Todd Rokita

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may be given 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.J. Res. 57.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 91, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 57) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to accountability and State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great Hoosier and my dear friend, Dr. Raymond Gordon Klockow who passed away January 13, 2017. Not only was he a constituent in my district, but he was also a good friend to our family and to our office. Most recently, he served as our county coordinator in Jasper County. Gordon was born in South Bend, Indiana and graduated from South Bend Central High School in 1965. He then attended Purdue University and received a Bachelor of Science in 1970, graduated from the Loyola University School of Dentistry in 1974 with a Doctor of Dental Surgery, and completed his General Practice Residency at Berkshire Medical Center in 1975. That same year he moved to Rensselaer, Indiana and began practicing dentistry at the Clinic of Family Medicine. Gordon took a lot of pride in his work. He practiced general dentistry in Rensselaer at the Clinic of Family Medicine from 1975- 1983, Hillcrest Family Dental Center, P.C. from 1983-2011, and Sheets Medical Practice from 2014-2015. It was at his dental office where I first met Gordon. It seemed we talked for hours about my family's profession, dentistry. And of course we talked politics in that first meeting, and every conversation since. But talk from him of politics and American Exceptionalism in every conversation is not surprising to all who knew Gordon. He put a lot of care and dedication to the smiles of so many Hoosiers during the course of his career. Gordon himself was rarely ever seen without a smile on his face and it was infectious to those around him. One of the many things I admired about Gordon was his servant's heart. He served as the Jasper County Coroner, a Jasper County Deputy Coroner, and a Newton County Deputy Coroner. He was board certified in Pain Management, Forensic Medicine, Forensic Dentistry, and as a Forensic Examiner. Gordon was also currently a managing partner of Ritz Cinema in Rensselaer where he took great pride in the service he provided for the community. Some of my most vivid memories of Gordon were at the town hall meetings we have in our district. I frequently asked him to help us with the meetings, sometimes as a host and other times as a participant in the reading of the Constitution. He was the perfect leader, in body and temperament, to do so. Gordon was the type of individual who always asked what he could do to help and would go above and beyond for anyone who needed him. Gordon leaves Nancy, his beloved wife for over 27 years, three children, and seven grandchildren to carry on his legacy of service to fellow Hoosiers. Anyone who knew him well knows what a great loss his passing is for the community. Mr. Speaker, we lost a good one last week. He will be missed. Rest in peace Gordon, you will not be forgotten.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairwoman for yielding the time. It is a pleasure to continue our work together on this very important issue. It has taken us 6 years to get to today, the first real step in repealing what is one of the most insidious laws that ever came out of these Chambers--insidious because it was built on lies. Remember ``You can keep your doctor if you want to,'' ``You can keep your plan if you want to''? Lies. Remember when premiums were to go down because this, of course, Mr. Chairman, was the Affordable Care Act? Lies. The gentleman from Kentucky made some assertions just a while ago. I want to take a look at the State of Kentucky itself. Four plans left the ObamaCare exchange at the end of 2016 in the State of Kentucky. Of the remaining plans, each increased their premiums by double digits: 22.9 percent, 29.3 percent, and 33.7 percent, respectively, for 2017. And Kentucky's exchange enrollment decreased by 12 percent. How, Mr. Chairman, is this helping people? Look, if we didn't care about people, we could stand by and watch this failed plan, this insidious law continue to implode, continue to hurt people. Instead, we stand here ready to erase the foundation that this law was based on and put forth a better one, one that doesn't leave anyone behind, one that is based on market-driven, consumer- driven, patient-driven needs and expectations and allows them to, for example, keep their job. What do I mean by that, Mr. Chairman? Consider this. Not only do we have bad healthcare outcomes as a result of this insidious law, people are losing work. They are being robbed of their dignity to work. Since ObamaCare, 21 percent of businesses are reducing the number of employees, their wages and salaries and their benefits, including their retirement benefits. So this insidious law is not only having detrimental implications on our health care and people's health, but it is taking away the very dignity that they have to work. It is also spelling the death of health savings accounts, proven over the last several years to be part of the solution to consumer-driven health care. The idea that you can save for your healthcare expenses, with or without the government's help, so that you can make value decisions as to your health care without government interference. It leads to better patient outcomes. It leads to freedom to make healthcare decisions absent the oversight of the government. ObamaCare all but outlawed health savings accounts. I think health savings accounts are probably in every one of those different plans the chairwoman pointed out. So we are offering a replacement. We are offering solutions. We are offering a better way.