Bennie Thompson

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I ask support of H.R. 915. It's a good bill. I urge its adoption, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act. H.R. 915 would, for the first time, statutorily authorize an important border security program, the BEST program. Under BEST, ICE partners with Federal, State, local, and foreign law enforcement counterparts to establish targeted, cross-agency teams to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal organizations posing significant threats to the border security. Currently, the BEST programs has 31 teams located at our Nation's northern and southern borders, as well as at seaports and places as varied as Tucson, Arizona; Detroit, Michigan; the New York Seaport; and Mexico City, Mexico. To date, BEST units have initiated more than 6,800 cases, resulting in criminal and administrative arrests and the seizure of significant quantities of narcotics, weapons, ammunition, and currency. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the original sponsor of the legislation under consideration, the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar).

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 2764. Enactment of this measure will strengthen the partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and our Nation's first preventers against one of the most vexing homeland security threats: weapons of mass destruction. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2764, the WMD Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2011. Mr. Speaker, this bill would strengthen information sharing at all levels of government with regard to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorist threats. In the decade since the attacks on September 11, 2001, concern about an attack on U.S. soil with weapons of mass destruction or dirty bombs have come in sharper focus, specifically concerns that terrorists and other rogue actors may want to access loose nuclear materials from the former Soviet Union or even weaponized biological agents that originated from stockpiles of now-toppled authoritarian regimes have grown. This bill also requires DHS to coordinate with other components in the intelligence community and other Federal, State, local, and tribal authorities to provide recommendations on information sharing. I would note for the record, Mr. Speaker, that the committee approved, on a bipartisan basis, the Pascrell WMD bill earlier this month. I look forward to seeing this measure, which was endorsed by a bipartisan commission, considered on the House floor in the very near future. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the original sponsor of the legislation under consideration, the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Walz).

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3670 and yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, Memorial Day is a time not only to honor members of our armed services who gave their lives in defense of our liberty, but also to convey our support for veterans and servicemembers. With the commemoration of Memorial Day earlier this week, it is fitting that we're considering H.R. 3670 today. H.R. 3670, by conferring job protections for servicemembers, conveys our commitment to help reservists and other members of the uniformed services return to civilian life. Specifically, the bill would ensure that the protections afforded under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act apply to Transportation Security Administration employees and applicants, just as they do everywhere in the public and private sector. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to acknowledge TSA's leadership in hiring veterans. Currently, veterans make up over 23 percent of TSA's workforce. I would encourage my colleagues and the general public to keep that number in mind when they encounter a TSA worker at an airport checkpoint. There is a one in four chance that the person conducting the screening is a veteran and deserves the respect and appreciation commensurate with that title. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Brown).

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Chairman, I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 3670 enjoys bipartisan support of both the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the Committee on Homeland Security and deserves the support of the full House today. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. In closing, I thank the lead sponsor of this bill, the gentlewoman from Michigan, Representative Miller, for her leadership on border and maritime issues and for her willingness to work on a bipartisan basis in areas of shared concern. I support the bill. With that, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers if the gentleman from New York is prepared to close.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1299, the Secure Border Act of 2011, and I yield myself such time as I may consume. This bill would require the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit to Congress a comprehensive strategy for gaining operational control of our borders within the next 5 years. This bill defines operational control as the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband. While this is a laudable goal, it is also extraordinarily ambitious, and the bill authorizes no additional resources to achieving this goal. I am pleased, however, that the bill would require the Secretary to submit to Congress a resource allocation model for Customs and Border Protection staffing requirements at all land, air, and seaports of entry. This is important information that our committee has repeatedly requested from CBP on a bipartisan basis but has not yet received. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 5512, the Divisional Realignment Act of 2012, which will improve court management for the United States District Courts in the Northern District of Mississippi and the Eastern District of Missouri. I introduced this bill to help realign counties in those Federal judicial districts, which includes a change that affects counties within my own congressional district. I am pleased to have my colleagues in the Mississippi delegation who represent impacted counties join me as original cosponsors, Congressman Harper and Nunnelee. In Missouri, Representatives Emerson and Carnahan, whose congressional districts overlay the counties affected by the change there, also joined as original cosponsors. H.R. 5512 will primarily eliminate the Delta Division--one of four existing statutory divisions--in the Northern District of Mississippi. To accomplish this, the eight counties in the Delta Division will be absorbed into the other divisions, while some counties from the other divisions will be realigned. The proposed also renames the Eastern Division as the Aberdeen Division and the Western Division as the Oxford Division. The two places authorized to hold court now for the Delta Division would continue to exist under the realignment within the Greenville division. The Delta Division, unlike the other three divisions, is not serviced by a Federal courthouse. This fact has created unnecessary issues regarding venue and jury selection. The realignment will ensure that all counties in the district are statutorily linked to divisions with courthouses. It will also be more economical for jury travel and will more fairly balance the caseload in the Northern District. This realignment is supported by the judges of the Northern District of Mississippi, the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council, and the Judicial Conference of the United States. In addition, the proposal is backed by the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi. Regarding the Eastern District of Missouri, H.R. 5512 simply shifts two counties from the Eastern Division to the Southeastern Division. This adjustment will enhance convenient access to court services for the public and improve judicial administration of the case load. More specifically, the realignment will allow cases for those two counties to be held in Cape Girardeau, which has a new state-of-the-art Federal courthouse. This location is also closer for citizens in those counties than in the St. Louis location where the court is now held. As a result, the change will lessen the burden on jurors traveling, as well as lessen the cost of mileage expenses. In addition, a shift will better align the places of holding court with the total population served today. This realignment is supported by the judges of the Eastern District of Missouri, the Eighth Judicial Circuit Council, and the Judicial Conference of the United States. In addition, it is supported by the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. Lastly, I note that the bill under consideration today has been amended by adding a section that establishes a 60-day delayed effective date. This will ensure that both courts have sufficient time to transition court operations through local orders and scheduling. Mr. Speaker, the House Judiciary Committee reported the Divisional Realignment Act favorably by a voice vote on May 16. I urge my colleagues to support this necessary, bipartisan and noncontroversial bill, which would help constituents and improve Federal court operations in my home State of Mississippi and in the State of Missouri.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, no one in this body needs to be reminded that on Sept. 11, 2001, the United States suffered one of the most horrific acts of mass murder in the history of our country. The deaths of nearly 3,000 Americans thrust this nation into a fight against an unconventional, non-state enemy that embraces terror, violence, and human destruction in a purposeful attack on civilian populations. That fight continues today. In March 2007, the alleged mastermind of the plot, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, was captured. He and four others have been charged with 169 overt acts in furtherance of the 9/11 attacks on innocent Americans, including 2,973 individual counts of murder in violation of the law of war and providing material support of terrorism. They are now scheduled to face trial at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba. Despite the horrific nature of the crime that was perpetrated against our nation and our citizens, a foundation of the American justice system is the right of the accused to receive a fair trial no matter how abhorrent the action. While we have an obligation to use all of the instruments of our national power and authority to counter the threats of terrorists who maim and murder with utter impunity, we cannot allow our outrage and thirst for justice to trump this uniquely American rule of law. We must be guided, and when appropriate, constrained by our core values. This is essential to our effort, and to our legitimacy, in engaging and defeating enemies who traffic in fear and live in darkness. Our enemies continue to pose a serious, adaptive and asymmetric threat and our efforts to deter them must be equally zealous. We must ensure that all of our efforts are relentlessly