Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of Mr. Bill Himpler, who resides in Virginia, but is a proud native son of Chicago, IL, a man of deep faith, a loving husband, father and grandfather, an attorney, former congressional tax counsel and legislative director, former legislative director at the Department of Housing and Urban Development in the Administration of George W. Bush, and most recently as the President and CEO of the American Financial Services Association, the national trade group representing the consumer credit industry.

Bill is known to many of us in Congress, not only for his longstanding support of the American consumer's access to a wide variety of credit products, but his irrepressible passion and good humor in doing so. Where others might seek to use the politics of division to achieve then organization's goals, Bill has never played a zero-sum advocacy strategy.

Bill's advocacy has focused on how access to consumer credit in its many forms provides real economic opportunity for consumers of all financial standings. In his meetings here on Capitol Hill and in testimony over the years before Congressional committees, he has stressed that the economic opportunity access to some form of credit provides is not simply a luxury for a few, but a civil right for all. In a similar way, while advocating responsible rules of the road for his industry, he is also a stalwart advocate for empowering consumers with the financial literacy tools they need to successfully build a strong and stable financial future. As a result of his leadership, he has made the American Financial Services Association a trusted voice for both the consumer credit industry, but the tens of millions of consumers they serve.

After more than 40 years in Washington, Bill is retiring to enjoy well-earned time with his wife, Mary Sue, his children, Bill, Maggie, Jack and Ruth, his seven, with two more on the way, grandchildren, and his golf game.

The American consumer may not know the name Bill Himpler, but they have benefited from his efforts over the past twenty years at AFSA, as have policy makers and regulators here in Washington and across the country. I thank him for his service and dedication and congratulate him on an outstanding career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an American hero and a true patriot, Mr Charles Ross of Nicholasville, Kentucky. Mr. Ross, a 96- year-old veteran, was a prisoner of war during the Korean War for three years.

Charles Ross enlisted in the United States Army on February 13, 1947. Born on December 6, 1928, in Columbia, South Carolina, he was just 18 years old when he enlisted. He was inspired by soldiers who served in WWII, and he wanted some adventure in his life. After basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama, he spent three years in post-WWII Germany with the 1st Infantry. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, Mr. Ross was deployed there with the 1st Provisional Battalion. He was then assigned to the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. Soon after arriving in Korea was the Battle of Inchon, followed by the Battle of PyongYang, and the Battle of Unsan, which was long and treacherous. Mr. Ross' battalion of around 900 men was surrounded by 10 to 20,000 Chinese soldiers. After fighting the Chinese off for three days and nights, they ran out of food, water, and provisions. Many lives were lost. On the fourth day, the Chinese Army started shelling chemical rounds of white phosphorous. All those who were able to run did so, crossing the Nammyon River. Mr. Ross and a fellow soldier broke off from the crowd and hid. An older Korean civilian helped them find shelter in a cave and brought them water and broth. Leaving the cave, they were soon found and surrendered to the Chinese Army. They were taken to Camp 5 in Pyoktong in January of 1951. Prisoners in the camp experienced untreated wounds, disease, frozen ground, starvation, and many died. They were forced to work on the burial detail, which was horrendous. In August of 1951, Mr. Ross and other non-commissioned officers were taken to Camp 4, where conditions were somewhat improved. He was released from the POW camp on August 20, 1953, reunited with the American Army, and promoted to Master Sergeant.

Mr. Ross' POW experience left him with life-long Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and painful neuropathy in his feet from the frigid Korean winters. He retired from the Army in 1970 as a Command Sergeant Major. Mr. Ross lives in Nicholasville, Kentucky with his daughter Barbara. He and his late wife Janet have three children and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was recently celebrated by Rolling Thunder Chapter 5 for National Prisoner of War Day.

Charles Ross is a true patriot, a great American, and an inspiration to us all. I am forever grateful to him and his fellow soldiers who sacrificed so much in service to our Nation. It is my honor to recognize his service before the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Calvary Baptist Church as they celebrate their 150th anniversary. Calvary Baptist Church is located in Lexington, Kentucky.

On January 14, 1875, forty people stepped out in faith to start a new church in the growing city of Lexington, Kentucky. The church was first known as Second Baptist Church and J.M. Frost was called to serve as the first pastor. As the church membership grew, in 1906 the name was changed to Calvary Baptist Church and a new sanctuary was built at High Street and Rodes Avenue. Growth continued, and the current location, at High Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard, was built in 1962. Dr. Monty Stallins leads the congregation as the pastor today.

Since Calvary Baptist's founding in 1875, the pastors have changed and the locations have changed, but the mission of the church has remained the same, to invite people into relationship with the Lord. Over the years, members have recognized the call to serve the needs of the community and the world. Significant highlights include organizing the establishment of Central Baptist Hospital, partnering with First United Methodist Church to open the High Street Neighborhood Center, organizing mission trips to Haiti, opening the Interfaith Counseling Center and Mission (Health) Lexington, organizing the Build a Bed Ministry, and establishing the Clothed by Grace clothing closet. The ministry of Calvary Baptist Church has touched thousands of lives in life changing ways over its century and a half history.

As Calvary Baptist Church celebrates their 150th anniversary, it is my honor to lift up this faith community before the House of Representatives. I wish them many more years of faithful ministry serving God.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an American hero and a true patriot, Mr. Vaughn P. Drake, Jr. of Lexington, Kentucky. Mr. Drake passed away on April 7, 2025, at the age of 106 and has been recognized as our Nation's oldest survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Mr. Drake was born in Winchester, Kentucky on November 6, 1918. He attended the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering. At the age of 23, he was serving in the Army Corps of Engineers and was in charge of a temporary power plant in Hawaii. On December 7, 1941, he became a part of history as he witnessed Japanese planes attack Pearl Harbor, and the battle ensued. He was also involved in the strategic and significant Battle of Saipan in the Marianas. For his brave service in the United States Army, he received the Congressional Medal for the Veterans of Pearl Harbor, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Defense Medal with Foreign Service bar, the Asiatic-Pacific Medal with two battle stars, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Following his military service, Mr. Drake returned home to Kentucky and married his wife, Lina. They were married for 65 years when she passed away in 2011. Mr. Drake is survived by his son, Sam W. Drake, as well as two grandsons and three great grandchildren.

Mr. Drake began working as a registered professional engineer and had a distinguished career for over 50 years. He was a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, the National Society of Professional Engineers, and was a charter member and past president of the Bluegrass Chapter of the Kentucky Society of Professional Engineers. In

1979 he received the KSPE State Award for Outstanding Engineer in Industry. He was involved with the Boy Scouts of America and was a member of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a life member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. He received the Mayor's Spirit of Lexington Award.

Vaughn P. Drake, Jr. was a true patriot, a great American, and an inspiration to us all. I am forever grateful to him and other members of the Greatest Generation for sacrificing and fighting to preserve the freedoms that we hold dear. It is my honor to recognize his life and his service before the United States Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, Chairman Hill, for bringing this important resolution of disapproval to the House floor, nullifying the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's disastrous overdraft rule.

Let me set the record straight, Mr. Speaker. This resolution of disapproval doesn't increase fees, as my friends on the other side of the aisle insinuate. In fact, what it does do is it invalidates a regulation that will take this critical lifeline away from many of my constituents.

Indeed, for many families across this country, living paycheck to paycheck, overdraft services are a critical safety net. Without this service, necessities would become harder to obtain. Overdraft services are not a luxury. They are a lifeline. For my friends on the other side of the aisle to use incendiary language like ``shameful,'' I submit what is shameful is to take away this lifeline from our constituents.

Consumers understand the costs associated with overdraft services, and they willingly opt in because they find value in the protection that it offers. They are not coerced. They make an informed decision, knowing that a small, predictable fee prevents far more severe consequences like a bounced check or late fees.

It is a convenience that allows consumers to avoid the embarrassment of being turned down at the point of sale. Unfortunately, my Democrat colleagues refuse to recognize this basic truth, choosing instead to label overdraft products as predatory.

Let me reiterate that point, Mr. Speaker. Consumers choose to use this service, and they opt into the service voluntarily.

The first option under the new rule forces financial institutions to treat overdrafts as extensions of credit. This change would severely limit access to the product, especially for those who need it most. Financial institutions would have to underwrite each overdraft transaction, evaluating a borrower's ability to pay a relatively small amount. This would be both impractical and inefficient.

The alternative proposed by the Bureau, a safe harbor charge cap of $5, would force many banks to exit this product altogether. Credit unions would also discontinue this service. This would price out the very consumers who rely on overdrafts the most.

They use the word ``predatory.'' Mr. Speaker, let me tell you what is predatory. What is predatory is taking away this product from the American people and pushing them into actual nonbank predatory lenders and usurious products.

As was mentioned earlier, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has already concluded that overdraft fee caps hamper, rather than foster, financial inclusion. The consequences of the rule have been studied, and it is evident that this cap would harm consumers by limiting their access to necessary financial services.

Finally, this idea that smaller banks and credit unions are unaffected by the rule is simply wrong. While institutions with less than $10 billion in assets are purportedly excluded from the rule, they will still be forced to deal with this cap just to stay competitive.

The truth is it is the big banks they are protecting. The big Wall Street banks can afford to go without these fees. It is the community banks in our neighborhoods and in our communities who can't afford to provide this product without the fees.

Mr. Speaker, just in conclusion, this is a real-life testimonial about the value of these overdraft protections from a community bank in my district:

We have a customer with two children and a husband in the

military. As you know, things can be difficult when one

parent is deployed and one parent is alone with children,

trying to manage finances, school, after-school activities,

and church.

As the customer said, things can be overwhelming, even

exclusive of her husband's deployment. This customer

approached me in church with her head down, saying that she

was having a tough time with things. Some expenses surprised

her, and she was suddenly out of money for the month. She was

okay, as she had groceries, gas, and her bills paid, until

she got a flat tire on the way to a school function. She got

the car to the tire shop.

Mr. Speaker, I will finish the story.

The tire was irreparable. She had to buy a new tire for a

couple of hundred dollars she didn't have. She was not able

to keep up with her car. She had to buy the new tire. There

was no choice.

She ran her debit card, and it covered the tire. The family

went home. She checked her account when she got home,

wondering how it was paid for, when she didn't have the money

in it. It was her overdraft that covered it. She thanked me

that her community bank was there for her to cover her

overdraft so she could keep moving without having to call for

help.

Mr. Speaker, needless to say, the banker was tremendously humbled that she was able to help this mother out due to the overdraft. They are there in time of need.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 77.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 56.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an historic business, Milward Funeral Directors, as they celebrate their 200th anniversary. Milward's is located in Lexington, Kentucky.

In 1825, Lexington had a population of 5,517 and was the largest town west of the Allegheny Mountains. Joseph Milward, at the age of 21, began a cabinet and furniture business. Soon he started producing caskets for families throughout Lexington. The business grew and continued for 200 years, providing comfort and support to families during times of grief. Milward's is the oldest business in Lexington and the 37th oldest continuously operating business in the United States.

Six generations of Milward family members have led the business, beginning with Joseph Milward, continuing to Col. William Rice Milward, William Rice Milward, Jr., William Emmet Milward, Robert Emmet Milward, and Robert Emmet Milward, Jr. Through their leadership, the business grew, changed with the times, and eventually expanded to three locations. Each of these men have been involved in the Lexington community in important ways and have made significant contributions. Milward's has served Lexington families for six generations and exemplified compassion and humility in the services they provide to grieving families.

As Milward Funeral Directors celebrates their 200th anniversary, it is my honor to lift up this historic business.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of a special man, Robert ``Bob'' Gable, of Frankfort, Kentucky. Mr. Gable passed away on November 29, 2024, at the age of 90.

Mr. Gable was born in New York City, grew up in Oregon and Arizona, and graduated from Stanford University. He served as an officer in the United States Navy. Mr. Gable and his wife Emily moved to Stearns, Kentucky, where they raised their three children. He ran The Stearns Lumber & Coal Co. founded by his great-grandfather.

In 1964, Mr. Gable's political activity began when he worked on Howard Baker's first campaign for the U.S. Senate in Tennessee. He then worked on the successful gubernatorial campaign of Kentucky's Louie Nunn. Following the election, Mr. Gable was appointed as the state parks commissioner and the family moved to Frankfort. Gable ran unsuccessfully for U.S. Senate in 1972. When his party needed someone to run for governor in 1975 against incumbent Julian Caroll, Gable agreed to enter the race. He ran for governor again in 1995 and was unsuccessful in the primary.

Mr. Gable was elected chairman of the Republican Party of Kentucky in 1986, at a time when Republicans were vastly outnumbered. A strong and unwavering leader, he began to lay the groundwork for changing the political landscape in Kentucky. His enthusiasm, optimism, and gracious demeanor never diminished. He took a close personal interest in candidates and party leaders, giving expert advice and counsel. Over the years he served as a mentor for countless young people with an interest in politics.

