnership of several organizations working together to improve Georgia's economy and workforce potential. I would further like to recognize Athens Technical College, which has joined with Hitachi Automotive Systems to create an internship program as part of Georgia's Quick Start program, providing customized training programs to fill vital skilled-labor positions necessary to employers like Hitachi. For these reasons, it is my honor to recognize Hitachi's Monroe facility on the occasion of its 20th Anniversary as well as the partners that contribute to its continued success. Furthermore, I extend my personal appreciation to those who have joined in improving Georgia's workforce to ensure that we succeed today and in the future.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Mr. Fermon Lewis Rachels, a World War II veteran and outstanding civil servant from my district who passed away in February of this year. A member of the Greatest Generation, Mr. Rachels was born July 14, 1927 in Wrightsville, Georgia. He courageously put his life on the line during World War II, serving as a technician, fourth grade in the United States Army and was one of the last 12,000 WWII veterans alive in Georgia. After leaving the Army, he served as a Trade Craftsman Supervisor at the Georgia Department of Transportation, and at the time of his retirement, at age 84, he was the oldest active employee in Department of Transportation history. He was an active member of Brown Memorial Baptist Church and of the American Legion Post Number 44. Mr. Rachels was selected as Johnson County's Man of the Year in 1985. Mr. Rachels is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Hazel Carroll Rachels, his son, Charles Lewis Rachels, his daughter, Sharon Rachels, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. On behalf of the 10th District of Georgia and the United States of America, I want to extend my deepest gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Rachels and his family for his outstanding service to our nation and our community.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. It is an honor to be here with you. I think by this time most people are familiar, at least they have heard about the Johnson amendment. It came about in 1954, when Lyndon Johnson barely won a race for Senate because many people thought he was soft on communism. So one of the first things he did when he got here was, behind closed doors, without any vetting, without any debate, had inserted into the IRS Code a statement that basically says that nonprofits cannot address political issues, or they could potentially lose their tax-exempt status. That now, for 60 years-plus, has become a target for pastors, for churches, for nonprofits using tax-exempt status as leverage to prevent them from speaking, addressing political issues. It is political correctness at its worst. When our government becomes the gatekeeper of free speech, then we actually have no free speech at all. And in this process, they also are influencing what religious institutions can and cannot be. Our Founders believed that our country should not establish a State church. They also believe that government should not dictate the religious practices of its citizens, or abridge the free speech of Houses of worship. That is what is taking place. As a result of this, my good friend, Whip Steve Scalise, and I introduced H.R. 781, the Free Speech Fairness Act, which creates a carve-out for 501(c)(3) organizations to address political discourse as long as it is within the normal course of business with de minimis associated expenses. I am pleased that the President has also been extremely vocal on this issue, but we really need this codified because the unfairness must stop. I know our time is running short, but I urge our colleagues to support this, and I deeply appreciate the gentleman providing me the opportunity to speak on this Johnson amendment.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the bill (S. 1083) to amend section 1214 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for stays during a period that the Merit Systems Protection Board lacks a quorum, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Taliaferro County Family Connection, a nonprofit organization that advocates for children and families in northeast Georgia. Under the leadership of Executive Director Jackie Butts, Taliaferro Family Connection, in collaboration with its community partners, has achieved remarkable results. For example, they developed and implemented a plan to tackle teen pregnancy, which had previously been on the rise. Now the rate is 42 percent lower. When they strategized to reduce truancy, within three years, the number of students absent from school more than ten days declined by 23 percent. And as a result of its welfare-to-work initiatives, traditional welfare rolls declined by more than 95 percent. But that's not all. More babies are being born healthy, more children are receiving immunizations, and fewer families are living in poverty. These achievements are a result of the partnership of several organizations working together with families to address their community's needs. One such partner is the Taliaferro County Board of Commissioners and, in particular, Mrs. Jane Hubert. Commissioner Hubert has been faithful throughout the years, attending the monthly collaborative meetings and supporting its special events, including the bike rodeo, back to school bash, street dance, and more. According to Mrs. Butts, over the past 19 years, the Board of Commissioners ``has supported every aspect of everything'' Family Connection has ever done. ``Everything I've needed they've come through with all these years,'' she said. For these reasons and on the occasion of its 19th Anniversary, it is my honor to acknowledge Taliaferro County Family Connection and the partners that contribute to its success. Furthermore, I extend my personal appreciation to the families who join hand-in-hand with this worthy organization to ensure that their children succeed in school and beyond.