empirical and pragmatic, while demanding compliance with the rule of law. All instruments of our national power and authority must be used to oppose these modern asymmetric threats. We must recognize that the instruments that are constrained and guided by our core values, including the rule of law, are the only truly effective and sustainable instruments. While the most effective instruments for countering these threats are those that are constrained and guided by our core values, including the rule of law, we must also, as Justice Jackson said at the Nuremburg Trials, ``stay the hand of vengeance'' and ensure that ``power [pays tribute] to reason.'' Our reformed military commission will ensure the steady hand of justice is applied with these alleged war criminals. Justice, after all, ``is the greatest interest of man on earth. . . and so long as it is duly honored, there is a foundation for general security, general happiness and the improvement and progress of our (human) race.'' Daniel Webster, Sept. 12, 1845. Reformed military commissions are fully integrated within our federal framework of criminal justice, are overseen by our Article III appellate courts, and are severely confined to their law of war jurisdiction. Reformed military commissions can and will deal effectively, independently, and fairly with the law of war violations referred to them for trial, and they are already featuring a specialized interagency legal practice within the law of armed conflict and counterterrorism. Our military commissions are comparable to a civilian court, in that they have been modeled on the federal criminal justice system and incorporate all of the guarantees that are essential to a fair and just trial. To begin with, the accused is presumed innocent, and the prosecution has the burden of proving his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The accused is also protected against self- incrimination. Statements obtained through the use of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment are not admissible, and before any statement of the accused may be admitted, a military judge must find it to be reliable, probative, and voluntary. The simple fact is, the rights of the accused before a military commission are virtually identical to the rights of the accused in a federal court: the right to notice of the charges; the right to counsel and choice of counsel; the right to be present during the proceedings; the right to present evidence, cross-examine witnesses, and compel attendance of witnesses in his or her defense; the right to exculpatory evidence that the prosecution may have as to guilt, sentencing, and the credibility of adverse witnesses; the right to an impartial decision- maker; the right to suppression of evidence that is not reliable or probative or that will result in unfair prejudice; the right to not be deposed without his or her consent; and the right to appeal to a federal civilian court of appeals and, ultimately, to the United States Supreme Court. While there may be differences between the military commission and the federal court venue, the divergence exists for principled reasons. It is grounded in necessity. It remains consistent with the rule of law. And it ensures that the commission has the ability to provide accountability during a time of armed conflict when no other adequate or effective means to do so exists. Finally, let me say that the proceedings before military tribunals are transparent. In this regard, they also closely parallel federal practice. Prosecutors are committed to allowing family members of the victims, the media, and the public to access to the proceedings. This reflects the belief--not only within the commission structure, but among our citizenry as a whole--that there is great value in allowing Americans, and the world, to witness criminal trials and to see first- hand the fairness and impartiality with which our nation dispenses justice. These cases of alleged terrorists and murderers will be handled fairly within the rule of law, persistently and consistently to their end. Brigadier General Mark Martins, the chief prosecutor of the military commission, recently indicated that he has foregone an opportunity for promotion to ensure consistent handling of these important matters to their conclusion. We have come to expect no less than this selfless and heroic act from this General. He is a lawyer of exceptional skill and a man of extraordinary principle. He not only understands the form of the law, but also its spirit. And he recognizes, as Dr. Martin Luther King once said, that denial of justice anywhere diminishes justice everywhere. There is no better person for this job than Gen. Martins, a Harvard classmate of our President, and I for one am grateful that he has agreed to remain in this position, and to see this trial through a full and fair hearing of the alleged heinous acts of war and terror on the American public. Mr. Speaker, it is no secret, nor is it an overstatement, to say that we live in a dangerous world. My state of Mississippi knows this well with the proud service of thousands of our sons and daughters serving the military and the nearly 100 Mississippians who have given their lives in protection of our freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan. We should not allow our fears--or our outrage over acts designed to stoke those fears--however to guide our actions, even in these challenging and sometimes anxious times. Only fairness and justice can lead us to peace, and when the world thinks of fairness and justice, I want it to think of America. I have no doubt that when the accused perpetrators of 9/11 are brought to trial before a military commission, this country, and our system and values, will be considered in precisely that way.