Larry Kissell

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the Lions Club of Concord, NC, and the celebration of its 80th Anniversary. The Concord Lions Club is a local service organization dedicated to providing needed and unselfish service to the community, especially to those who are visually and hearing impaired. Since its inception, the Concord Lions Club has been a staple in the community. The Club is an avid supporter of many key programs in the area, such as the Camp Dogwood program. The Club pays the fee for interested applicants, allowing all to attend this great camp. In addition, the Club collects used eyeglasses, which are refurbished and given to persons in countries around the world who are in need of eyeglasses, but are unable to afford them. The Concord Lions Club also offers many services, such as free eye and hearing examinations. Residents with vision or hearing disabilities who are financially unable to pay for tests, eyeglasses, or hearing aids are still able to have these vital accessories with the help of the Club and Cabarrus County Social Services. They also place flags throughout Concord to celebrate federal holidays and help raise money for their many worthy projects. As a former President of the Biscoe Lions Club, I can attest to the phenomenal work that the Concord Lions Club has done, and to their commitment to bettering the community and helping those in need. Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring the Concord Lions Club, as an irreplaceable asset to the people I am proud to represent in North Carolina.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast, and the celebration of its 75th Anniversary. Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast is a regional 457-bed, not-for- profit medical center in Concord, NC, delivering top quality care to the community. Over the past 75 years, Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast has grown from a small, local hospital to a regional referral center, offering state of the art care to thousands. In this time, they have established a reputation for excellence in the areas of cancer care, neurosciences, cardiology, and high risk obstetrics. In 1937, in an effort to care for his employees, Cannon Mills owner Charles A. Cannon, and George A. Batte, Jr. opened Cabarrus County Hospital. Years later in 1951, in honor of World War II veterans, Cabarrus County Hospital officially changed its name to the Cabarrus Memorial Hospital. During the 1990s, the hospital grew to a 60-acre medical campus with specifically designed centers for women's services, surgery, and cancer and cardiac care. In 2006, NorthEast Medical Center opened the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital, to work to ensure the absolute best care for children in the area. A year later, in 2007, NorthEast Medical Center joined the Carolinas Healthcare System, and assumed its current name, Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast. This hospital, which was conceived to care for workers, is now our area's top employer. Among the awards and recognition that Carolinas Medical Center- NorthEast has received are J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program for Excellence in Maternity Services and Emergency Services. The hospital is also a recipient of the United States Department of Health and Human Services' Medal of Honor for organ donation, as well as a ``Top Performer'' award in patient satisfaction for overall quality from Professional Research Consultants in 2012. Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in honoring Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast, as an asset to the people I am proud to represent in North Carolina.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Madam Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. KISSELL. I rise in opposition to this amendment, and I'm not going to repeat what my colleague from Georgia just said. He covered the facts well. I think it's important here that we recognize that relationships matter; and the relationship that we have seen with the military and especially NASCAR seems to be getting the brunt of the attention here, a long-time relationship, an important relationship. NASCAR grew up in North Carolina. Its home is in my district in central North Carolina. While NASCAR has spread out throughout the Nation, which we're excited about, still the roots are here at home and in kind of rural America. I don't think it's any coincidence that when we look at our military forces, about 41 percent of our military is from what we describe as rural America, which is only 17 percent of our population. And that relationship between the military and rural America is very important. The relationship between NASCAR and rural America--and all America--is very important. We don't need to interfere with that relationship. I don't think it's any surprise that the most popular driver in NASCAR drives the National Guard car, No. 88, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. This brings kind of the relationship and the viewing that cannot be done in many other ways, and so we don't need to strike that relationship. We need to build upon that. And when you start looking at the ramifications, as my colleague talked about earlier, other ways that this money can be used to help build this relationship, we look at NASCAR, the Special Forces working with NASCAR to develop equipment for our military. I'm cochair of Invisible Wounds, the idea of how we can absorb the energy to help our soldiers that are in combat situations. NASCAR works on this. The tickets that are given to our military families, to the military themselves, this is all part of that relationship. It works. We need for it to work. I oppose this amendment and ask my colleagues to also oppose it. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this amendment. I appreciate my colleague from New Jersey for bringing this forward. With full support, I agree with him. I would like to point out that, just for example, June 17 through 23, that week is EMS fire safety survival week. It's just one of the many weeks that we recognize our firemen for what they do for us and the importance of what they do for us. There is an image of 9/11, the firemen and what they did for our Nation in New York when we were attacked. But that image is also recurring throughout the Nation, throughout the communities, when firemen come to our homes or come to our businesses or go to scenes of accidents. Anywhere our communities need them, the firemen go. This restoring of the grant is just something that we should do--and I'm glad that we are going to do it--to secure that bond to allow them the training and equipment that they need to take care of us. So this is an investment in them so they can take care of us. I appreciate my colleague bringing this amendment forward. I'm very happy and proud to be on this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the students, faculty, staff and coaches of South Stanly High School in Norwood, North Carolina. This past weekend, the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls baseball and softball programs finished their seasons with each team capturing its second North Carolina 1 A State Championship, handily winning their championship games held this weekend in Durham and Raleigh, respectively. With their combined victories, South Stanly High School became just the third program in the history of North Carolina baseball and fast-pitch softball to sweep both titles in the same season. The South Stanly baseball team finished the 2012 season with a 30 4 record, capping the season with a 6 1 victory over Voyager Academy in the State Championship game. I congratulate head coach Terry Tucker, who, in his fourth year with the program, has led the team to its third state championship appearance and its second state championship since 2009. The South Stanly softball team finished the 2012 season with a 27 7 record, completing the season with a 9 2 win over Camden to win the state title. I congratulate South Stanly softball head coach David Poplin, who led the team to its second title since 1998. Most importantly, sincere congratulations are due to the dedicated young men and women of these two teams. Their hard work and sacrifice throughout the season put them on the road to championships, and together their dedication and focus has brought two more state titles back to Norwood. Folks throughout our community have always had a way of banding together in support of one another, and this year's baseball and softball seasons showed a perfect example of that at South Stanly. From dedicated parents and siblings, to friends and church members, our community came out in full force to cheer the Rowdy Rebel Bulls on to victory. I'm honored to represent the people of Stanly County, the players and their dedicated families, and the coaches and faculty of the school. Before Congress and our great nation, I am proud to recognize the members of South Stanly High School's baseball and softball teams, Coach Tucker and Coach Poplin, Principal Mike Campbell, Athletic Director Sean Whitley and the entire Stanly County community as a whole for another local championship season. Go Rowdy Rebel Bulls!

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from Georgia for the time, and I rise in full support of his motion to instruct the conferees to support the Keystone pipeline. A lot of numbers and a lot of facts have been given out. I will not repeat those. I will just cover a couple of points very quickly. We have heard through the past years and even decades, we've talked about energy independence, but yet we haven't gotten that. We have the opportunity to create North American energy independence if we just make a few good decisions. This is one of them. It's time. We've talked about this long enough. It's time to move this pipeline forward for all of the benefits that we can receive in jobs, in energy security. It's time. We've heard a lot of discussions tonight about what the administration might say or Congress might say or the petroleum people and a few others. But we haven't heard something, an opinion for the American working families. Our families are desperate for energy security, for the pricing stability. This is a step towards that. We should not forget at all our American working families, our responsibility to helping them as they struggle to get by in this tough economy. They have to be front and center in this decision. So I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes.'' And I appreciate, once again, my colleague bringing this motion forward.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. George Raz Autry, Jr., a proud veteran, a defender of education and a dedicated, lifelong contributor to the great State of North Carolina. Enlisting in the Marine Corps out of High School, Mr. Autry honorably served our country in World War II. Upon his return, he attended East Carolina Teachers College where he served as Student Body President. Raz married his wife Ireni Toumaras Autry in 1951. Mr. Autry then moved to my home county of Montgomery County, North Carolina, and helped open East Montgomery High School, my alma mater. Mr. Autry found further opportunity in Hoke County in 1967, where he became Hoke High School Principal and later School Superintendent. He continues his life of service today in Hoke County as a peach farmer, author, columnist, speaker, auctioneer and respected community leader. An ambassador for education in North Carolina for more than 45 years, Mr. Autry has served in a multitude of prominent and important roles in support of youth, farmers and our community as a whole. Mr. Autry's impact on North Carolina will last for generations. His selfless service has inspired countless others, including myself. Mr. Autry has led through both example and instruction, and continues to serve as inspiration to all of us who know him. I was honored to nominate Mr. Autry for The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the highest order that can be bestowed in our State of North Carolina. Raz received that recognition recently, and he is certainly deserving of such a distinction. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and work of my friend, a mentor, and my former High School principal, Mr. Raz Autry. Let us thank him for his life of continued service to the future of our Nation.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I be removed as a cosponsor from H. Res. 229.