[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 98 (Tuesday, June 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H3712-H3716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1930
       HONORING PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W. BUSH ON HIS 100TH BIRTHDAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kean of New Jersey). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 9, 2023, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. 
Hill) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority 
leader.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I stand tonight to spend a few minutes on this 
House floor paying tribute to a longtime friend. Before I do that, I 
yield to the gentleman from California,  Mike Garcia, who has been an 
exceptional naval aviator, corporate executive, and now the 
distinguished gentleman from southern California.
  He is an essential member, Mr. Speaker, of our Appropriations 
Committee and our House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.


    Honoring the Life and Legacy of Captain Russell ``Gnat'' Maynard

  Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend 
from Arkansas for this very special time.
  Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor a truly heroic man who was taken 
from us, unfortunately, too soon.
  Captain Russ Maynard, who many of us knew by his call sign of 
``Gnat,'' was my good friend. He was my instructor. He was a mentor, a 
family man, a man of God, and he was a great American.
  He flew the venerable F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet from aircraft 
carriers during combat operations. He was a graduate of TOPGUN and an 
instructor. Simply put: He was a badass with the humility of a man who 
knew that his mission, his team, and his country were more important 
than he was.
  Russ died of cancer this last May 8, just a few days before his 51st 
birthday. He left behind his loyal wife, Karen, who he loved dearly 
after 28 years of marriage and his daughters Katie, Kiersten, and 
Hailey.
  Mr. Speaker, we have seen too many combat fighter pilots die of 
cancer at such young ages. In one of Russ' prior squadrons, the VFA-97 
Warhawks,

[[Page H3713]]

three pilots of his era, his age, have already seen the darkness of 
these deadly cancers. It is not a coincidence.
  In 2023, the DOD found that aircrew members had a 24 percent higher 
chance of cancer compared to the rest of the U.S. population, including 
an 84 percent higher chance of melanoma, a 39 percent higher chance of 
thyroid cancer, and a 16 percent higher chance of prostate cancer, and 
these numbers for fighter pilots are significantly higher and at 
significantly younger ages.
  I, along with other veterans in the House and Senate, remain 
committed to finding out what is causing these early deadly cancers at 
such anomalous rates. We remain committed to making sure the VA begins 
to treat these disability cases as presumptive claims as opposed to 
having to prove that these cancers are service-related. This was a 
fight that Russ, unfortunately, had to fight in the final days of his 
life.
  The data supports this paradigm shift, and the especially high rates 
within the fighter pilot community warrant this paradigm shift by the 
VA for such disability claims.
  I say to my friend Russ, we lost you too early, brother, but you left 
behind a legacy of honor and excellence that has touched thousands and 
will echo in the history books of naval aviation for generations to 
come. The girls are lucky to have had you as a daddy and as a husband, 
and I am lucky to have known you as a friend and truly as one of the 
best of the best.
  Our beautiful Nation is lucky to have you as a steward of our 
Constitution.
  Keep it above the datums up there in Heaven, buddy, as you fly loyal 
wingman to our Lord. Know that God and your mortal wingmen that remain 
here on Earth will do everything and anything to look after your 
family.
  God bless our naval aviators, God bless our troops, and God bless 
you, Russ ``Gnat'' Maynard, for your service. May you rest in peace.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for yielding to me.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for his 
service as an F/A-18 Hornet pilot, a TOPGUN aviator, and the salute to 
his comrade, Captain Maynard. All of us lament the day that we lose 
close friends, and it is a special tribute to hear from Mr. Garcia.
  Mr. Speaker, we come to this House floor tonight to pay our respects 
to a distinguished former Member of this body, a former Vice President, 
and a former President of the United States on the occasion of the 
centennial of his birth.
  Mr. Speaker, today, we pay tribute to the life and legacy of George 
H.W. Bush on what would have been the week of his 100th birthday on 
June 12.


