David Jolly

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Senior Chief Petty Officer Christopher Gibbs for his duty and service to Pinellas County and to our country. On May 4, 2016 Officer Gibbs returned home after a year-long deployment and 21 years of military service. While enlisted, served as a Senior Chief Master at Arms and eventually earned the title of Senior Chief Petty Officer. We are eternally grateful for his service overseas. Since returning home, Officer Gibbs continued his dedication to serving others through his work as an officer with the Pinellas Park Police Department. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Senior Chief Petty Officer Christopher Gibbs for his service to our community and this country. Pinellas Park is a safer place with him protecting us and we are very grateful and appreciative of his efforts. I ask this body to join me in recognizing Officer Gibbs' efforts and expressing our appreciation for his service. May God bless Officer Gibbs and his family.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that my name be withdrawn as a cosponsor of H.R. 3765.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Commander Matthew L. Dunlay, as he prepares to retire after 20 years of Commissioned Service to the United States Navy and for his extraordinary dedication to duty and to the United States of America. I have worked with Commander Dunlay personally over the past three years when he worked as an Appropriations Liaison in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller). I would like to share with you some highlights of his fine career. Commander Matthew L. Dunlay graduated from the Norwich University in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering. He was commissioned an Ensign upon completion of the NROTC program and reported directly to Pensacola, FL for flight training. He was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1998. Commander Dunlay has served in a variety of sea and shore assignments during his career. At sea, his assignments include HSL-46 deploying to the Adriatic Sea in support of Operation Noble Anvil during the 1999 Kosovo Campaign onboard USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) and to the South Pacific Ocean in support of Counter Narco-Terror operations on board USS O'Bannon (DD 987). Serving at HSL-60, he deployed to the Arabian Gulf, Horn of Africa and Red Sea onboard USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) in support of OIF and OEF, and then as Officer-in-Charge onboard USS John L. Hall (FFG 32) where he led the Navy's first Aerial Authorized Use of Force Detachment deployed with U.S. Coast Guard Aerial Sharp Shooters to the USSOUTHCOM AOR. His assignments while at HSL-60 included Squadron Operations Officer and Squadron Maintenance Officer. Shore assignments include Air Test and Evaluation Squadron THREE ONE (VX-31), China Lake, CA as a Helicopter Search and Rescue Mission Commander and C-26 Transport Aircraft Commander. Commander Dunlay has also been assigned to the U.S. Naval War College, Newport, RI, for duty as a Graduate Student enrolled in the College of Naval Command and Staff. In 2008, he was selected as a Navy Legislative Fellow to the U.S. House of Representatives where as a key staff member he advised a Senior U.S. Congressman on National Security Policy and Foreign Defense Affairs. Following his Legislative Fellowship on Capitol Hill in 2009, he reported to Colorado Springs, CO where served as the Senior Military Advisor to the Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM for Legislative Affairs. After completing his assignment at NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Commander Dunlay reported to his current assignment as a Congressional Liaison in the Navy's Financial Management and Budget Office managing a diverse portfolio containing the Research Development Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) appropriations along with the Missile Defense, Cyber and C4ISR appropriations. For nearly three years, Commander Dunlay has demonstrated exceptional leadership and foresight, engaging Members of the Appropriations Committee and its Staff to provide information essential to resourcing the Navy for its role as the world's dominant sea power. In an increasingly difficult budget environment, Commander Dunlay provided essential support in shepherding three Navy budgets through the appropriations process. Matt served our Navy and nation with integrity, insight and dedication. My office, the subcommittee staff, and I have found him to be a pleasure to work with and all respect his professionalism. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful nation, I join my colleagues today in saying thank you to Commander Matthew L. Dunlay for his extraordinary dedication to duty and steadfast service to this country throughout his distinguished career. We wish Matt, and his sons Luke and Remington ``Fair Winds and Following Seas'' as he leaves the Naval Service.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the sheriff. I want to associate myself--I know we all do--with our colleague Mr. Gowdy's remarks. This is personal for so many. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the people of Pinellas County, Florida, the people in the State of Florida, who, if they were here in this Chamber tonight, would also want to associate themselves with the gratitude that fills this well, gratitude to law enforcement officers who each day do risk their lives. They risk their own security, they risk the stability of their family, and at times they risk the security of their children, knowing the risk that is on the line every day. Mr. Speaker, the risk is very real. It is very audible. We know--it has been talked about tonight--that, on average, we lose a law enforcement officer once every 3 days in the line of duty. As Sheriff Reichert very rightfully pointed out, we also know the prevalence of assaults and injuries. By some accounts, more than one assault every single hour of every single day, 365 days of every single year. The risk is real. We all have an opportunity, a privilege, to hold the public trust. When we sit in this Chamber, we represent fine men and women who wear the uniform. We represent multiple police departments, sheriff's departments, other law enforcement agencies. One of the great departments I have gotten the opportunity to work with since being a Member is the Clearwater Police Department--men and women of impeccable character, impeccable bravery, but also impeccable sacrifice, a department that dons the number 4 on their shirts to remember four law enforcement officers from their department who paid the ultimate sacrifice: Patrolmen Harry Conyers, Ronald Mahony, John Passer, and Peter Price. So what can this body do in addition to paying tribute, on behalf of the people we represent, to those who serve in blue, our men and women in law enforcement? We can do what we are doing tonight, but we need to do it every single year. What we need in this town are Members of Congress and elected officials who stand with law enforcement. Frankly, Mr. Speaker, I am sick and tired of people in this town who refuse to stand with law enforcement, who take cheap shots questioning the integrity of men and women who put their valor on the line, on display every single day. You want to make America safer? You want to solve civil unrest throughout the country? Let's stand with law enforcement. Let's say: Just as you have our back, we have yours. The way to solve so many of these issues that we have seen on display on television in the last 2 years is to dispense with the rhetoric, dispense with the vitriol, dispense with the lies and the rumors and say: You know what? As a body, this Congress, this government is going to stand with our law enforcement officers each and every day. There are two simple measures that I have introduced, and I am joined by colleagues, each who have other measures as well. There are a lot of good measures out there. One we will be highlighting tomorrow in a national press conference is called the Thin Blue Line Act. It provides for enhanced penalties for anyone who assaults or takes the life of a police officer. We currently provide those additional protections for someone who attacks a child, an elderly person, a disabled person. I think we should take that model code and apply it to law enforcement officers as well and very simply say to somebody: If you take the life of a law enforcement officer, be prepared to lose your own. Another piece of legislation I think we should move on is something that addresses some of the questions about the 1033 program to provide surplus equipment. This President has launched a war on local law enforcement by restricting the availability of equipment and technology for local law enforcement agencies. Why don't we trust the leadership and the judgment of our local law enforcement leaders, our chiefs, and our sheriffs to determine what equipment is necessary for their force? I have legislation that would leave 1033 perfectly in place but simply require the local law enforcement agency to certify that they have personnel trained and capable of operating that equipment. It is the right way to stand with law enforcement and say we are going to make sure you have the tools and technology you need. The risk is very real; the politics, at times, are absolutely disgusting. We may never be able to replace the loss of families whose fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters were lost in the line of duty; we may never be able to heal the wounds; but we can honor our law enforcement officers every day. It is what this body is attempting to do tonight. It is the commitment of my colleagues I stand here with to let law enforcement officers around the country know that, just as you have got our back, we have got yours.