Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Captain Jack Walter, a remarkable Vietnam Veteran whose dedication to serving our country deserves our recognition.

As a forward observer and artillery specialist, Captain Jack Walter played a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy of military operations. His responsibility to relay enemy coordinates during calls for fire and confirm the impacts of artillery rounds demonstrated his skill, precision, and commitment to the mission at hand. Today, we celebrate Captain Jack Walter's life and express our gratitude for his selflessness and bravery. May his memory serve as a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by our veterans and the importance of honoring their service.

Lieutenant Jack Walter served with the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army. His actions during an intense battle in the Vietnamese bunker complex in early 1970 highlighted his bravery and dedication to his duties. Despite being under constant enemy fire, he ensured the safety of his fellow soldiers. His courageous actions did not go unnoticed, and he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with a ``V'' device for valor. Lieutenant Jack Walter humbly expressed surprise at receiving the recognition, stating that he believed he was simply doing his job. Due to his exceptional leadership and skills, Lieutenant Jack Walter was later promoted to the important role of Artillery Liaison, a position typically held by a Captain. In this role, he was responsible for coordinating fire support for an entire infantry battalion comprising nearly one thousand soldiers.

In June of 1970, Lieutenant Jack Walter bravely took part in a daring rescue mission to save a group of soldiers who were stranded, injured, and surrounded by enemy forces. Lieutenant Jack Walter, understanding the importance of reassuring the troops that they had not been abandoned, personally flew multiple resupply missions to aid them. The enemy fire was so intense that he had to switch helicopters three times. This close encounter with death and his unwavering determination to complete the mission led to Lieutenant Jack Walter being awarded the Silver Star Medal, one of the nation's highest honors for bravery.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in remembering and appreciating Captain Jack Walter's courageous service to our country during the Vietnam War. It is through the dedication and sacrifice of individuals like him that we are able to enjoy the freedom and security we have today. May their service continue to inspire and remind us of the values we hold dear as Americans.

Mr. Chairman, as the Congressman has said, prior to the crash in February 2009, we were of the belief that if the plane said Continental, it was operated by the national carrier. It wasn't true. It was operated by a regional carrier, and there were two levels of safety, the larger carrier's 1,500 hours for pilots, and the regional carrier's, in the case of this flight, 750 hours.

The National Transportation Safety Board did a thorough investigation of the crash site and the circumstances surrounding it and made an unequivocal conclusion that it was pilot error. The plane went into an aerodynamic stall. The pilot did exactly the opposite of what they should have done.

The plane pitched. It descended. As Mr. Langworthy has said, 49 people died, including 1 individual on the ground.

Since that change was made, commercial aviation fatalities decreased by nearly 100 percent. We ask that the 1,500-hour pilot training rule be sustained in the FAA reauthorization.

Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. Speaker, on July 17, 2023, I was unable to be present for the recorded suspension votes on Roll Call Nos. 329 and 330. Had I been present, I would have voted YES on Roll Call No. 329, S. 111--Providing for Accountability Through Transparency Act, as amended; and YES on Roll Call No. 330, H.R. 813--Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2023, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of placing Buffalo's DL&W Terminal on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Built in 1917 to accommodate bustling freight and passenger rail, the long-dormant train shed is a vital component to Buffalo's renaissance.

Positioned along the Buffalo River at the foot of Main Street in downtown Buffalo, the massive structure is undergoing a transformation, including construction of a new Metro Rail station on the ground floor.

Historic designation will make planned private sector development of the second floor eligible for Federal and State historic tax credits.

A nomination would allow the DL&W Terminal to join the list of over 250 historic tax credit rehab projects injecting $1.2 billion into western New York over the last two decades.

I urge the National Park Service to support the submission of the DL&W Terminal, advancing a critical linchpin to the revitalization of Buffalo's downtown waterfront.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Willie Ann Huff, who on July 15, 2023, will celebrate her 90th birthday. Mrs. Huff is the daughter of the late Sarah and Willie Vinson, and the eldest of 11 children.

Willie Ann Huff has 5 children of her own, Gloria, the late James Vinson, Edward, Timothy, and Debra. She is also the grandmother of 12, the great-grandmother of 30, and has 4 great-great grandchildren.

Mrs. Huff is known for many things and one of them is her pineapple- coconut cakes, her gift giving spirit that she shows to all, and hosting the best Christmas parties and cookouts for her entire family. She is also known for her sharp sense of style, with the hats, furs, and suits to match her signature Obama purses and Cadillac.