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for yielding this time. I agree with this great reporting bill. The American people have a right to at least have a reasonable expectation that the Federal Government knows what its employees are doing. Unfortunately, we all know that doesn't always happen, particularly when it comes to the practice of official time. It is amazing to me how little information there is, particularly as it relates to the reporting aspect, as to what is happening under official time. For those who don't know what it is, Mr. Ross mentioned it well. Established under the Carter administration, official time allows Federal employee union members to conduct union activities during their work-hours of the agency for which they were hired even if the union activity has nothing to do with their job description. Surprisingly, the Federal agencies are not required to report to Congress the amount of time that employees are spending conducting union business. Some of my colleagues may disagree about the value of official time. I get that. The gentleman from Virginia and I see differently on this. I certainly oppose the abuse of official time, so we see differently on this. But I think we can all agree that the American people at least have the right to know the extent to which official time is being used. So, although we may disagree somewhat on policy, I think we can certainly find common ground to promote accountability and transparency within the Federal Government. As Mr. Ross mentioned a while ago, the OPM has come out with a study: 3.5 million work-hours spent on official time. That is a lot if it was just dollars, but when you take 3.5 million work-hours multiplied by dollars involved, this is a significant issue that needs to be addressed. This bill, H.R. 1293, grants the OPM the ability to get necessary information from Federal agencies so that we have a more comprehensive understanding of the official time usage. Currently, there are no standards for OPM to find that kind of information. So this bill does not eliminate, nor does it restrict, official time usage; it simply shines light on the practice. Again, I believe we can find common ground that the American people deserve to know how their tax dollars are spent. This is common sense. It is good governance. It is a bill that I believe we should all be able to get behind. I am pleased to support this bill. I am honored and pleased to do so in the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. I urge all our colleagues to support it now.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to celebrate the life of Jon Richards, a Georgia treasure, a brilliant political journalist, a selfless mentor. He passed away this past Sunday after a battle with cancer. Our prayers go out and we grieve for the family and friends of Jon during this difficult time. Madam Speaker, Jon grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he became active in various Gwinnett County civic, social, and political organizations. He was well respected on both sides of the political aisle, serving with endless passion as editor-in-chief of georgiapol.com. Most notably, however, was his devotion to mentoring high school and college students who were interested in politics, and he left a lasting impression. Madam Speaker, Jon was known by the Gwinnett community as someone who lived life to its fullest and made the most of every day. His leadership was unmatched and cannot be overstated. I am grateful to know that, through Christ, we will be able to meet again. Madam Speaker, I would ask my colleagues to stand and join with me for a moment of silence to honor the life and legacy of Jon Richards, who will be sorely missed by many.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I take great pleasure that we may come to the floor today to celebrate and recognize the remarkable legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. King is characterized by modeling his life after Jesus Christ in order to live a life dedicated to the service of others, whether that be preaching the Gospel to his congregation at Ebenezer Baptist Church, or to the pursuit of justice and equality. Mr. Speaker, my home state of Georgia has the great honor of preserving King's legacy at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site. And today we have the opportunity under the leadership of my friend and fellow Georgian, John Lewis, to pass H.R. 267, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park Act, to re-designate the site as a National Historic Park. I strongly believe that this site meets and exceeds the requirements for re-designation as a National Historic Park and fully support my friend in his effort. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank Congressman Lewis for leading this legislation. As a cosponsor of this bill, a member of the Committee on Natural Resources, and as a fellow Georgian, I offer my strongest support and encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 267.

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia

Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Baldwin County Family Connection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children across the great State of Georgia. This organization has done outstanding work to revitalize a county hit hard by the Great Recession. In 2011, Baldwin County faced an unemployment rate of 16.5 percent and Harrisburg, one of its communities, suffered an unemployment rate of 25 percent. However, through a community of partners who were willing to work together and share their resources, the Baldwin County Family Connection was able to secure funding for a community garden, a walking trail, and a pavilion, providing places for families to gather and thrive. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to have an outstanding organization that restores health and vibrancy to the local community in my home district. It is my honor to congratulate and applaud the Baldwin County Family Connection for its commitment to serving children and families in the Tenth District of Georgia.