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a gentleman who has dedicated his life to serving our nation--a true American leader and hero who hails from the state of Florida, Mr. Michael S. Wilson. Mike is retiring from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD- OTS) after forty-seven years of service to our warfighters and the defense industry. He currently serves as president of GD-OTS, a position he has held since 2001. Mike has distinguished himself throughout his career, most notably by developing and fielding over 15 programs to our armed forces. The latest example of Mike's leadership is the fielding of the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 program to the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Mike led the highly successful merger of GD Armament and Technical Products (GDATP) and GD-OTS companies in 2013--resulting in present day GD-OTS. His efforts created significant synergy savings and efficiencies that directly benefitted GD-OTS customers and shareholders resulting in improved service to the customer. Under Mike's astute and hands-on leadership, GD-OTS revenue rose over 500 percent since acquisition in 2001. Mike created a persistent priority and focuses on safety across GD-OTS and accumulated an unparalleled safety record by any industry standards. One of Mike's proudest career achievements can be framed by the performance of OTS during the urgent ramp-up required to meet surging demand of Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF). Virtually overnight, Mike oversaw the ramp-up of all GD-OTS production lines to provide ammunition when it was needed the most. During his career at GD, Mike led the effort to grow GD-OTS' organic production capabilities. With deft precision and timing, Mike skillfully invested in facility expansion and organic capabilities to achieve strategic vertical integration. This resulted in a dramatic expansion of core competencies and several new production franchises for GD-OTS. Mr. Speaker, the Munitions Industrial Base, commercial industry, and each branch of our Armed Forces will miss Mike Wilson's leadership. As a nation, let us recognize his intrepid service and dedication to the mission of supporting our warfighters. And I ask that this body join me in honoring and congratulating Mr. Mike S. Wilson on a most honorable, truly energetic, and innovative career.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a gentleman who has dedicated his life to serving our Nation, a true American leader and hero who hails from the State of Florida, Mr. Michael S. Wilson. Mike is retiring from General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems after 47 years of service to our war fighters and the defense industry. He has distinguished himself throughout his career, most notably by developing and fielding over 15 programs for our Armed Forces. One of Mike's proudest career achievements is the performance of ordnance and tactical systems during the urgent ramp-up required for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Virtually overnight, he oversaw the ramp-up of all General Dynamics production lines to provide ammunition when it was needed the most. Mr. Speaker, the munitions industrial base, commercial industry, and each branch of our Armed Forces will miss Mike Wilson's leadership. As a nation, let us recognize his intrepid service and dedication to the mission of supporting our warfighters. I ask that this body join me in honoring and congratulating Mike on a most honorable and truly energetic and innovative career.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to MacDill Air Force Base on its upcoming 75th anniversary. Located in Tampa, Florida, MacDill has played a crucial role over the past 75 years in extending the global reach of U.S. air power through air refueling and airlift operations, and is currently home to the 6th Air Mobility Wing and 39 Mission Teammates, including U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command. Officially activated on April 16, 1941, MacDill trained World War II airmen to fly and operate bombers, including the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-26 Marauder. Throughout the Second World War, MacDill saw thousands of servicemen train to lead the force in the dangerous skies over Europe. From start to finish, MacDill played a critical role in our country's great military achievement. After World War II, the bombers gave way to fighters, when MacDill became a Tactical Air Command. The turmoil in the 1960's again highlighted the strategic importance of MacDill's location. Throughout the Vietnam War and up until the first Gulf War in 1991, MacDill was home to the F-4 Phantoms and later F-16 Fighting Falcons. Between 1979 and 1993, about half of all F-16 fighter pilots trained at MacDill Air Force Base. In addition to its key role in preserving our country's national security, the Base also serves as an important economic driver in the region and the state of Florida. With over 13,000 military and civilian personnel on MacDill and approximately 170,000 military retirees calling the Tampa area home, MacDill has been found to inject $14 billion a year into the regional economy. MacDill is vital to the Tampa Bay region's economic well-being. MacDill's strategic location in Tampa has encouraged its growth and expansion, and serves as a testament to our nation's military might and Tampa's dedication to supporting the brave men and women of the Armed Services. I am honored to support MacDill Air Force Base's mission in Congress and am proud of the critical role our hometown plays in protecting our nation and her people.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Morton Plant Hospital, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. In 1912, Mr. Morton Plant was vacationing in Pinellas County, Florida, when his son, Henry, was seriously injured. He quickly realized the closest medical care was a day's drive, so he offered the community a $100,000 endowment to open a local hospital. On January 1, 1916, the Morton F. Plant Endowed Hospital opened with 20 beds and 5 bassinets. In the decades to come, Morton Plant Hospital would emerge at the forefront of cardiovascular health, orthopedics, neuroscience, emergency care, and neonatal health. It has been awarded the baby-friendly hospital status by the United Nations Children's Fund. It has also been recognized by the Florida Hospital Association as the innovation of the year in patient care. Most notably, it is the only hospital in the United States to be awarded for 13 consecutive years the Top 100 Hospitals designation by Thomson Reuters. Morton Plant was created out of a community effort, and the hospital continues to serve the Pinellas County community. I congratulate them on 100 years of service, and I offer the sincere gratitude of our Pinellas County community for Morton Plant's tireless work on behalf of patients and families.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an institution that has served the people of Pinellas County, the people of Florida, and people in all corners of the world for 150 years. It is an institution that continues each day to serve our loving God. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida, as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. In 1866, Reverend C.S. Reynolds and his wife Judith, along with a handful of Christ followers, founded the Midway Baptist Church in Clearwater Harbor, Florida. The church is considered to be the first organized church of any kind in what later became the city of Clearwater, and it was the very first Baptist Church in Pinellas County. During the 1920s, under the leadership of Pastor A.J. Kroelinger, the church undertook a major building project in the heart of Clearwater. The ornate rotunda was completed in 1926 and became known as one of the most magnificent buildings in the Southland. It stood as the home for Calvary Baptist Church and was recognized as a Clearwater landmark for nearly 80 years. Calvary's history is a story of God's grace and providence. It endured the effects of both World Wars and the Great Depression. It continued to experience eras of significant growth under the leadership of Pastor O.E. Burton throughout the 1950s and 1960s and Pastor Bill Anderson, who led the church from 1975 to 2002. Since 2004, Pastor Willie Rice has led this vibrant church and its expanding outreach. The church is distinguished by its faithful adherence to the message of God's love and the redemptive purposes in and through Jesus Christ. The church has served its local community and partnered with others through its historic affiliation with the Southern Baptist Convention, extending its influence of compassion-based ministries around the world. Throughout its history, the body of believers who make up the church have been instrumental in founding and supporting many local ministries in the Tampa Bay area. These ministries reach into every facet of human experience. Through partnerships with several community-based pregnancy centers, members of the church provide resources and support to struggling pregnant mothers and their unborn children, honoring the sanctity of life. They provide clothing, food, and shelter to the homeless. The church is faithful each day to honoring our veterans. Calvary expresses the redemptive grace of our loving God by directly supporting individuals transitioning out of prison as well as recovering addicts. The support they provide to these individuals helps restore dignity and purpose of life. The church ministers in many ways to the young people of the community through a vibrant in-house youth program as well as numerous community outreach programs. Calvary Christian High School opened its doors in the fall of 2000 with the goal of challenging all students to achieve academically to the highest levels of their God-given abilities. Another community outreach program provides school materials to disadvantaged elementary students through the Adopt a Classroom project. Supporting children and families is a central element of a Christian lifestyle. It is central to the mission of Calvary Baptist Church. Internationally, Calvary provides financial and material resources and hundreds of volunteers to support disaster relief and recovery efforts worldwide. Through medical mission trips, the church provides much-needed care to communities in far reaches of the globe. With direct support and through global partnerships, Calvary assists in community development efforts throughout the world. In short, Mr. Speaker, Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida, has become a part of the fabric of our Pinellas County community, enriching the lives of its members and neighborhoods. But far more important, Calvary continues each day to share the message of the saving grace of the Christ in whom we put our faith and in whom we put our trust. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me today in recognizing Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater, Florida, as it celebrates 150 magnificent years of ministry and service.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to talk about an issue that I started bringing up about 5 or 6 weeks ago and that I intend to talk about every week until we finally force action in this Chamber. For over 20 years, I have had the opportunity to study this institution, an institution I believe very deeply in--in its ability to rise to some of our greatest national challenges and to solve some of the greatest problems we face. It was not until as a first-time candidate then elected to office that I had the opportunity to experience a few moments that are very unique to actually being in the Member's chair. We have had a great debate over the decades about campaign finance reform, about the role of money in politics. It is a legitimate debate. It is a legitimate conversation with strongly felt views on both sides of the aisle, with solutions as diverse as the ideologies of our country--from greater transparency to greater limits, to fewer limits. Yet, as we have talked about the campaign finance construct in this country and as we have talked about proposed solutions, we have actually ignored one of the greatest blights on this body, itself. It comes not in the form of our campaign finance laws, but it comes in the form of the amount of time that Members of this body are expected or are, in some cases, directed to spend in raising money. You see, the first way we begin to address campaign finance reform is by addressing a needed congressional reform, a reform that touches not on the current laws of how campaigns are resourced, but on the current rules by which this body governs. As they were directed a few years back by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle--by their leadership--the expectation as a new Member of Congress for a day in D.C. is to spend 4 hours a day on the phone, raising money. The number-one activity, as was suggested to new incoming Members, was to fundraise, not to legislate. It is a very uncomfortable truth. As I said last week, it is very uncomfortable for me to talk about this amongst my colleagues, but we represent, each of us, 700,000 people back home who trust us. They trust us to serve, and in serving, we are to give voice to their priorities. Dear folks, the priorities of our constituents is not fundraising. You see, there is a broad diversity of priorities--from border security, to immigration reform, to transportation, to tax reform. I listened to colleagues in the last hour talk about balancing the budget. Others talked about programs that are critical to ending hunger here in the United States, but we will never solve these problems on behalf of the people who sent us here if we spend more time on the phone, raising money, than we do in legislating, in tackling these very problems that we have tried to give voice to. Last week I did share with this body the orientation card that was provided to some incoming Members a few years back. Today I have with me some quotes from retiring Members of Congress, from those on the way out the door or who have already left. The first one, you will notice, is a confession from a colleague on my side of the aisle, upon his retirement, who said that fundraising is the main business of Congress. The other one is from the retired Senate majority leader who said that a Senator has to raise $10,000 a day every day he is in office, every day for 6 years, simply to finance his reelection. The last is from a colleague who, shortly after announcing his intention to retire, wrote a piece called ``Confessions of a Congressman,'' confessing to spending 4,200 hours on the phone, raising money--4,200 hours that could have been spent doing his job. What do all of these quotes have in common? What do all of these individuals have in common? They are either retired or they are retiring. The cynic in me would suggest: Why do you wait until you have left this institution to publicly lament the failings of having served while you were here? In fact, the cynic in me would suggest, in some cases, it is simply to sell a book--to ask the American people for more money, but this time for your own pocket, not for your campaign. What do we do about it? Why don't we do something as sitting Members of Congress that has never been done before? Let's address this issue that creates such a quiet anger amongst Members of Congress--this obligation to fundraise--but that resonates as a very loud anger with the American people. You see, no Member on this side of the aisle or the other needs a poll to know that the American people are frustrated with the amount of time Members of Congress spend in raising money instead of in doing their jobs. Together, with six or eight colleagues here in this body--and I am grateful for their support of the legislation I have introduced--we have introduced something I call the STOP Act. It is very simple. It is merely three or four pages. Every Member of this body can read it before he votes on it. The STOP Act, H.R. 4443, prohibits any Member of Congress from directly soliciting a contribution to his own campaign, to a PAC, or to his party. It leaves in place the campaign finance construct that has been approved by the Supreme Court. Whether you agree with it or not, it doesn't touch the current campaign finance system. If an individual wishes to participate in an election, I believe that is political speech, and he is still able to participate by making phone calls, by waving signs, or by contributing. Campaign committees can still exist. It is simply the job of staff to ensure that campaigns have the resources necessary to run the campaign. This law would only apply to sitting Members of Congress. It would not apply to challengers. It would not apply to first-time candidates. It would only apply to sitting Members of Congress. It would be a direct prohibition on any Member of Congress who is directly soliciting a contribution. Why? Because the message is very simple to Congress. You see, the STOP Act says: Get back to work. Do your job. It is why we were elected, to actually try to solve problems. In State legislatures, including in the State legislature in the State of Florida, members are prohibited from directly soliciting contributions while they are in session. In Florida, where we elect judges, we have a prohibition on the direct solicitation of contributions, and 29 or 30 States across the country have that same prohibition. The message is very simple: you are elected to do a job. Spend your hours working, not asking people for money. I have heard a lot of responses since I introduced this bill. The contrast between comments from the American people is stark compared to comments from many elected officials, many in this town. See, the American people get it and they say ``thank you.'' Of course, Congress should be spending time doing its job, not spending time across the street, raising money. The American people get it. Folks in this town say, ``You are crazy.'' Some say, ``I like fundraising.'' One of the better comments--more intriguing--was that old habits are hard to break. Let's break those habits. Let's have a Congress that gets to work because, you see, this is not the best we can do. Do you want to know why we have not solved border security, gotten operational control of the border, why we have not solved immigration reform, why we have not reached consensus, finally, once and for all, on how to balance the budget and put us on a pathway to prosperity, why we have not had a healthy debate on issues like an authorization to use military force? Where are we in terms of agreement or disagreement with the President's foreign policy? Why have we not been able to consider a national right to carry reciprocity, protecting the Second Amendment rights of any individual who travels between States? Why have we not solved the VA healthcare problem in giving every veteran the complete choice of where he receives his health care? Why have we not moved legislation on behalf of law enforcement officers to enhance penalties for those who do harm to law enforcement officers? It is because we have a part-time Congress and a full-time world. There is no way to suggest to voters that it is somehow okay to have a political culture