January 6, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H69 107–306, as amended by Public Law 111– School in August of 2008 and had been to , and switched parties from the 259, the Chair, on behalf of the Major- a highly respected law enforcement of- Democrat Party to the Republican ity Leader, after consultation with the ficer in the Atlanta area ever since. Party. In 1990 he was elected county Chairman of the Select Committee on Trooper First Class LeCroy is the judge in which he served from 1990 Intelligence, announces the appoint- 27th Georgia State Trooper to be killed until 2007. He passed away on December ment of the following individuals to in the line of duty, and he leaves be- 30, 2010. His memorial service is tomor- serve as members of the National Com- hind his wife and two young sons. row afternoon at the University of mission for Review of Research and De- A hero like Trooper First Class Texas at Arlington’s Texas Center from velopment Programs of the United LeCroy will not be forgotten, and I join 1 till 3. States Intelligence Community: his family and friends in mourning this Judge Vandergriff was a personal Gilman Louie of California. momentous loss to them. I ask my col- friend of mine. When I first was given Troy Wade of Nevada. leagues to join me in remembering this part of Arlington in the redistricting f loyal and heroic Georgian. process in 1992, he agreed to be my co- f chairman for my campaign. He was WELCOME HOME 101ST AIRBORNE just an absolute gentleman and helped DIVISION’S TASK FORCE RAK- FIRST ANNUAL DAN MARINO in every way possible. One of the most KASAN FOUNDATION WALKABOUT AU- unique things about Judge Vandergriff (Mrs. BLACKBURN asked and was TISM EVENT is that in his entire political career, given permission to address the House (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was which spanned from 1951 until 2007, he for 1 minute and to revise and extend given permission to address the House never held a political fund-raising her remarks.) for 1 minute and to revise and extend event for himself. He did actually ac- Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I her remarks.) cept political contributions obviously humbly rise today to welcome home Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, but he never solicited and he never the heroic soldiers of the 101st Air- on Saturday, January 29th, the Dan held an organized political event that borne Division’s Task Force Rakkasan Marino Foundation will host its first he himself organized on his behalf. I after a year’s deployment in Afghani- annual WalkAbout Autism event at thought that was astounding in the stan. Sun Life Stadium in Miami from 10:00 modern political era to be as successful Mr. Speaker, this morning we read to 2:00. One hundred percent of the pro- politically as he was without having to aloud the document we are all sworn to ceeds will benefit our south Florida go out and do the numerous fund-rais- protect and defend. None defend that community-based programs that help ers that most of us have to do. document and our freedom better than children with autism and their fami- We are going to miss Judge Vander- those deployed in harm’s way. Many of lies. griff. He’s got a list of accomplish- the members of the Rakkasan have The Centers for Disease Control ments a mile long. He was mayor of Ar- been deployed five times since Sep- states that one out of every 110 chil- lington from 1951 until 1967. During his tember 11. They are part of the most dren in the U.S. has autism. Autism tenure as mayor, he was able to get the deployed unit in the history of the U.S. impairs social interactions and com- assembly plant located Army. They have my profound grati- munication skills. While some autistic in Arlington; he helped get the Texas tude for that service. children will grow up to function in so- Rangers, which were then the Wash- These brave soldiers served in and ciety, others, many others, will need ington Senators, to move to Arlington, around Khost, Afghanistan. Together some level of professional care all of and was able to attend the World Se- with their Afghan allies, they took their lives. ries this past October in which he saw 2,000 insurgents out of the fight and Since its creation in 1992, the Dan the first of all win the cleared the way for expanded Afghan Marino Foundation has raised over $30 American League and then fight val- governance. The Rakkasans arrived in million to support research, services, iantly against the San Francisco Gi- a region that was controlled by the and treatment serving children and ants who ultimately won the World Se- Taliban. They leave an area where chil- young adults. ries. dren are free to go to school, play I urge all south Floridians to partici- He wanted to be a broadcaster. He cricket, fly kites, all activities that pate and help make this first annual went to USC in Los Angeles, applied the Taliban forbade. WalkAbout Autism event a success. for a broadcasting job in 1947, and was Tomorrow, Tennessee will welcome Our combined efforts will help assure not successful in getting that broad- these heroes home. We will open our that all money raised here stays here casting job. It went to somebody arms and embrace them and thank and benefits programs in our south named Chet Huntley, who later became