E458 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 15, 2020 HONORING MISSION AVIATION On September 22, 2018, before a large firsthand several years ago with Ambassador FELLOWSHIP crowd, the USS City (LCS–22) was Nikki Haley to welcome the Prime Minister to christened in Mobile, Alabama. She was the Center Ring of Madison Square Garden in HON. RUSS FULCHER launched on October 19, 2018, into the Mobile . Last year I was present at the OF IDAHO River. On June 20, 2020, she will be commis- historic Red Fort in New Delhi for the Prime IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES sioned in San Diego, California. Minister’s Independence Day address, and Friday, May 15, 2020 The Independence variant Littoral Combat later in Houston with President Donald Trump Ship (LCS) is testament to the hardworking for the Howdy Modi event with over 50,000 at- Mr. FULCHER. Madam Speaker, as a man and highly skilled women and men in the tending in the largest welcoming celebration of faith, I have seen the spiritual strength of and our nation’s ship- for a foreign head of state in the history of the our nation tested during these challenging building and manufacturing industries. It is a United States. times. As a ray of hope, I run proud to show- high-speed, agile, multi-mission ship designed I am confident with the obvious warm rela- case the work of Mission Aviation Fellowship, to defeat growing littoral threats and provide tionship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and headquartered in Nampa Idaho, on their 75th access and dominance in coastal waters. The President Donald Trump that the families of anniversary. Founded shortly after World War reconfigurability of the ship makes it a force India and America will prevail over the Wuhan II, a few veteran pilots who served our country multiplier in any environment for the Navy. Virus. found a way to extend the gospel of Christ to She is the third ship to be named for Kan- f those in desperate need of aid, supplies, and sas City, the largest city in the state of Mis- medicine. On May 20, 1945, a non-profit orga- souri. The first USS Kansas City (CA–128) HONORING THOMAS ANTHONY nization was formed, and on February 23, was to have been a heavy cruiser but was FLANNERY 1946, Mission Aviation Fellowship chartered canceled due to the end of World War II, just their first flight from La Habra, California to days after the keel laying ceremony. The sec- HON. BRENDAN F. BOYLE Tuxpan, . A founding board member, ond USS Kansas City (AOR–3) was a Wichita- Betty Greene, served as MAF’s first pilot, and OF PENNSYLVANIA class replenishment oiler and saw service in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES after that first flight into Mexico she became the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm. the first woman to fly over the Andes mountain What the future holds for the newest USS Friday, May 15, 2020 in , and the first female pilot in Kansas City is anyone’s guess. Mr. BRENDAN F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania. Sudan, as she traveled the world on behalf of What I do know, without a doubt, is that the Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask the House MAF. She is a recipient of a Congressional brave women and men, who took an oath to of Representatives to join me in honoring Gold Medal as a Women Airforce Service Pilot uphold the constitution and protect you and I Thomas Anthony Flannery. (WASP) for her wartime service. Over the and the liberty we hold so dear, are the true Tom Flannery was born and raised in the years, and through earthquakes, war, and heroes and protagonists of this story. They are Germantown neighborhood of to genocides, Mission Aviation Fellowship sent the ones who will be making history. They are immigrant parents from Ireland in 1923. Fol- brave men and women into uncharted areas the ones who will serve on this ship and who lowing the attack on Pearl Harbor during to help those so desperately needing aid. will make all of us from Kansas City proud as WWII, Tom enlisted in the Army where he be- Today, Mission Aviation Fellowship operates a it sails with our city’s name. came a part of the Third Infantry Division. At fleet of 47 light aircraft, with 13 of those This ship will sail with the support of the en- 20 years old, Tom was injured and captured at planes being Kodiaks, which are manufactured tire city. Any sailor who steps aboard the USS Anzio where he became a Prisoner of War for in Sandpoint, Idaho. In the 13 countries it Kansas City will find themselves an honorary over a year under the German infantry. serves, Mission Aviation Fellowship is that Kansas Citian and a constituent of mine. I After returning home, Flannery married Joan light at the end of the tunnel for many seeking wish to express my sincere and grateful ap- Donnelly, who he met one summer in Ocean aid when all else seems dark. Last year, I had preciation for the dedicated service provided City, New Jersey. They were married for 62 the pleasure of meeting the staff of Mission by all current and future crew members of the years until she died eight years ago. They had Aviation Fellowship at their headquarters in USS Kansas City, and for the selflessness