Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I must confess, as my wife and kids know, I am not the most romantic guy. I have never dreamed I would be a matchmaker. Believers say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and, Mr. Speaker, those words are, oh, so true. In 2007, I came home and ran for Congress. It was brutal: a 10-person primary, a runoff against a former Member, and a general election against an incumbent. But I had a secret weapon on my campaign: this man, Luke Marchant. Luke is the son of our colleague, Kenny. Luke would show up in a campaign office with ratty flip flops, in wrinkled, baggy shorts, and an unwashed T-shirt. Luke was a beast. But a beauty showed up like out of Disney: Katie McDonald. The matchmaking began. Beauty and the beast fell in love. I was there on June 12, 2016, when they were married. Last week, Walker Ross Marchant was born to these two amazing young friends. Katie and Luke, congratulations. In the future, for number two, maybe Peter Graham Marchant should be a name you all should consider.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S.J. Res. 34, which will protect consumers and the future of internet innovation. The internet is changing the way we communicate, shop, learn, and entertain. It is changing how we control our homes, our cars, and many other parts of our lives, including my two teenage kids. These changes give us certain expectations of privacy on the internet. Until last year, the Federal Trade Commission provided a robust, consistent privacy framework for all companies in the internet services market. Their holistic and consistent approach struck the right balance. Consumers' use of internet services continues to increase and their privacy has been protected. The resolution we are voting on today puts all segments of the internet on equal footing. It provides consumers with a consistent set of privacy rules. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for S.J. Res. 34.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Wade Goates of Houston, TX, and thank him for his leadership at the Rosenberg Volunteer Fire Department. Wade joined the Rosenberg Volunteer Fire Department in 1992 and began working as a full-time firefighter in 1995. His commitment to public service led Wade to several promotions throughout his time with the fire department, from fire fighter to fire marshal and then fire chief in 2012. Wade received the Firefighter of the Year award in 2001 and the American Legion's Firefighter of the Year award in 2002. In 2008, the City of Rosenberg awarded Wade the Willie D. McQueen Award for his service to residents and coworkers. Wade retired from the Rosenberg Volunteer Fire Department on February 24th and plans to join the Fulshear-Simonton Fire Department. Both communities are lucky to have his dedication and commitment to service. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I would like to thank Wade Goates for his 25 years of service with Rosenberg. We wish him good luck with the Fulshear-Simonton Fire Department and thank him for his continued dedication to keeping TX-22 safe.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, a man loved throughout Houston, throughout Texas, throughout America, and throughout our world, Tom Friedkin put on his angel wings and flew to Heaven last week. Tom was the force behind Houston's largest private company, Gulf States Toyota. Tom put an ``open for business'' sign up in 1969. Thirty years later, Tom was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame. Tom's brain made him a billionaire, but his heart was worth much, much more. Tom took that heart to Tanzania to protect elephants from being poached and killed. Tom's foundation signed a 30-year agreement with Tanzania to make it a better country. A legend Texans love, Bum Phillips, would say this about Tom Friedkin: Tom, you may not be in a class by yourself, but whatever class you are in, it don't take long to call the roll. God bless you, Tom.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bryon Xu of Sugar Land, TX, for being named a Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) 2017 finalist. Bryon was awarded $100,000 for winning fourth place out of 1,749 high school seniors for his project, Direct Determination of Ocean Temperature Profiles from Seismic Oceanography. He developed a method of measuring ocean temperature that can fill in the gaps existing with current techniques, such as satellites and probes. The Regeneron STS award is based on students' originality and creative thinking, as well as their achievement and leadership. In his spare time, Bryon is a member of the Mu Alpha Theta club for mathematics, coaches a local Mathcounts team and tutors science. He has also developed a web app to help with Science Olympiad event. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Bryon Xu for winning fourth place in this esteemed competition. We are confident he will have a successful future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jayden Fitts and Keaton Urioste of Katy, TX, for winning third place in C-SPAN's national 2017 StudentCam competition. Since 2006, C-SPAN has invited middle and high school students to produce short documentaries on an issue of national importance. This year students were asked to answer, ``Your message to Washington: What is the most urgent issue for the new president and Congress to address in 2017?'' Jayden and Keaton's documentary, ``Putting Unemployment Out of Business,'' focused on America's unemployment problem and what can be done to fix it. Jayden and Keaton were awarded $750 for their hard work. The two students are freshmen at Cinco Ranch High School. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Jayden and Keaton for winning third place in the 2017 StudentCam competition. We are very proud of them and look forward to their future successes.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate San Jacinto College of Houston, TX, for being named the fifth best community college in the country by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. Ten top-notch community colleges were nominated for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Award for the schools' student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings for graduates and accessibility and success of minority and lower income students. San Jacinto was recognized because of its extreme focus on supporting and working with students to ensure they are the most equipped to find a job and prepare for life after graduation. Between 2007 and 2015, the number of certificates and associate degrees San Jacinto College has awarded has increased by an impressive 140 percent. San Jacinto College works closely with local workforce to develop degree programs that match employment needs and their strong leadership is paying off for their students and our local money. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to San Jacinto College for being named the fifth best community college in the country. We are proud of their strong commitment to prepare students for life after graduation. Keep up the good work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a new upscale restaurant in Richmond, TX, and its executive chef, Ja'Nel Witt. Sammy's Steakhouse will be Sammy Vela's sixth restaurant in the area and will cater to steak and wine lovers. The menu has a variety of delicious dishes, from green chili-smoked gouda mac and cheese to mouth-watering steak. An extensive wine bar allows customers to complete their dish with the perfect complement. The executive chef, Ja'Nel Witt, will be a great addition to the new restaurant, especially having been the Season II winner of Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen. Her culinary talents will be appreciated by Richmond and Houston area visitors. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I again recognize and welcome the newest restaurant, Sammy's Steakhouse, to TX-22. We look forward to trying Sammy's Steakhouse.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chris Nilsson of Fort Bend County, TX, for being named as the Texas Computer Education Association's (TCEA) Technology Administrator of the Year for 2017. Chris is Lamar Consolidated Independent School District's Director of Technology Integration and oversees computer technicians and the districts Campus Instructional Technology Specialists. He was nominated by two of the technology specialists thanks to his exemplary vision and technology management. His colleague, David Jacobson, the district's Chief Technology Information Officer, said he's done an outstanding job leading and uniting two departments and is very deserving of this recognition. His expertise is an asset for both the school district and the students. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Chris for being named as TCEA Technology Administrator of the Year. We're very proud of him and look forward to his future accomplishments.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Abby House of Needville, TX, for being the grand-prize winner of the Save Texas History essay contest in the seventh grade division. The statewide contest is sponsored by the Texas General Land Office's Save Texas History program. The essay students were asked to write was, ``What history in your community, or in Texas, is worth saving?'' Abby wrote about the storied history of the Imperial Sugar building in Sugar Land, TX. The students' essays were judged based off of how compelling their story was, how useful and interesting the facts were, grammar, spelling and organization. For winning the grand-prize, Abby received numerous prizes from the San Antonio Tourism Council, from Six Flags Fiesta Texas tickets, to tickets to the San Antonio Zoo, and more. She is currently a seventh grader at Needville Junior High School. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Abby House for winning the grand-prize of the Save Texas History essay contest. We're proud to have her represent TX- 22 and look forward to seeing her future accomplishments.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Benjamin Kopfer of Fort Bend, TX, for being ranked first in state for playing bass trombone. On top of being ranked first in state, Benjamin, a sophomore at Fort Bend Christian Academy (FBCA), was invited to participate in the Texas Private School Music Educators Association All-State Band for the second year in a row. It's rare for a sophomore to be invited to play with the All-State Band, let alone a sophomore who played the year before as well. When not amazing audiences with his musical talents, Benjamin also plays on the FBCA baseball team. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Benjamin for being ranked first in state. We are extremely proud of him and look forward to him achieving the All- State Band again next year.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Pearland High School's Steve Buckelew for winning his 700th game as a boys' basketball coach. Steve's 700th game was won as he coached the Pearland High School Oilers to an 83-48 home victory over Brazoswood High School. Steve has been a basketball coach for the last 32 years, with his last 21 years as Pearland's head coach. He spent time coaching basketball teams in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, with five years as an assistant coach at Louisiana Tech. When asked how many more wins are left in him, he said ``I don't know, but I'd like to get about six or seven more this year.'' On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Steve Buckelew of Pearland for winning his 700th game as a boys' basketball coach. We are extremely proud to have him coaching our athletes to victory each year. Keep up the good work.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that I be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 610.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I work for the Texans in Meadows Place. They are led by Mayor Charles Jessup. The locals call Meadows Place the best square mile of small-town America. Meadows Place has a secret. Shhhhh. Every man who lives there is in love with the same woman. We all love Lillian Cox. Lillian turned 110 on February 22. In 352 days, I am taking Lillian out for her 111th birthday. She will put on a nice dress, a necklace, and earrings. I will take her to the Live Oak Grill, where she will have the fried catfish she loves so much. I will have the chicken fried steak. And we may go dancing, if I can keep up with her. Lillian, happy 110th birthday. I will pick you up at 5 p.m. on February 22, 2018.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker: ``Delegates of the People of Texas in General Convention at the town of Washington on the 2nd day of March, 1836. ``When a government has ceased to protect the lives, liberty, and property of the people, from whom its legitimate powers are derived, and for the advancement of those whose happiness it was instituted, and so far from being a guarantee for the enjoyment of those . . . inalienable rights, becomes an instrument in the hands of evil rulers for their oppression. ``When the Federal Republican Constitution of their country, which they have sworn to support, no longer has a substantial existence, and the whole nature of their government has been forcibly changed, without their consent, from a restricted federative republic, composed of sovereign states, to a consolidated central military despotism, in which every interest is disregarded but that of the army . . . both the internal enemies of civil liberty, the everready minions of power, and the usual instruments of tyrants.'' ``When, in consequence of such acts of malfeasance, and abdication on the part of the government, anarchy prevails, and civil society is dissolved into its original elements. In such a crisis, the first law of nature, the right of self-preservation, the inherent and inalienable rights of the people to appeal to first principles, and take their political affairs into their own hands in extreme cases, enjoins it as a right towards themselves, and a sacred obligation to their posterity, to abolish such government, and create another in its stead, calculated to rescue them from impending dangers, and to secure their future welfare and happiness.'' ``The Mexican government, by its colonization laws, invited and induced the Anglo-American population of Texas to colonize its wilderness under the pledged faith of a written constitution, that they should continue to enjoy that constitutional liberty and republican government to which they had been habituated in the land of their birth, the United States of America. ``In this expectation they have been cruelly disappointed, inasmuch as the Mexican nation has acquiesced in the late changes made in the government by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, who having overturned the constitution of his country, now offers us the cruel alternative, either to abandon our homes, acquired by so many privations, or submit to the most intolerable of all tyranny, the combined despotism of the sword and the priesthood.'' ``It has suffered the military commandants, stationed among us, to exercise arbitrary acts of oppression and tyranny, thus trampling upon the most sacred rights of the citizens, and rendering the military superior to the civil power.'' ``It denies us the right of worshipping the Almighty according to the dictates of our own conscience, by the support of a national religion, calculated to promote the temporal interest of its human functionaries, rather than the glory of the true and living God. ``It has demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defence, the rightful property of freemen, and formidable only to tyrannical governments. ``These, and other grievances, were patiently borne by the people of Texas, untill they reached that point at which forbearance ceases to be a virtue. We then took up arms in defence of the national constitution. We appealed to our Mexican brethren for assistance. Our appeal had been made in vain. . . . ``The necessity of self-preservation, therefore, now decrees our eternal political separation. ``We, therefore, the delegates with plenary powers of the people of Texas, in solemn convention assembled, appealing to a candid world for the necessities of our condition, do hereby resolve and declare, that our political connection with the Mexican nation has forever ended, and that the people of Texas do now constitute a free, Sovereign, and independent republic, and are fully invested with all the rights and attributes which properly belong to independent nations; and, conscious of the rectitude of our intentions, we fearlessly and confidently commit the issue to the decision of the Supreme arbiter of the destinies of nations.'' 181 years ago, the Republic of Texas was born. God bless Texas.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Reece Kemp of Katy, TX, for being chosen to represent Texas as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. Reece is a senior at Cinco Ranch High School. He was nominated for this position thanks to his excellent academic record and desire to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. Through this program, he will be able to meet some of the most important leaders in the STEM industry, including Nobel Prize winners and top scientific university deans. The Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders is hosted to help motivate the top students in the country to pursue their desired careers in the STEM fields. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Reece Kemp for being selected as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. We are extremely proud and expect great things from him in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Elwin Mathew of Missouri City, TX, for being chosen to represent Texas as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. Elwin is a junior at Elkins High School. He was nominated for this position thanks to his excellent academic record and desire to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. Through this program he will be able to meet some of the most important leaders in the STEM industry, including Nobel Prize winners and top scientific university deans. The Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders is hosted to help motivate the top students in the country to pursue their desired careers in the STEM fields. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Elwin Mathew for being selected as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. We are extremely proud and expect great things from him in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Valerie Valerian of Richmond, TX, for being selected for the Texas Girls Coaching Association volleyball all-state. The George Ranch senior was selected for all-state after leading her team, the Lady Longhorns, to a playoff victory. Throughout the playoffs, Valerie had a team-best of 564 kills while hitting .343 and leading with 4.1 digs per set. Following the playoffs, Valerie was also awarded the District 23-6A Offensive MVP and was selected as Player of the Match for over 20 volleyball games over the last two seasons. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Valerie Valerian for being selected for volleyball all-state. We are proud of her talent and know she will represent TX-22 well at all-state.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Chloe Bartine of Katy, 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, Chloe had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community as well as have a long-term impact on girls. For her Gold award project, Chloe designed and built two Little Free Libraries for Neighborhood Kidz Club in the Western Pines and Trinity Hunters Place communities in Katy, TX. She wanted to develop an easy, free way for children to have access to books during the summer or holiday breaks. Chloe hosted a book drive with over 25 volunteers to make sure the libraries were fully stocked. Chloe has volunteered for Neighborhood Kidz Club's summer reading program the past few summers. She will graduate from Seven Lakes High School and plans to attend the University of Alabama in the fall. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Chloe Bartine 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, I rise today to congratulate Clear Lake Regional Medical Center of Houston, TX, for being designated by the State of Texas for Level II Trauma Care. Clear Lake has a trauma program with round-the-clock staff and in- house trauma surgeons and specialists to treat patients no matter the time or injury. To be considered a Level II Trauma Center, the medical center must have comprehensive trauma care with 24/7 availability with all essential specialties, personnel and equipment. Clear Lake had to undergo extensive site reviews and evaluations to meet this designation. This will significantly increase the number of lives that can be saved. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Clear Lake Regional Medical Center for being designated as Level II Trauma Care. We all benefit from their commitment to quality healthcare and we thank them for their hard work to keep Houstonians healthy.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with hope, thanks, and renewed faith. I am joyful because of a young lady from home, Alyssa Ferguson. She was born on January 7, 2002. Two days after her 12th birthday, Alyssa was told that she had a tumor the size of a baseball in her brain. She did not flinch; she fought--six brain surgeries, three rounds of radiation, and nine rounds of chemotherapy. On January 26, our angel used her wings to fly to God. She always had those wings the entire time she was with us here on Earth. She used her dying wish to have a water well dug in a small town in Africa. Extraordinary. If you close your eyes, you can feel Alyssa's spirit. Welcome home, Alyssa.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lauryn Richardson of Richmond, TX, for earning volleyball all-state recognition by the Texas Girls Coaching Association. A sophomore at Foster High School, Lauryn received academic all-state recognition while leading her team, the Lady Falcons, to a playoff victory. She had 169 blocks and averaged 2.1 kills per set during the sets. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Lauryn Richardson for earning volleyball all- state academic recognition. We are proud of her and look forward to seeing her excel in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Shaikh Afaq of Sugar Land, TX, for being chosen to represent Texas as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. Shaikh was nominated to this position because of her excellent academic record and desire to enter the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) field. Through this program she will be able to meet some of the most important leaders in the STEM industry, including Nobel Prize winners and top scientific university deans. The Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders is hosted to help motivate the top students in the country to pursue their desired careers in the STEM fields. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Shaikh Afaq for being selected as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. We are extremely proud and expect great things from her in the future.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Megan Villanueva of Katy, TX, for being chosen to represent Texas as a Delegate at the Congress of Future Medical Leaders by the National Academy of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists. The Congress of Future of Medical Leaders is an honors program for high school students who plan to become physicians or go into medical research fields. Students must be nominated by their teachers, have a minimum 3.5 GPA, proven desire to enter the medical field, and inspire and motivate their peers. Multi-talented Megan has also received awards and has been acknowledged for her artistic skills. In junior high school, she also won the gold medal at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program competition. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Megan Villanueva for being selected to represent Texas at the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. We wish her luck and look forward to seeing her future success in the medical field.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Kristina Burgos 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, Kristina had to spend at least 80 hours developing and executing a project that would benefit the community as well as have a long-term impact on girls. For her Gold award project, Kristina built a granite pathway in the Jardin de La Vida located at the Boys & Girls Club of Richmond-Rosenberg, TX, to make the garden more accessible for people with disabilities. Kristina is a sophomore at Clements High School and aspires to study English or film in college. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Kristina Burgos for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. We are confident she will have continued success in her future endeavors. We are very proud.