September 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1631 

A National Journal article by Coral Davenport in the September 22, 2011 issue referenced this meeting. 

But unlike the auto industry, the coal consuming industries refused to negotiate. 

Instead, and let me quote from the article, 

they: 

‘‘banded together with the Republican 

Party to strategize, and the 2010 midterm 

elections offered the perfect battleground. 

The companies invested heavily in campaigns to elect tea party candidates crusading against the role of Big Government. 

Industry groups (like the U.S. Chamber of 

Commerce), tea party groups with deep ties 

to polluters (like Americans for Prosperity), 

and so-called super PACs (like Karl Rove’s 

American Crossroads) spent record amounts 

to help elect the new House Republican majority. 

My colleagues, this bill presents a false 

choice, peddled by an industry that refuses to 

clean up its act. 

This bill serves the interest of no one but a 

few CEOs who refuse to accept responsibility 

to the harm their operations have imposed on 

the rest of us. 

It needs to be defeated. 

I implore my colleagues to vote ‘‘no.’’ 

f 

TRIBUTE TO DR. FRENCH B. 

HARMON 

HON. HAROLD ROGERS OF KENTUCKY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise today to pay tribute to my good friend and 

role model, Dr. French B. Harmon, and to celebrate his fifth year serving at First Baptist 

Somerset on October 21st, 2012. Dr. Harmon 

has showed tremendous leadership and involvement in the Somerset community, substantially increasing the Church’s membership 

within the last year, and strongly connecting 

with his congregation. 

Throughout his life, Dr. Harmon has always 

pursued learning. After graduating from Paul 

Blazer high school in Ashland, KY, he attended Marshall University, from where he received his Bachelor’s degree. Seeking to continue his education further, Dr. Harmon went 

on to receive degrees from University of Louisville (MA in Education), Southern Baptist 

Theological Seminary (MDtv and ThM), and 

Reformed Theological Seminary (DMin). Dr. 

Harmon has had a wealth of experience as a 

Christian leader, starting from his days in college as the Baptist Student Union President to 

becoming a Campus Minister to Pikeville College and Prestonsburg Community College. 

Dr. Harmon has been a strong leader in our 

community, organizing various mission trips 

that have greatly benefited those around him. 

This past June, Dr. Harmon led the First Baptist Somerset Church on a mission trip to 

Magoffin County after the town of West Liberty 

had been ravaged by multiple deadly tornadoes this past March. Harmon took a team of 

church members and a large load of building 

supplies to work on damaged homes, repair 

roofs, rebuild porches, and help get people 

back on their feet. 

Harmon has also stood up to the prescription drug epidemic in eastern Kentucky and 

has done his best to shed light on the issue. 

This past May he helped organize and lead 

the first ‘‘Pulaski Cares March for Hope’’ to 

spotlight the drug problem in the region and 

bring hope to those who were struggling with 

drug abuse. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me 

in honoring Dr. French B. Harmon, for his outstanding leadership and dedicated service to 

the Somerset community. 

f 

IN HONOR OF THE CITY OF 

BROOKLYN 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

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

honor of the City of Brooklyn, Ohio. Brooklyn 

Township was founded in 1818, became 

Brooklyn Village in 1927 and in 1950 the City 

of Brooklyn was established. 

The City of Brooklyn is home to many firsts 

in the U.S. In 1966, it became the first city to 

establish a seatbelt law. In 1999, it enacted 

the country’s first law to prevent cell phone 

usage while driving. Brooklyn High School’s 

auditorium hosted Elvis Presley’s first concert 

in the northern U.S. on October 20, 1955. 

Brooklyn is also home to a Hugo Boss Plant 

and the world headquarters of American 

Greetings and the popular Memphis Kiddie 

Park. 

Today, the City of Brooklyn is home to approximately 11,000 residents who are led by 

Mayor Richard Balbier. Mayor Balbier who has 

been serving as mayor since 2009 had previously served as the president of the Brooklyn City Council. There are six members on 

the City Council: Colleen Coyne Gallagher, 

Anthony DeMarco, Tom Murphy, Ron Van 

Kirk, Kathleen Pucci and Kevin Tanski. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in honoring the City of Brooklyn and all of its 

residents. 

f 

CELEBRATING APAIT HEALTH 

CENTER’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY 

HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to congratulate APAIT Health Center, 

serving my 34th Congressional District, on 

their 25th anniversary. 

Since 1987, APAIT Health Center (formerly 

known as Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention 

Team) has worked to fulfill its mission of positively impacting the quality of life for medically 

underserved communities living with or at risk 

for HIV/AIDS and other health disparities 

through a seamless continuum of culturally 

competent and linguistically appropriate programs in Southern California. 

APAIT Health Center is a distinctly critical 

service provider for those living with HIV/AIDS 

and members of the LGBTQ community in the 

greater Los Angeles area. The agency serves 

clientele from diverse communities, including 

Asian and Pacific Islanders (API), Latinos, and 

African Americans. 

In its 25 year history, APAIT Heath Center 

has become the largest provider of HIV/AIDS 

services to API communities in Southern California, having served tens of thousands of individuals. 

APAIT continues to respond this year with 

the opening of a community health clinic in the 

vibrant Pico Union/Westlake area, a community with scarce health options for those who 

are low-income and uninsured. 

Private sector partnerships are also part of 

APAIT Health Center’s portfolio. APAIT Health 

Center has been the recipient of grants from 

Kaiser Permanente, John and Johnson, and 

the California endowment, to name a few. In 

addition, APAIT Health Center and its staff 

have received awards and commendations 

from local, state, and national entities, from 

the City of Los Angeles to the White House. 

APAIT’s proudest achievement, however, is 

consistently receiving high marks from their 

client satisfaction surveys. The most recent 

survey revealed 93 percent of clients feel their 

quality of life has improved since seeking 

services with APAIT Health Center. 

I once again congratulate APAIT Health 

Center on the celebration of their 25th anniversary. I thank them for their continued service to the Los Angeles community, and for the 

help they provide to those in need. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF DR. HOWARD 

MONROE FITTS, JR. ON THE OCCASION OF THE 38TH ANNUAL 

DURHAM NAACP FREEDOM FUND 

AND AWARDS BANQUET 

HON. G. K. BUTTERFIELD OF NORTH CAROLINA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to honor Dr. Howard Monroe Fitts, Jr. 

on his recognition as a Freedom Fund Honoree by the Durham Branch of the National 

Association for the Advancement of Colored 

People, NAACP. Dr. Fitts will receive this recognition next month in appreciation of his advocacy for civil rights and his diligent public 

service to the Durham community. 

Mr. Speaker, after completing a baccalaureate degree in biology at North Carolina 

Central University, NCCU, Dr. Fitts served as 

Teacher and Principal in Wilson County Public 

Schools. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 

1942 and served faithfully for three years before being honorably discharged in 1945 at the 

close of World War II. After the war, Dr. Fitts 

returned to academia where he earned a master’s degree in Public Health Education in 

1946, and a doctorate degree in Health Education from Columbia University in 1961. 

His involvement with the NAACP is deeply 

rooted, stemming back to his childhood when 

he worked alongside his father to sell the organization’s official magazine, Crisis. During 

that time, the young Dr. Howard Fitts was exposed to movements led by the church, health 

agencies, and other civil rights organizations. 

This exposure made an indelible impression 

on him, leading to his active participation and 

advocacy within the Durham community. As a 

result, Dr. Fitts quickly rose to leadership positions in the NAACP and the influential Durham 

Committee on the Affairs of Black People, 

DCABP. 

Among many of his most notable work include his key involvement in the desegregation of the Durham’s public school system, 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS