[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 152 (Friday, September 20, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7858-H7860]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FINANCIAL SERVICES ARBITRATION IS BETTER FOR CONSUMERS
(Mr. BARR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. BARR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to explain my opposition and vote
against the bill that was on the floor earlier today, H.R. 1423, the
Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act. I would like to highlight its
negative impact on financial services.
Financial services providers and their customers use arbitration to
settle disputes because it is easier, faster, and less costly for
consumers than litigation. Forcing parties into litigation would
dramatically extend the time before a customer is made whole and would
significantly increase legal fees for all parties.
These increased costs are ultimately passed along to consumers
through higher fees and fewer options, and they would negatively impact
any American who has a bank account, credit card, or retirement plan.
We have had that debate before.
Dodd-Frank directed that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
promulgate a rule on mandatory arbitration. While Congress overturned
that rule in 2017 because it would adversely impact consumers, the
Obama administration's own study found that the average consumer
receives approximately $5,400 through arbitration and only $32 through
a class action lawsuit. That means the average customer who prevailed
in arbitration received 166 times more than the average class member in
class action settlements.
Mr. Speaker, my time has expired, but I would urge opposition to this
wrongheaded idea in the United States Senate.
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RECOGNIZING BURMA BEAL'S 100TH BIRTHDAY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Flores) is recognized
for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Burma Beal of
Bryan, Texas, who turned 100 years old on September 15, 2019.
Burma Faye Ellis Beal was born September 15, 1919, in Jewett, Texas,
to Wade and Susan Ellis. She grew up in Jewett and was known as the
girl who climbed to the top of the water tower when she was just 12
years old. She graduated from Jewett High School as salutatorian in
1936, where she played tennis and participated in the Texas State
tournament for this sport.
In 1937, Burma graduated from the Austin Beauty School. Just a year
later, she married Oren Beal. Together, they would have 3 children, 6
grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.
After moving to Bryan, Texas, Burma owned and operated Burma's Beauty
Shop for 46 years. In that time, she forged many strong friendships.
Burma was deeply involved in her community and her church, Central
Church in Bryan-College Station.
Burma and Oren also loved supporting the Texas A&M Aggies and were
season ticket holders for football and basketball games for more than
35 years.
Through their church, Burma and Oren took part in the Adoptive
Grandparent Program, in which they befriended students at Texas A&M.
They formed such a strong bond with one young Aggie that she asked
Burma and Oren to be a bridesmaid and groomsman in her wedding.
Burma is well-known among her loved ones for two things: her love for
Coca-Cola and her world-famous peanut brittle. She has collected many
pieces of Coca-Cola memorabilia and still drinks a Coke every day.
Also, every year, from October until Christmas, Burma is known for
making delicious peanut brittle to give to friends and family, as well
as her doctor, the postman, the staff at her HEB store, bankers,
pharmacists, and many more. Her recipe is so good that, when her son-
in-law took it to the Texas State Fair, it won third prize.
Burma has a giving spirit and aspires to bring joy to others. During
her nineties, she made regular trips to nursing homes to visit with
their residents and went grocery shopping for a homebound neighbor.
Even now, as a resident of Crestview Retirement Home in Bryan, she
spreads cheer to her friends. She prays for a long list of people every
night and spends her time showing Jesus' love to others.
Mr. Speaker, Burma Beal has lived a long life filled with love, joy,
and service to others. I am proud to recognize her on this joyous
occasion, and I know that her family and friends love her and are proud
of her. I wish Burma many more years of health and happiness.
I have requested that a United States flag be flown over our Nation's
Capitol to recognize Burma Beal's 100th birthday.
As I close today, I urge all Americans to continue to pray for our
country, for our veterans, for our military men and women who protect
us, and for our first responders who keep us safe at home.
Honoring Sergeant Major James Sartor
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sergeant Major James
Gregory ``Ryan'' Sartor of Teague, Texas.
Sergeant Major Sartor was killed on July 13, 2019, after he sustained
injuries from enemy fire in Faryab province, Afghanistan.
Sergeant Major Sartor was born September 23, 1978, in Teague, Texas,
to James Sartor and Mary Teresa ``Terri'' Pryor. He was an excellent
football player and graduated from Teague High School in 1997.
After graduation, he moved to College Station to work, where, in the
fall of 2000, he met the love of his life and future spouse, Deanna
Unger. They married in 2002 and were blessed with three children:
Stryder, Grace, and Garrett.
Shortly after Sergeant Major Sartor and Deanna started dating, he
joined the United States Army. He was deployed to Iraq for the first
time in 2002 as an infantryman assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division.
In 2005, Sergeant Major Sartor became a Green Beret and was assigned to
A Company, 2nd Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group, Airborne, in Fort
Carson, Colorado. He was stationed there with his family for the last
14 years.
During his career, Sergeant Major Sartor was deployed several times,
returning to Iraq in 2006, 2007, 2009, and from 2010 to 2011. He also
deployed to Germany and Israel in 2008, to Africa in
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2012 and 2013, and to Afghanistan in 2017 and 2019. Sergeant Major
Sartor's service made him a highly decorated soldier.
