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Extensions of Remarks E1487 EXTENSIONS of REMARKS October 11, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1487 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS RECOGNIZING THE 170TH ANNIVER- valuable service to the Mashpee Fire Depart- need is truly extraordinary, and the nation as SARY OF B’NAI B’RITH INTER- ment, filling the role of Fire Chief for the past a whole has greatly benefitted from their dedi- NATIONAL two decades. His many friends and colleagues cated efforts. At this time, I ask all Members describe him as a man truly dedicated to his to join me in congratulating the United States HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN service, always putting his fellow firemen and Veterans Initiative upon its 20th anniversary. OF CALIFORNIA the Mashpee community first. Even on his last f day at the Department, Chief Baker chose to IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RECOGNIZING THE 50TH ANNIVER- Friday, October 11, 2013 wear a blue firefighter’s uniform instead of his usual white chief’s uniform to remember his SARY OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to earlier years of service, and he spent the day STATE COLLEGE recognize the 170th Anniversary of B’nai B’rith responding to emergency calls throughout the International. I am proud to acknowledge the community. His dedication to helping others HON. JEFF MILLER accomplishments of the oldest existing Jewish sets an example for us all to follow, and I OF FLORIDA service agency and celebrate their achieve- know I speak for many when I say that his ac- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ments. complishments have been invaluable to the Friday, October 11, 2013 On October 13, 1843, twelve German Jew- town of Mashpee. ish immigrants convened to address the chal- Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise Mr. Speaker, I am honored to recognize today to recognize the 50th anniversary of lenges of their growing community. Imme- Chief George Baker upon his retirement from diately, they established a financial support Northwest Florida State College located in the Mashpee Fire Department. I ask that my Niceville, Florida. Throughout the past 50 system for families of the deceased, open a colleagues join me in thanking Chief Baker for Jewish public library, and assisted flood vic- years, its faculty and students have exhibited his many years of service. an assiduous dedication to excellence that has tims in Baltimore. They also began to speak f out against anti-Semitism. These early prior- led to the college’s growth from its beginnings ities of advocacy, education, and community TRIBUTE TO UNITED STATES as a junior college with a makeshift campus to support can still be seen in B’nai B’rith’s work VETERANS INITIATIVE now a state college with seven campuses and around the world today. centers and six bachelor’s degree programs. I B’nai B’rith is one of Israel’s strongest advo- HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF am proud to congratulate them on this great achievement. cates in the United States and Europe. Work- OF CALIFORNIA Access to education is one of the most vital ing with policymakers in the United States, the IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES components for a successful society, and in European Union, and the United Nations, Friday, October 11, 2013 the spring of 1963, the Florida Legislature, B’nai B’rith has championed Israel’s right to recognizing the opportunity to better serve the defend itself, advanced the rights of Jewish Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to educational needs of the citizens in Northwest refugees in the Middle East, and ensured that honor the United States Veterans Initiative Florida, authorized the establishment of a jun- life insurance companies cannot refuse cov- upon its 20th anniversary. U.S. Vets is the nation’s largest nonprofit ior college to be located in Okaloosa County. erage due to travelling to Israel. B’nai B’rith has also sustained the health provider of comprehensive services such as Originally named the Okaloosa-Walton Junior and well-being of the aged through advocating housing, counseling, and career development College, its doors opened for the first time to for senior services, tirelessly working for af- to homeless and at-risk veterans. Since its 767 students in a temporary location in the fordable access to medical care, and providing founding, U.S. Vets has established 11 facili- City of Valparaiso, Florida on August 24, housing for seniors. In partnership with the ties across the nation dedicated to providing 1964. In honor of the heroism of the Doolittle Department of Housing and Urban Develop- vital services to over 20,000 veterans and Raiders, the students chose ‘‘Raiders’’ as their ment, B’nai B’rith is the largest Jewish spon- their families. college’s official mascot. In 1992, the West Los Angeles Veteran Af- Just a few years and an Act of Congress sor of subsidized