March 21, 2017 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E357 numbers 173, 174, and 175. Had I been I thank the Silhouette Civic and Social Club made to the Modesto Fire Department by present, I would have voted Aye on all of for their efforts to improve our community and Chief Sean Slamon as we wish him continued these measures. have a positive impact on the world through success in his future endeavors. f their generosity. The ‘‘Ladies with the Big f Hearts’’ represent the compassion, selfless- IN RECOGNITION OF STEPHANIE IN RECOGNITION OF JUDGE ness, and community that is indicative of our (SAM) FLEETMAN CHRISTINE FIZZANO CANNON country’s southwest border and the people of El Paso that I have the distinct privilege to HON. PATRICK MEEHAN represent. HON. PATRICK MEEHAN OF PENNSYLVANIA OF PENNSYLVANIA f IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PERSONAL EXPLANATION Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to HON. JAMES B. RENACCI Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon congratulate Stephanie (Sam) Fleetman for re- OF OHIO for receiving the Women of Achievement ceiving the Women of Achievement Award IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Award from the Delaware County Women’s from the Delaware County Women’s Commis- Commission. The Honorable Christine Fizzano Tuesday, March 21, 2017 sion. Sam is the CEO of Mustang Expedition, Cannon has been a leader in our community Mr. RENACCI. Mr. Speaker, had I been Inc.—a nationally recognized full-service deliv- both as a small business owner and a public present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call ery carrier. She has grown the company from servant. She ran her own law firm for over ten No. 173, YEA on Roll Call No. 174, and YEA one truck and a few employees to a multi-mil- years and has served as a Delaware County on Roll Call No. 175. lion dollar company employing over 50 individ- uals. Women’s Commissioner, member of the f Pennsylvania Supreme Court Disciplinary While reaching success in a male-oriented Board Hearing Committee, Ridley Hospital HONORING MODESTO FIRE DE- industry, Sam has also been a leader in her Foundation, and Delaware County Council. PARTMENT CHIEF SEAN SLAMON community. She has served as Chair of the In 2012, Judge Fizzano Cannon was elect- Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Motor ed to the Court of Common Pleas. In this role HON. JEFF DENHAM Truck Association—only the second woman to she handles civil and equity matters, personal OF CALIFORNIA do so in eighty-six years—and the Delaware injury and property damage cases, real estate, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES County Historical Society. And she previously held positions as the President of the Bridge- land use and zoning matters, and medical Tuesday, March 21, 2017 malpractice cases. She is also currently serv- water Park Association and the Sharon Alum- Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to ing on the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsyl- nae Association. acknowledge and honor Modesto Fire Depart- I thank Sam for all she’s done professionally vania, which reviews, investigates, and pros- ment Chief Sean Slamon, who announced his and philanthropically in our community and ecutes judicial misconduct. congratulate her on receiving this important I thank Judge Fizzano Cannon for all of her retirement after serving the community of Mo- award. work in our community, and I congratulate her desto for 29 years. In 1989, Sean began his successful career on receiving this award. f with the Modesto Fire Department. Throughout HONORING THE LIFE OF JAMES f his many years of service, he has held various COTTON RECOGNIZING THE SILHOUETTE positions, including Firefighter, Engineer, Cap- CIVIC AND SOCIAL CLUB tain, Training Captain, Battalion Chief, Division Chief of Operations and Training, and Fire HON. STEVE COHEN Chief since August 2014. OF TENNESSEE HON. BETO O’ROURKE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF In addition to his dedicated service, Chief Slamon previously served as President of the Tuesday, March 21, 2017 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Training Officers section of the California Fire Tuesday, March 21, 2017 Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to Chiefs Association and remains on the team honor and commemorate the remarkable life Mr. O’ROURKE. Mr. Speaker, I am honored as an Area Director. Currently, Sean is a of James Cotton who passed away on March to rise today to recognize the Silhouette Civic member of the International Association of 16, 2017, at the age of 81. Mr. Cotton was a and Social Club, which holds a commendable Fire Chiefs and the California Fire Chiefs As- pioneering player who helped es- record of service to the El Paso community. sociation, in addition to being the former Presi- tablish his instrument as an integral part of This Saturday, March 25, 2017 the club will dent of the Stanislaus County Fire Chiefs. modern . recognize their 50th anniversary. Founded in Knowing that education is the key to suc- James Henry Cotton was born on July 1, 1967, the Silhouette Civic and Social Club has cess, Chief Slamon obtained a Bachelor’s de- 1935 in Tunica, MS, the youngest of eight served the El Paso community through events, gree in Occupational Studies from California brothers and sisters. His parents, Hattie and social activities, and scholarships. State University, Long Beach as well as an Mose were sharecroppers who worked on a The Club’s founders wanted to create an or- Associate of Science degree in Fire Science cotton plantation and his father was also the ganization with a unity of sisterhood dedicated from Modesto Junior College. He has preacher at the local Baptist church. Mr. Cot- to enriching and supporting the El Paso com- furthered his education and training by obtain- ton was inspired to take up the harmonica by munity. Three of its founders, Doris Gary, ing numerous certificates from the California his mother and by the time he