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the people of Taiwan on the occasion of their presidential inauguration this May 20. Mr. Ma Ying-jeou was reelected to a second term on January 14th. May the long-term ongoing relationship between Taiwan and the United States continue to develop and grow and may there be permanent peace and security in the Taiwan Strait. Congratulations to President Ma Ying-jeou and his people.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, the late, Crystiana Smith Randle. Mrs. Randle was born August 26, 1924 in Gulfport, Mississippi to John and Annie Bell Smith. She was a graduate of Thirty-Third High School in Gulfport, Mississippi. Later she attended Tougaloo College, in Tougaloo, Mississippi, receiving a Bachelors of Arts in English and Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Masters in Library Science. After completing her college education, she worked at Mileston High School and Harmony High School before her tenure at McNair High School and Humphreys County High School as the school's librarian. She worked delightfully and diligently for thirty-four years teaching and illuminating the lives of thousands of boys and girls until her retirement in 1986. She was active in many professional organizations and served as a member of the Humphreys County Library Board. She dedicated her years as her family's personal Genealogist. She was married to Thomas C. Randle and was the mother of two daughters, Santa and Regina. Mrs. Randle passed away on April 20, 2005. Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Crystiana Smith Randle for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mrs. Shirley W. Simmons. Mrs. Simmons is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi and a graduate of Brinkley High School and Jackson State University. After college, Mrs. Simmons worked in early childhood education for a number of years. She then took time off from education to focus on raising her children. During those years, she took an active interest in the Parent Teachers Association, PTA, and volunteered with school fundraisers and local Girl Scout troops. In 1996, she was hired as a Circulation Assistant with the Jackson/ Hinds Library System-Medgar Evers Branch. While there, she was promoted to Professional Assistant and then to her current position of Branch Supervisor. As Branch Supervisor, Mrs. Simmons continuously seeks new ways to involve the community in programs and activities being held by the library and has planned and participated in many library activities. Some of these include library story times, Medgar Evers celebrations, Medgar Evers parades, the Books for Tots program, the Medgar Evers Book Club, and annual summer reading programs. Mrs. Simmons assists annually with the Jackson State University Alumni Association fundraising initiatives and participates in breast cancer awareness activities. She is also a Silver Life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, NAACP. Mrs. Simmons is a devoted wife and mother and grandmother of three children and one grandchild. Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Shirley W. Simmons for her commitment to the community and others.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a true champion of literacy, Mrs. Shirley Morgan. Mrs. Morgan serves as librarian at Madison Shannon Palmer High School in Marks, Mississippi. She is the wife of Elton Morgan, mother of one daughter, the second of twelve siblings and a 26-year resident of Crenshaw, Mississippi. Shirley is a graduate of Grambling State University where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. She has also received her certification in Library Media Science from Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, which allowed her to further her career as a teacher consultant with Mississippi Valley State University Writing Project and serve as a mentor for new teachers. Mrs. Morgan has also worked as Site Coordinator with the North Delta 21st Century Community Learning Center's after school tutorial program for the Quitman County School District. Mrs. Morgan believes reading is a tool of empowerment and a lifelong skill that increases one's ability to learn. She encourages reading at all levels, so much that she urges pregnant women to read to their unborn children with hopes of increasing their learning capabilities. In addition to her commitment to education, Mrs. Morgan has a firm commitment to public service. She formerly served as Alderwoman for the Town of Crenshaw for 4 years and volunteers extensively with the Crenshaw Interested Community Builders, Inc., Food Bank of Crenshaw and the Tri-County Workforce Alliance in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Mrs. Morgan is also active in her church, New St. John Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as church clerk and Sunday School Superintendent. Mr. Speaker, I ask our colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Shirley Morgan as a committed educator, public servant, mother and wife.