Above all else, Willie Ann Huff is a brave fighter, surviving multiple bouts with cancer. I hereby take official note of the joyous occasion of Mrs. Willie Ann Huff's 90th Birthday and invite all citizens to join me in wishing her the happiest of birthdays.

Mr. Speaker, lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in the United States, taking more lives than prostate, colorectal, and breast cancers combined.

The United States Preventive Services Task Force recommends annual lung screenings for adults ages 50 to 80 who are at risk, but currently just 6 percent of eligible Americans are screened each year.

That is why we are introducing the Increasing Access to Lung Cancer Screening Act. This bipartisan bill will reduce barriers to preventive care by requiring public and private insurance to cover annual screenings for those who are eligible.

Early detection is our best protection against all cancer deaths, and this legislation extends coverage for those who are at greatest risk.

I ask my colleagues to join me, along with Representatives Castor and Fitzpatrick, in supporting this lifesaving legislation. Together we can take another step toward ending cancer as we know it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the colleagues and friends of Matt Hout in honoring him for his decades of dedicated service as an educator, lifeguard and union leader in Western New York on the occasion of his retirement.

For the past twenty-five years, Mr. Hout has been a member of the faculty in the Cheektowaga Central School District. Having taught biology, life sciences and chemistry, Mr. Hout helped young people better understand and appreciate the wonder and mystery of the natural world all around them, and prepared them for careers for which STEM skills are no longer optional, but necessary. Prior to his work with the Cheektowaga Central School District he taught in various other Western New York school districts, as well as at my own alma mater, SUNY Buffalo State.

Mr. Hout's commitment to his students, his colleagues and his community did not stop when the dismissal bell rang. Whether coaching swimming teams, supervising the weight room or chaperoning functions like proms to visits here to our nation's capital, Mr. Hout gave freely of his time and commitment to his students. Mr. Hout has also been a lifeguard in the New York State Parks for forty years, having made possible safe and healthy recreation for thousands of New Yorkers and having saved more than a few lives. Mr. Hout has been an effective advocate for his profession as an officer of the Cheektowaga Central Teachers Association, a unit of the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, and for his fellow lifeguards as regional vice president of the New York State Lifeguard Corps Union, another AFT unit.

Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Hout, his wife Denise, and his adult children Courtney and Nicholas all the best as he begins his well-earned retirement after an extraordinary career in which he dedicated himself to his students, his colleagues and his community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend Richard Lipsitz, Jr., as he receives the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Western New York Area Labor Federation's Annual Award Dinner.

A steadfast champion for working men and women, Richard began his labor organizing career in 1973, and rose through the ranks at

SEIU and the Teamsters union, eventually leading Western New York's Area Labor Federation for a decade.

From picket lines to shop floors and from union halls to the halls of power, Richard has been a forceful voice for working men and women, always working to improve and defend workers' living standards and working conditions. As leader of the ALF, Richard repeatedly demonstrated his talent for building consensus among broad and diverse constituencies so that policymakers and the public at-large would see what united the labor movement, not what could potentially divide it; this has led to real, tangible successes in public policy and organizing. His talent and diligence would make this difficult work of consensus-building look easy, though surely this was not always the case.

Richard remains a trusted and thoughtful advisor to labor leaders, elected officials and civic leaders in Western New York and far beyond. His crystal-clear insight, far-reaching perceptiveness and his deep understanding of labor, economics and government make that advice invaluable.

I am pleased to join the Western New York Area Labor Federation in thanking Richard Lipsitz for his lifetime of dedication to the cause of working men and women. We are all the better for his good work.

Madam Speaker, in 2009, Flight 3047 crashed in Clarence, New York, killing everyone on board and one person on the ground.

The 2010 FAA reauthorization bill took bold, bipartisan action to address the flight safety issues that caused this tragic crash. This included the 1,500-hour pilot training rule, which significantly increased the number of required flight training hours from just 250 to 1,500 hours.

Since then, commercial aviation fatalities have decreased by 99.8 percent. The new FAA reauthorization legislation introduced last week includes a provision allowing an additional 150 hours of the 1,500-hour standard to be completed in a simulator.

Madam Speaker, we oppose this change. It veers off the course from the reforms we fought so hard for. We cannot falter on the safety standards that this body of Congress has fought alongside the Flight 3407 families to achieve.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in calling for this provision to be removed from the bill in its entirety.

Madam Speaker, the United States is experiencing an affordable housing crisis, and western New York is not immune.

Older communities like Buffalo and Niagara Falls have aging houses with good bones, but the high cost to rehab these properties, compared to their value, causes them to fall into disrepair. As a result, neighborhoods are plagued by blighted homes and vacant lots.

