J. Hill

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chairman, I don't, but I have time that I will use, so I will use that time to close.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, my friend from California, I think, is making the case that this bill is confusing and a burden because we don't even know internationally if these are American jobs that were moved or not. You are just counting the people in foreign countries. I don't know that that is really relevant. And it weakens your argument, in my view, as well, that we are disclosing in the States, as my friend, the ranking member, made so eloquently. So I think it is a burden. It is not about shipping jobs. We have the WARN Act, which directly deals with jobs that are shipped overseas, or moved, and makes sure that people are retrained and compensated in the right way. Instead, this is another burden on our public companies, our public companies. We want more public companies. I just formed the Entrepreneur Caucus with my friends Mr. Foster, Mr. Veasey, Stephanie Murphy, and Steve Chabot. We have asked GAO why we are not having more public companies at smaller sizes. I submit to you, my friends from California and Iowa, it is because we have raised the cost of being public too high. This is another burden, and I think we should think long and hard before we add burdens. Materiality is the way to bring balance back. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, how much time do I have?

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, I want to thank the ranking member on our side for offering me time to explain my amendment. I commend my friend from Iowa for her work in this legislation. Let me make a couple of comments initially about the bill, generally. First of all, I don't think this bill is going to be a disincentive, as she described it, to companies who are recruiting to another State or considering moving to another country, potentially, for supply chain reasons, because, look, they are doing what they think is in the best, long-run interest of building their product. And, don't forget, our States recruit our companies, countries recruit our companies. We look at supply chains. These are frequently very public matters about Governors bragging how many employees they have from each State and each company. And the WARN Act, which is already on the statute books, certainly takes care of this issue of notice on layoffs and disclosure of employees. In my own State recently we had Kimberly-Clark, a publicly traded company, decide to move jobs to Wisconsin. Those jobs were well known in my district and in Mr. Gallagher's district in Wisconsin. There was nothing secret about it. It is just part of business realigning inside our beautiful, largest economy in the world. And I do have concerns about this disclosure internationally that my friend is requiring, because what if you are proposing to enter a country and you want to keep that private, for competition purposes, from international competition or from your competitors in the United States? You are now forced, as a public company, to disclose, oh, I have one employee in a country. I find that concerning. You may even put that employee at a safety risk, depending on what country is a target for Americans. So, in my view, that brings up the topic of overall burden, and we know of the old expression ``the straw that broke the camel's back.'' And regulatory burdens are cumulative. Any one burden doesn't seem large, but, when piled up on all the other burdens, you see it in total. I was talking to a chief accounting officer the other day of a $2 billion market cap company. She spends $250,000 a year, for example, to comply with the conflict mineral rule. If you have a 10-time multiple on that, that is a lot of money annualized impacting their business to try to comply with something they say is not physically possible to comply with. So, I look at this as an additional burden. I urge that it not be adopted. And my amendment does something simple. It just simply says, if this employment disclosure, domestically or internationally, is material to the business, in keeping with the tradition of the securities laws, then okay. So, if it is a material statement to describe where these employees are located to the business, then that might be something useful. Mr. Chair, I urge adoption of my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, let me close by simply saying that we want more public companies. We want to lower the cost of being public. We want to remove barriers from being public. We do that by carefully balancing the regulatory burden to be public. This bill, which does not enhance any knowledge for investors or do anything important or material, weakens that effort to reduce barriers to being public. I believe we should have a materiality standard. I urge adoption of my amendment. Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas (Mr. McCaul) and my friend from New York (Mr. Engel) for their leadership on this issue and the Foreign Affairs Committee. Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: I did not support the failed Obama- Kerry policy in Syria. During 2017 and 2018, I was proud to see President Trump hold Assad accountable for his use of chemical weapons. However, I have not supported the United States disengaging from Syria without a strategy since such was first proposed by the President in December. So I rise in disappointment today over this policy change and Turkey's violations of all of its ``promises.'' A small group of American Forces in northeast Syria advising and assisting local forces in order to prevent instability from coming to power does not constitute an ``endless war.'' Despite being in NATO, Turkey is not acting as an ally. By our actions in this House today, Turkey will pay a steep price for its provocation. I have been told by experts with contacts on the ground that American lives are at risk directly because of Turkish actions. U.S. Forces have been shelled by Turkish artillery. Our NATO ally since 1952, Turkey, which we allowed to conduct this mission, has thanked us by shelling American positions. What a sad day for the Atlantic alliance that has shouldered so many burdens and shared so much loss in men and treasure. Syrian Kurds also announced that they had come to an agreement with the Assad regime's forces to help against the Turkish invasion, which further entrenches Russia, Mr. Speaker, in this conflict. So now Assad and his Russian backers will bring their bloodbath over the Euphrates. We also put all the gains we have made against Daesh at risk of reversal. This all could have been avoided. Mr. Speaker, when critical American leadership disengages, America's global adversaries fill the void. Turkey must cease its military invasion of Syria. The United States must support the Kurdish communities that have been our allies against ISIS. And the White House must present a clear and specific plan for ensuring the defeat of ISIS and border integrity with Turkey. I urge all of my colleagues to support the passage of this important legislation.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Jamie Cheney of Greenbrier, Arkansas, for her outstanding service to our community and the State of Arkansas. Jamie serves as a local medical technician and also as a volunteer firefighter on her day off. She gained her EMT skills at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton, where she juggled school while working at the Greenbrier Nursing and Rehab Center. Jamie received the Phoenix Award while serving as an EMT in North Little Rock. This award is bestowed onto first responders who successfully revive a patient who has suffered from cardiac arrest. I am proud to have such a dedicated member of my district volunteering and assisting those in need, and I join all Arkansans in thanking Jamie Cheney for her selflessness and wish her continued success. Recognizing Lindsay Henderson

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ryan Davis for receiving the Arkansas Emergency Medical Technician Association Air Medical Award of Excellence. This award honors those who help the air medical industry continue to see growth. Ryan grew up in Quitman, Arkansas, and is currently the fire chief for this community. Ryan is a nationally registered emergency medical technician and paramedic and is flight paramedic certified. Ryan has served his community since 2003 and also works for Air Evac Lifeteam 30 in Morrilton. Ryan has served on numerous State-level boards and committees, including the American Heart Association, the National Association of EMTs, and also the Arkansas Air Medical Society, where he serves as president. I would like to extend my congratulations to Ryan Davis for receiving this prestigious award. Recognizing Jamie Cheney

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Searcy Fire Department and the firefighters from Station 1 for going above and beyond the call of duty. Earlier this summer, firefighters responded to a call for a fire alarm at a resident's home in Searcy, Arkansas. Fortunately, the resident was not in immediate danger, but they did notice one issue: The resident could not leave his home without assistance, as there was not a wheelchair ramp. The firefighters at Station 1 took it upon themselves to fix this situation. They reached out to the community for help, including the local Lowe's Home Improvement store. They got discounted supplies. The Searcy Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary provided funding, and these firefighters were able to build a ramp for this resident. This is just a small example of how the Searcy Fire Department and central Arkansas law enforcement officers go above and beyond the call when keeping Arkansans safe. I thank them for their continued hard work and service. Congratulating Ryan Davis

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize some Arkansans who have done extraordinary things in my home district in central Arkansas. I rise today to recognize Carl Carter for being awarded the 2019 Community Service Award by the Real Estate Educators of America for exceptional spirit of service. Carl is a second-year student attending the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Carl credits his strong community service to his mom, Beverly Carter, who lost her life at the hands of two people posing as real estate clients. Carl founded the Beverly Carter Foundation in her memory, an organization dedicated to the cause of helping real estate agent safety. Through the Beverly Carter Foundation, Carl works to improve agent safety through traveling and talking to escrow agents, lenders, agents, and brokers all over the United States on how to avoid being the victims of crime. I know this is only the beginning for Carl, and I am excited to see where his ambition and his kind heart take him, and I congratulate him on this good work. Recognizing Searcy Fire Department

