1466 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—HOUSE, Vol. 157, Pt. 2 February 10, 2011 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES—Thursday, February 10, 2011 The House met at 10 a.m. and was George and Fathia Assad, has contin- another political candidate named called to order by the Speaker pro tem- ued serving the children no matter Barack Obama. Bev recently celebrated pore (Mr. CHAFFETZ). what the circumstances. We applaud her birthday on February 3, and you f that cloud of witnesses over the past can see her surrounded in this picture 100 years who have supported this orga- by friends and family, including a DESIGNATION OF SPEAKER PRO nization through service, friendship, granddaughter that is the light of her TEMPORE prayers, and donations. And we support life. The SPEAKER pro tempore laid be- and stand with this great institution But one of the things that Bev’s life fore the House the following commu- and voice our ongoing support for this teaches us is that we face challenges nication from the Speaker: and other similar Egyptian grassroots every day, and no challenge is too WASHINGTON, DC, organizations during this critical pe- great for us to solve if we come to- February 10, 2011. riod in the nation’s history. gether in a spirit of cooperation and a I hereby appoint the Honorable JASON f belief in the common good, that we can CHAFFETZ to act as Speaker pro tempore on solve the problems that we face as a this day. HONORING BEV RENS country. And that’s why I am here JOHN A. BOEHNER, The SPEAKER pro tempore. The talking about my friend Bev Rens, be- Speaker of the House of Representatives. Chair recognizes the gentleman from cause she is an inspiration to all of us f Iowa (Mr. BRALEY) for 5 minutes. in terms of what we can do to fight for Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, a better America. MORNING-HOUR DEBATE there are 435 Members of the House of She decided a long time ago that ac- The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- Representatives. We come from all cess to health care was an important ant to the order of the House of Janu- over the country, and every one of us priority being denied millions of Amer- ary 5, 2011, the Chair will now recog- encounters people from the towns and icans, and she knew that from her nize Members from lists submitted by cities and rural parts of our district work as a front-line care provider tak- the majority and minority leaders for that inspire us through the heroic ac- ing care of sick people and trying to morning-hour debate. tion that they exhibit every day of take care of them in their end of life The Chair will alternate recognition their lives. experiences, which is one of the most between the parties, with each party Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to precious times that a family gets to limited to 1 hour and each Member talk about one of those heroic people spend together. So as a nurse, Bev other than the majority and minority that I’ve known for 35 years. Her name fought for health care improvement leaders and the minority whip limited is Bev Rens, and I met her when I was that would improve quality of care to to 5 minutes each, but in no event shall working with her husband at a grain patients and expand access to care so debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m. elevator in the small town of Hartwick, that no American family could say f Iowa. I later got to know her better that a loved one died because they playing softball for a team called the didn’t have access to the type of care EGYPTIAN ORPHANAGE Front Street Tap located in Brooklyn, that all Americans deserve. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Iowa, and Bev’s voice was always the It’s important for those of us who are Chair recognizes the gentleman from loudest voice on the field because struggling with this issue of how we Pennsylvania (Mr. PITTS) for 1 minute. that’s the kind of person that she is. provide quality, affordable health care Mr. PITTS. Mr. Speaker, as I rise She is passionate, she is fierce in her to Americans to think about inspira- today, I am mindful of events occur- dedication to her friends, and she has tional people like Bev and what she has ring in Egypt. And I want to extend my devoted her entire life to making her done her entire life to help people in congratulations to the Lillian Trasher community, her State, and her country need, whether as a community volun- Orphanage of Asyut, Egypt, which is a better place for all Americans. teer, as a nurse, as an activist. What is celebrating 100 years of service this Bev recently had a curveball thrown the legacy that we will leave to our month. As our ally Egypt stands on the at her when she was diagnosed with children and grandchildren when they cusp of a new future, one hopefully amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also look back at this Congress and say, based on respect for democracy and known as ALS—Lou Gehrig’s Disease. What did you do to help me in my time human rights, we honor the people who Bev has always taken life head-on, and of need? Because Bev never worries have worked for decades to build an that’s how she addressed this chal- about that question. She says, I’ll be educated and productive civil society lenge, the same way she has lived her the first one in, and I will fight until I there. life every day that she has spent on don’t have any breath in me left to The Lillian Trasher Orphanage, this Earth. She didn’t get into self- give. That’s why you’ll still find Bev on begun in 1911 by an American from pity. She started thinking about what her computer every day, networked Jacksonville, Florida, is one of the old- she could do to stay connected to her with friends around the country, talk- est and longest-serving charities in the friends, her family, and the important ing about issues of vital public impor- world. It currently serves over 600 chil- issues that she has cared about all of tance, trying to be part of the impor- dren, along with widows and staff. This her life. tant discussion that Americans have pillar of the community has been home Those of us who have known Bev every day about improving the quality to thousands of children who needed have known her as a nurse, as a com- of this country. food, shelter, and a family. Orphanage munity volunteer, and a political ac- And predictably, in the wonderful graduates serve around the world as tivist. And, in fact, her start in politics small town where I grew up, Brooklyn, bankers, doctors, pastors, teachers, and began in 1988 in the Iowa caucuses Iowa, Bev’s story has inspired many even in the U.S. Government. when she went to caucus for a can- others to pick up the cause, and they Despite many challenges over the didate named Jesse Jackson. And she formed what has been called Bev’s Bri- years, the wonderful staff, now led by participated in her last Iowa caucus for gade, an army of loyal volunteers who 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. VerDate Mar 15 2010 09:36 Dec 26, 2013 Jkt 099102 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0688 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR11\H10FE1.000 H10FE1 rmajette on DSK2TPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD.