Floor Statements

Mr, Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Police Week and honor the brave men and women who wear the badge.

Across the Commonwealth and our Nation, police officers put on their uniforms each day knowing they may face danger and spend long hours away from their loved ones, all in an answer to a call of duty to protect and serve their community.

To everyone who has volunteered to serve in law enforcement, I thank them.

Over the past 15 months, Congress has taken action to back the blue. Last year, I was

proud to see the Chief Herbert D. Proffitt Act signed into law to honor former Tompkinsville and Monroe County Police Chief Herbert D. Proffitt, who was killed in 2012 by a suspect whom he had arrested years earlier. This legislation allows retired officers and their families to be eligible for benefits if they suffer permanent disability or death in an event related to their service.

I have also supported the Thin Blue Line Act, which would strengthen penalties for criminals who target law enforcement officers, and the Protect and Serve Act which strengthens federal criminal penalties for knowingly assaulting a law enforcement officer.

Law enforcement officers are a core part of our communities; they are our neighbors, coaches, community leaders, and so much more. They serve on the front lines to protect our families and keep our communities safe.

This week we especially remember the officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. Their service will never be forgotten, and we owe their families a debt of gratitude that can never fully be repaid.

To every law enforcement officer serving today, I thank them. America is stronger and safer because of their dedication and commitment.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, John Murphy, upon his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future West Point cadet, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Throughout the entire application process, John showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that John's time at this incredible institution will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Army's motto of ``This We'll Defend,'' the coming years will challenge John to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate John Murphy on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter. Go Army.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Austin Allen, upon his acceptance to the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future midshipman, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining our Nation's fourth arm of defense, the Merchant Marines.

Throughout the entire application process, Austin showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and Merchant Mariner career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Austin's time at King's Point will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Merchant Marine's motto of ``Acta Non Verba,'' the coming years will challenge Austin to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Austin Allen on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bowling Green, Kentucky's Rockfield Elementary School on being named a Leader in Me Legacy School. This distinction reflects years of commitment to building a culture where every student is empowered to lead, grow, and succeed.

The Leader in Me program, launched in 2008 by Franklin Covey and based on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, teaches students leadership and life skills through a schoolwide model. Schools that demonstrate sustained excellence can earn Lighthouse status, with the highest recognition, Legacy School, being awarded to those that embody and maintain a strong leadership culture over time.

Rockfield Elementary has demonstrated years of commitment to leadership development through empowering students to take ownership of their learning, fostering a positive school culture, and consistently building leadership habits in both the classroom and community.

This award rightfully highlights the school's efforts to support its students in developing the skills that will set them up for success in their futures.

Rockfield Elementary joins a growing list of Warren County Public Schools to be named a Leader in Me Legacy School. I congratulate them again, and go Raiders.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Stephen LePrell, upon his acceptance to the United States Air Force Academy. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future Air Force cadet, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Stephen has shown himself to be an exemplary candidate, securing offers from not only the Air Force Academy but also the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Throughout the entire application process, he showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Stephen's time at ``the Zoo'' will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Air Force's motto of ``Aim High... Fly-Fight-Win,'' the coming years will challenge Stephen to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Stephen LePrell on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Owen Dale, upon his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future West Point cadet, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Throughout the entire application process, Owen showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Owen's time at this incredible institution will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Army's motto of ``This We'll Defend,'' the coming years will challenge Owen to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Owen Dale on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter. Go Army.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Holden Schoen, upon his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point.

As a future West Point cadet, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Throughout the entire application process, Holden showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Holden's time at this incredible institution will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Army's motto of ``This We'll Defend,'' the coming years will challenge Holden to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Holden Schoen on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter. Go Army.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Milla Santapaola, upon her acceptance to the United States Naval Academy. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future midshipman, she will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Milla has shown herself to be an exemplary candidate, securing offers from not only the Naval Academy but also the U.S. Air Force Academy. Throughout the entire application process, she showed herself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that she will succeed in her future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Milla's time in Annapolis will be similarly impactful for her.

Guided by the Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps' mottos of ``Semper Fortis'' and ``Semper Fidelis,'' the coming years will challenge Milla to grow in character, strengthen her leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Milla Santapaola on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank her for her willingness to serve in uniform and wish her the best in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my constituent and fellow Kentuckian, Robert Magalong, upon his acceptance to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Nominating young people to our service academies is one of my greatest honors as a Member of Congress.

As a future West Point cadet, he will soon embark on a life-changing journey, joining the greatest fighting force on the face of the earth, the United States military.

Throughout the entire application process, Robert showed himself to be a talented and well-rounded candidate. I do not doubt that he will succeed in his future academic and military career.

As a graduate of West Point, I can confidently say that the years I spent in a service academy were among the most transformative of my life. I am confident that Robert's time at this incredible institution will be similarly impactful for him.