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate an emerging leader from the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Lindsay Henderson. Lindsay is a Bald Knob resident and serves as the chief revenue officer for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. Lindsay was awarded the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives' 40 Under 40 award. The 40 Under 40 award honors young professionals who have demonstrated significant success in their career, as well as having made noteworthy accomplishments in their community. The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives recognizes emerging leaders from chambers across the country and honors 40 such chamber professionals who exemplify creativity, dedication, and innovation in their work towards their chamber's mission. I congratulate Lindsay on achieving this 40 Under 40 award and wish her continued success. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I certainly enjoyed my colleague's dissertation there, much of which was a criticism of the Chief Executive of our country, when many of the same comments she made could be directed at this House and its investigation of the President--not following the precedents set, not following the precedents set in the Nixon impeachment or in the Clinton impeachment. The Speaker has not had a vote of this House to commence an impeachment inquiry. That is an open system. That is the transparency my friend was talking about. That is the kind of accountability the American people would like to see. That should be the policy of this House. Sadly, it is not. She talks about contacts with Russia by political campaigns. Many of us look forward to the investigation by the Attorney General and by the U.S. attorney in Connecticut on exactly that in the 2016 campaign and how the opposition party, the Clinton campaign, was, in fact, the one digging up activities about the Trump campaign. So, anyway, I enjoyed that comment about Ukraine, the importance of Ukraine, and the importance of democracy in Ukraine. But all throughout that presentation, one had to endure a lot of supposition and fiction. Tonight, Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk, not talk about Ukraine, not talk about Syria, but talk about China and where we are in this very important, critical bilateral negotiation between the United States and the People's Republic of China to end China's mercantilistic trade environment, their lack of openness, their failure to police the terrible intellectual property theft that has gone on for over two decades there that has hurt not only American businesses but those elsewhere in Asia and also in Europe. I commend the President for calling out the challenge that we have had and faced in the West on how to obtain China as a better player for trade. President Trump has worked for nearly 3 years now to change China's outlook, to end its mercantilistic protectionism and join the world trading system truly, not just on paper, Mr. Speaker, but, in fact, completely, and be one with the developed world as it has grown its economy so mightily over those two decades. I commend the President's point men on this issue: Larry Kudlow at the National Economic Council; Secretary Mnuchin, the Secretary of the Treasury; and Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, who is his U.S. Trade Representative who has the point on trying to work out something that is a major change in that relationship between the U.S. and China, but also China and the rest of the developed world. At the heart of this trade dispute is the fact that we live in an integrated global economy with deeply connected, multicontinental supply chains. This integrated global economy is based on the extraordinary foundation of the post-World War II reductions in trade barriers, the expansion of the rule of law, and the extraordinary success of the free-market capitalist system that has lifted so many out of poverty around the world since World War II and enlivened the capitalist spirit throughout the world. Beginning slowly in the 1970s and 1980s, the People's Republic of China was encouraged to open its domestic market, increase economic freedom, better respect human rights and religious tolerance, and join the global family of nations. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany, as that freedom breeze finally blew away the shroud of the Iron Curtain, reform in China remained the next great touchstone of the post-World War II agenda. The 1989 crackdown in Tiananmen Square sidetracked this progress, but China's integration into this world economy began in earnest in the 1990s. That is where this story gets complicated, and that is where the concern of President Trump really begins. European and American leaders who shared values of economic freedom, religious tolerance, and common national security goals witnessed the historic and extraordinary transition of post-war Japan and the Asian Tigers, those countries of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea. Over the decades, the Asian Tigers had been authoritarian, condemned for their rampant theft of intellectual property and spurning of democracy, so much so that, in 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States, he campaigned on pulling American troops out of South Korea, ending aid to South Korea and writing off South Korea as a failed experiment, that it was going to be an authoritarian dictatorship and never adapt to democracy, never stop stealing intellectual property. Basically, write it off as a failure. Fortunately, this initiative was shelved and, instead, we witnessed Japan and the Asian Tigers expand their economies, really begin to open their markets, fully embrace democracy and the rule of law, and join in the world global progress. Policymakers considered China to be next, and they believed that, while a much larger country, under a much more authoritative communist regime, the economic benefits of greater freedom and global transparency would penetrate even the Middle Kingdom. In 1996, in a column in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette offering suggestions to the Clinton administration on how to have a more directed China policy, I argued that China, too, must change. I said: ``China, as a world power, for her part must recognize that bilateral and multilateral treaties are to be enforced. Lack of compliance with international treaty obligations must produce a known and delivered set of sanctions by the world community. China must clearly understand the consequences of noncompliance.'' So, Mr. Speaker, that is what I wrote back in 1996 as a private citizen, former Bush administration official, thinking about what needed to change in America and Chinese relations, China's multilateral relations. So, despite encouragement and best intentions, China has not changed, Mr. Speaker, but, instead, has grown more aggressive; hence, the challenge of one world, two systems is market- based capitalism versus state-controlled communism. They are not compatible when it comes to this complex, integrated global capital market I described. In the 1990s, the epicenter of the fight was to reign in rampant theft of intellectual property. At the time I uttered those words in 1996, the U.S. computer software industry, music CDs, and Hollywood videos all were being ripped off by the People's Republic of China. In 1992, the Business Software Alliance testified before the U.S. Senate that Chinese piracy was costing the U.S. an estimated $225 million in software sales. The reality is, despite efforts in 1992 at the end of the Bush 41 administration and vigorous efforts by President Clinton's negotiators Charlene Barshefsky and Mickey Kantor, essentially nothing happened. President Clinton threatened to impose 100 percent tariffs on select imports if Beijing didn't enforce Mr. Clinton's new 1995 intellectual property rights deal. So, what happened? Does this sound familiar? Is this not the exact conversation we are having today in 2019? What happened in 1995? Meeting after meeting was held, agreement after agreement was signed, and still the piracy continued. And to my point about the world delivering a known set of sanctions that China must clearly understand the consequences of noncompliance, instead, China was rewarded and admitted to the World Trade Organization, the WTO, in December 2001. Sadly, pirated goods have only increased. Recently, the Business Software Alliance, the same folks I quoted back in 1992, now estimate that 70 percent of PC software installed in China in 2015 was unlicensed, and the U.S. trade representative estimates that intellectual property theft costs between $225 billion and $600 billion, annually. Thus, the world has not banded together and offered clear and known sanctions for not following the global trade rules. In fact, global trading partners have rewarded such behavior with the admission to the WTO and continue to tolerate IP theft, closed domestic markets, and dependency on frequently dominant Chinese supply chain participants. This is why President Trump has elected to go forward with a more aggressive, direct manner and deliver the message that lack of compliance with international treaty obligations must produce a known and delivered set of sanctions by the world community. However, the President's success in this endeavor may well be diluted by the opening up of trade disputes all over the world simultaneously, including disputes with America's allies. Specifically, I am talking about across-the-board unilateral steel and aluminum tariffs, for example, or trying to renegotiate every trade treaty that we have all at the same time, while we are trying to press China. Now, that is not to take anything away from the extraordinary work of the President and Ambassador Lighthizer to update the North American Free Trade Agreement with the new USMCA, updating the U.S.-South Korea Free Trade Agreement, and initiating and completing an agricultural agreement with Japan. But I have to say that doing all that at once and not engaging our allies fully and publicly to be at our side impressing China, I think, makes it more difficult, because, as I have traced over the past 25 years the lack of success with China, the one thing that I would argue that will make it different this time--always dangerous words to utter--would be if we had the European Union, Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, South American countries all at our side as we tried to get a concrete change in China's mercantilistic behavior. In my view, the President would be more successful if he focused on this Chinese challenge and rallied the world to a common purpose of focusing China on that important point to clearly understand the consequences of noncompliance. We have done many things in this country that are improving that relationship and fighting, but we must have full global support in order, I think and I believe, to ultimately lever China into compliance. Not successful in Bush 41, not successful with President Clinton, not successful with President George W. Bush, little effort by President Obama, so I admire President Trump for identifying this challenge that benefits the whole world, not just the United States; but it is going to take a sustained multiyear, multilateral effort to do that, and I wish him well, and those of us in this House stand by him as he tries to get a quality, substantive deal to bring China truly into compliance. Congratulating Carl Carter

