Adam Smith

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joanne Lane for her achievements and for being named a United Health Foundation Diverse Scholar. As a student in Diagnostic Imaging and Radiology at Tacoma Community College, it is evident that Joanne is dedicated to her education in the health care field and to improving the quality of care patients receive. She is learning how best to learn and carefully meet individual patients' emotional, physical, and cultural needs. Joanne has shown great enthusiasm toward offering patients the best medical treatment regardless of their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or income, and she will undoubtedly apply these beliefs as she prepares to begin her career. Joanne has used the United Health Foundation Diverse Scholars Initiative to devote her time to her rigorous course work. She has learned new skills through interactions with a variety of people and has gained a new appreciation for people from different backgrounds. In an ever-changing field, Joanne's adaptability gives her the skills to learn continuously evolving methods for helping her future patients. The United Health Foundation Diverse Scholars Initiative helps increase the number of students from multicultural backgrounds in higher education working towards degrees and careers in the health care sector. Since 2007, more than $3.5 million in scholarship funds have been awarded to high-achieving and promising students. Students like Joanne will help to increase cultural relevance in health care and improve the care of all patients, including those from underrepresented populations. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I recognize Joanne Lane. Her dedication to patient care will undoubtedly lead her to great success in her career and to the improved wellbeing of her community and all of those who call it home.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor William Foege for receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom for developing a strategy for immunizing people against, and eventually eradicating, small pox. This award is our nation's highest civilian honor and is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the United States. Mr. Foege, a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University and the University of Washington School of Medicine, was instrumental in developing the plan to eradicate smallpox. While serving as a missionary in Nigeria where we gave vaccines to the locals, Mr. Foege experienced a critical vaccine shortage. In order to be most effective, he started actively seeking out infected people, using photos and rewards to draw people in and immunizing anyone who had come in contact with those suffering from smallpox. The immunization strategy Mr. Foege developed became known as ``surveillance and containment.'' It is widely credited for the eradication of smallpox, which is often deadly especially in developing countries. For example, while using this technique in India during the 1970s, Mr. Foege and his colleagues found 11,000 cases of smallpox and within a week delivered immunizations to those infected people. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives please join me in honoring William Foege for his dedication to effectively delivering immunizations to the world's most at risk populations and for being instrumental in the eradication of smallpox.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Kenny Richards, the 2012 recipient of the national annual Zak Hollis Youth Achievement Award presented by the National Tourette Syndrome Association. The award honors youth who display a great commitment to helping those with Tourette Syndrome (TS) and who have notable achievements in their daily lives. Kenny, an eighth-grader from Hudtloff Middle School in Lakewood, WA, was recently named the Washington and Oregon representative for the National Tourette Syndrome Association Youth Ambassador Training. Kenny, who lives with TS, visits schools and clubs to teach his peers about the neurological disorder. Kenny also serves as an ambassador for TS by meeting with teachers, school administrators, and Members of Congress, including myself, about policies that would best serve young people with TS. In addition to serving as an ambassador for young people with Tourette Syndrome, Kenny also advocates for all special-needs children. He understands the challenges of growing up with a special need and wants to make sure that all children are accepted and given an opportunity to thrive. Because he has the firsthand experience of growing up with a younger brother who is on the autism spectrum, Kenny and his mother started a monthly support group for children with TS and autism. About 25 participants attend monthly to have a safe space to discuss their experiences. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives please join me in honoring Kenny Richards for winning the Zak Hollis Youth Achievement Award. He is a strong advocate for young people with Tourette Syndrome and special-needs, and a role model for all who strive toward the acceptance of all children.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 100th Anniversary of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America and the designation of 2012 as the Year of the Girl. I. 1912, Daisy Low began the Girl Scouts Movement with only 18 girls. Low's mission was to give girls the opportunity to develop skills in self-reliance and resourcefulness that will help them as professional women and citizens. Over the years, more than 50 million girls and women have participated in the Girl Scouts, giving them the tools to lead with courage, confidence and character. Some of the most accomplished women in public service, business, science, education and the arts are alumnae of the Girl Scouts. Today, Girl Scouts of the USA is developing more programs to help girls become more involved in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), environmental stewardship, healthy living, financial literacy, and global citizenship. Across the country, Girl Scouts dedicate over 70 million hours of service to their communities annually. Girls who achieve their Gold Award, the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn, take extraordinary steps to solve a problem and make a lasting impact on their community. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I honor the great accomplishment of the Girl Scouts of the USA. I know today's Girl Scouts will be part of the next generation of women leaders in our country.