[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 177 (Thursday, December 8, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7555-H7561]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING INDIANA'S BICENTENNIAL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 6, 2015, the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Rokita) is recognized 
for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor to stand before the Chamber 
today and talk about one of my favorite subjects and one of the 
favorite subjects of all the speakers who are going to appear before 
this floor in the next hour. And that is the State of Indiana and, in 
particular, the fact that, as a very proud State which has offered so 
much to this Nation, we are celebrating our 200th anniversary since 
admission to the Union.
  It has been the highest honor of my life to serve Indiana in public 
office, and, I know for all the speakers today, it has been the same 
for them.
  We have a lot to talk about in very few minutes, if you consider it. 
So I would like to get right to introducing some of my colleagues who 
are here to celebrate the bicentennial of the State of Indiana. The 
first being one of my good friends, Mr. Todd Young from Indiana's Ninth 
Congressional District. He has represented that district since 2010. He 
is an amazing young leader. And last month, he was made our Senator-
elect to serve in the next Chamber, and we look forward to working with 
him.
  Mr. Speaker, at this time, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Young).
  Mr. YOUNG of Indiana. I thank the gentleman for yielding. It has been 
a privilege serving with him in the House on behalf of the people of 
Indiana. I look forward to our continued work together. I am just so 
grateful for our delegation and the leadership it exhibited on behalf 
of the State.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Indiana's bicentennial 
celebration. Much of our State's great history emanated from a little 
town in Indiana's Ninth Congressional District, which I have had the 
honor and privilege of representing for the last 6 years. The town is 
Corydon. It is located in Harrison County, which is on the banks of the 
Ohio River.
  In 1816, James Madison, our then-President, signed an enabling act to 
explore the possibility of statehood for Indiana. Soon after, in June 
of 1816, 43 delegates congregated across the territory. They came to 
descend on Corydon, and their purpose was to draft our State's first 
constitution. Much of the delegates' work was done under the shade of a 
large elm tree, known by all of those in our delegation, and known by 
so many Hoosiers and even people outside of the State today, as the 
Constitution Elm. That tree still stands, and Indiana is still going 
strong.
  Our Constitution set the table for the State's first election in 
August of that year, where Jonathan Jennings was elected our Governor. 
In November, Governor Jennings and Indiana's newly elected 
representatives met in the new capitol building, which is a beautiful 
building. And the intention there was to commence the State's first 
general assembly session. Their work resulted in Indiana formally being 
admitted as the country's 19th State in December of 1816. Corydon would 
serve as the State's capital until 1825, when the State's government 
was then moved to Indianapolis, where it remains today, centrally in 
the State.
  Now, Corydon also served as the site of Indiana's only battle during 
the Civil War. The attack was a part of Morgan's Raid, as confederate 
troops descended across the Ohio River under the leadership of 
confederate General John Hunt Morgan. He moved across parts of Indiana, 
Kentucky, Ohio, and

[[Page H7556]]

Tennessee in 1863. It was a small militia of Hoosiers who met Morgan's 
confederates, and that skirmish is still celebrated today.
  So Corydon's importance to our State's history can't be highlighted 
enough, but it is one area on the map, one very important area on the 
map of the State of Indiana. There are so many other important towns, 
cities, and Hoosiers that I know will be highlighted and accentuated in 
the course of this celebration here on the floor of the U.S. House.
  I commend my colleague, Todd Rokita, for shining a bright light on 
our celebration of 200 years. I look forward to continuing to celebrate 
Indiana's bicentennial with Hoosiers, celebrating the rich history 
which our State has followed, and celebrating all the good years we 
know will come.
  Mr. ROKITA. I thank the gentleman for his service. I look forward to 
working with him in the future. I thank him for honoring our great 
State and for his service to our country.
  Indiana has had a long and proud history, acting as a leader in many 
crucial fields and enriching the history of our Nation overall. 
Hoosiers have helped give us everything from airplanes to penicillin 
and insulin and even walked the first steps on the Moon. Both Wilbur 
Wright and Eli Lilly hailed from Indiana and permanently altered the 
course of human history for the better.
  Neil Armstrong attended Purdue University, which I am proud to say is 
in Indiana's Fourth Congressional District. Purdue University is one of 
the top engineering schools in the country and has been a leader in 
fighting against rising tuition costs, one of the most important issues 
facing this Congress and the next and, actually, the next generation of 
students entirely.
  Our State is lucky, however, in that Purdue is hardly the only 
outstanding higher education option available. I, myself, am a proud 
alumnus of two Indiana colleges and universities, Wabash College and 
the Indiana School of Law. We fight hard to be an education partner for 
all Hoosiers and all our institutions, and that includes the entire 
delegation, whether Republican or Democrat.
  In that vein, Mr. Speaker, I will recognize another distinguished 
Hoosier and member of our delegation, Representative Larry Bucshon. He 
is a doctor by trade. He practiced, and practiced well, the profession 
his entire adult life, starting in the United States Navy, and now 
represents Indiana's Eighth Congressional District.
  Indiana couldn't be prouder of Representative Bucshon and what he 
brings not only to the Energy and Commerce Committee but to this very 
floor every day that we are in session.
  With that, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Bucshon).
  Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Rokita from the Fourth District 
for yielding and for putting together this Special Order on behalf of 
our State.
  You know, Indiana boasts two of America's Presidents and now eight 
Vice Presidents. We are the home of Hoosier hysteria, a great 
basketball tradition, and the greatest spectacle in racing, the 
Indianapolis 500. We love our breaded pork tenderloins and our sugar 
cream pie.
  We have the sixth largest National Guard in the Nation, made up of 
over 13,000 Hoosiers that has defended this country in wars, from the 
Battle of Tippecanoe to World War II to the global war on terror.
  Most importantly, Indiana is home to the most humble, generous, 
compassionate, and hardworking citizens in our country. And our great 
State--all 6.5 million Hoosiers--is now celebrating 200 years.
  I want to take a minute to briefly highlight a few of the things 
specific to the Eighth Congressional District in Indiana.
  This year, my annual art competition for high school students focused 
on celebrating Indiana to commemorate the Hoosier State's bicentennial. 
We had a lot of creative submissions from talented students across 
southern Indiana and Wabash Valley. The winning art piece recognized 
the 100-year anniversary of Bosse Field in Evansville, a baseball 
field. Bosse Field is the third oldest ballpark in the country and is 
still in regular use for professional baseball. It was also featured in 
the popular film in 1991, ``A League of Their Own.'' A lot of that was 
filmed at Bosse Field in Evansville, Indiana.
  I am also proud to say that communities in Indiana's Eighth 
Congressional District were exceptionally involved in the Bicentennial 
Legacy Project. The Bicentennial Legacy Project showcases the best of 
Indiana to promote and support important community projects and 
programs across the State. It is really the best of the best for what 
the Hoosier State has to offer.