that prioritizes fundraising over legislating. Tone is very important here. While this is a hard issue to talk about, this is not intended to judge or to criticize my colleagues. In fact, colleagues in this body are operating lawfully under the system that has been set before us. But I am simply trying to change the system because the American people will never understand, as they work 40, 50, 60 hours a week, why, according to some estimations, we have a legislature that spends 15 hours a week legislating and 25 hours a week raising money. It does not make a bit of sense. Now, I mentioned some of the comments that I have heard from others after I introduced this. There are two things you will hear from people who don't want to talk about this--actually, there are three. The first response is silence and the hope that you don't make eye contact so you can avoid the question because there is no way to oppose the STOP Act. The second is this issue of, well, it is First Amendment. I should be able to ask somebody for money. The United States Supreme Court recently considered that question in a case that dealt with a prohibition on judges directly soliciting contributions, and the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that it was a reasonable restriction on elected officials to protect the integrity of the bench. Now, there was discussion about whether or not that could apply also to legislators, and there were questions about that. I would point you back to the fact that legislatures at the State level currently prohibit direct solicitation while they are in session. So my STOP Act, I believe, meets constitutional muster based on Supreme Court rulings. But should there be any question, then we can simply make it apply to days that we are in session, hours that we are in session. Frankly, we could solve it most easily by simply passing a House rule, because, you see, a rule that this body imposes upon itself survives any constitutional scrutiny. So I start by asking my colleagues to cosponsor the STOP Act, H.R. 4443. If we fail to move the STOP Act, let's have an honest conversation within this body about the current blight that fundraising imposes on our ability to do work, because this is not the best we can do. Where are our solutions to the issues I mentioned of border security, of national security, of balanced budget, of tax reforms, of VA health care, of protecting law enforcement? Where are our solutions? They are not found at fundraisers. They are not found on the other end of a cold call that you make to ask for a contribution. The answers are found among the community of stakeholders that sent us here, those on the front lines every day of these issues, communities like mine in Pinellas County who gave me the public trust. Every day my first responsibility and the responsibility of every Member of this Congress is to honor that public trust. You see, the answers are not in fundraisers or on the other end of a fundraising phone call. The answers are in our community and in the voices of our community as represented by elected officials here in this well. But we are not here. It is 4:45, and we are done for the day but for fundraising and but for making phone calls. Let's get off the phone with donors. Let's leave that to campaign organizations, and let's get on the phone with the constituents who have asked us to give voice to their concerns. Let's find the answers where they lie, not across the street in call suites, not at fundraisers. We can do so much better, and we are fooling ourselves if we don't realize that. If we take anything from the political landscape this year, it is that the American people are calling the bluff of folks who continue to mislead and misrepresent. It is misleading and it is misrepresenting when we promise that we are working on critical issues of the country when, in fact, we are not even in the office but we are across the street raising money. I would love to take on broader campaign finance reform. We all have strong opinions. Mine start first with protecting the First Amendment rights of anyone to participate in an election. We will never get to the bigger reforms if we ignore this very basic truth that many in this body, as a result of the pressure of campaigns, spend more time asking you for money than asking you for solutions, more time fundraising than legislating. I didn't run to become a professional fundraiser. I ran to hopefully contribute to solutions that are desperately wanted by the American people, solutions that require consensus across the aisle, but solutions that first and foremost require a commitment to serve, a commitment to tackle the hardest issues among us. I started by saying I believe deeply in this institution, and I do. This is the greatest legislative body the world has ever seen, but let's honor that history. Just as when we took the oath of office to well and faithfully execute the duties of this office, let's honor that, because we are not faithfully executing the duties of this office when the Chamber is empty at 4:45 but the call suites across the street are full. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 168 inventors who will soon be recognized at the United States Patent and Trademark Office and inducted as the 2015 Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) in an induction ceremony that will feature a keynote address by U.S. Commissioner for Patents Andrew Hirshfeld. In order to be named as a Fellow, these men and women were nominated by their peers and have undergone the scrutiny of the NAI Selection Committee, having had their innovations deemed as making significant impact on quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society. Collectively, this elite group holds nearly 5,400 patents. The individuals making up this year's class of Fellows include individuals from 109 research universities and non-profit research institutes spanning the United States and the world. The now 582-member group of Fellows is composed of more than 80 presidents and senior leadership of research universities and non-profit research institutes, 310 members of the other National Academies, 27 inductees of the National Inventors Hall of Fame, 36 recipients of the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation and the U.S. National Medal of Science, 27 Nobel Laureates, 14 Lemelson-MIT prize recipients, and 170 AAAS Fellows, among other awards and distinctions. The NAI was founded in 2010 by Paul R. Sanberg at the University of South Florida. Its mission is to recognize and encourage inventors with patents issued from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, enhance the visibility of academic technology and innovation, encourage the disclosure of intellectual property, educate and mentor innovative students, and translate the inventions of its members to benefit society. We are greatly indebted to innovators such as these for contributions to society through their inventions. I commend these individuals, and the organizations that support them, for the work they do to revolutionize the world we live in. As the following inventors are inducted, may it encourage future generations to strive to meet this high honor and continue the spirit of discovery and innovation. The 2015 NAI Fellows include; C. Mauli Agrawal, The University of Texas at San Antonio; Dean P. Alderucci, The University of Chicago; Jayakrishna Ambati, University of Kentucky; Iver E. Anderson, Iowa State University; Kristi S. Anseth, University of Colorado Boulder; Allen W. Apblett, Oklahoma State University; Charles J. Arntzen, Arizona State University; Harry A. Atwater, Jr., California Institute of Technology; Lorne A. Babiuk, University of Alberta; John M. Ballato, Clemson University; John S. Baras, University of Maryland; Issa Batarseh, University of Central Florida; Ray H. Baughman, The University of Texas at Dallas; Angela M. Belcher, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Stephen J. Benkovic, The Pennsylvania State University; Shekhar Bhansali, Florida International University; Sangeeta N. Bhatia, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; J. Douglas Birdwell, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Kenneth J. Blank, Rowan University; Dale L. Boger, The Scripps Research Institute. Charles A. Bouman, Purdue University; John E. Bowers, University of California, Santa Barbara; Gary L. Bowlin, University of Memphis; C. Jeffrey Brinker, The University of New Mexico; Emery N. Brown, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Milton L. Brown, Georgetown University; Richard B. Brown, The University of Utah; Steven R.J. Brueck, The University of New Mexico; Joe C. Campbell, University of Virginia; Selim A. Chacour, University of South Florida; Mau-Chung Frank Chang, National Chiao Tung University; Shu Chien, University of California, San Diego; Mary-Dell Chilton, Washington University in St. Louis; Diana S. Chow, University of Houston; Chung K. Chu, University of Georgia; Yoginder P. Chugh, Southern Illinois University; William J. Clancey, Institute for Human and Machine Cognition; Katrina Cornish, The Ohio State University; Delos M. Cosgrove III, Cleveland Clinic; Alan W. Cramb, Illinois Institute of Technology. Benjamin F. Cravatt III, The Scripps Research Institute; Roy Curtiss III, University of Florida; P. Daniel Dapkus, University of Southern California; John G. Daugman, University of Cambridge; Mark E. Davis, California Institute of Technology; Robert C. Dean, Jr., Dartmouth College; Atam P. Dhawan, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Duane B. Dimos, The University of Texas at Arlington; David M. Eddy, University of South Florida; Nader Engheta, University of Pennsylvania; Antonio