Bill Posey

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, on December 21, 2018, I experienced technical difficulties with the electronic voting machine on the House floor, and my vote for S. 3628, the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act, was not recorded. My intention was to vote yea for roll call No. 500.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, on December 15, 2018, Brevard County families, businesses and local community organizations will gather together to celebrate the Tenth Annual Family Christmas Extravaganza. This wonderful event, which will take place at Fred Poppe Regional Park in Palm Bay, FL, will provide an uplifting message of hope and future during this Christmas season. The House Church, the City of Palm Bay Parks & Recreation, Gator Automotive, Thrifty Produce, Chick-Fil-A, and Church on the Rock, Elevation Church, Calvary Chapel Melbourne, Discover Life Church, Victory Church, Jornada Church, Bay West Church, Victory in Christ Church, and several other business partners have recognized the importance of providing a positive venue for residents and children to celebrate Christmas. There is no cost to attend the Family Christmas Extravaganza as everything is absolutely FREE to the public. The sponsors of this annual event have committed to serving others during this Christmas season and that's what makes the Family Christmas Extravaganza so special. The Heritage High School and Bayside High School Marching Bands will be performing along with local band members. This year the Family Christmas Extravaganza will feature Beckah Shae, a popular American Christian-pop-worship singer-songwriter. ``I am excited and honored to participate in such a worthwhile event, and I am grateful to be able to bring my talents to share with the community with a message of Hope,'' said Shae. Senior Pastor Ken Delgado of The House at Palm Bay said: ``With today's news being filled with division, contention and expressions of hatred, it is exciting to see the City of Palm Bay, along with the city's businesses and the citizens, create an event where love, joy and peace are expressed. The Family Christmas Extravaganza is the greatest expression that so many people yearn for, and is what the angels proclaimed at the birth of Jesus, saying `Peace and good will towards all men'.'' This year the City of Palm Bay issued a proclamation designating December 15, 2018 Family Christmas Extravaganza Day. Mayor William Capote said: ``The Family Christmas Extravaganza is a wonderful annual tradition in the great City of Palm Bay. I am proud to be the Mayor of a City where groups like The House church spend so much time and energy selflessly giving back to our community. The House has captured the giving spirit of the holiday season with this event, providing a day of celebration and Christmas joy completely free of charge. I've seen the positive impact of the Extravaganza over the years and I am excited to see this event continue to grow!'' Reverend Rob Medina, Director of Ministries at The House at Palm Bay said: ``The Family Christmas Extravaganza has exponentially grown throughout the years because of the collaboration of so many entities. The template we use of partnership with Government, Churches, and Businesses should be replicated throughout our nation and moreover the entire globe. It is an outstanding example of sharing the Christmas Spirit as we acknowledge the Greatest Gift freely given to mankind. We celebrate the birth of Jesus, so we proudly say Happy Birthday Jesus.'' Many communities across our great nation have seized upon this opportunity to spread the Christmas spirit, through good deeds and charitable acts. I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting these great Americans and in congratulating all those who have worked so hard to make the Annual Family Christmas Extravaganza possible.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize Bill and Sue Welser for their leadership in the Space Coast Honor Flight program, which serves Florida's Brevard and Indian River County veterans. Space Coast Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that honors our World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans by taking them to visit their war memorials in Washington, D.C. A retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General, Bill first became involved with the Honor Flight Network when he volunteered to serve as a guardian for a WWII veteran on the local chapter's second flight. This moving experience led Bill to work with a small cadre of volunteers to develop and run what would eventually become Space Coast Honor Flight. Bill has served as the president of the organization for more than eight years. Seeing the profound impact that Space Coast Honor Flight has had on our veterans, Bill's wife, Sue, joined the board and quickly became an integral part of all its activities. Sue serves as one of the veteran coordinators for the organization and is responsible for helping to create honor flight experiences for hundreds of veterans. Bill and Sue have also tirelessly given their time to organizing Space Coast orientations, flight departure ceremonies, veterans' reunions, and luncheons across the Space and Treasure Coasts. They have spent countless hours visiting our veterans in nursing homes and hospitals. They have attended a number of funeral