The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REMEMBERING CULLAN BROWN” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Agriculture was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5100-H5102 on Sept. 30, 2020.
The Department is primarily focused on food nutrition, with assistance programs making up 80 percent of its budget. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department implements too many regulations and restrictions and impedes the economy.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING CULLAN BROWN
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2019, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) for 30 minutes.
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the remarkable life led by Mr. Cullan Brown from Eddyville, Kentucky.
Mr. Brown was a student athlete at the University of Kentucky where he excelled on the golf course. He passed away in August at the age of 20 after battling a rare form of bone cancer.
A young man with a love for golf, he racked up numerous accomplishments over his young career. He won the individual Kentucky High School Athletic Association State Championship, Lyon County's first State championship in any sport.
Mr. Brown was a highly ranked recruit nationwide in 2018 and could have played golf at many different schools, but he decided to commit to the University of Kentucky, saying: ``I love the State of Kentucky and its people.''
Cullan Brown would go on to have a successful freshman year at the University of Kentucky, including being named to the All-Southeastern Conference freshman team.
Even more impressive than his success on the golf course, friends, coaches, and others have widely noted that this young man had a love for the people around him and impacted many lives with his wonderful personality.
Cancer takes a harsh toll on individuals and families. One life lost to this disease is too many. It is critical for our Nation to double down on efforts to fight cancer, including expanding research efforts aimed at developing effective treatments and cures.
Cullan Brown was a force for good whose courageous battle inspired many. His family and friends continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Honoring Jeremy Creason
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mayfield Fire Department Chief Jeremy Creason for recently being named the Kentucky League of Cities 2020 City Employee of the Year.
Mr. Creason joined the Mayfield Fire Department in Graves County in 2008, serving as a firefighter and paramedic. He quickly rose through the ranks to become chief at the age of 34.
At a time when essential workers have made numerous adjustments to serve their communities, Mr. Creason's dedication to Mayfield has been on full display. When personal protective equipment was scarce, he found some for his fellow firefighters to ensure they remained safe. This, along with other precautions he took, have proven to be effective, with no positive cases within the Mayfield Fire Department personnel.
In addition to taking good care of his staff, Mr. Creason met with local businesses and churches to advise them on capacity seating in their buildings and regulations for reopening. His due diligence is a shining example of caring for others and taking proper precautions to safely reopen.
I am honored to recognize Jeremy Creason for this award and his excellent service and commitment to his community.
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Honoring Neighborhood Pet Stores
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the support neighborhood pet stores provide for our local communities.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses have been slammed economically, but these dire circumstances have provided us with an opportunity to raise awareness of the tremendous impact local pet stores have on our communities.
As we all know, our animals serve as an extension of our families and often provide a source of friendship and comfort for both adults and children. During the pandemic, that companionship has become even more paramount as pet owners are spending significantly more time with their pets.
Local pet stores establish personal relationships with the community, whether those relationships are formed through employees providing expert advice and helping customers buy the correct product for their animals or helping to raise money for the local humane society.
These small businesses make a huge impact on the lives of our animals, and they become part of our families' lives, watching the pets grow over the years and serving as a go-to resource time and time again.
I join with everyone in honoring the extraordinary work neighborhood pet stores do to make a difference in our pets' lives. I am honored to represent them as they continue to build relationships throughout the First Congressional District of Kentucky and across the United States.
Congratulations to Marie Gatton Phillips Elementary School
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to congratulate Marie Gatton Phillips Elementary School in Sacramento, Kentucky, for receiving the distinction of a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. The award is based on a school's overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
I am grateful to the hardworking faculty and staff at Marie Gatton Phillips Elementary School for their commitment to the betterment of their students and the local community. Their passion for creating a positive and supportive learning environment helps each student develop essential academic and social skills.
These skills help them succeed both inside and outside the classroom, placing them on a path to become leaders in their communities for years to come.
At a time when schools are working tirelessly to adjust to present challenges, I am proud to congratulate you all on this terrific achievement. Your faculty, staff, and students are very deserving of this honor.
I look forward to continued success from Marie Gatton Phillips Elementary School. All of McLean County, the First Congressional District, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky should be very proud of this recognition.
Honoring Roger Holloway
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Roger Holloway of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, a veteran and one of the last Buffalo Soldiers alive, who is on a mission to keep their legacy front and center.
Mr. Holloway enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950 at the age of 17, serving in the Vietnam and Korean wars where he rose in the ranks to be named a corporal and squad leader.
At that time, the all-Black regiment was segregated from the general Army that would soon be integrated in 1951. In 1953, Mr. Holloway took a break from service, but soon reenlisted in 1954 and served in the airborne division until his retirement in 1972.
Mr. Holloway is now on a mission, a new mission, spreading the word to keep the stories of the Buffalo Soldiers alive.
In 1866, Congress passed the Army Organization Act, creating the Buffalo Soldiers, a unit composed of all African-American troops. The Buffalo Soldiers mainly helped to protect the western frontier after the American Civil War and later fought in the Spanish-American War and the Korean war.
The Buffalo Soldiers were a pivotal part of our Armed Forces, including working to secure the first U.S. victory in Korea on July 20, 1950.
I am honored to share the exceptional history of the Buffalo Soldiers on the House floor today. Throughout decades of service, they provided much-needed support, not only for our military but for all Americans. I am proud of all of their accomplishments.
I am honored to recognize Mr. Holloway and the Buffalo Soldiers for their exceptional service to our Nation. I especially want to thank Mr. Holloway for being an exceptional leader in his community and the First Congressional District of Kentucky.
Congratulations to Starfish Orphan Ministries
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Starfish Orphan Ministries in Paducah, Kentucky, for being selected as an Angels in Adoption Honoree by the 2020 Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.
The Angels in Adoption program honors individuals and organizations focusing on adoptions, permanency, and child welfare issues. I was proud to nominate this outstanding organization for this award, which they have gone above and beyond to achieve.
The Starfish Orphan Ministries supports children going through the foster care and adoption processes, both in my district and around the world.
One way they help children is through Kendra's Kloset. This program serves single-parent households, foster parents, and teens aging out of the system by providing them with clothing and furniture. These and other necessities allow children to become more settled in their new home environments.
In addition to serving Kentucky children, Starfish Ministries has expanded the footprint of their ministry through international mission trips. They regularly take high school students on mission trips to Central and South America, giving young people hands-on exposure to community outreach programs, which make an extraordinary difference in countless lives.
Thanks to their tireless efforts to promote the well-being of children, I can think of no organization more deserving of this recognition.
Congratulations, again, to Starfish Orphan Ministry of Paducah.
Honoring the Late Trevor Gosser
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, the late Trevor Gosser from Russell County, Kentucky, who tragically passed away last month.
I first met Trevor on Gosser Ridge in Russell County when I was out campaigning with farmers. I hired Trevor at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture when I served as Kentucky's Commissioner of Agriculture.
He quickly demonstrated a strong work ethic and high level of dedication to his work. He also became a good friend of mine, and I offer heartfelt condolences to his family.
Trevor was a devoted husband, father, and employee who was able to get along with everyone.
I join with everyone throughout Russell County and the First Congressional District of Kentucky in keeping his family in our thoughts and prayers.
Honoring the Late Ted Roberts
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the late Mr. Ted Roberts, a Paducah, Kentucky, whose life was dedicated to public service in his community.
Throughout his job at the United States Postal Service, Mr. Roberts rose through the ranks to become the first and only African American to hold the position of postmaster for the United States Postal Service in this tristate region.
In addition to serving as postmaster, he served as a member of the Postmaster General Speaker's Bureau in 1991 and a member of the National League of Postmasters of the United States.
Mr. Roberts' community service extends beyond the Postal Service. He was a part of the Paducah mayor's Task Force on Human Rights; commissioner of the Paducah Human Rights Commission; vice president of the Paducah, Kentucky, NAACP chapter; and an associate member of the Fraternal Order of Police. Throughout these roles, Mr. Roberts proved himself to be an integral part of his community.
In addition to serving his community, Mr. Roberts served his country in the Navy during the Vietnam war.
I am honored to recognize Mr. Roberts, whose distinguished record of public service is remarkable.
Thank you for being an exceptional leader with unparalleled contributions to the city of Paducah and all of west Kentucky.
Honoring Richard Dicken
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Richard Dicken from my hometown of Tompkinsville, Kentucky. Richard retired from TVA, where he was a well-respected engineer.
To demonstrate both his work ethic and his entrepreneurial spirit, Richard began building houses while working full time at TVA.
Upon his retirement from public work, Richard returned home to Monroe County and started four credible businesses, which employed hundreds of people: Dicken Construction, Southern Kentucky Hardwood Flooring, Country Boy Pellets, and a lumber company.
Richard told people to ``always keep busy and work hard for anything and everything you want in life.''
Richard Dicken passed away unexpectedly last month. He is survived by his spouse, Stephanie Dicken, four stepchildren, one brother, and two sisters.
He was a true Monroe County success story who will be deeply missed.
Supreme Court Nominee Amy Coney Barrett
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the importance of ensuring that the Supreme Court, the highest court in our land, is armed with Justices who will respect our government's guiding light, the Constitution.