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Scotland High School football team in honor of the school's first-ever North Carolina 4-A State Football Championship. The Fighting Scots rallied for 35 points in the second half on their way to a 42-16 victory over a talented and determined Porter Ridge High School team, Saturday, Dec. 3. Scotland finished the 2011 season with a perfect 15-0 record, the first undefeated season in school history. I congratulate Scotland head coach Chip Williams, who in his fourth year leading the program, posted an undefeated record, won the Southeastern 4-A Conference title and brought home a State Championship to Scotland County, the county's first football state championship since 1944, when Laurinburg High School captured the Class-A state title. Game Most Valuable Player honors were awarded to Scotland quarterback Kwashaun Quick, who threw for 172 yards and two touchdowns in the second half. Running back Tony McRae, who received offensive MVP honors, rushed for 75 yards and two scores. Defensive MVP honors were awarded to nose tackle Kris Tyndall. Scotland's superb defense forced four Porter Ridge turnovers and allowed just 161 yards of offense. I recognize the Scotland County community and congratulate them on the success of their team and the support they have given these young men throughout the year. In the days following his team's victory, Coach Williams has cited the community's support as a driving force behind this year's team. It is always great to see a community get behind a program that supports and encourages young people and teaches them the value of perseverance and teamwork. Before Congress and our great nation, I am proud to recognize Coach Williams, his dedicated coaching staff and players, and the Scotland County community as a whole for their championship season. Thank you.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Robert Lee Mathis, who recently passed away at the age of 77. Robert was the first African American to be elected to public office in Concord, North Carolina, and led a life of service dedicated to his community and his country. A native of Cabarrus County, Robert Mathis joined the U.S. Navy after school where he served our nation honorably. Robert volunteered to put his life on the line in order to protect the American people and American values. He continued to live his life with this same kind of selflessness even after his military service came to an end. Upon returning to Cabarrus County, Robert Mathis was elected to the Concord Board of Alderman, where he served for more than 15 years. Robert was the first African American to be elected to public office in Concord, making his election a landmark achievement for African Americans in my district. Even as Robert was holding local office and making history, this was still not enough. Robert was additionally a board chairman for the nonprofit Logan Daycare Center and an active member of the First Christian Church in Concord. He wrote a book about his life that was published in 2010 titled I Made the Best of It. Such an upstanding, dedicated local leader will be missed by his friends, family, and community. Robert is survived by his wife, four children, nineteen grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren. My thoughts and prayers go out to them in this time of deep loss; I hope the memories and principles that Robert Mathis lived his life by bring them comfort. Robert will be missed by his community and his country. I am honored to be able to recognize the life of such a selfless, upstanding individual as Robert Lee Mathis today before Congress and our great nation.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring before the House some serious concerns I have regarding the impact of certain paperwork reduction measures that are being considered by various agencies of the federal government and the seeming lack of concern on how this changes will affect senior citizens in North Carolina's 8th District. We are all aware of the need to make government more efficient and reduce the costs of services. The revolution in digital communications offers opportunities to do exactly that. However, I have noticed a troubling trend. In the rush to achieve these efficiencies, we may be unintentionally harming some of the most vulnerable people in our society by imposing new costs on folks with limited options. For example, in May, the Social Security Administration implemented the first phase of a plan to eliminate the mailing of Social Security checks to recipients who have not registered for direct deposit of their monthly benefit checks. There are a number of reasons why all citizens don't sign up for direct deposit. Some like to physically take their check to the bank to be sure of the date it was actually deposited. There are others who are honestly skeptical of financial institutions and simply don't trust the direct deposit process. Another category is the so-called ``un-banked'' and they simply do not own a banking account. A growing number of citizens, Mr. Speaker, are increasingly concerned about cyber-security and identity theft. They are limiting their use of computer technology for their most sensitive and important financial transactions. And with each week bringing news of data thefts, cyber security breaches and phishing scams, who can blame them? So in place of their Social Security check, the Social Security Administration has begun to send out a debit card that will allow recipients to access their Social Security benefits electronically. Here's the problem: If you don't have a bank account and you are already skeptical of electronic transactions, how does a debit card work for you? It is very possible that many of the places folks in my district shop simply don't accept electronic payments. And for you to get cash from an ATM to use in those places means you are now paying a fee--after the first free transaction--for the privilege of spending your hard-earned Social Security Benefits. What are older Americans to do when more of their limited income goes to pay bank fees for use of their debit cards? It would seem to me that instead of creating a more efficient and fiscally responsible government we may instead be shifting costs from the government to people least able to pay for the increased cost of these services. These unfair fees amount to a new tax on consumers. Another example of the push to go completely electronic is the recent announcement by the Social Security Administration regarding the annual earnings statements. Not only is it an important tool for retirement planning, but it is also a critical way for hard working wage earners to confirm that the government has accurately recorded their earnings. The mailing of these statements is being discontinued. A more limited version of the form will eventually be available online, however, the all-important listing of a citizen's earnings by year will not appear in the online version. Now why would citizens who are already concerned about cyber-security want to log in with sensitive Social