services for our veteran heroes--Space Coast Honor Flight is often the first to be called when our veteran families lose a loved one. For the past eight years, Bill and Sue have been responsible for organizing, scheduling, and leading 52 flights, allowing 1,375 veterans to spend time at their war memorials in Washington, D.C. Bill has pat1icipated in every single flight. One of the greatest privileges Katie and I have is greeting our veterans as they depart on their honor flight to our nation's capital or greeting them in Washington, D.C. as they arrive on the National Mall to visit their memorials. Our veterans' courage and service to the country has helped change the course of history and has protected America and the freedoms we hold dear. Hosting these honor flights is the least we can do to acknowledge their service, and I am thankful for the work that Bill and Sue have done to make these flights possible. I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in saluting the passion, dedication, and commitment of Bill and Sue Welser. Their efforts and service honors our veterans each and every day and has been vital to the success of the Space Coast Honor Flight mission.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 60th anniversary of Florida Institute of Technology (``Florida Tech''). Dr. Jerome P. Keuper founded this private, non-profit university as a ``night school for missilemen,'' allowing workers at Cape Canaveral to pursue graduate education. Initially named ``Brevard Engineering College,'' Florida Tech held its first classes on September 22, 1958. Since its humble beginnings, Florida Tech has soared to great heights. The university now serves nearly 10,000 students through its Melbourne campus, its extended study sites across the nation, and its online facilities. Boasting more than 60,000 alumni around the world, Florida Tech has earned a spot in U.S. News & World Report as the number one national university in attractiveness to international students. This is the fourth year in a row that Florida Tech has been recognized for its diverse student body. Florida Tech has also been recognized for the remarkable leadership of President T. Dwayne McCay and First Lady Mary Helen McCay. This past November, the couple was inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame in honor of the 15 joint patents they hold in the field of metallurgical engineering. Mayors Kathleen Meehan of Melbourne and Hal Rose of West Melbourne have testified to the significant educational and cultural contributions that Florida Tech has made to the region, the state, the nation, as well as the globe. Through ``the university's core values of research to benefit all humankind; student success for a lifetime; and good global citizenship,'' Florida Tech has raised the bar for every institution of higher education. Last month marked 60 years since the founding of the university that began its life as ``countdown college.'' Mayor William Capote of Palm Bay delivered remarks at the anniversary celebration, and, in a fitting touch, Florida Tech commemorated its achievement by launching fireworks into the sky, reminding many graduates of the rockets and satellites they have helped launch beyond Earth's atmosphere. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Florida Tech, as well as its faculty, staff, students, and graduates. Please rise in honor of the university's 60 years of educating excellence.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, this week we celebrate National Estuary Week, a week dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of our nation's estuaries. This marks the 30th anniversary of National Estuary Week, and on Monday, September 17, I joined my fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Estuary Caucus and Restore America's Estuaries in kicking off this celebration with the 2018 National Estuaries Week Hill Expo. This Expo was a great showcase of research and resources for coastal habitats. The Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were on hand to talk with staff and Members and explain how we can improve the health of our estuaries. Former Congressman Jim Gerlach taught us ``Estuaries are coastal bays, harbors, sounds and lagoons, places where rivers meet the sea.'' My own Eighth District of Florida is home to the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most diverse estuaries in North America and the world. I grew up around Cocoa Beach, raised my family along the Lagoon, and worked in local real estate for many years. I learned firsthand why it's so important for us to work together to care for our environment. That is why, in early 2017, I founded the bipartisan Congressional Estuary Caucus with several of my colleagues to give the nation's estuaries a stronger voice and presence in Congress. Since that time, more than forty Members of Congress have joined the Estuary Caucus and become actively engaged in our efforts to support estuary restoration and conservation. The Caucus has already held eleven briefings on Capitol Hill about the critical role these delicate ecosystems play in our communities. Stretching 156 miles along Florida's east coast, our Lagoon is a sanctuary for nearly 4,000 species of wildlife, an economic engine for our community, and an invaluable recreational and educational resource for residents and visitors. Since estuaries are places where freshwater mixes with saltwater, preserving the delicate balance is as critical as it can be difficult. Our quality of life, economy and tourism, property values and the survival of many indigenous species of plant and wildlife depend on our efforts. Scientists often call them ``nurseries of the sea'' because estuaries are the nesting and feeding habitats for many aquatic plants and animals. Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimate that up to 80 percent of the fish and shellfish that we catch spend at least part of their lives in estuaries. That catch includes salmon, herring, and oysters, and our fishing industry is valued in the billions of dollars. Estuaries also contribute to healthy ocean environments by filtering out sediments and pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the oceans. Estuaries are also important recreational destinations. Millions of people each year boat, swim, watch birds and other wildlife, and fish in our nation's estuaries. Coastal recreation and tourism generate billions of dollars to our economy. Many estuaries, including our lagoon, are experiencing challenges like harmful algae blooms, declines in sea grass, and invasive species. These threats require our immediate attention. Acidification also presents uncertainties within our precious estuaries. The problem of estuarine acidification is less well understood than acidification in the open ocean and could pose severe effects for the biodiversity of our estuaries like the Indian River Lagoon. As we seek to restore and protect our estuaries, I believe we have to adopt the proverbial ``all of the above'' strategy. That means a coordinated effort involving federal, state and local cooperation with each level of government doing what it does best. Our state and local government will lead the efforts that improve our water quality and will provide leadership in assuring we adapt to sea level rise in the way we build and manage our land use. The federal government supports state and local leadership with restoration programs that include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I've joined my colleagues, Congressman Brian Mast and Congresswoman Bonamici, in introducing legislation aimed at mitigating and solving our hypoxia and toxic algal bloom challenges. In Florida, we are working to raise the priority of projects that benefit the estuaries within the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. To get a leg up on the challenges to our estuaries posed by acidification, I've introduced the National Estuaries and Acidification Research Act of 2018. This legislation creates a research program so that we can understand how better how acidification works in estuaries and how we might be able to combat it. For the 2018 Fiscal Year, the Interior Appropriations bill includes $16.8 million that will provide $600,000 to each of the 28 estuaries, and also includes my plan to direct $1.5 million for the National Estuary Program's competitive grants program for special projects and prevention and mitigation focused research. This is a win for our estuaries, communities, and economy. This week, millions of Americans will show their commitment to our estuaries through volunteer efforts. We all have a role to play in caring for our environment. It is a matter of awareness and of action. We must look for even more opportunities for our ``all of the above'' strategy for keeping our estuary economies sustainable and resilient. Advancing common sense ideas that strengthen our economy, protect our estuaries including the Indian River Lagoon, and preserve our natural beauty remain a top priority for me. I'm grateful for the work of millions of dedicated professionals and volunteers across this nation. National Estuary Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our estuaries to our way of life and our well-being. Estuaries provide indispensable services to our ecology and our economy. Our estuaries are irreplaceable and we must protect, sustain, and restore them. National Estuary Week is also a time to review our progress in assuring the continued productivity of our estuaries, celebrating our successes and renewing our commitment to ensuring that future generations will enjoy these precious resources. I ask all Members to join me and the Congressional Estuary Caucus in that commitment. The challenge is critical and we can meet it.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 25th anniversary of Christian Care Ministry, an outreach of the American Evangelistic Association. Based in Melbourne, Florida, this not-for-profit organization was founded by Dr. E. John Reinhold as a formalized approach to sharing healthcare burdens. Beginning with a mere 600 households in 1993, membership in Christian Care Ministry's Medi-Share program has skyrocketed over the last 25 years. Through Medi-Share, over $2.6 billion in medical bills has been shared and discounted by more than 400,000 members across the nation. ``Launched from a kitchen table at our home, Christian Care Ministry has served hundreds of thousands through providing a mechanism for mutual care. I am proud to have founded this ministry and to have been part of what it has meant to so many,'' Reinhold shared. After the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Christians recognized an opportunity to be part of something bigger than