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. I thank Chairman Walker for organizing the time tonight, and I congratulate the gentleman on leading this organization. I look forward to working with him. Mr. Speaker, we could all stand up here and take the barbs that have been leveled by some as to how we don't care about people or how we are this or that or how we are just focused on the numbers. Nothing could be further from the truth. We could sit idly by and watch this terrible, insidious law continue to implode, to continue to hurt more and more Americans--insidious because it is built on lies, like you can keep your doctor if you want to, like you can keep your health plan if you want to--not true in any case. Instead, we are here tonight, talking with the American people about ``what could be'' when we first get rid of this terrible law--something that many of us have voted on 60 times or more to do. We now have a real opportunity with not only a Republican House, but a Republican Senate, and with a President who is willing to work with us. The verdict is in. In Indiana alone and in my district, I have met person after person who has horror stories about the failure of ObamaCare. I spoke with Anna, whose husband, Jack, survived stage IV cancer. With Jack's cancer only having a 30 percent survival rate, it is crucial that he has effective doctors who know how to treat and how to work the problem. Instead, Anna's doctor quit practicing medicine--well before his planned retirement age--due to the burdensome costs of ObamaCare, which is something that the gentleman from Georgia also mentioned. It is not just doctors who are unable to perform their duties--their profession--under this insidious law, but also insurance companies that are withdrawing from the market as we speak. Last year alone, we saw Indiana's exchange lose 50 percent of its health insurance carriers due to regulations of ObamaCare. This included IU Health, which covered almost 30,000 Hoosiers. This lack of options means that healthy Hoosiers are being forced to pay for coverage that they don't want, that they don't need, and that, in fact, may do more harm than good. I spoke with Mark from Tippecanoe County, in my district, who talked about the harmful impact of ObamaCare. He stated that he was forced to buy insurance with only four doctors listed as providers for the entire county. What good does this insurance do Mark or the rest of us if he can't even use it and schedule an appointment? I am very proud to have worked on this Republican Study Committee with the Health Care Task Force, led by my good friend, Dr. Phil Roe of Tennessee. Over a period of a year or so, we have put together a plan that is a very real, patient-centered, consumer- focused, free market-driven replacement for ObamaCare, but with one big difference--our plan would work because it harnesses the value that we all have innately as Americans and, really, as humans, which is the ability to value price once we have the information. If I left this Chamber and, God forbid, I broke my leg on my way down the steps, I wouldn't worry too much about where I was going--just to the nearest emergency room. But that is not most of our healthcare transactions; that is not most of our healthcare decisions. Most of our healthcare decisions can be made by attaching value to the services and products that we want. We do it in every other part of our consumer- driven life. Why can't we finally do it with health care? That is what people like Dr. Phil Roe have practiced in medicine their entire lives. That is what he has taught me. That is what we know as American consumers. Why can't we be trusted to do that with our health care? Whether the intent is malicious, whether the intent is malign, the intent of the people who support ObamaCare--that insidious law--is wrong. It says: just give your life over to these few people, and let them run it for a while, and everything will be fine. Unfortunately, throughout not only American history, every time it has been tried here and every time it has been tried in world history, it has failed. Control over the individual has failed, and it will do the same, as we are seeing every day now, with regard to our health care. Let's repeal this insidious law, and let's get back on the track of replacing it with something that we all can trust, beginning with ourselves. I thank the chairman for his leadership.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman. In closing this out, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that Indiana has produced no shortage of great statesmen, as we reflected on this last half hour, and Senator Dan Coats has indisputably joined their ranks after decades of service to both our State and to our country. My own history with Senator Coats goes way back to when I was an intern in his Senate office. If he were on this floor today, Mr. Speaker, I am sure he would say that I was one of the worst interns he ever had. Nonetheless, he started my career in politics with that unpaid job that was one of the best experiences of my life. He has conservative leadership, and I know that he was anxious to get back to helping out the office and do whatever he could for the State of Indiana, however he could. Since those many years ago, since those first observations that I have had of Senator Coats, he has gone from Senator, to U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and back to Senator again. It is a long and distinguished career full of dedication to right ideals and the desire to fight for what is best for all Hoosier families and what is best for Americans. I appreciate all of the work, as we all do, that Senator Coats has done and the causes he has advocated for and for his counsel. As I have said, I don't know if he is actually going to be able to retire at this time, but whatever his desire, he deserves it. I have no doubt that he will continue to represent the best interests of our State and this country even after his time in the Senate has come to an end. I would like to issue a heartfelt thank-you for all of his work, and I wish him my best on all his future endeavors. Again, Mr. Speaker, I hope you will please join us all in wishing Indiana a happy birthday on this wonderful occasion of our 200th anniversary. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman is right. I don't know if Dan Coats will ever be able to retire. I know he wants to. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), who is from the Third Congressional District in the northeast.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer), who represents the Sixth District.