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Camelot Elementary School, in Auburn, Washington, for being named a Green Ribbon School. This honor, awarded by the U.S. Department of Education, is given to schools participating in activities to promote and encourage a healthy and environmentally sustainable learning environment. Students and staff at Camelot Elementary have taken a wide variety of steps toward reducing energy consumption. Since 2007, the school has reduced energy usage by 50 percent. They replaced light bulbs, removed personal appliances, and placed reminders on light switches and computers. Teachers and students use green checklists in every classroom to remind each other about ways to decrease energy consumption and waste. To address the threatened salmon population in Washington State, students raised salmon in classrooms to release into local streams. Students also published a newspaper with information and resources about conservation. To decrease the use of plastic bottles, the school organized a fundraiser for reusable water bottles. In addition to becoming good stewards of the Earth, staff, students, and parents are taking steps to improve health and nutrition. The school raised money from the community to build a community garden on the school grounds and the school follows the United States Department of Agriculture standards to make sure students have balanced meals. Nearly 60 percent of the student body walks or bikes to school. On the weekends, the school and the Parent-Teacher Association send backpacks filled with healthy foods home with disadvantaged students. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I congratulate the students, staff, and parents from Camelot Elementary. The steps they are taking to reduce energy consumption, improve nutrition, and protect our environment and resources will continue to benefit our community for many years to come. I hope many other schools follow Camelot Elementary's example.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Gordon Hirabayashi for posthumously receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his stand against Japanese American internment following the attack on Pearl Harbor. This award is our nation's highest civilian honor and is presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the United States. Mr. Hirabayashi was a Seattle native and a student at the University of Washington when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Shortly afterwards, Japanese-Americans were ordered to board buses for internment camps. In an act of bravery and civil disobedience, Mr. Hirabayashi, a second- generation Japanese American, refused to board the bus. Mr. Hirabayashi, with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a lawsuit against the military executive order stating that Japanese Americans were a threat. Unfortunately, Mr. Hirabayashi lost the suit and was sentenced to 90 days in prison for curfew violation. In 1987, Mr. Hirabayashi's conviction was overturned after it was determined that there was no military reason for the internment of Japanese Americans. After more than four decades, the effort he put into protecting the rights of citizens during times of war has finally been realized. Mr. Hirabayashi passed away on January 2, 2012, at the age of 93 in Edmonton, Alberta where he served as a sociology professor from 1959 until his retirement in 1983. His family will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom in his honor. Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues in the House of Representatives please join me in honoring Gordon Hirabayashi for his tireless commitment to justice.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker I rise to honor the Roman Meal Company and the Matthaei family on the company's l00th anniversary. This impressive milestone places Roman Meal among fewer than 25 private companies in the United States who have been in business for one century. The company was founded in 1912 by Robert Jackson, a Canadian physician and historian, who came to Tacoma, WA for medical treatment. Mr. Jackson studied how Roman legionnaires fought, and discovered they ate a diet that included wheat and rye for strength and stamina. He then developed a hot cereal meal based on that diet. In 1927, William Matthaei purchased the Roman Meal Health Company. The Matthaei family used centuries of baking knowledge and Mr. Jackson's formula to develop Roman Meal Bread. William Matthaei's son, Charles, still comes to work every day at the age of 92 and his grandson, William, serves as CEO. Running a company continuously for 100 years requires more than outstanding products. Roman Meal's ability to survive through the Great Depression, multiple recessions, and evolving consumer preferences required that the company adapt quickly to changes in the marketplace. Pressures from competition and trade demanded that they constantly innovate to stay ahead. Mr. Speaker it is with great pleasure that I recognize the success of the Roman Meal Company and the Matthaei family in creating an excellent product and a dynamic company that has thrived for 100 years. I wish them continued success.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Major General Timothy J. Lowenberg for his years of service to Washington State and our country. He has served our state for decades, most recently as The Adjutant General for the State of Washington. In this role, he served as commander of all Washington Army and Air National Guard forces and Director of the State's Emergency Management and Enhanced 911 programs. Major General Lowenberg was commissioned as an officer in the Air Force concurrent with his graduation from the University of Iowa in 1968. In 1971, he earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Iowa, College of Law. Prior to becoming The Adjutant General, Major General Lowenberg served as the Air National Guard Assistant to The Judge Advocate General of the Air Force. In this role, he oversaw programs affecting more than 114,000 Air Guard members, trained all Air Guard judge advocates and paralegals, and developed the civil affairs mission of the United States Air Force. In 1999, Governor Gary Locke appointed Major General Lowenberg Adjutant General. He led the Washington State National Guard's transition from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve, making the Washington State National Guard a vital component of the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also led emergency responses to a variety of events, including the 1999 WTO Riot in Seattle, wildfires in 2000, flooding across western Washington in 2007 and 2009, and state preparedness for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Major General Lowenberg is the second longest-serving Adjutant General since the creation of the Washington Territorial Militia in 1855. His leadership and hard work will be remembered for the advances he implemented in the National Guard during a crucial time in the history of our Nation and the National Guard. Mister Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I honor Major General Lowenberg on his retirement. His leadership on military issues, homeland security and domestic preparedness, at the state and federal level, are second to none and will truly be missed. I wish him the best in all of his future endeavors.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, I recorded an erroneous vote on the amendment offered by Mr. Huizenga of Michigan to H.R. 5326. I intended to vote ``no'' on rollcall vote No. 215, on agreeing to the Huizenga amendment to H.R. 5326.