Went on to work as the First Executive director for the port of moses lake. Working to Foster Economic Development and create opportunity for the people of central washington. I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring clydes long life of service, his commitment to the United States, and the people of moses lake. Thank you, madam speaker, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman rom illinois seek recognition . Without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. I would like to recognize the storic feat of boys 1113 in my district. Roberto clemente humble park made history by becoming illinois champions and advancing to the regionals. They are the first to qualify and represent the city and state of illinois. Its exciting to know these kids have a real chance to making it to the Little League world series. As a father and grandfather and avid baseball fan, their achievement makes me proud and showing us the power of sports and community. I would like to congratulate them, their coaches, their families for their determination, the Roberto Clemente is bringing pride to the 4th congressional zigget and the state of illinois. Go Roberto ClementeLittle Leaguers. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman arkansas ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. I rise today to honor Major General mark barry, commander of the Arkansas National guard. After a long career of dedicated service, march general barry is retiring on august 10, 2019. He was the ajut dant general of the Arkansas National guard. Prior to the post, he was the assistant to the director of Air National Guard in arlington, virginia. In addition to his highly decorated career, he is a man who goes out of his way to protect and serve his fellow countrymen. He provided critical and immediate assistance when flooding devastated many parts of arkansas. I worked side by side with him during flood relief efforts and saw how he worked around the clock to save lives and protect homes and businesses. He is a great leader, a great friend and a great american. I thank Major General barry for his service and wish him all the best in retirement. I yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from colorado seek recognition . Ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. I rise today in solemn memory of the 12 lives lost and the many lives changed forever seven years ago in the aurora theater shooting. I have come to know the victims families and stand in awe of their courage and strength and they have become stewards in our community and their example is an inspiration to us all. Representative tom sullivan serves in the Colorado State legislature and fighting for commonsense Gun Legislation and the phillips who lost their daughter and advocate for survivors around the country. My wish is to tell them we havent forgotten. It may seem like we have moved on in the seven years since, little has changed. Our country is no safer. We zpwree about how to solve the problem. There is a Public Health kice is in our country and doesnt matter if you live in a red or blue district. I stand here committed to making a change and showing families in our community that just because our time has passed, to address gun violence has not. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from indiana seek for what purpose does the gentleman from mississippi seek recognition . Ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Mississippiago, the Test Facility now known as the space center carried neil armstrong, buzz aldrin and ichael collins up to the moon. This was due to the men and 2,475 man years of engine rocket testing to make sure that the astronauts carried the ingenuity to the stars and return home safely to a proud nation. Following the successful mission, the space center team continued to support the Apollo Program by performing tests on the saturn 5 rocket and continues to support nasa in our exploration of space. As a citizen of mississippi, we remember the crucial role we played in this historic accomplishment of our great nation. Thank you, madam speaker, and i yield back. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from maryland seek recognition . Ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. Madam speaker, all of us who serve in this house are deeply indebted to our hardworking staff. Mr. Hoyer they enable to serve our constituents and meet the demands of this job. In particular, all of us are grateful for our district directors as we are for all of our staff. But our district directors are us for so many instances to so many constituents and so many different events. They represent us when we cannot be here when we are in washington. They are our eyes and angels on our shoulders who remind us that everything we do on a National Level needs to benefit our constituents back home. For the past 30 years, i have been blast, the 5th Congressional District has been of ed to be a colleague betsy bossert. I love her and my constituents love betsy. Before she served as my district director, she was my Administrative Assistant who made sure my office ran smoothly and served as one of my chief advisers. Betsy joined my staff on march 3, 1989, 30 years ago. And until she retired sadly, from my perspective, last month, she served the people of the 5th district and our country every day. Her departure from is diminished by the end of her extraordinary service. She gave her time and energy selflessly