                             General Leave

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Arkansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, to start this tribute to George Bush, what 
better person to call on than the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas, 
someone who also moved to Texas to find her career and find her success 
just like George H.W. Bush did, as well.
  Beth Van Duyne distinctly represents north Texas. She is a former 
mayor of Irving. She is a former official, the regional administrator 
for the Department of Housing and Urban Development for President 
Trump.
  She has been at the top of her game in the executive branch, in this 
legislative branch, the House of Representatives, and in local 
government as a city councilwoman and mayor.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne), 
my friend.
  Ms. VAN DUYNE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the kind gentleman from Arkansas 
for his comments.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor what would have been George H.W. 
Bush's 100th birthday, to remember his life, legacy, and service to our 
Nation.
  Few people have left an impact so profound, one that can truly be 
defined by service to others.
  As the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker 
Bush epitomized integrity and humility. He served our country with 
unwavering dedication from his early days in the military to his tenure 
as Commander in Chief and beyond. He understood what a lot of leaders 
have forgotten that the purpose of leadership is not to seek personal 
gain or notoriety, but to act selflessly in service of America.
  Beyond the man we looked up to as Commander in Chief, I remember 
President Bush as a man who could connect with anyone and meet them 
where they were.
  During the second inauguration I attended of his son, George Walker 
Bush, I went for a tour of the White House. It was to our astonishment 
that we turned into the Blue Room, and boom, there was the former 
President George H.W. Bush standing in the middle of the room. We were 
with a small group and there was a 10-year-old boy that was wearing an 
Indianapolis Colts jersey. I just saw the look on the former 
President's face as he ran up to this 10-year-old kid and said: Are you 
a Peyton Manning fan? This kid with a look of glory in his eyes, 
staring at what was the past President of the United States said: Yes, 
sir, I am.
  Then George H.W. Bush recounted a story when he was President of when 
he met Peyton Manning for the first time. He went to a football game 
and Peyton Manning came running over to him to give him a football, and 
he said: Here I am, the President of the United States and I was so 
excited to meet Peyton Manning. I was thrilled. He was my hero on the 
field.
  This was a man who was nearly 80 years old at the time and could 
still share the excitement of a ball with this 10-year-old child. He 
could relate with anyone. It was so touching to see this side of our 
legendary statesman, to hear President Bush get excited as he recounted 
his first meeting with his favorite football player, and he shared this 
joy years later with some strange 10-year-old kid, who just melted when 
he spoke.
  In the words of his son George Walker Bush, H.W. showed how public 
service is noble and necessary. Rather than immediately pursue his 
education at Yale University, where he had already been accepted, on 
the day of his high school graduation, which was on his 18th birthday, 
when our country had entered World War II, George Herbert Walker Bush 
enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, receiving his wings as the youngest 
pilot in naval history at the time, completing his training at Naval 
Air Station Corpus Christi.
  During World War II, Bush flew 58 combat missions, earning the 
Distinguished Flying Cross after being shot down by Japanese 
antiaircraft fire. Somehow, he managed to finish his mission embodying 
his determination and American patriotism.
  Following in his father's footsteps, Bush eventually attended Yale 
before deciding to embark on his own journey. Determined to forge his 
own path, he left his East Coast roots behind and he moved his young 
family to west Texas where he began working in the oil industry. He was 
drawn to the can-do spirit of the Lone Star State and all the 
possibilities that the State had to offer, something many of us Texans 
can still relate to.
  After working as an oilfield equipment salesman, he moved his family 
and newly-founded oil development company from Midland to Houston, 
where he contributed to the creation of countless jobs.
  After establishing himself as a leading force in Texas, he became the 
Republican Party chairman in Harris County where he developed 
grassroots connections and cultivated relationships with members 
throughout his community, even serving for a year as a part-time 
professor of administrative science at Rice University.
  However, public service ran deep in his veins. In 1966, Mr. Bush was 
elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas' Seventh 
District. He went on to serve two terms as a Representative in the U.S. 
House. He sat on the Ways and Means Committee as a freshman, which is 
no small feat. He became chairman of the Republican National Committee, 
chief of the U.S. Liaison Office to China, and director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency.
  In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: ``The ultimate measure 
of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, 
but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.''

