E738 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks August 7, 2020 than 720,000. In this capacity Michelle has tertainment unit. After his honorable discharge stress friends, who enlisted the help of their been able to leverage her college degrees and in 1946, Carl branched into performing Broad- friends, and an organization instantly formed bilingual skills to help resolve complex prob- way musicals, until landing a spot in an NBC as volunteers coalesced around one simple lems for many individuals in need. comedy sketch show entitled ‘‘Your Show of idea: to provide masks to those who need Michelle is deeply principled, a hard worker, Shows’’ as an actor and a writer. In this writ- them. and an excellent team player. She consistently ing room with Mel Brooks, Mel Tolkin, Lucille In their first month of operation, the Iowa took on challenges to serve others using her Kallen, and Neil and Danny Simon, the idea of Mask Brigade used over 75 furnace filters. intelligence, diplomacy, and empathy. Re- the 2,000-Year-Old-Man routine came to life Today, the Iowa Mask Brigade consists of 35 cently, Michelle served as the only staffer sup- with fellow comedian and director Mel Brooks. volunteers who have collectively produced al- porting a congressional fact-finding visit, when Later, while writing for singer Dinah Shore’s most 8,000 masks since its inception in I traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border along with variety, Carl developed the idea for ‘‘The Dick March. my colleague Congressman COLIN ALLRED. Van Dyke Show,’’ a comedy sitcom based on One of those volunteers is Ray Getting, who Michelle’s language skills, subject matter his own life experiences. This highly success- handles much of the logistics within the Bri- knowledge, and ability to build trust allowed us ful and well-crafted show would run for five gade. In a recent conversation, he mentioned to communicate with individuals seeking asy- seasons and earn Carl multiple Emmys for everyone who has received a mask is so in- lum in the United States. This firsthand experi- writing and producing. credibly appreciative. The group maintains ex- ence provided us with valuable insights on After ‘‘The Dick Van Dyke Show,’’ Carl tremely high standards for quality, and if a how the humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico transitioned into a full-time director, creating mask wasn’t perfect, it wasn’t sent out. He’s border is impacting national security, and how films like ‘‘The Jerk’’ (1979), ‘‘Dead Men Don’t been able to send high quality masks to peo- the complexities and ambiguities of immigra- Wear Plaid’’ (1982), ‘‘The Man with Two ple he cares about in places he knows it’s tion law, as well as changes in the law’s appli- Brains’’ (1983) and ‘‘All of Me’’ (1984) with going to make a difference. cation, can affect families on both sides of the actor Steve Martin during the 1970s and As the organization has grown, their mask- border. She has worked on high-profile cases 1980s. In his later years, Carl would return to making has become more innovative. When for my constituents, including complicated im- acting, with his reoccurring roles in the tele- the Brigade ran out of elastic bands for ear migration work for the Washington Post jour- vision sitcom Frasier and the Ocean’s Eleven loops, they turned to hairbands. Today, they nalist Jason Rezaian and his family following movie franchise, and even becoming a prolific have purchased over 25,000 hairbands for his imprisonment in Iran. writer of books. As Carl once said, ‘‘The abso- their masks, and they have shared this tech- Over the years; Michelle has developed a lute truth is the thing that makes people nique, as well as many others they have de- keen understanding of how her casework in- laugh.’’ veloped, with other mask-making organiza- forms my legislative agenda. She has worked Carl is survived by his son Rob Reiner, a tions. with all levels of government, non-profits, com- noted actor, director, producer, and political The Iowa Mask Brigade has sent masks to munity groups, and businesses to help ad- activist; son Lucas Reiner, an artist; daughter people in need all over the United States. dress key local problems. She has become an Annie Reiner, a psychoanalyst; and his five From the Iowa’s Dallas County Hospital to integral member of my district staff, and she grandchildren. May his compassion, kindness, San Antonio to the Navajo Nation in Arizona, will be sorely missed as she leaves us to pur- and dedication to the craft of comedy continue for whom they have created a custom design sue law school. Madam Speaker, I hope you to live on through the millions of people he to fit their preferences. Now, the Brigade will join me and my staff in extending to brought joy to and inspired. mostly serves low income housing, hospitals, Michelle our deep appreciation for her many f and nursing homes, such as the APEHA sen- good deeds and wishing her the best in all her ior living apartments in Johnston, Iowa. future endeavors. HONORING THE VOLUNTEERS OF In honoring the Iowa Mask Brigade today, I THE IOWA MASK BRIGADE AS f want to underscore the values of hard work, IOWANS OF THE WEEK dedication, persistence, and problem-solving HONORING THE LIFE OF MR. CARL that Iowans demonstrate in spades during this REINER HON. CYNTHIA AXNE difficult time. As Connie Klug said, ‘‘A unique OF IOWA characteristic of Iowans is that we don’t get HON. TED LIEU IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES defeated easily. We just went to work and OF CALIFORNIA Friday, August 7, 2020 overcame it. That to me is Iowans: we don’t IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES get discouraged; we just get to work. We’re Mrs. AXNE. Madam Speaker, as millions of Friday, August 7, 2020 not helpless. We rolled up our sleeves and individuals, families, and essential workers said, there are not problems that we can’t fig- Mr. TED LIEU of California. Madam Speak- struggle to obtain the proper personal protec- ure out.’’ er, I rise to celebrate the life of Mr. Carl tive equipment (PPE) required to keep them I am so proud to recognize the Iowa Mask Reiner, a beloved American and resident of safe during these difficult times, volunteer or- Brigade for their outstanding work and their California’s 33rd Congressional District, who ganizations like the Iowa Mask Brigade have unwavering willingness to help all those in passed away at the age of 98 on June 29, stepped up to provide these critical items to need. It is my hope that other individuals and 2020. With decades of work as an Emmy-win- keep our citizens and communities safe. That organizations are inspired to take action of ning writer, actor, director and producer, Carl’s is why today, I rise to ask the House of Rep- their own. The volunteers powering the Iowa comedic genius and generous spirit impacted resentatives to join me in recognizing the Iowa Mask Brigade have not only given protective not only the world of comedy but also deep- Mask Brigade as this week’s Iowan of the gear to people in need, but also instilled hope ened our understanding of the human condi- Week. when we need it most. It is my honor to share tion. The Iowa Mask Brigade was founded earlier the Iowa Mask Brigade’s story and recognize Born on March 20, 1922 in The Bronx, Carl this year by Connie Klug after she received a the group as our Iowan of the Week. graduated high school at 16 and started work- distressed call from her niece, an emergency f ing as a shipping clerk and then as a machin- room doctor in desperate need of PPE. ist’s helper before discovering a newspaper Connie immediately got to work researching CADET LAITYN TIPPY SELECTED announcement for free drama classes spon- protective masks and found that filters were AS OVERALL AFJROTC AND AFA sored by the Works Progress Administration. the most important feature that made them ef- CADET LEADERSHIP AWARD From there, Carl began acting at a midtown fective. Although commercial face mask filters WINNER Manhattan theater and joined a Shake- were not available, Connie used her problem- spearean repertory company. He even took a solving skills to create her own. She began HON. ERIC A. ‘‘RICK’’ CRAWFORD job performing at Allaben Acres, a summer cutting furnace filters from the company 3M, OF ARKANSAS camp for adults in the Catskills where he met the same company that produces the coveted IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES jazz singer Estelle Lebost, his wife for 65 N95 masks. Sandwiching this filter in between years who passed in 2008. two layers of high-quality cotton fabric, Connie Friday, August 7, 2020 Drafted into the Army during World War II, produced her first mask in a process the New Mr. CRAWFORD. Madam Speaker, I rise Carl trained as a French interpreter at George- York Times would later consider the best today to honor Cadet Laityn Tippy from town University before touring the South Pa- method of making homemade masks. Connie, Westside High School and the Air Force cific in G.I. revues in the Special Services en- a quilter, enlisted the help of two of her seam- JROTC, Unit No. AR20061, in Jonesboro, AR, VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:04 Aug 11, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A07AU8.024 E07AUPT1 dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with REMARKS.