Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Veena Black, an Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, a dedicated elementary schoolteacher for over 20 years, and a personal friend who has served our office with exceptional commitment this past year.

Veena was selected amongst a highly competitive group of peers to come to Washington to better understand the legislative process and to improve STEM education in the United States.

For 1 year, she has not only stepped away from the classroom and her beloved students, but, as a devoted wife and exceptional mother, she also left behind her husband, Gabe, and their two children: Aidan and Sydney.

Veena's passion for STEM education and her students was unmistakable and contagious. Her kindness and the time she gave to everyone who stepped into our office enriched our team. She was the dependable, welcoming smile that greeted us each day.

Her time in our office was impactful and memorable, and it permanently deepened my understanding of what it means to teach in America today. I came to rely on her invaluable insight as an award- winning educator. Her hard-earned classroom experience directly shaped our education policy work, giving us a clearer understanding of how Federal decisions truly affect teachers and students.

While we dearly miss Mrs. Black in our Cannon office, I am grateful that she returned to the place where her impact is greatest and most needed which is in the classroom.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nightingale College, headquartered in Utah, for the remarkable work they are doing to meet one of America's greatest needs: More nurses.

Nightingale isn't just teaching skills. They are shaping our Nation and our future. They are preparing men and women to serve with compassion, integrity, and resilience. The graduates are answering the call in Utah and across our country.

Their leadership could not come at a more urgent time. America is facing a shortage of more than 350,000 nurses by 2026. Last year, 65,000 qualified nursing applications were turned away simply because schools didn't have the space. This storage is creating a true public health emergency. It is hitting rural communities and urban healthcare deserts the hardest.

Nightingale shows us what is possible. With innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to serve, we can rebuild the clinical workforce and ensure every American has access to high-quality care.

Mr. Speaker, we thank our nurses. We encourage Nightingale to keep leading, and I ask my colleagues to follow that example.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chairwoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, after blatant obstruction and prolonged delay on the part of congressional Democrats for over 40 days, the House has returned to regular order. It is good to be back, and it is about time.

Today, we are here to advance eight separate measures that meet the demands of the American people and strengthen President Trump's successful America First agenda.

My constituents voted for the dissolution of the Biden bureaucratic barrage and for safety in their communities. From bolstering American energy dominance to upholding law and order, strengthening the criminal justice system in our Nation's Capital to rejecting the failed ideology of socialism, House Republicans continue to deliver measurable and substantive progress.

I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the eight underlying pieces of legislation. Let's continue delivering wins for the American people.

Madam Speaker, after meeting with farmers, ranchers, small businesses, teachers, students, and community leaders across Utah's Fourth District, I am here to report the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a win for Utahns.

In Manti, I met with small business owners at a Sanpete County Chamber of Commerce to talk about what this bill means to Main Street. From making the small business tax deductions permanent to doubling expensing for equipment, this bill gives Utah entrepreneurs the freedom to grow, hire, and thrive.

Over 70,000 small businesses stand to benefit. With our Rural Advisory Council, I heard directly from Utah farmers and ranchers, the backbone of our State. The bill raises the death tax exemption, protects family farms, and strengthens food security for generations to come.

In Fairview, I heard from rural Utahns who rely on affordable energy to power their homes, farms, and businesses, and they are tired of red tape.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act streamlines permitting, unleashes Utah's energy potential, and helps providers deliver.

From Payson to West Jordan to Murray, I visited Utah manufacturers to see firsthand how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act supports manufacturers by doubling expensing and boosting investment and made-in-America production.

For working families, the results are just as clear. The typical Utah family with two kids will take home close to $12,000 more under this law. It is real tax relief for groceries, gas, savings, and peace of mind.

For the first time, we are on the path to permanent school choice. This bill empowers parents, not bureaucrats; funds students, not systems; and ends the ZIP Code lottery.

It even helps families build for the future, establishing newborn investment accounts to grow generational wealth from day one.

The American Dream is alive and well in Utah, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is how we keep it that way.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize an extraordinary Utah educator, Mr. Mark Otten, a teacher at Gunnison Valley High School in South Sanpete School District.

Mark has been teaching for 40 years at the same high school he once attended. He teaches 11th grade math and

college algebra with one goal in mind: to help his students surpass him, and they do.