them for their service and their sac- Florida community. an anchorman on NBC News. Judge rifice. We will also remember those Let’s all WalkAbout Autism. Vandergriff returned to Texas to as- who are not returning. I hope that my sume a role in his family’s Chevrolet f colleagues in this body will take a mo- dealership with his father, which he ment today to reflect on how our serv- b 1350 maintained that dealership except for ice should honor the service of those SPECIAL ORDERS times when he was a U.S. Congressman who serve us so well. in some capacity. f The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under We’re going to miss Judge Vander- the Speaker’s announced policy of Jan- griff. We give our condolences to his GEORGIA STATE TROOPER FIRST uary 5, 2011, and under a previous order family. Again, he was a Member of CLASS CHADWICK LECROY of the House, the following Members Congress from 1982 until 1984 and he (Mr. GINGREY of Georgia asked and will be recognized for 5 minutes each. will be missed. was given permission to address the f On December 30, 2010, Texas lost a lion. House for 1 minute and to revise and Tom Vandergriff, former mayor of Arlington, REMEMBERING TOM extend his remarks.) Texas, former County Judge of Tarrant Coun- VANDERGRIFF Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speak- ty, and former Member of the United States er, I rise today in memory of Georgia The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Congress, left this life at the age of 84. All of State Patrol Trooper First Class previous order of the House, the gen- us in North Texas will mark time from the mo- Chadwick LeCroy, of Marietta, Geor- tleman from Texas (Mr. BARTON) is rec- ment we heard of the loss. The loss is monu- gia, my hometown, who was killed in ognized for 5 minutes. mental. the line of duty by an unrepentant Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, Few people have had such a positive im- thug on Monday, December 27. Judge Tom Vandergriff was a Member pact on the development and quality of life of At the young age of 38, Mr. LeCroy of the House of Representatives from North Texas, and no one has had a greater was a highly respected husband, father, January 1982 until December 1984. He impact on Arlington. His friends and admirers and public servant. He graduated from was defeated for reelection in Novem- are legion, his accomplishments legendary. He the 85th Georgia State Patrol Trooper ber of 1984 by , moved back was the personification of an ideal, the ideal of

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:46 Aug 19, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00021 Fmt 0636 Sfmt 9920 E:\RECORD11\RECFILES\H06JA1.REC H06JA1 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE H70 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE January 6, 2011 a selflessly devoted public servant who always fessional baseball to North Texas. The effort All of this almost didn’t happen, at least not in put the people ahead of personal gain or am- took years and saw hopes dashed time and Texas. bition. again before he finally convinced owner Bob Vandergriff was born on January 29, 1926, Arlington history is generally divided into two Short to move his Washington Senators to Ar- to W. T. and Charles Vandergriff in Carrolton, epochs: BV and AV, Before Vandergriff and lington in 1972. The effort did not endear him Texas. The family relocated to Arlington when After Vandergriff. He first sought and won to the people of the Nation’s capital. On one Tom was 12. After graduating from Arlington elective office in 1951 when he became the of his many visits to meet with Short, he was High School Vandergriff attended USC where ‘‘boy mayor’’ of Arlington at the age of 25. At unceremoniously kicked out of a taxicab when he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1947. He the time Arlington was a small town on the he made the mistake of telling the cabbie why married his high school sweetheart, Anna railroad midway between Dallas and Fort he was in town. The Washington Senators be- Waynette Smith in 1949. Blessed with a deep, Worth. Vandergriff saw the town’s potential came the Texas Rangers Ball Club, and Tom sonorous voice that he used with perfect dic- and set out to make it a center of prosperity Vandergriff became the team’s biggest fan tion, he prepared for a career in radio and in its own right while fostering a new spirit of and supporter. When his beloved Rangers broadcast journalism. After graduation he ap- cooperation within the North Texas region. Ar- won their first American League Pennant by plied for and was a finalist in the competition lington, now the 49th largest city in the U.S. beating the New York Yankees in Arlington for what he thought would be the job of his with 370,000 people, would never be the last October, Vandergriff was there in the ball- dreams, but he lost out to another young ap- same, and neither would North Texas. Indeed, park he helped build to cheer them on. plicant. Vandergriff returned to Texas to join it was Vandergriff who coined the phrase, Today, Arlington is host to more than seven his father’s automobile dealership, dis- ‘‘Metroplex’’, which is still the term usually ap- million visitors each year and is the second appointed and convinced that he was a better plied to describe