[[Page H3714]]

  After Mr. Bush fell short in the race for the Republican nomination 
for President of the United States in 1980, losing out to Ronald 
Reagan, he was chosen to serve as the candidate for Vice President. As 
any of us who have ever been in the arena and lost a battle understand, 
it is no easy feat to act graciously in the face of defeat, let alone 
put aside personal ambitions in favor of loyalty to your opponent. Yet, 
that is exactly what George Bush did as Reagan's Vice President, never 
trying to upstage him or expressing disagreement.
  When President Reagan was term limited, it wasn't just George H.W. 
Bush's remarkable life of service and indisputable qualifications that 
inspired faith in the American people, but his never-ending desire to 
put others before himself. He once said: ``Any definition of a 
successful life must include service to others.''
  Advocating for Federal deregulation, President Bush established 
himself as a conservative who understood we needed to limit the power 
of government in favor of a strong, free-market economy, capable of 
creating growth, opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans.
  He also saw the dangers of deep political division that prevented 
bipartisanship and progress that could empower a stronger future for 
our hardworking American families.
  He never forgot about the Texans that put their faith in him and 
inspired him to continue a career in public service. Once elected, he 
helped showcase Houston as a booming city, bringing world leaders to 
Texas and paving the way for the State to become a powerhouse in U.S. 
politics. Later, even once he left public office, he continued to 
invest in others, serving as a mentor to many, including his fellow 
Texan, Congressman-turned-chairman, Kevin Brady.
  George Herbert Walker Bush's vision of an America blessed with 
individuals acting as a thousand points of light to lift up others, 
strengthen communities, and selflessly act in times of need exemplified 
the patriotism and love of our country so rare around the world today.
  He understood the importance of building bridges abroad and chose to 
lead with grace and diplomacy. Through the end of the Cold War and the 
reunification of Germany, President Bush led with vision and sound 
judgment. He proved to the American people that he was no ordinary, 
empty-promise politician, cementing his commitment to peace, democracy, 
and decency for our fellow man.
  President George H.W. Bush continued to be an inspiration and beacon 
of life after his Presidency through his philanthropic work with 
organizations like his Points of Light nonprofit, where he promoted 
volunteerism to create positive change across our Nation.
  He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, cherishing his 
family and faith above all. After leaving the White House, he settled 
back in Houston, and he opened The George H.W. Bush Presidential 
Library and Museum at Texas A&M University in College Station where he 
skydived on to the lawn to celebrate his 75th birthday.
  In his inaugural address, President George H.W. Bush said, ``I do not 
mistrust the future. I do not fear what is ahead. For our problems are 
large, but our heart is larger. Our challenges are great, but our will 
is greater.''
  President Bush had faith in something greater than himself and 
believed America would always persevere. His humility and love of 
country were at the forefront of his Presidency, and his spirit lives 
on in the enduring impact of his leadership.
  As we celebrate 100 years of this incredible man, let us all strive 
to live up to the example that he set for our Nation and choose to be 
points of light that lift up others and preserve the best of what 
America has to offer for the rest of the world to follow.

