Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sheriff Dave Lange, who is retiring this month after a nearly 40-year career in law enforcement, including 29 years with the Nicollet County Sheriff's Department.

A proud son of southern Minnesota, Sheriff Lange joined the department right out of high school as a jailer-dispatcher. He then went on to work briefly in North Mankato before returning to the sheriff's department for good.

In 2002, he was elected sheriff, a position he has proudly held for the past 23 consecutive years. Since joining in the mid-1980s, Sheriff Lange has seen the department navigate decades of change. During his years of leadership, he spearheaded the procurement of new vehicles and equipment and oversaw the implementation of new technologies within the department.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Sheriff Lange for his years of service and the example that he has set for all of us in southern Minnesota. I offer congratulations to Sheriff Lange on his retirement and best of luck in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania for yielding.

I rise today in support of S. 222, the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which I was proud to help introduce alongside Chairman Thompson.

As a fourth generation farmer raising the fifth generation, I know firsthand the importance of ensuring families have access to healthy and nutritious milk products. As a father of seven, my wife and I have purchased our fair share of milk on trips to the grocery store.

This legislation has been in the making for a long time, and it is past due that we send it to the President's desk and make this the law of the land.

Moving forward, every child across southern Minnesota and the rest of the Nation will have access to whole and 2 percent milk products when they go through the school lunch line. Moreover, this legislation will support our dairy farmers and the rural communities they call home. Farming is one of the most honorable and noble professions this country has to offer, and southern Minnesota is the home to some of the best dairy farmers and manufacturers in the world.

This legislation is a win-win for school-age children and dairy farmers across this country. I am proud that we now, once again, can say loudly: ``Milk: It does a body good.''

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 25 years of the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program known as MARL.

Twenty-five years ago, MARL was founded with the goal of developing the skills of Minnesota's agriculture and rural leaders, connecting them with educational resources to build their influence and effectiveness at local, State, national, and international levels.

In the year 2000, the first MARL class was selected with the inaugural seminar held that November. Today, MARL is recognized throughout Minnesota as the leading agriculture and rural leadership development program.

The idea for MARL was sparked by a 2-year research and development project between Southwest Minnesota State University, University of Minnesota Extension, and the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Since its creation, the MARL program has continued to grow throughout the past two-and-a-half decades, with some of Minnesota's well- respected leaders among its alumni.

Mr. Speaker, as a past board member of MARL, I am especially proud to recognize this outstanding program for its commitment to educating and training tomorrow's rural leaders for the past 25 years. I wish them many more years of success.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding young leader from southern Minnesota, Vannah Heil of St. James. This November, Vannah will join more than 700 youth from across the Nation at the National 4-H Congress in Atlanta.

Vannah is one of only nine students selected to represent Minnesota at this prestigious event, where she will take part in workshops, service projects, and opportunities to strengthen her leadership and communication skills. As a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador, Vannah has already shown her commitment to building stronger communities and inspiring her peers.

The 4-H program has a long tradition of equipping young people with the tools they need to succeed in school, careers, and civic life. Vannah embodies the very best of that mission. I am proud to represent her and look forward to seeing the great things she will accomplish in the years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the lives of Justin Reinarts and Tabitha Trescott, two individuals whose lives were senselessly taken on November 2 in the close-knit community of Hanska, Minnesota.

Justin served 17 years with the Hanska Fire Department. He took great pride as a first responder, never giving a second thought to doing anything he could to help others.

At his funeral last week, seven area fire departments paid tribute to Justin, and scores of community members lined the streets to say good- bye.

Tabitha was a warm light in the lives of those who knew her. She is remembered by many for her steadfast belief in God's unconditional love, the driving force behind the love that she showed to others.

Hanska, a town of just a few hundred residents, has been shaken by this tragedy that has left our community heartbroken for the families of Justin and Tabitha, especially their children who are left to carry on without them.

