Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Joe Hengstler, the Executive Director of Olde Town Arvada Business Improvement District, who sadly passed away on September 23, 2025 after his battle with esophageal cancer.

Joe was affectionately known as ``The Mayor of Olde Town.'' He was instrumental in establishing the heart and soul of Arvada's most iconic and historic destination. Friends, family, and community members knew Joe as a true leader who was always ready to pick up a shovel and get to work to put his projects into action.

Joe cultivated a thriving hub for local businesses. During the COVID- 19 pandemic, Joe transformed Olde Town to ensure that business owners had the tools and environment to persevere through economic hardship. Olde Town innovated and implemented new physical distancing rules and created unique events to bring the community to Olde Town. The community showed up for the small businesses while still prioritizing safety. This innovation and our community's support for small businesses had a lasting impact as Olde Town continues to thrive.

Joe will be remembered for his enthusiasm, ambition, and optimism. He is survived by his wife, Megan, their daughter Juniper, his mother Camilla Hengstler, his sister Erika Huber, and his brother Bob Hengstler. I know I join our community in my hope that Joe's loved ones continue to find comfort in the stories that friends and family are sharing. He undoubtedly had an impact on those around him, and in that way, he'll continue to live on with us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize retired firefighter Kevin Jacovetta, who passed away on September 19, 2025 from cancer. Kevin, or ``KJ'', served Arvada Fire for over 33 years. He joined as a volunteer in 1988, was hired as a full-time firefighter in 1999, and held the roles of firefighter/EMT, engineer, and acting officer throughout his career.

Kevin's death has been designated as a Line of Duty Death--Illness (LODD-I), connected to severe burns that he sustained in 2011 while rescuing a fellow firefighter during a devastating house fire. His bravery that day earned him the Medal of Valor. While he courageously recovered and returned to duty, complications from his injuries eventually led to his retirement in 2021 and a cancer diagnosis in 2023.

Kevin's passing is a solemn reminder of the risks our firefighters ensure to keep our friends, family, and neighbors safe. As a firefighter, husband, and father, Kevin's selflessness carried through every aspect of his life. His legacy of kindness, dedication, and service to our community will not be forgotten.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, I am honored to recognize firefighter Kevin Jacovetta's legacy and extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and the entire Arvada Fire Department.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colorado State Representative Shannon Bird for her public service.

Throughout her time in the legislature, Representative Bird has worked tirelessly to fight for all individuals. She served on the Joint Budget Committee for 6 years, serving as vice chair and later chairwoman, ensuring that corporate loopholes were closed while still protecting small businesses. Representative Bird has been a champion for affordable housing, passing legislation to lower the cost of housing and offer more Coloradans the ability to own a home.

Though Representative Bird and I held different positions during my time in the State Legislature, we collaborated to cut through the red tape surrounding professional licensing and keep Colorado one of the best places to work. She is my colleague, my friend, a mother, and a steadfast advocate for her community.

Representative Bird has been serving the Westminster community for decades, starting as a city council member, serving as board chair of the Five Star Education Foundation, and as citizen chair for a school district's bond campaign. Representative Bird spent countless hours volunteering in students' classrooms, which led to her co-founding the Adams 12 Community Action Network, dedicated to empowering students by providing equal learning opportunities at local schools.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to thank Representative Bird for her dedication to serving her community. I wish Shannon and her family all the best on their next endeavor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Amy Zhang of Morrison, Colorado, for winning Best in Show in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge.

Amy built EnAct: AI Guides, Vision-Impaired Act, an assistive technology app for seeing impaired individuals that describes the user's environment, helping them avoid pathway collisions. Her application uses multiple AI platforms, and was inspired in part by Amy's experience with a friend who is seeing impaired.

This accomplishment is an impressive example of Amy's determination, hard work, and advanced STEM knowledge base.

I congratulate Amy Zhang for her success in the Congressional App Challenge. I am certain she will continue to show the same dedication and strength of character in all her future endeavors. I am excited to see all she will accomplish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Aariv Arora of Broomfield, Colorado, for earning the Rookie of the Year Award in the 2025 Congressional App Challenge.

Aariv built an interactive app called WayBuddy, a community safety app that allows students to report roadway hazards for fellow pedestrians and bicyclists on a shared map. This accomplishment is an example of Aariv's determination, hard work, and impressive knowledge base in the STEM field.

I congratulate Aariv Arora for his success in the Congressional App Challenge. I am certain he will continue to show the same dedication and strength of character in all his future endeavors. I am excited to see all he will accomplish.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Angela ``Angie'' Paccione for her service to constituents in Colorado as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE).

Dr. Paccione has been a lifelong public servant, working in education for over 27 years before joining CDHE. Since her appointment to this role in 2019, Dr. Paccione has worked to expand access to higher education for students of all backgrounds. Dr. Paccione has helped implement a variety of programs to increase access and affordability for low-income students, including the FosterED and EmpowerED scholarship programs for students who grew up in foster care and who are experiencing homelessness. Furthermore, Dr. Paccione helped implement the Colorado ReEngaged Initiative to allow thousands of Coloradans who did not finish a four-year degree the opportunity to earn an associate's degree. And under her leadership, Colorado was ranked first in the Nation for educational attainment in 2022.

