[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 8245-8246]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING OMMEGANG AND ROSCOE BEER COMPANIES

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Faso) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FASO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate two local 
businesses, craft breweries, within the 19th Congressional District in 
New York State. These two local breweries, Brewery Ommegang, located in 
Cooperstown, New York, and Roscoe Beer Company, located in Sullivan 
County, New York, tied for first place in the Taste of New

[[Page 8246]]

York Inaugural Craft Beer Challenge in Manhattan.
  This competition was held on May 17 and was announced then in New 
York City. Seventy breweries from across the State participated in the 
Craft Beer Challenge. Beers were selected by such foodie favorites like 
Chef Mario Batali and many other notables in the New York food 
business.
  New York has clearly established itself, as has the 19th 
Congressional District, as a craft beer destination.
  We are especially proud of our local upstate craft breweries, which 
support our local economy, jobs, farms, and tourism.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce and to congratulate these two 
fine establishments within the 19th Congressional District.


                         Honoring Chris Gibson

  Mr. FASO. Mr. Speaker, I am also pleased today to congratulate my 
predecessor in Congress, Congressman Chris Gibson, for his wonderful 
service to our country and to Congress.
  Chris will soon be honored by the Columbia County Association in the 
city of New York as man of the year. I have known Chris for over 30 
years, and I am blessed to call him and his family my neighbors in the 
Village of Kinderhook, where we both live.
  He was truly a great Congressman and an all-around leader to upstate 
New York in so many ways. He exemplifies service in its many forms. 
Chris is a proud patriot. He served 24 years in the United States Army, 
rising to the rank of colonel. He is a highly decorated veteran who 
received not only the Bronze Star, but the Purple Heart during his 
combat deployments.
  He was deployed seven times, including four combat tours in Iraq. He 
made great sacrifices, as did his family, and he fought for our 
freedom. As a United States Congressman, he continued to fight for the 
citizens of upstate New York. He served three terms in the 19th 
Congressional District, fulfilling his pledge to self-imposed term 
limits.
  His legislative priorities were national security, our veteran 
community, and combating Lyme disease. He always had his fellow 
citizens' best interests at heart.
  Chris Gibson was also a scholar. He graduated from Siena College in 
Loudonville, New York, where he earned his ROTC commission. He went on 
to receive not one, but two master's degrees, plus a Ph.D. in 
government from Cornell University. He was an assistant professor for 3 
years teaching cadets at West Point at the United States Military 
Academy. Today he continues his love of teaching at Williams College as 
a Visiting Professor of Leadership Studies.
  I am proud to call Chris Gibson my friend and colleague, and it is 
clear to anyone who knows him that he will be successful in all of his 
pursuits.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor former Congressman Christopher P. 
Gibson. I have known Chris for over 30 years, and I am blessed to call 
him, his wife, Mary Jo, and their three amazing children, my neighbors 
in the town of Kinderhook. Chris was truly a great Congressman and an 
all-around leader to Upstate New York. He has exemplified service in 
many forms.
  Chris is a proud patriot. He served 24 years in the US Army, rising 
to the rank of Colonel. A highly decorated veteran, he was deployed 
seven times, including four combat tours in Iraq. He made great 
sacrifices, was injured in the line of duty, and fought for our 
freedom.
  As a US Representative, he continued to fight diligently for the 
citizens of Upstate New York. Chris served three terms representing New 
York's 19th District, fulfilling his pledge to self-impose term limits. 
Among many legislative priorities, Chris acted to protect our national 
security, veterans, and those who suffer from Lyme Disease. Without 
question, he has always held his fellow citizens' best interests at 
heart.
  Chris Gibson is also a scholar. He graduated from Siena college, 
where he achieved his ROTC Commission, and he went on to receive two 
Masters Degrees and a PhD from Cornell University. At West Point, Chris 
taught cadets for three years as an Assistant Professor. Today, he 
continues his love for teaching and sharing his experience in his role 
as the Visiting Professor of Leadership Studies at Williams College.
  I am proud to call Chris Gibson my friend and colleague, and it is 
clear to anyone who knows him that he will be successful in all his 
pursuits.

                          ____________________