Guided by the Army's motto of ``This We'll Defend,'' the coming years will challenge Robert to grow in character, strengthen his leadership, and commit to a life of service to our Nation.

Again, I congratulate Robert Magalong on this impressive accomplishment. Our Commonwealth and the entire Nation thank him for his willingness to serve in uniform and wish him the best in this next chapter. Go Army.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of Major Michael Hart as he concludes his time on Capitol Hill. During his time working in the House of Representatives, Major Hart has served as the Army Branch Chief, National Guard Bureau Legislative Liaison (NGB-LL), Legislative Assistant to the Director of the Army National Guard, Army Appropriations Liaison for the Army National Guard, and as a Defense Fellow.

Major Hart was commissioned into the Kentucky Army National Guard as a Military Intelligence Officer in 2011. He is a graduate of the Officer Candidate School in Fort McClellan, Alabama, and has served in the Army and Air National Guard for a combined 25 years. He deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 2019 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Prior to his 2019 deployment, Major Hart owned Inside Out Nutrition LLC, a small fitness and nutrition business in Versailles, Kentucky. He and his wife, Jaime, constructed meal plans and hosted a variety of fitness classes to deliver personalized fitness and nutrition solutions. Before becoming an entrepreneur, Michael worked as an Army National Guard Liaison to Cadet Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky. There, Michael served as the National Guard subject matter expert to assist and advise the Command and Cadets on National Guard equities related to Officers commissioning through the ROTC program.

Additionally, he worked as a government contractor in the Information Technology industry. Major Hart worked as the lead technician for the Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT), a flight simulator used by Army helicopter pilots. Michael's expertise kept the trainer fully functional and operational to conduct training.

In the House of Representatives, working as a National Guard Liaison, Major Hart carried out various responsibilities to assist members of Congress in developing important policies that impact his fellow national guardsmen and soldiers. As Members of Congress, we are fortunate to have the opportunity to work alongside active duty servicemembers, who provide invaluable insight in every aspect of their duties.

I applaud Major Hart for his dedicated service to our Nation in uniform and for the work he has done on behalf of the institution of the United States House of Representatives. His long career of service brings great pride to every Kentuckian, and I wish him and his family the best during his next adventure.

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1189, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 1182) expressing support for rural communities across the United States as stewards of the environment, major suppliers of United States energy resources, critical providers of food production and manufacturing capacity, and drivers of national economic stability, and recognizing the work of the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress in support of those vital communities, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and to insert extraneous material on H. Res. 1182.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I didn't hear, until you just announced, that David Scott had passed. What a wonderful man from the great State of Georgia. The resolution is from a new friend from Georgia.

David was either married to Hank Aaron's sister or Hank Aaron was married to his sister. I can't remember which, but he and Hank Aaron were brothers-in-law. I told him one time that my son loved collecting baseballs. Of course, one of the most valuable ones you could ever have was Hank Aaron's, and he brought one to me one day.

I didn't know him that well, but he was one of those kind of guys that if you mentioned something like that to him, he would remember it and make sure he took care of you. He was a gentleman, and he will be missed.

Also, while I have the floor and before I get into my remarks, David McKinley was a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, a very valuable member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, very serious. He was a great engineer, but also a great person with a great heart. He passed away last week. I think his services are this coming Monday.

Members of Congress get to serve with some really wonderful people, and none more than David McKinley. To the level that I knew Mr. Scott, he was a wonderful man, too.

I thank the Madam Speaker for that indulgence.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to discuss a resolution demonstrating the work House Republicans continue to do to improve all the lives of the American people, especially those who live in rural parts of our great Nation.

I am here to discuss H. Res. 1182 to cut through the noise that Democrats continue to make in opposition to the President and to congressional Republicans.

It seems that no matter how reasonable or even how bipartisan a policy has been in the past, Democrats choose partisan politics over the American people. Take, for example, our work in Congress, along with the administration, to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government health programs. Energy and Commerce Republicans have prioritized restoring program integrity in our government health programs throughout this entire Congress, starting with H.R. 1, by ensuring critical safety net programs can continue to serve their intended purpose of protecting our most vulnerable Americans to now launching a nationwide investigation into Medicaid programs across the country.

It is disheartening that Democrats refuse to come to the table to safeguard pregnant women, their children, low-income seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Republicans will continue advancing policies that protect important Federal programs.

I am here today primarily to highlight the many ways in which House Republicans are unleashing growth in the economy following years of heavyhanded government intervention under the Biden-Harris administration.

House Republicans are creating the right environment for individual Americans to set their own course and to achieve their own dreams. For example, Republicans have enacted legislation to release domestic energy production, such as reversing the Department of Energy's restrictions on LNG exports and requiring Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval of grid-planning policies to preserve reliability to keep the lights on for American families and businesses.