Facchetti, Northwestern University; Rudolf Faust, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Robert E. Fischell, University of Maryland; Christodoulos A. Floudas, Texas A&M University; Gabor Forgacs, University of Missouri; Scott E. Fraser, University of Southern California; Jean M.J. Frechet, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Richard H. Frenkiel, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; Sanjiv S. Gambhir, Stanford University; Shubhra Gangopadhyay, University of Missouri; Sir Andre K. Geim, The University of Manchester; George Georgiou, The University of Texas at Austin. John C. Gore, Vanderbilt University; Venu Govindaraju, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York; Ali Hajimiri, California Institute of Technology; Naomi J. Halas, Rice University; Andrew D. Hamilton, New York University; Wayne W. Hanna, University of Georgia; Florence P. Haseltine, National Institutes of Health; Charlotte A.E. Hauser, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; Craig J. Hawker, University of California, Santa Barbara; M. Frederick Hawthorne, University of Missouri; Barton F. Haynes, Duke University; Richard F. Heck, University of Delaware; Andrew B. Holmes, The University of Melbourne; Rush D. Holt, American Association for the Advancement of Science; H. Robert Horvitz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Chenming C. Hu, University of California, Berkeley; Leon D. Iasemidis, Louisiana Tech University; Mir Imran, University of Pittsburgh; Donald E. Ingber, Harvard University; Chennupati Jagadish, The Australian National University. Anil K. Jain, Michigan State University; Kristina M. Johnson, University of Colorado Boulder; Joseph S. Kalinowski, East Carolina University; Aaron V. Kaplan, Dartmouth College; Usha N. Kasid, Georgetown University; Kenneth W. Kinzler, Johns Hopkins University; Brian K. Kobilka, Stanford University; Steven J. Kubisen, The George Washington University; Donald W. Landry, Columbia University; Se-Jin Lee, Johns Hopkins University; Sunggyu Lee, Ohio University; Robert J. Lefkowitz, Duke University; G. Douglas Letson, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute; Jennifer A. Lewis, Harvard University; Guifang Li, University of Central Florida; James C. Liao, University of California, Los Angeles; John S. Lollar III, Emory University; Anthony M. Lowman, Rowan University; Rodney S. Markin, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Tobin J. Marks, Northwestern University; Dean F. Martin, University of South Florida. Helen S. Mayberg, Emory University; Edith G. McGeer, The University of British Columbia; Patrick L. McGeer, The University of British Columbia; Meyya Meyyappan, NASA Ames Research Center; Thomas E. Milner, The University of Texas at Austin; Umesh K. Mishra, University of California, Santa Barbara; Somenath Mitra, New Jersey Institute of Technology; Andreas F. Molisch, University of Southern California; Ramani Narayan, Michigan State University; Alan C. Nelson, Arizona State University; Kyriacos C. Nicolaou, Rice University; David R. Nygren, The University of Texas at Arlington; Richard M. Osgood, Jr., Columbia University; Alyssa Panitch, Purdue University; H. Anne Pereira, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; William M. Pierce, Jr., University of Louisville; John M. Poate, Colorado School of Mines; H. Vincent Poor, Princeton University; Ann Progulske-Fox, University of Florida; Suzie H. Pun, University of Washington; Kaushik Rajashekara, The University of Texas at Dallas; Jahangir S. Rastegar, Stony Brook University. A. Hari Reddi, University of California, Davis; E. Albert Reece, University of Maryland; Kenneth L. Reifsnider, The University of Texas at Arlington; Jasper D. Rine, University of California, Berkeley; Ajeet Rohatgi, Georgia Institute of Technology; Stephen D. Russell, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command; Michael J. Sailor, University of California, San Diego; Bahgat G. Sammakia, Binghamton University; Andrew V. Schally, University of Miami; Paul R. Schimmel, The Scripps Research Institute; Peter G. Schultz, The Scripps Research Institute; Marian O. Scully, Texas A&M University; Jonathan L. Sessler, The University of Texas at Austin; Mohsen Shahinpoor, University of Maine; Ben Shneiderman, University of Maryland; Marvin J. Slepian, The University of Arizona; Kwok-Fai So, The University of Hong Kong; Richard A. Soref, University of Massachusetts Boston; Pramod K. Srivastava, University of Connecticut; Andrew J. Steckl, University of Cincinnati. Valentino J. Stella, The University of Kansas; Galen D. Stucky, University of California, Santa Barbara; Bala Subramaniam, The University of Kansas; R. Michael Tanner, Association of Public and Land-grant Universities; Guillermo J. Tearney, Harvard University; Stephen Tomlinson, Medical University of South Carolina; James M. Tour, Rice University; Kalliat T. Valsaraj, Louisiana State University; Bert Vogelstein, Johns Hopkins University; Sherry L. Harbin, Purdue University; Norman J. Wagner III, University of Delaware; Yong Wang, Washington State University; James A. Wells, University of California, San Francisco; Caroline C. Whitacre, The Ohio State University; Jay F. Whitacre, Carnegie Mellon University; Helena S. Wisniewski, University of Alaska Anchorage; Edward D. Wolf, Cornell University; Paul K. Wright, University of California, Berkeley; James C. Wyant, The University of Arizona; Pan-Chyr Yang, National Taiwan University; Yu- Dong Yao, Stevens Institute of Technology; Martin L. Yarmush, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and Jianping Zheng, Florida State University.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an important congressional reform initiative that I have introduced in this body. I have had the opportunity to study Congress from virtually every angle. I graduated from college as a young intern who drove up here having never been north of Tennessee. As my predecessor said and I shared: I never thought I would meet a Member of Congress, much less have the great opportunity and honor to be one. Through virtually every staff role over the past 15 or 20 years, I have had a chance to study this body. There are a few experiences now, as a sitting Member of Congress, that I simply cannot accept. One of them--the most pressing one--is the amount of time that Members of Congress are expected or, in some cases, directed to spend on raising money. We all know it. Every Member of Congress understands that you arrive with great expectations only to learn the obligation to spend time raising money. There is a quiet anger among many Members about that. It is not comfortable to talk about, frankly. This is one of the more uncomfortable speeches I will ever give in the well of this House. We must talk about it. Because when does this become the expectation? This is an orientation slide for freshmen Members of Congress that was produced by one of the two major parties of this Congress a few years back, suggesting that, as a Member of Congress, your first responsibility is 4 hours a day not in your office, but across the street in a call suite asking people for money, another 1 to 2 hours a day networking and raising money, and only 2 hours a day doing your job. Members of Congress might have a quiet anger, but the American people will have a very loud anger when they understand that we are not accomplishing things here because we are spending too much time raising money. Let's turn that anger into resolve and change this body and change Washington forever. Former Members of Congress are happy to talk about this, retiring Members who write confessions saying they spent 4,200 hours raising money, former majority leaders of the other body now writing a book lamenting how much time they spent raising money, a colleague of ours leaving this House calling fundraising the main business of Congress. But what do they all have in common? They are all retiring or retired. Why don't we do something about it, as sitting Members of Congress? Why don't we fix this now when we have the opportunity instead of lamenting it when we are gone? This is why I have introduced what I call the Stop Act. It is very simple. It is 3 or 4 pages. Every Member of this body can read it before they vote on it. It simply prohibits direct solicitation of a campaign contribution by a sitting Member of Congress. State legislators in the State of Florida and across the country are often prohibited from directly soliciting. There are 30 States where judges are elected, and they are prohibited from directly soliciting contributions. I want to say thank you to my colleagues who have cosponsored this. In just over 3 weeks, we have six cosponsors: Mr. Nolan of Minnesota, Mr. Jones of North Carolina, Messrs. Duffy and Ribble of Wisconsin, and Messrs. Mica and Nugent from my State of Florida. The message is very simple on this. It says to Congress to get back to work. Let's do our job, the job we were elected to do. We will never solve border security and immigration reform. We will never balance the budget. We will never address national security and foreign policy. We will never address tax reform if we have a part-time Congress in a full-time world. In any other profession, if you spend 20 to 30 hours a week doing a job other than you are hired to do, you would be fired. But, in Washington, we accept this as the political culture. Many will say the issue is dark money, the issue is transparency. Fine. We can have a campaign finance debate. But that is not what this is about. This is about congressional reform. I will close with this, Mr. Speaker. Each one of us made a promise to roughly 700,000 people in the community from which we come and represent. We made a promise to do our job, not to ask them for money. We took an oath. We each took an oath, swearing to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. The last line of our oath says: ``I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of this office on which I am about to enter.'' Friends, we are not well and faithfully discharging the duties of this body when we are spending 20 hours a week asking people for money and not doing our job. We are not well and faithfully discharging the duties of this office when fundraising is the main business, when we have Members missing votes to raise money, when the most important question sometimes among colleagues is not what legislation you are working on, but how much money you have raised. We are not well and faithfully executing the duties of this House when we are not doing our job. I stand here not to judge my colleagues. I stand here to try to change the system. Let's restore credibility to this House. Let's honor the greatness of this body with greatness of integrity, greatness of commitment, greatness of resolve. Let's recognize the great calling of this body and the even greater calling of this Nation. Let's stand together today and change Washington forever. Friends, colleagues, I urge you, while you are here and before retiring and lamenting the amount of time you spent raising money, cosponsor the Stop Act. Join me in this effort to change Washington.