seven children—Karen, Butch, Joan, Nancy, Nampa, and the faith, courage, and dedication and sacrifices they and their families make in Eileen, Susie and Kate. For over 40 years to their divinely inspired ‘‘mission’’ gives me order that we may live in safety and freedom. Tom ran his father’s ‘‘saloon’’, Flannery’s Tav- great hope for our future. But as we learned Go therefore, USS Kansas City and make ern in the Nicetown neighborhood of Philadel- on May 12, it comes at a cost. MAF pilot your mark, assume your place in history. Be phia. Always more of a social worker than Joyce Lin took off from the Sentani, Papua, In- proud of your accomplishments and make the businessman, Tom rented out apartments donesia airport, on her way to a village in the most of your failures. above the tavern and when anyone was strug- Papua highlands, delivering supplies for a As President Truman through his wit and gling to pay their rent, he would let them work school and COVID–19 rapid test kits for the wisdom once said, ‘‘Men make history. History off the rent instead of evicting them. local clinic. A few minutes later, over Sentani does not make the man.’’ Tom is a humble, yet critical, member of our Lake, she declared an emergency. Joyce did Madam Speaker, please join me in wishing community. Even though he received a Purple not survive the ensuing accident. She loved the women and men of the USS Kansas City Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in her Lord and she loved serving other people fair winds and following seas. WWII, Tom considers those who didn’t return who were in need. The MAF family is grieving f home from the war the real heroes. It is peo- the loss of this dedicated pilot. As Jesus INDIA IS VOCAL FOR LOCAL ple like Tom who are the gears that make the Christ, our savior once said, ‘‘Truly, I say to entire engine run, and who make their com- you, as you did it to one of the least of these HON. JOE WILSON munities better, stronger and more inter- my brothers, you did it to me.’’ May Mission connected. It is people like Tom that remind OF SOUTH CAROLINA Aviation Fellowship’s leadership be an exam- us what life is worth living for. He never loses IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ple for all of us during these difficult times. sight of what’s most important to him—family, f Friday, May 15, 2020 friends and faith. IN RECOGNITION OF THE COMMIS- Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam May Tom ‘‘live to be a hundred years.’’ SIONING OF THE USS ‘‘KANSAS Speaker, I was grateful to read in The Wall f CITY’’ (LCS–22) Street Journal (May 13) that Indian Prime Min- ister Narendra Modi in a nationally televised IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE OF HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER speech pledged to boost economic self-suffi- WILLIAM COLLEY, JR. OF MISSOURI ciency amid the Wuhan Virus pandemic. With 1.3 billion people locked down since IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HON. MIKE ROGERS March 25th the country has suffered historic OF ALABAMA Friday, May 15, 2020 job losses as nonessential industries have IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I proudly been completely shut down. Prime Minister Friday, May 15, 2020 rise today to recognize and celebrate the U.S. Modi is inspiring the people of India with the Navy’s newest addition to its fleet, the Inde- slogan ‘‘Lets be vocal for local’’ Mr. ROGERS of Alabama. Madam Speaker, pendence-class Littoral Combat Ship, USS America is fortunate to have such an incred- I ask for the House’s attention to recognize Kansas City. ible leader of the Indo-Pacific. I was present the life of Mr. William Colley, Jr. Tommy—as

VerDate Sep 11 2014 10:33 May 16, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A15MY8.043 E15MYPT1 SSpencer on DSK126QN23PROD with REMARKS May 15, 2020 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E459 he was affectionately known—passed away on Madam speaker, please join me in recog- My goal: to get up and running, the testing ca- April 23, 2020, at the age of 58. With his nizing the life of Tommy and everything he did pacity for which l have voted for and workers passing, the manufactured housing industry to support this industry. He will be missed. have been promised. But that is still largely lost a legend. f lacking in Ohio and across our nation. Manufactured homes are a critical source of I remain deeply concerned about the health SALUTING 3,000 TOLEDO JEEP housing for more than 22 million Americans, and safety of Ohio’s workers. I offer my full WORKERS TO ‘RETURN-TO-WORK’ including over 750,000 residents of Alabama. cooperation to achieve a testing regime ac- MONDAY BY STATE EDICT With the national homeownership rate at a 50- ceptable to our workforce, medical sciences, year low and rents increasing at a rapid pace, and all concerned. Workers who enter plants manufactured homes are one of the most HON. MARCY KAPTUR across Ohio will be working at a closer density promising avenues for addressing our coun- OF OHIO than those who live in many of our nursing try’s affordable housing shortage. Tommy un- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES homes where COVID–19 has struck