                              {time}  1945

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Texas for her 
wonderful remarks about an extraordinary American, George H.W. Bush, 
our 41st President of the United States.
  I think about the first time I got to meet this gentleman. Upon 
graduating from college back in 1979, I moved to Dallas, Texas, home to 
then a booming economy with lots of jobs in finance which, as a brand-
new college graduate, was my hopeful profession.
  That fall, I was invited by friends to join the committee of young 
people sponsoring an informal barbecue for a possible Presidential 
candidate. The candidate's name was George Bush from Houston, Texas. It 
was a terrific evening. I met Mr. Bush, and I made a lot of new friends 
in my adopted town of Dallas. Little did I know, just 10 years later I 
would be working for him in his administration as he became the 41st 
President of the United States.
  Three years after meeting, in 1982, I took the advice of a good 
friend of George Bush's, Elvis Mason, CEO of the Dallas-based banking 
corporation for whom I worked, and accepted an appointment to move to 
Washington, D.C., and handle the Banking Committee staff 
responsibilities for Senator John Tower of Texas.
  These were the exciting early days of the first term of President 
Ronald Reagan. While George Bush had not been elected President in 
1980, he was selected to join President Reagan's winning ticket as 
Vice-President.
  It was during this time that I learned firsthand of the incredible 
warmth and generosity of George and Barbara Bush. It was their custom 
to invite young staffers from Texas to events at the Vice-President's 
residence in Washington. I will never forget one holiday season where I 
was sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace with Barbara Bush, 
cross-legged, as she was telling stories to all of us assembled in the 
room.
  Martha and I both volunteered for the 1988 Bush for President 
campaign and were thrilled when he was elected that November. His 
election as President witnessed the most qualified person in the 
history of our country to be elected to the role of Chief Executive.
  Bush had been a standout athlete, a decorated U.S. Navy fighter 
pilot, as Congresswoman Van Duyne pointed out, and a pioneering 
successful business entrepreneur in the oil fields of Texas and in the 
cutting edge of the critically important niche of deepwater offshore 
oil and gas drilling.
  At age 40, and the father of five children, George Bush was called to 
public service. First, he was elected the Harris County, Texas, 
Republican chairman. At the time, Republicans were in an ascent with 
the amazing special election win in May 1961 by John Tower to replace 
the Senate vacancy left by Lyndon Johnson becoming President Kennedy's 
Vice-President.
  Bush's initial foray into the rough-and-tumble Texas elected politics 
was a flop. He was defeated in 1964 in a U.S. Senate race against the 
incumbent populist Democrat Ralph Yarborough. However, he dusted 
himself off and made a major rebound by announcing his candidacy for 
Texas' Seventh Congressional District in January 1966.
  This brought about one of my favorite stories about the Bushes. After 
he announced his candidacy on a Saturday, the following Monday morning, 
Barbara was driving then 6-year-old Doro to school in her carpool.
  One of the little girls in the car said to Doro: ``I saw your daddy 
on television last night.''
  A third child in the car said: ``You did? What was he doing?''
  Doro responded: ``Oh, you know, it was about that `erection' that he 
is going to have.''
  Mrs. Bush's response was typical, as reported by biographer Jon 
Meacham: ``Needless to say, we have worked on the word `election'.''
  Bush would go on to win that race for Congress and would be the first 
freshman to win a seat on the prestigious Ways and Means Committee 
since 1904. He served there with distinction in this House, but his 
itch and ambition were far higher. He once again took a risk like he 
did when he moved from the East to west Texas in the oil fields and in 
that first race for Congress that he lost.
  Bush decided to throw his hat in the ring for the 1970 race for the 
United States Senate against the former Democratic Congressman Lloyd 
Bentsen. Bush's continued ambitions for the Senate were enhanced by his 
April 1969 visit with former President Lyndon Johnson out at LBJ's 
ranch near Austin to test out his idea of another try at the Senate.
  The story went something like this: ``Mr. President, I have got a 
decision to make, and I would like your advice. My

[[Page H3715]]

House seat is secure, no opposition like last time, and I have got a 
position on Ways and Means. I don't mind taking risks, but in a few 
more terms, I will have seniority on a very powerful committee. I am 
just not sure it is a gamble I should take, whether it is really worth 
it.''
  Well, President Johnson made a very characteristic reply to Bush. He 
said: ``Son, I have served in the House, and I have been privileged to 
serve in the Senate, too, and they are both good places to serve. So I 
wouldn't begin to advise you what to do except to say this, that the 
difference between a Member of the Senate and a Member of the House is 
the difference between chicken salad and chicken'' fill-in-the-blank. 
For effect, Johnson paused, and he said: ``Son, do I make my point?''
  He did make his point for sure, but that didn't help George Bush win 
that Senate race. Between his leaving the House and being elected Vice-
President of the United States in 1980, the now-former Congressman was 
appointed by Presidents Nixon and Ford to a series of senior critical 
leadership positions in our government: U.N. Ambassador for 2 years; 
followed by a year-and-a-half as chairman of the Republican National 
Committee, including during the Nixon Watergate resignation crisis; 
then moving to Beijing as our top diplomat just 2 years after the 
famous Nixon opening. He followed that by a key job at the helm as the 
11th Director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1976 to 1977.

  For George and Barbara Bush, this pattern of appointments made them 
wonder, is this a way to sidetrack him from his own goal, which was to 
be elected President of the United States. He viewed serving as the 
Republican National Committee chair at the height of Watergate a 
thankless task; and now to be called back from China to take over the 
CIA, which had been battered by a decade of hostile congressional 
investigations, exposes, and charges that ran from lawbreaking to 
simple incompetence. It seemed like truly, for him, a dead-end 
politically.
  Bush's dad, former U.S. Senator Prescott Bush, had always told him 
that if the President asks, you have a duty to say yes. The Bush family 
moved back to Washington, D.C., to face the hostile Senate confirmation 
for a job he wasn't even sure he wanted.
  However, with the Church Commission reforms being implemented by 
Congress crafting a new approach to intelligence community oversight, 
it ended up that he was, in fact, the right man at the right time.
  In this Congress, I am privileged to serve on the House Permanent 
Select Committee on Intelligence, the companion to the Senate Select 
Committee on Intelligence, both creations of the aftermath of that 
Church Commission and the need for greater, more intensive 
congressional oversight of the intelligence community. Having now 
served on this committee, I recognize the exceptional role these two 
oversight committees play and what a fine job George Bush did in his 12 
months sitting in the corner office on the seventh floor of the CIA 
headquarters building.
  It was an intensive 1 year. He testified before Congress over 50 
times and made 21 public appearances. It was clear that he defended the 
important role of the intelligence community and rebuilt the morale 
that had been so destroyed internally by decades of bad decisionmaking 
and externally by the brutal battering ram of congressional 
investigation.
  He ended up loving the job and deeply respecting the work of the 
officers and analysts. As he left at the beginning of the Jimmy Carter 
administration, he said: ``This is the most interesting job I have ever 
had. That includes Congress, the United Nations, Peking, and the RNC,'' 
so it is fitting that the CIA headquarters building in Langley, 
Virginia, is named for President Bush.
  As George Bush entered the Vice-Presidency in January 1981, his 
extraordinary career was finally put fully to work. It was this 8 years 
of final exceptional preparation as VP that would be put to the 
ultimate test as the 41st President.
  Ten years from our first meeting at that barbecue as a young person, 
in 1989, it was such a privilege to join his administration, first at 
the Treasury, and later as a member of his White House staff. While he 
was only in office one term, he achieved so many foreign and domestic 
wins, like witnessing the fall of communism and the resulting 
unification of Germany, or ejecting Saddam Hussein for his illegal 
invasion of Kuwait to domestic successes, such as cleaning up the 
savings and loan financial debacle of the 1980s; the amendments to the 
Clean Air Act, or the initiation of the Americans with Disabilities 
Act, and highlighting the success of just ordinary Americans helping 
their fellow citizens every day through his still prominent Points of 
Light initiative.
  Despite these exceptional legislative and policy successes, there 
were disappointments. For me, the first was the rejection by the United 
States Senate of John Tower, his friend, my old boss, to serve as 
Secretary of Defense. Tower would have been an outstanding Secretary, 
and the attacks on him were personal, not policy.
  The most disappointing and most controversial aspect of his 
Presidency, which contribute to the tough loss in 1992, was his 
decision in 1990 to include tax increases as a part of a major deficit 
reduction package. His 1988 campaign speech included his famous--made 
infamous--line: ``Read my lips, no new taxes.''
  It blew up in his face. With a slowing economy, continued tough real 
estate markets following the savings and loan crisis, along with high 
gas prices resulting from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the U.S. economy 
entered a brief recession. A combination of slowing economy and higher 
taxes was not a political winner.
  After the Presidency, the former President and a very, very proud 
father witnessed two of his fine sons being elected Governors of 
Florida and Texas, and his son George going on to be elected the 43rd 
President of the United States. What a powerful legacy of service.

                              {time}  2000

  As I reflect on the life and legacy of George Bush, one always 
focuses on just what a good man he was, what a fine President he was.
  My wife, Martha, who also worked for President Bush during his time 
in office, always described the President as the perfect person to put 
on that form we have all filled out a million times: ``In case of 
emergency, please call.''
  George Bush was that solid business partner, that caring neighbor, 
that great, intimate personal friend. George and Barbara dearly loved 
their five children, George, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, and Doro, and honored 
daily the memory of a sixth, Robin, who died in 1953 at age 3 from 
leukemia.
  Robin was such a tremendous inspiration in the Bushes' lives and in 
their lifelong dedication to philanthropic support for cancer research. 
Over their lives, George and Barbara Bush's efforts resulted in some 
$90 million being raised for research at Houston's MD Anderson.
  To know George Bush and Barbara Bush is to be grateful for their 
compassion, patriotism, and tremendous sense of humor. Even in the 
gloom of the 1992 loss, a few days after the election, all the White 
House staff officers got a message that the President has invited you 
to an important meeting in the East Room of the White House.
  We all assembled at the appointed time, and an offstage announcer 
said: ``Ladies and gentlemen, the President and Mrs. Bush.'' Then in 
walked Dana Carvey, impersonating Bush, holding Mrs. Bush's hand, 
waving his way into the East Room and up onto the dais. President Bush 
strolled in, laughing hysterically behind the pair.
  President Bush and Dana Carvey then outdid each other, imitating 
President Bush's quirky, funny mannerisms. It brightened the spirits of 
the loyal White House staffers in the face of a historic Presidential 
campaign loss. The President's typical upbeat, optimistic outlook on 
life endeared his legacy in the hearts of all those assembled.
  As we commemorate the centennial of the birth of this good man, 
devoted dad, and terrific President of the United States, we know that 
our country is better off because George H.W. Bush was born on June 12, 
1924, and devoted his life to the betterment of our Nation.


                     Congratulating Mary Beth Hatch

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Mary Beth Hatch for 
taking

[[Page H3716]]

over as chief of education for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
  Most recently, Mary Beth has been serving as the coordinator of 
school innovation in the North Little Rock School District, leading 
students and teachers on trips to learn outdoor skills.
  In this position, she was working directly with the Arkansas Game and 
Fish Commission to bring innovative ideas to best teach our youth about 
nature and conservation. With over 18 years in public education, she 
decided it was time to educate more than just students in the 
classroom.
  In her new role, Mary Beth will be responsible for guiding the 
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's educational efforts in conservation 
and natural resources.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mary Beth in her new role, and I look 
forward to the improvements that she will make in the Natural State.


                   Recognizing Dylan Silverman-Barnes

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dylan Silverman-
Barnes, a rising senior at the University of Central Arkansas.
  In April, for his honors capstone project, Dylan orchestrated the 
building of three new community gardens at Conway's Bethlehem House to 
provide fresh food to the homeless population in Conway, Arkansas.
  Bethlehem House provides temporary housing to individuals and 
families who are experiencing homelessness in Conway. They can provide 
housing and dinner to nearly 40 individuals, including kids, on any 
given night, and the house serves more than 100 people annually.
  Dylan, a dietetics major, was able to make this project a reality 
through a grant provided by Arkansas Interfaith Power & Light, a 
national organization that focuses on regenerative urban agriculture 
and environmentally conscious practices.
  Dylan's project was 1 of 20 projects approved out of 300 applications 
and the only one in Arkansas. I thank Dylan for his service to central 
Arkansas and his service to others.


     Thanking Dr. Larry and Carlene Davis for Investing in Nursing

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize Dr. Larry and 
Carlene Davis for the creation of their new nursing endowment 
scholarship at the University of Arkansas Community College in 
Morrilton.
  This scholarship is in honor of their daughter, Sarah Woods, who has 
a master's of science in nursing and is currently a nurse in 
neighboring Oklahoma.
  Larry and Carlene Davis' scholarship will help change the lives of 
many prospective nurses. The Davis family presented the foundation with 
more than $25,000 to distribute among full-time students in the 
practical nursing and registered nursing programs based on financial 
need. The scholarship ensures that talented students will have the 
opportunity to hone their skills, regardless of financial background.
  I thank Dr. Larry and Carlene Davis for their generosity and their 
investment in future nurses for the State of Arkansas.


       Recognizing Brad and Tara Peacock's Dedication to Farming

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Brad Peacock of Bald 
Knob, Arkansas.
  Mr. Peacock and his wife, Tara, manage 1,500 acres of farmland known 
as Peacock Planting, where they focus on cultivating soybeans, corn, 
and rice.
  In February 2023, the Peacocks were named finalists in the National 
Outstanding Young Farmers award. This past March, Brad joined other 
honorees on a trip to Washington, D.C., during National Agriculture 
Week to interact with lawmakers and advocate for a strong 
reauthorization of the farm bill.

  The Peacocks' dedication to farming and passion for helping those 
around them truly make them outstanding farmers. I thank Brad and Tara 
Peacock for their important work to provide food for the Nation and the 
world.


               Congratulating Truman Scholar Daniel Block

  Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Daniel Block, a 
proud native of Little Rock. Daniel is currently a student at Brandeis 
University and a member of Congregation B'nai Israel, Little Rock's 
Reform Jewish synagogue.
  Last month, Daniel was named a Truman Scholar, an award for those 
dedicated to being future leaders in the environment, Tribal public 
policy, and healthcare fields.
  His work at Zumwalt Acres, a farm in rural Illinois, not only leads 
the cause of carbon negativity but is also rooted in Jewish values of 
social justice.
  Daniel is well deserving of this achievement, and I wish him success 
in his commitment and steps toward a sustainable future.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

                          ____________________