May 18, 2021 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E541 wish him continued health, safety, and suc- Draper, a Director of Health Care at the U.S. will undoubtedly be missed by those who have cess. Government Accountability Office (GAO), on worked closely with her. My House Committee f the occasion of her upcoming retirement. Dr. on Veterans’ Affairs colleagues and I, and our IN RECOGNITION OF LANDON Draper spent 14 years of her career at GAO, staffs, congratulate her and wish her well in BAILEY primarily overseeing evaluations of federal her richly deserved retirement. health care services for veterans and military HON. LAUREN UNDERWOOD servicemembers. Dr. Draper brought with her f OF ILLINOIS to GAO more than 25 years of experience in health care administration, health services re- H.R. 210, RURAL STEM EDUCATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES RESEARCH ACT Tuesday, May 18, 2021 search, and health care consulting, as well as a Ph.D. in Health Services Organization and Ms. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise Research. to recognize Landon Bailey for his service in As she retires, Dr. Draper will leave a last- HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON my office in Washington, D.C. ing legacy—not only at GAO, but at the U.S. OF TEXAS Landon joined our office as scheduler at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and here IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. As our in Congress. As Chairman of the House Com- office transitioned to maximum telework status Tuesday, May 18, 2021 mittee on Veterans’ Affairs, I am especially in March 2020 and we learned to serve Illinois’ grateful for the work Dr. Draper and her teams 14th District remotely, Landon played an inte- Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, have done for this committee. As a Director at gral role. He enthusiastically rolled up his I was proud to join Ranking Member Lucas in sleeves and demonstrated patience, persever- GAO, Dr. Draper has issued at least 80 writ- introducing his Rural STEM Education Re- ance, and dedication to learning a new job, in- ten products, more than 45 of which were re- search Act. Access to high-quality STEM edu- tegrating with a new team, and serving the ports or written testimony prepared at the re- cation has too long been place-based. For stu- people of the 14th District of Illinois, all without quest or mandate of the House Committee on dents who grow up in rural areas of this coun- the benefit of ever working in a physical office Veterans’ Affairs. Dr. Draper and her teams try, even in states that boast some of the environment or meeting his colleagues face- have made hundreds of recommendations to world’s best research universities, a STEM ca- to-face. While taking on that particular chal- improve the delivery of health care services to reer may seem unattainable. Many rural stu- lenge is an experience shared by more than a our nation’s veterans, the majority of which dents have never met a practicing scientist or few Americans during the coronavirus pan- have been implemented. engineer. Their teachers often struggle with demic, the grace, humor, and kindness with Since 2010, Dr. Draper has testified at 12 limited resources for the STEM curriculum. It which he approached the challenge sets him hearings convened by the House Committee is unlikely that their schools have well apart. on Veterans’ Affairs or its Subcommittees. She equipped science laboratories that may pro- During his tenure, Landon shifted our exter- has been a trusted voice and provided mean- vide hands-on experiences that are known to nal and internal scheduling processes from a ingful insights on numerous issues within the inspire scientific curiosity and a love of STEM primarily in-person operation to a primarily vir- Committee’s jurisdiction. However, Dr. Drap- at an early age. The nearest science museum tual operation. He learned and taught others er’s most significant contributions as a hearing may be too far for a field trip, if the district can how to Zoom, use Teams, and participate in witness have been on the topic of veterans’ even afford to transport them. And broadband hearings via WebEx—and often navigate mul- wait times for appointments at VA medical fa- access remains an urgent challenge. tiple virtual events simultaneously. He liaised cilities, an issue that captured nationwide Yet we know with certainty that talent for with hundreds of constituents and made sure media attention in 2014. Dr. Draper’s testi- science has nothing to do with one where is each of them was able to connect with our of- mony and subsequent reports on this topic born, any more than it has to do with the color fice. Without his efforts, our District would not has been invaluable to helping the Committee of one’s skin or one’s gender. Our country is have been as well-served during this chal- understand VA’s appointment scheduling proc- filled with smart young people from