There is a reason that my friends on the left are so heartbroken by the possibility of President Trump's outstanding nominee to the Supreme Court being confirmed. Unfortunately, they see judges as lawmakers, not merely interpreters of the law, as outlined in the Constitution. Any judge who rightfully stands in the way of judicial activism is a barrier to their agenda.
They want policy to be made by unelected black robes, not through the leaders we elect at the ballot box. Democrats' only hope for forcing fringe policies on the American people is for judges to sign off on unconstitutional executive actions, which we saw President Obama repeatedly pursue as a substitute for congressional approval.
Judge Amy Coney Barrett is an exceptional nominee who brings a wealth of experience from her time in both the private sector and on the Federal bench. She was confirmed to her current position on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals by a bipartisan vote, including with the support of Hillary Clinton's 2016 running mate. Everyone who has spent time around her has praised her qualifications and devotion to the law.
Additionally, she clerked for the late Justice Scalia and has pledged to follow his philosophy of following the words of the Constitution, not legislating from the bench.
Being extremely qualified and devoted to the Constitution is apparently a red flag for Washington Democrats. They are going to desperate lengths to stop her confirmation, including attacking her faith and threatening to impeach President Trump for following his constitutional duty to nominate a replacement for the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The American people put President Trump and the Republican Senate in charge to nominate and confirm judges to the Federal bench. President Trump was incredibly transparent about his plans, even putting out a list of candidates he would choose from. And the American people elected him to do just that.
I look forward to seeing the Senate fulfill their constitutional duty and confirm the President's very qualified and capable nominee.
Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 17 minutes.
Explaining the Difference Between Absentee Voting and Mail-In Voting
Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I want to conclude by talking about the election process that we are about to face. Recent news stories from across America highlight the fundamental problem with blue States implementing universal mail-in voting.
Now, let me explain the difference between absentee voting and universal mail-in voting. Absentee voting is where a registered voter requests a ballot. Universal mail-in voting is where everyone on the voter rolls receives ballots unsolicited.
With respect to mail-in voting, we have uncertainty, delay, and inaccuracy. These are the consequences of the universal mail-in scheme that threaten the integrity of American elections.
As ranking member of the Oversight and Reform Committee, I recently published a report, alongside Congressman Jim Jordan, that laid out these threats to our elections. Simply put, Democrat States are changing the rules in the middle of the game.
There is nothing wrong with absentee voting. Absentee voting is a time-honored tradition where voters request a ballot if they are unable to vote in person. Expanded absentee voting is appropriate for those who don't feel safe because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I support absentee voting.
However, blue State Governors have taken mail-in voting to a whole new level. Their brilliant idea is to mail out ballots to everyone on the voter rolls, which are notoriously inaccurate.
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They include people who have moved and even died, creating a situation ripe for fraud as millions of unrequested ballots go out to households. Who lives in those households? We don't know.
Look no further than my home State of Kentucky, where former Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes was sued for the State's failure to maintain accurate voter registration lists.
And just yesterday, New York City announced that they would be resending nearly 100,000 absentee ballots out due to a printing error just a month before the election.
This raises numerous questions: How many of these ballots were already cast? Will votes in New York count twice? Do these ballots even have to be postmarked?
The fact that we are even asking these questions raises fundamental concerns with the integrity of the upcoming election.
Another concern is the flurry of late ballots we will see after election day. It is a disgrace to our electoral system that we are allowing ballots to be counted for days after the November 3 election. Shame on the States that are allowing this to happen, including Kentucky.
Ballots received after election day is a disaster waiting to happen. If you vote by mail, then do it now, or at least by October 15 or October 20 to ensure that it has time to arrive by election day.
We know what the consequences of ballots accumulating in the days and weeks after election day will be. Look no further than a recent New York primary, where Governor Cuomo's shift to mail-in voting led to absolute chaos. Election officials disqualified thousands of ballots for not having timely postmarks, and the election wasn't certified for 6 weeks.
The surest guarantee of election integrity is for Americans to vote in person where safe and possible. Even Dr. Fauci has declared in-
person voting to be safe. This method comes with knowledgeable workers, identity verification, and secure ballot submission practices. These safeguards will minimize any delay in election results and ensure the integrity of the outcome.
I wish Congress could come together to have universal voting standards for what will be a Presidential race that, by all accounts, will come down to the wire.
Ballots should be received by election day, and if we can't agree on that, then surely we can agree that ballots that are received after election day have to be postmarked.
There are States that are coming out with new guidance that say ballots received after election day don't even have to be postmarked. Are you kidding me?
We have to come together on this before we leave. We have to come together to ensure the integrity of our elections.
Madam Speaker, that concludes my remarks, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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