was 7 years Baby Ruth Boswell, and Edna Black, still ac- State Fire Marshalls Office and FEMA, and is old, he was performing for small change on tively participate in the organization’s activities a state certified instructor in numerous com- the streets of nearby towns in the to this day. mand and management courses. Delta. At age 9, he moved in with Sonny Boy The Silhouette Civic and Social Club, affec- Sean has been happily married to his wife, Williamson II to learn the instrument and tionately referred to as the ‘‘Ladies with the Shannon, for 23 years. Together, they have Sonny Boy remained his hero for the rest of Big Hearts,’’ has graciously supported church- two children: Zachary, a Cal Poly San Luis his life. es, shelters, and crisis centers through regular Obispo graduate who is currently serving as Around 1950, Mr. Cotton moved to West donations. They have supported El Paso’s an Airman 1st Class in the United States Air Memphis with Sonny Boy, which is where McCall Neighborhood Center, which preserves Force, and Courtney, a Senior in High School, Howlin’ Wolf heard him. Mr. Cotton played and advances the History of the African-Amer- who will be attending Cal Poly San Luis with Howlin’ Wolf appearing in some of the re- ican Community in El Paso, as well as the Obispo in the Fall. cordings he made with at Sun Reynolds Home, a shelter for homeless moth- Chief Slamon’s 29 years of experience, Records, in Memphis, in the early . In ers and children. knowledge, and commitment are unparalelled. 1954, he also made four recordings under his They are most proud of providing college His expertise has led him on a new journey as own name for Sun. Mr. Cotton also played scholarships for deserving, honorable high the Fire Chief of the Carson City Fire Depart- with in Chicago where he con- school graduates. Their grass roots initiatives ment. tributed to classics like ‘‘Got my Mojo Work- help young El Pasoans pursue the American Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and ing’’ and ‘‘Rock Me.’’ In 1966, Mr. Cotton em- Dream. commending the outstanding contributions barked on a solo career when he formed the

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:48 Mar 22, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A21MR8.011 E21MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with REMARKS E358 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks March 21, 2017 James Cotton Blues Band which performed because over 70% of my lungs have turned to Mnikesa and everyone like her across the with popular acts like , the Grateful hardened, stony, scar tissue. The feeling of country to protect their health care—and to re- Dead, Led Zeppelin, B.B. King, Santana, and not even remembering what it is like to take a ject this repeal bill. many others. In 1977, Mr. Cotton reunited with deep breath. f Muddy Waters for the album ‘‘,’’ Because my particular disease is one that is which won a Grammy Award for best ethnic or categorized as autoimmune, it would be sev- THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NA- traditional recording. eral months before we got the correct diag- TIONAL GUARD HOME RULE ACT His work influenced several major blues- nosis; autoimmunity is notoriously difficult to rock groups of the era such as the Allman diagnose. HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON Brothers, the Blues Band, and And unless you are a specialized medical OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA the Electric Flag. He was much imitated but professional or happen to know someone who IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES never duplicated. Mr. Cotton continued to play is afflicted by rheumotoid disorders, you have Tuesday, March 21, 2017 in concerts and on records well into his 70s likely never heard of what I have: anti-synthe- and released some two dozen albums. Mr. tase syndrome. It is rare, progressive and ag- Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, today I intro- Cotton moved from Chicago to Memphis in the gressive. Often it is fatal, especially with the duce the District of Columbia National Guard 1990s, after the death of his first wife, Ceola amount of lung damage that I have incurred. Home Rule Act, a bill that would give the and he settled in Austin in 2010. In 1997, his When after over 2 years of chemotherapy, mayor of the District of Columbia authority to album ‘‘Deep in the Blues’’ won a Grammy for the progression of my pulmonary fibrosis and deploy the D.C. National Guard, after con- best traditional blues album and his 2013 overall disease process was not successfully sultation with the Commanding General of the album ‘‘Cotton Mouth Man’’ was nominated. remaining stable, I had to go on supplemental D.C. National Guard, with the President retain- Mr. Cotton also won several W.C. Handy oxygen. Within 6 months, I was getting so sick ing authority on federal matters. In local emer- International Blues Awards (known as the that I eventually had to medically retire at 36 gencies, including natural disasters and civil Blues Music Awards since 2006) long consid- years old; it was a heartbreaking decision. disturbances unrelated to national or home- ered among the highest accolades for musi- I loved my job, and I was very good at it. land security, the mayor of the District should cians working in Blues. Mr. Cotton was in- Without the protections afforded to me through have the same authority that governors exer- ducted into the in 2006. the Affordable Care Act, my oxygen, the cost cise over the National Guard in their states. Mr. Cotton is survived by his wife and man- of seeing my numerous specialists, paying for Each governor—including the governors of ager, Jacklyn Hairston Cotton; his two daugh- 14 medications, admissions to the hospital, three U.S. territories with Guards—has the au- ters, Teresa Hampton and Marshall Ann Cot- and life-threatening emergency trips to the ER thority to deploy the National Guard to protect ton; a son, James Patrick Cotton; and numer- would be nothing short of financially