Sergeant Major Sartor received more than 20 awards and decorations
for his bravery during his service to our country. His awards include
the following: the Bronze Star Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Joint Service Commendation
Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the
Army Achievement Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation Award, the Joint
Meritorious Unit Award, the Valorous Unit Award with two oak leaf
clusters, the Meritorious Unit Citation with one oak leaf cluster, and
the National Defense Service Medal.
He also earned the Special Forces Tab, the Ranger Tab with the title
of Honor Grad, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Senior Parachutist
Badge, the Special Operations Diver Badge, and the Dive Supervisor
Badge.
Posthumously, Sergeant Major Sartor has also received a Purple Heart
and a Bronze Star.
Sergeant Major Sartor was described as a ``beloved warrior who
epitomized the quiet professional. He led his soldiers from the front,
and his presence will be terribly missed.''
Mr. Speaker, Sergeant Major Sartor was a fearless leader and a
decorated soldier. His selfless devotion to protect our country will be
forever remembered. Furthermore, he will be forever remembered as a
devoted husband, a father, a son, a soldier, a selfless servant, and a
loyal friend to many.
All Americans thank him and his family for their service and their
sacrifice for our country. His sacrifice truly reflects the words of
Jesus in John 15:13: ``Greater love hath no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends.''
The loss of Sergeant Major Sartor serves as a reminder of the
sacrifices the men and women of our Armed Forces make each day to
preserve the freedom for this great Nation. We are forever in debt to
these committed individuals who serve our country.
My wife, Gina, and I offer our deepest and heartfelt condolences to
the Sartor family. We also lift up the family and friends of Ryan
Sartor in our prayers.
I have requested that a United States flag be flown over our Nation's
Capitol to honor his life and legacy.
As I close today, I urge all Americans to continue praying for our
country, for our veterans, for our military men and women who protect
us, and for our first responders who keep us safe here at home.
Honoring Matthew Randell Gurule
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Matthew Randell Gurule
of Belen, New Mexico, who passed away on August 17, 2019.
Matthew was born on January 12, 1987, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, to
Matthew and Sandra Gurule. In 1996, Matthew moved to central Texas with
his mom and his sister. He graduated from China Spring High School in
2004 and joined the United States Marine Corps on November 7, 2005.
Matthew served many tours of duty during his time in the Marine
Corps. He deployed to Iraq in 2006, 2007, and 2008 and to Afghanistan
in 2009. He was highly decorated and received many awards, including:
the Combat Action Ribbon, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, the Sea
Service Deployment Ribbon with two stars, the Afghanistan Campaign
Medal with one star, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal,
the Iraq Campaign with one star, the Global War on Terrorism Service
Medal, the NATO Medal International Security Assistance Force
Afghanistan, a Certificate of Appreciation, a Letter of Appreciation,
and Rifle Marksman Badge.
After his time in the Marine Corps, Matthew wanted to work alongside
his father at Albuquerque Downs. He attended the Lookout Mountain
School of Horseshoeing in 2012 and obtained his certification as a
horse farrier. Looking to expand his skills, Matthew changed career
fields and most recently was a mason at Cameron's Custom Homes.
Matthew had a number of interests and hobbies, which included
singing, dancing, and cooking. He was noted for making a good batch of
salsa, steak, baked potatoes, and green chile spaghetti. Matthew also
enjoyed reading, especially about historical subjects such as the
Knights Templar and the Mongol Empire.
Matthew was taken from this Earth too soon. He was last seen on July
27, 2019, leaving the Isleta Casino in Albuquerque. His car was later
discovered burned and abandoned in the desert. After not hearing from
Matthew for several days, his mother, Sandra Miller, traveled to New
Mexico to look for her son. She discovered that his credit cards were
fraudulently being used, and she was able to obtain video surveillance
of the criminals who were using them. Her work led to the eventual
arrest of the two people charged with Matthew's murder. His body was
later found in the New Mexico desert on August 16, 2019.
Through their senseless act of violence, these criminals have caused
an enormous amount of pain for all those who knew and loved Matthew. In
this time of tragedy, I am deeply moved by Sandra's love for her son.
As a father and grandfather, I can only imagine the grief felt by
Sandra. I am in awe of her extraordinary efforts to find her son and
bring his killers to justice. I commend her for her work and the
example she gave of the eternal love a parent has for their children.
Mr. Speaker, Matthew Gurule's life was defined by his service to our
country. He will be forever remembered as a loyal son, a brother, a
veteran, a selfless servant, and a friend to many.
My wife, Gina, and I offer our deepest and heartfelt condolences to
the Gurule family. We also lift up the family and friends of Matthew
Gurule in our prayers.
I have requested that a United States flag be flown over the Nation's
Capitol to honor his life and legacy.
As I close today, I urge all Americans to continue praying for our
country, for our veterans, and for our first responders who keep us
safe and secure.
Honoring Dr. John Joseph Koldus III
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. John Joseph Koldus
III of College Station, Texas, who passed away on August 12, 2019.
Before continuing with my recognition of Dr. Koldus, I would like to
provide background on Texas A&M University in College Station and its
core values.
In the front of the academic building on the campus of the
university, there is a statue of Lawrence Sullivan Ross, the sixth
president of the university. That statue contains the following
inscription: ``Lawrence Sullivan Ross, 1838-1898, Soldier, Statesman,
and Knightly Gentleman; Brigadier General C.S.A., Governor of Texas,
President of the A&M College.''
The key words in this inscription are ``soldier, statesman, and
knightly gentleman.'' They reflect some of the key ways that Texas
Aggies live the Texas A&M core values of excellence, integrity,
leadership, loyalty, respect, and selfless service.
Moving on to my recognition of Dr. Koldus, John was born February 10,
1930, in Gary, Indiana, to John Joseph Koldus II and Helen Kukoy
Koldus. He was an outstanding athlete and lettered in football,
basketball, baseball, and track. He was named the Most Athletic Boy in
the Gary School District.
After graduation, he worked at U.S. Steel on Lake Michigan, just as
his father had done. John then realized that higher education was a way
to improve himself, and he attended Arkansas State University. At
Arkansas State, he was a middleweight Golden Gloves champion and
lettered 2 years in baseball and 3 years in football, capturing many
individual records for the school.
In 1953, John graduated from ASU and was commissioned as a second
lieutenant in the United States Army. John served in the Army until
1955.
Following his military service, he began teaching at Blytheville High
School in Blytheville, Arkansas. John taught from 1955 to 1959, and
during the summers he attended the University of Arkansas in
Fayetteville to complete his master's degree and to begin his doctorate
studies.
During his time as a teacher, John met Mary Dell Hooker. Their first
date was a tennis match, and their competitive athletic spirits
fostered a strong relationship. They married on May 31, 1958.
In 1973, John began his 20-year career at Texas A&M University in
College Station, Texas, as vice president of student services. John was
instrumental
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in guiding the university through an era of incredible growth and
change, as tens of thousands of women began attending the university,
and by creating a unique culture which provided Aggie students with
extensive leadership opportunities. In his role as vice president of
student services, John had a deep and impactful relationship with the
students of Texas A&M.
He had oversight of a number of organizations, including the Corps of
Cadets, Recreational Sports, the Memorial Student Center, Student
Activities, Student Affairs, Student Health Services, and Student Legal
Services. During his time at Texas A&M, the number of student
organizations doubled to more than 700. John also taught classes and
served on many academic committees for graduate students.
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In his 20 years at Texas A&M, John was a recipient of 15 significant
awards, including the Association of College and University Student
Personnel Administrators' Distinguished Service Award, The Association
of Former Students' Distinguished Achievement Award for Student
Relations, the Buck Weirus Spirit Award, and the National Association
of Student Personnel Administrators Region III Outstanding Service to
NASPA Award in 1984.
In 1985, this latter award was named in his honor as a reflection of
his impact on student services all across this Nation. John's impact on
the university was so meaningful, that when he retired in 1993, he was
the recipient of the President's Medallion of Achievement, and he was
named Vice President Emeritus of Texas A&M University.
The Student Services Building was also renamed the John J. Koldus
Building, and the Texas A&M Foundation also created the John J. Koldus
Quality of Student Life Endowment. Although neither he nor Mary Dell
were graduates of Texas A&M, in 2006 they were bestowed by proclamation
the title of ``Texas Aggies.''
In the beginning of this recognition, I discussed the attributes--
soldier, statesman, knightly gentleman, and the core values of Texas
A&M University: Excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, respect and
selfless service. The reason I discussed these attributes and these
values is this:
Dr. Koldus was a soldier, a statesman, a knightly gentleman, and he
personified A&M's core values of excellence, integrity, leadership,
loyalty, respect, and selfless service. More importantly, he helped
share and model those attributes and values to the Texas A&M student
body through his mentoring capabilities. His skills in this regard were
noteworthy as he mentored thousands of Aggies who started their
education at A&M as, what I would call, ``diamonds in the rough.''
I want to continue discussing this subject, because I was one of
those persons who arrived at A&M pretty rough around the edges. Early
on, as an Aggie student, Dr. Koldus identified me as a person who might
have some promise, and he invested his time and leadership skills into
my education. His mentoring and friendship had an indelible impact on
me as he tried to mold me to be a soldier, statesman, knightly
gentleman, and he helped me live and adopt those significant Aggie core
values.
The bottom line is that John Koldus had a huge impact on tens of
thousands of Texas Aggies, and upon me. He was a great friend, and I
miss him dearly.
Mr. Speaker, John Koldus' life was defined by his service to his
family, to our country, and to Texas A&M University. He will be forever
remembered as a husband, a father, a grandfather, a great-grandfather,
a veteran, a mentor, a selfless servant, and a friend to thousands, if
not tens of thousands.
My wife, Gina, and I offer deepest and heartfelt condolences to the
Koldus family. We also lift up the family and friends of John Koldus in
our prayers. I have requested the United States flag be flown over our
Nation's Capitol to honor his life and legacy.
As I close today, I urge all Americans to continue to pray for our
country during these difficult times, for our military who protects us
abroad, and for our first responders who keep us safe at home.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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