with a derstood the importance of manufactured Friday, May 15, 2020 vengeance. In the case of Toledo Jeep, work- housing, and he worked every day to promote Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today ers will travel from Michigan and Indiana to and protect the industry. with sincere concern for the well-being of work - untested and uncertain about what they Tommy began his career with manufactured thousands of workers and include in the face. Contact tracing will be harder without housing in 1976, painting frames in a plant RECORD this congratulatory entry during the testing. Lucas County already has endured the when he was only 14 years old. After finishing COVID–19 pandemic. This coming Monday highest number of COVID–19 related deaths high school, he stayed in the industry, later thousands of plant workers, largely connected in our State. We must pay attention. Today, graduating from Troy University in Troy, Ala- to auto manufacturing and supplier networks, the Veteran’s Home in Sandusky was struck bama, with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees will ‘‘return to work.’’ Their return is a State of by the COVID–19. It only takes one person in Business Administration. By 1992, he set Ohio decision by the Governor to allow pro- who has the virus asymptomatically to directly out on his own, opening an installation com- duction to resume at Fiat Chrysler in Toledo spread it to many others. Testing is the only pany-Southern Mobile Home Service. Five and hundreds of other Ohio manufacturing fa- way to ensure that workers can work in a safe years later, he joined the Alabama Manufac- cilities. As Co-Chair of the U.S. House Auto environment. A temperature test is not suffi- tured Housing Commission, where he later Caucus, I represent workers who build the cient. served as Assistant Administrator. iconic Jeep product, vehicles from GM and I cannot remain silent as this workforce be- He was also serving as Chair of the U.S. Ford, and components from glass to tires and gins not only a new week, but a new chapter Department of Housing and Urban Develop- from paint to bucket seats. These plants and in American history. I offer my full personal ment’s (HUD) Manufactured Housing Con- their workers were as instrumental in creating and financial support as l am able to work with sensus Committee and as Co-Chair of the reliable over ground transportation during the the management and workforce representa- Southern Region Council of State Administra- last century in World War II that carried our Al- tives at the Fiat Chrysler and other facilities to tive Agencies. Last September, his office lied victory. Today they are building new hy- embark upon necessary, free testing to assure worked with HUD’s Office of Manufactured brid and electric vehicle technologies. Ohioans the short and long-term health of these valu- Housing Programs to host the ‘‘State Adminis- build things. Workers must be allowed to do able American workers. Ours is a great nation, trative Agency and Primary Inspection Agency their craft in a healthy and safe environment. We must not accept less. Southern and Eastern Regional Meeting’’ in In their ‘‘return to work,’’ these workers likely On a personal note, our beloved father re- Mobile, Alabama. Two years ago, in recogni- represent the largest manufacturing workforce tired from the old Jeep facility on Central Ave- tion of his commitment to the manufactured to restart production nearly anywhere in Amer- nue and our beautiful mother served the orga- housing industry, he was honored as the ica. nizing committee of the original United Auto ‘‘2018 Alabama Manufactured Housing Asso- My primary concern remains the workers, Workers unit at Champion Spark Plug, I be- ciation Person of the Year’’ by the Alabama their health and safety, and the absolute ne- lieve our family knows firsthand what it takes Manufactured Housing Association. In Feb- cessity of embarking upon a COVID–19 test- to assure worker health and safety, In their ruary, he was inducted into the Alabama Man- ing regime that will protect them, their cowork- memory, I take this stand for autoworkers, and ufactured Housing Industry Hall of Fame. ers, and their families from the spread of the all workers, who are being released to the A devoted family man, he and his wife, Lisa, dreaded Covid–19 virus even as the Governor workforce. Our great nation has the capability were married for 32 years. He is also survived has opened the doors to these plants. To this to safeguard the health and well-being of by two children—his son, Ethan (Kaela), and end, I have spent hours on end on the tele- every person. To paraphrase a Civil War Ad- daughter, Devon (Sam). A life-long resident of phone and in meetings with top executives, miral: ‘‘Damn the Torpedoes! Full speed Eclectic, Alabama, he was also an elder and union leaders, workers, health professionals, ahead!’’ This must be our rallying cry for test- minister with Mt. Hebron Church of Christ. In local health departments, the state health de- ing all our workers. America should accept no his spare time, he loved to fish. partment, private and publicly operated labs. less than the best.

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