[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 108 (Tuesday, June 22, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H2937]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       CONGRATULATING TERRY HAMBY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Terry Hamby of Trigg 
County, Kentucky, for receiving the Distinguished Public Service Award 
for his outstanding leadership as chairman of the World War I 
Centennial Commission. Under Terry's leadership the commission 
completed the construction of the United States National World War I 
Memorial here in Washington, D.C.
  There is no one who better understands the sacrifices of our 
servicemembers than Terry. He served for 26 years in our Nation's 
military, first in the Naval Air Wing during the Vietnam war before 
joining the U.S. Army Reserve.
  After his retirement, Terry continued to honor and serve our Nation's 
military, and was appointed to the World War I Centennial Commission, 
and elected chairman in 2017. In just four years under his leadership, 
the United States National World War I Memorial was completed and 
opened to the public.
  I am privileged to represent Terry in Congress, and I appreciate all 
he does to recognize our Nation's military. I join Terry's family, 
friends, and all of those impacted by his life of service in 
congratulating him on this enormous contribution to our Nation.


                     Congratulating Vernon Anderson

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Vernon 
Anderson of Calloway County on his induction into the Kentucky 
Trapshooters League Hall of Fame.
  Vernon has qualified 10 times for the Kentucky State trapshooters 
team and has been a member of the Kentucky Trapshooters League's board 
of directors for the past 12 years. He humbly describes himself as a 
consistently good trap shooter, but anyone who can hit 99 out of 100 
moving targets at various distances is nothing less than a great shot.
  Vernon has always paved the way for younger generations to 
participate in trap shooting. In 2015, his activism led trap shooting 
to become an official high school sport in Kentucky. He then became 
Calloway County High School's coach, where he has passed on his 
knowledge and passion for the sport to students.
  Once again, I would like to congratulate my friend Vernon on this 
great honor and thank him for his continued service to the students of 
Calloway County, Kentucky.


                  economic issues and rising inflation

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to discuss the current state of our 
economy.
  With ill-advised lockdowns finally ending, our economy should be 
firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, we are, in many ways, stuck in 
the mud.
  America has seen a string of disappointing jobs reports that fall 
short of expectations, and excessive government spending is driving up 
what is effectively a tax increase on every American--inflation.
  Over 8 million jobs are available, even as the government pays people 
not to work. This is creating a dramatic workforce shortage and forcing 
our job creators to compete with the heavy hand of government. In fact, 
our labor participation rate sits at just 61 percent, the lowest total 
this century when you exclude the opening months of the pandemic.
  And the massive spending rammed through by President Biden and 
Speaker Pelosi is only hurting us. Inflation is surging, affecting the 
price of everyday items Americans buy, like milk and gasoline.
  This $2 trillion in new spending came despite an economy that was 
reopening and on the mend, and it made Americans less likely to work 
and the government more likely to waste hard-earned tax dollars.
  But for our Democrat friends, this wasteful spending knows no bounds. 
President Biden has proposed an outrageous $6 trillion Federal budget 
that is a slap in the face to every American taxpayer.
  Instead of focusing on a responsible infrastructure bill that repairs 
our roads and bridges and puts people to work, we see a focus by this 
body on ramming through the Green New Deal and more wasteful spending.
  As leaders, we must change course to create a stronger recovery. As 
our economy reopens, we must respect taxpayers, support small 
businesses, and empower Americans to prosper through the dignity of 
work.


 Honoring the Life and Service of Private First Class Ernest Robertson

  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Private First Class 
Ernest Robertson of Russell County, Kentucky, who served and paid the 
ultimate sacrifice in the Korean war. Ernest was killed in action at 24 
years old, but his remains have never been recovered.
  After basic training at Fort Knox, Ernest was assigned to the U.S. 
Army's Far East Command, M Company, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th 
Infantry Division. On April 23, 1951, he suffered a terrible injury and 
was captured by North Korean forces. On May 6, one day after his 24th 
birthday, Ernest was killed in action.

  The service and sacrifice of our troops must never be forgotten, even 
long after they have perished. It is truly a tragedy that some brave 
soldiers have not yet made it home after their horrible death. We must 
appreciate their sacrifice and remember the cost of freedoms we enjoy 
here in the United States.
  I join with all the First District of Kentucky in thanking Private 
First Class Robertson for his service, and his family for their efforts 
to remember him. He will always be in our thoughts.

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