E1590 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 21, 2012 

who was committed to the freedom and equal 

rights of all Americans. 

Frederick Douglass is often called the father 

of the civil rights movement. Born a slave in 

Maryland around 1818, he taught himself how 

to read and write at a young age despite the 

ban forbidding slaves to be literate. It was by 

reading newspapers and political writings that 

Douglass developed his ideology on the opposition of slavery. 

Douglass attempted to escape from slavery 

twice before he succeeded on his third attempt with the help of his future wife, Anna 

Murray. After they married in 1838 and settled 

in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Douglass became a regular lecturer in opposition of slavery. He also spoke out in support of women’s 

rights. With the help of his bestselling autobiographies, Frederick Douglass quickly became one of the most famous African Americans in the country. 

During the Civil War, Douglass gave council 

to President Abraham Lincoln and President 

Andrew Johnson on the treatment of black soldiers and the importance of black suffrage. 

After the war, he was appointed to several political positions and, as Victoria Woodhull’s 

running mate on the Equal Rights Party ticket 

in 1872, became the first African American 

nominated for the office of Vice President of 

the United States. Douglass continued to fight 

for the rights of African-Americans, women, 

and minority groups until his death in 1895. 

To honor the life and accomplishments of 

this abolitionist, human rights and women’s 

rights activist, orator, author, journalist, publisher, and social reformer, the United States 

Congress has approved a bill that would allow 

the District of Columbia to display his statue in 

our Capitol. The statue, designed and completed by architect Steven Weitzman, was 

commissioned by D.C. to present to the Capitol as a gift. 

Frederick Douglass had said, ‘‘If there is no 

struggle, there is no progress.’’ Despite his 

many struggles in the bonds of slavery, he 

rose to prominence through his determination 

and fervor. His vision for America was that all 

Americans would be equal and free of discrimination and he worked tirelessly to share 

this vision with others and to help it become 

a reality. The progress we have made as a 

nation would not have been possible without 

the leadership and influence of great leaders 

like Frederick Douglass. 

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of the 

Second Congressional District of Georgia, I 

ask my colleagues to join me today in paying 

tribute to a strong leader and inspiring visionary, Frederick Douglass. It is my hope that all 

the visitors to our Capitol will see his statue 

and remember all the valuable contributions 

made to our nation by this great human rights 

advocate. 

f 

CELEBRATING THE NEW JERSEY 

COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES 

HON. RUSH D. HOLT OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the forty years of service 

that the New Jersey Council for the Humanities has provided for my constituents in the 

twelfth congressional district and for residents 

throughout New Jersey. It is only appropriate 

that I take time in advance of October, National Arts and Humanities Month, to honor the 

important work that the Council does to engage New Jerseyans in discussions of history, 

literature, and culture that help residents reflect on our past and think critically about our 

future. 

When Congress and President Johnson created the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in 1965, they laid the groundwork 

for improving the study of the diverse heritage, 

traditions, and history of our nation. Indeed, 

the NEH has opened many doors for scholars 

and cultural institutions such as museums, libraries, and archives to further their research 

and share their findings. Since its founding, 

the NEH has helped Americans better understand America. 

Yet, upon signing the Arts and Humanities 

Act of 1965, President Johnson remarked 

wisely ‘‘. . . these actions, and others soon to 

follow, cannot alone achieve our goals. To 

produce true and lasting results, our States 

and municipalities, our schools and our great 

private foundations, must join forces with us.’’ 

In 1972, Congress heeded President Johnson’s insight, and amended the Arts and Humanities Act to establish state Councils that 

would facilitate public programming unique to 

each state. 

The New Jersey Council for the Humanities 

began its efforts in 1972 to provide an endless 

stream of programming that invites New 

Jerseyans to consider the past and think creatively about our future. By providing financial 

support for conferences, documentaries, publications, lectures, and forums, the Council offers the opportunity to learn more about our 

shared history and the traditions of others 

without cost to New Jersey residents. The 

New Jersey Council for the Humanities enables New Jerseyans to become consumers 

of history, informed commentators on our 

present, and architects of our future. 