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from New Jersey very much for allowing me to speak on the subject of Hong Kong today. I rise in support of all these bills before us today, particularly the bill from my friend from New Jersey, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, and I stand in solidarity with all freedom-loving people in Hong Kong. For more than 4 months, we have witnessed Hong Kong citizens peacefully protest for the right to live in a free and fair political system. Over my years, I have traveled to Hong Kong and witnessed their innovative spirit and work ethic. In fact, Hong Kong was the model for the post-World War II growth of the Asian Tigers in their prosperity and innovation. In the 1980s, when a proponent of welfare statism queried pro-growth economist Melvyn B. Krauss: ``But how many Hong Kongs can the world have?'' Dr. Krauss replied, ``As many as the world will allow itself.'' Freedom lovers should rally to that wisdom. This summer, I had the opportunity to hear directly from leaders in Hong Kong dedicated to religious tolerance and democracy as promised in the one country, two systems agreement. The people of Hong Kong continue to wave American flags during their protests as a symbol for the freedoms that they desire. Rather than receiving support from all over our great land here in this country, they have had to witness the blatant hypocrisy that we have seen from U.S. companies, including the National Basketball Association, more worried about the bottom line and retribution from the PRC, rather than standing up for the basic human rights that we are so blessed with in this country and that we advocate for as a part of our foreign policy all over this globe. The free world is looking to us for leadership, and that is why I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), Mr. McGovern, and Mr. Sherman for supporting these legislative efforts on a bipartisan basis, but more importantly, supporting the people in Hong Kong that they have the right to freedom of expression and democratic governance guaranteed under that 50-year arrangement agreed to in 1997 by both--by both, Mr. Speaker--the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support these measures today, and I thank their sponsors.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Clifton Ganus, Jr., who passed away earlier this month at the age of 97 after dedicating 73 years to his alma mater, Harding University, in Searcy, Arkansas. Dr. Ganus began his journey at Harding College in 1939, majoring in Bible and history. Soon after graduating, he began teaching at Harding in 1946, ultimately chairing the History Department and serving as Dean. In 1965, he was elected as Harding's third president, leading the then college to university status and significant growth. He served in this role for 22 years, becoming the university's first chancellor in 1987 and then chancellor emeritus in 2013. Throughout this admirable life, Dr. Ganus traveled to 117 countries, was an Eagle Scout, and served on the Quapaw Area Council board. He was an active member in the Searcy Lions Club for 70 years and an elder at the College Church of Christ. He was admired across our State, and I extend my prayers to his family and friends across our great State of Arkansas.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with the people of Hong Kong. Last month, I had the opportunity to hear directly from leaders in Hong Kong dedicated to both religious tolerance and to democracy, as promised in the ``one country, two systems'' agreement. The people of Hong Kong wave American flags during their protests as a symbol of the freedoms that they desire. Now is the time for Congress to support the people of Hong Kong and pass Representative Chris Smith's bill, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. This measure states without question that the United States Government supports the people of Hong Kong and their right to freedom of expression and democratic governance guaranteed under their 50-year arrangement agreed to in 1997 by China and the United Kingdom. Stop Ignoring Red Lines in Idlib, Syria