                              {time}  1515

  There are nearly 300 officially sanctioned bicentennial legacy 
projects undertaken in counties and communities in the Eighth 
Congressional District. The Eighth District is also home to premier 
places of historic, cultural, and natural significance.
  Lyles Station in Gibson County is a small farming community that was 
an original settlement of freed slaves nearly 200 years ago. Lyles 
Station is highlighted nationally at the Smithsonian Institution's new 
National Museum of African American History and Culture.
  Vincennes in Knox County was established in 1801 as Indiana's first 
city. It served as our territorial capital and was a key player in the 
American Revolution. It is also home to George Rogers Clark National 
Historic Park and President William Henry Harrison's Grouseland, his 
home when he was Governor of the Indiana Territory.
  New Harmony in Posey County was first established as a communal 
utopian society and later a center for knowledge and science.
  Spencer County is the home of President Abraham Lincoln as a youth 
and a young man and is home to Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial.
  We have a strong German Catholic heritage in southwest Indiana with 
Saint Meinrad Archabbey in Spencer County and Monastery Immaculate 
Conception in Dubois County.
  Indiana's Eighth District is also home to Naval Support Activity 
Crane, the U.S. Navy's third largest installation in the entire world. 
Last week, the base celebrated its 75th anniversary.
  In 1915, the Root Glass Company developed the very first Coca-Cola 
bottle in Terre Haute, Indiana. That is one for the trivia question 
book: Where was the first Coca-Cola bottle designed and made?
  It was made in Terre Haute, Indiana. That bottle has now become an 
iconic, world-recognized brand.
  Of course, we have Hoosier National Forest, which takes up a good 
portion of the southern area of my State, which is home to a lot of 
activities that Hoosiers enjoy with the great outdoors, along with 
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge near Oakland City, Indiana, and 
it serves the same purpose.
  Of course, we have the world-famous Santa Claus postmark. Santa 
Claus, Indiana, every year at Christmas has literally tens of thousands 
of boxes of Christmas cards sent to Santa Claus so they can have the 
unique postmark from Santa Claus, Indiana, that is usually designed by 
a local student in a competition. They pick that, and every year around 
Christmastime I get the pleasure to go over to Santa Claus to the post 
office and postmark some of those Christmas cards myself.
  In manufacturing, everything from noodles to nuclear components are 
made in the Eighth District of Indiana. We are also a principal 
supplier of the world's agricultural products.
  As you can see, Indiana's Eighth Congressional District has a rich 
history, and I am proud to represent this area. It is an honor and a 
privilege to serve with all of my Hoosier colleagues. Thank you again, 
Representative Rokita, for putting this together.
  Mr. ROKITA. I thank the gentleman. I quickly want to turn our 
attention and yield to the gentleman from Indianapolis, Mr. Andre 
Carson. He represents Indiana's Seventh Congressional District. Like us 
all, he is a fierce advocate for the different communities in his 
district. Additionally, Andre and I both serve on the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure. I think that is an important 
position to have when the motto of your State is ``Crossroads of 
America.''
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my friend, 
Congressman Rokita, who has done a great job at representing his 
constituents, and we appreciate him for assembling a great body of 
Hoosiers from all across the great State of Indiana.