healthcare--a sharing community that met the requirements of the new healthcare law without compromising their values. Christian Care Ministry has not only helped many to faithfully handle expensive medical bills, it has also been a boon to the economy of Brevard County. The mayor of Melbourne, Kathy Meehan, stated, ``by providing more than 430 jobs at its Melbourne headquarters and making significant financial investments in its facility, Christian Care Ministry has made a substantial economic impact on our community. We are proud to have the ministry in the City of Melbourne and are grateful for the benefits it has provided to our community for the past 25 years.'' Christian Care Ministry has more than 600 faithful and dedicated employees nationwide and are proud of their diligence in providing outstanding customer service. I urge my colleagues to join me in congratulating Christian Care Ministry for 25 years of service and for their dedication to assisting those who need medical care.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend Chairman Goodlatte for introducing this legislation. Mr. Speaker, this bill we are considering is, obviously, as you heard from both sides, a great piece of legislation that will ensure American victims of international terrorism can obtain justice in U.S. courts by holding accountable those who commit, aid, or abet terrorist activity abroad. I have long been fighting for victims of terrorism. In fact, in 2014, I introduced legislation that would allow victims of narcoterrorism to recover court-awarded damages. A version of the bill, known as the CAPTIVE Act, passed the House by unanimous consent in 2016. I am ecstatic that we have a bill that seeks to help a number of victims, including those I have been fighting for since 2014. On February 13, 2003, four Americans who were Department of Defense contractors on a U.S. Government counternarcotics flight mission in Colombia were shot down by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, also known as FARC. It is a violent guerilla gang heavily involved in narcotics trafficking. The pilot, Tom Janis, who was immediately executed by the terrorists, and three Floridians, Keith Stansell, Mark Gonsalves, and Tom Howes, who is my constituent, were kidnapped, held hostage in the jungle, and tortured for more than 5\1/2\ years until they were rescued by the Colombian army. These heroes are seeking long-deserved justice for themselves and their families against those who carried out unthinkable acts of violence. Today, victims cannot access frozen assets under the Kingpin Act. The bill before us, the Anti-terrorism Clarification Act, would change that by finally closing the loophole to allow these former hostages and the family of the slain pilot access to the assets of narcotics-trafficking partners of the foreign terrorist organization FARC and other organizations that are frozen under the Kingpin Act. We owe it to these brave Americans and others, and their families, to make them whole again. Mr. Speaker, it is a simple piece of legislation. It would make it easier for all victims of narcoterrorism to recover court-awarded damages. I urge support.

Mr. POSEY

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

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Chairman, this is really pretty simple. A constituent came to me with a problem concerning procurement for aviation helmets. He has a manufacturing company here in the United States, but he is not able to sell his helmets to the Department of the Interior. His helmets are not inferior. They are used by many industries. They are used in many countries. But he is not on the approved list for Federal agencies. Currently, the approved list includes only one manufacturer. My amendment will change this by providing additional options through competition. The amendment requires compliance with the Federal acquisition regulation policy that ensures a full and open process in procuring aviation helmets. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this great amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the service of John Russell Deane III, who has led a distinguished career in support of motorsports and the automotive performance industry. Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of getting to know Russ over the years through my service in the Florida State Legislature and a shared interest in racing. Russ is an accomplished race car driver, but I stand here today to highlight his years of service as general counsel to the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA), and many other race sanctioning bodies, which benefited Americans like me who are passionate about cars, racing and protecting our rights as enthusiasts. While enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center, Russ started his career working as an aide to U.S. Representative Clark MacGregor (R-MN) and then served in various positions in the Nixon administration, including as a White House aide. In 1975, Russ left government to enter the private practice of law. It was there that he stood up for millions of automotive enthusiasts by helping shape federal and state laws and regulations to protect their hobby and the nation's automotive heritage. Russ is a leading expert on laws and regulations that apply to motor vehicles and equipment as practiced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and