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today again to bring attention to the travesty happening in Idlib province, Syria. Since mid-August, the brutal dictator Assad, his protector Putin, and Iranian coconspirators have repeatedly bombed Idlib and the surrounding region. Their aerial slaughter and shelling have displaced all but 2 percent to 3 percent of the population. They have bombed hospitals, even killing a former kindergarten student of the Wisdom House School, a school supported by constituents in my home of Arkansas, supported before the school was closed due to bombing. After nearly 10 years of death and destruction, some say this conflict is drawing to a close. When we look back on this calamitous conflict, we and our allies in Europe will hang our heads in shame for ignoring red lines that gave a green light to Assad's slaughter of his own civilians by the hundreds of thousands. Honoring Bob Shell

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize an amazing young man from my district, Nicholas Burrell from Benton, Arkansas. Nicholas started as a Cub Scout in third grade and, at age 14, became the youngest Eagle Scout in Troop 99 in Benton. He is also a cancer survivor. Nicholas was diagnosed with cancer of the brain and spine when he was 11. He has had multiple tumors and underwent 26 rounds of chemotherapy but was always back to participating in projects with the Boy Scouts just a few months after his last treatment. For his Eagle project, he built a free outdoor pantry called the Blessing Box at Salem United Methodist Church, where Troop 99 holds its meetings. Nicholas is currently a ninth-grader at Bryant Junior High School, and his cancer has been in remission since 2017. Nicholas' strength and perseverance are a testament and witness to us all. I wish him much continued success as he grows and makes Arkansas proud.