As a former educator, I am grateful for the 

New Jersey Council for the Humanities’ dedication to enhancing history education in our 

schools. In an age of narrowing school curriculum across our country, arts, foreign language, history and other subjects have been 

pushed aside by the intense focus on tests 

and tested subjects. To help keep history alive 

in our classrooms, the Council offers an annual seminar known as the ‘‘Teacher Institute’’ 

for New Jersey primary and secondary school 

teachers to refresh and deepen their knowledge on key moments and themes of our 

past. The Teacher Institute has helped over 

3,700 educators gain exposure to rich new 

content and benefit their students by bringing 

their knowledge back to the classroom. 

Thanks to the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, we are graduating more well-rounded and historically aware students. 

In addition to enhancing the appreciation of 

humanities in the classroom, the Council promotes lifelong learning in public and private 

life. The New Jersey Council for the Humanities’ extensive programming not only benefits 

school teachers and their students, but also 

writers, publishers, hospitals, libraries, civics 

groups, and colleges and universities in every 

corner of New Jersey. 

I have heard from many of my constituents 

who inform me that the Council makes our 

community a better place to live. One resident 

in Monroe who works with senior citizens, for 

example, expressed to me that the state humanities councils advance ‘‘the mental and intellectual well-being of our seniors.’’ A local 

middle school teacher shared with me that despite having served on the faculty of a major 

research university, her knowledge to share 

with students ‘‘was deepened’’ by the Council’s Teacher Institute. Others have conveyed 

the depth and strength of the Council’s Horizon Speaker’s Bureau, which provides educational lectures on topics ranging from the 

legendary Jersey Devil to Shakespeare’s 

Hamlet, and to the U.S. Constitution for thousands of New Jerseyans every year. Simply 

put by a constituent from Lawrence, ‘‘the state 

[C]ouncil is the neighborhood face of the humanities.’’ 

My own experiences with the New Jersey 

Council for the Humanities have paralleled the 

positive testimonials constituents have shared 

with me. Each year, I eagerly await the Council’s announcement of the Book, Teacher of 

the Year, and Lifetime Achievement in the Humanities Awards. By honoring the recipients of 

these distinctions, the New Jersey Council 

recognizes exemplary work in the public humanities that has made a significant and lasting difference in the lives of New Jerseyans. 

Previous award winners include Dr. Kwame 

Anthony Appiah in 2011 for his book The 

Honor Code: How Moral Revolutions Happen, 

Sylvia Nasar in 1999 for A Beautiful Mind, and 

Neil Baldwin in 1996 for Edison: Inventing the 

Century. I am proud to display in my Congressional office a collection of many of the past 

New Jersey Council for the Humanities Award 

winners, including works by twelfth congressional district constituents such as historian 

James McPherson, novelist Joyce Carol 

Oates, and the late poet and translator Robert 

Fagles. 

The New Jersey Council has been dedicated for forty years to promoting public 

knowledge and love of New Jersey’s rich history and culture. I look forward to the years to 

come when the New Jersey Council for the 

Humanities will continue to build upon its activities of the past forty years and continue to 

support and foster the exchange of ideas that 

creates a thoughtful and engaged society. 

f 

HONORING CITY OF CORAL 

SPRINGS 

HON. THEODORE E. DEUTCH OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

remember September 11 alongside the City of 

Coral Springs, Florida as they host a memorial 

service to honor the victims of September 

11th. Though eleven years have passed since 

this horrific attack on our nation, the attack is 

no less devastating today. 

Each year since the attacks, dedicated 

members of the Coral Springs community 

have worked to plan memorial services to remember those lost and honor their memory. It 

is truly an honor to recognize the community 

and this important initiative on this day. Seeing 

communities across the country come together 

to remember the victims is one of the few 

bright developments to rise out of this great 

tragedy. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS
September 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1591 

In collaboration with generous donors and 

volunteers, members of the Coral Springs 

community built the September 11th Memorial 

at the Coral Springs NW Regional Library in 

2001. This memorial was dedicated to those 

lost in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, 

and honors the residents who lost their immediate family members. 

I applaud the efforts of the City of Coral 

Springs in commemorating the September 

11th tragedy, and feel blessed to have been 

able to participate in the 5K Inaugural Walk to 

Remember in the City of Coral Springs this 

year. I thank the community for their dedication. My family and I join with the families in 

Coral Springs and throughout the country to 

remember those we lost on September 11, 

2001. 

f 

IN HONOR OF MR. JOSEPH 

HAMMELL 

HON. ROBERT E. ANDREWS OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. ANDREWS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

honor Mr. Joseph Hammell, a retiring veteran 

who has served in three separate branches of 

the U.S. Military. 

Mr. Hammell began his career with the 

United States Marine Corps in 1969 when he 

was 17 years old. After training, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton, California before 

being deployed to Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. After his service with 

the Marine Corps ended in 1974, Mr. Hammell 

joined the U.S. Army. During his time in the 

Army, Mr. Hammell was stationed at Fort Dix, 

New Jersey where he worked as an instructor 

at the base’s truck driving school. In 1977, he 

left the Army, but came back after 14 years to 

join the New Jersey Air National Guard. In the 

Air National Guard he was a member of the 

170th Air Refueling Wing. Within the Wing he 

served as an equipment operator for the 170th 

Civil Engineering Squadron. After the 170th 

Air Refueling Wing disbanded, he was absorbed into the 108th Air Refueling Wing 

where he continued his service as an equipment operator. He served within the 108th Air 

Refueling Wing as a member of the 108th 

Civil Engineering Squadron until 2007 as a 

work controller. He then moved to the 108th 

Safety Office where he finished out his career 

as the 108th Ground Safety Manager. 

In addition to his service, Mr. Hammell is an 

active member of the American Legion and 

the Marine Corps League where he is a tireless advocate for homeless veterans. Specifically, he has worked with and supported the 

Stand Down for Homeless Veterans for 16 

years, a nonprofit organization that assists 

male veterans who are struggling due to mental and/or physical ailments, addictions, homelessness and/or other personal issues. It helps 

veterans regain their lives through a multitiered program, transitional living, and collaborative efforts. 

Mr. Speaker, the extraordinary commitment 

of this New Jersey veteran should not go unrecognized. I join all of South Jersey in expressing our profound gratitude and thanks for 

Mr. Hammell as he retires from his more than 

42 years of remarkable service to our country. 

HONORING THE SERVICE OF 

ADMIRAL KIRKLAND DONALD 

HON. JOE COURTNEY OF CONNECTICUT

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. COURTNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, 

along with my friend and fellow co-chair of the 

bipartisan House Shipbuilding Caucus, Representative ROB WITTMAN of Virginia, to honor 

Admiral Kirkland Donald, U.S. Navy, as he 

prepares to retire upon completion of more 

than 37 years of faithful service to our Nation. 

Admiral Donald has held the position of Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program 

(Naval Reactors), for the last eight years. During his illustrious career, he played a pivotal 

role in ensuring that nuclear-powered warships 

continued to meet our global commitments in 

defense of our Nation’s security. 

Throughout his many years of service, Admiral Donald distinguished himself at the tip of 

the Navy’s spear. He served as the Commanding Officer of the nuclear-powered attack 

submarine, USS Key West, Commander of the 

elite Submarine Development Squadron 

Twelve, and Commander of NATO’s Submarine Forces in Europe. Other highlights include tours at the Bureau of Naval Personnel, 

the Joint Staff, and as Commander of all US 

Submarine Forces. 