other agencies. Russ worked closely with NHTSA, EPA and CARB as they established rules governing the installation of specialty automotive parts that customize and enhance vehicle performance. Russ played an instrumental role in implementing the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1977 and in crafting the 1990 revisions. Similarly, one of Russ' most enduring accomplishments was his role in developing the CARB Executive Order program to test and certify the emissions performance of specialty auto parts sold across the country. He also helped shape state inspection programs based on testing rather than the mere presence of aftermarket parts. Russ helped to establish the Congressional Automotive Performance and Motorsports Caucus, which held its inaugural events in 1996 over a two- day period at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, on the National Mall, and in the halls of Congress. I am proud to have served as co-chair of this caucus since 2011, which now has over 65 members in the U.S. House of Representatives. Beyond the automotive world, Russ has worked with the U.S. Government, the American Bar Association and many universities to help develop democracies in countries such as Estonia, Ukraine, Georgia and Afghanistan. The Government of Estonia awarded him the Order of the White Star, the highest civilian honor, for helping the country develop a market-based economy after the fall of the Soviet Union. Russ is a true Renaissance man, with interests and expertise in areas well outside the practice of law. He is a skilled yachtsman, pilot, diver, and connoisseur of fine wines and cigars. In his spare time, he also races sports cars and motorcycles. In 2012, he accomplished a longtime goal of setting an SRT-4 land speed record and being installed as a proud member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club. I wish Russ Deane all the best in his retirement and thank him for his years of service to the automotive hobby and racing community.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5346) to amend title 51, United States Code, to provide for licenses and experimental permits for space support vehicles, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5346, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act, was largely developed with input from a Department of Transportation report on approaches for streamlining the licensing and permitting of hybrid launch vehicles to enable non-launch flight operations. Hybrid launch vehicles are those that have some of the characteristics of aircraft and some of the characteristics of launch vehicles. Companies would like to utilize space support vehicles to train crews and spaceflight participants by exposing them to the physiological effects encountered in spaceflight or conduct research in reduced gravity environments. Spaceports, like those in Florida and other States, would like to attract those companies to operate out of their facilities. The DOT report concluded that: ``The option of having a single statutory regime and regulatory office oversee a demonstrated commercial space program throughout its operational life cycle would allow consistent application of regulatory philosophy and safety oversight and be more efficient and cost effective for the launch operator as well as the licensing agency. For an evolving industry, a regulatory environment that can adjust to accommodate changes would allow for more flexible and more responsive oversight.'' Additionally, a GAO report issued last year recommended that the FAA examine the FAA's current regulatory framework for space support vehicles and suggest legislative or regulatory changes as applicable. I believe H.R. 5346 provides the appropriate regulatory approach by authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to develop the regulations by March 1, 2019, allowing licensed space support flights. The intent of timing is to include the development of regulations in the regulatory reform process that the Vice President and the National Space Council tasked the FAA to complete by that date. Of course, I want to thank my friend of many, many decades, Congressman Lawson from the great State of Florida, for his cosponsorship and support of this bill, as well as Chairman Lamar Smith and Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin, both of Texas, for advancing and cosponsoring this great piece of legislation. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Smith).

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank the cosponsors on both sides of the aisle. This has been about a 9-year journey to make this much-needed change to our laws. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, my return flight to Washington, DC was delayed due to inclement weather, and I was unable to attend the legislative session on June 19, 2018. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 269, ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 270, and ``Yea'' on rollcall No. 271.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a moment to recognize Tim and Suzanne Olson for their leadership in the Space Coast Honor Flight program serving Florida's Brevard and Indian River County veterans. A United States Navy veteran, Tim Olson began his service to Honor Flight in 2010 while working his full-time job in Maryland. As a ``Green Shirt'' volunteer at the Baltimore-Washington International Airport, he helped welcome veterans from around the United States as they made their way to Washington, D.C. Based on his rewarding experiences, Tim encouraged his wife Suzanne to volunteer with the newly formed Honor Flight program in Melbourne, FL in late 2010. Since that time, Tim and Suzanne have been an integral part of Space Coast Honor Flight. Working with a small group of volunteers, they helped build a board of directors to lead a team of over 300 volunteers that have made 49 trips to our nation's capital, allowing 1,250 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans the opportunity to visit their memorials. For the last eight years Tim has served as the Space Coast Honor Flight Operations Director responsible for the planning, coordination, and execution of the trips to Washington, D.C. Suzanne served as Secretary/Treasurer, Guardian Coordinator, Mail Call Coordinator, and currently as Programs Director responsible for planning and coordinating all events in Melbourne, Florida. One of the greatest privileges Katie and I have is greeting our veterans as they depart on their honor flight to our nation's capital to visit their memorials, or greeting them in Washington, D.C., as they arrive on the National Mall. Their courage, and that of veterans since, has helped change the course of history and has protected America and the freedoms we hold dear. I ask my colleagues in the United States House of Representatives to join me in saluting the passion, dedication, and commitment of Tim and Suzanne Olson. Their service honors our veterans and has been vital to the success of the Space Coast Honor Flight mission.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, May 12, 2018, thousands of residents from across Central Florida will gather at the Cocoa Beach Pier in Cocoa Beach, Florida, to take part in the Seventh Annual ``Footprints in the Sand'' Cocoa Beach Kidney Walk. Katie and I have joined others in our community in participating every year since the first walk was organized in 2012 by Rich Salick, Bill Hahn and volunteers with the Florida Chapter of the National Kidney Foundation. The ``Footprints in the Sand'' Kidney Walk brings our community together to show our love and concern. So many of us have family, friends and loved ones that are afflicted by kidney disease and they need our strength and support. The road ahead is not easy for them, but as the kidney walk demonstrates, they do not have to travel that path alone. The National Kidney Foundation, its supporters and activists have made a significant difference in people's lives. They not only raise awareness about this disease but they have helped push for much needed changes in our laws and new innovations to give patients more treatment options and a better quality of life. This year organizers of the kidney walk will recognize organ donors and their families for giving the precious gift of life so that others could receive a second chance and continue with their lives. Those recognized include: Patricia Brown on behalf of Michael Robert Brown, Mary and Bill Carpenter on behalf of Shawn Carpenter, Billie Lomonaco on behalf of Tiffany Accardi, Dawn and Mike Futch on behalf of Michael-Gene Futch, Deborah and Dennis Thrope on behalf of Jessica Carter, Diane Couch on behalf of Linda Couch, Jasmine and Trip Persaud on behalf of Tribhawan Anand Persaud, Chris and Laura Dawkins on behalf of Brooke Dawkins, Jen and Timothy Eden on behalf of Blake Eden, Laila Merolle on behalf of Mario Merolle, Patricia and Obdulio Rivera on behalf of Sebastian Rivera, Ada Torres and Efrain Morales on behalf of Neysha Estrella, Michelle Lashley on behalf of Jharod Lashley, Theresa Black on behalf of Timothy Bishop, Neil and Vivien Pogeler on behalf of Scott Pogeler, Dee Hill on behalf of Cora Hill and Jeb Jones. I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me in recognizing the strong will of these caring families, their loved ones, and all those who have joined the effort and worked tirelessly to raise awareness about kidney disease.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Chairman, for 7 years, I have been working to provide American companies with the capability to conduct commercial space support activities. American companies would like to utilize space support vehicles to train crews and space flight participants for the rigors of space flight and research. Last year, our office worked with the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to draft language to address this issue. At the time, we agreed on language that the committee included in the manager's amendment to an older version of the FAA reauthorization. Since that time, a whole lot has changed in the commercial space industry. Recently, I worked with the industry, in coordination with the FAA, to create a legislative solution to allow these companies to operate. My bill, H.R. 5346, was favorably supported from the Science, Space, and Technology Committee a month ago, and has the support of industry and the FAA. We owe it to our Nation's commercial space industry to get this language right. I am sure you will agree with me that we cannot support the passage of outdated or problematic language, and I hope you will commit to working with me, going forward, to provide the industry with an effective legislative solution.

Mr. POSEY. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, my return flight to Washington, D.C. was canceled due to mechanical problems, and I was unable to attend the legislative session on April 24, 2018. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 148, and YEA and Roll Call No. 149.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, on February 21,2018, the City of Palm Bay will recognize the courage and bravery of the city's law enforcement officers and civilians during their annual Valor Award's Ceremony to be held at the Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place in Melbourne, FL. Over two hundred law enforcement officials and civilian employees make up the City of Palm Bay's police department. The 160 sworn officers, and all the men and women that make up the Palm Bay Police Department, lay down their lives on a daily basis as peacekeepers, maintaining law and order for the protection and enhancement of our community. Their motto of Connect, Serve, and Impact speaks of officers connecting with the community as they serve with pride to provide a positive impact to its citizens. Their selfless actions are right and noble, and help keep our community safe. The Palm Bay Police Department obtained its State of Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation status on October 31,2007, from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc., and has successfully been reaccredited over the last ten years. I am honored to show my support for the law enforcement personnel of the Palm Bay Police Department and their heroic acts. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing their sacrifices, and the sacrifices of their families. Among those to be recognized are the Officer of the Year Recipient, Officer Kyle Schuck and the Civilian of the Year Recipient, Nicholas Zynko. The Distinguished Service Cross Award Recipients: Officer Christopher Snedeker, Officer Kyle Schuck. Officer and Civilian Recipients of the Life Saving Award: Officer Bailey Ritchie-Sullivan, Officer Edwin Lutz, Officer Carlos Valentin, Officer Deylen Machado (2), Officer Caroline Jodoin, Officer Sean Dutill, Officer Cory Presley, Corporal William Pennington, Officer Aaron Yuergens, Officer Steven Hill. Officer and Civilian Recipients of the Meritorious Service Award: Officer Kyle Schuck, Officer Stephan Smith, Detective Jorge Negron (2), Officer Roy LaVanture, Agent Millan Valdes, Detective Jesse Suelter, Nicholas Zynko. Officer and Civilian Recipients of the Community Service Award: Officer Kyle Schuck (2), Officer Kyle Eakins, Officer Nicholas Abroe, Officer Thomas Trotter, Corporal Alcine Phang-Pennington, Patricia Tobar, Jennifer Williams, Kimberly Meade.

Mr. POSEY

Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the achievements of Dr. Mary Helen McCay who has just been named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors--a highly prestigious professional distinction. Dr. McCay currently serves as University Research Professor and Director of Florida Institute of Technology's National Center for Hydrogen Research. She was inducted into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame in 2017. Dr. McCay grew up in Fort Pierce just south of Florida's Space Coast. A fan of space exploration from an early age, Mary Helen remembers watching Astronaut John Glenn's famous launch during high school assembly. Like many young people growing up on the Space Coast at that time--including myself--her enthusiasm for our space program grew as she regularly visited Patrick Air Force Base and Kennedy Space Center to watch our rocket launches. With a strong interest in studying science and engineering, she went on to earn her Ph.D. in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Florida in 1973. Dr. McCay was a Principal Investigator at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center for almost 20 years where she studied the influence of microgravity of single crystal formation and conducted failure analyses of space vehicle materials. She was Principal Investigator on a Microgravity Laboratory I flight experiment, as well as three other flight experiments and received the NASA Scientific Achievement Medal for her work. Her involvement with NASA led to her becoming a Payload Specialist Astronaut for Space Shuttle Challenger Flight Spacelab-3 mission. Prior to joining the Florida Institute of Technology, Dr. McCay was Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Chair of the Center for Laser Applications, and Adjunct Professor of Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science at the University of Tennessee Space Institute and received numerous awards for her groundbreaking research. She has published more than 130 technical articles; serves as reviewer on 8 peer-reviewed journals; and holds 24 patents, 22 for laser-induced- surface improvement and its applications. Together with her husband, Dr. Dwayne McCay, the President of the Florida Institute of Technology, she holds 15 joint U.S. patents in the area of metallurgical engineering. When asked about her inspiration in science, Dr. McCay points to Madame Curie for her persistence as well as her brilliance. She credits her mother and father as key influences in her life, as well as the Dominican sisters who taught her in grade school, her high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Harris, Dean Rogers at Florida State University, and her husband. A strong advocate for STEM education, Dr. McCay has worked to establish STEM mentoring groups between faculty and new students attending the Florida Institute of Technology. Along with her colleagues she does outreach to local high schools to encourage students to consider pursuing a career in one of the STEM fields. She also coordinates a K-12 Girls in Science Summer Camp the Florida Institute of Technology. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Mary Helen McCay, as well as Dr. Dwayne McCay and the dedicated faculty of the Florida Institute of Technology, for their contributions to science and engineering, and for their commitment to inspiring young minds and future scientists of our nation.