Mr. ROKITA. Reclaiming my time, it is a great book, as my family knows as well, and excellent words from the gentleman from Indiana's Sixth Congressional District. Throughout this all, Indiana's Fourth Congressional District has more than done its part in adding to our State's rich history. The Battle of Tippecanoe, for example, which put Indiana on the path to statehood, took place in modern-day Lafayette, and gained recognition for General William Henry Harrison, who would go on to become our ninth President. The Fourth District is also home to the first Indiana State Flag, pictured here. This is from about--this was 1916, when our flag design was--this flag design was awarded the honor of becoming our official flag. It was created by Paul Hadley, of Mooresville, in Indiana's Fourth District, for a contest during our State's first Centennial celebration. Our district is also home to many important landmarks. Boone County Courthouse has the largest 1-piece limestone columns in the country. Newton County is home to 23 bison, our State animal. And Benton and White Counties have one of the largest windmill farms in the Nation. This is just a small sample of the great parts of our State and district, and our bicentennial celebration has done a fantastic job of highlighting these and many others over the past 12 months. I have even had the pleasure of participating in several of the events, like many of my colleagues have, including selecting a bicentennial-themed entry as the winner for our office's Congressional Art Competition, and serving as torchbearer for the torch relay. The relay saw the bicentennial torch, designed and made by Purdue students, travel through each of our 92 counties over the course of several weeks, and highlighted both the unique history and the places in each part of our State and the common bond that makes all of us Hoosiers. I served as a torchbearer in Fountain County, and was very impressed by the high turnout and enthusiasm. At a time in this Nation's life when it is hard to get members of a particular place to act like a community because of so many different distractions and diversions and how technology has entered our lives, it was humbling, sobering, but very prideful to see thousands of people in a relatively small county come together for such an event as to see a torch going by and being passed along by the county courthouse. The Hoosiers, I saw, were well-prepared for the event and were not going to let a little bit of rain keep them from coming out and celebrating towns and their counties and, most of all, our wonderful State. The event itself helped to remind me of the most important and unique part of our State, and that is the people. Hoosiers are kind and gracious people who take pride in their work and in their State. They have been the secret to our State's 200 years of success. Now, this Sunday's final bicentennial event is entitled ``Igniting the Future,'' and it is my belief and hope that it will inspire our next generation of Hoosier leaders to continue this record of accomplishment, and never forget about what makes this State and our country so exceptional, exceptional with a capital E. Myself, and my colleagues here from Indiana, look forward to working with these future leaders and ensuring the success of our State for another 200 years. Mr. Speaker, before yielding back, I would like to yield to the gentleman from Evansville, Mr. Larry Bucshon.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, a lot has been talked about already from Indiana's manufacturing prowess to our agricultural richness, to our own rich history. I want to focus just a little bit before yielding to my good friend, Mr. Messer, to talk a little bit about Indiana's agricultural history. It is in the top 10 in the Nation in agricultural sales, with over $11 billion in those sales. The agricultural industry creates good Hoosier jobs and provides our Nation with an array of products, from corn to soybeans to hogs and poultry, and you just have to go a few miles in any direction on any one of our roads to know that, by looking out your window. In fact, Indiana has so many agricultural products that there are six times as many chickens in the State than people. My district, in particular, has produced several major agricultural innovations. The town of Kokomo, that I mentioned earlier, is known as the ``City of Firsts,'' due to the many products invented there, including both the first canned tomato juice and the first mechanical corn picker, which revolutionized the farming of one of Indiana's most important crops. Indiana is specifically one of the Nation's second largest producers of popcorn. And while that definitely helps us all enjoy trips to the movies, Indiana's contributions to the entertainment field have not stopped there. Famous Hoosiers, as Andre Carson mentioned, such as John Mellencamp, Axl Rose, James Dean, and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, have all made their mark on our Nation, providing us with memorable songs and iconic movies, while never forgetting where they came from. Another great Hoosier who hasn't forgotten where he has come from is my good friend representing the Sixth District of Indiana, which includes Columbus, Muncie, and Richmond, and that is Mr. Luke Messer. He and I both went to Wabash College together, and, as I mentioned earlier, we know who we rooted for at the Monon Bell game. I yield to the gentleman from Indiana's Sixth Congressional District, Mr. Luke Messer.