cata- his or her state or territory, just as local militia ous grandchildren and great grandchildren. strophic for my family. did historically. His was a life well lived. A rare disease like mine baffles many doc- The National Guards in the 50 states and territories operate under dual federal and local f tors. It has not been uncommon for my care- takers to have to spend hours on the phone jurisdiction. Yet only the President currently TESTIMONY OF MNIKESA with insurance companies fighting for a drug has the authority to deploy the D.C. National WHITAKER-HAAHEIM ON THE that is literally thousands of dollars but nec- Guard for both national and local purposes. POSITIVE IMPACT OF THE AF- essary for my treatment. Today, by far the most likely need for the D.C. FORDABLE CARE ACT When you have a rare illness, you often National Guard here would be for natural dis- have to try new things. Insurance companies asters, such as hurricanes and floods, and to HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO will unabashedly see you as a risk. Why? You restore order in the wake of civil disturbances. OF CONNECTICUT are expensive, rare and dying. That is an un- The mayor, who knows the city better than IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES holy trinity. any federal official and who works closely with But since the Affordable Care Act, my medi- federal security officials, should be able to call Tuesday, March 21, 2017 cations have been affordable. Access to care on the D.C. National Guard for local natural Ms. DELAURO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to is NOT accessible if you cannot afford it, and disasters and civil disturbances, after consulta- share the testimony of one of my constitu- what the ACA has done is create a safeguard tion with the Commanding General of the D.C. ents—Mnikesa Whitaker-Haaheim. She is an so that the care that my doctors have pre- National Guard. The President should be fo- English teacher who has won teacher of the scribed for one of their sickest patients is truly cused on national matters, including homeland year twice. She is also living with and dying accessible to that patient because I can afford security, not local D.C. matters. Homeland se- from a debilitating disease. These are her it. curity authority, with respect to the D.C. Na- words: I come from a family who has, for genera- tional Guard, would remain the sole province ‘‘The debate about healthcare has turned tions, always worked and always paid into of the President, along with the power to fed- into something of a spectacle—as if it exists ‘‘the system.’’ There are next to no services eralize the D.C. National Guard for federal apart from the flesh and bones that are experi- available for a relatively young woman like me matters at will. It does no harm to give the encing the consequences of the decisions at Social Services; I know. I’ve checked. I am mayor authority to deploy the Guard for civil being made. I think it is exceedingly important not old enough for a full teacher’s pension, but disturbances and natural disasters. However, to talk about the felt experience of illness. do receive a small disability allowance. it could do significant harm to leave the mayor The feeling like an elephant’s sitting on my I need you to understand that people like powerless to act quickly. If it makes sense that chest—daily—because I have pulmonary fibro- me are not asking for anything for free. I am governors would have control over the deploy- sis. No, I have never smoked. Not cigarettes. willing to continue to pay for the quality ment of their National Guards, it makes equal Not anything. Ever. I am simply sick. The feel- healthcare that I have had. I am willing for sense for the mayor of the District, with a pop- ing of my leg bones splintering, waking me up there to be changes made to it. ulation the size of a small state, to have the with the pain, several times a night, several I find it unconscionable, however, that deci- same authority. times a week. Each leg is splayed beneath me sions can be made regarding life and death The mayor of the District, as chief execu- as if I’d fallen from a window. Of course that’s without actual regard for the felt lives and ac- tive, should have the authority to deploy the not what happened. This is just what joints tual deaths that you will be responsible for if D.C. National Guard in instances that do not and muscles feel like as a part of my rare dis- you repeal the ACA. rise to the level of federal homeland security ease. I do not know the course that my disease activities. My bill permits the mayor to only de- The feeling of having a widespread flu-like, will take. But I have the blood of some power- ploy the D.C. National Guard after consultation bone-crushing ache that does not end. I don’t ful ancestors flowing in me, and their fight for with the Commanding General of the D.C. Na- have the flu. I have a rare, autoimmune dis- life continues in me as well. I am honored to tional Guard. The bill is another important step ease. This is what my entire body feels like do so in their memory and on behalf of the toward completing the transfer of full self-gov- 90% of the time. The feeling of choking with- millions of Americans who do not have the ernment powers to the District. Congress out warning, regularly on coffee. On water. On words or the ability to speak for themselves began with the passage of the Home Rule Act my own spit. This is what my disease feels yet are terrified of losing their affordable, solid of 1973, when it delegated most of its author- like. coverage under the ACA.’’ ity over District matters to an elected mayor The feelings I’m talking about are what it is Those were her words—and she is not and Council. The bill follows that model. like to not be able to take a deep breath, ever, alone in her fear of repeal. We owe it to I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:48 Mar 22, 2017 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K21MR8.008 E21MRPT1 lotter on DSK5VPTVN1PROD with REMARKS