[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H322-H323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        RECOGNIZING ED CLARK OF THE WILDLIFE CENTER OF VIRGINIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Virginia (Mr. Cline) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I begin my remarks by stating that this body 
stands in support of the Nation of Israel, the only democratically-
elected Nation in the Middle East.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ed Clark of the Wildlife Center of 
Virginia on his retirement after four decades.

[[Page H323]]

  Ed began the Wildlife Center of Virginia in 1981. Since then, the 
center has provided world-class care of wildlife, outstanding 
educational outreach, and dedicated professional training. Over the 
years, the center has gained recognition for several achievements, 
including developing the first comprehensive national wildlife health 
database for the real-time monitoring of emerging diseases in wildlife.
  The center also provides professional training for more than 1,000 
veterinary students and professionals, including undergraduate 
students, fourth-year veterinary students, postdoctoral interns, 
fellows, and residents from every veterinary school in the United 
States, Canada, and nearly 40 other countries.

  Under Ed Clark's leadership, the center has grown from a small, local 
wildlife rehabilitation facility to a professionally staffed, 
internationally recognized training and research center deep in the 
heart of the Shenandoah Valley.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Ed Clark on his many years of success. I 
wish him a well-deserved retirement.


            Recognizing Snowbusters of Winchester, Virginia

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the snowbusters in 
Winchester, Virginia, for their excellent work during the recent 
snowstorms.
  The snowbusters is a volunteer network created by the city of 
Winchester that is dedicated to removing snow and ice at no charge from 
walkways in front of the homes of senior citizens and people with 
disabilities who live in Winchester.
  Thirteen snowbuster volunteers were called into service to homes 
within walking distance to reduce the need for volunteers driving to an 
assignment.
  Once enrolled, the city gives volunteers a snow shovel and tells them 
to be ready whenever winter weather is in the forecast.
  The program's only goal is to clear sidewalks in front of the homes 
of people who sign up for the service, but in several cases, the 
volunteers went even further and shoveled driveways as well.
  The initiative was a huge success and very rewarding, and the 
community received it well. The snowbusters displayed the true 
testament of neighbors coming together to help neighbors and make a 
difference, and I commend them for their dedication to community 
service.


    Recognizing Waynesboro Police Department on 125 Years of Service

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the Waynesboro Police 
Department for 125 years of dedicated service and sacrifice to keeping 
the city of Waynesboro safe.
  1898 was the first year of the Waynesboro Police Department, when the 
city was much smaller and only a few officers were needed to patrol on 
foot.
  Today, with a bustling city of more than 22,000 people and growing, 
patrol officers grapple with everything from cybercrime to drug crime 
and everything in between.
  However, the job of the law enforcement officers remains true now as 
it did then: an increasingly difficult but utterly essential one of 
enforcing our laws and serving on the front lines of justice.
  Throughout the years, the Waynesboro police chiefs and officers have 
been pushed, both mentally and physically, and have been willing to lay 
their lives on the line for others.
  They have represented their community well and the hundreds of 
thousands of law enforcement officers across this great country. For 
that, they are all heroes.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank all the retired and current officers for their 
efforts to make the city of Waynesboro a better and safer place, and I 
wish the Waynesboro Police Department another 125 years of success.


        Recognizing Coach Brad Lutz of William Byrd High School

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Coach Brad Lutz of 
William Byrd High School in Roanoke, Virginia, for being nominated by 
the Washington Commanders for the Don Shula National Football League 
High School Coach of the Year.
  After leading the William Byrd Terriers to their first-ever football 
regional title and State semifinal appearance this past season, the 
Washington Commanders took notice of the teams' accomplishments and 
nominated Coach Lutz for this prestigious award.
  The NFL will select two winners from each conference that the league 
comprises, and the Commanders are members of the NFC Conference.
  The award winners will be announced in the week before the Super Bowl 
and each winner will receive $15,000 for their school and money as a 
personal award. The remaining 30 nominees each will receive $1,000 
courtesy of the NFL Foundation and Nike.
  This nomination demonstrates the drive and dedication required to 
come together as a team and accomplish outstanding achievements.
  Congratulations, again, to Coach Brad Lutz and the William Byrd 
football team players on this nomination and I wish them many more 
years of success.


 The American People Deserve Nothing Less Than a Safe and Secure Border

  Mr. CLINE. Mr. Speaker, wherever you go across this country, citizens 
are very aware of the border crisis that President Biden and Secretary 
Mayorkas have created and are demanding that the Senate take immediate 
action on H.R. 2, the border security legislation we passed nearly a 
year ago, in addition to this House taking action to impeach Secretary 
Mayorkas.
  In December, there were 300,000 illegal migrant encounters at our 
southern border. The month prior, there were 250,000 illegal migrant 
encounters. During his trip to Eagle Pass in Texas recently, Secretary 
Mayorkas admitted that the current release rate for migrants caught 
crossing the border illegally is more than 85 percent.
  Make no mistake, Secretary Mayorkas has neglected his constitutional 
duty to protect the homeland and enforce our immigration laws. I urge 
this House to take action to impeach Secretary Mayorkas due to his 
incompetence, but also increase pressure on the Senate to quit wasting 
time and take up H.R. 2, which finishes the construction of our wall, 
fights the cartels, and keeps our communities safe.

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