Mr. ROKITA. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentlewoman's leadership in the Fifth District and throughout Indiana. It is just another example of, frankly, how we believe our State is great. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), from the Third Congressional District, who not only served in this Chamber, but also in Indiana's statehouse, first as a State representative and later as a State senator. He is a farmer from the northeast part of our State. He brings with him to this House and to his future endeavors a robust knowledge and practice of our State's best traditions and history.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for those excellent words. I can't believe the last game he played at Purdue University was all that bad, but we will go back to the tapes and look. Either way, it is now part of our wonderful Hoosier history. There are, of course, quite a few other notable sporting events in Indiana. Andre Carson spoke of one of them, and that is one that can't be rivaled. That is called the ``greatest spectacle in racing.'' I just recently had a picture of the speedway up here on the floor. The Indianapolis 500 celebrated its 100th running earlier this year and continues Indiana's storied history with automobiles, which began in the late 1800s when Elwood Haynes, the ``father of the automobile'' developed his horseless carriage in Kokomo, Indiana. Kokomo, Indiana is in Howard County. It as a county--and Kokomo as a city--has a great, wonderful, rich automative history, and history in other respects as well. It is an honor for me to be able to share that county with one of our great members from the Indiana delegation, an accomplished leader, an accomplished lady who has done wonderful things throughout her professional career and in this House continues to lead the way, most recently by being chosen as our next chairwoman of the House Ethics Committee. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Brooks), my friend from the Fifth Congressional District.

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Carson for his words. You will recall he mentioned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here is a great picture of it, circa about, I would say, late 1980s, just part of our heritage that we will be sharing here over the next hour. When I was last commenting about the great Hoosier State here at this podium, I talked about Hoosier schools. Hoosier places of higher learning have also become major players in the sports world, winning national championships and creating some fierce, yet fun, rivalries. For example, in Indiana's Fourth Congressional District there is both DePauw University and Wabash College. They face off every year in the iconic Monon Bell game. It has been going on for over 100 years. As Wabash men, I don't think there is any question whom Representative Messer and myself root for, but that is just another example of the great Hoosier spirit in the Monon Bell game. Focusing on Purdue University again for just a second, I want to yield some time to a great Member of this body who is also retiring this year. Mr. Kurt Clawson of Florida is no longer a resident, of course, of Indiana, but he was at one time, helping lead Purdue's basketball team to untold heights. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Clawson).

Mr. ROKITA. I thank the gentleman. I quickly want to turn our attention and yield to the gentleman from Indianapolis, Mr. Andre Carson. He represents Indiana's Seventh Congressional District. Like us all, he is a fierce advocate for the different communities in his district. Additionally, Andre and I both serve on the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. I think that is an important position to have when the motto of your State is ``Crossroads of America.''

Mr. ROKITA. I thank the gentleman for his service. I look forward to working with him in the future. I thank him for honoring our great State and for his service to our country. Indiana has had a long and proud history, acting as a leader in many crucial fields and enriching the history of our Nation overall. Hoosiers have helped give us everything from airplanes to penicillin and insulin and even walked the first steps on the Moon. Both Wilbur Wright and Eli Lilly hailed from Indiana and permanently altered the course of human history for the better. Neil Armstrong attended Purdue University, which I am proud to say is in Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. Purdue University is one of the top engineering schools in the country and has been a leader in fighting against rising tuition costs, one of the most important issues facing this Congress and the next and, actually, the next generation of students entirely. Our State is lucky, however, in that Purdue is hardly the only outstanding higher education option available. I, myself, am a proud alumnus of two Indiana colleges and universities, Wabash College and the Indiana School of Law. We fight hard to be an education partner for all Hoosiers and all our institutions, and that includes the entire delegation, whether Republican or Democrat. In that vein, Mr. Speaker, I will recognize another distinguished Hoosier and member of our delegation, Representative Larry Bucshon. He is a doctor by trade. He practiced, and practiced well, the profession his entire adult life, starting in the United States Navy, and now represents Indiana's Eighth Congressional District. Indiana couldn't be prouder of Representative Bucshon and what he brings not only to the Energy and Commerce Committee but to this very floor every day that we are in session. With that, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to stand before the Chamber today and talk about one of my favorite subjects and one of the favorite subjects of all the speakers who are going to appear before this floor in the next hour. And that is the State of Indiana and, in particular, the fact that, as a very proud State which has offered so much to this Nation, we are celebrating our 200th anniversary since admission to the Union. It has been the highest honor of my life to serve Indiana in public office, and, I know for all the speakers today, it has been the same for them. We have a lot to talk about in very few minutes, if you consider it. So I would like to get right to introducing some of my colleagues who are here to celebrate the bicentennial of the State of Indiana. The first being one of my good friends, Mr. Todd Young from Indiana's Ninth Congressional District. He has represented that district since 2010. He is an amazing young leader. And last month, he was made our Senator- elect to serve in the next Chamber, and we look forward to working with him. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Young).

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the subject of this Special Order.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Tippecanoe County, Indiana, as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. The county lies in the north-central part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. Tippecanoe County was established on March 1, 1826, and it was named for a Miami people term ``Kethtippecanoogi'' meaning a ``place of the succor fish people''. The county is the largest-populated county in the 4th District, and it is best known as the home of Purdue University and for the 1811 Battle of Tippecanoe. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana's past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the thirty-three Legacy Projects to-date throughout the county include the Indiana Native American Indiana Affairs Commission, Fairfield Township, West Lafayette Parks and Recreation, Lilly Nature Center, Ivy Tech Community College--Lafayette, Purdue University, Indiana State Federation of Poetry Clubs, Lafayette School Corporation, The Society of Indiana Pioneers, Tippecanoe County 4-H Exhibit Association, Tippecanoe County Historical Association, West Lafayette Public Arts Team, NICHES Land Trust, Geography Educators Network of Indiana, Old Tippecanoe Quilt Guild, The Archaeological Conservancy, Purdue University College of Agriculture, West Lafayette Tree Friends, Tippecanoe County Parks, Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Monticello-Union Township Public Library, Morton Community Center, Dani M. Tippmann, Bach Chorale Singers, Inc., Catherine E. Mowery, Lafayette Symphony, Inc., Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, Haan Mansion Museum of IN Art, Grounds Department--Physical Facilities Purdue University, Animalia, Inc., and the Tippecanoe County Public Library. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Tippecanoe County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Newton County, Indiana, as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Tuesday, October 11, 2016. The county sits on the northwest part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was originally established in 1836, later abolished and combined with Jasper County, and then finally re- established on December 8, 1859, making it the last organized of Indiana's ninety-two counties. Newton County is named after Sgt. John Newton who served under General Francis Marion in the American Revolutionary War, and Kentland serves as its county seat. Newton County is home to the ``Kentland Crater'', which likely was created by the impact of a meteorite. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana's past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The multiple organizations responsible for the Legacy Projects throughout the county include The Nature Conservancy of Indiana and the Newton County Historical Society. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Newton County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a distinguished Hoosier, Brigadier General John P. McGoff, who retires from the Indiana Air National Guard after thirty-four years of honorable military service. General McGoff is the Assistant Adjutant General for the Indiana Air National Guard. Among his many responsibilities, he advises the Adjutant General on issues regarding the 122nd Fighter Wing, 181st Intelligence Wing, Indiana Air Range Complex, and 207th Weather Flight. While attending medical school, General McGoff was commissioned into the Medical Service Corps and assigned to the 122nd TAC Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne. He was recommissioned in the Medical Corps and attended the Aerospace Medicine Primary Course at Brooks AFB in Texas where he earned his wings. He has served in many capacities throughout the Indiana Air National Guard and twice led the 191st Medical Group to the Theodore Marr's Award, the Air National Guard's highest medical award, and the Spaatz trophy, the highest Reserve Component award. General McGoff served our country in Europe and was the Chief of Emergency Services at the 332nd EMDG, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. He has also served overseas tours in Turkey, Bahrain, Jordan, Antarctica, Germany, Korea, Japan, Guatemala, and Slovakia. General McGoff holds the aeronautical rating of Chief Flight Surgeon and has logged over 600 hours, including 25.6 combat hours in many different military aircraft. He is a graduate of the Air War College and has received numerous military awards and decorations. Dr. McGoff served the people of Indianapolis and Marion County as County Coroner and is currently the Attending Emergency Room Physician at Community Hospitals of Indianapolis. He is a member of several medical and military organizations and earned the rank of Brigadier General in 2010. As one of my opponents for Indiana Secretary of State in 2002, the way he carried himself helped make me a better candidate and officeholder. I will always appreciate his friendship and leadership to our state and nation. Hoosiers and all Americans owe Brigadier General McGoff and his family gratitude for a job well done for our country. I wish him well in his post-retirement endeavors.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Jasper County, Indiana, as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Tuesday, October 11, 2016. The county sits on the northwest part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was established in 1838, and named for Sgt. William Jasper who was a famous scout in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. At the start of the Civil War, 935 Jasper County men (or nearly one-fifth of the county's entire population) enlisted to fight in the war on behalf of the Union, contributing to Indiana's proud record of proportionately sending more soldiers than any other state to fight against slavery in the Civil War. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana's past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the ten Legacy Projects throughout the county include the Jasper County Fair Association, DNR Division of Nature Preserves, DeMotte Chamber of Commerce, Purdue Cooperative Extension, Fountain Park Chautauqua, NICHES Land Trust, Remington Water Tower Days Festival, Little Cousin Jasper Festival, and the American Cancer Society. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Jasper County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Fountain County, Indiana as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. I am honored to be one of the county's torch bearers as the torch journeys across our great state of Indiana. The county sits on the western part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was established in 1826 and named for Major James Fontaine, who was killed during the Northwest Indian War in 1790. The county seat is located in Covington, birthplace of John Myers, who served as a U.S. Representative for nearly 30 years. The county is known for the Wabash River defining the northern and western borders. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging, and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the eleven Legacy Projects throughout the county are: City of Attica, NICHES Land Trust, City of Covington, Town Council of the Town of Newton, Fountain County Art Council, Inc., Fountain County Landmarks, Inc., The Fountain Trust Company, Wallace Homecoming Committee, Illiana Antique Power Association, and the Covington-Veedersberg Public Library. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Fountain County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present, and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Howard County, Indiana as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on October 5, 2016. The County sits on the northern part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was established in 1844 and named for General Tilghman Howard in 1846, who was a U.S. Representative. The county seat is located in Kokomo. A significant number of technical and engineering innovations were developed in Kokomo; as a result, Kokomo became known as the ``City of Firsts.'' Howard County was originally named Richardville for Jean Baptiste Richardville, who was a chief of the Miami. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging, and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the Legacy Projects throughout the county are: City of Kokomo, Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, Studebaker National Museum, Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum, Kokomo Automotive Museum, Kokomo Civic Theatre, Inc. and Howard-Miami Heritage Society. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Howard County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present, and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Montgomery County, Indiana as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Thursday, October 13, 2016. The County sits in the central part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was established in 1822 and named for Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec. The county seat is located in Crawfordsville, where Henry S. Lane resided. Mr. Lane, a former Senator, was an early leader of the Republican Party and influential in the nomination of Abraham Lincoln. The county is also known for being the residence of Lew Wallace, author of the popular nineteenth-century novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. While richly steeped in history, Montgomery County is home to my alma mater, Wabash College, and holds a special place in my heart. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging, and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the twenty three Legacy Projects throughout the county are: Crawfordsville Parks and Recreation Department, Montgomery County Historical Society, Westchester Public Library, DNR Division of Nature Preserves, Lew Wallace Study & Museum, DNR Division of State Parks & Reservoirs, American Legion Byron Cox Post 72, Crossroad of America, Boy Scouts of America, Amy Westphal, Jerald M. Jascoviak, and the Crawfordsville/ Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Montgomery County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present, and future of Indiana's history.

Mr. ROKITA

Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and salute Warren County, Indiana as the Indiana Bicentennial Torch is scheduled to pass through the county on Wednesday, October 12, 2016. The county sits on the western part of Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. It was established in 1827 and named for Dr. Joseph Warren, who was killed in 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The county seat is located in Williamsport, home to Williamsport Falls, the highest free- falling waterfall in the state. The county's farmland is recognized as being among the most productive in Indiana. In this year of the Hoosier Bicentennial, communities throughout the state are celebrating Indiana past and present through Bicentennial Legacy Projects. These projects are culturally inclusive, celebratory, engaging, and inspiring to youth and young adults and create a legacy for the future. The organizations responsible for the eleven Legacy Projects throughout the county are: Seeger High School Music Department, Warren County Historical Society, Warren County Master Gardeners, Illiana Antique Power Association, NICHES Land Trust, Wabash River Strings, and the Williamsport-Washington Township Public Library. Hoosiers look forward to their enduring contribution to our state's legacy. And on this day, Mr. Speaker, in the year in which we are celebrating Indiana's 200th birthday, I am proud to recognize Warren County for the contribution of its residents to the past, present, and future of Indiana's history.