the Dallas-Fort Worth area. most popular tourist destination in the state, candidate for the broadcast job. The young His first major achievement was convincing bringing millions of dollars in revenue to the man who got the job was Chet Huntley. General Motors executives to locate their new city annually. The city’s entertainment district Chet Huntley would gain fame as an NBC automobile assembly plant in Arlington. His boasts Six Flags theme park, the Texas Rang- news anchor and reach millions of listeners family owned a Chevrolet dealership in town, ers Ballpark, a new football nationwide, but the loser in that early competi- which gave him access to General Motors stadium, the National Bowling Congress and tion, Tom Vandergriff, would touch millions in Corp. Upon hearing that GM planned to build Museum, Hurricane Harbor water park, and North Texas in ways that were deeper and ar- a plant in North Texas, he sold Arlington as a clusters of shops and restaurants that make guably more significant. Many have their own superior location by telling GM, as he would Arlington the City of Wow for millions of Tex- stories to tell about Vandergriff, many humor- later tell the story, that if they put the plant in ans. ous because he possessed a wonderful sense Dallas, it would make Fort Worth angry; if they In his 26 years as mayor, two years as a of humor, many thankful because he touched put it in Fort Worth, it would make Dallas member of Congress, and 16 years as County so many with acts of kindness large and angry. He ended his pitch by convincing them Judge of Tarrant County, Vandergriff cham- small, and many inspirational because he in- that if they put it in Arlington, everybody would pioned two more causes relentlessly: regional spired us, goaded us, and led us to be greater be happy. The plant produced its first auto- communication and cooperation and helping than we thought we were and achieved things mobile in 1954 and today is the only GM plant the University of Texas at Arlington become a we never thought possible. All in North Texas in the U.S. that makes full-size SUVs. major institution of higher learning. Believing are better off today because Tom Vandergriff The GM plant began a building boom in Ar- was here, and our children and grandchildren lington that has lasted more than 55 years. that everyone in North Texas would succeed if they worked together for the good of the re- will have better lives even though they will Knowing a small town on well water could not never know him. Those of us who did will sustain rapid growth nor accommodate the gion, Vandergriff spent decades finessing, ca- joling, and winning over the leaders of other never forget him. needs of industry, Vandergriff convinced the Well done, good and faithful servant. cities in the region. He led the effort to estab- voters of Arlington to pass an initiative to build I now yield to Congresswoman KAY lish and became the president of the North a large reservoir to meet the town’s future GRANGER of Texas who wishes to speak needs. The effort proved to be as controver- Central Texas Council of Governments which also on behalf of Judge Vandergriff. sial as it was monumental for a small town, today is the Metropolitan Planning Organiza- Ms. GRANGER. Today we remember but the initiative passed, and Lake Arlington tion for all of North Texas. He was a strong with great fondness Tom Vandergriff. was built. The project was ridiculed by many advocate for regionalism well into his eighties, Tom was a leader in everything he did. in Arlington and dismissed by others in the re- and the economic might of the region is a tes- He was a man who saw challenges and gion as ‘‘Vandergriff’s Folly’’, but the folly be- tament to that effort. tried to solve them. He found opportu- came ‘‘the miracle lake’’ upon its completion. Vandergriff’s efforts on behalf of his home- nities and made them work for us. He Large equipment was being removed from the town university are equally impressive. When had a vision that he always reached site in 1957 when one of the worst and long- he became mayor, Arlington College was a for. He never accepted the status quo. est droughts in Texas history broke, and it tiny two-year institution affiliated with Texas He was always working for what ought began to rain. The lake, which experts be- A&M that was formerly a military school and to be. lieved would take years to fill, was full in 18 then an agricultural college. Vandergriff knew As a successful businessman, a days. The lake ensured the explosive growth it could be more, and if Arlington were to suc- mayor, a Member of Congress and a that came in the decades of the ’60s, 70s, and ceed as a city, so must its college. He led the county judge, he did so much to pro- 80s that made Arlington, Texas one of the effort to make the college a four-year univer- mote economic development and oppor- fastest growing cities in America. sity. Working with then-governor John tunities to make Tarrant County, As a college student at the University of Connally, he succeeded when the college be- Texas which it is today. Just think of Southern California, Vandergriff was very fa- came a full university within the University of this: Starting as, what he was called, miliar with Anaheim and by the late 1950s was Texas system in 1964. Today, the