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of my friend Bob Shell, who passed away last month at the age of 88. In 1950, Bob joined The Baldwin Company for a job scheduled to last 9 months and ended up staying for almost 70 years. Bob started in the field as a payroll clerk and worked his way up in the company, eventually becoming president, chairman, and chairman emeritus. The company's name was changed when Bob became president and CEO to Baldwin & Shell Construction Company, the name it holds today. Bob is one of the five charter members of the Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame. He was named Arkansas Business Executive of the Year in 1990 and was featured by Arkansas Business as one of 10 business icons for our State in 2016. During his time with the company, he had been involved in more than 2,700 projects, including hospitals, offices, schools, churches, and industrial plants. I admired this good and decent man. He was a role model and a friend to many across our State of Arkansas, and I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to his friends, family, and loved ones. Honoring Nicholas Burrell

Mr. HILL of Arkansas

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Edith Irby Jones, a civil rights leader and the first African American graduate at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Dr. Jones recently passed away at the age of 91. Dr. Jones became a distinguished physician on the national stage and accomplished many firsts for African Americans and women. She was the first African American woman to intern in the State of Arkansas, the first to intern at Baylor College of Medicine Affiliated Hospital, and the first female president of the National Medical Association. As a child, Dr. Jones experienced the deaths of her father and sister and suffered from rheumatic fever that left her temporarily unable to walk or attend school. Despite her hardships, she went on to become the first African American female resident at Baylor and was one of the founders of Mercy Hospital in Houston. When Dr. Jones wasn't practicing medicine, she was in schools and churches, advocating for racial equality. She later became an advocate for underprivileged patients and earned an award for volunteerism and community service by the American College of Physicians. She also has been inducted into both the University of Arkansas College of Medicine Hall of Fame and the inaugural group of women inducted into the Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame. I honor Dr. Jones for her determination, dedication, and contributions to civil rights and enriching the lives of countless Arkansans and Americans. She was a role model and a friend to many across our State. I extend my respect, affection, and prayers to her friends, family, and loved ones. Congratulating Anne Marie Doramus

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fairfield Bay, Arkansas, on being named the Best of the Best Top 100 Planned Communities in America by ideal-LIVING Magazine. The Best of the Best honors those areas and communities that deserve special recognition for their outstanding qualities, facilities, and programs. Fairfield Bay began as a planned community 40 years ago and has grown into an ideal family recreation destination. It was chosen from hundreds of nominations from North America and Central America. A huge congratulations to the community, to the residents of Fairfield Bay, and to Mayor Wellenberger on achieving this recognition. I look forward to following the Fairfield Bay community as it continues to grow in the years to come. Recognizing Journalism Awardees

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, today I rise to reflect on the recent acts of Speaker Pelosi and other Members of the majority last week on the House floor, it was a clear and egregious violation of the rules of the House that transpired. House Members are expected to speak respectfully of their fellow Members of Congress and of the President of the United States, a precedent that goes back to the very first Congress about conduct on the floor of the House. Citing Jefferson's Manual, the first American book on parliamentary procedure, ``References to racial or other discrimination on the part of the President are not in order.'' Last week, Speaker Pelosi clearly violated Chapter 29, Section 65.6 of Jefferson's Manual. The House parliamentarian ruled her speech violated the rules forbidding personal attacks on the House floor against the President. Sadly, the majority then voted to ignore the rules in order to justify the Speaker's breaking of our rules. Madam Speaker, how do we expect the American people to follow the laws we pass in this Chamber when we don't even follow the rules that we place on ourselves? I call on the majority to put partisanship and pointless attacks aside and get back to the real work that will move our great country forward. Crisis in Syria

Mr. HILL of Arkansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize two central Arkansas journalists who received the Golden 50 Service Awards from the Arkansas Press Association for a half-century in journalism. Larry Miller, from Morrilton, Arkansas, is the editor of the Conway County Petit Jean Country Headlight newspaper. Frank Fellone of Little Rock was also recognized and is a former Arkansas Democrat-Gazette deputy editor and now an independent journalist. I also congratulate David Bailey, managing editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, on receiving the Arkansas Press Association Freedom of Information Award. I congratulate these men who exemplify the spirit and dedication behind the mission of these awards and our First Amendment, and I wish them continued success in the years to come. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.