Eleanor Norton

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, what happens if Congress goes nuts on tax cuts without paying for them? Kansas, which did just that, has now had to raise State taxes back to where they were, providing a valuable object lesson for Congress right now: tax cuts about ideology, not economics, do not work. Yet Republicans seem to be taking a page out of the Kansas tax cuts, authored by Governor Sam Brownback, that crushed that State's economy. He promised tens of thousands of jobs to fund the State's schools. He guaranteed a progrowth economy that would pay for the tax cuts and then some. Kansas did grow initially, but then lagged behind all the rest of the States. Now Brownback's tax cuts have produced new taxes for Kansas. Let's learn from Kansas, not become Kansas 2.0.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, mass deportation of Temporary Protected Status recipients today would disrupt our country and theirs. More than 32,000 Salvadorans live in the District of Columbia metro area; and Salvadorans, at 200,000, are the largest group of TPS holders in the country today. TPS designation requires the Attorney General to find ``extraordinary and temporary conditions preventing returning to the state in safety.'' The most recent influx of Salvadorans, one-third of them unaccompanied minors, shows that these conditions have been met for TPS holders and others. With the breakdown of civil society in Central America today, forced return of anyone now would be inhumane.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today, I introduce the Major General David F. Wherley, Jr., District of Columbia National Guard Retention and College Access Act (NGRCA). This bill is named for General Wherley, former Commanding General of the D.C. National Guard, who, along with his wife, Ann, and seven others were tragically killed when Metro trains collided on the Red Line on June 22, 2009. The bill would permanently authorize funding for a program that provides grants for higher education to members of the D.C. National Guard, which is under the control of the federal, not District of Columbia, government. I renamed the bill after General Wherley because he worked tirelessly with me to get funding for the program for many years, and because of his devotion to the youth of the District and to the National Guard. The NGRCA authorizes an education incentive program, recommended by the late General Wherley and his successor, Major General Errol Schwartz, to stem the troublesome loss of D.C. Guard members to other units, including National Guards in surrounding states that offer such educational benefits to their Guards. I am grateful that Congress has provided funds for the program at our request, most recently $450,000 in fiscal year 2017. Permanently authorizing the program is necessary, however, to ensure that D.C. Guard members receive the same treatment and benefits as other National Guard members, particularly those in neighboring states that compete with the District for members and provide these higher education benefits. Today, the Guard for the nation's capital has a diminished ability to compete for regional residents if membership in the Maryland or Virginia Guards is more economically beneficial. A competitive tuition assistance program for the D.C. Guard would provide a significant and much-needed incentive to help maintain enrollment and level the field of competition. The federal government supports D.C. Guard functions and understands it should support this small benefit as well, because the appropriators have always funded the D.C. Guard program, even without authorization. However, depending on appropriations alone leaves the D.C. Guard program in a tenuous condition at odds with the tuition programs in nearby states. Because the program is not controversial, there is no reason not to permanently authorize funding for these D.C. National Guard grants. I appreciate that the appropriators and ultimately Congress have not hesitated to fund the education benefits for the D.C. National Guard, arguing strongly for permanent authorization. These small education incentives have not only encouraged high-quality recruits, but have helped the D.C. Guard to maintain the force necessary to protect the federal presence here, including the possibility of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. I am pleased to introduce the bill based on the advice of Guard personnel, who best know what is necessary. I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the Congress Leads by Example Act, which would subject Congress and the rest of the legislative branch to the federal whistleblower and anti-discrimination laws that now protect employees in the private sector and the executive branch. Now more than ever, especially given ongoing reports of sexual harassment and other workplace abuses in the legislative branch, Congress should abide by the laws it imposes on the American people, American businesses, and others. Congress has already acknowledged the importance of accountability in the legislative branch when it passed the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (CAA). The CAA was an important first step in making the legislative branch accountable for its employment practices, but it did not finish the job. The CAA did bring the legislative branch under 13 major civil rights, labor and workplace safety and health laws, but it exempted the legislative branch from important notice and training provisions, and altogether omitted important substantive and administrative protections. In its annual report for fiscal year 2016, the Office of Compliance (OOC), which was established through the CAA, identified additional provisions of federal workplace laws and standards that should be applicable to the legislative branch. OOC's recommendations include mandatory anti-discrimination and anti-retaliation training, providing whistleblowers with protection from retaliation by making the Whistleblower Protection Act of 1989 applicable to the legislative branch, and urging Congress to approve regulations that provide additional protections under the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. This bill takes into account the OOC report, and seeks to both apply the standard of fairness to