University the boy mayor, he was 25 years old. He aware of the tremendous economic impact of Texas at Arlington is the largest UT campus served his community, helping Texas tourism had on the city after the opening of outside of Austin and the fastest growing uni- bring General Motors, Six Flags Over Disneyland theme park in 1955. He knew, be- versity in the state. It is quickly becoming a Texas, the Texas Rangers, all to north cause of Arlington’s central location, that the major research facility and contributes more to Texas. He had a vision to anticipate same benefits could accrue to his city with a the local economy than any industry in the the needs of a growing community and product of similar appeal. It came as no sur- city. population. But more than that, he was prise to those familiar with the Vandergriff vi- There is more, of course, much more. In a a decent and kind man. His grace was sion for Arlington when he became instru- life lived as fully and as well as his, there is matched only by his courage, and his mental in establishing the Six Flags Over always more to tell: his unwavering support personal character was exceeded only Texas theme park in 1961. The park was an and leadership of Arlington Memorial Hospital, by his compassion for others. He was instant hit, and people all over the south- his support and leadership of the Arlington the epitome of a great public servant. western United States began traveling to Ar- Chamber of Commerce, his support of local He will be missed but not forgotten; lington for family styled entertainment. The public schools, his support of a long list of and our thoughts and prayers are with first of the Six Flags parks, it still operates at non-profit agencies, his decades as an active his family. its original location in Arlington. member of the United Methodist Church, and Mr. BARTON of Texas. I yield to the But Vandergriff didn’t stop there. A devoted his roles as husband, father, grandfather, and gentleman from Denton, Congressman baseball fan, he was determined to bring pro- mentor to a very long list of aspiring leaders. BURGESS.

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:46 Aug 19, 2011 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 0636 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD11\RECFILES\H06JA1.REC H06JA1 bjneal on DSK2TWX8P1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE January 6, 2011 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H71 Mr. BURGESS. I thank the gen- their children on their health insur- ing this is. It is a mindless thing to tleman for yielding. ance up to the age of 26. This repeal come out here with this repeal. As a member of the Tarrant County will say, if you have got a 25-year-old f delegation, I also want to stand in re- who has cystic fibrosis and is on your IMPLEMENTING REAL membrance of Tom Vandergriff and his health care plan and getting their GOVERNMENT REFORM 55-year career in public service. Thir- medications through your health care teen years it took him to bring major plan, we are going to take it away from The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. league baseball to Arlington, Texas, you. That is what they are saying in HERRERA BEUTLER). Under a previous and he took the team from Wash- this. order of the House, the gentleman from ington, DC that was then known as the They are saying for preexisting con- Georgia (Mr. GINGREY) is recognized for Senators; had to fight two Presidents ditions, if you were trying to get a 5 minutes. in a bipartisan fashion, both Lyndon health care plan and your wife or your Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Madam Johnson and Richard Nixon. son or you have a preexisting condi- Speaker, my remarks will be about Judge Vandergriff was the original tion, you can be denied by an insurance saving money, but I can’t help but take representative from the 26th District of company. We have already passed a law an opportunity to respond to the pre- Texas when it was formed after the 1980 that says that can’t happen. It went in vious speaker, my good friend, the gen- census. My fondest memory of Judge in September. Yet the Republicans are tleman, the good doctor from the State Vandergriff is, however, as the voice of going to come out here and say to the of Washington. the Texas Rangers. Along with Dick middle class in this country, we are I would say to him, Madam Speaker, Risenhoover, he would do the broad- going to take away your protection and to my colleagues, when we repeal casts. They were spellbinding and ex- against insurance companies denying ObamaCare, which we will do in this citing and kept me away many times you coverage. House next Wednesday, parents will from my graduate school studies. It goes on and on and on, but I want once again be able to afford a health To his family, we offer our prayers to focus on one particular part of this insurance policy on which to include and condolences. Thank you, Judge bill. This bill has the largest middle their adult children. That is what we Vandergriff, for 55 excellent years in class tax cut in history—the largest will be doing. public service. tax cut for the middle class in his- As far as this $110 billion worth of Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, tory—because the tax cuts in this savings we