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3523. I also appreciate the efforts of my colleagues on the Intelligence Committee for fostering a greater sharing of cyberthreat information. This bill is a start, but my opposition is because it does not do what we know that we need to have done. Having been involved in homeland security issues for nearly a decade, I know how important it is to protect our Nation's networks from cyberattacks. But in an effort to foster information-sharing, this bill would erode the privacy protections of every single American using the Internet. It would create a Wild West of information-sharing, where any certified business can share with any government agency, who can then use the information for any ``national security'' purpose and grant that business immunity from virtually any liability. None of the amendments offered by the chairman and ranking member would change any of those basic facts. I and several of my colleagues offered amendments that would have addressed those concerns by ensuring that civilian agencies would take the lead in information-sharing, restricting how the government could use the information, and making sure consumers' sensitive information is adequately protected. Unfortunately, the House will not have an opportunity to consider them today. If my colleagues want to accomplish something on cybersecurity, then vote ``yes'' on any or all of the suspension bills before us today; but do not vote for H.R. 3523. It violates the ``do no harm'' rule and would set back the privacy rights of all our citizens who have enjoyed the establishment of the Internet. This fatally flawed bill is opposed by not only every major privacy or civil liberties group, from the ACLU to the Constitution Project to the Center for Democracy and Technology, but also the Obama administration. For these reasons, Madam Chair, I strongly urge a ``no'' vote on H.R. 3523.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this rule and the underlying bill. At the beginning of this Congress, expectations were high for meaningful progress on cybersecurity. Speaker Boehner even established a task force within the Republican Conference to come up with recommendations. But a funny thing happened on the way to Cyber Week. Key Republican task force recommendations were abandoned. They abandoned measures to approve data breach notification laws, formalize DHS' cyber-role and, more importantly, enhance the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure networks. These omissions from Cybersecurity Week were no small matter. We all have critical infrastructure in our districts, be it a pipeline, a power plant, an airport or even a dam. Top national security officials, both in the Obama and Bush administrations, have briefed us on the significant cyberattacks to critical infrastructure. They have told us that voluntary information- sharing is simply not enough. In fact, the CSIS Cyber Commission, the Republican task force, and NSA Director Alexander have all said that Congress must do something to proactively address critical infrastructure vulnerabilities. But House leadership ignores these voices. Instead, it has decided that information-sharing alone is enough to fix the problem. Mr. Speaker, this boils down to a simple question: Who do you trust? Turning to H.R. 3523: What does it do? In an effort to improve our cybersecurity, this bill would erode the privacy protections of every single American using the Internet. Put simply, this bill would allow any certified business to share with any government agency, who can then use this information for any national security purpose and grant that business immunity from virtually any liability. None of these amendments authored by the Intelligence Committee would change that truth. Further, the Rules Committee decided to block consideration of amendments submitted by me and other like-minded colleagues to address the fundamental privacy flaws in this bill. If my colleagues want to do something on cybersecurity, then vote ``yes'' on any or all of the suspension bills to be considered today; but do not vote for H.R. 3523. It would set back the privacy rights that our constituents have enjoyed since the beginning of the Internet. Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding service of World War II Veteran and Civil Rights Activist, Pastor Johnnie Roland Sr., as he celebrates his 90th birthday. Born the son of sharecroppers, Pastor Roland was drafted into the United States Army on November 28, 1942. Johnnie Roland Sr. was born and remains a lifelong resident of Coffeeville, Mississippi. He married the late Leida Rounsaville Roland and from this union, 14 children were born. His oldest and only son, Johnnie Roland Jr., served in the Vietnam War. Johnnie Roland served in World War II from 1943 to 1945. Roland and three others from Yalobusha County, Mississippi, Tommy Dudley, Walter Lee Martin, and Ulysses Kee were inducted into the Army at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. After about eleven months of ammunition training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky, he and the 619th Ordnance Ammunition Company, shipped out of New York City and arrived in Liverpool, England. On June 6, 1944, Roland boarded a landing craft late in the day and remained anchored in the English Channel surrounded by danger on all sides. There he waited to land on the Normandy Beach, about 3 days after D Day. For the next several months he advanced through France, Belgium, and Germany loading and unloading ammunition on and near the front lines of battle. On November 29, 1945, he was honorably discharged from Camp Shelby in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Roland was awarded the Nameto Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal for his superior performance and dedication in the United States Army. After his honorable discharge from the United States Army, Roland returned to