housing in the United States. fairs Medical Center discovered that 25% of its later, the permanent home for the college in Residents are accepted regardless of religion, veterans were being discharged into home- Niceville was established. In 2004, the college race, or handicap. name was officially changed to Okaloosa-Wal- Following the Jewish tradition that every life lessness. As a result, ‘‘The Genesis Com- ton College in reflection of the new accredita- is sacred, B’nai B’rith assists victims of natural mittee’’ was formed under the guidance of tion to award bachelor’s degrees, and in 2008, disasters around the world. From the Great Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Harry it was changed to Northwest Florida State Col- Chicago Fire of 1871 to the 2010 earthquake Pregerson, a Marine veteran of World War II, lege, upon the creation of the Florida College in Haiti, B’nai B’rith is on the front lines help- to address the dire need for veteran housing. System. ing those who need it most. ‘‘The Genesis Committee’’ later became the While its name and structure has evolved This esteemed organization is a beacon to first U.S. Vets Board of Directors. throughout its 50-year history, students have all who strive for a safer, healthier, more toler- U.S. Vets opened its inaugural site, the never stopped pouring through its doors. Stu- ant world. I welcome the opportunity to stand Westside Residence Hall in Inglewood, Cali- dents of all ages made the college their alma- with B’nai B’rith International on the 170th an- fornia, in 1993 with five veterans. Since then, mater, whether high school students taking niversary of its establishment. U.S. Vets has risen to national prominence with locations in Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, dual enrollment courses or adults simply inter- f Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Honolulu, Hawaii; ested in expanding their knowledge in a vari- IN RECOGNITION OF CHIEF and Washington, D.C. In 2000, U.S. Vets ety of areas. Fifty years; seven locations; nu- GEORGE BAKER opened the largest transitional housing facility merous state, regional, and national athletic ti- for homeless veterans in the nation, Villages tles; and more than 350,000 students later, HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING at Cabrillo, a 26-acre project in Long Beach, Northwest Florida State College is recognized OF MASSACHUSETTS California that houses over 550 veterans. for its cultural enrichment and stellar edu- To address the continually evolving needs IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES cational opportunities provided to the North- of veterans, U.S. Vets has expanded their ef- west Florida community. Friday, October 11, 2013 forts into specialized programming to provide Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the United States Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to services to veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, Congress, it is an honor for me to rise today recognize Chief George Baker upon his retire- female veterans, and the chronically mentally to recognize the 50th anniversary of Northwest ment from the Mashpee Fire Department. ill. Florida State College. My wife Vicki and I join Chief Baker has spent the past thirty years The time, energy and care the United States the citizens of Northwest Florida in congratu- serving the town of Mashpee through his in- Veterans Initiative has given to our veterans in lating the faculty, students, and alumni of the ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. VerDate Mar 15 2010 03:57 Nov 15, 2014 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORD13\RECFILES\OCT2013\E11OC3.REC E11OC3 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE E1488 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 11, 2013 college on its golden anniversary. We wish BORDER SECURITY AND ENFORCE- art, 12-story Higher Education Complex, also them many more years of continued success. MENT CONTINUING APPROPRIA- located in downtown Fort Lauderdale. f TIONS RESOLUTION, 2014 Throughout its history in Broward County, FAU has worked in close cooperation with DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SUR- SPEECH OF Broward College, establishing a system of VIVOR BENEFITS CONTINUING seamless transition from lower-division to APPROPRIATIONS RESOLUTION, HON. YVETTE D. CLARKE OF NEW YORK upper-division work that can be called a model 2014 for the Nation. Thousands of place-bound stu- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEECH OF dents who otherwise would have been unable Thursday, October 10, 2013 to obtain a university education have earned HON. LYNN A. WESTMORELAND Ms. CLARKE. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply degrees on FAU’s Broward campuses, and OF GEORGIA concerned that Republican-Majority has have gone on to pursue successful careers in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES brought a bill (H.J.
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