[[Page H7557]]

  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate a milestone in Indiana's 
history, the bicentennial of our great State. For the past 200 years, 
Indiana has stood as a beacon of opportunity for millions of Hoosiers 
who came to the State to make a better life for themselves and their 
families.
  Indiana's history stems from our earliest Native American 
inhabitants. In fact, the State's name literally means ``land of the 
Indians.'' Early settlers befriended Native Americans as they came from 
New York in the Northeast, Kentucky in the South, and Ohio in the 
Midwest. They settled across a geography as varied as Indiana's people, 
stretching from rolling hills in southern Brown County to flat and 
sandy in the north along the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
  These influences created a melting pot of influences that remain 
today. Over the past 200 years, Mr. Speaker, Indiana has been home to 
countless colorful and transformative figures like the Jackson 5, Larry 
Bird, John Cougar Mellencamp, Dan Quayle, Babyface, Mike Epps, and 
countless others.
  But more than any individual, Mr. Speaker, when folks think of 
Indiana, they think of racing, they think of basketball. In fact, the 
great Hoosier State is credited with the origin of high school 
basketball. Our college teams are some of the most consistently 
successful in the country, and the enthusiasm surrounding the sport is 
unmatched.
  In my hometown of Indianapolis, we are proud to have hosted the 
Indianapolis 500 for 100 eventful years. The Indianapolis Motor 
Speedway has long been the world's gold standard for race tracks, 
hosting some of the most historic races and prompting countless 
innovations.
  But what makes Indiana so special is not what most people think of 
first, Mr. Speaker. It is not a historical figure or a notable 
accomplishment. What makes Indiana great is the type of people who live 
there. Hoosiers have truly built America. Students at our world class 
universities have spawned creative businesses and grown our economy 
across the country. Our workers have built millions of automobiles, 
created lifesaving medicines, and advanced sports to new levels. Our 
farmers feed America and the entire world.
  We joke about how friendly and welcoming Hoosiers are. Living in 
Indiana, you don't always recognize it, but coming here to Washington, 
D.C., has made me realize how real Hoosier hospitality is, unlike a lot 
of D.C. I am talking about Capitol Hill. I am not talking about the 
rest of D.C.; they are great people. Staffers are great here, too. But 
Hoosiers care about people. We want to make them feel welcome, and we 
want to help them when we can.
  The Hoosiers we see today who grew up in a State built by all of 
those before us are the reason that this bicentennial is so special. I 
can't imagine a better place to live, Mr. Speaker, and I am proud to 
call Indiana home. I am proud that I grew up there and that my daughter 
will, too; and representing this wonderful State in Congress continues 
to be a tremendous honor.
  Happy birthday, Indiana. May our next 200 years be as full of 
history, innovation, and achievement as our past 200.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Carson for his words. You will 
recall he mentioned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here is a great 
picture of it, circa about, I would say, late 1980s, just part of our 
heritage that we will be sharing here over the next hour.
  When I was last commenting about the great Hoosier State here at this 
podium, I talked about Hoosier schools. Hoosier places of higher 
learning have also become major players in the sports world, winning 
national championships and creating some fierce, yet fun, rivalries.

  For example, in Indiana's Fourth Congressional District there is both 
DePauw University and Wabash College. They face off every year in the 
iconic Monon Bell game. It has been going on for over 100 years. As 
Wabash men, I don't think there is any question whom Representative 
Messer and myself root for, but that is just another example of the 
great Hoosier spirit in the Monon Bell game.
  Focusing on Purdue University again for just a second, I want to 
yield some time to a great Member of this body who is also retiring 
this year. Mr. Kurt Clawson of Florida is no longer a resident, of 
course, of Indiana, but he was at one time, helping lead Purdue's 
basketball team to untold heights.
  At this time, Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. 
Clawson).
  Mr. CLAWSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Rokita for 
those kind words and for his friendship and support and his flexibility 
in this House. There are very few people like him, and I will miss him.
  The first thing I have to say today is Boiler Up, Mr. Speaker, Boiler 
Up. I am from Florida. I proudly represent southwest Florida that I 
love so much, but I went to high school and college in Indiana; so part 
of me will always be from Indiana and I will always love the State and 
its wonderful people.
  In 1976, my dad moved the family of 7 kids to southeastern Indiana 
from the South, and we went to a small town in southeastern Indiana 
called Batesville, kind of a typical town of 4,000 or 5,000 people, 
typical hotbed of basketball and shooters, with well-known sports names 
in the area, like Paul Ehrman, the co-chairman, going into the Indiana 
Baseball Hall of Fame next year, Ace Moorman, Dave Galle, among other 
basketball and sports greats in southern Indiana.
  My parents immediately loved the Indiana culture that we were exposed 
to in Batesville, best summarized by words of my dad who would say 
something like this: Work hard; don't complain; put the group, the 
team, and the family first; go to church on Sunday; actually kneel down 
and pray; and show a little humility.
  Right, Dad?
  Eventually, trying to do as best I could to follow my father's 
counsel, I went to Purdue to play for the College Hall of Fame coach, 
Coach Gene Keady, and I have to tell you how much of an honor that was 
and a memorable experience in my life. Before continuing on a little 
bit about Coach Keady, I want to compliment our current president at 
Purdue, the former Governor of Indiana, Mitch Daniels, who moves our 
university into the future with a new business model of innovation and 
leadership. President Mitch is a leader who is not afraid of change, 
and I admire that because, without change, tomorrow you lose.
  But back to Coach Keady. Our senior year, Mr. Vitale on TV picked our 
team last because we had lost our best player to the NBA draft. I went 
to Coach Keady's office before the season as one of his senior 
captains, and I asked him: Coach, how do you feel about this team? Do 
you believe we are going to be last?
  He said: No, we are not going to be last.
  I asked: How do you know, Coach? How do you know?
  He said: Because I like my locker room.
  I asked: What does that mean?
  He said: I know you all are going to listen to me, and you will 
follow what I say. I know you will share the ball, and I know you will 
outwork the competition.
  Well, of course, Coach was right. We went from being picked last to 
winning the Big 10. Coach Keady's first of six Big 10 championships in 
25 years at Purdue, four consensus national coach of the year, six 
national coach of the year in one media, service, or another, and, 
importantly, in 25 years at Purdue, a winning record against the coach 
down in Bloomington.
  I want to honor Coach Keady today, and I want to end by thanking our 
president at Purdue University, Mitch Daniels. I honor and admire Coach 
Keady for what he has accomplished. Most of all, I want to thank Coach 
Keady for his loyalty to me. My last game was bad. I have to live with 
that forever, but for 30 years now, I have lived in his umbrella of 
love and loyalty. He has always been there for me, and I honor him for 
that. I appreciate his loyalty as the last important lesson of so many 
that he taught me.
  Happy birthday to our wonderful State of Indiana and our wonderful 
people with our basic cultures of believing in God and treating one 
another with love and respect.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for those 
excellent words. I can't believe the last game he played at Purdue 
University

[[Page H7558]]

was all that bad, but we will go back to the tapes and look. Either 
way, it is now part of our wonderful Hoosier history.
  There are, of course, quite a few other notable sporting events in 
Indiana. Andre Carson spoke of one of them, and that is one that can't 
be rivaled. That is called the ``greatest spectacle in racing.'' I just 
recently had a picture of the speedway up here on the floor.
  The Indianapolis 500 celebrated its 100th running earlier this year 
and continues Indiana's storied history with automobiles, which began 
in the late 1800s when Elwood Haynes, the ``father of the automobile'' 
developed his horseless carriage in Kokomo, Indiana. Kokomo, Indiana is 
in Howard County. It as a county--and Kokomo as a city--has a great, 
wonderful, rich automative history, and history in other respects as 
well.
  It is an honor for me to be able to share that county with one of our 
great members from the Indiana delegation, an accomplished leader, an 
accomplished lady who has done wonderful things throughout her 
professional career and in this House continues to lead the way, most 
recently by being chosen as our next chairwoman of the House Ethics 
Committee. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. 
Brooks), my friend from the Fifth Congressional District.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of 
our home State's bicentennial.
  I want to thank the gentleman from Indiana's Fourth Congressional 
District for organizing this very meaningful celebration of our State's 
200 years. I want to thank him for his leadership here in the House, 
representing not only the Fourth District, but all Hoosiers so very 
proudly, and in your time as secretary of state, where you served 
throughout our State. I really appreciate the fact that you and your 
staff put the time and effort in to making these last minutes on the 
House floor possible as we close out the 114th Congress.
  I want to specifically highlight a little bit of the history of the 
Fifth District, which I represent, but more importantly, how that 
history informs, inspires, and ignites our future. Since we became a 
State in 1816, Indiana has transformed again and again, growing and 
evolving into the strong and thriving State it is today.
  I want to talk with you about Conner Prairie in my district. Conner 
Prairie has grown up with the State. What started as a log cabin in the 
early 1800s by the White River has grown into a stately brick home that 
has served as the seat of early Hamilton County government. It is now 
an interactive history museum and park, and recently it has been 
recognized as the only Smithsonian affiliate in Indiana. It is a 
leading innovator in the history museum field, with more than 360,000 
visitors each year.
  In 1800, William Conner settled in Indiana to become a fur trader. He 
and his Lenape Indian spouse and their six children lived in that first 
log cabin on the property. In 1818, Conner played a pivotal role as 
interpreter and liaison for the Treaty of St. Mary's, in which the 
Delaware Tribe ceded lands in central Indiana for those west of the 
Mississippi River. The Lenape Tribe, including Conner's wife and 
children, left Indiana, but Conner decided to stay.
  In 1823, he and his second wife, Elizabeth, built a beautiful brick 
home on a hill overlooking land that came to be known as Conner 
Prairie. This home served as the seat of Hamilton County government and 
the local post office in the early days of the county's founding.
  In 1934, Colonel Eli Lilly, then the president of the pharmaceutical 
company that he founded, which remains today in Indianapolis, Indiana, 
purchased Conner Prairie and the old brick home in hopes of restoring 
it and opening it to the public.
  Lilly believed that history and its preservation were cornerstones of 
American democracy. He wanted Conner Prairie to be a place where people 
could connect with their history and see their heritage brought to 
life. Little did he realize that his idea would be so vividly brought 
to life in modern-day Conner Prairie. Growing from the site of 
occasional historical reenactments, Conner Prairie blossomed into a 
living history museum that transports visitors back to the Hoosier 
frontier and invites them to see life in Indiana in 1836.
  Prairietown, an immersive exhibit where people, animals, buildings, 
objects, and daily routines remain just as they were 180 years ago, was 
just the beginning. In addition to the Prairietown exhibit, Conner 
Prairie has expanded its historical experience to now include an 1859 
Balloon Voyage--the gentleman from Indiana's Fourth District, who loves 
to fly, I hope he has tried the balloon voyage; it is really 
remarkable--as well as an 1863 Civil War Journey and a Lenape Indian 
Camp.
  In addition, visitors to Conner Prairie today can see how innovations 
in math, science, technology, and engineering have shaped our history, 
and how these vital and growing industries will shape our State's 
future and are shaping the State of Indiana. Students and children can 
build planes, create an electrical circuit or radio, construct a 
windmill, or invent their own products, which they then attempt to 
patent.
  I agree with Colonel Lilly that history is a cornerstone of our 
democracy. I believe that Conner Prairie is an incredible realization 
of the idea that history plays a pivotal role in our future. In fact, 
Conner Prairie, William Conner, and the Conner family is one of the 
reasons that we named our son Conner and why we spell his name with an 
``e.'' In fact, he happens to be in the balcony of the Chamber today. I 
am very pleased that he is here with us to learn more about our State's 
incredible history and the history of his own name.
  The brick house that Colonel Lilly purchased in the 1930s still 
stands, and its renovation was an Indiana Bicentennial Project. As 
Indiana celebrates its bicentennial and in the many years to come, the 
many places just like Conner Prairie will always help Hoosiers find 
their heritage, understand our history, and, most importantly, ignite 
the future.
  Happy birthday to Indiana and all Hoosiers.
  Mr. ROKITA. Reclaiming my time, I appreciate the gentlewoman's 
leadership in the Fifth District and throughout Indiana. It is just 
another example of, frankly, how we believe our State is great.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), 
from the Third Congressional District, who not only served in this 
Chamber, but also in Indiana's statehouse, first as a State 
representative and later as a State senator. He is a farmer from the 
northeast part of our State. He brings with him to this House and to 
his future endeavors a robust knowledge and practice of our State's 
best traditions and history.
  Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Indiana.
  It is great to be here on the floor with my colleagues from the 
Indiana delegation as we celebrate our bicentennial in Indiana. I also 
find it an honor that we get to be one of the last groups here on the 
floor discussing an issue here in this Congress, as we have wrapped up 
our business earlier today.
  I just want to thank Mr. Rokita, Mrs. Brooks, Mr. Messer, and others 
that I see here--Mr. Bucshon was here earlier--whom I count it an honor 
and privilege to serve with.
  This will be my last speech on the floor as I end my time here in 
Congress and look forward to going back home to Indiana again. So I 
come with some mixed emotions, frankly, but also very excited about 
what is in store for you all, what is in store for Indiana, what is in 
store for our country, as I have had the privilege to serve Indiana's 
Third Congressional District for these past 6 years. I know that, just 
as you all feel, we feel very privileged to be Hoosiers.
  Indiana is oftentimes thought of to be that flyover State in from the 
East Coast to the West Coast or vice versa; but so many wonderful 
things are happening in Indiana that we are proud of and that we feel, 
especially at this time as our own Governor, the Vice President-elect, 
Mike Pence, who has been our Governor for the last 4 years in Indiana, 
is showing and exhibiting the good policies, the good nature, the 
humbleness, the character and integrity that so many Hoosiers display 
on a daily basis.
  So I think that, as I leave, I am looking forward to watching you all 
continue to face some difficult challenges,