employees in the legislative branch that Congress requires for other employees and to provide a safer work environment for Congress, Capitol Hill employees, and visitors by bringing the legislative branch in line with the legal requirements of private sector employers and the executive branch. My bill is a necessary companion to the CAA, particularly in light of recent news reports of appalling behavior on the part of Members of Congress and staff in positions of authority in Member offices and committees. Former and current staffers spoke out on social media during the #MeToo campaign, which originated after the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault and harassment allegations, sharing horrifying stories of workplace harassment, including groping, inappropriate emails and text messages, and predatory behavior on the part of both Members and staff. But many legislative branch employees who have been victims of workplace harassment or worse have not felt empowered to report it since they are not protected from retaliation. My bill provides general whistleblower protections, anti-retaliation measures, and makes additional Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) provisions applicables to the legislative branch, including providing subpoena authority to OOC to conduct inspections and investigations into OSHA violations. This bill also furthers the CAA's mission to prevent discrimination in legislative branch offices by prohibiting the legislative branch from making adverse employment decisions on the basis of an employee's wage garnishment or involvement in bankruptcy proceedings pursuant to the Consumer Credit Protection Act and Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy code. This bill requires legislative branch employers to provide their employees with notice of their rights and remedies under the CAA anti- discrimination provisions through the placement of signage in offices highlighting relevant anti-discrimination laws, including Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This bill also requires legislative branch offices to provide training to employees about their CAA rights and remedies. Finally, this bill bolsters the CAA's recordkeeping requirements. It extends to the legislative branch the obligation to maintain accurate records of safety information and employee injuries, as otherwise required by OSHA, as well as employee records necessary to administer anti-discrimination laws. By passing this bill, Congress will help restore the public trust in this institution by redoubling our efforts to exercise leadership by example. I urge bipartisan support for this important measure.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington for its contributions to the District of Columbia and the region on the occasion of its 15th anniversary. The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington was founded in 2003 by Barbara Harman, who recognized the need to identity and highlight the best community-based nonprofits in the region. It has built the foundation of its success based on a rigorous vetting process that is implemented by local experts to ensure excellence in the programming, finances and impact of selected nonprofits. In addition, the organization raises the visibility and resources of these nonprofits, connects them with philanthropic dollars that fuel their growth and works to create a movement for social good in the D.C. region. The organization also has a tradition of advocating for and supporting nonprofits through capacity-building programs designed to strengthen them in the face of rapid change. Since it began, the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington has demonstrated its impact by raising over $40 million for charities in its network, including 200 organizations that operate in the District. Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the leaders of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington and their commitment to create a stronger, more resilient, more hopeful community that is a better place to live for everyone.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Washington Informer Newspaper Co. Inc. for its 53 years of service in the District of Columbia metropolitan area. The Washington Informer Newspaper Co. Inc. (Washington Informer), a multimedia organization, was founded on October 16, 1964, by Dr. Calvin Rolark, who was assisted by his wife, the late Attorney Wilhelmina Rolark, who served on the Council of the District of Columbia for 16 years representing Ward 8 residents. Both recognized the need to identify and highlight the achievements and contributions of African Americans in the District of Columbia metropolitan area. The Washington Informer's award-winning newspaper has a tradition of tackling key issues that impact the African American community in the District, including financial literacy, homeownership and sustainability. Since 1994, the paper has been published by Denise Rolark Barnes, Dr. Calvin Rolark's daughter. Today, the Washington Informer has an average of 50,000 weekly readers and more than 7,500 weekly email newsletter subscribers. The Washington Informer is a member of several associations as well, including the National Newspaper Publishers Association, where Denise Rolark Barnes serves as chair. In addition, the organization sponsors an annual spelling bee for District children in grades three through eight, and an African American Heritage Tour and an annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Peace Walk and Parade. The Washington Informer also provides internship opportunities for high school and college students interested in pursuing careers in journalism and media through its charitable organization, Washington Informer Charities. Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Washington Informer, its founders and its current publisher for their 53 years of service to the District of Columbia metropolitan area and for continuously upholding the Washington Informer's mission, to educate, empower and inform through the production of quality news content that focuses on African Americans and particularly their positive contributions to the communities in which they live and work.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), who is the ranking member of the full committee.