Mississippi. Pastor Roland answered his call to ministry in 1960, and served as pastor of the Pine Grove Baptist Church from 1962 until August 2009. Pastor Roland was very active in the Civil Rights Movement working with other local advocates to integrate the local segregated school systems, marching front line in sometimes very hostile situations. During the boycott of the local school system, Pastor Roland was one of a very few who stood strong by keeping his children out of school for one whole year. Eventually, the school systems were integrated and he was able to see his children receive a quality education within an integrated public school system. Pastor Roland's most recent accomplishment is his eight year service on the Coffeeville Board of Alderman. According to Pastor Roland, though he has accomplished many things within his lifetime, his greatest has been the honor to vote for and see America's first African American President, Barack Obama elected into office. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Pastor Johnnie Roland Sr., a decorated World War II Veteran and Civil Rights Activist for his dedication and service to this country and the state of Mississippi.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Mississippi Poultry Association as they celebrate their 75th Anniversary. Poultry is Mississippi's largest agricultural commodity. To date, the poultry industry has more than a $6 billion impact on the state's economy. With 20 processing facilities and approximately 2,000 growers, the Mississippi poultry industry employs roughly, 56,000 people both directly and indirectly. The Mississippi Poultry Association was formed in 1937 as the Mississippi Poultry Improvement Association to help battle poultry diseases and promote the development of the industry in the State of Mississippi. The Mississippi's poultry industry is comprised of growers, feed mills, hatcheries, processing plants, laboratories, and company headquarters. Mississippi ranks fifth in the nation in poultry production. Mississippi companies process about 757 million birds per year, 250 times the human population of the state, and 400 million table eggs per year. The industry has grown from a few family-owned feed and seed stores who sold chickens and farmers who raised chickens, mostly into an integrated global industry with about 12 percent of broiler production exported around the globe. Mississippi poultry companies support their communities. The Mississippi Poultry Association helped initiate the Emerging Crops Loan program passed by the legislature that has made it easier for many more farmers to enter the poultry industry and has worked closely with institutions of higher learning and government agencies such as Mississippi State University, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the Board of Animal Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Mr. Speaker, Mississippi poultry companies donate thousands of pounds of their products annually to fight hunger and to aid and develop their communities. I ask that you and our colleagues join me in recognizing the Mississippi Poultry Association in observance of their 75th Anniversary.

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable civil rights advocate and public servant, Dr. George Alvin ``G.A.'' Johnson. Dr. Johnson earned his Doctorate of Divinity in 1979 from the Trinity Church Association in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was born in Massies Mill, Virginia to the parents of Samuel and Virginia Johnson on January 29, 1944. In 1963, after moving from Massies Mill to Washington, D.C. he stood on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial to hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his ``I Have a Dream'' speech. As a young nineteen year old with an impressionable mind, Dr. King's speech became a defining moment in Dr. Johnson's life. In 1970, seven years after Dr. King's infamous ``I Have a Dream'' speech, Johnson moved to Rollilng Fork, Mississippi to take an active part in the civil rights movement. His first active role was in a position that was both admired and feared was becoming President of the Voter's League in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. As President, Dr. Johnson began to experience the indoctrination practices of the ``traditions of the south.'' After leaving his position as the President of the Voter's League in Rolling Fork, he took a position as manager of ``Freedom Village.'' ``Freedom Village'' was one of the many strike cities that began emerging throughout Mississippi, as African Americans walked off plantations in protest of Jim Crow laws and unfair sharecropping practices, Dr. Johnson was also manager of one of the first self-help housing projects in the Mississippi Delta. In 1971 Dr. Johnson moved to Greenville, Mississippi and became active in Delta Ministries sponsored by the Council of Churches of New York, New York. In 1976, he extended his ministry to television airing on WABG Channel 6 in Greenwood for 27 years. In 1988, Dr. Johnson founded GAIN, INC. (Goals, Aims, Intention Network) which stemmed from his prison ministry at the Mississippi State Penitentiary, known as Parchman Farm located in Sunflower County, Mississippi. He now resides in Charleson, Mississippi where he continues to be an advocate for children, the poor, the disadvantaged, and the displaced. Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. George Alvin Johnson for his dedication and service as a civil rights advocate and pioneer during the 1960s civil rights movement in the great state of Mississippi.