Security information in order to check their records? And for those citizens without a computer or the skills to use one, this new policy simply denies them the benefits of seeing the annual earnings statement altogether. Mr. Speaker, I believe the digital revolution holds great promise for our nation. But we need to make sure in our ``rush to digitize'' that we are not leaving the middle class and vulnerable citizens behind and that the cost efficiencies we are creating are not simply a matter of shifting costs from the government to the people who cannot afford to pay another tax. How do we make sure of that? One effective method would be through a comprehensive federal policy that will guide federal agencies in making sure that their digital transitions do not disenfranchise key blocks of our citizens. We should seriously consider a tough set of oversight hearings in the U.S. Congress to make sure that digital policies are being implemented fairly and deliberately. Mr. Speaker, we cannot and we do not want to turn back the clock on the digital revolution. In an era when private sector financial institutions are implementing significant fees on customers who wish to continue to receive paper statements, however, we cannot allow our federal government to follow a similar path. Such discriminatory fees are wrong and we must insure that our government continues to serve all our citizens and does not adopt policies regarding access to information that penalize key segments of our population. All Americans should be able to benefit from the digital revolution. However, the federal government must assure that its policies treat all Americans equally, with services provided in a manner and method that can be effectively utilized, whether on paper or otherwise. We owe it to all our citizens to insure these basic protections.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. I would like to thank my colleague for yielding time. Mr. Speaker, I do rise in strong support of H.R. 1160, the McKinley National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act. I'd like to thank the chairman, ranking member, and staff of the Natural Resources Committee for helping us put this bill together. I also want to thank those from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and those from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that also helped my staff in putting this together. As said, the McKinley Fish Hatchery is 422 acres located in south central North Carolina, near Hoffman, North Carolina. It consists of 23 ponds with the main lake being McKinley. The water resources there cover 18 acres. This effort was first started in the mid-1990s; but due to structural problems on the dam of McKinley Lake itself, the conveyance was unable to be completed. And as also mentioned, there's been a series of MOAs between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the North Carolina Wildlife Commission. In the meantime, those structural problems have been satisfied. They're no longer an issue, and we're ready to proceed with this. There has been bipartisan support, with 10 of our colleagues in North Carolina cosponsoring this bill, and both Senators from North Carolina have signed off on similar legislation in the Senate. The prime purpose and use of the fish hatchery now is in the community fishing program that's sponsored by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission taking fingerling-size channel catfish that are grown here in the hatchery throughout North Carolina to ponds and lakes in communities and allowing people from North Carolina who may not have access otherwise to come in and enjoy the pleasures of fishing. I'm especially proud of the efforts that are made for those that might have trouble with a handicap. It allows them access to fishing. And there are also programs designed to get our children involved and to grow up knowing the pleasures of fishing. Once again, this is a win-win situation for all involved. I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to make this conveyance complete. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Chairman, Ranking Member, and the Majority, and Minority Staff of the Natural Resources Committee for helping bring this bill to the floor today. I rise in support of H.R. 1160 the ``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act,'' a bill I have introduced in both the 111th and 112th Congress. Located in Hoffman, North Carolina the McKinney Lake Fish Hatchery is a warm water hatchery, and contains 23 ponds covering more than 18 acres of water. This primary use of the hatchery is growing fingerling- sized (3-4 inches) channel catfish to harvestable size (8-12 inches) for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's Community Fishing Program. The Commission's Community Fishing Program provides angling opportunities to thousands of citizens, including children and disabled individuals, throughout the year. These Community Fishing Program sites are intensively managed bodies of water that receive monthly stockings of catchable-sized channel catfish from April-September. The McKinney Lake hatchery in conjunction with the Watha State Fish Hatchery near Wilmington provides the channel catfish for these monthly stockings. Many of these Community Fishing Program sites feature handicap- accessible fishing piers and solar-powered fish feeders helping to provide an enjoyable angling experience for citizens of all ages. The ``McKinney Lake National Fish Hatchery Conveyance Act,'' while first introduced in the 111th Congress as H.R. 6115 and this congress as H.R. 1160 actually has its beginnings in 1995. At that time the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offered to transfer ownership and operation of this hatchery to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission to help meet the state's fisheries management objectives. However, due to the structural deficiencies of the lake's dam, the transfer was never completed. Since then, the dam issues have been corrected, and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission has had full management of the hatchery under a memorandum of agreement, MOA, with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS. The State of North Carolina and the USFWS have entered into 5 subsequent MOA's since 1995, with the most current being signed on November 10, 2009 and continuing until September 30, 2012. H.R. 1160 was drafted by my staff with the cooperation, and consultation, of both the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the USFWS. The product of this cooperation is a bill that has garnered the support of 9 bi-partisan original co-sponsors from the North Carolina House delegation, as well as companion legislation (S. 651) in the Senate. The Senate version is co-sponsored by both North Carolina Senators. In conclusion, H.R. 1160 would complete a land conveyance that by all accounts should have occurred in the late 1990's. In addition the state of North Carolina would be able to continue producing catfish for the popular and important Community Fishing Program, on land and facilities that they would have ownership of. The State ownership of this land would incentivize them to make long term improvements and investments in the property, keeping it a viable fish hatchery. I appreciate the opportunity to stand in support of H.R. 1160 today, and would urge my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak of the opposition that I will have to the free trade agreements that we'll be voting on today and to speak of some of the details about those free trade agreements that seem not to be discussed. We seem to want to talk about how these free trade agreements will be good without understanding the details of what we'll be voting upon. My opposition to these trade agreements is not based upon any type of partisanship. That negative force called ``partisanship'' that is too much part of our lives here in Washington, I don't deal with. This is not partisanship. This is not some type of blinded protectionism, that somehow we need to close our shores. I'm very aware of the global impact of our modern economy. And it's not based upon any type of ignorance of the potential good that these so-called free trade agreements can present to us. Indeed, I have lived in a part of the country that has suffered immensely from free trade agreements. I worked 27 years in textiles and watched the jobs leave. My district, North Carolina's Eighth District, is still suffering, as it has for the last 10 years, because of the results of free trade agreements. Indeed, if you look at the facts of our Nation and where we are in our economy, it's hard to say that since free trade agreements have become part of our lives that it has been good for the Nation. We look at our working families. It was reported last week that our working families are now at income levels of the mid-1990s. We've lost so much of our industrial base. We've lost hundreds of thousands of jobs. And we continue to see our trade deficits climb and climb and climb. Mr. Speaker, we have the world's greatest economy. We need trade agreements, but not these trade agreements. We need for people to come to us and say we would like to play in the United States market, and we should say what terms that we should have for that. So what are the details of the Korean free trade agreement? We hear that it will create 75,000 jobs. The Economic Policy Institute tells us we will lose over 150,000 jobs. And we'll hear a lot about the jobs that were created, but we won't hear too much about those jobs that were lost, of which 40,000 jobs are estimated to be lost in the textile industry. We won't hear about how 65 percent of something can be made in another country and brought to South Korea and finished there and then brought into the United States, recognizing that China is the next-door neighbor to Korea. So how much transshipment is going to come out of China, the 65 percent to South Korea? We won't hear that North Korea will be allowed to send goods to the United States as a part of this trade agreement. We won't talk about the currency manipulation that South Korea engages in, just like China does. We won't talk about the tariffs that will stay in place, protecting Korean goods, while we drop ours immediately. We'll talk about that we can sell more cars in Korea, up to 75,000, if they choose to buy them--there's no guarantees--when we know that South Korea now is selling hundreds of thousands of cars in the United States. Mr. Speaker, we need trade agreements, but we need trade agreements that work for us. This is not a reflection on the countries. It's a reflection on these old NAFTA/CAFTA-type trade deals that were negotiated years ago in the Bush era that have been dusted off and brought to us and being told to us that this is good for the American worker, this will create jobs. Unfortunately, the history of our trade agreements has been anything but that. I was with an administration official in North Carolina a year ago, and I was told how good free trade had been for North Carolina. And I said, I can't address that, but I can address that free trade has not been good for my district. I was told that they could show me the numbers, and I told them I could show them the empty buildings, many of which are not even standing now. They've just been torn down, not replaced with jobs. Retrain our people for what, to ship more jobs offshore? Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to look at the details of this, look at our economy, and look at the jobs we have lost and say, is this good for America? No, it's not.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the Korean free trade agreement, and I want to make two points. One, Korea is a very important ally, a good friend of ours. It's just that their name is on the latest of these NAFTA-type template deals that we've been asked to pass. Two, I love exports, but if you look at our trade deficit, you've got to figure out that we don't know how to get our exports higher than our imports, not even get close. I want to talk about the textile industry today. I spent 27 years of my life working in textiles. Hundreds of thousands of good Americans were working there. Their only mistake was in believing their American Dream could be fulfilled in an industry that our government decided to give away in trade deals. Now we're at it again. The South Korean free trade agreement will eliminate around 40,000 textile jobs. How much more can one industry be asked to give? They give good solid jobs, and, once again, we give those jobs away. We heard last week the average American working family is now effectively down to a standard of living of the mid-1990s. I simply ask this question: How much more of the American Dream of our American working families should they have to give up, have to delay, until we figure out how to get this right, until we quit trying to give our jobs away to other parts of the world and we concentrate on this great American economy and make it here in America?

Mr. KISSELL. I thank my friend for yielding. Madam Speaker, I would like to insert into the Record 27,000 petitions from American Textile Workers expressing opposition to the Korean free trade agreement.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true, dedicated leader in my state and in my local community of Montgomery County, North Carolina. Leroy Robinson grew up in Candor, North Carolina, just miles from my home. He graduated from what was then-known as Candor High School in 1939, and went on to my alma mater of Wake Forest University. After proudly serving our nation in World War II, Robinson returned home to North Carolina and began working for Belk, a local family owned department store that began in my district in Monroe, North Carolina. After years as a local business and community leader, Robinson officially retired from Belk in 1988 after 37 years of service with the company, only to continue on as an advisor and counsel through 1995. In 1995, Robinson and his late wife Teresa reached out to Wake Forest with hopes of setting up a scholarship fund for local students to attend Wake Forest, which is ranked 25th best university in the nation by US News and World Report. Through his hard work to open new doors to his own success in life, he now wanted to help pave a path for others just like him to achieve all that they can, with help from the community that raised them. It was Robinson's belief that if children had the opportunity to get a good education, they'd return home to Montgomery County and make their community a better place. After my time at Wake Forest, I too returned home, working in textiles for over 27 years before I began teaching high school social studies at both West and East Montgomery High Schools. I have seen first-hand the benefits that the Robinson Scholarship has provided for both Montgomery County and Wake Forest University. The generosity of Leroy Robinson has continued to open new doors of opportunity for students throughout my community, and on behalf of the people of Montgomery County, I know that we will never have the proper words to adequately thank Leroy for all he has done, and continues to do. Mr. Speaker, it is with complete admiration and appreciation that I rise today to speak of the kindness and generosity with which Leroy and Teresa Robinson have continued to bless our part of the world. His selflessness and dedication to helping those who come after him is a testament to the promise and goal that many of us embrace: to leave the world a better place than it was when we arrived. Leroy Robinson has served as a shining example of this generosity, and his gift continues to give to the students of my community. Today, I ask all Members of Congress to join me in prayer for the health and well-being of Leroy Robinson, an asset to the people of Montgomery County, of North Carolina, and of our nation. Although sadly she is no longer with us, I also ask that we remember Teresa Robinson and her generous contributions as well.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. I would like to thank my colleague for yielding to me. Mr. Chairman, for 70 years, as my colleague pointed out, the Berry Amendment has served this Nation well. It has given our fine military forces the best of American-made equipment and has guaranteed the American people the opportunity to make that equipment. It is a matter of national security. And it should not be a matter, as the intent of Congress has been clear for 70 years, it shouldn't be a matter of us standing up to reaffirm this amendment. But as my colleague said, there have been efforts made to weaken the Berry Amendment, to get around the Berry Amendment, and we simply want to remind all folks involved that the Berry Amendment is the intent of Congress. It has been the law for 70 years. And we need to continue with the Berry Amendment that any funds that are being spent should be spent in total compliance with the Berry Amendment.

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

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Chairman, this is a very simple, to-the-point amendment. We have heard recently about members of our armed services traveling on official military business being charged excess baggage fees by our commercial airlines here in the United States. This amendment would not make any funds available for entering into any contracts, memorandums of understanding, cooperative agreements, loans or loan guarantees with any United States commercial airlines where those contracts, memorandums of understanding, cooperative agreements, loans or loan guarantees would allow for excess baggage fees for any member of the armed services traveling on official military business. Our folks, when they're traveling and protecting our Nation, shouldn't have to worry about this, and we as a Nation shouldn't have to pay extra fees beyond the millions upon millions of dollars that we already pay to these airlines. This just should be business as usual, and I encourage all my colleagues to vote in support of this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and pay tribute to Major Camille Mack, United States Army, on the occasion of her departure from the Army House Liaison Office to pursue a Master's Degree in Strategic Intelligence from the National Defense Institute at Bolling Air Force Base. I, and many other members of this chamber, have had the pleasure of working with her over the past three years as she served as a part of the U.S. Army Office of Legislative Affairs and as a Liaison Officer in the Army Liaison Office in the U.S. House of Representatives. Major Mack served in my personal office and was an essential part of my staff during that time. In 1999, after completing Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning Georgia, Major Mack was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Signal Corps Branch. Major Mack's initial assignment was to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she served as a Psychological Operations Platoon Leader and Company Executive Officer in 4th Psychological Operations Group. She deployed on two consecutive tours in Iraq in support of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force and 3rd Psychological Operations Battalion. For 22 months, Major Mack commanded the 45th Sustainment Brigade stationed in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. While in command, her unit was dispersed to three locations throughout Iraq. Upon her return to the United States, Major Mack served on division staff as the network operations Officer in Charge (OIC) and then later was selected as a Congressional Fellow and served a year in my personal office. During her time as a Fellow in my office, Major Mack showed great leadership and dedication; the very qualities that have helped her make this chamber, our U.S. Army and our nation a better place. She embodies the very