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a gentleman who has dedicated his life to serving our Nation, a true American hero from the State of Florida, Mr. Doug Richardson. Mr. Richardson is retiring from the United States Special Operations Command after 50 years of government service. Mr. Richardson currently serves as a defense intelligence senior leader and as the program executive officer for Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Exploitation at USSOCOM. A West Point graduate, Mr. Richardson distinguished himself throughout his military career, retiring as a colonel from Active Duty in the United States Army in 1993 and then continuing his service to USSOCOM as a civilian. Perhaps the best example of Doug's integrity and courage is recorded in his Silver Star Medal citation, which was awarded to Doug for his heroism in combat during the Vietnam war. On June 18, 1969, while serving as an adviser with the 4th Cavalry Regiment of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, then-Captain Richardson accompanied a small armored infantry team moving to break through a very determined enemy force to rescue the crewmen of a downed United States Army helicopter. As the unit approached the village, it came under intense rocket- propelled grenade and automatic weapons fire from very well-concealed positions. The area was also known to be heavily mined and set with traps. As the attempts of the Vietnamese to reach the helicopter were continually repulsed by enemy counterattacks, Captain Richardson dismounted his track, rallied a small force of Vietnamese soldiers, and then led them to the helicopter through enemy fire, exhorting his comrades to vigorously engage the enemy. Disregarding his personal safety and armed with only a pistol, Captain Richardson led his men through the mined area and into an assault on the enemy positions. Following his example, the soldiers, though at a tactical disadvantage, pressed the attack vigorously and ultimately broke the resistance and secured the helicopter. Despite a hail of small-arms fire and hand grenades directed at his position, Doug continued his search for the survivors until he had found the remains of all U.S. crewmembers and then remained to extract the bodies of his fallen comrades from the wreckage. As a result of Captain Richardson's valiant display of battlefield courage, the Vietnamese force was able to hold the area from a tenacious enemy and return the fallen soldiers to allied control. Mr. Speaker, USSOCOM will miss Doug Richardson's leadership. As a Nation, let us recognize his valiant service. I ask that this body join me in honoring and congratulating Mr. Doug Richardson on a most honorable and truly heroic career.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jim Pavlicin, a resident of Gulfport, Florida, who passed away on January 7, 2016. James Joseph Pavlicin was born and raised in Westbury, New York, the son of United States Navy veteran and Nassau County Police Detective Michael Thomas Pavlicin and his wife, Margaret Josephine (nee Clay). During World War II, Jim's mother sewed three blue stars on her Military Service flag, as all three of her sons, members of the Greatest Generation, defended our nation overseas. Following his older brothers--Mike, who served in the United States Navy, and George, who served in the United States Marine Corps--Jim joined the United States Army. In the post-war period, he was assigned to the Military Police Honor Guard, IX Corps Headquarters, in Sendai, Japan. Returning home, he married his beloved wife of sixty years and eight months, Mary (nee Horton). Settling on Long Island, New York, Mary and Jim raised four children: James (Annie), William (Debra), Jo Ann (Van), and Robert (Melissa); had seven grandchildren: Jessica (Sean), Amy (Matt), Kellie (Brandon), William, Rachel, Matthew, and Rebecca; and five great-grandchildren: Kaelyn, Matthew, Sam, Jacob, and Thomas. A sixth great-grandchild, Brandon Jr., will be born this month. He is also survived by two sisters, Mary Elliott and Margaret Clark, and dozens of nieces and nephews. Jim was a proud member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers for fifty-five years. He enjoyed gardening, sport aviation, and travel, and was a master woodworker. Mary and Jim retired to Gulfport in 1998 after four years of living in a recreational vehicle and seeing this beautiful country. They belonged to the Gulfport Presbyterian Church, and were active and avid volunteers with the Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In & Expo, Florida's largest convention. In 2012, Jim and his daughter Jo Ann participated in an Honor Flight, along with many other veterans from the Tampa area, traveling to Washington to visit the National World War II Memorial along the Mall. Jim's goal in life was to ``build a better mouse trap''--and most of the time, he did. He always had a smile on his face, and was happiest when he was with his family, helping others, telling a story, or singing. At his funeral, his grandchildren recounted how meaningful it was to hear their grandfather say to them, ``Good job. I'm proud of you.'' Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Congress, I am privileged to honor James J. Pavlicin, whose life and service reflect great credit upon himself, his family, and his community. He will be remembered as a man who selflessly answered his country's call; as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, son, brother, and uncle; and as an important part of Florida's 13th Congressional District. My wife Laura and I offer our prayers for his wife, Mary; children, Jim, Bill, Jo, and Bob; and the rest of his large, loving family, as we remember and honor the life of Jim Pavlicin.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of bipartisan legislation that the House recently passed, H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, and specifically section 103 that addresses a disturbing trend in taxpayer federally subsidized housing. Last summer, HUD's inspector general published an audit revealing that over 25,000 recipients of taxpayer-supported housing actually exceeded the maximum allowable income to qualify for housing assistance. Importantly, roughly triple that number is on a wait list for housing. In fact, those on the wait list are economically qualified. Worse, to pay for these over-income tenants, American taxpayers--you and I--are on the hook for $104 million next year. While hundreds of thousands of desperate low-income American families legitimately in need of taxpayer-supported housing today sit on those lists idly waiting for much-needed help, tens of thousands of over-income tenants sit in taxpayer-supported housing. In one instance, a New York family with an income of nearly $500,000 is receiving taxpayer-subsidized public housing. In Nebraska, an individual with double the income limit and $1.6 million in assets is living in taxpayer-supported housing, paying $300 a month. In my home State of Florida, we have many cases as well. It is very clear that eliminating this kind of waste, fraud, and abuse is the reason that we serve today. It is critical that we do so. A combination of inadequate congressional directives and an indifferent Federal bureaucracy has let down the American people--the people who trust Congress to responsibly and effectively allocate tax dollars. It has also let down the low-income families on the wait list who are hoping for an opportunity to climb out of poverty. I am pleased that the House acted responsibly yesterday to pass legislation to stop this failed policy. Section 103 of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act sets clear requirements for HUD and, now, for local housing authorities. Under this section, households currently in public housing whose income exceeds 120 percent of the median income level for 2 consecutive years will no longer be permitted to receive taxpayer assistance. Further, public housing authorities will be required to report annually to Congress and the American people on tenant incomes so that we might maintain proper oversight of this program. These are reasonable reforms that bring accountability to a Federal program that desperately needs it, ensures a smooth pathway for over- income households to a reasonable transition off of taxpayer assistance, and should create new opportunities for those on the wait list. I am also pleased to see that HUD is finally taking steps to address this matter. It is far too late, but at least they are. Just yesterday, the agency announced that it will consider a much-needed new rule to strengthen oversight of over-income tenancy in public housing. Mr. Speaker, we should not rest until we can be sure that taxpayer dollars, those of the men and women who entrust us to represent them, are going to support only those American families most in need of assistance. We still have much work remaining, but with passage of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, we have made a very important first step. Let us, together, hope that the Senate and the President will join with us in this important work on behalf of the American taxpayers that we represent.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, we have heard a lot of talk this week about improving security in our communities. One way we can do that as a country is to stand shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement officers. Just as they get our back each day, let us get theirs. Tomorrow is Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. We can show our appreciation in this House by bringing up and passing legislation I have introduced called the Thin Blue Line Act, now with over 50 cosponsors on both sides of the Capitol. It simply gives prosecutors and judges greater flexibility to impose enhanced penalties on those who do harm to law enforcement officers. Law enforcement officers each year are subject to over 50,000 assaults on them, 15,000 with injuries, and 150 unfortunately leading to law enforcement deaths. The Thin Blue Line Act says very simply, if you take the life of a law enforcement officer, be prepared to lose your own. Mr. Speaker, let's stand with law enforcement officers today and each day in this House.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a survivor, a leader, and a compassionate woman who dedicated her life to making the Pinellas County community and the State of Florida safer. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Linda Osmundson, who passed away this Monday at the age of 66. A longtime activist against domestic violence and a survivor herself, Linda was best known as the director of Community Action Stops Abuse, or CASA, in St. Petersburg, Florida. Linda served as head of CASA for 26 years before retiring this past summer. Before that, she guided programs in both Gainesville and West Palm Beach. Under Linda's leadership, CASA grew from a staff of 7 working out of a small home to over 80 employees with a 100-bed facility. Linda started a first-of-its-kind substance abuse program for victims. In addition, she worked with law enforcement, who are now properly trained on dealing with domestic violence. She cofounded a program to secure pardons for victims of domestic violence convicted for defending themselves. For that, she earned the Governor's Peace at Home Award. Mr. Speaker, Linda Osmundson leaves a legacy that will not be forgotten. She was a quiet hero in our community, and her life's work undeniably saved thousands of lives and made Florida a safer place. For that, we are grateful.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Major General Luis R. Visot of the United States Army Reserve who will retire after more than 37 years of exceptionally distinguished service culminating in assignment as Chief of Staff, Army Reserve. As Chief of Staff, Major General Visot oversaw staff operations at both the United States Army Reserve Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He immediately set out to improve efficiencies within and between the staffs to improve the quality and speed of decision making processes through deliberate staff interaction both vertically and horizontally. I am grateful for his and his family's life of service to the Army Reserve and wish him well as he transitions into retirement. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, MG Visot was commissioned as a 2LT in May 1978. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI and a Master's in Education from the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. MG Visot received a Master's in Strategic Studies from the United States Army War College. His military education includes: Infantry Airborne Basic Course, Quartermaster Officer Basic Course, Transportation Officer Advanced Course, Command and General Staff College, the Associate Logistics Executive Development Course, the United States Army War College, the Advanced Joint Military Professional Education (AJPME), the Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, and CAPSTONE. Prior to assuming responsibilities as Chief of Staff, Major General Visot served as the Deputy Commanding General (Operations), United States Army Reserve Command from May 2012 to April 2014. During his tenure as DCG-O, he ably assisted the Chief of Army Reserve (CAR)/ Commanding General, United States Army Reserve Command (USARC) in establishing and executing operational and strategic priorities consistent with those of Forces Command and Secretary of the Army. Major General Visot guided the Command as it provided continuous support to the war effort and executed multiple contingency deployments in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Major General Visot executed delegated Mission Command over sixteen USARC Operational and Functional (O&F) Commands (over 160K Soldiers and $282 million OMAR and $567 million RPA budgets) to synchronize/integrate ARFORGEN implementation and consolidate the readiness focus. With more than 37 years of Active Duty in support of the Army Reserve, MG Visot's distinguished career is marked by tremendous accomplishments, impacting across the breadth and depth of the Total Army. He is a leader who genuinely cares for Soldiers, Civilians and Families. Nothing is more important to him than caring for our Nation's most precious resource--our Soldiers. As a Citizen Soldier himself, Major General Visot is acutely aware of the challenges and sacrifices of Army Reserve Soldiers as they balance the demands of service to the Nation, community, and family well-being. He enthusiastically fostered a command culture emphasizing ``Care for our Soldiers'' and held Leaders accountable for the wellbeing of our Soldiers on and off duty. Major General Visot has proven to be a pivotal leader in the Army Reserve. His impassioned leadership focus will have a positive influence on the Army Reserve for years to come. As with all our Citizen Soldiers, it is important that we acknowledge the University of South Florida for their outstanding support as MG Visot's civilian employer. It is because of their cooperation and understanding during his many tours on Active Duty that he was able to make such a positive impact on the Army Reserve. It is only fair and proper to acknowledge the tireless support of his wife, Dr. Cindy S. Visot, as her love and support enabled MG Visot to work tirelessly on his assigned duties. Dr. Visot is the Chief of Staff and the Director of Board of Trustees Operations at the University of South Florida. Let us thank her for all her sacrifices throughout their service. We congratulate MG and Dr. Visot on their many years of distinguished service and wish them continued success in the future.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call on Donald Trump to withdraw his candidacy for the White House. We face a security test in this Nation, a national security test. It is a real and audible threat. I have been most critical of the President's foreign policy. It is an area that, respectfully, I have the greatest disagreement with this administration. I have begged him in correspondence, and I have used the word ``beg'' to do more to defeat the threat of terror. I believe his Oval Office address Sunday night, frankly, was forgettable. He spent 5 minutes suggesting he was going to do nothing different to defeat ISIS. He spent 5 minutes lecturing Congress, and he spent 5 minutes lecturing the American people. You see, we do face a security test that I believe the President's policies have underestimated. But we also face a test of our commitment to religious freedom, one of the basic freedoms upon which our Nation was founded. We are either going to defend that religious freedom or we are not. It should be heartbreaking to every American that we have a frontrunner in the Presidential race that suggests there will be a religious test for anybody who wishes to come to our shores. It is an affront to the very principles upon which our Nation was founded. We broke from a monarch that suggested all freedom and liberty was vested in the Crown and then the Crown would distribute freedom and liberty to the people. We founded a Nation based on what Jefferson called the natural rights of man, that we were, indeed, endowed by our Creator with very fundamental rights. Mr. Speaker, I am a born-again Christian. I believe in the saving grace of the Jesus Christ that I call my God. The beautiful thing about this country is I can stand here on the House floor, among my peers and in front of the Nation, and declare that faith without fear of any reprisal. But if Donald Trump has his way, we may not have the liberty to do that anymore. It is a freedom that has been fought for, from the Founders of our country, and generation upon generation of men and women who have worn the uniform of the Armed Forces and defended it, for the security of our Nation, and for the freedom of people. We are a Nation worried about our security, rightfully so. It is why we are calling on the President to do so much more to defeat this terror. It is why we are begging the President for a stronger national security test. We must always insist on a security test, but we must never require a religious test. It is time that my side of the aisle has one less candidate in the race for the White House. It is time for Donald Trump to withdraw from the race.