As his time in Washington has shown, Admiral Donald’s accomplishments do not end 

with his excellence as an undersea commander. Nuclear-powered warships have safely steamed over 150 million miles, and operated for more than 6,400 reactor years without 

a reactor accident. The last 20 million miles 

and 800 reactor-years have been achieved 

under Admiral Donald’s superb leadership 

overseeing more than 100 operational nuclear 

reactors. 

Admiral Donald has been particularly passionate about our submarine force and the investment in our current and future undersea 

programs. At a time when submarines are 

playing an increasingly vital role in our national security, Admiral Donald has been at 

the forefront of making the case for the need 

for robust construction of new Virginia class 

submarines—and has kept a steady hand on 

this crucial program at a time when a cooperative effort between the Navy and our shipbuilding reduced the cost and construction 

schedule of each new submarine. At a time 

when every corner of our government is challenged to find savings to ensure the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars, Admiral Donald 

has helped to guide this shining example of 

acquisition excellence. 

Today, these incredible submarines are deployed worldwide, from the arctic to the equator, protecting Americans and our values. 

Their missions would not be possible without 

the ships’ nuclear propulsion plants, impeccably designed and built by Admiral Donald 

and his team. I can speak from personal experience about the passion that Admiral Donald 

brings to this incredible responsibility. 

When I first came to Congress in 2007 as 

a new member of the House Armed Services 

Committee, Admiral Donald and his team were 

among the first in my office in those early 

days to help educate me on the importance of 

our nuclear powered submarines and the 

value they bring to our nation. In particular, he 

invited me to join an ‘‘Ice Expedition’’ on board 

the USS Alexandria—a two day voyage under 

the Arctic ice which was an opportunity to see 

firsthand the capability of the these extraordinary vessels. 

Further, Admiral Donald oversaw the final 

design and construction of the nuclear propulsion plant for the Nation’s next-generation aircraft carrier class—the first new aircraft carrier 

design in over 40 years. Owing much to his 

leadership, the USS Gerald R. Ford propulsion 

plant will triple the electrical power available 

for transformational technology, reduce reactor 

compartment manning by nearly 50 percent, 

and increase ship operational availability by 

nearly 25 percent. 

As Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program, Admiral Donald’s commitment to environmental stewardship and public health and 

safety helped foster the highest degree of 

public trust. He worked tirelessly to develop 

and implement a robust process of preparing 

the nation’s spent naval nuclear fuel to be 

stored safely for centuries. His foresight and 

execution give the American people great confidence that the nuclear Navy will continue to 

be safe and environmentally responsible for 

generations to come. 

Mr. Speaker, Admiral Donald has been a 

thoughtful, forward-looking and hands-on leader for our nation’s Naval Nuclear Propulsion 

Program, and his stewardship of this highly effective, responsive and world-class organization has set an example for all our nation’s civilian and military leaders. Along with Representative WITTMAN and my colleagues in the 

House of Representatives, I wish him ‘‘Fair 

Winds and Following Seas’’ as he completes 

his honorable and distinguished service in the 

U.S. Navy, and wish he and his wife Diane the 

best as they embark on the next chapter of 

their lives. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE BLACK 

SHIELD POLICE ASSOCIATION 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

recognition of the Black Shield Police Association, BSPA, an organization of dedicated minority police officers that are committed to 

serving our communities throughout the Greater Cleveland area. 

The BSPA was originally founded in 1946 

as the Shield Club, which was designed to assist black officers in maintaining and strengthening self-esteem within an atmosphere of indifference. The Shield Club was a social club 

for black officers who were, at the time, prohibited from joining organizations that were for 

white police officers. In 1969, the Shield Club 

was officially chartered as a non-profit organization and was the third oldest black police organization in the U.S. The Shield Club officially became the Black Shield Police Association in 1978. By 2000, the National Black Police Association expanded to an international 

organization with members in the United Kingdom, Canada and the Bahamas. The BSPA 

supports the philosophy of community policing, 

the calls for a true and cooperative partnership 

between the community and the police for 

safer communities. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS