September 10, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S6053 

Tikrit. While in country, Nicholas survived gunshots, 24 I.E.D. blasts, and a 

helicopter crash. He continues to be 

treated for injuries that he suffered in 

the war. 

Since retiring from the Army in 2008, 

Nicholas attended the University of 

Montana and now drives trucks in 

North Dakota. 

After serving his country with honor, 

Nicholas Wells never received all of the 

medals he earned from the Army. 

Earlier this month, in the presence of 

his family, it was my honor to finally 

present to Nicholas his Iraq Campaign 

Medal with two Bronze Stars. This 

decoration is a powerful symbol of true 

heroism, sacrifice, and dedication to 

service. This Iraq Campaign Medal is 

presented on behalf of a grateful nation.∑ 

f 

RECOGNIZING PROLITERACY 

∑ Mrs. GILLIBRAND. Mr. President, 

today I wish to recognize ProLiteracy, 

the world’s oldest and largest member 

organization of adult literacy and basic 

education programs in the United 

States representing more than 1,100 

community-based organizations and 

adult basic education programs, which 

collectively serve more than 286,000 

adult learners. 

For more than 50 years, ProLiteracy 

has been headquartered in a suburbanized industrial park in Syracuse, New 

York. Now, ProLiteracy is moving to 

the Near West Side of Syracuse. The 

renovated building is an environmentally and technologically advanced 

facility that allows the organization to 

produce and test new and better curricula and educational materials, as 

well as to develop and implement local 

training, technical assistance, and professional development projects. The 

knowledge, best practices, and key 

findings ProLiteracy will generate 

through these efforts will be shared locally, nationally, and globally. 

Because ProLiteracy’s headquarters 

will be located in an area readily accessible to adult learners, the organization is providing learning experiences 

such as an adult literacy library housing New Readers Press materials and 

other resources. 

ProLiteracy is to be commended for 

the work they do and the efforts they 

support every day to help increase the 

quality of and access to adult literacy 

services. An estimated 30 million 

adults nationwide do not yet have the 

basic literacy skills to read or write 

above a fifth-grade level. An additional 

60 million American adults do not read 

or write better than the eighth-grade 

level. Every day, ProLiteracy works to 

enable these Americans to receive the 

necessary resources and skills they 

need to succeed in postsecondary education, occupational training, and establishing a career pathway. 

Thank you to ProLiteracy for being 

the leader in ending the adult literacy 

crisis in Syracuse, New York—and in 

communities around the Nation.∑ 

TRIBUTE TO LLOYD JACKSON 

∑ Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, 

today I would like to take a moment to 

recognize a fellow West Virginian who 

has devoted himself to the service of 

our State and the advancement of our 

education system. As a former college 

president, I know how invaluable education is to building our communities, 

growing our economy, and raising and 

inspiring the next generation. I commend West Virginia State school board 

member Lloyd Jackson for his enduring commitment to such an important 

cause. 

My friend, Lloyd Jackson served as a 

State senator for 12 years and he has 

been a leader in improving both the 

early and higher education systems of 

West Virginia. While a senator, he was 

the primary sponsor of the PROMISE 

scholarship legislation, a merit-based 

financial aid program that has helped 

thousands of West Virginians afford 

college. 

He has also been a vocal advocate for 

prekindergarten care, and his dedication has led to vast improvements in 

our State’s preschool education. He 

began his fight through personal experience; his wife had to drive their children long distances to a private day 

care because of the lack of access in 

their area. Mr. JACKSON believed that 

all children should have the same 

chance to receive a quality early education. 

As State senate education chairman, 

Mr. Jackson championed comprehensive early childhood legislation. In 

2002, he helped create West Virginia 

Universal Pre-K and put the State on 

track to have universal access by 2012. 

Thanks to his efforts, West Virginia is 

today considered a leader in providing 

public and universal preschool education. In the 2011–12 school year, over 

15,000 children were enrolled in prekindergarten, and this year every 4- 

year-old in the State will have access 

to quality schooling. In a 2011 report, 

West Virginia ranked fifth in the Nation in preschool access for 4-year-olds 

and fourth in spending on prekindergarten programs. 

Lloyd Jackson has fought long and 

hard to make sure our children are receiving the education they deserve. I 

applaud his commitment to education, 

and I am proud of the success he has 

helped West Virginia achieve. Providing our children with a strong education is the greatest investment we 

could make in the future of our State 

and of our Nation. Lloyd Jackson deserves our appreciation, and I am proud 

to have worked with him for years and 

I am delighted to congratulate him for 

all he has done for education in West 

Virginia.∑ 

f 

TRIBUTE TO KENNETH AND 

VANESE CEDAR 

∑ Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, 

every year I have the honor, as a member of the Congressional Coalition on 

Adoption Institute, to recognize a West 

Virginia family for its efforts to promote adoption and provide homes for 

our Nation’s vulnerable children. It is a 

wonderful program that highlights the 

change one couple can make in the life 

of a child. 

Throughout my career, I have been a 

strong advocate of legislation that supports adoption and other permanency 

efforts. I am inspired by the men and 

women who devote their lives to caring 

for these children. Today, I would like 

to recognize one such West Virginian 

family: Kenneth and Vanese Cedar, 

who are truly angels in adoption. 

Kenneth and Vanese have cared for 57 

children over the years, including two 

biological sons of their own. Currently, 

they have adopted three children and 

serve as guardians for two teenagers. 

They also care for a foster child. They 

have raised their children in a close 

and devoted family, taking them to 

church, teaching them gardening and 

cooking, and playing sports together. 

Even when challenges have arisen, 

Kenneth and Vanese have remained 

dedicated to helping their own family 

and other children in need. In 2009, 

Kenneth lost his job. Yet the couple 

took the obstacle as an opportunity to 

go back to school and earn regents 

bachelor of arts degrees, which they 

hope to use in social work and child 

protective services. When one of their 

sons nearly passed away from acute 

respiratory disease syndrome, they 

stood together as a family until he recovered, and he recently welcomed a 

child of his own. 

Kenneth and Vanese Cedar are a selfless and giving couple who deserve our 

respect and admiration. They have provided so many children with not simply 

a home but a family. I would like to 

thank these angels in adoption for the 

love and care they have provided to so 

many. They are truly an inspiration.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO DAVE AND LAURA 

WHELCHEL 

∑ Mr. JOHANNS. Mr. President, today 

I wish to pay tribute to a remarkable 

foster couple from Harrisburg, NE, 

whom I recently nominated to be 2012 

‘Angels in Adoption’ recipients. Dave 

and Laura Whelchel are the parents of 

two grown biological children, Chance 

and Jenna, as well as four adopted children, Reuben, Josefina, Arielle and San 

Juan, who are siblings. They are hoping to finalize the adoption of a fifth 

sibling, Kayleigh, by the end of the 

year. Each of the adopted children has 

come into their home with special 

physical, occupational or speech therapy needs. 

Dave and Laura’s dedication to providing these children with the love and 

support they need is incredible. As I 

witnessed firsthand during a visit to 

their family farm in August, the 

Whelchels are doing an outstanding job 

ensuring their children are able to live 

full and happy lives. 

But the Whelchels’ kindness and 

compassion does not stop with their 


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