Mr. Gable's wife Emily passed way in 2017. He is survived by his three children James, Elizabeth, and John and his two grandchildren.

Bob Gable was a great patriot, one of my most valued political mentors, and a true Kentucky gentleman. I am most grateful for his loyal and genuine friendship, his sound advice, never-fail positive attitude, and kind, dignified manner. It is my honor to lift up his life before the House of Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a special man, Freddie Johnson, from Frankfort, Kentucky. Mr. Johnson is well-known in the bourbon industry for his service as Distillery VIP Visitor Lead for Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Mr. Johnson was born in Bourbon County and his family moved to Frankfort when he was 5 years old. His grandfather, Jimmy Johnson, Sr., began working at Buffalo Trace in 1912. He was there for 52 years and became the first African American warehouse foreman. His father, Jimmy Johnson, Jr., joined him at Buffalo Trace in 1936 and served as warehouse supervisor. Young Freddie played at Buffalo Trace as a child. In 2002, Johnson retired early from a job in Atlanta to return home, work with his father, and become the third generation of his family to work at Buffalo Trace.

Mr. Johnson has become famous for providing entertaining and informative tours of Buffalo Trace to thousands of guests each year. For his contributions to the bourbon industry, he was inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2018. He is a recipient of the 2015 ROSE (Recognition of Service Excellence) award and the 2017 Lexington Hospitality Award. In 2024, he was chosen to be part of the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame, becoming their first Black member. The Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild has a scholarship named in his honor.

Mr. Johnson has contributed greatly to the success of the bourbon industry, one of Kentucky's signature industries. It is my honor to lift up the life of this true Kentucky treasure, Mr. Freddie Johnson, and celebrate his iconic career at Buffalo Trace.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 484.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Robert ``Bobby'' Pease, from Flemingsburg, Kentucky. Mr. Pease is an exemplary teacher at Fleming County High School.

Mr. Pease earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Education and a Master of Arts degree in Career and Technical Education. He began his teaching career at Fleming County High School in 2003 and is a national board-certified teacher. He is a welding instructor at Fleming County High School and Director of Education at the Kentucky Welding Institute. In 2023 and again in 2024, Mr. Pease coached welding teams from Fleming County High School who were named the Kentucky FFA State Fair Welding Champions. Mr. Pease was appointed as a Curriculum Specialist by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training. He is an AWS Certified Welding Inspector and is certified with OSHA, an NCCER Master Trainer, and an NCCCO Practical Examiner.

Mr. Pease was recently honored as one of 25 instructors nationwide to win the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. This very prestigious and well-deserved award includes a $50,000 prize, to be shared with his school's skilled trades program. The award was created to recognize excellence among high school skilled trades teachers. More than 900 applications from all fifty states were submitted for the 2024 prize.

In addition to all his professional honors. Mr. Pease serves as a mentor to his students and encourages them as he prepares them for good careers and a bright future. He is well-respected both at school and in the Flemingsburg community. I am honored to recognize him before the House of Representatives.

Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my bipartisan amendment to the Fix Our Forests Act, a terrific piece of bipartisan legislation, and I compliment both Chairman Westerman and the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters) for their leadership on this.

My amendment would, if enacted, secure the future of the American white oak, which is one of the most important tree species in the Eastern United States. It occupies 104 million acres in this country and is vital for biodiversity, wildlife, and our economy.

American white oak is used in almost every forest product, including furniture, flooring, cabinetry, barrels for aging wine, American whiskey and, yes, Kentucky bourbon, which is America's native spirit by the definition passed by Congress, and which must be aged in new charred white oak barrels.

Kentucky's Sixth District is home to some of the world's most renowned distilleries. The industry as a whole produces over $9 billion and more than 23,000 jobs for the Commonwealth annually. Additionally, Kentucky distillers exported over $500 million worth of products abroad in 2022.

The problem is that while there is ample mature white oak now, there will not be in the future unless immediate and widespread action is taken. Young stands of white oak simply don't exist in the amount needed to support wildlife and sustainable forestry and do not exist for the future of the bourbon industry.

Reforestation of white oak is challenging because without some additional assistance here, white oak is extremely slow growing. Over the next 20 years, the population of white oak is expected to drop considerably, which will have a significant negative impact on Kentucky's ability to age and produce bourbon.

My amendment addresses this specifically by establishing the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to encourage the Forest Service to work alongside private and State partners at no cost to the taxpayer.