to the people of the 5th district working many, many late nights, many weekends and long days. She has taken meetings with every organization and visited every nearly every school and government offices. She has been so successful as my district director, because she is an excellent listener and has a deep well spring of empathy for people. She has been a role model for others on my staff and a coon and advocate for young people coming into Public Service and waiting to make differences in their communities and in their country. She has been an unsung hero of my team for three decades. It is largely because of betsys hard work behind the scenes that we are able to reorganize the program, christmas in april, in all five counties in our district. The day of service that brings people of all works of life to repair hopes, revitalize communities and help our neighbors. Because of betsys efforts, we have the annual 5th district womens luncheon and raising awareness of Women Leaders in the 5th district and our country. Because of her, we have a robust support for the network of Early Childhood centers in maryland named in memory of any wife judy who had a beautiful relationship with betsy. It will be a part of betsys legacy. And thousands of children and families who benefited may not know betsy to make the judy centers possible, but they will always and her colleagues who partnered with her, a debt of gratitude. Along with her friend and my friend betty richardson, another long time member of my team who remains active in our district, has partnered, betty and betsy were instrumental in launching e 5th district black history breakfast. All the young people who participate in the Greater Washington soap box derby, have betsy to thank being able to use the capitol grounds. I will look back with many, many, many fond memories. My time working with betsy bossert, my friend, my colleague, my coworker who i had the opportunity to work with to advance the interests of our district. We traveled together to south africa and met with Nelson Mandela discussing rashe justice and we have attended so many events across Prince Georges County and making sure that voices are heard loudly and clearly in congress. Asthma the gentlewoman reserves the balance of her time. Leader and democratic whip over the past 16 years, i had to Balance Service to our district with responsibilities to our caucus and to our country. Betsy has spent every single day of that time making sure that our district always comes first. She will always be just a phone call away. We thank her for 30 dedicated years. Yes to me but more importantly, to our constituents, to our state, and to our country. Madam speaker, were i to speak another two hours as some fear, i could not thank betsy enough. God bless. A wonderful friend. Mr. Wilson today is legislative ay five as spouses equity act. Im grateful that 86 of congress, 371 members have cosponsored this legislation who were recruited by determined widows and the veteran service organizations. As minority whip Steve Scalise noted, here is a bill that can get to the president s desk and gets included in other pieces of legislation that might come months away. Here is a bill, under the rules that were created and unfortunate the rule to bring the ndaa bill to the floor turned off the consensus calendar specifically for that bill, one bill, which happened to be the first bill that met that requirement, end of quote. We should Work Together bipartisan to bring the military surviving spouses equity act up for stand alone to alimb fate the widowses. God bless our troops and we will never forget september 11 and the global war on terrorism. The speaker pro tempore for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition . Ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. The speaker pro tempore without objection. The gentleman is recognized for one minute. Madam speaker, the way we finance campaigns in this country is a true threat to our democracy. This is leading to political paralysis. In the book bark money, it was written, in 2006, only 2 of outside political spending came from social welfare groups that hide their donors. In 2010, this number rose to 40 masking hundreds of millions of dollars. Since 2010, Citizens United and related decisions, this number is even greater today. The massive amount of money flowing into our political system corrupts the political process. Thats why i introduced a proposed constitutional amendment to reform our broken Campaign Finance system. My amendment would eliminate Political Action companies and dark money. Funding for a candidate or ballot measure would be limited to be used for a Public Financing system or donation given directly to the campaign by individual citizens. This would end much of the corruption in washington. I urge my colleagues to do Everything Possible to help limit corruption in washington including supporting this legislation. Yield back. The speaker pro tempore under the speakers announced policy of january 3, 2019, the gentleman from texas, mr. Gohmert, is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader. Mr. Gohmert thank you, madam speaker. Its now my privilege to yield to my friend, also from texas, lso a former district judge, udge carter. For such time as he may consume. Mr. Carter i thank my good friend, mr. Gohmert, for yielding to me. Rise today to honor my dear friend, congressman Richard Hudson of north carolina. Congressman hudson served as my hief of staff of 2006 to 2008, and is now forging his own path right here on capitol hill. Some time ago congressman hudson gave me a hard time about other members being recognized as honorary texans by governor abbott. Well, after speaking with the governor, we have gone one step further with our recognition here today. And i am pleased to swear in admiral richard l. Hudson to the texas navy. I will now read the certificate granting his commission. In the name in the by the name of the state of the authority of the state of texas, all to whom these presents shall come, greetings. Know ye that Richard Hudson is hereby commissioned an honorary admiral in the texas navy. With all rights and privileges and pertaining thereto, with a duty to assist in the preservation of the history, boundaries, Water Resources and the defense of the state. In testimony whereof i have signed my name and caused the seal of the state of texas be fixed at the city of austin, this 5th day of may, 2019, signed the governor of texas. I will now read the oath that mr. Hudson will take as he takes this commission. I, Richard Hudson, do solemnly swear that i will support and defend the constitution and the of the United States and of the state of texas against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the same, and i will obey the orders of the president of the United States and the governor of texas, and the orders of the officers apointed over me. According to the regulations and the uniform code of military justice, and i will remember the alamo, so help me god. I now yield back to mr. Gohmert. Mr. Gohmert i yield to mr. Hudson. Mr. Hudson thank you, mr. Gohmert, for yielding, and thank you, judge carter, for this incredible honor. You are a dear friend and someone i admire very much and your love for the state of texas is unmatched. This truly is an honor. Im proud to be a north carolinian. But i do love the state of texas. I would first suggest that we should all remember that seven north carolinians, if if my recollection is correct, died defending the alamo. I also have family ties to texas. My great uncle Joseph Wesley humphrey was a deputy sheriff, a member of the texas legislature, and then county judge. Another great uncle was the methodist minister in st. Augustine county, texas. I believe that might be in mr. Gohmerts district. In the church and the cemetery there is still named mccray after my great uncle. So i do have family ties. I do love the state. I am deeply honored to receive this commission, honorary as it may be. And ill be proud to recite the oath. I, Richard Hudson, do solemnly swear that i will support and at the fend the constitution of the United States and the state of texas against all enemies, foreign and domestic, ill bear true faith and allegiance to the same, that ill obey the orders of the president of the United States and the governor of texas, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations of the uniform code of military justice, and i will remember the alamo so help me god. Thank you, judge carter. And with that, ill yield back to my friend, mr. Gohmert. Mr. Carter congratulations. I thank the gentleman for ielding. Mr. Gohmert well, it is wonderful to have a new admiral in the texas navy. And we welcome congressman hudson to that role, an honorary role in the texas navy, grateful to judge carter for his role in making that happen. And to our great governor, greg abbott. Hank you both. So its nice to be able to do something that brings a smile. But i think, you know, for texans to ask that people emember the Alamo Harkins back freedom within us that and liberty is something worth dying for. Thats what all of those texans did. To my due deference friend from tennessee, marsha blackburn, yes, i know were grateful for tennessee for their contribution at the alamo and to texas as well. But those people had a choice. Were they going to run or were they going to stand for freedom . Stand against dess toities much. Despotism. And they chose to stand. 163 years later, and we still remember and were still inspired. And ty comes at great cost were forever grateful to our god and to our predecessors that took such a stand against tyranny. Theres a lot of tyranny going on in the middle east and there will be until the end of time. But each of us have a responsibility to do what we can to help accommodate and protect those that cant help themselves. Thats why some of us are prolife. But when it comes to life in the middle east, its been shocking now for years, under the previous administration, the people that were supported, the to ons that were provided people that were called the moderate rebels against the leader of syria. And yet we saw over and over again those socalled vetted moderate rebels were constantly allowing their weapons to be seized. Some questions whether they were actually turned over. T to radical islamists who hate americans. Who made clear, yeah, theyre fellow y about some muslims, but they like them a whole lot better than they do the United States and christians. So it was tragic in years prior when our current u. N. General secretary was in charge of the , andee program at the u. N. , under thennoticing the head of the Refugee Program in the u. N. , now general secretary, they were noticing that, gee, youre helping all these muslims, which is onderful, but there is a significant percentage in those areas, some areas there that are being overrun by isis, where there are christians and the chris