House Republicans have worked to ensure that rural manufacturers are not unfairly penalized for emissions they did not create when we passed commonsense reforms to the Clean Air Act permitting and permitting relief for broadband deployment.

House Republicans have worked to enhance healthcare quality and access through the Working Families Tax Cuts and Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.

House Republicans have bolstered health resources for rural communities through the Rural Health Fund Transformation Program, the most significant investment of its kind in history.

House Republicans also enacted the SUPPORT Act and HALT Fentanyl Act, which provide crucial resources to rural communities devastated by the opioid crisis.

House Republicans have worked hard and continue to work hard this Congress to accelerate economic growth and opportunity for the American people.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Fuller), the newest member of the Republican Conference who was the newest Member of the House for a couple days, but he is becoming a good friend and someone I am getting to know better.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am trying to answer everything that was just brought up. It would be difficult to do because I am trying to figure out exactly how to attack things that just weren't really accurate.

I would say, one, it would be accurate to say we want to give people choices in choosing their appliance.

Would they rather pay hundreds of dollars more today to save over 46 years, I think is one of the estimates, to lower their bills.

Somebody could say: I want to pay a few hundred dollars more today and save pennies every month over the next 46 years. I get my payback. I think Americans should be able to make that choice.

The other is regarding Medicaid. It affects you if you are illegal, if you are ineligible, and if you are able to work. There are States that cover people who are not here in a legal presence. The other one is we want to require that you check the rolls more than once a year and verify when people come on the rolls of Medicaid. It seems like we passed the bill now that we found out about Medicaid. We are looking at a dozen States already but that is just what we found in Minneapolis alone.

Mr. Speaker, we stand behind this bill. We did these great things for rural communities.

The other is the rural transformation fund. That money goes directly to rural hospitals, so it does make a difference. I can read quotes from different people from different States, and blue States, saying how it is going to transform their rural health system.

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H. Res. 1182, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1189, I call up the bill (H.R. 4690) to amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to repeal certain Federal building energy efficiency performance standards, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the legislation and insert extraneous material on H.R. 4690.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act.

Today's debate serves as a reminder that policy decisions carry long- lasting implications. We are here today to reverse current law, which requires the Federal Government to phase out fossil fuels in new and renovated buildings by 2030.

This one-size-fits-all electrification mandate for new and renovated Federal buildings jeopardizes the reliability and security of our Nation's critical Federal infrastructure.

Winter Storm Fern's impact across the U.S. in January made it clear: reliable and affordable fossil fuels provide consistent power, and wind and solar do not.

While coal and natural gas significantly increased their output to meet demand during Winter Storm Fern, burning trash in New England produced more electricity than wind and solar combined.

The Federal Government and the United States military require uninterrupted, reliable electricity. Anything less compromises our national security.

This issue is timelier than ever. While the deadlines in section 433 to wind down the use of fossil fuels have not been enforced thus far, future administrations could weaponize the law to favor special interests who stand to gain billions in taxpayer funds to retrofit Federal infrastructure.

The legislation before us today to repeal section 433 brings Federal building policy back to reality, and I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Langworthy), the sponsor of the bill and a valuable member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Goldman), my good friend and valued member of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I will point out that, in 2007, there was a vote in the House of Representatives to make sure that every Federal building built in 2030 is going to have only green energy and not have any type of fossil fuel energy whatsoever.

In 2007, that was when they didn't realize that we had the oil. They knew it was there. They didn't know how to get the oil and gas in the Permian Basin. They didn't know about the shale revolution.

They keep disparaging the people who produce cheap energy, but I will tell you that, in 2007, the United States and the European Union had the same-sized economy. Europe went down the path of tripling their energy prices that come from fossil fuels, which can't be made up for by wind and solar.

We saw what happened with Winter Storm Fern, when New England made more energy out of burning garbage than it did out of wind and solar. Someone told me that I can't just pick the worst day of the year and say that wind and solar hurt that. Well, the worst day of the year or the coldest day of the year is the day that you need the most energy.

All I am saying is that having affordable, dispatchable, sustainable energy is important to America. Remember what I said, that 25 years ago, or not quite 25 years ago, in 2007, Europe and the United States had the same-sized economy. We are now twice as big.

Look at it from the inverse. What if we had made the same decisions they made? What if our economy today were

half the size that it was? Could you imagine the affordability crisis that the American people would be in if we had followed those policies? Could you imagine what unemployment would be if we had half the economy that we have today?

It is reasonable to make that assumption if we were the same size as Europe--we are twice as big as they are--and if we hadn't grown like we have grown over the past several years.

Just the practicality of this--we know it can't be done by 2030. Probably in 2007, 2030 looked like the year it could be done. It can't be done by 2030.

