Robert Wittman

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, it is with deep sadness but great respect that I take this time to remember one of my constituents, Ottie Jackson Moore, Sr. of Bowling Green, Virginia. Mr. Moore passed away on Monday, May 31, 2021 after nearly a century of life. Ottie Moore honored his country with a long career of service first with the United States Army, and then seven-terms as Caroline Counties Sheriff. His life was an example of commitment, dedication, and service from which all of us would be wise to emulate. When Ottie was not working, he was spending his time improving the community in any way he could. He served as President of the Virginia Sheriffs' Association, advised the Virginia Assembly in passage of legislation to advance local law enforcement and was a founding member of the Board that led to the creation of the Rappahannock Regional Training academy in 1977. In addition to his life of leadership in the military and local law enforcement, Ottie was known as a family man and valuable member of the community. Along with his wife Dana Moore,--together they raised a daughter Mary and son ``Jack'' and worshipped as members of the Bowling Green Methodist Church. Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring Mr. Ottie Moore, Sr. and in thanking the Moore family for his incredible sacrifices, devotion, and service to our Nation; words cannot express our gratitude. On behalf of America's First District, we say thank you.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, over 3.8 million people across the world have died from COVID-19, over 600,000 Americans have died. We deserve to know how the COVID-19 pandemic began. There is mounting evidence to show that the Wuhan Institute of Virology is a probable source of that. If we look at the assertions by China to say that this was transmitted naturally from a bat through a wet market, things just don't add up. If we look at the information we have gotten from our intelligence communities, if we look at what we have seen to this point across the whole spectrum, we deserve to know exactly what has happened. If we want to uncover the truth behind COVID-19, if we are serious about preventing future pandemics, if we are serious about holding China accountable, then I believe we need to do everything we can to follow the science. By profession and by education, I am a biologist. In fact, I worked in and ran laboratories for years, laboratories that handled pathogenic organisms. I know the things that need to be done to uncover exactly what happened at the Wuhan lab. It doesn't make sense to look at the assertions that China makes and somehow believe that that is indeed the case. I don't think that this is a random event. I do believe that there are links to the Wuhan lab that must have an independent and thoughtful evaluation of exactly what happened. We have to force China to allow a free, objective, and independent evaluation of exactly what happened at the Wuhan Institute of Virology and determine what role did it play in the origins of this pandemic. We have to do that. I want to ensure the investigation happens and that we hold Chinese officials accountable. That is why I introduced The World Deserves to Know Act, because, indeed, the world deserves to know. The World Deserves to Know Act will sanction key Chinese officials in their Centers for Disease Control, in their national health commission who obfuscated data, the data necessary to determine exactly what happened; and also, through our intelligence gathering, to identify those individuals in the Chinese Communist Party that persecuted scientists, that persecuted citizen journalists that sought to divulge the truth about what happened there. There must be a free, open, and independent evaluation that is allowed in order for us to know. Again, the world deserves to know. In the meantime, what my bill would do is also prohibit funding from going to China from any U.S. institution, our universities, our colleges, anyplace that would send money either to the National Health Commission or any entity associated with the National Health Commission, like the Wuhan lab for the research that we have seen going on there, the gain-of-function research. We have to make sure that that happens. I want to make sure, too, that we identify where dollars have gone from the U.S., from the National Institutes of Health or any other governmental entity or any entity associated with our Federal Government, State governments, or local governments that may have sent money to China for gain-of-function research. We have to know exactly where the money went, where it came from, and who was the decisionmaker about how that money got there. And that needs to go all the way up through our bureaucracies not only at the Federal level, but at the State level also. Anywhere there is an association, that needs to be known. I want to make sure, too, that my bill allows Taiwan observer status in the World Health Organization to make sure that they check China's malign influence over the organization. Taiwan was at the very beginning of making sure that this was transparent. This is not about political gamesmanship. This is about getting to the truth not only for the sake of truth itself, but to make sure the United States never suffers another pandemic like the one we just endured. I hope that all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me in holding China accountable and supporting and cosponsoring The World Deserves to Know Act.