[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF SCOTT'S DOWNTOWN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Collins) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
Scott's Downtown in Gainesville, Georgia. Recently, the restaurant 
celebrated its 10th anniversary, and, to mark this achievement, the 
staff chose to honor local law enforcement with a luncheon.
  When Scott Dixon first opened Scott's Downtown in 2007, he took the 
first step in pursuing his long-held dream.
  Scott began bussing tables at the age of 13 and worked his way up the 
ladder in the restaurant industry. Over the course of his career, he 
has developed a passion for brightening people's days with food and a 
friendly heart.
  A decade in, Scott's Downtown is a Gainesville favorite, known for 
providing residents with exceptional food. Rather than highlight this 
success, however, Scott's Downtown points to the courage and service of 
our law enforcement officials who put their lives on the line each day 
to protect our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Scott's Downtown on their first 10 years 
of service, and I join them in thanking the brave men and women in blue 
who make Gainesville a safe and beautiful place to live.


       Celebrating Z. Brown Distillery's 500th Barrel of Bourbon

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the staff 
at Z. Brown Distillery in Dahlonega, Georgia, in celebrating their 
500th barrel of northeast Georgia bourbon.
  The partnership of master distiller Jeff Odem; his wife, Diane Kelly; 
and Dahlonega native and Grammy award-winning musician Zac Brown is 
great news for Lumpkin County. They are turning local crops into high-
quality, small-batch spirits. In the span of a few weeks, business has 
already taken off with the construction of two new buildings for 
expansion.
  My friends and neighbors in northeast Georgia can agree that it's the 
little things in life that mean the most. This distillery captures the 
warm, inviting nature of the Georgia mountains in its product.
  The distillery welcomes visitors from near and far, and leaves them 
with a greater appreciation for the tastes of Appalachia. I 
congratulate Z. Brown Distillery on its success, and I wish its team 
the best as their young business branches out in northeast Georgia.


                  Joining Hands in the March for Life

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the 
45th annual March for Life, which takes place this Friday.
  Across our country, Americans will help defend innocent lives by 
giving them a clear voice in Washington. We are a nation of people who 
strive to fight for individual freedoms, yet we deprive the unborn of 
their most fundamental liberty: the right to a birthday.
  As a father of three, a pastor, and an Air Force chaplain, I believe 
we have a sacred responsibility to protect the lives of the unborn. 
Every life has value and every child deserves a birthday.
  This week, the House will vote to increase protections for unborn 
Americans through the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. 
This legislation would ensure that a child born after a failed abortion 
attempt receives the same life-giving medical care that any newborn 
would receive. The bill would also prohibit medical providers from 
continuing the abortion procedure postbirth.
  No one should be able to end another person's life, no matter how 
small, for convenience. Northeast Georgians value life, and I am 
thankful to join them in the fight against abortion and to promote 
bright futures for all Americans--the born and unborn--among us.
  To the father, it is mentioned many times, that you care for your 
children. On these days and this week, I harken back almost 26 years 
ago to when my daughter, Jordan, was born. Jordan was born with spina 
bifida. When many said to my wife and me that we had choices to end, I 
am happy to say that almost every day I wake up to a text from my 
daughter that says: ``Good morning, Daddy. I'm headed to work.''
  All life is precious. All life deserves a chance. Every day I am 
blessed with the knowledge that the choice we made, and the choice that 
we would have always made, was for our precious daughter, Jordan, and 
for all of those who are seeking a birthday.

                          ____________________