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3031, the TSP Modernization Act of 2017. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this legislation, which would help modernize the Federal Government's Thrift Savings Plan by aligning it with current practices for private sector 401(k)s. I thank Ranking Member Cummings and Chairman Meadows for their work on this important, bipartisan bill that would give TSP participants more flexibility in making withdrawals from their accounts. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3031, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 378, the Bonuses for Cost- Cutters Act, as reported by the committee. This legislation enhances the existing award program for Federal employees whose identification of waste, fraud, and abuse results in cost savings to an agency. Every day, Federal employees across the country provide vital services to the American people. They ensure that our veterans receive the benefits to which they are entitled. They work to keep our air safe to breathe and our water safe to drink. They spend long hours and put their lives at risk to safeguard our national and homeland security. And Federal employees are on the front lines in ensuring that these important missions are carried out as effectively and efficiently as possible. I think we can all agree that no one benefits when taxpayer dollars are wasted. This bill aims to increase government efficiency and save taxpayer dollars by providing incentives to Federal employees to identify wasteful spending. The legislation allows an agency head to award an employee a bonus for the identification of wasteful expenses that result in agency cost savings. The bill also doubles the amount that an inspector general may award an employee for disclosures of waste, fraud, and abuse that result in cost savings from $10,000 to $20,000. In addition, the bill contains several accountability measures so that Congress and the American people can determine whether the legislation is working as intended. First, agencies must include information on disclosures of wasteful spending and awards distributed under this legislation in their annual, publicly available, performance report. The bill also includes a requirement that the director of the Office of Management and Budget submit a report to Congress each year certifying that each agency's cash award program complies with the bill. In addition, the bill requires a GAO report on the operation of awards program within 3 years, including any recommendations for legislative changes. Democratic members of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee raised concerns about prior versions of this bill, and I want to thank Chairman Gowdy for working with us to address those concerns. The bill we have before us today reflects bipartisan concerns. We must support Federal employees who identify ways to increase efficiency and reduce waste. I believe this bill does that, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I want to thank Representative Steve Russell for introducing this bill, along with Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, and Representative Stephen Lynch. This bill would provide important protections to whistleblowers who handle classified information and want to report waste, fraud, and abuse. Under this bill, an employee who is covered by the Whistleblower Protection Act could disclose to any supervisor in his or her direct chain of command classified information the employee reasonably believes shows wrongdoing. Under current law, if a whistleblower discloses classified information, the whistleblower is protected only if he or she makes those disclosures to the Office of Special Counsel, an inspector general, the head of the whistleblower's agency, or an employee designated by the head of the agency. This bill would encourage employees who handle classified information to use proper channels to blow the whistle on waste, fraud, and abuse. Allowing employees to go to a supervisor with evidence of wrongdoing may be less intimidating than going to the agency head or an inspector general. This bill is modeled on language in the Presidential Policy Directive issued in 2012. That directive, PPD 19, provided whistleblower protections to intelligence community employees who are not covered by the Whistleblower Protection Act. This bill will provide a more consistent approach for employees who handle classified information by ensuring that employees who are covered by the Whistleblower Protection Act will blow that whistle to a supervisor, the same way that intelligence community employees who are covered by PPD 19 can do so. This is a good bill. I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the All Circuit Review Act. This week the House is considering several bills to strengthen protections for whistleblowers. This is a bipartisan bill introduced by Oversight and Government Reform Committee Ranking Member Cummings and Representative Blake Farenthold. This bill would help level the playing field for whistleblowers by making permanent a pilot program that allows Federal whistleblowers to file appeals in courts where they work or live rather than in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. The Federal circuit has a terrible track record on whistleblower cases. Allowing other courts around the country to hear whistleblower cases will provide a check on the monopoly the Federal circuit has held for many years. The bill would also authorize the Office of Personnel Management to appeal a decision of the Merit Systems Protection Board to any appeals court with jurisdiction. This bill was listed on the Project On Government Oversight's list of legislative reforms Congress should enact in 2017. Protecting whistleblowers is not a partisan issue. It is a patriotic issue. Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will support this bipartisan legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cummings), ranking member of the full Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the sponsor of the bill.