I am honored here today to pay tribute to Justin and Tabitha, and may their lives and their contributions to southern Minnesota never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Minnesota State University, Mankato, on the grand opening of their new Maverick Innovation Gateway.

This center represents the very best of southern Minnesota, where innovation meets hard work and where our next generation of leaders will gain the skills to drive our economy forward.

With the support of community partners like Nidec and many others, this facility will provide students with hands-on experience, foster entrepreneurship, and prepare young people to meet the workforce demands of tomorrow.

As a proud Minnesotan, I know firsthand the impact that institutions like MSU-Mankato have on our families, our businesses, and the vitality of our region.

The Maverick Innovation Gateway will be an invaluable resource for students not only to build the skills necessary to fill critical jobs but to take what they are learning in the classroom and translate it to real-world job experiences.

This new addition to the MSU campus is more than just a building. It is a promise to students and employers that southern Minnesota is and will remain a hub of opportunity and innovation across our State and Nation.

Mr. Speaker, today, I congratulate President Inch, faculty, staff, students, and the entire Mankato community on this exciting achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Jake Larson, a World War II veteran and a beloved social media star who recently passed away at the age of 102.

Jake was born and raised in Owatonna, Minnesota, and was truly a hero to our Nation. In 1938, at the age of 15, though he may have said he was 18, he enlisted in the National Guard. Mr. Speaker, 4 years later he was sent overseas to Northern Ireland where he served as an operations sergeant, eventually assisting in the planning of the D-day invasion.

On June 6, 1944, Jake was among the brave and selfless heroes who stormed the beaches of Normandy, surviving relentless enemy bombardment and machine gun fire before ultimately pushing the Nazi forces off of Omaha Beach. Months later, he would go on to take part in the Battle of the Bulge, earning two medals for his service.

Later in life, ``Papa Jake'' was introduced to social media by his granddaughter, McKaela, where he shared stories of his experiences overseas during the war. His humor, humility, and heroism captured the hearts of millions, inspiring younger generations of Americans.

I have no doubt that Jake's legacy will live on through all those he impacted, both in person and through his videos. He was a courageous veteran, an inspiring storyteller, and, most importantly, a friend to all. He will truly be missed.

May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my friend and fellow Minnesota farmer, Lori Stevermer, who recently completed a successful term as president of the National Pork Producers Council.

Lori has dedicated her career to advocating for Minnesota's pork producers. In addition to raising pigs with her husband, Dale, on their farm near Easton, Minnesota, Lori served 9 years on the executive board of the Minnesota Pork Producers Association, including 2 years as president, and on various State and national committees.

The time and effort she invests on behalf of not only Minnesota pork producers but all American pork producers has helped shape a better business climate, expand American producers' market access, and promote the benefits of pork to a wide audience.

Lori often says: ``The world is run by the people who show up.'' And show up she does. Lori has made countless trips to Washington, as well as all across the country and internationally, to advocate for her fellow pork producers.

I thank Lori for her years of relentless dedication and leadership, and congratulate her on a successful year as president of the National Pork Producers Council.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 519.

In the early morning hours of June 14, many of us woke up to the horrifying news of a targeted political attack that took the lives of former Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and which left State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, hospitalized with multiple gunshot wounds.

In the hours and the days following, the largest manhunt in our State's history ensued, with over 200 officers from local, State, and Federal jurisdictions working together around the clock to bring the shooter to justice.

I thank the officers who conducted this successful manhunt and ensured the safety and security of Minnesota lawmakers in the ensuing hours.

I also express my personal gratitude to members of the New Ulm Police Department, the Brown County Sheriff's Office, and Sheriff Jason Seidl. They worked to ensure the safety of my family and me in the hours following the attack.

I had the honor of serving with Speaker Emerita Hortman for 4 years during my time in the Minnesota Legislature. I will forever cherish the conversations and friendship that I had with her then and throughout the 20 years since.

When I look at my time serving alongside her, Melissa embodied the spirit of the hardworking people of Minnesota. She came from a blue- collar upbringing and had a work ethic that drove her to always seek out solutions rather than seeking out a spotlight for a political win.

Melissa was a principled public servant who led by example. When tough decisions had to be made, she put her politics aside and got the job done for Minnesotans.

As a lawmaker, Melissa brought her roll-up-the-sleeves, problem- solving approach to almost every issue. Along with it, she touched all of us with the witty humor that many of us will remember her for, including myself.

Melissa was a very special person, and I can say without hesitation that our State was better served due to her leadership. The halls of the Minnesota State Capitol will be a lot less bright without her.

Words cannot express the emotions that all of us across Minnesota have experienced in the wake of this tragic event: devastation, fear, grief, and outrage.

Whether we agree or disagree on policy issues, politically targeted violence like this must never be tolerated.

My wife, Jackie, and I teach our kids that it is possible to respectfully disagree with others. We have to do the same as a society. We have to lead by example and put civility back into today's political discourse.

Political disagreement is healthy. It is what our system of government was founded upon. We have our fair share of that political disagreement in Minnesota, and we even have it here in the House Chamber.

I was proud to join every Member of the Minnesota delegation on both sides of the aisle to call out this act of hatred, and we will continue to do so together.

Mr. Speaker, over the past week, I have been reminding myself that hope, faith, and resilience are the enemy of evil. I remind my fellow Minnesotans--not just the Republicans and not just the Democrats but my fellow Minnesotans--that hope, faith, and resilience are the enemy of evil. While one person's evil acts shook us to our core, it is up to each and every one of us to be the good.

I hope that all of us take time to lean on each other and find opportunities to

be more loving family members, kinder friends, and better neighbors because that is the good that overcomes evil.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Hortman and Hoffman families during this time of tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Bob Kierlin, a beloved community member and dedicated public servant who passed away earlier this year at the age of 85.

Born and raised in Winona, Bob was a fixture in the southeastern Minnesota community. He graduated from Cotter High School and served in the Peace Corps in Venezuela before going on to represent his neighbors from Winona in the Minnesota State Senate from 1999 to 2007.

As a young man in 1967, Bob and four of his high school friends founded the Fastenal Company when Bob saw a need to get hardware to the construction sites quickly. A new supply chain concept was born.

With Bob's innovation and his leadership, Fastenal quickly grew into a worldwide distributor, employing more than 23,000 employees with locations in all 50 States and 25 countries. Today, Fastenal is a Fortune 500 company and Winona's largest employer.

Bob was much more to his hometown than a CEO, though. His community involvement and generosity to local causes was seemingly limitless, setting an example for us all in how to serve our neighbors in greater need.

I have no doubt that Bob's legacy will live on through the countless lives he impacted, both personally and professionally. He was a renowned business leader, a generous benefactor, and a dedicated public servant. He was also a true friend to a great many of us across southern Minnesota.

He will truly be missed. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend and colleague from Minnesota for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 2931, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025.

Over the past 4 years, the Biden administration's open-border policies have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to pour into our country. Making matters worse, Democratic politicians in cities across our country have enacted sanctuary city policies that have further encouraged waves of illegal immigrants to come into our communities, circumventing Federal law and raising serious public safety concerns.

Last November, the American people overwhelmingly elected President Trump with a clear mandate to secure the border and restore public safety in our communities. Since taking office, President Trump has delivered on this promise.

Despite the incredible efforts by this administration to secure our border and remove criminal aliens from our country, Democratic mayors have doubled down on their failed sanctuary city policies that harbor criminal illegal aliens and defy cooperation with Federal immigration enforcement.

In my home State of Minnesota, the local SBA office is based in the city of Minneapolis, and it is responsible for serving all 87 counties throughout Minnesota. For years, Minneapolis has passed several sanctuary city policies while at one point attempting to defund its own police department, further jeopardizing public safety.