Additionally, the amendment asks the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior to regenerate white oak through a series of pilot projects in national parks and on volunteered private lands.

Lastly, it allows the Forest Service to enter into memorandums of understanding with land grant institutions to conduct much-needed research on white oak.

This bipartisan amendment does not authorize any new spending or programs but instead would work within existing programs and agency budgets to preserve our heritage and fortify an industry that is critical to Kentucky's economy and is America's native spirit.

Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I would just say to my friend from California that former Speaker Henry Clay, who was famous for bringing barrels of white oak filled with Kentucky whiskey up to the Capitol Building, used to famously say that Kentucky bourbon could lubricate the wheels of government. I would hope that the gentlewoman would take that into consideration in withdrawing her opposition to this very important amendment.

Mr. Chair, I yield time to the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Westerman), the sponsor of the legislation and the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. It is a win-win. It is a win for reforestation, it is a win for the Kentucky bourbon industry, and it certainly will help this important bipartisan legislation, Fix Our Forests Act, pass.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), my good friend.

This important act includes two of my bills, the Protecting Retail Investors' Savings Act and the Banking Regulator International Reporting Act, to protect capitalism from the politicization of capital allocation and to curtail the Biden-Harris regulators' efforts to circumvent Congress and use regulation to force leftist climate policies down the throats of the American people.

In recent years, we have witnessed an alarming rise in asset managers favoring green and politically favored investments that deliver lower returns.

According to data from Morningstar last year, sustainable U.S. equity funds underperformed the broader S&P 500 Index by 5 percentage points. In 2022, the average sustainable ESG fund was down 19\1/2\ percent.

This stands to reason because ESG funds are, by design, less diversified. Studies show that fees for ESG funds average as much as 43 percent higher than non-ESG funds, further eroding investor returns. Too often, retail investors unwittingly sacrificed financial returns to advance the ESG movement.

It is time to stand up for American investors against the fraud of ESG. My bill would require investment advisers to prioritize financial performance over these nonpecuniary and political factors.

Additionally, the Federal banking agencies, in coordination with the Biden-Harris administration, are working with global governance bodies outside of our country and climate activists to put climate policies into supervision of U.S. financial institutions under the guise of concerns about safety, soundness, and stability.

When Congress questions their motives and actions, they claim they are just abiding by international standards in secret board meetings abroad. Congress and the American people deserve transparency and robust information on these meetings between U.S. regulators and foreign global governance groups, some of which include officials from our adversaries.

Mr. Speaker, regulators' independence is being severely threatened, as they are being politicized to achieve the dreams of the Green New Deal. For the safety of our economy and for the retirement security of our constituents, we must pass this legislation to end the politicization of capital allocation, not to harm capitalism, but to depoliticize capitalism, to take the government out of capitalism.

Mr. Speaker, that is why I urge my colleagues to support the passage of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a special man, Jimmy Russell, from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Mr. Russell, an icon in the bourbon industry, marks his 70th anniversary at Wild Turkey distillery.

Mr. Russell grew up in Anderson County, five miles from Wild Turkey. He followed in his father's footsteps and went to work at Wild Turkey, then known as Anderson County Distilling, sweeping floors. He rotated jobs and learned all the steps involved in making bourbon, discovering that no job is too small and no task too tedious when it comes to making bourbon the right way. In 1967, he became Master Distiller, a position that he held for nearly half a century. Today he is Co-Master Distiller alongside his son Eddie Russell. He is the longest tenured active Master Distiller in the industry.

Mr. Russell has earned numerous accolades for his outstanding work, including being named to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, the Whiskey Hall of Fame, and a lifetime honorary member of the Kentucky Distiller's Association. He has been named a Kentucky Colonel by three Kentucky governors and has been a whiskey judge for the International Wine and Spirits Competition.

Mr. Russell is a fixture at the distillery, where he serves as a goodwill ambassador, greeting tourists at the visitor's center, charming them as he imparts knowledge about bourbon, signing bottles, and posing for pictures. He also samples and shares his opinion on new bourbons being developed at Wild Turkey. He enjoys working alongside his son Eddie and grandson Bruce.

Mr. Russell has contributed greatly to the success of the bourbon industry, one of Kentucky's signature industries. It is my honor to lift up the life of this true Kentucky treasure, Mr. Jimmy Russell, and celebrate his 70 years at Wild Turkey.