[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 209 (Friday, December 3, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1312-E1313]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL OF THE HOUSTON PILOTS ASSOCIATION

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BRIAN BABIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 3, 2021

  Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial of 
the Houston Pilots Association. Over the last century, they have 
faithfully provided pilotage services to foreign and domestic vessels 
entering and departing the Port of Houston.
  The Houston Ship Channel (HSC) is one of the narrowest and busiest 
ports in the world, with 21,000 commercial vessels and more than 247 
million tons of cargo in transit each year. It provides 3.2 million 
jobs and contributes $802 billion to America's yearly economy. In fact, 
more than 20 percent of Texas' gross domestic product (GDP) is 
supported by the HSC. The Houston pilots are responsible for 
maneuvering vessels safely and efficiently to and from docks through 
the narrow and congested Houston Ship Channel. Without the knowledge 
and expertise of the Houston pilots, our great state would not be 
flourishing.
  The origin of the Houston pilots dates back to 1916 when L. Fred 
Allien and J. William Laughton received gubernatorial appointments as 
pilots for the Port of Houston and Galveston Bay. The official 
formation of the Houston Pilots Association occurred five years later, 
in 1921, when four more men were appointed to ensure the safety of 
ships and their crews entering and exiting the HSC. Their work laid the 
foundation for future generations of pilots.
  The Houston pilots are a team of skilled ship handlers, commissioned 
by the governor of the Lone Star State to protect Houston's most vital 
waterway. Since 1921, 251 pilots have proudly served the Houston Ship 
Channel. Their names, units of service, and years of service are listed 
below:
  George Allien, Unit No. 1, 1921-1940; James B. Birch, Unit No. 2, 
1921-1935; Charles H. McLean, Unit No. 3, 1921-1950; W. Joseph 
Weikerth, Unit No. 4, 1921-1933; Charles O'Brien, Unit No. 5, 1922-
1952; Charles H. Baether, Unit No. 6, 1924-1946; Charles S. Borup, Unit 
No. 7, 1924-1949; Ezra Sherman, Unit No. 8, 1924-1936; Joseph G. 
Basquez, Unit No. 9, 1924-1938; Jesse S. Charpentier, Unit No. 10, 
1925-1949; Audley Lancaster, Unit No. 11, 1925-1946; Leo Skinner, Unit 
No. 12, 1925-1952; Mason Wiggins, Unit No. 13, 1926-1949; George W. 
Allen, Unit No. 14, 1927-1943; Guy M. Stanton, Unit No. 15, 1927-1934; 
Edward B. Mercer Sr., Unit No. 16, 1928-1950; Albert S. Barrow, Unit 
No. 17, 1929-1935; Hugh C. Cage, Unit No. 18, 1930-1962; Nick J. 
Morina, Unit No. 19, 1931-1959; John R. Rowland, Unit No. 20, 1931-
1949; Roy C. Blodgett, Unit No. 21, 1932-1960; V. A. Bujan, Unit No. 
22, 1932-1934; Henry Corry, Unit No. 23, 1932-1961; W. E. Dunlap, Unit 
No. 24, 1932-1956; J. F. Cook, Unit No. 25, 1938-1956; Charles H. 
Fuller, Unit No. 26, 1938-1957; Coney T. McMains, Unit No. 27, 1938-
1965; Holt P. Daniels, Unit No. 28, 1940-1957; M. F. Russell, Unit No. 
29, 1943-1958; James E. McNary, Unit No. 30, 1947-1972; I.E. Wicker, 
Unit No. 31, 1947-1958; Charles Barfield, Unit No. 32, 1948-1967; David 
O. Duncan, Unit No. 33, 1948-1961; Kenneth B. Plash, Unit No. 34, 1948-
1959; Merl E. Palmer, Unit No. 35, 1948-1959; Lewis Bennett, Unit No. 
