[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 99 (Thursday, June 14, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5160-H5161]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING RABBI JOEL SIMON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a faith leader in 
our community who has made a tremendous impact on individuals in our 
home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

[[Page H5161]]

  Rabbi Joel Simon of the Shir Ami Synagogue in Newtown, has been a 
transformative force in providing spiritual guidance to his 
congregants. During his tenure, Mr. Speaker, at the Reform 
congregation, Joel has made great strides to enhance the educational 
environment for the over 700 families who attend Shir Ami. A strong 
proponent of strengthening Jewish identity, Rabbi Simon oversees 
community building exercises such as yoga, youth groups, and theater 
trips.
  Rabbi Simon will be departing Shir Ami on Saturday to return to his 
home in Florida. While he will be dearly missed by our community, we 
are sure that he will flourish in his next chapter. We wish him; his 
wife, Jacent; and their entire family all the best going forward.


                          Bucks County Heroes

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize several 
individuals from our community in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who 
administered first aid that would ultimately save the life of a beloved 
school bus driver.
  In January, Janet Lapsley suffered a life-threatening medical 
emergency. Discovered unconscious by fellow bus driver Bob Fay, Janet 
was found to be lacking a pulse. With the help of Bob and drivers Brent 
Briggs, Danny Shimp, and Jeff Randolph, Janet received CPR and oxygen. 
With the assistance of school nurse Dawn Fulton and athletic trainer 
Katie Holmes, Janet received the additional treatment she needed to 
survive while first responders were on the way.
  I would like to commend the first responders, who worked collectively 
and professionally to save Janet's life. They are Ottsville Fire 
Company Chief William Shick, Deputy Chief James Keogh, Firefighter and 
EMT Jeff Lauble, and Junior Firefighter Evelyn Keogh.
  The weekend following this health scare, Janet's brain activity 
hovered between 3 percent and 5 percent. However, with the help of a 
team of doctors and many prayers, Janet slowly recovered and is now 
working as a monitor on bus 97, continuing to assist the children she 
cares so deeply about.
  I would like to thank Bob, Brent, Danny, Jeff, Dawn, Katie, William, 
James, Jeff, and Evelyn for their courageous actions. Their knowledge 
and quick thinking truly saved the life of a dedicated community 
servant. I encourage all of my constituents to follow their lead and, 
as an EMT, educate themselves on the power of first-aid techniques to 
save lives every single day.


       Honoring the Work of Teachers Marc Cutillo and Joan Savion

  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a teacher in 
Bucks County, Pennsylvania, who is working to break down barriers both 
in and out of the classroom.
  Marc Cutillo, a biology teacher and special education teacher at 
William Tennent High School in Warminster, was recently a recipient of 
the Teacher as Hero award from the National Liberty Museum and State 
Farm Insurance. He was honored for his work teaching a science class 
for students which doubles as an English language class. Additionally, 
Marc has teamed up with fellow William Tennent teacher Joan Savion to 
establish Aqui Para Ti, a community group that seeks to strengthen 
relationships with the Latino community in the Centennial School 
District.
  I applaud Marc and Joan for their work in bridging the language and 
learning gap for students in our community. By giving them the tools to 
succeed, Marc and Joan are paving a brighter future for the next 
generation.

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