That is why we introduced the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, which

closes the value gap these neighborhoods face with a tax credit to encourage investing in single-family homes to revitalize these communities.

Over the next 10 years, this bill could help build or rehabilitate 500,000 homes and create more than 700,000 construction jobs. For the families whose dreams of homeownership feel unattainable, this can be a game changer.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join Representative Mike Kelly and me in supporting this legislation for communities across the Nation and the families who want to see them thrive long into the future.

Mr. Speaker, on May 30, 2023, I was unable to be present for the recorded votes on Roll Call No. 238, 239, and 240. Had I been present, I would have voted: YES on H.R. 2792, Small Entity Update Act, as amended; YES on H.R. 2795, Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act, as amended; and YES on H.R. 2796, Promoting Opportunities for Non-Traditional Capital Formation Act, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and accomplishments of David Evans, Jr., on the 20th anniversary of his passing. He was an exemplary young man who lost his life serving our country.

David enlisted in the Army after graduating in 2002 from Kensington High School, in Buffalo, N.Y. His dream was to become a military police officer and FBI agent. He was killed in an explosion May 25, 2003 while on duty with the 977th Military Police Company, guarding a ammunitions site in Diwaniyah, Iraq.

His mother, Esther Macklin, stated that at first, she questioned his decision to join the military, but once he had his mind made up, there was no changing it. ``I had to let David go and become the man he wanted to become.'' She went on to state, ``I'm so very proud of him, even now, I've come to accept the loss. I have faith that God has my son now.''

David had hoped that the military would lead him to a career in law enforcement. He had a calling to public service that led him to intern at Buffalo City Hall while still in high school. He also liked hip-hop music, basketball, football and cross country running. Most of all, when speaking of David, his friends, family, and teachers all brought up his smile. People talked about how infectious it was, and that when you looked at him, it made you want to smile too, and no matter what the circumstances were, he was happy and always wanted to look on the bright side of everything.

Today, I ask that you join me in remembering and honoring the life of PFC David Evans, Jr., an exemplary young man who is remembered and missed by many.

Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to recognize the 40th Anniversary of an indispensable non-profit in our Niagara Falls community, Heart, Love & Soul. Since 1983, this organization has tended to those struggling with poverty in the north end of Niagara Falls. As a hunger-relief and social care agency, the dedicated members of this group give needed attention to every part of those who need it most.

At its most fundamental level, Heart, Love & Soul has provided the community with wide-reaching food assistance programs and human services at no cost. This includes meals, groceries, case management, showers, laundry facilities, and haircuts. It began on March 14, 1982 when members of a prayer group gathered at the former Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church on South Avenue. They discussed what they could do to help residents who were struggling with food insecurity. Led by a church parishioner, John Porecca, the members of this group decided to pursue an entire organization dedicated to serving those in need. After settling on a name and filing the papers to be incorporated, they began operations out of a former grocery store on Pierce Avenue. With financial help from Savino Nanula, they later purchased the building, which served as Heart, Love & Soul's first food pantry.

The key element to Heart, Love & Soul's achievements throughout the last four decades has been its consistency in finding conscientious and diligent staff and volunteers. The men and women who run this organization are not only adept at helping people in need, but also recognize the value in raising funds to ensure their longevity. With twenty staff members and many more volunteers, every day is a new day to help a neighbor. And for forty years, every day has been a resounding success. Heart, Love & Soul represents the very best of what dedicated citizens can do for their community, and I know all Western New Yorkers are looking forward to their continued prosperity.

Mr. Speaker, on May 24, 2023, I was unable to be present for the recorded votes on Roll Call No. 233. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on H.J. Res. 39, Disapproving the rule submitted by the Department of Commerce relating to ``Procedures Covering Suspension of Liquidation, Duties and Estimated Duties in Accord with Presidential Proclamation 10414.''

Mr. Speaker, on Memorial Day, we honor veterans who paid the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country.

Many veterans return home with lasting effects on their health and well-being. This Congress should honor their service by making sure they have access to quality healthcare, food, and housing.

The default on America act undermines this commitment. To preserve tax cuts for billionaires, their plan would cut veterans' benefits and programs by 22 percent.

We are told that if they don't get everything they want, they will force a default, sending our economy into a spiral.

Under President Trump, the debt ceiling was raised three times. Now, by holding veterans' and other American priorities hostage, they are putting politics over people.

I urge my colleagues to honor our commitment to those who have served and end this manufactured crisis.