E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 116 CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 165 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13, 2019 No. 45 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. and was Comer, where he was one of seven sib- have been positively affected by the called to order by the Speaker pro tem- lings. He was born in Rock Hill, South giving and donations to Christian pore (Mr. SOTO). Carolina, where he attended Oak Ridge causes, such as the men’s shelters and f Elementary School and later served in the Boys and Girls Clubs, will be re- the United States Merchant Marines. membered for years to come. DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO He was married to Francis Watkins The company is now being run by his TEMPORE Comer for 64 years and had two chil- son, Chip Comer, and the legacy of his The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- dren, Brenda Comer Sutton and Leon father can be summed up by the words fore the House the following commu- ‘‘Chip’’ Comer, Jr. of Chip when he said the following: nication from the Speaker: Leon Comer believed in the value of ‘‘My father is the epitome of what I WASHINGTON, DC, hard work and, after working as a man- would always want to be, as he taught March 13, 2019. ager of a beer distributor in the greater me so many life lessons growing up.’’ I hereby appoint the Honorable DARREN Rock Hill market for 12 years, he Leon Comer left an indelible imprint SOTO to act as Speaker pro tempore on this founded Comer Distributing in 1971, on the many lives that he touched, and day. with only five employees, distributing he will be remembered as a man who NANCY PELOSI, 250,000 cases of beer, with only three epitomized the meaning of ‘‘true serv- Speaker of the House of Representatives. routes. ice above self’’ and was a man who f The original building, consisting of dedicated his life to serving his faith, only 5,000 square feet, was located on MORNING-HOUR DEBATE his family, and his country. Pendleton Street, and later expanded May God bless Leon Comer and his The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- to 17,000 square feet to a much larger family. ant to the order of the House of Janu- site on Carmel Road. ary 3, 2019, the Chair will now recog- Comer Distributing expanded into f nize Members from lists submitted by the greater Columbia market in 2012 the majority and minority leaders for and, 1 year later, added another 11,200 FIX THEM BEFORE WE FLY THEM morning-hour debate. square feet of space. The company The SPEAKER pro tempore. The The Chair will alternate recognition opened in a two-story office building in Chair recognizes the gentleman from between the parties. All time shall be 2018, along with an expanded ware- Texas (Mr. GREEN) for 5 minutes. equally allocated between the parties, house. The company has grown to 70 Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, and in no event shall debate continue employees, providing 1.5 million cases and still I rise; and I rise today because beyond 11:50 a.m. Each Member, other of a variety of brand-name beverages I love my country and because I love than the majority and minority leaders each year. the people, and I love their lives and I and the minority whip, shall be limited Leon retired in 1990; however, over care about them. And because I love to 5 minutes. the course of his lifetime, he served on them and I care about them, I call f many boards, clubs, and commissions, upon the President of the United including the Rock Hill Economic De- States of America to ground the 737 CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF H. velopment Board; York County Natural MAX 8. LEON COMER, SR. Gas Authority; York Masonic Lodge This plane is unfit to fly. We have The SPEAKER pro tempore. The #385; Hejaz Shriners; Winthrop Eagle had two go down in the last 6 months. Chair recognizes the gentleman from Club, where he was a founding member; Two down within 6 months is two too South Carolina (Mr. NORMAN) for 5 Ducks Unlimited; the South Carolina many. minutes. Beer Wholesalers Association, serving We cannot put profits above people, Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise twice as chairman of the board; the Mr. President. This is an opportunity today in celebration of the life of H. Waterfowl Association; the American for you to exert your executive power Leon Comer, Sr., who passed away at Legion; Frank Roach Post #34; the USC in a positive way on behalf of people the age of 91 on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Gamecock Club; and many more orga- who fly these planes. He was a man born of humble means nizations and local groups. It is not about the pilots; it is about who never lost sight of where he came Leon and his wife, Frances, were the planes. These planes are unfit to from. longtime members of St. John’s United fly, and we cannot put profits above He was the son of the late John Stoll Methodist Church, where he was very people, and they are to be grounded Comer, Sr., and Annie Lee Roach active for many years. The lives that until they are fit. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H2683 . VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:48 Mar 14, 2019 Jkt 089060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A13MR7.000 H13MRPT1 lotter on DSKBCFDHB2PROD with HOUSE H2684 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE March 13, 2019 Ground them until they are fixed. and 10 days in Washington, D.C., con- Another, Abdi Mohamed, who is They are unfit to fly. Fix them before ducting meetings and touring the city. afraid of losing his brother: ‘‘I cannot we fly them. The Report to the Nation delegation begin to imagine the nightmare this f stems from the congressional charter will create in my community,’’ he said. of the Boy Scouts of America, dating ‘‘I am not ready to let my bond with SCOUTING ORGANIZATIONS PRO- back to June 15, 1916, and represents my brother go. We love to go shopping VIDE VALUABLE EXPERIENCES millions of Boy Scouts. at the Mall of America. Dave and Bust- The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Mr. Speaker, I know that the Boy ers is so much fun together. I am not Chair recognizes the gentleman from Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts ready for this.’’ Pennsylvania (Mr. THOMPSON) for 5 of the USA both contribute to the spir- Mr. Speaker, we can do something minutes. it of this Nation and play an essential about this. We can stop the nightmare Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. role in educating our youth. These or- from becoming a reality. We can legis- Mr. Speaker, Scouting organizations ganizations build character; they help late a fix. are pivotal in the lives of so many young people become actively engaged It is time to act. This is what we are American youth, and this week there in their communities; and they pro- here to do: to put people before politics has been much to celebrate. Yesterday, mote serving others in ways big and and make a real difference in our com- the Girl Scouts of the USA marked its small. And that is something we can munities. 107th birthday, and tonight the Boy all respect and admire. Our Liberian neighbors are friends; Scouts of America will conclude its an- f they are workers; and they are tax- nual report to the Nation. A COMMUNITY IN PERIL payers. They have played by the rules; Girl Scouts help girls develop into they have worked exceptionally hard; The SPEAKER pro tempore. The the future leaders of our economy, our and they have thrived in good jobs. If Chair recognizes the gentleman from communities, our country, and the we lose them, we will be losing our Minnesota (Mr. PHILLIPS) for 5 min- world by encouraging them to dream workforce; we will be losing our com- big and work hard to achieve their utes. Mr. PHILLIPS. Mr. Speaker, today I munity; and we will be losing our fam- goals. In fact, many Congresswomen ily. have been Girl Scouts, and we saw rise with great urgency to sound an alarm because we have a community in We have 18 days to act, 18 days to do some Congresswomen deliver speeches peril. something to make sure that our Libe- on this floor yesterday in honor of the The Liberian community in Min- rian community will never have to Girl Scouts building girls of courage, nesota and around the Nation is deal- spend another sleepless night won- confidence, and character for 107 years. ing with a crisis of our very own mak- dering if the world will take everything Mr. Speaker, I know firsthand the ing. When the DED, Deferred Enforced away from them once again. positive impact that Scouting can have Departure, program expires on March f on the life of a young person. I have 31, thousands of our Liberian friends been actively involved with the Boy THANKING OUR FARMER and neighbors will be at risk of losing COOPERATIVES Scouts of America since I was 11 years their jobs and their homes and being old.