36, 1951-1965; Fred A. Parker, Unit No. 37, 1951-1969; Jack E. Rowland, 
Unit No. 38, 1951-1973; Curtis W. Burlison, Unit No. 39, 1951-1971; 
Arthur S. Borup, Unit No. 40, 1951-1969; A.G. Roye, Unit No. 41, 1952-
1958; Edward B. Mercer Jr., Unit No. 42, 1951-1992; Thomas H. Bratcher, 
Unit No. 43, 1952-1970; William W. Steinhart, Unit No. 44, 1952-1984; 
Lee Roy Murray Jr., Unit No. 45, 1952-1984; Paul Collie, Unit No. 46, 
1953-1986; Elmer C. Bell, Unit No. 47, 1953-1986; Robert D. Moss, Unit 
No. 48, 1957-1966; Harold B. Willis, Unit No. 49, 1957-1980; Philip 
Pizzitola, Unit No. 50, 1956-1996; Pat J. Neely Jr., Unit No. 51, 1957-
1992; Robert E. Adams, Unit No. 52, 1957-1994; Thomas N. Lightsey Jr., 
Unit No. 53, 1957-1993; Leroy Arthur, Unit No. 54, 1957-1977; James C. 
Wall, Unit No. 55, 1958-1987; Jack W. Vetter, Unit No. 56, 1958-1991; 
A. Thomas Gibson, Unit No. 57,

[[Page E1313]]

1959-1968; Walter C. Nixon, Unit No. 58, 1958-1996; Neill W. Ray, Unit 
No. 59, 1958-1991; Tommy E. Longino, Unit No. 60, 1958-1995; Robert E. 
Wicker, Unit No. 61, 1960-1974; James F. Johnson, Unit No. 62, 1960-
1974; James W. Pearson, Unit No. 63, 1959-1988; Billy F. Mahaffey, Unit 
No. 64, 1959-1985; Charles C. Lary Jr., Unit No. 65, 1959-1983; Paul A. 
Galler, Unit No. 66, 1960-1974; Zane Skinner, Unit No. 67, 1960-1990; 
Renee S. Aguillard, Unit No. 68, 1960-1968; Jack B. Niday Jr., Unit No. 
69, 1960-1985; Jay C. Browning, Unit No. 70, 1961-1989; H. E. Andersen, 
Unit No. 71, 1961-1993; Arthur Tuttle Jr., Unit No. 72, 1961-1991; 
Wesley B. Parker, Unit No. 73, 1961-1987; Earl C. Goodwin, Unit No. 74, 
1966-1997; Robert D. Bennett, Unit No. 75, 1967-1995; Edwin L. Bruce, 
Unit No. 76, 1967-1994; Eugene C. Garrison, Unit No. 77, 1967-1987; 
Robert L. White Jr., Unit No. 78, 1968-1988; Roy R. Faulkner, Unit No. 
79, 1968-1996; Roger H. Sutton, Unit No. 80, 1968-1989; Lindy A. 
LeBert, Unit No. 81, 1968-1997; Eldridge Larry Burnthorne, Unit No. 82, 
1971-1992; Henry Jesse Gibson, Unit No. 83, 1971-1983; Charles A. 
Schuessler, Unit No. 84, 1971-1992; Francis Michael Kershaw, Unit No. 
85, 1972-1984; James L. Griffin, Unit No. 86, 1973-1988; Jimmie L. 
Williams, Unit No. 87, 1974-1985; Leslie Palmer, Unit No. 88, 1974-
2002; Jack W. Roland, Unit No. 89, 1974-2001; Michael K. Lawson, Unit 
No. 90, 1975-2009; Donald A. Clark, Unit No. 91, 1975-1986; Allan R. 
Barry, Unit No. 92, 1977-2007; Stewart G. Corry, Unit No. 93, 1977-
2000; John C. Chapman, Unit No. 94, 1977-2008; Harry L. Lydick Jr., 
Unit No. 95, 1978-2014; Richard C. Schultheis, Unit No. 96, 1978-2006; 
Michael P. Gale, Unit No. 97, 1979-1996; Thomas E. Phelps, Unit No. 98, 
1979-2014; Joseph W. Warfield, Unit No. 99, 1980-2011; Raymond J. 
Fincher, Unit No. 100, 1980-2005; James Joseph Donnelly, Unit No. 101, 
1980-2005; Pieter C. Duif, Unit No. 102, 1980-1982; Robert M. Bratcher, 
Unit No. 104, 1980-2005; Ernest D. Reed, Unit No. 105, 1980-2011; Lance 
A. Miller, Unit No. 106, 1980-2005; David A. Smith, Unit No. 107, 1982-
2010 Monte B. Warren, Unit No. 108, 1982-2018; Charles C. Lary, Unit 
No. 109, 1985-2018; Charles H. Picton, Unit No. 110, 1985-2015; Paul G. 
Brown, Unit No. 111, 1985-2018; R. Leonard Glass, Unit No. 112, 1986-
2009; Thomas L. Gibson, Unit No. 113, 1986-2013; Armando Luna, Unit No. 
114, 1986-2014; John B. Niday, Unit No. 115, 1987-2007; Walter F. 
Russell, Unit No. 116, 1987-2005; Charles Edward Larsen, Unit No. 117, 
1988-2011; Louis C. Vest, Unit No. 118, 1988-2015; James R. Wall, Unit 
No. 119, 1989-2004; Robert L. Thompson, Unit No. 120, 1989-present; 
Randy L. Rhoads, Unit No. 121, 1989-2015; Daniel J. Doty, Unit No. 122, 
1989-2020; Richard D. Moore, Unit No. 123, 1990-2018; Bobby W. Kirk, 
Unit No. 124, 1990-2015; Scott J. Browning, Unit No. 125, 1991-2020; 
Larry E. Walters, Unit No. 126, 1991-2015; Richard J. Teeter, Unit No. 
127, 1991-2021; Richard H. Fisher, Unit No. 128, 1992-2012; Paul F. 
Dunaway, Unit No. 129, 1992-2017; Michael R. Pizzitola, Unit No. 130, 
1992-2018; Arthur F. Tuttle, Unit No. 131, 1993-2020; Eric W. Corgey, 
Unit No. 132, 1993-2017; George C. Reeser Jr., Unit No. 133, 1993-2017; 
James J. Hensley, Unit No. 134, 1993-2015; Theodore A. Schendel, Unit 
No. 135, 1994-2016; Angel Gonzales, Unit No. 136, 1994-2015; William 
Scott Frailey, Unit No. 137, 1994-2021; Michael C. Phillips, Unit No. 
138, 1994-present; Charles R. Schuessler, Unit No. 140, 1995-present; 
Julian T. Platon, Unit No. 141, 1995-2019; Robert M. Shearon, Unit No. 
142, 1995-2020; Greg Brown, Unit No. 143, 1996-present; Paul L. 
Bartholmey, Unit No. 144, 1996-2013; Steven P. Housinger, Unit No. 145, 
1996-2017; David A. Rodrigues, Unit No. 146, 1996-present; Sherri G. 
Hickman, Unit No. 147, 1996-present; Robert V. Arthur, Unit No. 148, 
1996-2021; Barry Craig Holland, Unit No. 149, 1996-present; Criss K. 
Schroeder, Unit No. 150, 1996-2020; Holly B. Cooper, Unit No. 151, 
1996-present; Michael A. Morris, Unit No. 152, 1997-2017; Thomas J. 
Cleary, Unit No. 153, 1997-2018; Brett A. Callier, Unit No. 154, 1997-
present; Robert S. Deckard, Unit No. 155, 1997-2018; Laurence A. 
Wheatley, Unit No. 156, 1998-2020; Mark W. Mitchem, Unit No. 157, 1998-
present; Scott E. Roberts, Unit No. 158, 1998-present; Kent D. Barton, 
Unit No. 159, 1999-present; Elton S. Porter, Unit No. 160, 1999-2017; 
Stephen J. Conway, Unit No. 161, 1999-2019; John C. Blomquist, Unit No. 
162, 1999-present; Larry Evans, Unit No. 163, 1999-2017; Thomas C. 
Goodwin, Unit No. 164, 1999-present; Robert G. Webbon, Unit No. 165, 
1999-2019; Michael G. McGee, Unit No. 166, 1999-present; John M. 
Vassar, Unit No. 168, 2001-present; Thomas C. Pace, Unit No. 169, 2001-
present; William Jack Mitchell, Unit No. 170, 2001-2018; Hugh A. 
Guidry, Unit No. 171, 2001-present; James T. Concagh, Unit No. 172, 
2001-present; Michael A. Curtiss, Unit No. 173, 2001-present; Randall 
E. Medard, Unit No. 174, 2002-present; Michael J. Newingham, Unit No. 
175, 2002-present; Stephen M. Hill, Unit No. 176, 2004-present; Craig 
P. Newkirk, Unit No. 177, 2004-present; Clint Adam Winegar, Unit No. 
178, 2008-present; Charles Calvin Murphy, Unit No. 179, 2008-present; 
Bradley G. Miller, Unit No. 180, 2008-present; Steven A. Nelson, Unit 
No. 181, 2008-present; Sean P. Arbogast, Unit No. 182, 2008-present; 
John M. Bratcher, Unit No. 183, 2008-present; Jeff B. Locke, Unit No. 
184, 2009-present; Mark A. Peace, Unit No. 185, 2009-present; Marcus A. 
Maher, Unit No. 186, 2009-present; Kelly J. Creech, Unit No. 187, 2009-
present; Kenneth Jones Sr., Unit No. 188, 2010-present; Jason 
Charpentier, Unit No. 190, 2010-present; Gilberto Martinez Jr., Unit 
No. 191, 2010-present; David Reeder, Unit No. 192, 2010-present; 
Jonathan Samuell, Unit No. 193, 2010-present; Donald King, Unit No. 
194, 2010-present; Sean Cook, Unit No. 195, 2011-present; Chad Prejean, 
Unit No. 196, 2011-present; Blakeley Morgan, Unit No. 197, 2011-
present; Michael Riggle, Unit No. 198, 2011-present; Adam W. Guice, 
Unit No. 199, 2011; Frank Loeffler IV, Unit No. 200, 2011-present; 
Matthew Glass, Unit No. 201, 2013-present; Michael Lawson II, Unit No. 
202, 2013-present; Robert Roberts, Unit No. 203, 2014-present; Sheldon 
Ginsberg, Unit No. 204, 2014-present; Kristi Taylor, Unit No. 205, 
2014-present; Phillip Reed, Unit No. 206, 2014-present; Jeremiah 
Walcik, Unit No. 207, 2014-present; Patrick J. Dean, Unit No. 208, 
2014-present; Stephen Jewell, Unit No. 209, 2015-present; William 
Ewing, Unit No. 211, 2015-present; Jason Stancil, Unit No. 212, 2017-
present; Rebekah Martin, Unit No. 213, 2017-present; Travis Parker, 
Unit No. 214, 2017-present; Justin Benecke, Unit No. 215, 2017-present; 
Jason Briones, Unit No. 216, 2017-present; Rohit Malhotra, Unit No. 
217, 2017-present; William Kem, Unit No. 218, 2018-present; Darren 
Collins, Unit No. 219, 2018-present; Brandon Bass, Unit No. 220, 2018-
present; Kevin Keith, Unit No. 221, 2018-present; Justin Phillips, Unit 
No. 222, 2019-present; Adam Shuptar, Unit No. 223, 2019-present; Brian 
Saba, Unit No. 244, 2019-present; Nicholas Henrich, Unit No. 225, 2019-
present; Cody Lynch, Unit No. 227, 2019-present; Douglas Kelly, Unit 
No. 229, 2019-present; Brent Covert, Unit No. 230, 2019-present; Kevin 
Kirk, Unit No. 231, 2020-present; John Dunaway, Unit No. 232, 2020-
present; Bradley Albrecht, Unit No. 233; 2020-present; Ramin Hatami, 
Unit No. 234, 2020-present; Donald Buckley Jr., Unit No. 235, 2020-
present; Nicholas Moraski, Unit No. 236, 2021-present; Matthew Decatur, 
Unit No. 237, 2021-present; Brent Elrod, Unit No. 238, 2021-present; 
Scott Reed, Unit No. 240, 2021-present; Curtis Laskowski, Unit No. 241, 
2021-present; Lucas Beyl, Unit No. 242, 2021-present; Ryan Casas, Unit 
No. 243, 2021-present; Bryan English, Unit No. 244, Deputy; Mark Scott 
II, Unit No. 245, Deputy; Justin Eusepi, Unit No. 246, Deputy; Ian 
Manthey, Unit No. 247, Deputy; Justin Conway, Unit No. 248, Deputy; C. 
Lane Gould, Unit No. 249, Deputy; Donald Childress, Unit No. 250, 
Deputy; Darris Jefferson Jr., Unit No. 251, Deputy.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the Houston Pilots Association 
for their 100 years of commitment to safety while keeping our waterways 
open and the commerce of Texas, the United States, and the world 
moving.