[[Page H7559]]

but with a lot of opportunity in front of us. I know that Hoosiers all 
across our State and Americans are looking for leadership. I know that 
we have seen that in Indiana with our former Governor, Mitch Daniels. 
It was great to see our colleague, Mr. Clawson, here earlier, who is 
also going to be departing after this Congress.
  We have such great history. Of course, our sports history is one that 
we love to talk about and brag about.
  I also want to recognize my family: my wife Christy, and our sons, 
Payton and Preston. Payton, of course, was named after a football 
player in Indianapolis. He was one of those kids in Indiana that was 
named Peyton during a great streak by Peyton Manning and the 
Indianapolis Colts.
  We have got such great ownership, great leaders in Indianapolis and 
across the country with the teams that we are proud of in Indiana, the 
Colts and Pacers. We have got a great college tradition. You turn on 
ESPN and you see, of course, Indiana basketball, Purdue basketball, 
Notre Dame. Valparaiso always ends up in the tournament at the end of 
the year it seems like. Of course, there are other teams that continue 
to exhibit that tradition that we have in Indiana of great basketball. 
Of course, our high school basketball is like no other State has. There 
is something really remarkable about high school basketball in Indiana.
  I also just want to quickly recognize a friend that happens to be 
here. Randy Lewandowski, who is the president of the Indianapolis 
Indians, our baseball team in Indiana. It is a AAA affiliate of the 
Pittsburgh Pirates. He just happens to be in town, and I am proud of 
the work that he does to bring great baseball to our city and to our 
State. I am proud of the folks like Randy that work so hard to make 
Indiana a great place to live.
  Of course, our racing is also such a proud sport for us in Indiana.
  More importantly than all of that, look at the hardworking Hoosiers 
on a daily basis who go to work every day, whether it is in the 
factories, whether it is in the trucking industry. We are known as the 
crossroads of America. You have distribution centers all across the 
State. You think of the teachers that do such a remarkable job in 
teaching our children.
  As you get to know people across the State of Indiana, I have become 
just more and more proud to be called a Hoosier, have the opportunity 
to represent them, and to know that we all love life. We love liberty. 
We want to continue to protect the ability to pursue happiness as 
Americans. We know that life is difficult, life has challenges, but 
working together and working hard, keeping our head down and facing 
those challenges together as communities, as a State, and as a country, 
we can be successful.
  As we celebrate our bicentennial, I just know that Indiana has done 
so much for me and my family. I want to thank my parents, Albert and 
Sarah Stutzman; my brothers, Matt and Chris; and my sister, Lynette; 
and their families for the support that they have given to me in the 
time that I have had the opportunity to serve here. I know there are so 
many families across our State that support one another and are working 
to make life better not only for themselves, but for their families.

