Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fort Bend Focus Magazine on fifteen years covering the news, events and developments in the Fort Bend County region. Since 2004, Fort Bend Focus Magazine has had its finger on the pulse of Fort Bend County under the stellar leadership of Publisher Patti A. Parish-Kaminski. From doctors to diplomats, teachers to students, bartenders to professional baseball players--countless readers from all walks of life have enjoyed their articles covering galas, historic attractions, politics, concerts, parties and the people of Fort Bend County. Fort Bend Focus has built a long-lasting legacy regularly reporting on the many things that make TX-22 special. My wife, Nancy, has even written for Fort Bend Focus from time to time. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to the Fort Bend Focus for keeping us informed on what's happening in our community. Here's to celebrating fifteen years of extraordinary coverage and to many more years of continued excellence.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land as they celebrate their tenth birthday. Inspiring and encouraging minds both young and old to learn about how our world works helps make us a smarter, more educated society. The Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land does just that-- sparking inspiration within the minds of the visitors that walk through its halls and exhibits. This year marks this institution's tenth birthday--a milestone achievement for a museum. From their Space Science collection and the Hall of Paleontology to the newly-added Hall of Technology, the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land has facilitated the education and growth of countless people in TX-22. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to the Houston Museum of Natural Science at Sugar Land on their tenth birthday. Here's to many years ahead inspiring people of all ages to learn more about our world.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to salute the Katy Boutique YaYa Club for their first annual ``Runway for Heroes'' fashion show and the mission behind it. As the holiday season approaches, many families with military parents deployed far from home will not be able to celebrate with them. This is hard on everyone in the family, especially the children. That's why this Veterans Day, the YaYa Club Boutique put on a fashion show with volunteer models to raise money to buy toys for the children of our military families. In their efforts, they raised over $8,000. Additionally, YaYa Club will be delivering the gifts in person to the children. I was incredibly heartwarming to see YaYa Club doing such a great service for the TX-22 community. I thank them for helping spread more love this holiday season across Katy. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, their actions embody the spirit of giving and the spirit of Texas.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to highlight CW39 Director of Operations Cameron Miller's effort to preserve history and the memory of those who served our nation in combat. Cameron recently took a trip to New Orleans and visited the World War II museum, bringing with him a box from home full of old wartime photos from a family friend and WWII veteran named Jack. While there, he learned about the history contained within the pictures and how to ensure their stories can be passed down for generations to come. Cameron then shared his story on television, instructing others on the importance of preserving pictures and other key items from our history so that the service of veterans is remembered for generations. I thank Cameron for honoring our veterans' service in the best way possible--by preserving their memories and sharing their stories. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, he makes Texas and our veteran community proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize American Legion Post 164 in Katy, Texas for their efforts to honor our fallen service members this holiday season. As Americans, we know that some of our military service members make the ultimate sacrifice to protect and preserve our way of life. The Wreaths Across America program is a solemn way to honor and remember our fallen heroes by distributing a token of our appreciation and remembrance at this time of year. American Legion Post 164 worked incredibly hard gathering sponsors to fund their goal of placing 450 wreaths this year. They surpassed this goal in their gracious efforts to remember our fallen warriors, securing enough sponsors to fund over 500 wreaths for the Magnolia Cemetery. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I thank Post 164 for their valiant work to ensure our fallen service members are never forgotten during the holidays and throughout the year.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Community Volunteer Fire Department in Canyon Gate for their heroic actions saving the lives of three pets from a burning home. For many, pets can be a part of our families nearly as much as our brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers are. Losing a pet is hard for everyone, especially in times of tragedy. The Community Volunteer Fire Department went above and beyond in their duties to make sure a family did not have to go through that pain. While a TX-22 family was away, their house unfortunately caught fire with their three pets--a cat, a dog and a kitten--trapped on the first floor. These heroes risked their lives to ensure that these pets were reunited with their families in the face of disaster. We send our heartfelt appreciation to the Community Volunteer Fire Department and all our firefighters in TX-22 who put their lives on the line each and every day to rescue those in danger--be they people or pets. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, they make our community very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the wonderful work by David Lauritzen, an eight-year-old boy from Katy, TX. He's on a mission to bring joy to children battling cancer. David is a cancer survivor, who received treatment at various hospitals over the course of his life. That experience means he understands the pain that children fighting this disease go through. So, when his mother asked him how he wanted to commemorate Childhood Cancer Awareness Month a couple of years ago, he said that he wanted to make them smile. Starting by collecting coins in a jar, David and his parents began the nonprofit David's Toy Project, Inc. to do just that. They have made it their mission to buy toys for kids undergoing cancer treatment and just last year raised almost $12,000. The light of goodness radiates through David and his family, and the smiles he brings to the faces of children shine just as bright. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, we thank David for his courage and caring spirit that warms the hearts of others.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Seven Lakes High School sophomore Jack Lee for helping organize the United States' first team to the International Astronomy Olympiad. Jack went above and beyond to be able to take part in the Olympiad. When he learned that the United States did not have a team to field for the competition, Jack took the bull by the horns and contacted Rice University to organize one. His goal was to start a trend so that future teams would represent the United States in the Olympiads for years to come. With incredible determination and drive, Jack--with help from team leader and Rice University professor Patricia Reiff and team coach Franklyn Pacheco-- fielded a team to compete in this year's International Astronomy Olympiad in Piatra Neamt, Romania. Jack's tenacity and dedication to making his goals a reality show his incredible character and spirit. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, he makes our Katy community very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of Jo Marie Bankston, the first woman police officer to serve the people of Houston, Texas. The year was 1955, 7 years before I was born, when Jo Marie--or Fena, as she was called by her friends and family--graduated in the first Houston Police Department class to include women. At that time, the mere idea of a woman police officer was something very few could imagine, much less pursue. Fena paved the way for new female recruits through the 1950s and 1960s, ushering in a new era of strength and passion. Fena passed away, sadly, last week, on Thanksgiving Day. She leaves behind a pioneering legacy of protecting and serving the Houston community. She also left behind a loving family, including her son, Jimmy, who carries out her spirit as a veteran of the HPD and as a current U.S. marshal. Jo Marie inspired so many--some she knew and many more that she never knew. She made history in her own humble way. May she enjoy fair winds and following seas in Heaven.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden), my friend. Mr. Speaker, I want to paint a picture of why I support this bill. Last Sunday night, many retired NFL football fans were watching my Houston Texans throttle the Patriots from New England. Let's say the phone rings at halftime. A fan walks up to answer his phone. The caller ID says it is from the Social Security agency, the Social Security office, the Social Security Administration. He picks up the phone, and there is a slight pause. A voice comes on and tells him that his benefits have been canceled. To restore them, he has to give these people he doesn't know his number. And, ``Oh, by the way, we can fix this right now with your credit card.'' For years, people in Texas and all across the country have dealt with criminal phone calls. I am pleased to say that today is the day we pass a bill to help these Texans and Americans fight back. It is great to see a bipartisan piece of legislation that I worked on with Representative McEachin, the Locking Up Illegal Robocallers Act, included in this package. It empowers the Justice Department to go after criminals who prey upon senior citizens, veterans, and all Americans. I urge my colleagues to support this bill. Let's ring in a new era in the Congress, dial back robocalls, hang up on criminals, and give them one call a week from jail.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise to share the facts and give an update on what is happening in the Jammu Kashmir region. Jammu Kashmir was given special treatment in the Constitution of 1947 in India. It was created by the ``Temporary Provisions with Respect to the State of Jammu Kashmir.'' It is known as article 370. It was supposed to be a stop-gap measure because the government had not been formed yet. For 70 straight years, this temporary article has forced citizens of Jammu Kashmir to live under different laws than all other Indians; different rules for citizenship, property ownership. Earlier this year, the Indian Parliament confirmed that article 370's temporary status should end. It ended. It gave the people of Jammu Kashmir the same rights as all Indians. It was a landslide, 125-to-61 in the Rajya Sabha and 370-to-70 in the Lok Sabha. This action is solely about equality for all Indians. Hopefully, this can be a step toward peace in Kashmir.