August 3, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1403 

PESONAL EXPLANATION 

HON. MARTIN HEINRICH OF NEW MEXICO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Mr. HEINRICH. Mr. Speaker, on July 31, 

2012, I unfortunately missed three votes, 

which included rollcall Nos. 537, 538 and 539. 

If I had been present, I would have voted 

‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote 537. 

If I had been present, I would have voted 

‘‘yes’’ on rollcall vote 538. 

If I had been present, I would have voted 

‘‘no’’ on rollcall vote 539. 

f 

EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS 

ON GOVERNANCE OF THE INTERNET 

SPEECH OF

HON. HENRY A. WAXMAN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, August 1, 2012 

Mr. WAXMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to 

join Representative ESHOO, Representative 

BONO MACK, Representative UPTON, and Representative WALDEN as an original co-sponsor 

of this resolution. 

The Internet has been a unique and powerful driver of social and economic progress. A 

critical element of that success has been the 

open manner in which the Internet is governed. Rather than relying on centralized control by governments, the Internet instead 

adopts a multi-stakeholder model in which all 

who have an interest can have a voice in the 

Internet’s operation. 

Lately, however, the multi-stakeholder 

model towards Internet governance has been 

under assault on the global stage. In a few 

months at the World Conference on International Telecommunications in Dubai in December, the International Telecommunication 

Union may consider proposals that could fundamentally alter the way the Internet operates. 

Some of these proposals, if adopted, would 

undermine the successful decentralized approach to Internet governance and impose a 

government-controlled management regime, 

thereby threatening citizens’ access to content 

and information via the Internet as well as the 

global free flow of information online. 

We cannot allow this to happen. 

The Obama Administration has worked diligently to ensure that the Internet remains a 

tool for the global dissemination of ideas, information, and commerce. In doing so, the Administration continues the work of previous 

Administrations of both parties in protecting a 

global open Internet as a tool that benefits citizens around the world. 

In May, the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a hearing to examine proposals that would change the Internet 

governance model. 

At that hearing we heard from witnesses 

from the Administration and experts with a 

long history of working on issues relating to 

Internet governance. The witnesses all agreed 

that the United States must continue to resist 

any proposals that would undermine the multistakeholder model. Their testimony reinforced 

my belief that Democrats and Republicans in 

Congress must stand united with the Administration in its efforts to resist proposals that 

would undermine the existing multi-stakeholder approach. 

I am pleased that so many Democrats and 

Republicans have signed on as co-sponsors 

of this resolution. 

This large, bipartisan coalition of co-sponsors demonstrates that there is support across 

the political spectrum for continuing the multistakeholder model that allows the Internet to 

thrive. We urge the Administration to continue 

to resist international efforts to allow greater 

government control of the Internet, and I urge 

my colleagues to vote for this resolution. 

f 

RECOGNIZING FLEX-A-LITE ON 

THEIR 50TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. ADAM SMITH OF WASHINGTON

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise to honor the Flex-a-lite company, a Fife, 

Washington manufacturer for their 50 years of 

American manufacturing. The company has 

continuously set itself apart from its competition in the automotive industry by promoting 

strong domestic sales and rarely outsourcing 

manufacturing abroad. 

Eddy Davis, along with his son-in-law, 

Rainer Willingham, founded Flex-a-lite in 

1962. The company dramatically changed the 

automotive world, by inventing the very first 

flexible fan created from hand-cut fiberglass 

roofing material. In 1978, the founders patented the first electric fan and three generations later, the company continues to prosper. 

The current president of Flex-a-lite and 

granddaughter of Eddy Davis, Lisa Chissus, 

has said that the business has been able to 

overcome hardships during tough economic 

times because Flex-a-lite remained loyal to 

three key factors: innovation, quality, and 

smooth succession. 

The company has consistently produced 

new, innovative products and continues to 

bring new ideas to the table. Flex-a-lite takes 

great pride in their top quality products that 

are made and sold in the United States. It is 

clear that the business’s family-owned values 

have helped to successfully guide the company for a half century. 

Mr. Speaker, it is with honor that I recognize 

the Flex-a-lite company. I am confident that 

Flex-a-lite will flourish for years to come. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO ROBERT INGRAM, 

BALDWIN COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE 

HON. JO BONNER OF ALABAMA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Mr. BONNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor 

Mr. Robert Ingram, who is retiring as President and CEO of the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance. Under his leadership Baldwin County became the top 

‘‘micropolitan statistical area’’ in the state and 

the 27th out of 576 in terms of economic 

strength ratings for the United States. 

Robert’s record in economic development is 

considerable. He is a Past Chairman of the 

17-state Southern Economic Development 

Council, and in 2001, 2003, 2006 & 2007 received the organization’s highest award, the 

Chairman’s Award of Distinction. Robert is a 

past president of the Mississippi Jaycees, past 

National Vice President of the United States 

Jaycees, and past International President of 

the University of Southern Mississippi Alumni 

Association. He previously served as President of the Mississippi Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and President of 

the Mississippi Economic Development Council. Robert holds the Professional Community 

Economic Developer designation, is a graduate of the Community Development Institute, 

and served on the National Board of Directors 

of CDI. In 2010, he was named by Janus Economics, an international economic development consulting firm, as the first Janus Fellow, 

in recognition for his service to the profession. 

Robert has also served as Senior Vice 

President of Economic Development for the 

Metro-Jackson Chamber of Commerce, has 

coordinated the marketing/recruitment effort of 

the three-County, Metro Economic Development Alliance, served as President/CEO of the 

Greenwood/Leflore Industrial Board and 

served as Economic Development Assistant to 

the President of the University of Southern 

Mississippi. Robert holds both a Bachelors 

and Masters Degree in Business Administration from Southern Miss. 

On the volunteer side Robert has served as 

president of a chamber of commerce and 

chairman of an economic development foundation. In the private sector he has been a 

senior business developer and commercial 

lending officer in a major financial institution 

and made multi-million dollar business loans. 

In the public sector he has worked in economic development for the State of Mississippi 

and has created a comprehensive county economic development agency and 501(c) 6 subsidiary ‘‘from scratch’’. He also served as 

Mayor of the City of McComb, Mississippi, 

where he both reorganized local government 

and helped consolidate local economic development agencies. On the entrepreneurial side, 

he was one of seven organizers and a charter 

director and officer of Pike County National 

Bank. 

In his current position, Robert oversees the 

day to day operation of the Alliance and works 

closely with private and public sector leaders 

on countywide and regional community/economic development related issues critical to 

the future of south Alabama. Robert was active in the regional work of the Coastal Recovery Commission and currently serves on the 

Board of the Coastal Alabama Leadership 

Foundation. 

On behalf of the people of Alabama and my 

colleagues in the Alabama Delegation, I would 

like to extend my personal appreciation to Mr. 

Ingram for his service to Alabama’s past, 

present, and future through his leadership with 

the Baldwin County Economic Development 

Alliance. 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with REMARKS