                              {time}  1545

  Indiana also has the fourth largest National Guard in the country. We 
have, of course, Texas, California, and New York, but Indiana is one of 
the largest national guards in the country. And I think that shows the 
level of commitment that Hoosiers have been willing to sacrifice, to 
commit to the defense and security of this country. I appreciate many 
of our leaders in our State that have led a National Guard to show that 
we are willing to do our part and to help lead the way.
  As I think of traveling across the State, there are so many different 
parts of Indiana that we are so proud to have as part of our State. So 
I would just say to anyone listening and watching this, as we talk 
about our beloved Indiana, if you ever get a chance to visit, there is 
so much to do and see and enjoy, the nature, from top to bottom, from 
Lake Michigan in the northwest to the Ohio Valley in the southern part 
of the State, the beautiful farmland, and the rolling hills in the 
southern part of Indiana.
  We just have such tremendous tradition and, of course, the values 
that we all hold very dearly and know that we want to do our part to 
not only make Indiana great but to continue to make America great as 
well.
  So with that, Mr. Rokita, I really appreciate the opportunity, and I 
thank the gentleman for putting this time together as we reflect on our 
great State. I want to wish him the very best and the rest of our 
colleagues the very best as well in the future; and know that folks 
across this country can look to the gentleman for solid leadership, and 
appreciate all that he does.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, a lot has been talked 
about already from Indiana's manufacturing prowess to our agricultural 
richness, to our own rich history.
  I want to focus just a little bit before yielding to my good friend, 
Mr. Messer, to talk a little bit about Indiana's agricultural history. 
It is in the top 10 in the Nation in agricultural sales, with over $11 
billion in those sales.
  The agricultural industry creates good Hoosier jobs and provides our 
Nation with an array of products, from corn to soybeans to hogs and 
poultry, and you just have to go a few miles in any direction on any 
one of our roads to know that, by looking out your window.
  In fact, Indiana has so many agricultural products that there are six 
times as many chickens in the State than people. My district, in 
particular, has produced several major agricultural innovations.
  The town of Kokomo, that I mentioned earlier, is known as the ``City 
of Firsts,'' due to the many products invented there, including both 
the first canned tomato juice and the first mechanical corn picker, 
which revolutionized the farming of one of Indiana's most important 
crops.
  Indiana is specifically one of the Nation's second largest producers 
of popcorn. And while that definitely helps us all enjoy trips to the 
movies, Indiana's contributions to the entertainment field have not 
stopped there.
  Famous Hoosiers, as Andre Carson mentioned, such as John Mellencamp, 
Axl Rose, James Dean, and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson, 
have all made their mark on our Nation, providing us with memorable 
songs and iconic movies, while never forgetting where they came from.
  Another great Hoosier who hasn't forgotten where he has come from is 
my good friend representing the Sixth District of Indiana, which 
includes Columbus, Muncie, and Richmond, and that is Mr. Luke Messer. 
He and I both went to Wabash College together, and, as I mentioned 
earlier, we know who we rooted for at the Monon Bell game.
  I yield to the gentleman from Indiana's Sixth Congressional District, 
Mr. Luke Messer.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for organizing today's 
celebration of Indiana's 200th birthday. I thank him for his 
distinguished little giant career at Wabash College and all of his 
service to our great State.
  It is an exciting time to be a Hoosier any year, but it is a pretty 
big birthday coming up this year when, on December 11, 2016, we will be 
celebrating our State's 200th birthday--200 years since Indiana became 
our Nation's 19th State.
  I am holding this basketball because when you think about Indiana, 
you can't help but think about basketball. And my district, Indiana's 
Sixth Congressional District, has a couple of pretty important 
distinguishing factors in Indiana's great history as a basketball 
State.
  First, the Milan Indians, the great Milan Indians team that were the 
1954 State champions that showed that our single-class basketball, the 
small little engine that could, can win a State title, that is from 
Ripley County in the middle of my State.
  And then the Knightstown gym, where the movie ``Hoosiers'' was 
filmed, is also in Indiana's Sixth Congressional District. I am going 
to throw a chest pass of this basketball over to my colleagues from 
Indiana, where we will show you can catch it. Here you go, Mr. Bucshon.
  Let the Record show he caught the ball, all right, showing he is a 
Hoosier. Bring the House to order, as Marlin said.

[[Page H7560]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Clawson of Florida). The House will be 
in order.
  Mr. MESSER. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
  This Sunday, we celebrate two centuries of statehood, history, 
tradition, and accomplishment in Indiana. We Hoosiers have a great deal 
to be proud of in our State, and in the Sixth District that I 
represent.
  The Sixth District is home to renowned architecture, historical 
landmarks, beautiful parks, and famous Americans. The Wright brothers 
spent part of their childhood in our corner of Indiana. Wilbur was born 
in Millville, and Orville first took up kite building in Richmond, 
Indiana.
  Richmond was also the home to Gennett Records, where some of the 
earliest jazz recordings were ever produced in the late 1910s and early 
1920s, earning Richmond the nickname of the ``cradle of recorded 
jazz.''
  David Letterman attended school at Ball State University in Muncie, 
as did Jim Davis, who is famous for the ``Garfield'' cartoon.
  Hancock County in the Sixth District is the home of the famed Hoosier 
poet, James Whitcomb Riley, who wrote, among other things, ``Little 
Orphant Annie.''
  Columbus is known for beautiful architecture and for being the home 
of the oldest theater in the State, The Crump Theater, built in 1889 by 
John Crump.
  A centuries-old tree grows atop the Decatur County Courthouse Tower, 
giving Greensburg, my hometown where I grew up, the nickname ``Tree 
City.''
  Famous Hoosiers from the Sixth District include Vice President Thomas 
Hendricks, from my adopted hometown of Shelbyville, where my kids began 
our family's life, together with my wife, Jennifer; three-time 
Indianapolis 500 winner Wilbur Shaw; racecar driver Tony Stewart, from 
Columbus; Shelbyville basketball player Bill Garrett; actresses Joyce 
DeWitt and Jamie Hyneman; cinema and television pioneer Francis 
Jenkins; and the list goes on.
  We have also had two Governors hail from our part of the State, 
Oliver Morton, and current Governor, Mike Pence. Now the Sixth District 
will be lucky enough to claim another Vice President, Vice President-
elect, and former Sixth District Congressman, Mike Pence, who we are 
all very proud of.
  In fact, I am so proud of our State, and I don't know that the 
gentleman would know this--I know at least one of our colleagues were 
surprised to learn--but my wife, Jennifer, and I actually wrote a book 
about this great State of Indiana called, ``Hoosier Heart.'' It is a 
book that celebrates the history and traditions of our State, the 
people, its places. I am just going to read the sort of closing passage 
of this book as I wrap up my comments today.
  The book closes this way:

       The word ``Hoosier'' is a mystery. No one knows where it 
     comes from for sure. Some say it was a pioneer greeting. The 
     gentleman here says, Whose year?
       Others say someone once lost an ear, and this young guy 
     asks, Whose ear?
       But whatever a Hoosier used to be, we all know what a 
     Hoosier is today. A Hoosier is someone with Indiana roots, 
     someone who loves our State in every way.
       Hoosiers come in all shapes and sizes, all races, and all 
     creeds. Some Hoosiers don't even live in our State. Over 
     time, some Hoosiers do leave.
       But wherever Hoosiers now live, they are never far apart 
     because the key to being a Hoosier is having a big Hoosier 
     heart.

  Happy birthday, Indiana.
  Mr. ROKITA. Reclaiming my time, it is a great book, as my family 
knows as well, and excellent words from the gentleman from Indiana's 
Sixth Congressional District.
  Throughout this all, Indiana's Fourth Congressional District has more 
than done its part in adding to our State's rich history. The Battle of 
Tippecanoe, for example, which put Indiana on the path to statehood, 
took place in modern-day Lafayette, and gained recognition for General 
William Henry Harrison, who would go on to become our ninth President.
  The Fourth District is also home to the first Indiana State Flag, 
pictured here. This is from about--this was 1916, when our flag design 
was--this flag design was awarded the honor of becoming our official 
flag. It was created by Paul Hadley, of Mooresville, in Indiana's 
Fourth District, for a contest during our State's first Centennial 
celebration.
  Our district is also home to many important landmarks. Boone County 
Courthouse has the largest 1-piece limestone columns in the country. 
Newton County is home to 23 bison, our State animal. And Benton and 
White Counties have one of the largest windmill farms in the Nation.
  This is just a small sample of the great parts of our State and 
district, and our bicentennial celebration has done a fantastic job of 
highlighting these and many others over the past 12 months.
  I have even had the pleasure of participating in several of the 
events, like many of my colleagues have, including selecting a 
bicentennial-themed entry as the winner for our office's Congressional 
Art Competition, and serving as torchbearer for the torch relay.
  The relay saw the bicentennial torch, designed and made by Purdue 
students, travel through each of our 92 counties over the course of 
several weeks, and highlighted both the unique history and the places 
in each part of our State and the common bond that makes all of us 
Hoosiers.
  I served as a torchbearer in Fountain County, and was very impressed 
by the high turnout and enthusiasm. At a time in this Nation's life 
when it is hard to get members of a particular place to act like a 
community because of so many different distractions and diversions and 
how technology has entered our lives, it was humbling, sobering, but 
very prideful to see thousands of people in a relatively small county 
come together for such an event as to see a torch going by and being 
passed along by the county courthouse.
  The Hoosiers, I saw, were well-prepared for the event and were not 
going to let a little bit of rain keep them from coming out and 
celebrating towns and their counties and, most of all, our wonderful 
State.
  The event itself helped to remind me of the most important and unique 
part of our State, and that is the people. Hoosiers are kind and 
gracious people who take pride in their work and in their State. They 
have been the secret to our State's 200 years of success.
  Now, this Sunday's final bicentennial event is entitled ``Igniting 
the Future,'' and it is my belief and hope that it will inspire our 
next generation of Hoosier leaders to continue this record of 
accomplishment, and never forget about what makes this State and our 
country so exceptional, exceptional with a capital E.
  Myself, and my colleagues here from Indiana, look forward to working 
with these future leaders and ensuring the success of our State for 
another 200 years.
  Mr. Speaker, before yielding back, I would like to yield to the 
gentleman from Evansville, Mr. Larry Bucshon.
  Mr. BUCSHON. Mr. Speaker, I want to use some of the last time that we 
have to honor a great Hoosier. I know others will have comments and, 
today, as we recognize Indiana's 200th birthday, it is also important 
to acknowledge the contribution of one of those who has made an 
indelible mark on our shared history.
  Without a doubt, one of those people is a man who delivered his final 
speech from the Senate floor this past week with a heartfelt message 
about preserving the freedoms that make this country so great.
  Senator Dan Coats exemplifies what it means to be a public servant. 
He has dedicated his life to improving the lives of his fellow 
citizens.
  He served his country in the United States Army; he has spent time in 
both the U.S. House and the United States Senate; he served as an 
Ambassador to Germany, assuming that role just 3 days prior to the 
tragic attacks on September 11, 2001.
  After this distinguished career, Senator Coats answered the call to 
serve his fellow citizens once again in the United States Senate, where 
he has been a national leader on reducing Federal spending, fixing our 
economy, and keeping our Nation safe and secure.
  And a little personal story. I was a cardiovascular surgeon prior to 
coming to Congress. And when I spend time at events with Senator Coats, 
he always likes to tell everyone he feels very comfortable because, if 
he has a heart problem, Congressman Bucshon will

