[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 200 (Wednesday, November 17, 2021)] [Senate] [Page S8342] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO JAMES AND MARTY HARRIS Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today I rise to honor Wisconsin residents James ``Jim'' and Marty Harris for their humanitarian work in Southeast Asia and their embrace of those displaced from that region. These two lifelong educators have made it their life's mission to welcome Hmong and Lao refugee families to Central Wisconsin, as well as make a positive impact for those living in Laos. Over the course of more than 20 years, the Harris' have made over 20 trips to Laos. Beginning in 2000, they began the effort to reconnect families from their Wisconsin community with friends and relatives left behind when they departed their homeland. During these trips, they assisted Lao villagers in desperate need of medical care, helped provide hospitals with medical supplies, and provided many Lao schools with their very first library, a most appropriate endeavor for the now retired elementary school principal and retired English and art teacher. However, their largest impact comes with their assistance in the removal of bombs, land mines, and other unexploded ordnances that dot the Laotian landscape after years of war and turmoil. As Jim told me during a visit I made to Laos several years ago, ``Many villagers are waiting 40 years for four days of help.'' To address this, the Harris's founded the nonprofit ``We Help War Victims,'' an organization that assists survivors of war and other conflicts to rebuild their lives. With half of its annual budget stemming from fundraising sales of Lao coffee beans, it allows paid teams to continue ordnance removal even when Jim and Marty aren't able to be halfway around the world. Countless lives and limbs have been saved because of this continuing work and dedication. Now, villages can enjoy expanded gardens and rice fields. This increased agricultural output allows these populations to better sustain themselves and provide food for neighboring communities. With every trip, Jim returned to Wisconsin with relics and mementos gathered during his time in Laos. Slowly, this collection has amassed to become one of, if not the largest, known private collection of Southeast Asian artifacts in all of the United States. Jim started off by displaying some of these items at the school he worked at as principal. In 2016, he made the collection more accessible by developing an exhibition called ``From Laos to America: The Spirit of '76'', which was housed at the Wausau Center Mall in Wausau, WI. Since then, more than 10,000 people have visited the museum. The ``From Laos to America'' collection now enters into a new chapter in 2021. This impressive collection has found a new home in Washington Square in downtown Wausau. Jim and Marty have also partnered with the Hmong American Center to ensure that this collection remains in central Wisconsin. This new home will highlight the full collection and provide educational opportunities so the community and visitors alike can learn more about the Southeast Asian refugee experience. I am pleased to celebrate this important partnership and the new home for this important collection, and I am proud to commend Jim and Marty on their tireless humanitarian work and advocacy in Southeast Asia and in central Wisconsin. ____________________