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill, H.R. 3243, the FITARA Enhancement Act. FITARA is bipartisan legislation that has made significant strides in reforming government IT and making agencies more accountable. I thank Representative Connolly for all his hard work on this bill, as well as my good friend who has just spoken, Mr. Russell. This bill would extend three provisions of FITARA that are set to expire. These provisions include the provision on Federal data center consolidation; transparency and risk management of major IT systems; and agencies' IT portfolio, program, and resource reviews, also known as PortfolioStat. These provisions provide transparency and accountability for agencies and should be continued. GAO reports that if we allow these provisions to expire, we will miss out on major savings. IT spending makes up roughly $100 billion of government spending each year. We cannot afford to allow this legislation that will save funds and help modernize IT assets to simply expire. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to strongly support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I thank the lead sponsor of this bill, Representative Andy Harris, for working closely with me on the bill of which I am a cosponsor, and I want to thank my good friend Representative Russell, who is managing on the other side, for also being a cosponsor of this bill. My thanks also to Chairman Trey Gowdy, Ranking Member Elijah Cummings, and Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy for bringing this bill to the floor in time to begin the commemoration, in 2018, of the bicentennial of the birth of Frederick Douglass. I am pleased that this bill has not only bipartisan, but bicameral support. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin have introduced the companion bill in the Senate. The bill would establish a commission to plan and carry out programs and activities, as well as to recommend to Congress programs and activities that the Federal Government could undertake to honor and celebrate the life of Frederick Douglass during the bicentennial of his birth in 2018. Frederick Douglass was born into slavery in 1818 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He learned basic reading skills from his mistress and continued to teach himself and other slaves to read and write despite the risks he faced, including death. After two attempts, Douglass successfully escaped to New York and went on to become this country's leading abolitionist and antislavery lecturer. He served in several administrations, including as close adviser to President Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia under President Rutherford B. Hayes, and District of Columbia Recorder of Deeds under President James Garfield. In 1889, President Benjamin Harris appointed Frederick Douglass to be the U.S. Minister to Haiti. He was later appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant to serve as secretary of the commission of Santo Domingo. Douglass dedicated his life to achieving justice for all Americans. He lived in the District of Columbia for 23 of his 57 years as a free man, and his home at Cedar Hill is an official National Historic Site in southeast Washington, D.C. Every year, thousands of Americans and others visit Cedar Hill. The Frederick Douglass statue that stands in his honor in the United States Capitol is a gift from the nearly 700,000 residents of the District of Columbia. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing United States Coast Guard Community Affairs Officer Jonathan Schafler for his years of service as liaison to the District of Columbia. Prior to his service as a Community Affairs Officer, Lieutenant Commander Schafler served as a drilling reservist. He was deployed overseas several times, including for one year in Iraq with Patrol Forces Southwest Asia as the Liaison to the Iraqi Coastal Boarder Guard, and in Spain with Port Security Unit 305. Since Lt. Cmdr. Schafler began his position as a Community Affairs Officer for the District of Columbia, he and his coworkers have contributed more than 55,000 volunteer hours to the District; delivered over 200,000 pounds of food to pantries in the Ward 8 community as part of the ``Feds Feed Families'' outreach program; loaned over 2,300 tents to various community outreach events; and implemented a successful ``Partnerships in Education and Services'' program at six D.C.-area schools. In addition to his work as a Community Affairs Officer, Lt. Cmdr. Schafler served as the Coast Guard liaison to the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC), a group that has been dedicated to the Ward 8 community since 1983. Lt. Cmdr. Schafler was designated as the liaison when he approached Vice Admiral Manson Brown at an ACC meeting. Lt. Cmdr. Schafler also worked at the United States Department of the Interior for 25 years as a National Park Service Ranger, Federal Game Warden and Wildlife Refuge Manager at nine locations, from Alaska to Puerto Rico. Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing Lt. Cmdr. Jonathan Schafler for his years of service to the U.S. government and the District of Columbia.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the remarks of my good friend from Pennsylvania, and I, too, rise in support of S. 1617, a bill to designate the checkpoint of the United States Border Patrol located on United States Highway 77 North in Sarita, Texas, as the Javier Vega, Jr. Border Patrol Checkpoint. Javier Vega, Jr., was killed in the line of duty on August 3, 2014, while trying to stop a criminal act and trying to protect his family in Raymondville, Texas. While fishing with his wife, with his children, and with his parents, two men approached him and tried to rob his family. Agent Vega attempted to stop the robbery by drawing his gun, and we know that Border Patrol agents may carry their guns when they are off duty because they are law enforcement officials. He was shot in the chest. Agent Vega was rushed to the hospital after he was shot but died soon thereafter. It was determined that Agent Vega was aware of a pattern of robberies in the area due to his role as a Border Patrol agent and that he identified himself as an agent before he was fatally shot. The U.S. Border Patrol considered those facts and later determined that Javier Vega, Jr., was murdered in the line of duty, ensuring that Agent Vega's name was enshrined at the Customs and Border Protection Valor Memorial. Agent Vega was a U.S. Marine veteran and had served with the United States Border Patrol for 6 years before his untimely death. He served his country with honor and distinction. Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this legislation honoring the life and death of Javier Vega, Jr., by naming this checkpoint after him. I urge my colleagues to pass S. 1617, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill to require the removal of a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, which is currently located on federal land near Judiciary Square in the District of Columbia. This statue was authorized by Congress in 1898, and was paid for by both federal and private funds--the Freemasons, of which Pike was a member, donated the majority of the money needed to build and install the statue in 1901. I oppose tearing down Confederate statues, because I believe they should be moved to more appropriate settings, like museums, to avoid erasing an important part of history from which Americans must continue to learn. However, Pike was a Confederate general who served dishonorably and was forced to resign in disgrace. Soldiers under his command were found to have mutilated the bodies of Union soldiers, and he was ultimately imprisoned after his fellow officers reported that he had been misappropriating funds. Adding to the dishonor of taking up arms against the United States, Pike dishonored even his Confederate military service. He certainly has no claim to be memorialized in the nation's capital. Even those who do not want Confederate statues removed will have to justify according Pike any honor considering his history. After meeting with the Freemasons, I believe that the best course of action is to remove the statue and find a more appropriate place for it. The Freemasons themselves have said they ``will support an action . . . to remove the statue forthwith so that it shall not serve as a source of contention or strife for the residents of our community.'' The Mayor of the District of Columbia and the D.C. Council also support the removal of the statue. My bill clarifies that no federal funds will be used to take the Pike statue down. I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation as it celebrates its inaugural annual event, Hill Fest, during Capitol Hill Jazz Week in the District of Columbia. The Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation was conceived after recognizing a need for jazz in the Washington, D.C.-area and the unique historical and educational opportunities it provides to musicians. The mission of the Foundation is to serve the Washington, D.C. jazz community by providing a weekly jam session, an annual jazz festival and arts advocacy on behalf of D.C. jazz musicians. The Foundation seeks to assist Washington, D.C.-based jazz musicians, venues and jazz education programs. This week, the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation celebrates its Hill Fest, which brings together musicians, community leaders and policy professionals to address policy concerns that directly affect musicians at the local and national level. Hill Fest will also serve as an outlet for local music vendors to be introduced to a broader audience. Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation during Capitol Hill Jazz Week in the District of Columbia.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I remind the House that the House keeps the District of Columbia from spending its own funds for low-income women who want to end a pregnancy at even 1 week. But today I rise for Christy Zink, a District of Columbia resident who was a mother of one, soon-to-be mother of two. However, at 21 weeks, an MRI detected a fetal anomaly regarding her unborn son's brain. A critical part of the brain of the fetus had simply not developed. She decided to end the pregnancy at almost 22 weeks. On behalf of Christy Zink, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 36. We must stop the bans.

Ms. NORTON

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the Anacostia Coordinating Council (ACC) on its 25th anniversary and the retirement of its chairman Arrington Dixon, for his service to the ACC and the District of Columbia. Arrington Dixon took his 25th boat ride down the Anacostia River while retiring as chair of the ACC on Saturday, September 30, 2017. A boatload of District of Columbia residents proudly celebrated the silver anniversary of the ACC boat ride and, particularly, the service of Arrington Dixon as chair of the ACC. Arrington Dixon has led not only the ACC, but also the ACC's annual boat ride on the Anacostia River. This year's boat ride provided a unique opportunity to celebrate Ward 8 and the one-of-a-kind fellowship offered by the boat ride. The boat ride also proudly celebrates its sponsoring organization, the ACC. The ACC has been deeply embedded in the life and work of the Ward 8 community since 1983, when it was founded to organize support for the Anacostia Metro. Arrington Dixon was born in Anacostia. Unlike many civic leaders, Arrington Dixon has held important elected offices in the District of Columbia. He was a member of the first D.C. Council of the District of Columbia (1978-1979), representing Ward 4; chairman of the Council (1979-1983); and at-large member of the Council (1997). In 1995, he was appointed to the National Capital Planning Commission and remains on the Commission. After such distinguished service, most leaders often believe they have done their work. However, Arrington Dixon has continued to serve without portfolio. His service as chair of the ACC is among his most notable civic achievements. He has built the ACC into a formidable organization much-admired for its leadership and many contributions. Arrington Dixon's decision to retire on the silver anniversary of the ACC boat ride offered an appropriate occasion to recognize his many distinguished contributions to his hometown and to his Anacostia community as well as the contributions of the ACC for its annual boat ride. Therefore, I ask the House of Representatives to join me in recognizing: Arrington Dixon for his outstanding official and civic contributions to the District of Columbia; The ACC for its civic and financial contributions to the District of Columbia; and The silver anniversary of the ACC.