[[Page H7561]]

pick up a butter knife or something and fix him up right there on the 
spot.

                              {time}  1600

  It is a really humorous story that I enjoy his telling every time we 
are together at an event. Senator Coats has a great sense of humor. 
While his time in the Senate has come to an end, I am also confident he 
will continue to be a voice and an advocate for the issues he cares 
about most. Our State and our country are lucky to have benefited from 
the service of a great man like Senator Dan Coats.
  I wish Dan and Marsha all the best.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. 
Messer), who represents the Sixth District.
  Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, when given the opportunity to say something 
nice about Dan Coats, I didn't want to pass it up. If I could give one 
word to describe U.S. Senator Dan Coats, it would be ``Hoosier.'' He is 
a person of grace and humility, hard work and humor. He never worried 
about who got credit, loved his country, and made the sacrifices 
through his life and career to make our country better.
  I am honored to call Dan a friend, and I appreciate his mentorship of 
our entire delegation in the time that I have had an opportunity to 
serve here. I suspect Dan's service for our country isn't quite over 
yet, and I look forward to whatever he does next.
  One of the other great things about Dan Coats is he is a family man. 
I certainly wish Dan, Marsha, and their entire family a great future.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentleman is right. I don't know 
if Dan Coats will ever be able to retire. I know he wants to.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), 
who is from the Third Congressional District in the northeast.
  Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I just want to stand here in front of this 
House and this body to honor our Senator, Dan Coats, who served Indiana 
in so many different capacities. I actually have the privilege of 
representing his district, the Third District in northeast Indiana.
  We have such a long line of great leaders from northeast Indiana who 
have served here in Washington from our State, and Dan Coats, of 
course, exemplified a man of character, humbleness, and leadership. He 
followed former Vice President Dan Quayle.
  I also would like to recognize him as well. He is another man who 
showed leadership for our State here in Washington, D.C.
  Both of those gentlemen have been heroes and models for me growing 
up, watching both of them as they took time to come to Washington and 
show what Hoosier leadership is all about.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman again for honoring them today.
  Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.
  In closing this out, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say that Indiana 
has produced no shortage of great statesmen, as we reflected on this 
last half hour, and Senator Dan Coats has indisputably joined their 
ranks after decades of service to both our State and to our country. My 
own history with Senator Coats goes way back to when I was an intern in 
his Senate office. If he were on this floor today, Mr. Speaker, I am 
sure he would say that I was one of the worst interns he ever had. 
Nonetheless, he started my career in politics with that unpaid job that 
was one of the best experiences of my life. He has conservative 
leadership, and I know that he was anxious to get back to helping out 
the office and do whatever he could for the State of Indiana, however 
he could.
  Since those many years ago, since those first observations that I 
have had of Senator Coats, he has gone from Senator, to U.S. Ambassador 
to Germany, and back to Senator again. It is a long and distinguished 
career full of dedication to right ideals and the desire to fight for 
what is best for all Hoosier families and what is best for Americans.
  I appreciate all of the work, as we all do, that Senator Coats has 
done and the causes he has advocated for and for his counsel. As I have 
said, I don't know if he is actually going to be able to retire at this 
time, but whatever his desire, he deserves it.
  I have no doubt that he will continue to represent the best interests 
of our State and this country even after his time in the Senate has 
come to an end. I would like to issue a heartfelt thank-you for all of 
his work, and I wish him my best on all his future endeavors.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I hope you will please join us all in wishing 
Indiana a happy birthday on this wonderful occasion of our 200th 
anniversary.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BROOKS of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and 
recognition of Senator Dan Coats, a U.S. Army veteran, former Member of 
the House of Representatives, United States Ambassador to Germany and a 
great Hoosier. I've had the pleasure of serving with Senator Coats as a 
fellow member of the Indiana delegation since my first term in 2013. In 
fact, the first legislation that I introduced and got passed into law 
was a bill that I worked on with Senator Coats and his team, the Alicia 
Dawn Koehl Respect for National Cemeteries Act.
  During his time in the Senate, he has been a passionate advocate for 
Hoosiers, working on policies that are focused on getting more 
Americans back to work and getting our economy back on track. His 
leadership will be missed, but I know that he and his wife Marsha will 
continue to do great things that make a difference for Hoosiers as they 
begin this next chapter of their lives.
  Thank you, Senator Coats, for all of your work to represent our great 
state of Indiana, and best wishes as you embark on your next adventure.

                          ____________________