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Heritage Baptist Church in Woodbridge, Virginia as it celebrates its 40 years of Christian: service. In 1981 the Heritage Baptist church was founded in a modest rental facility at Potomac Highschool. While small in numbers, this did not deter the church from making an impact on the community and spreading the word of God. To date, the Heritage Baptist Church has facilitated over 190 worldwide missions, boasts a congregation of over 500 members, and has planted 6 churches across the nation. In the last 40 years, the congregation has continued to flourish and grow. What began as a small group in a one-room church has evolved into a 17 acres campus that has touched the lives of and inspired hundreds of individuals. Today the Heritage Church can reach members of the community through the various programs offered, such as a K4 to a twelfth-grade Christian school, Sunday school bus outreach, the Heritage Institute of Ministry, and sermons in Spanish. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me in support of the Heritage Baptist Church 40th anniversary. May God bless the Heritage Baptist Church and its community and may He continue to work through it to continue to spread the Word of God.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I regrettably missed the vote on rollcall No. 144. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 144.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Nurses Week, a celebration to acknowledge our nurses for their unwavering courage, hard work and dedication. Our frontline heroes have been at the forefront of this global pandemic, and their sacrifice is well- deserving of recognition. For many healthcare workers, this past year has been the toughest challenge of their career. Despite these unprecedent obstacles, they have continued to show bravery and selflessness by risking their own health to provide patients with the utmost care. Along with the fear of the unknown and the rigorous work schedule, our frontline line workers have made huge personal sacrifices as well. Despite living with the fear of contracting COVID-19 themselves or potentially bringing the virus home to their loved ones; these healthcare workers still manage to do their jobs and protect our communities. In celebration of National Nurses Week, I encourage everyone to take the time to thank our nurses for choosing selflessness over self- preservation and rising to the challenge of COVID-19. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me to celebrate National Nurses Week.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good friend, Congressman Bobby Scott, on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University on April 15, 2021. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an individual Virginian whose career represents the highest values of public service and citizenship, and who has made a substantial contribution to the good of the Commonwealth. Congressman Bobby Scott is incredibly deserving of this recognition and award. He has spent more than four decades in public service, serving in the Virginia General Assembly for 15 years prior to being elected, and now serving Virginia's Third District in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he has been since 1992. It is my honor to serve the Commonwealth of Virginia with a servant leader like Bobby Scott. We share the same desire to work tirelessly for Virginians and to advocate for the needs of the Commonwealth. Please join me in congratulating Bobby Scott on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award and in thanking him for his dedicated service on behalf of all Virginians.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I was inadvertently recorded voting aye on rollcall no. 106 and intended to vote nay.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Liberty Day, a celebration of our rights and liberties as Americans which are rooted in the cherished documents that gave birth to our nation, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. Today, March 16th, marks the 270th birthday of the Father of our Constitution, James Madison, making this year's Liberty Day particularly noteworthy. In 2000, Congress passed a resolution that Liberty Day should be celebrated each year as a remembrance of both the freedom that Americans were given in the Declaration of Independence and the extraordinary rights and liberties that Americans were given in their Constitution. The American experiment is unique in history, creating a republic of people united by a set of values, not by blood or land. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness bind Americans together, not our race or ethnicity. In addition to serving as the Fourth President of the United States, James Madison was crucial to the formation of our country. President Madison authored the Virginia Plan, the model and basis for the United States Constitution. Later, during the 1st Congress of the United States, President Madison introduced the Bill of Rights, whereupon the first ten amendments of the Constitution were adopted. His other contributions, such as authoring many of the Federalist Papers, also deserve our recognition. Due to his essential role in the creation of our nation, Congress designated March 16th, Madison's birthday, as Liberty Day. In celebration of Liberty Day, I would encourage all Americans to read, learn, and discuss the Constitution with their friends and family. After doing so consider contacting your Representative, Senators, and President to share your views. All elected officials, whether they serve at the federal, state, or local level, should look to the Constitution as they go about their duty of governing this great nation. The revered documents that gave birth to our nation always deserve our celebration, but the 270th birthday of James Madison makes today especially significant. To mark this historic occasion, I encourage Americans to take today to learn about our nation's history and its founding documents. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me to celebrate Liberty Day.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Erika Dyer, and her dedicated service to Virginia's First Congressional District. After eight months with my D.C. office, Erika will be leaving this week to pursue a new position. Erika has been an invaluable asset to my D.C. Staff, serving as my Communications Director. Erika joined the team during the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was immediately committed to delivering timely and understandable information and resources to constituents in Virginia's First Congressional District. Erika is extremely talented and hard- working and is consistently finding new and innovative ways to effectively communicate with constituents. Erika is also a friend to all and is always willing to be a resource for other staff. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Erika for her hard work and dedication not only to the office, but to all constituents in Virginia's First District. Erika has a bright future ahead and I wish her the best in her career.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Rev. Dr. Barbara Cain for her service as the Moderator of the Northern Neck Baptist Association, Inc. Founded in 1877, the NNBA now serves 31 churches across the Northern Neck of Virginia. Dr. Cain has led this organization since 2018, and it has benefited greatly from her leadership. As Moderator, Dr. Cain established NNBA Committees on Land Acquisition and Social Justice. Additionally, she worked tirelessly with the Baptist General Convention of Virginia and the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention. Under Dr. Cain's leadership, NNBA also received a grant for its Tutorial Advocacy Program. Dr. Cain's impressive dedication and leadership guided NNBA throughout both the COVID-19 pandemic and a time of unrest in the community. A former teacher, Dr. Cain found her calling in ministry. She is the founder and pastor of Abiding Faith Baptist Church in Kilmarnock, VA. Previously, Dr. Cain served as president of both the Northumberland and the Lancaster Ministerial Associations. In her free time, Dr. Cain enjoys salt-water fishing and spending time with her eleven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Madam Speaker, I am thankful for Dr. Cain's service to both the Northern Neck Baptist Association, Inc., and the entire Northern Neck community. Her sacrifice, commitment, and dedication are truly extraordinary, and it is my honor to recognize Rev. Dr. Barbara Cain today.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of designating the week of March 28, 2021, through April 3, 2021, as National Small Business Workplace Solutions Week. While small businesses are always deserving of our support and recognition, this is particularly true during the current COVID-19 pandemic. The workplace solutions industry is comprised of small businesses across all 50 states. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Homeland Security deemed workplace solutions businesses essential as they assisted hospitals, nursing homes, schools, law enforcement, and local governments. Additionally, the workplace solutions industry provided critical support to businesses which were forced to move from in-person office to home offices. The industry's work with both the public and private sectors proved to be crucial. Like other small businesses, the workplace solutions industry has struggled over the course of the pandemic. The industry is grateful for PPP loans and the other federal assistance it has received, but recovery is still slow. Many small businesses face the prospect of closing their doors for good unless the economic picture continues to improve. Times have been tough for small businesses, but we can finally see a bright future beginning to peak over the horizon. The Congressional Budget Office projects over 4 percent GDP growth this year. In other words, our economy is ready to come roaring back as soon as we beat the pandemic. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me in support of the workplace solutions industry. The resolution to designate March 28, 2021 through April 3, 2021, as National Small Business Workplace Solutions Week is a signal of support for this recovering industry and small businesses across the United States. Finally, I want to thank America's small businesses for their dedication and sacrifice during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I wish them God's blessings as they continue to serve the American people.