Throughout her tenure, Dr. Paccione has been a dedicated advocate, working to expand opportunities and improve educational outcomes for thousands of Colorado students. She has conducted robust outreach to prospective students about educational opportunities and resources offered by the state, including speaking with high school students and families at a FAFSA resource fair held by my office at Bear Creek High School in April of 2025.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to thank Dr. Paccione for her years of service and to wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I missed two votes on December 15, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted: YEA on Roll Call No. 336, final passage of H.R. 3187, to require the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a parcel of property of the Forest Service to Perry County, Arkansas, and for other purposes, and YEA on Roll Call No. 335, final passage of S. 284, Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act.

Mr. Speaker, I missed all the votes in the vote series on December 3, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 312, final passage of H.R. 1005, Combating the Lies of Authoritarians in School Systems (CLASS) Act; YES on Roll Call No. 311, final passage of H.R. 4305, DUMP Red Tape Act; and NAY on Roll Call No. 310, final passage of H.R. 2965, Small Business Regulatory Reduction Act of 2025.

Mr. Speaker, I missed all the votes in the vote series on December 4, 2025. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 314, final passage of H.R. 1049, Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act, and NAY on Roll Call No. 313, final passage of H.R. 1069, PROTECT Our Kids Act.

Mr. Speaker, I missed all the votes in the vote series on December 1, 2025. Had I been present I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 307, final passage of H.R. 4423, No New Burma Fund Act; and YEA on Roll Call No. 306, final passage of H.R. 5348, Social Security Child Protection Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Tom Downey of Ireland Stapleton, PC for being named Lawyer of the Year. Additionally, Tom has been named one of The Best Lawyers in America for Administrative and Regulatory Law and Government Relations by The Best Lawyers in America publication.

As a regulatory attorney, Tom has provided legal assistance to a wide range of clients, helping them navigate regulatory agencies. Tom has been particularly impactful within the City of Denver, having rewritten Denver's liquor licensing rules, helped create regulations for recreational marijuana, and designed the licensing structure for pedal cabs in the city. His work with the American Arbitration Association has helped further its mission for more equitable and accessible conflict resolution.

Tom also gives back to the legal community by serving as a guest lecturer at law schools such as the University of Denver and helps clients in his private practice.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to congratulate Tom Downey for his awards and thank him for his contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Major General Laura Clellan of Broomfield, Colorado, on the occasion of her retirement following 36 years of service to the United States Army and the Colorado National Guard.

Major General Clellan began her military career in 1989, when she was commissioned as a Military Police Officer. Over the next three decades, she would shape readiness and emergency response both at home and

abroad through five major operational deployments, including missions in Honduras, Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, Joint Task Force Panama, and the Hungarian Stabilization Force. As a senior commander in the Colorado National Guard, Major General Clellan led during some of the most challenging times in our state's history. Whether responding to natural disasters, public health crises, or civil unrest, she ensured that the Guard remained a trusted force for stability and service in our Colorado communities.

Major General Clellan's remarkable career has had a lasting impact and has inspired generations of service members, particularly women pursuing leadership roles in uniform. Her service reflects the very best of our military.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Major General Clellan has been awarded the Legion of Merit with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, the Bronze Star Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal with two Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Parachutist Badge.

On behalf of the people of Colorado and the United States Congress, I extend profound gratitude to Major General Laura Clellan for her remarkable service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mayor William ``Bud'' Starker for his years of public service and dedication to the City of Wheat Ridge.

As a more than fifty year resident of Wheat Ridge, Mayor Starker has long been a pillar of the community. As both a city councilor and a mayor, Mayor Starker has guided the City with steady leadership, including navigating the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and championing efforts to expand housing affordability in Jefferson County and across the State of Colorado.

Beyond City Hall, Mayor Starker has promoted economic development throughout the Denver Metro Area through his work in the private sector. Through Starker Construction, he helped build more than 100 restaurants, including transforming an older property in his neighborhood into West 29th Restaurant and Bar--a beloved local gathering place that stands as a quintessential example of his commitment to revitalizing our community.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to thank Mayor Bud Starker for his years of service and wish him the best in all his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Morgan Jay Buchanan, who recently retired after nearly ten years as President of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local Union 68.

President Buchanan dedicated his life to service. He served honorably for 17 years in the U.S. Army before enrolling in the Denver Joint Electrical Apprenticeship program, and went on to become Vice President of IBEW 68 and eventually President.

As a part of Local Union 68, he worked tirelessly to ensure his fellow electricians had safe, rewarding careers. President Buchanan embodies the qualities essential to being an effective leader. His union brothers and sisters benefited from his hard work and commitment to creating a better future for all, and his absence will be felt by the community he served so well.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to thank President Buchanan for his hard work and dedication to serving his country and his community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Fire Chief David Ramos of Broomfield, Colorado, on his retirement after 41 years of service with the North Metro Fire Rescue District.

Chief Ramos joined the North Metro Fire Rescue District in 1984, and his many years of exemplary service earned him the position of Fire Chief. While in this position of leadership, he did a commendable job modernizing and expanding North Metro Fire, and he improved collaboration for emergency services in surrounding communities.

Chief Ramos honorably served this community for decades through numerous challenges, and he has been widely regarded as a mentor and a friend to many. Throughout his career, he was a visionary leader who always put people first, and his lifesaving leadership across Colorado will not be forgotten.

On behalf of the people of Colorado's 7th Congressional District, it is my honor to congratulate Fire Chief David Ramos for his more than four decades of service with the North Metro Fire Rescue District and sincerely thank him for his contributions to the Colorado community.