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the accomplishments of Pramila Jayapal, founder of the Hate Free Zone, now called OneAmerica. For more than a decade she has worked tirelessly to ensure that people from immigrant communities have a voice in America. Her efforts have made Washington State and our Nation a better place for all people who call it home. In the days immediately following the attacks of September 11, 2001, Pramila began the Hate Free Zone Campaign of Washington as an entirely volunteer-run organization to combat discrimination against immigrants, especially from communities of color--primarily Muslim, Arab American, East African and South Asian--and to work against stereotypes in a post 9/11 world. At first, the mission was to advocate for the rights of those who were likely to be victims of hate crimes. Soon after, Pramila began to shift the focus of the Hate Free Zone towards identifying and addressing violations of the rights and civil liberties of immigrants. Through these efforts, she began working with community leaders and elected officials to address these concerns on local, State, and Federal levels. In 2008, the Hate Free Zone became OneAmerica: With Justice for All, reflecting the mission of advocating for the fundamental principles of democracy and justice by giving voices to all immigrant communities. Today, OneAmerica works with allies and community leaders to educate, engage and advocate, and has become an active and trusted immigrant advocacy organization in Washington State. Pramila's dedication to the protection of civil rights and civil liberties is important to every single group of Americans, immigrants and non-immigrants alike. The promotion of civic education, voting rights and civil liberties benefits everyone who calls the United States home. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I honor Pramila Jayapal and all of her work at OneAmerica. Though she is moving on from OneAmerica, I have no doubt she will continue to advocate for those in need. Her dedication to improving the lives of all persons living in Washington State has been an inspiration to us all, and I look forward to her next endeavors.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Debbi Fisher, founder and Operations Director of Rainier Therapeutic Riding. Her work gives active duty servicemembers at Joint Base Lewis McChord and veterans in our community a facility for therapeutic riding and relief from mental and physical injuries. Debbi founded Rainier Therapeutic Riding in Yelm, Washington in 2008 after nearly 40 years of riding and horse training experience. As the widow of a Marine Pilot and Air Force Colonel, and the mother of a son in the Marines and daughter in the Air Force, she aspired to use her skills to help those who have served our country. She has described horses and servicemembers and veterans as perfect companions. Rainier Therapeutic Riding is now the largest provider of equine therapy to military personnel in the country, serving 75 people a year at no cost to the individual or the government. They work with the Warrior Transition Battalion and Air Force Medical Flight at Joint Base Lewis McChord to give those suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, traumatic brain injuries, and other injuries a place to rediscover a happiness for life. Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I recognize the work of Debbi Fisher and all of the volunteers at Rainier Therapeutic Riding. By giving back to our servicemembers and veterans who have sacrificed so much for our country, Debbi has helped many to vastly change their outlook and improve their happiness.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Federal Way High School Air Force JROTC team for qualifying for the National Academic Bowl in Washington, DC. Advancing to compete in this national event is a tremendous accomplishment and these cadets should be extremely proud. The Federal Way High School Air Force JROTC Team is comprised of David Yang (Junior, Team Captain), Blaise Pascual (Junior), Roger Arenas (Sophomore), Benjamin Swartz (Sophomore), Varun Sharma (Junior, Alternate), Arishma Prasad (Freshman, Alternate). The team is coached by Randall Long, Lt Col, USAF (Ret.). In addition to participating in the Academic Bowl, these JROTC cadets have learned about citizenship and community service, while developing core values of responsibility, character, and self-discipline through the JROTC program. Prior to qualifying for the National Academic Bowl, team members competed in two preliminary rounds where they were tested on standard high school curriculum, including math, science, English, and current events. The Federal Way High School Air Force JROTC team placed among the top of 183 teams that competed nationwide. The top 16 Air Force Academic Bowl teams advanced to the finals in Washington, DC and the winner of the Air Force Academic Bowl will advance to the JROTC Tri- Service Academic Championship. The Academic Bowl helps students prepare for success on ACT and SAT exams, develop interest in college admission, demonstrate the academic strength of the JROTC program, and build team and unit spirit. The Federal Way High School Air Force JROTC team will spend the next few months preparing for the Academic Bowl Championship by developing and studying a SAT tutorial plan. It is with great honor that I recognize the work of the Federal Way High School Air Force JROTC team and their qualification for the National Academic Bowl. I know that this accomplishment is indicative of the future successes of these dedicated cadets.

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, I was unable to be present for recorded votes. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yes'' on vote No. 294 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 5651, as amended); ``yes'' on vote No. 295 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 4201); and ``yes'' on vote No. 296 (on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 915, as amended).

Mr. SMITH of Washington

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Tierney).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, though I'm not opposed to the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield the gentlelady from California an additional 15 seconds.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from California (Ms. Richardson).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I too support the amendment, and with that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, though I'm not opposed to the amendment, I ask unanimous consent to claim the time in opposition.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield the gentleman from Rhode Island an additional 20 seconds.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline).

Mr. SMITH of Washington. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from New York (Ms. Velazquez).