Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Luke Janik of Katy, TX, for earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can earn. Only a small percentage of Boy Scouts reach the rank of Eagle Scout, which requires years of effort to develop the necessary leadership, service and outdoor skills. To earn this rank, Luke had to earn 21 merit badges, and develop and provide leadership to others in a service project. For his project, Luke built benches for his high school tennis court. He is part of Troop 230. Luke's dedication to our community has prepared him to be a leader in his future career. The leadership skills he has learned through Boy Scouts are already benefiting our community. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Luke for becoming an Eagle Scout. We are proud and confident of his continued success.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lunches of Love for serving its two millionth free lunch to children of the Fort Bend County community. Lunches of Love has been serving Fort Bend County since 2012 by providing nutritious lunches for children in need. This summer, Lunches of Love distributed their two millionth sack lunch and moved one step closer to ending childhood hunger. We are extremely proud of Lunches of Love's dedication to our children and are grateful for every volunteer who has helped them reach this milestone. Our hope is that Lunches of Love will no longer be necessary, but until that day, we thank them for providing nutrition and love for children who need it. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, thank you again to Lunches of Love for serving the children of Fort Bend County and helping to eradicate childhood hunger. Thank you for serving two million lunches.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, when you look at the heavens tonight, you may notice a new bright star. My fellow Texans from Sugar Land and Fort Bend County have seen that star for years. It is our John Hancock. John enjoyed life with us for 89 years. John is a native Texan, Houston proud, born on February 13 of 1928. He is a Korean Army veteran, 33 years with Mobil Oil, an investment adviser. John loved many things. He loved University of Texas football, Hook 'em Horns. He loved his Astros, our baseball team. He loved his hometown of Sugar Land. He loved going to church at Sugar Land First United Methodist Church. He loved to bowl. He bowled 297 points when he turned 80. But most of all, he loved his amazing wife, Linda. John and Linda are in Heaven together right now. Linda is there saying, ``Roll Tide,'' for her beloved Alabama Crimson Tide playing their football games. John is beside her saying, ``Beat LA,'' which is exactly what his beloved Astros will do in a few hours. Thank you, John. May the peace of Christ be with you and Linda forever.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, again, short and sweet. This is a good bill. It is the first step towards actually funding a cure for diabetes. Maybe we will do that. By the way, it leaves here and will be signed into law before this week ends. I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' when this vote comes up for a final passage vote. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 920) to establish a National Clinical Care Commission.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 920, the National Clinical Care Commission Act, a bipartisan bill that has received unanimous support within both the House and the Senate Chambers. S. 920 is the Senate companion to my bill, H.R. 309, which is cosponsored by over half of my House colleagues. It has this level of support because our Nation faces an epidemic. Diabetes or prediabetes affects over 100 million Americans. Nearly one in three of our neighbors is affected. This legislation will also help many others who are affected by other diseases like heart disease, obesity, and many others. When I first came to Congress in 2009, it was crystal clear that we had a big problem. The benefits of all the Federal research dollars going into these diseases were simply not making their way to patients. Researchers at the NIH, the CDC, the DOD, the VA, and the FDA weren't sharing diabetes research. Who knows? Sharing information may have put us on a path to cure diabetes. It was clear then, and it is still clear today: we need a laser-like approach to improve patient care by pursuing a strong Federal focus on research. This bill accomplishes that goal by creating a National Clinical Care Commission comprised of doctors who specialize in diabetes care for patients. This commission will have 3 years to strengthen the partnership between Federal stakeholders and health professionals who will bring hands-on, clinical experience to improve care. This is not a new, unending bureaucracy. After 3 years, this commission will sunset. In 3 years, it will be gone. We have already made such a huge investment of taxpayer dollars into research. It is time to leverage that investment into meaningful prevention and effective treatment options. President Reagan once said: ``There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.'' That is why I stand here today in strong support of my bill, which became Senator Shaheen's bill, because this bill will help so many Americans who are suffering from diabetes. So today I ask my colleagues to again help all those who suffer from diabetes and other complex metabolic and autoimmune disorders by voting for S. 920. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Iowa for those kind words, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 190) to provide for consideration of the extension under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of nonapplication of No-Load Mode energy efficiency standards to certain security or life safety alarms or surveillance systems, and for other purposes.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the record.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 190. External power supplies are used for all sorts of devices, and we have learned from experience that the Federal energy efficiency standards sometimes don't work in the ways we want them to. In particular, we need an exemption from these rules for the security and life safety alarms and surveillance alarms. S. 190, the Power and Security Systems, or PASS, Act, provides targeted exemptions that allow these critical uses to stay on the market. Devices like home security alarms or fire detection need to be on 24/ 7, 365, but the 2007 energy law on energy efficiency standards for external power supplies does not allow for this. Since then, Congress has created exemptions for these ``always on'' devices, but this exemption ended on July 1 of 2017. S. 190 extends this exemption out to 2023. The result of this bill would be that these important security systems will continue to be available, preserving the jobs of those who make them, and, most importantly, the safety of those who use them. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I close with a short and sweet: good bill, vote for it. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank my friend from Montana for bringing this bill forward this afternoon. Mr. Speaker, this is a great day back home in Pearland, Texas, because right now this House is about to honor a fallen hero from Pearland, Endy Ekpanya. Endy was born in Nigeria in 1985, the same year I graduated from college. When he was 11, his family left Nigeria to come to America to provide a better life for them. They moved to Long Island in 1996. He obtained a degree in psychology and sociology from Hofstra University in New York and later earned his MBA and master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Maryland. The call to serve his country and his community never left Endy, which is why, after moving to Pearland, Texas, he enrolled in the Alvin Community College Police Academy. He graduated with the 105th class in December of 2015, and he was sworn in as a Pearland police officer 6 months later. In less than 6 months after December of 2015, his time with us was cut short just 2 days before his 31st birthday. At approximately 4 a.m. on the morning of June 12, 2016, Endy was hit head-on by a drunk driver while responding to an emergency call. He was the first officer to die in Pearland while on duty in over 40 years. Endy's life embodies the selfless dedication of our law enforcement officials back in Pearland. His sacrifice will never ever be forgotten. That is why I am proud that today this House will pass a bill to name the post office at 2700 Cullen Boulevard after Endy. It will be a source of great pride for our local community and will ensure that his sacrifice is remembered for generations to come. This small gesture can't make up for the loss of Endy's life. The grief his wife, his young son, and his parents have will never go away. The Pearland community has suffered, but this small gesture is a testament to Endy's commitment to protect and serve. It will be an inspiration for future generations to strive to improve their community just like Endy did in his short time with us. Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote on this bill.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, due to Hurricane Harvey and the severe impact it had on my district, I was unavoidably detained and unable to be in Washington for votes on September 5, 2017. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 439, and YEA on Roll Call No. 440

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Brazoria County Sheriff Charles Wagner in celebration of the 50th anniversary of his service as a law enforcement officer. Sheriff Wagner joined the Freeport Police Department in 1967. He has worked as a patrol officer, patrol sergeant, detective sergeant, detective lieutenant and Chief of Detectives. He also served as the Chief Deputy from 1985 until taking office as Sheriff in 2005. As Sheriff of the oldest Sheriffs' Office in the State of Texas, he has been an integral part of keeping the Brazoria County community safe. Our law enforcement officers risk their lives each and every day to protect our communities. Sheriff Wagner exemplifies the leadership and service that makes Brazoria County a great place to live, work and raise a family. We thank him for his service and 50 years of exceptional leadership. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I wanted again to thank Sheriff Wagner for his dedicated public service. All of Brazoria County has benefitted from his commitment to safety and we thank him. Congratulations on 50 years, Sheriff.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Janya Ram of Sugar Land, TX, for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. To earn this distinguished award, Janya had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community and have a long-term impact on girls as well. For her Gold award project, she taught self-defense workshops at the Boys and Girls Club in Stafford. Janya wanted to take the skills she learned in her karate classes and help girls in her community protect themselves in unsafe situations. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Janya Ram for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. We are confident she will have continued success in her future endeavors. We are very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, a monster Category 4 hurricane named Harvey hit my home. It hit us very hard. And 2 days after the first blow, it hit us once again. It reversed course and hit us twice in the span of 2 days. It took out our schools, our shops, our homes, our pets, and the lives of over 50 Texans. But there is one thing that Harvey can never take from us, and that is, we are ``Houston Strong.'' Houston Strong is the Smith family. Annie was going into labor as her apartment was being swallowed up by floodwaters. She and her husband, Greg, were doctors. They prepared to have a home delivery of their first child. Their phone calls for help were unanswered. Annie called her church and, within an hour, a rescue truck drove up. That is her right there, being assisted on the rescue truck an hour after she made that call. Twelve hours later, their family grew by one. Their daughter, Adrielle, was born. The Smith family is Houston Strong. Houston Strong is Buster Stoker and the Cajun Navy. Buster and his buddies from Louisiana brought 14 boats to rescue others in our disaster. Buster said: ``There were a lot of submerged cars and street signs underneath us.'' It reminded Buster of cypress knees in the marshes at home. Buster rescued over 100 people, seven by seven. Buster and the Cajun Navy are Houston Strong. Houston Strong are our first responders, our police officers, firemen, EMS drivers, our military, the entire Texas National Guard. And first responders include normal, everyday Texans like this man carrying a mother and her baby out of harm's way. Texans are Houston Strong. Two days ago, I took a helicopter tour of the damage with Leader McCarthy. The crew on our Coast Guard helicopters rescued 2,000 people in harm's way. And I am sure this scene was played out over and over inside those helicopters--a neighbor, glad to be alive, her hand resting on a rescuer's shoulder. Our first responders are Houston Strong. Houston Strong is the thousands of volunteers who have been in shelters and churches and schools all throughout southeast Texas. I went to this high school, Cinco Ranch, in the Katy Independent School District. This was up and running within 24 hours of getting the go order. They had food, water, toiletries, clothes, and a smile. I saw on those people who lost everything smile after smile after smile because of volunteers at shelters like Cinco Ranch High School. Shelters in Cinco Ranch are Houston Strong. I have saved the best for last. This young boy's name is J.W. Claburn, IV. He lives in my district, Richmond, Texas. This young boy's photo is exactly what I have been trying to convey these last 5 minutes. In closing, I will say that we--America is strong, Texas is strong, and Houston is stronger because of Hurricane Harvey.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Michael Donatti of Pearland, TX, for receiving a Fulbright award to work on his Master of Science degree at the University of Bristol in the UK. Michael is a Rice University student studying environmental policy and management. His environmental policy program will cover corporate environmental sustainability, legal and economic frameworks and climate science, and will require him to write a thesis. Each year the Fulbright Program grants students the opportunity to study, research or teach English abroad in an effort to internationalize communities and campuses around the world. Fulbright scholars focus on the conditions and challenges differing regions face, as well as building valuable U.S. relationships. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Michael for receiving this Fulbright award. Keep up the great work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rowan Dumond of Katy, TX, for winning a gold medal for his floor routine at the U.S. Men's Junior Olympic National Championship. I was both Rowan's first gold at the Junior Olympics and his first time competing there. The 12-year-old competed against 800 of the top junior gymnasts in the country. When not training at the gym, Rowan is also a student at Seven Lakes High School and plays percussion with the band. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Rowan for winning gold at the Junior Olympics. We are very proud of him and look forward to his future success as a gymnast. We're excited to have him represent TX-22.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Karim Farishta of Sugar Land, TX, for receiving a Fulbright award to do research in Sri Lanka. A graduate of George Washington University and a Truman Scholarship recipient, Karim is focused on the core of youth engagement, urbanization and reconciliation. Prior to leaving for Sri Lanka, Karim worked for the White House and was one of the youngest political appointees in the Obama Administration. Each year the Fulbright Program grants students the opportunity to study, research or teach English abroad in an effort to internationalize communities and campuses around the world. Fulbright scholars focus on the conditions and challenges differing regions face, as well as building valuable U.S. relationships. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Karim for receiving this Fulbright award. Keep up the great work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ijezie Ikwuezunma of Richmond, TX, for receiving a Fulbright award to do research in the UK. Ijezie, a student at Washington and Lee University, was awarded a Fulbright grant for his project, ``Cardiovascular Pharmacogenomics and Pharmacokinetics of Warfarin (an oral anti-coagulant).'' His research will be based around cardiovascular agents and their pharmacology, with a particular focus on the drug warfarin. While completing his Fulbright, Ijezie will also be pursuing his Masters of Research in biomedical sciences and transnational medicine at the University of Liverpool. Each year the Fulbright Program grants students the opportunity to study, research or teach English abroad in an effort to internationalize communities and campuses around the world. Fulbright scholars focus on the conditions and challenges differing regions face, as well as building valuable US relationships. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Ijezie for receiving this Fulbright award. Keep up the great work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, every day on Capitol Hill, we have heroes among us, our Capitol Police. Five weeks ago, three of these heroes saved lives. They killed a deranged man who opened fire on the Republican baseball team. Two heroes were wounded, Crystal Griner and David Bailey. Our brave Capitol Police prevented a massacre. Another massacre was prevented by the Capitol Police on June 24 of 1998, 19 years ago today. My hometown of Sugar Land, Texas, still hurts over a hero we knew well, Detective John Gibson. He was killed a few feet from where I am standing. Like Crystal and David, Detective Gibson was assigned to protect a member of House leadership, my neighbor, and my predecessor, Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Gibson heard Officer Jacob Chestnut being killed by an intruder. He shot the attacker, despite being mortally wounded. Our Capitol Police are true heroes. May we always remember two special heroes, Jacob Chestnut and John Gibson.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Eric Li, Toby Liu, Charles Wang, Melody Voo, Alexander Miao, Jimmy Liu and Eric Tong, all from TX-22, for receiving the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality's President's Environmental Youth Award (PEYA). The seven students, from Pearland, Katy and Houston, were recognized for starting the organization, We Care Act, which refurbishes electronics and other items and sends them to needy children living in poverty or affected by natural disasters. So far, We Care Act has collected and reused more than 40,000 items and sent them to more than 20 countries. PEYA recognizes outstanding environmental projects by K- 12 youth. Students are selected based on their initiative, creativity and applied problem-solving skills that are needed to tackle environmental problems and find solutions. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Eric L., Toby, Charles, Melody, Alexander, Jimmy and Eric T. for receiving this honorable award. We Care Act is a fantastic organization that helps those who truly need it. We're proud oftheir dedication to helping others.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Thomas Xiong of Katy, TX, for being chosen to join Team USA at the International Biology Olympiad. Thomas, a Seven Lakes High senior, was selected as a gold medalist in the 15th annual USA Biology Olympiad (USABO), qualifying him to represent the U.S. at the International Biology Olympiad this July in the U.K. He was picked out of 20 USABO National Finalists. To be chosen, he had to take practical and theoretical tests that followed 10 days of intensive biology instruction at Marymount University in Arlington, VA. The finalists studied with U.S. experts in the fields of cellular and molecular biology, plant anatomy and physiology, animal anatomy and physiology, genetics and evolution, ecology, ethology, and biosystematics. Thomas will represent the U.S. with Edward Lee of Austin, TX, Alexander Tsao of Fullerton, CA and Catherine Wang of Lexington, MA. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Thomas for being one of four to represent the U.S. at the International Biology Olympiad. We know he will be a great asset to Team USA and will make TX proud. Good luck.