[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 61 (Friday, March 27, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E334-E335]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LEADERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 27, 2020

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I am grateful during 
this National Emergency to face the coronavirus pandemic many dedicated 
and extraordinary leaders have come forward to protect American 
families.
  The White House briefings have been informative and encouraging with 
President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, U.S. Surgeon General 
Dr. Jerome Adams, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human 
Services (HHS) Alex Azar, White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator 
Dr. Deborah Birx, Acting Deputy Department of Homeland Security 
Secretary Ken Cuccinelli, Head of the National Institute of Allergy and 
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the Centers 
for Disease Control and Prevention Dr. Robert Redfield, and 
Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema 
Verma.
  I appreciate hosting townhalls by telephone with professional 
participants Dr. Jonathan Knoche of the South Carolina Department of 
Health and Environmental Control, Jeremy Wheeler Congressional 
Relations Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs Southeast 
Region, District Director Gregg White from the South Carolina Small 
Business Administration SBA Counselor Savannah Wilburn, Jamie Suber, 
the Interim Chief Administration Officer of the South Carolina 
Department of Employment and Workforce, Dr. Steve Shelton of Emergency 
Management for the Prisma Health-Midlands, Dr. L. Brannon Traxler of 
the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 
Dr. John Gnann of the Medical University of South Carolina and with 
Deputy Director Chuck Bundy of the S.C. Department of Commerce.
  In the District, Governor Henry McMaster has been a defender of the 
families of South Carolina with Adjutant General Van McCarty, Emergency 
Preparedness Director Kim Stenson, School Superintendent Molly 
Spearman, Agriculture Commissioner Hugh Weathers, and Attorney General 
Alan Wilson. Local officials have been effective in combating this 
virus with Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, Lexington Mayor Steve 
MacDougall, Aiken Mayor Rick Osbon along with local law enforcement and 
all first responders with Sheriffs Leon Lott of Richland, Jay Koon of 
Lexington, Michael Hunt of Aiken, Ed Carrol of Barnwell, and Leroy 
Ravenell of Orangeburg.
  The Second Congressional District Staff I have faith in, and they 
have fulfilled their duties on behalf of citizens. Chief of Staff 
Jonathan Day has ably led the Washington staff of Oren Adaki, Drew 
Kennedy, Leah Grace Denny, Emily Saleeby, Stephanie Pendarvis Jeremy 
Tillman, McLaurine Pinover, Joshua Grant, Daniel Ramirez, and Omar 
Hossino. District Director Alex Morris has always been available to the 
public for constituent service along with Laura Batey, Millie Powell, 
Hal Wade, Jeffrey Crosby, Byron Thomas, Sam Orr, Butch Wallace. Aiken 
and Barnwell Deputy Director Marth Ruthven along with Garrett Dragano 
with Evan Caldwell work tirelessly in promoting families.
  Our office has been assisted by private sector leaders capably 
stepping up to face the invisible threat. Beginning with our medical 
and hospital professionals. All members of the community are courageous 
in standing up with churches and religious leaders, pharmacies, food 
stores, trucking with leaders Bill and Tobin Cassels, restaurants for 
being innovative with drive up service as developed by

[[Page E335]]

Alex Koutrakas, Ted Stambolitis with Gus and Pete Manos, motels and 
hotels inspired by the Asian American Hotel Owners of America, 
convenience stores led by Seema Shrivastava-Patel, truck stops, 
agriculture, the military led by Fort Jackson Commander Milford Beagle, 
the National Federation of Independent Business promoted successfully 
by Director Ben Homeyer, local chambers of commerce inspired by Terri 
Smith, Terra Carrol, David Jamison, Kerry Powers, Carl Blackstone, Otis 
Rawl, Richard Skipper, and Ted Pitts, the pharmaceutical industry with 
Lou Kennedy of Nephron, educators with innovative distance learning, 
Postal workers, insurance personnel with AFLAC and Blue Cross/Blue 
Shield, Midlands talk radio hosts Keven Cohen, Gary David, Kelly Nash, 
and Jonathan Rush, and Christopher Thompson, delivery services such as 
UPS of West Columbia, airline pilots, mechanics, and flight attendants, 
veterans service organizations, online sales personnel such as Amazon 
of Cayce, financial services industry led by Kim Wilkerson, Mike 
Brenan, and Scott Woods, and vital large corporations such as Boeing 
with suppliers Zeus, Prysmian, and AGY.
  Our prayers for the people of South Carolina and America in this 
worldwide crisis.
  We are confident of the leadership of President Donald Trump and Vice 
President Mike Pence with Governor Henry McMaster.
  God Bless America.

                          ____________________