My legislation, the Save SBA from Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025, would require the Small Business Administration to relocate its offices out of sanctuary city jurisdictions to better ensure that resources benefit American small businesses in rural communities without being entangled in local policies that promote lawlessness.

Our small business owners and those who rely on the SBA for loans, disaster relief, and support deserve access to these services in a safe, secure environment.

This bill would codify two of President Trump's executive orders: Protect SBA employees, and safeguard the entrepreneurs who fuel our economy.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Tim

Penny, a friend and a leader in southern Minnesota who is retiring from 18 years as president and CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

Tim Penny first stepped into public service 49 years ago when he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in his early twenties. From there, he would go on to serve in this very Chamber as the U.S. Representative for southeastern Minnesota, part of the district that I am honored to represent today.

Whether in or out of elected office, Tim has been a fixture in our State for decades, fiercely advocating for the region's economic growth, rural development, and community revitalization.

In his nearly 20 years leading SMIF, the organization has launched several grant projects, educational programs, and community improvement initiatives. His departure leaves behind enormous shoes to fill but also a legacy of service. It is a legacy of service that will long be remembered by all of us in southern Minnesota.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Tim on his well-deserved retirement and wish him and Sandy the best in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Tim Penny, a friend and leader in southern Minnesota who is retiring from eighteen years as President/CEO of the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

Tim Penny first stepped into public service forty-nine years ago when he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in his twenties. From there, he would go on to serve in this very chamber as the U.S. Representative for southeastern Minnesota, part of the district that I'm proud to represent today.

Whether in or out of elected office, Tim has been a fixture in our state for decades, fiercely advocating for the region's economic growth, rural development, and community revitalization.

In his nearly twenty years leading SMIF, the organization has launched several grant projects, educational programs, and community improvement initiatives.

His departure leaves behind enormous shoes to fill, but also a legacy of service that will long be remembered by all of us in southern Minnesota.

Congratulations to Tim on his well-deserved retirement, and wishing him and Sandy the best in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2025 Class 1A Minnesota State Girls Hockey Champions: the Dodge County Wildcats.

On February 22nd, the team won their first-ever state title at the Xcel Energy Center in a suspenseful overtime game against Warroad. The Wildcats claimed the win with a 4-3 final score.

The deciding goal almost went unnoticed, sneaking over the goal line during a dramatic scramble at the net. Warroad came away with the puck, but junior forward Zoe Heimer, who made the shot, knew the puck had crossed the goal line, prompting a video review that ultimately ruled in favor of the Wildcats.

The top-seeded Dodge County team has been nothing but impressive all season, finishing strong with a record of 24-3-2. Their championship win marks the first state title--not only for the program--but for any girls hockey team south of the Twin Cities.

It is my honor to recognize this year's Class 1A Minnesota Girls' Hockey Champions today. Thanks to the strong leadership and encouragement from Coach Gunderson, and relentless support by the team's staff, families, classmates, and community these talented young women earned a state championship title. All of us across the First Congressional District are incredibly proud to call them our own.

Congratulations to Coach Gunderson and the entire Wildcats family on an unbelievable season.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the bravery and sacrifice of the men of Naval Support Activity Da Nang, a U.S. Navy logistics support unit stationed in Vietnam from 1965 to 1972.

On February 27, 1969, the North Vietnamese Army launched two rockets into a U.S. Navy storage facility, destroying Landing Craft Utility- 1500, and wounding 13 servicemen.

During the ensuing rocket barrage, ammunitions on LCU-1500 were detonated, causing an explosion which spread to a nearby harbor utility craft, destroying both vessels and damaging a third.

In total, twenty-two Navy men were killed and thirty-eight wounded, many of whom subsequently died as a result of their injuries.

The men of the U.S. Navy Da Nang Unit gave their all for our Nation that day in 1969, yet never received recognition for their heroic actions in a time of war.

I am humbled and proud to honor these brave men today for the sacrifices they made for our country fifty-six years ago. They will never be forgotten.