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, the Holy Bible, the book of Mark, Chapter 12, Verse 30 says, ``Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all of your strength.'' Those words sum up Laura Chaffin, her life. An accident last year in Uganda took her voice and paralyzed her for a couple of trying weeks. She was there with her husband Bryan trying to put their family together. The Chaffin family is beside me right now. There is Laura, there is Bryan, and their three sons, Elijah, David, and Jonah. If you think Laura felt pity when she was hurt, you are dead wrong. With a team of experts at TIRR at Memorial Hermann Hospital, and with the love of family and the love of Jesus Christ, she started talking and walking and teaching at Alvin ISD and cooking for her family. She became, again, a mom and a wife.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank my dear friend from Austin, Texas, for yielding. Mr. Speaker, on March 4, 1950, in the Texas Panhandle metropolis of Haskell, Texas, Rick Perry was born. Haskell lately has a population of 3,322. That was too much big city for Rick Perry, so his family moved to Paint Creek, Texas, current population somewhere around 324. As was mentioned, he became an Aggie yell leader. He said he knew A&M was where he had to go because: ``I was probably a bit of a free spirit. . . . I would have not lasted at Texas Tech or the University of Texas. I would have hit the fraternity scene and lasted about one semester.'' As was mentioned, he served our country in uniform, flying a C-130 Hercules, a large aircraft that carries cargo all over the world that has the same engine as my P-3 Orion I flew in the Navy, the Allison T56-A14. We share that common bond. Rick was elected to serve in the Texas House in 1984. He became what was known as a pit bull. The Texas House has a place they go called the pit to have strong, strong, strong debates. Rick wanted to go off on people who wanted to spend, spend, spend. The pit bulls in Texas had a raging bull in Rick Perry. In 1990, he became our Agriculture Commissioner. In 1998, he allowed American history to be changed in a very positive way. He ran against a guy named John Sharp to become our Lieutenant Governor. It was very close, Aggie versus Aggie. Rick won by about 1.7 points, but that victory enabled George W. Bush to leave his beloved Texas and become America's 43rd President. Governor Bush knew he could leave with Texas in great hands of prosperity and with a bright future, and Rick Perry did not disappoint. As our longest-serving Governor with 14 years in Austin, Texas, on his watch, great things happened in our State that are the models for America and the world. He got true medical liability reform passed in Texas that changed our provision of healthcare for our citizens because doctors were fleeing our State because of unjustified lawsuits. They came back in droves when this bill was passed and became an amendment to our constitution, all because of Rick Perry's leadership. He changed our energy market to a market with competition, driving prices down and giving people the cheapest, most reliable energy in America. He had Texas squared away, so when America went into recession in 2007, our State, one State, created half the private-sector jobs in America over 2007 and 2008. And he also got a big start with technology, a place in Houston called Celltex, which uses human beings' own stem cells to repair broken bones and long-term injuries. They are thriving, and that is all because of Governor Rick Perry. On March 2 of 2017, the Senate confirmed him to be America's Secretary of Energy. He tried to make D.C. just like Texas. On his watch, the only viable carbon capture-enhanced oil recovery operation in the entire world, in Texas 22, the Petro Nova project with NRG, was started. On his watch, we started exporting American crude oil all over the world. On Rick Perry's watch, we have sent liquified natural gas--we call that liquid ``American freedom''--all over the world, helping allies in need, allies like India, like South Korea, like Japan, and like Eastern Europe break the hold on energy that comes from Russia or OPEC. I will close with a statement from a Texas legend that applies directly to Governor Rick Perry. Bum was talking about Earl Campbell, the famous Heisman Trophy winner, a Hall of Famer in the NFL who played for the Houston Oilers for just under a decade. Bum was asked: Is Earl in a class by himself? And Bum's answer applies to Earl and applies to Governor Rick Perry. Rick may not be in a class by himself, but whatever class he is in, it don't take long to call the roll. Mr. Speaker, I thank Rick and Anita for their service to America and the great State of Texas. They will never, ever be forgotten.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, the Holy Bible, the book of Mark, chapter 12, verse 30 says, ``Love your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all of your strength.'' Those words sum up Laura Chaffin, her life. An accident last year in Uganda took her voice and paralyzed her for a couple of trying weeks. She was there with her husband Scott trying to put their family together. The Chaffin family is beside me right now. There is Laura, there is Scott, and their three sons, Elijah, David, and Jonah. If you think Laura felt pity when she was hurt, you are dead wrong. With a team of experts at TIRR at Memorial Hermann Hospital and with the love of family and the love of Jesus Christ, she started talking and walking and teaching at Alvin ISD and cooking for her family. She became, again, a mom and a wife. Mr. Speaker, in the name of Laura, Scott, Elijah, David, Jonah, and Jesus Christ, I yield back.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate OCuSoft's dedication of their new building in the name of their co-founder, Bernard T. Halloran. Thirty years ago, Bernard, alongside Nat Adkins and Cynthia Barrett, helped form OCuSoft, a ground-breaking company in my district specializing in the research, development and supply of skin and eye care products. They are a pioneer in their field, innovating many new products including the first commercially available eyelid cleanser. Mr. Halloran embodies everything that's great about America-- entrepreneurship, innovation and job creation. It's inspiring to think about all the advances that will take place within the building bearing his name in the years to come. I had the pleasure of speaking at the dedication ceremony, where I asked who was in favor of naming the new building after Bernard. Needless to say, the ``EYES'' had it. Congratulations to OCuSoft and Bernard T. Halloran on this tremendous achievement.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Paula Contreras, a certified nurse aide from Richmond, Texas whose incredible work earned her the title of the Texas Health Care Association's (THCA) Certified Nurse Aide of the Year for Region 7. Paula has been serving her community at Cambridge Health and Rehabilitation for two years, where she has worked diligently in her role as a certified nurse aide as well as a therapy technician. She also helps train new certified nurse aides while sitting on the fall and safety committee and serves on the Cambridge Health and Rehabilitation's Quality Assurance Performance Improvement committee. Paula's commitment to her role as a certified nurse aide garnered the admiration of her coworkers, who nominated her for the award. Congratulations to Paula, on this immense achievement. She has made the 22nd Congressional District of Texas proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, Halloween is 9 days away. It is a holiday that happens in the dark. It is about fear, deceit, and witch hunts-- anything to hide who you truly are. Back home, Texans are stunned. How can the majority party of the House use a kids' holiday, Halloween, as a model for the most dramatic action Congress can take: impeaching a sitting President? The ghouls and goblins of the House majority are now the Halloween party and make up this process as they go along. Impeachment demands an inquiry vote by the full House, a full vote by the full House. The Democrat majority did that with Richard Nixon in the 1970s, and the Republican majority did that with Bill Clinton in the 1990s. The House Halloween party allowed 41 Members of this body of 435 to go forward with impeachment. This party is following the Wizard of Oz. If they pursue this witch hunt, the House will fall down on November 2020. The witch hunt will be over.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I want to introduce a great friend to every American. This is Sergio Cardenas, with his mom, Maria Elena. This photo was taken by John Mone. Sergio's heart is full of love. I spent a lot of time with him and his family this past Sunday. Sadly, my time with Sergio will be more time than he spends this year with the person he loves the most in this world, his father, Gustavo. Gustavo has been held in a Venezuelan prison, without trial, for nearly 2 years. Gustavo is one of the Citgo Six, six American Citgo employees illegally thrown into jail by the dictator Maduro. Sergio's heart needs an operation. The surgery may take his life. Yet, he delays this operation because he wants to hug his father and tell him, ``I love you,'' face to face. Sergio gave me some words as we parted Sunday from Houston. He told me, ``Please tell President Trump to get my dad home.'' Sergio, we just told the whole world that we will never, ever give up.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend the life-giving choice made by Mike Oviedo. In August, Mike, a lively, jovial 21-year-old from Katy, Texas passed away suddenly from an asthma attack. A child of a military family, Mike embodied the value of service and worked hard to make others happy. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends and was a hard worker who took immense pride in his job at Gorman Uniform. Mike continued exemplifying the value of service even in death by making the magnanimous decision to donate his organs. Organ donors are some of the most selfless and honorable people, giving up their own bodies after dying to ensure that others can live happier, healthier and longer lives. People like Mike demonstrate what it truly means to give. Mike's memory will forever live on in the hearts and minds of his family, friends and community. And now, his big heart will continue to beat on, imparting onto someone the greatest gift of all: life. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I would like to commemorate Mike's memory, his selfless gift and the wonderful legacy he has left to his family and our community.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the inspirational educational work of Sulin Huang of Sugar Land, Texas. Known by her students as ``Ms. Sue,'' Sulin was born in Taiwan and demonstrated artistic talents from an early age. She pursued those talents and studied commercial design in her country of birth while continuing to make art. Sulin eventually moved to Hawaii for two decades, where she learned how to make three-dimensional floral designs out of clay. Her ceramic flowers were a hit and soon she was setting up shop at shows to sell her works of art. Ms. Sue moved to Sugar Land in 2015 where she began teaching art at schools before opening up her own studio where she has had immense success privately instructing students. Three of Sulin's students were among the 40 winners selected from over 3,900 submissions in the 2019 Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest. Sulin embodies what it truly means to be an educator. She fosters creativity and love for the work that she and her students do and is a stellar example of the inspirational power that teachers have. On behalf of the Twenty-Second District of Texas, I thank Sulin Huang for inspiring so many with her art.