all back- lenging time. esses and the lack of transparency in VA’s re- Landon’s collegiality, get-it-done attitude, grounds who may one day contribute to our ported wait times. Dr. Draper’s body of work science and innovation leadership. In fact, we and grace under pressure were invaluable as- will continue to guide the Committee’s over- sets as we worked to keep our community need them to contribute to our science and in- sight in this area, even after her retirement. novation future if we are to continue to com- safe, healthy, and informed in this unprece- In 2015, GAO added VA health care to its pete on the global stage and develop solutions dented year. biennial High Risk List, which focuses atten- to our most pressing challenges. But these Prior to joining my staff, Landon earned a tion on federal programs and government op- young people must first see it as a possibility Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from erations that are most vulnerable to waste, for themselves, and that starts with access to Delaware State University, where he was a fraud, abuse, and mismanagement. In desig- high-quality STEM education and hands-on re- member of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. and nating VA health care as a high-risk area, search experiences in their local schools. The Men of Color Alliance. He is currently pur- GAO identified five areas of concern: (1) am- suing a Master’s degree in Public Administra- biguous policies and inconsistent processes; The Rural STEM Education Act provides for tion from Wilmington University. I am grateful (2) inadequate oversight and accountability; research and development to increase access he chose to continue his career in public serv- (3) information technology challenges; (4) in- to STEM education opportunities in rural ice by joining my office. Our office will miss his adequate training for VA staff; and (5) unclear schools and to provide teachers with the re- daily updates on our morning calls, his unfail- sources they need to teach more effectively. ing love for Delaware State University, and his resource needs and allocation priorities. Since 2015, amid significant leadership instability at The bill also directs the National Institute of ability to narrate an impromptu team-building Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop holiday fashion show like a pro. VA, Dr. Draper has diligently monitored the Department’s response to GAO’s high-risk a prize competition to advance research and Madam Speaker, I would like to formally development of creative technologies for ex- thank Landon Bailey for his service to my of- designation, engaging in countless meetings with VA officials and providing ongoing feed- panded broadband access. This bill further fice, to Illinois’s 14th Congressional District, provides for assessments of Federal invest- and to our country. back on the Department’s plans for addressing ments in rural STEM education to be con- f GAO’s five areas of concern. While VA still has a significant amount of work to do to meet ducted by the National Academies and the RECOGNIZING THE RETIREMENT GAO’s criteria for removal from the High Risk Government Accountability Office. OF DR. DEBRA A. DRAPER List, Dr. Draper has established a solid foun- H.R. 210 is a good, bipartisan bill. I am dation for evaluating VA’s future progress. pleased that the House passed it today along HON. MARK TAKANO Please join me in thanking Dr. Draper for with a series of other bills focused on growing, OF CALIFORNIA her many years of dedicated GAO service, diversifying, and strengthening our STEM IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES which will have a lasting impact on veterans, workforce for the future. I look forward to Tuesday, May 18, 2021 VA, and the Congress. Throughout her time at working with Ranking Member Lucas and col- Mr. TAKANO. Madam Speaker, I am GAO, she has been a highly respected leader, leagues in both bodies to enact all of these pleased to honor the service of Dr. Debra A. supervisor, mentor, and colleague, and she bills. VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:55 May 19, 2021 Jkt 019060 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A18MY8.015 E18MYPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with REMARKS E542 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 18, 2021 HONORING FIREFIGHTER JUSTIN pansion of tribal programs that investigate, IN RECOGNITION OF CAPTAIN BLUBAUGH prosecute, and prevent incidents of child GEORGE SIRAGUSA abuse, child neglect, and family violence in In- HON. JOHN JOYCE dian Country. HON. JENNIFER WEXTON OF PENNSYLVANIA American Indian and Alaska Native children OF VIRGINIA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES and their families who experience child mal- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES treatment or family violence often have few Tuesday, May 18, 2021 Tuesday, May 18, 2021 opportunities to find accessible, culturally-ap- Mr.