lose in repealing I know we have a new protocol for rec- health care bill to help the middle ObamaCare, Madam Speaker, we spent ognizing former Members who have class are used for giving credits to peo- $1.1 trillion to save $110 billion. Hey, passed away. Is it appropriate under ple when they buy insurance. People Madam Speaker, it is true that you can our rules to have a moment of silence buy insurance, they get a tax credit. It indeed go broke trying to save money. for Judge Vandergriff? And if so, how is the largest one in history. With that, Madam Speaker, let me would I request such a moment of si- Let me say that again so you get it: get on to my 5-minute discussion. lence? They are going to vote next week. I rise today to encourage my col- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The They are going to stand out here with leagues to recall the conversations Chair would recommend that the gen- a straight face and vote to repeal the they had with their constituents dur- tleman from Texas consult with the largest middle class tax cut in the his- ing the recent campaign season. As we leadership on making such requests. tory of this great Nation that will be begin the 112th Congress, to remember Mr. BARTON of Texas. So it would worth $110 billion that they will take that the American people spoke with a not be appropriate at this time? away from the middle class. resounding voice, didn’t they, on No- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gen- Now, a few weeks ago we passed a tax vember 2. They told us to abide by the tleman is correct, and the gentleman’s bill out of here and we had to give tax Constitution, to rein in spending, bring time has expired. cuts to people who make millions and about economic stability, create jobs, millions of dollars—millions. They said and end the culture of crafting legisla- f if you don’t give the tax cuts to the tion in the dark of night, 2,400 pages on b 1400 rich, we are not going to give them to the health care bill, outside of the view the middle class. The entire Repub- of the public. THE MINDLESS REPEAL OF THE lican Caucus voted against tax cuts un- In order to fulfill this mandate, we ACCOUNTABLE CARE ACT less millionaires got them. Well, we must fundamentally change the way The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a should have learned from that that this we do business here in Washington. I previous order of the House, the gen- repeal will be just more of the same— have taken the first steps by intro- tleman from Washington (Mr. take $110 billion away from the middle ducing several legislative initiatives MCDERMOTT) is recognized for 5 min- class by taking a repeal of this law. this week, and they are all centered utes. You don’t have to take it from me. around the pursuit of meaningful gov- Mr. MCDERMOTT. Mr. Speaker, we This isn’t me making this up. Families ernment reform. have a new leader in the House and a USA, a nonpartisan group, has put out Madam Speaker, transparency is an new majority, and next week they are this information, and everybody under- integral part of this package and a nec- going to begin their legislative activity stands it. Now, upstairs in the Rules essary element for real government re- with a stunt. It is a stunt they are Committee right now, I could be up form. For the first time, the Constitu- bringing out here to pretend that they there talking but I decided I will talk tion, a document critical to under- are repealing the Accountable Care Act here first and then go up there and try standing our parameters and responsi- that was passed in the last session. to get this amendment offered in the bility, was read right here in the House They know it won’t pass the Senate, bill that will be on Friday. ALLYSON today, on the House floor. they know the President isn’t going to SCHWARTZ and GWEN MOORE are up I am proud to have introduced a bill accept it, so it is being done simply for there already working on this. But it as part of my initiative stating that their base. Now, I object to doing would prevent a repeal effort from in- any legislation brought to the floor stunts like this when they affect real creasing taxes on moderate-income or must cite its constitutional authority. people’s lives. low-income individuals, including Many may find it surprising to know, I just would ask you for a minute to through the elimination of tax credits Madam Speaker, that while votes consider what the repeal of this means for health care premiums as provided taken on the floor of the House are to middle class families in this coun- under the health care reform law. We available on the Net to view, or on the try. I am a physician. There are other would exempt that one part out of the Web site, that is not necessarily the physicians on the floor. They know repeal. case in committee. Therefore, my how this repeal will affect people in I don’t know what success I will have package also contains a committee this country. up there, but we will go and try, be- transparency bill. It would require In September, we already had go into cause it is worth trying. It is worth committee votes to be posted online, effect the ability of families to put pointing out how absolutely unthink- on the committee Web site, within 48

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