Mr. Speaker, I think 435 of us here would look at it and say that it can't be done, so it shouldn't be on the books. Why put laws on the books that you can't comply with? That is what this is about.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 4690, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman from Alabama for yielding, and I appreciate his hard work going into the Rural Transformation Healthcare Fund that was in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The gentleman originated the idea, and we certainly appreciate his hard work on that.

Today, I rise to support H.R. 6409, the FENCES Act; H.R. 6398, the RED Tape Act; and H.R. 6387, the FIRE Act.

These three bills are an essential part of the committee's broader efforts on permitting reform and aligned with the White House permitting priorities, which include modernizing the Clean Air Act.

A lot has changed since 1990, the last time that the Clean Air Act got a substantial overhaul. Some parts of the law have become outdated, contributing to the regulatory gridlock that is stifling American growth and innovation.

A lot has changed since 1990, the last time the Clean Air Act got a substantial overhaul, and some parts of the law have become outdated, contributing also to more gridlock.

These bills are foundational to our permitting reform efforts because they illustrate ways that we protect public health and the environment while removing outdated provisions that are slowing energy production and manufacturing, ultimately preventing job creation.

The Energy and Commerce Committee has held multiple hearings this Congress on the process for establishing and implementing national air quality standards and improving the preconstruction permitting program without sacrificing environmental protections. Some of the most expensive and significant barriers in the permitting process are the result of the law's outdated provisions.

What is worse, these burdensome requirements fail to address the most significant sources of pollution and create disincentives for companies to invest in cost-efficient and effective technology that would actually improve air quality.

In the U.S., it takes 80 percent longer to permit projects than elsewhere in the world. America's outdated permitting system costs manufacturers in the U.S. approximately $7.9 billion each year. While a reasonable level of permitting is, of course, needed, without commonsense reforms, our Nation risks falling behind our adversaries, like China.

Notably, over 70 percent of projects require Clean Air Act permits, which have the most burdensome approval process of any permitting requirement. Notably, over 70 percent of projects require these permits, and these three bills remove regulatory uncertainty and bureaucratic hoops that impact what and where job creators build new businesses, but they do not change the underlying environmental protections in the law.

The FENCES Act introduced by Congressman Pfluger ensures that States and local communities are not penalized for foreign air emissions emanating from outside of the U.S. The FENCES Act clarifies that all foreign emissions, whether natural or manmade, are not considered when determining whether a State meets national air quality standards.

The FENCES Act protects manufacturers and communities from unnecessary compliance burdens caused by events beyond their control, such as pollution from China, foreign wildfires,

or dust storms, while upholding environmental standards under the Clean Air Act.

The RED Tape Act, introduced by Congressman Joyce, eliminates a duplicative environmental review for projects already subject to NEPA environmental review. The duplicative process leads to additional delays and costs in the NEPA process.

The FIRE Act, introduced by Congressman Gabe Evans and co-led by Congressman Adam Gray, updates the Clean Air Act to address the biggest threat in air pollution that this country faces today: wildfires. Bipartisan legislation ensures that States are not punished for prescribed burns or emissions that they cannot control.

Prescribed burns are the most effective tool to decrease the severity of wildfires and public health problems associated with wildfire smoke. Despite the widespread acceptance of benefits of prescribed burns, they are underutilized across the U.S. due to perverse regulatory burdens under current air quality laws.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6409, the FENCES Act; H.R. 6398, the RED Tape Act; and H.R. 6387, the FIRE Act. These bills provide commonsense solutions and long-needed updates to the Clean Air Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sophie Trainor Khanahmadi for her service to the 2nd District of Kentucky, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the United States Congress.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, and graduate of The University of Alabama, Sophie's tenure spans a career of over fifteen years on Capitol Hill. I was blessed to have had her serve in my office for nearly a decade, working her way up from Health Policy Advisor to Legislative Director and Chief of Staff before joining the House Committee on Energy and Commerce as Deputy Staff Director after managing my successful race to become Chairman.

In her current role, Sophie has always been a trusted advisor to the members of the committee and a strong leader for all levels of the

team to further the work of the committee. She brings tenacity, forethought, and a deep policy knowledge that guides both the vision and execution of my work in Congress. Sophie has played a pivotal role in delivering some of the greatest accomplishments of this Congress, such as the Working Families Tax Cuts, which included the most significant entitlement reforms in American history.

For all of her professional talents and legislative accomplishments, above them all, she is truly a wonderful person. I have had the privilege of witnessing some of her greatest life moments outside of work as well, like her marriage to her husband Peter and becoming a mom with the birth of her son Henry a few years ago, and as their family continues to grow.

While I will miss her steady hand at the committee, I am proud of all she has accomplished and I am excited for her and her family as they begin this next new stage of her career.

I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Sophie for her service to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the committee, the United States Congress, and to our country.