core values of our armed services. I was honored to have her become such an integral and important part of our team. Following her fellowship in the House of Representatives, Major Mack was assigned to the Army House Liaison Office. I have come to know Major Mack well during her assignment to the House of Representatives through her time working as a fellow in my Washington D.C. Office and as a regional liaison in the Army House Liaison Office. She has never failed to impress me with her energy and dedication to Soldiers, their families, and the United States Army. She is a superb representative of Army values. Camille's personal contribution to our nation on behalf of not only the United States Army but also all of our armed services represents the finest of our military professionals. Camille's service is a remarkable example of patriotic and selfless service. It is my great honor to congratulate Major Camille Mack on her service to the Army and our Nation and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of this Soldier, citizen, and friend.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Stephen Ferebee, Jr., a veteran and patriot, a leader in architecture, a champion for education and a remarkable contributor to the betterment of North Carolina. On June 6, 1944, as a paratrooper with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Stephen jumped into France on D-Day. He was wounded near Carentan, France, and evacuated to England where Stephen met Mary, his wife of 61 years. Although Stephen would leave active service, he remained in the active Reserves. Rising to the rank of Major General, from December of 1969 through December of 1976, Stephen commanded the 108th Division with units across North and South Carolina. Stephen retired from the active Army Reserve in 1976, yet his selfless service continued. An ambassador for the community, Stephen served in a multitude of prestigious and vitally important roles in support of the community. These positions included: President, Charlotte East Rotary, 1997- 1998; Vice President, Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, 1975-76; Board Member, United Community Services, Charlotte, 1977-1982; Board Member, Habitat for Humanity of Charlotte, 1998-2001; Board Member, Opera Carolina, 1988-1991; President, North Carolina State University Alumni Association, 1980-1981, Board of Directors, 1975-1977; Member, Chancellor's Search Committee, North Carolina State University, 1981- 1982; President, North Carolina Design Foundation, North Carolina State University, 1966-1968 and 1977-1978; Chair, Special Committee of the North Carolina Chapter, AIA, for the establishment of a new College of Architecture at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, 1965- 1969; Chair, Advisory Council, College of Architecture, UNC Charlotte, 1965-1969; Member, Dean's Search Committee, College of Architecture, UNC Charlotte, 1975-1976; Member, NAAB Special Committee to review and revise Architectural Accreditation Criteria and Procedures, 1982-1983; Member, Advisory Committee to NC Department of Community Colleges to assist in establishment of architectural technology curricula in North Carolina Community Colleges and Technical Institutes, 1965-1967. Stephen's personal impact within the architectural profession represents a remarkable and unmatched legacy of selfless service. Stephen's contributions to the advancement of community, education, and architecture have impacted countless others. Stephen was a man who inspired others by leading through example and his life was a commendable example for future generations of architects, community leaders, and educators. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and work of Stephen Scott Ferebee, Jr.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Madam Speaker, from the time that I first came to Congress, I have continued to be a strong supporter of our seniors' issues and standing by our seniors. Today, I rise in support of another issue that our seniors are facing today, the issue of the future of Medicare. We must stand by those who have stood by us as they enter into their senior years, and we must be strong in making sure that Medicare stays as a solid medical safety net for our seniors. Madam Speaker, we have heard a lot about the Greatest Generation, that generation that fought World War II and worked in industries and raised families and came back and did so much to make America the great Nation as we know today. But, Madam Speaker, America is a great Nation, has been for many years, and will be for many years to come. And there is not just one Greatest Generation; there is a continuum of great generations. I grew up in a very small town in North Carolina, and my heroes were those people--many of whom had fought in World War II--those teachers and those storekeepers and those people in a small town that raised many of my friends and myself and looked after us, whether in the school or church or wherever it might be. As these people that took care of us become seniors and they continue this throughout the Nation for generations to come, we must take care of those that took care of us. I was a high school history teacher for 7 years before coming to Congress, and I always told my students that you're not studying history by looking at pages in a book or looking at old pictures or paintings or whatever it might be; you are studying about people that have a story. As we talk today about our seniors and Medicare, we cannot forget that these are the people who took care of us. They cannot become just political bargaining chips and political theories. They are real people. They have real stories. I want to talk briefly about two people that are especially important to me--my mom and dad. My dad grew up in that same small town that I did in North Carolina, fought in World War II, won a Bronze Star, came back, worked in the post office, and was happy just to be a part of helping in those ways that I talked about before. My mom grew up in Carroll County in Huntingdon, Tennessee, and came to North Carolina as a teacher and taught many generations. She is 96 years old, her birthday being last March 18. These are the heroes. These are the stories that we know, that all of us have. Whether our parents or grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts and uncles, whatever they may be, we cannot forget about them as individuals; we cannot forget about their stories, and we cannot let them become just political bargaining chips. The question that we must ask, Madam Speaker, is: Why did we need Medicare in the first place? What in our system didn't work, that didn't take care of our seniors, that required Medicare to come into being? We know the answer to that. And we must continue to have that guarantee of a strong support structure when our medical needs for our seniors must be met this way. We must stand by our seniors.

Mr. KISSELL

Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a very special occasion--the 133rd anniversary of Bright Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church in Laurinburg, North Carolina. I would like to highlight some moments from the history of the church. Early in 1878, a small group of men and their families conceived the idea of having a church in their community. They met from one family home to another for a short period of time. They searched the surrounding community and found a place they desired for a church. The land was located on the north side of Dickson Street in Laurinburg, North Carolina, which was a part of Richmond County at this time. On May 1, 1878, the men and their Chairman-Deacon and Trustee Adam Johnson met with the land owner, Mr. William W. McLaurin. An agreement was made to purchase the land for $50. The parcel of land was 100 feet by 125 feet. The agreement stated that the land was to be used for religious purposes, or it would revert to the McLaurin Family. Mr. Adam Johnson sold a bale of cotton to secure the money for the purchase of the parcel. The men pulled a house upon the lot and the first church was established in May 1878. The land was deeded to Adam Johnson, Trustee of the Laurinburg Colored Baptist Church from William McLaurin and was recorded in deed book DD at page 45. A second deed written on Nov. 30, 1892 records the sale of a portion of land also on Dickson Street. The deeds indicated that Mr. and Mrs. L.A. Monroe sold the land to the trustees of the church. Their names appear on the deed as Adam Johnson, Hugh A. Gilchrist, Edmund Jones, and Riley Wall. The sale was made for $225. This land was secured for a parsonage. The church bought a frame house and moved it on this property and the parsonage was used for many years. The parsonage was torn down in 1964. In December of 1905, the church asked its Deacons to purchase the lot of land east and north of the church lot. The men purchased the land on December 21, 1905 from the same William W. McLaurin for $200. The lot purchased by this deed was 50 feet of frontage extending 175 feet north, 150 feet west, and 50 feet south to the existing church lot on Dickson Street. The church property now measured 150 feet of frontage by 175 feet in the form of a rectangle. This second deed was recorded on December 23, 1905, in Scotland County. Church Services were held the first and third Sundays of each month for a number of years. For baptisms, water had to be carried from a well in the church yard to a nearby outdoor pool. The outside frame for this pool could be seen behind the Dickson Street Church. Prior to the building of the outside pool, candidates for baptism were baptized in Roper's Mill Pond. In 1917, a house east of the church was used as a parsonage. The church, which was rebuilt in 1917, was a wood frame building facing south on Dickson Street. Prior to its remodeling, the frame building contained a belfry with a huge bell that could be heard from at least a mile away. The residents of Washington Park could distinctly hear the bell ring for Sunday School and eleven o'clock church services. They could also hear its toll when there was a death among its members. Two large sycamore trees were located on both sides of the front yard. The choir loft was located on the right side of the pulpit. During later years a pool was constructed under the floor behind the pulpit and an extension was added to the building on each side. Later, inside the back of the church bathrooms were added. A corner stone which was brick veneered many years ago was placed on the right front of the church to indicate the church was rebuilt in 1917. This cornerstone was installed in 1949 when some repairs were made in the old church. From 1878 until 1900 the church was part of Richmond County. Scotland County was formed in 1899 and began functioning in late 1900. Around this time the members of the church also decided they wanted to use a name other than Laurinburg Colored Church. After 1900, and in the new Scotland County, they chose the name Bright Hopewell Baptist Church. In 1938-39 the wood frame church was remodeled inside. The outside of the church was bricked all around by some of the students of bricklaying classes and their teacher from Laurinburg Institute. Most of the students were members and friends of the church. Bright Hopewell became a stationed church in 1948-49. The parsonage became a meeting place for auxiliaries of the church. Plans were made and several hundred dollars were raised for the building of an education building. The parsonage was soon torn down to make room for an educational building. In 1978, the church moved to a new location. Bright Hopewell purchased over ten acres of property on March 20, 1978 for $69,000 from the Caldwell Estate. The property was located on North Main Street. A new church building on North Main Street was begun in June of 1983 on the purchased property. The new church was finished, entered, and dedicated on March 25, 1984. The old church on Dickson Street was offered for sale and sold for $60,000 plus $6,500 for the furniture. The payments on the Dickson Street Property began in 1984 and were extended over a period of years. A new educational annex began on the church on North Main Street in early 1986 and was completed in November 1986. The education building annex was not dedicated until over a year later. The dedication program was delayed until 1988. In July 1999, the mortgage was paid in full. A Mortgage Burning Ceremony was held at The Highlands on Plant Road in Laurinburg. The new fellowship hall was completed in 2002. The fellowship hall is equipped with a commercial kitchen and is large enough to accommodate church and community functions. Since 1878 the church has had more than twenty dynamic pastors and ministers and many trustees and deacons who have served well over the years. Inspirational choirs have sung praises for Bright Hopewell. Bright Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church has a glorious past of spirituality, perseverance, hard work, and determination. I have enjoyed each time I have worshiped at Bright Hopewell. It is by the Grace of God that it stands firm after all these years. With God's guidance the church looks forward to a brighter future. I congratulate Bright Hopewell Baptist Church on their 133rd anniversary and wish the pastor, the Reverend Garland E. Pierce, and the congregation the best in the years to come.