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a veteran, a legendary chef, and a man known as the godfather of the Tampa Bay hospitality industry. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a dear friend to so many in the Pinellas County and Tampa Bay community, Mr. Tom Pritchard, executive chef of the Bay Star Restaurant Group. Tom passed away this past week following surgery to ease the effects of Parkinson's disease. He was 74 years old. Anyone who knew Tom will tell you that he was a storyteller who was larger than life. He had his own unique sense of style and had a way of making anyone he met feel like they had known each other for decades. Born in Rochester, New York, Tom's first restaurant job came at the age of 14, when he started work shucking oysters for the legendary Guy Lombardo at his East Point House restaurant on Long Island. After high school, Tom left home for college in Iowa before being drafted by the U.S. Army in 1964. Tom was stationed in Germany for several years before being honorably discharged in 1967. After serving his country, Tom continued to spend time abroad, living in London, Mexico, Morocco, Scotland, and owning restaurants in France and Spain. Eventually, he moved to Florida, and in the 1990s he partnered with Frank Chivas, a seafood broker who would become a dear and lasting friend of Tom's. The two would open Salt Rock Grill in Indian Shores. Under Tom's guidance and tutelage, Salt Rock's kitchen became a training ground for up-and-coming chefs. Always quick to help others and share recipes, and with his inventive approach to cooking, Tom became a Florida food legend. One longtime food critic wrote of Tom's generosity: `` `Mentor' is too trite a word for what Tom Pritchard did for literally hundreds of people, young and old, in the kitchen.'' Tom would go on to oversee the kitchens at Island Way Grill and Rumba Island Bar and Grill in Clearwater and Marlin Darlin in Belleair Bluffs--along the way, always helping others. You see, it was Tom's generosity outside the kitchen that defined the man he was. As one director of a Florida charity wrote this week, Tom set the platinum standard for community support, underwriting substantial food and labor costs annually at benefits for numerous nonprofit organizations, like the Abilities Foundation, Clearwater for Youth, and the Ryan Wells Foundation. The Abilities Foundation alone raised $3.7 million from 25 years of wine and food tastings thanks to the help of Tom Pritchard and Frank Chivas. Tom and Frank's mere presence at a fundraiser influenced the participation of countless sponsors and attendees. Tom was always quick to lend his time and talents to benefit programs that helped disabled and other individuals find jobs and live independently. Mr. Speaker, let it be known to all that Tom Pritchard gave more than he took. Tom was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Alden Pritchard, Sr.; mother, Ruth McCarthy Pritchard; brother, Jeffery Lloyd; and son, Adam D. Ostfeld, who also served his country in the Armed Forces. He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Jody D. Hale; her husband, Daniel Hale; sisters, Cynthia A. Tischer, Laurie N. Pritchard; and brother, John C. Pritchard. Mr. Speaker, the Pinellas County community, the Tampa Bay community, and our culinary and charitable communities throughout Florida lost a treasure with the passing of chef Tom Pritchard. I urge my colleagues to join me in remembering his contributions and his legacy of helping others and serving our Nation.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize a Floridian who has spent the last two decades making sure our veterans and their heroic acts are never forgotten. I rise today to commend John J. Piazza, Sr., the founder and president of the Armed Forces Military Museum in Largo, Florida. A veteran himself, Mr. Piazza served from 1955 to 1960 in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserve. In 1998, he founded the Armed Forces Military Museum, exhibiting a personal collection assembled into a mobile museum, with heavy equipment displayed at schools, community events, and the Florida State Fair. But, in 2008, he was able to fulfill his dream of opening a permanent home for great military memorabilia, vehicles, and equipment, both his own and those donated by those who have served. Mr. Speaker, today, Mr. Piazza celebrates his birthday, and I urge my colleagues to not only join me in sending him very best wishes but to thank John for his lifelong dedication to honoring the American heroes who have served our Nation and for helping educate the young men and women who today have the opportunity to learn about valor and sacrifice and our Armed Forces in Largo, Florida.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and honor the memory of Gunnery Sergeant Henry ``Hank'' Green. Hank passed away on November 5 at the age of 95. Mr. Speaker, Hank was one of the first marines to land on Guadalcanal as a member of the First Marine Raider Battalion known as Edson's Raiders. He was recognized for his bravery during the battle known as Bloody Ridge in September 1942 when he took over a machine gun where his closest friend had lost his life. Hank then laid siege throughout the night firing at, in his words, ``anything that moved.'' During this heroic post, Mr. Speaker, Hank was wounded three times, and he was eventually awarded the Purple Heart. Hank would go on to see combat in three more locations near the Solomon Islands before being discharged as a gunnery sergeant in 1946. Upon his return home from war, Hank worked with his father-in-law at H&H Auto Parts in Canton, Ohio, where he grew the business into two very successful locations. In 2002, Hank retired to Florida, first moving to Fort Myers and then making his final home in St. Petersburg. Mr. Speaker, Hank was a well-known and well-respected man who had an infectious love of baseball. He served his country with distinction, made a lasting impact on his community, and will be sorely missed by the lives he touched. May God bless Hank, his family, and friends. And may God bless the country Hank so proudly fought for: the United States of America.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation on their 20th anniversary. To date, the Fisher Center has raised tens of millions of dollars in private funds in the quest to find a cure for this heartbreaking disease that affects millions of families across the country and around the world. Mr. Zachary Fisher created the foundation in 1995, with the single mission of finding a cure for Alzheimer's through scientific discovery. Since then, the research scientists at the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research at Rockefeller University, led by Nobel laureate Dr. Paul Greengard, have made remarkable strides, advancing groundbreaking research. But there is, of course, much more work to be done to defeat this debilitating disease. Mr. Speaker, as I rise to recognize the foundation's leadership in the fight to cure Alzheimer's, I must also recognize Mr. Fisher's many other charitable endeavors that have transformed and touched the lives of those who serve our Nation in uniform. Mr. Fisher was deeply committed to supporting the men and women of our Armed Forces, and our veterans as well. In that light, he founded the Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing to the families of our veterans and our servicemen while a loved one receives medical treatment. Additionally, Mr. Fisher founded the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York City. But the cause for which I rise today is to urge my colleagues once again and to urge the Nation once again to focus on the profound need to increase Alzheimer's research and to recognize the equally profound work that the Fisher Center has done to ultimately advance and find a cure. With 5.3 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer's, we must do more. Left unchecked, Alzheimer's will continue to dramatically impact countless lives and families across the country. Left unchecked, Alzheimer's could cost our Nation $1.1 trillion annually by 2050. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in the fight to find a cure for Alzheimer's, and I rise today to thank the Fisher Center Foundation for leading this charge by funding groundbreaking research to finally end this disease.

Mr. JOLLY

Mr. JOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a brave young airman who lost her life in defending our great Nation. Airman 1st Class Kcey Ruiz of McDonough, Georgia, was killed on October 2 when her C-130J crashed in Afghanistan. Kcey was only 21 years old. A graduate of Dutchtown High School, Ms. Ruiz had an opportunity to learn about healthcare sciences. Her admiration of health care influenced her decision to become a nurse. Ms. Ruiz' desire to serve others led her to enlist in the United States Air Force. After graduating basic training, Ms. Ruiz was assigned to the 66th Security Forces Squadron at Hanscom Air Force Base. Upon her deployment to Afghanistan, she often spoke of how privileged and how proud she was to be doing such important work. Kcey Ruiz was a fierce competitor, a natural leader, a beloved daughter, a courageous airman, and an incredible role model. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join with me in remembering a true American hero, Airman 1st Class Kcey Ruiz.