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jacob Miller for his service to Virginia's First Congressional District. Since joining my D.C. Staff in June 2019, Jacob has served a crucial role on my communications team. Jacob's dedication to delivering timely and helpful information to constituents is commendable and I am thankful for his tireless efforts for Virginia's First District. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, my office has made it a priority to send constituents the most up to date information on COVID- 19 resources and relief. Jacob has been at the forefront of that effort since the very beginning. Jacob's thoughtfulness and strong work ethic has directly impacted constituents in Virginia's First District. Whether it was about CDC guidelines, information on testing, local and federal resources, all the way up to the most recent vaccine information, Jacob was a leader in providing this crucial information to constituents Jacob has a strong passion for history, a passion we both share. He is a gifted writer that sets him apart in the way he communicates to others. He has a notable ability to deliver complex information in a timely and understandable manner. Jacob is also a friend to all--he was always quick to help others in the office when needed and lend his thoughtful insight to any given task. Jacob has contributed to the office and my staff in a significant way, and he will be greatly missed. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today to recognize Jacob Miller and his dedication to the constituents of Virginia's First District. Jacob has bright future, and I wish him the best of luck on his future journey and career.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I rise today in honor of Tripp Hogg, who recently passed away. Tripp will be profoundly missed by his family, friends, and community, but his memory will live on for many years to come. Tripp was born on January 15, 1969, in Richmond, Virginia. He attended Lee Davis Highschool, where he graduated in 1987. Tripp graduated from East Carolina University in 1991, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and the President of his Senior Class. Upon graduation from ECU, Tripp entered the Real Estate business in 1991 and joined his family's business, ERA Woody Hogg & Associates. Tripp has three children, Oakleigh, Delaney, and Elle Hogg; as well as three stepchildren, Mary Beth, Mandy, and Josh Ratchford. Tripp is also survived by his beloved wife, Kathie White Hogg; his sister, Elizabeth Hogg; and his brother, Jonathan Hogg; as well as his father, O Woodland ``Woody'' Hogg, Jr. (Pamela Hogg); and his mother, Susan U. Hogg. Tripp was an extraordinarily caring person who loved his family dearly, as well as his community, Commonwealth, and our Nation. I fondly remember the conversations we would have when we saw each other in the home improvement stores in the Mechanicsville area. He always began our conversations asking me how I was doing. I had the honor of hosting Tripp and his family on a personally guided tour of the U.S. Capitol and I will treasure that memory forever. Tripp was always very active in his community, church, and profession. He consistently ranked in the top 1 percent of all salespeople both locally and nationally. Tripp was also an avid fisherman and loved everything with salt water. Tripp's passion for service to those around him will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. I pray that God may bring peace to Tripp's friends and family as they grieve his loss, and that they may be comforted and reminded of their fond memories of Tripp during this time. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today in remembrance of and to honor the life of Tripp Hogg.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, it is with deep sadness but great respect that I take this time to remember Marinette F. ``Mari'' Barb of Williamsburg, VA. Mari passed away on January 20, 2021 after more than a century of life. Mari bravely served the United States for many years, and her life after service was equally memorable and noteworthy. Mari was born on September 16, 1919 in a small town in the south of France. Two decades later, she joined the French Underground when her home country was occupied by Nazi Germany. During this time, Mari worked with the O.S.S., the predecessor of the CIA. Mari constantly risked her life, helping Allied soldiers and airmen who found themselves behind enemy lines. Using forged Algerian identification papers, Mari saved the lives of countless soldiers by smuggling them back to Allied territory. Immediately after the war, Mari met her husband, James, while he was in France with the U.S. Army. She moved to the United States with Jim and was made an American citizen by an Act of Congress. A career in intelligence took Mari and Jim to the Pacific Island of Saipan, on two tours in Vietnam, and took Mari to Hong Kong for an extended stay. Mari and Jim made frequent returns to Camp Peary in Williamsburg between overseas assignments. Once they retired, Mari and Jim moved to Williamsburg, VA permanently. There they became staples of the community, frequenting trivia nights and live music venues. In addition to retiring from work, Mari retired from cooking, so Mari and Jim could always be found at one of their favorite restaurants. Mari is survived by three sisters and many family members spread across both France and the United States. Madam Speaker, I ask you rise with me in memory of Marinette F. Barb. She will be profoundly missed, but her memory lives on in her friends and family.