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the election of Felix Garcia Ill as National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart (MOPH). Serving in the Marine Corps, Felix was deployed to Iraq in August and November 2004 as part of the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division. While in Fallujah and Al Karmah, he was injured during search and destroy missions in Operations Iraq Freedom II and Phantom Fury. For his valiant service and sacrifice defending our great nation, Felix was awarded three Purple Hearts and a Navy/Marine Commendation Medal with Combat V. He medically retired to Texas with his wife Christina and their three children. In 2005, Felix joined MOPH Chapter 493 in Vista, California where he quickly rose through the ranks to become Senior Vice Commander. He went on to found MOPH Chapter 808 in Palm Coast, Florida, where he led its members in installing the Purple Heart Monument in Hero's Park. Felix moved to Texas in 2012, where he joined his current MOPH chapter, Chapter 723, and served as its commander for three terms of office. He grew the chapter by recruiting younger award recipients who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Felix was recently elected to become the new National Commander of the MOPH. I had the honor of working with him on my Veterans' Advisory Board, where he played an integral role. I am proud to see Felix ascend into his new position and I am confident the MOPH is in great hands. Congratulations to Felix and God bless all of our Purple Heart veterans.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Douglas Irby of Pearland, Texas for earning the rank of Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the highest honor a Boy Scout can achieve. Only a small percentage of Boy Scouts reach the rank of Eagle Scout. This honor requires years of effort to develop the necessary leadership, service and outdoor skills. To earn it, Douglas planned, built and organized a library for First Nation students of Ojibway Heritage School near Winnipeg, Canada. Douglas became aware of the need for a library and reading facility during his canoe trip with Troop 55 during the summer of 2016. Douglas tackled this project with passion and determination, and provided a library for the students of Ojibway Heritage School. This dedication has prepared him to be a leader in his future career. The leadership skills he learned through Boy Scouts are already benefiting communities across the world, just as the contributions of Boy Scouts continue to benefit our local communities in countless ways. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations again to Douglas Irby for becoming an Eagle Scout. We are proud of his continued success and thank him for his dedication to making our community a better place.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor an extraordinary leader on her retirement, Carol Smolenski. She has been involved in ECPAT for 20 years as the executive director, a renowned organization with a single mission: end child exploitation and trafficking. Two decades ago, Carol noticed that America did not have an ECPAT- like organization like some other nations had, and so she took charge. ECPAT-USA was born. Carol's mission has been pure and simple: raise awareness of modern- day slavery in America and end human trafficking in our world. As Carol moves on, I would like to let her hear some Texas wisdom. Carol may not be in a class by herself, but whatever class she is in, it don't take long to call the roll. I thank Carol. She has saved lives.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the important work of the Sindhi Foundation and TASSC International. They are tearing down the barriers that sow division between cultures, fight discrimination and prejudice, and shine a light on those countries who target minorities for kidnapping, torture, and death. Sindhis in Pakistan, Kurds in the Middle East, Tamils in Sri Lanka, Uyghurs in China and others have been lost to ``enforced disappearances,'' removed from their families and erased from the sunlight of society. This terrifying and barbaric practice must end. The Sindhi Foundation and TASSC International are doing valiant work highlighting this heinousness. I thank them for their continued efforts to combat injustice, promote equity and provide healing to hurt families around the world.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to all three of the anti-American energy dominance bills on the floor this week. I am most concerned by H.R. 205, which bans energy development in parts of the Gulf of Mexico. I do not rise as just another oil-and-gas Texan. I have unique insights, because, unlike most of the bill's supporters, I started my naval career, 9 years, at the cradle of naval aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida, the home port of the Blue Angels. I have flown over every ocean on Earth. I patrolled for Russian nuclear missile submarines to protect our Nation from nuclear war. A blanket ban on this entire region hurts our national security. This bill is a hatchet, and we need a precise scalpel. I urge my colleagues to vote against the rule and against all three bills, especially H.R. 205.