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, today I wish to honor a great American and steadfast public servant. James Wiley Deck is leaving the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) after having served in critically important roles of increasing responsibility over the last four years. A polished leader and expert communicator, Wiley worked tirelessly throughout his time at DOT to keep the public safe on our nation's roadways while helping to build the infrastructure needed to accommodate the future of American transportation. Wiley joined DOT in 2017 as the Director of Government Relations for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). While in this role, he served as the principal advisor to the FMCSA Administrator with respect to legislative affairs, Congressional relations, and all policy matters affecting Federal, state and local governments, as well as public and private interest groups. His innate ability to collaborate with a variety of government stakeholders led to multiple legislative successes--including the securing of $100 million in autonomous vehicle research and development funding for DOT. In 2019, Wiley transitioned to the Office of the Secretary, where he served as Senior Policy Advisor to Secretary Elaine L. Chao. In that role, he served as the principal strategic advisor to the DOT Secretary on issues pertaining not only to the FMCSA, but to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy and Compliance (ODAPC). He served as the Department's representative on the White House COVID-19 Supply Chain Task Force and the White House Food Supply Chain Policy Coordinating Committee, where he helped shape the Federal response to the pandemic. He also led the Department's efforts to create the National Freight Strategic Plan to guide strategic Federal initiatives for multimodal investments to reduce congestion and improve intermodal connectivity. In 2020, Secretary Chao asked Wiley to lead FMCSA. As Acting Administrator of a Federal agency with a $680 million budget and nearly 1200 employees, Wiley led the implementation efforts on two significant regulatory reform efforts: Hours of Service and the Definition of Agricultural Commodities, two issues which are of vital importance to my Congressional District. More importantly, however, he diligently worked with Congress to secure $30 million in Federal funding for a new Large Truck Crash Causal Factors Study. The last comprehensive large truck crash causation study provided the DOT, and safety research community, valuable insight into the factors which contribute to crashes involving at least one commercial motor vehicle, but the data was collected nearly 20 years ago. A new updated study--one that accounts for the changes in technology, vehicle safety, driver behavior and roadway design over the last two decades--is sorely needed and will serve as Wiley's lasting legacy in the Department. Prior to transitioning to DOT, Wiley served for 22 years on the staff of my friend and the former Chairman of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, Congressman John L. Mica of Florida, the last six as his Chief of Staff. He is also a proud graduate of the University of Central Florida, although I would remind the Speaker that the last time UCF played my alma mater, Virginia Tech, in football was August 31, 2003, and Virginia Tech won 49-28. Wiley, his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children, Emilia and Enslie, live in Stafford, VA. Madam Speaker, I am thankful for Wiley's leadership, dedication to public service throughout his 26-year career in the Federal government and his work on issues of vital importance to the economic vibrance of our great nation.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS. This year marks the centennial of the VPAR and commemorates 100 years of hard work and dedicated service to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the surrounding region. The Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS is known for their vision of being the voice for real estate on the Virginia Peninsula. In December 1920, the VPAR was founded and organized as the Newport News Real Estate and Insurance Exchange. Throughout the long history of mergers and transition, 1990 marks the year the organization took on the name Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS. VPAR has grown from only 19 members in 1920, to more than 1,200 members today, marking 100 years of prosperity and growth. From the beginning, VPAR has been a voice for real estate on the Virginia Peninsula. VPAR supports the areas of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, Isle of Wright County, and York County, and provides public policy and advocacy, education and training, and industry resources to real estate professionals throughout the Virginia Peninsula. The missions and goals of VPAR are strong and steadfast. The organization stays true to their important mission of supporting fair housing and strives to make home ownership achievable for all. Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS use community outreach and engagement as a key tool to support the region, and they devote hundreds of volunteer hours each year to contribute to the overall success and prosperity of their community. This engagement and care for the community has greatly improved and strengthened the region's economy and standard of living. This care and engagement speaks directly to the kind of organization that the VPAR is, and is why the VPAR has been, and will continue to be successful. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me to commemorate the centennial of the Virginia Peninsula Association of REALTORS. I want to thank the VPAR for their 100 years of dedicated service to the community, and I wish them God's blessings as they continue their excellent work for the entire region and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, on behalf of the minority leader of the House and on behalf of the wishes of the President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Appropriations be discharged from further consideration of the bill, H.R. 9046, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Raleigh Gilbert Balderson, in honor of his 90th Birthday on December 19, 2020. I would like to take this time to recognize the many achievements of Mr. Balderson, as well as commemorate this special occasion in his life. Mr. Raleigh Balderson is a resident of my hometown, Montross, Virginia. He is a very well-respected citizen and barber in the town of Montross, and he is known and loved by the entire community. He has served as a deacon and trustee at Nomini Baptist Church and is currently a deacon emeritus, a testament to his strong involvement in the community and care for those he knows and loves. This year marks a second major milestone for Mr. Balderson, as he retired from his own barber business on March 21, 2020. Mr. Balderson started his own business in Montross, Virginia, and recently retired after 62 years of being in business. Mr. Balderson's barbershop in Montross is well loved by the entire community and is known for a place of good company and great conversations. Therefore, Madam Speaker, I ask that you rise with me today to honor and celebrate Mr. Raleigh Gilbert Balderson's 90th Birthday on December 19, 2020. I would like to also recognize and remember the late Bonnie Jean Owen Balderson, Mr. Balderson's beloved wife of 59 years. I wish Mr. Balderson a happy 90th birthday, and I hope this time is filled with celebration and God's continued blessings.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I was not present for the following roll call vote. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 248.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Mr. Speaker, I, Robert J. Wittman, missed rollcall No. 246 vote due to a scheduling conflict. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea'' on rollcall No. 246.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 5472 redesignates the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site as Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. This site includes President Carter's resident and boyhood home. Plains High School serves as the site's visitor center. And the railroad depot, which served as campaign headquarters during the 1976 Presidential election, and also houses additional exhibits. Redesignation of the site does not affect the laws or policies that govern the area, and the primary impact of the passage of this legislation would be changing signs, maps, and handouts. Redesignation of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site as a national historical park does not affect the laws or policies that govern the area, and I urge adoption of this measure. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 6535 would amend the Indian Health Care Improvement Act to extend Federal Tort Claims Act coverage to urban Indian organizations, or UIOs. It would do so by deeming the UIOs and their employees part of the Public Health Service. Currently, urban Indian health organizations need to purchase liability insurance with resources that could be better utilized to expand services to Native Americans. The rising costs of liability insurance and the general cost of providing healthcare services adversely impact the ability of UIOs to provide needed services. As a result, services are often substantially reduced or certain types of staff are eliminated. The Indian Health Service deems UIOs an integral part of the Indian healthcare system. They provide high-quality, culturally relevant healthcare and are often the only healthcare providers readily accessible to urban American Indian and Alaska Native patients. While there is general agreement and support that Federal Tort Claims Act protections should be extended to UIO health facilities, I am disappointed that the majority failed to consider technical amendments provided by the Department of Health and Human Services. Requests to address these legitimate concerns were dismissed shortly after Chairman Grijalva of the Natural Resources Committee agreed to keep working on the legislation before it would be considered on the House floor. These technical changes would improve the legislation, which may now face an uncertain future in the Senate. That shortsightedness only hurts the very Native Americans that this bill is trying to help. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 3250 would require the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the sites associated with the legacy of Julius Rosenwald, with special focus on the Rosenwald Schools. Julius Rosenwald was born in 1862, while Abraham Lincoln was President, in a house just a block away from Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois. He would eventually play his own major role in helping to elevate our Nation's African-American citizenry. A child of German immigrants, Rosenwald dropped out of high school after two years to apprentice with his uncles, who were major clothing manufacturers in New York City. He was active in the wholesale clothing business from 1879, until he joined Sears and Roebuck in 1895. Rosenwald became vice president and part owner of the company. Sears was the Amazon of its day, and Rosenwald went to extraordinary lengths to keep up with its growth. After stepping down as president of Sears in 1924, Mr. Rosenwald devoted most of his time to philanthropy. Over the course of his life, he donated millions of dollars to public schools, colleges and universities, museums, Jewish charities, and African-American institutions. Of all of his philanthropic efforts, Rosenwald was most famous for the more than 5,000 Rosenwald Schools he established throughout the South for poor, rural African-American youth, and the 4,000 libraries he added to existing schools. These schools were cooperatively built with the assistance from the local African-American communities. Donations of land and labor by the local community were matched by financial contributions of the Rosenwald Fund. In fact, the great legacy is the number of leaders in the African- American community that would come back and actually teach in the Rosenwald Schools. It was this effort, along with Julius Rosenwald, that highlighted the disparities in the United States educational system and highlighted the objectionable nature of separate but equal tenets that predominated the school system under the law. In fact, it was these efforts that helped Thurgood Marshall, when he argued the case in 1954 before the Supreme Court, Brown v. Board of Education, to successfully overturn these separate but equal tenets of U.S. law at the time and found that separate but equal was indeed unconstitutional. It was the efforts of Julius Rosenwald, plus the tireless efforts of African-American communities across the United States, that finally got to a place that said, No, this is not the way our school system should operate; we should, in fact, take up the cause of African-American communities; they should, indeed, have equal school systems that are not separate but that have all the assets and all the efforts and all the focus that other schools had at the time. This was the foundation of that. Rosenwald, through his funding of these schools, actually was able to elevate that issue to national prominence. I believe, and many others believe, too, that it was one of the underlying principles and arguments that Thurgood Marshall made before the Supreme Court in 1954. In recent years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in several State historic offices, have initiated programs to survey the surviving Rosenwald Schools. In fact, in the First Congressional District of Virginia, there are a number of remaining Rosenwald School buildings that are, incredibly, in very good shape. In fact, many of the community organizations have purchased the buildings, have raised money to renovate the buildings, and put them back into their original condition so that people can actually see how education took place at that time. They highlight, too, leaders in the African-American community who actually went there and taught at those schools. Remember, these teachers did everything. They came in, they stoked the fires in the stove, and they prepared lunches for the students. They did everything to keep these schools running. This is a tremendous story that needs to continue to be told across the Nation. As I said, these are indispensable parts of our community. This bill would authorize a study to evaluate the national significance of selected Rosenwald School sites and determine the suitability and feasibility of designating these sites as a unit of the National Park System. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. WITTMAN

Mr. WITTMAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, H.R. 7460, the Peace Corps Commemorative Work Extension Act, extends through January 24, 2028, the authority of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation to establish a commemorative work on Federal land in the District of Columbia or its environs to honor and commemorate the mission and ideals of the Peace Corps. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, over 235,000 Americans have served as grassroots volunteers in villages and towns in 141 countries worldwide. Peace Corps volunteers seek to promote world peace and friendship by improving the lives of those they serve by helping others understand American culture and by bringing their experience back home to America. It is fitting that this bill to extend the Commemorative Works Act authorization for a Peace Corps Memorial is sponsored by President John F. Kennedy's grandnephew, Representative Joe Kennedy III. I am grateful to the thousands of Americans who have served our Nation honorably in the Peace Corps. Madam Speaker, I urge adoption of the measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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