One of his students just ranked number one in Utah and number two in the Nation in the Trig-Star exam, beating Mr. Otten's own timed score.

Some of Mark's former students are now his doctor, dentist, and even his mechanic. That is the kind of legacy every teacher hopes for.

Mr. Otten says he is not ready to retire, and I hope he doesn't because Utah needs more educators like him: humble, committed, with passion for and belief in the next generation.

Mr. Speaker, it was a pleasure to visit the Midvale Boys & Girls Club recently to speak with the youth about success, grit, and the power of their dreams.

This summer, over 200 young people, supported by 17 dedicated staff members, will be granted an environment where they can have fun. In the process, they will build character, learn leadership skills, and develop healthy relationships.

Many of the youth will take part in activities like the run club, where the benefits of competition can be experienced. They are also learning the importance of goal setting, the pain of preparation, and the tenacity to push through the pain.

They are in the process of learning one of life's more important lessons, which is that we cannot control the scoreboard, but we can control the hustle. These tenets are the heart of meritocracy and what I observed during my visit to the Midvale Girls & Boys Club.

I thank the staff for their commitment. I hope the young people enjoy the experience, remember what they are learning, apply what they have learned, and, more importantly, pass it on.

Mr. Speaker, the one big, beautiful bill is the most transformative legislation in a generation.

It delivers tax-free Trump accounts for newborns, tax cuts for working families, and no tax on tips and overtime. For millions of parents, the most powerful piece of this is that it delivers nationwide school choice.

States like Utah have led the way. We have shown that when parents are in charge and students are first, kids thrive. This bill brings real education freedom to every ZIP Code in America.

I grew up in the segregated South. My parents, both educators, saw education as a legacy. I want that same legacy and opportunity for my 17 grandkids and millions of schoolkids across the country.

This bill empowers parents with scholarships for tutoring, private and parochial schools, and special needs, keeping the Federal Government out of the way.

Mr. Speaker, school choice funds students, not systems. Let's pass the one big, beautiful bill and deliver on the promise of educational freedom for every child and every family.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to recognize Utah's State Teacher of the Year, Sayre Posey, an outstanding educator who embodies the mission of the Merit Caucus: excellence, innovation, and high expectations.

She comes from a long line of teachers. Her great-grandfather taught in a one-room schoolhouse in West Virginia, and her mom is a retired kindergarten teacher.

Now, teaching eighth grade U.S. history at Northwest Middle School in Salt Lake City, Ms. Posey brings history to life through project-based learning. Her students have earned honors at regional and State national history day competitions.

She is proof that when we empower great educators and focus on merit, then our students thrive.

Mr. Speaker, I thank her for her leadership and proudly recognize her service today.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 155.

Mr. Speaker, there is no greater joy than being a father. I am blessed with six incredible children, 17 grandkids, and they are the heartbeat of everything I do.

This Father's Day, I am proud to reintroduce a resolution to recognize the power and necessity of fathers shaping strong families and stronger communities.

The data is clear: Kids with engaged fathers do better in school, avoid crime, and thrive economically and emotionally. But this isn't about data. It is about dignity.

When fathers are empowered to lead, love, protect, and mentor their children, entire communities are transformed.

I am grateful to my friend Jack Brewer and The Jack Brewer Foundation for their tireless work in restoring fathers to the center of the family, especially in our most underserved communities.

This resolution is a call to action: to support policies that strengthen families, encourage responsibility, and promote a culture that values dads.

Let's celebrate fatherhood, the survival of our American culture depends on it.

One of the Merit Caucus' core missions is to spotlight exceptional educators, and Utah is blessed with so many. My team recently visited Bluffdale Elementary, a dual language immersion school where students start learning Portuguese in the first grade and stick to it throughout high school.

Two inspiring classrooms were taught by Ms. Jessica Bell-Aver's first grade class and Edson Habelo's sixth grade class. Both teachers spoke exclusively in Portuguese, and the students rose to meet the challenge. First graders eagerly answered questions about the calendar and weather in Portuguese. Sixth graders tackled science concepts like ecosystems in fluent Portuguese.

This is what happens when we set a high bar. Bluffdale's students are thriving because dedicated teachers believe in their potential and push them to reach them. That is merit in action.

Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the House Merit Caucus, I am proud to recognize a Utah educator who embodies excellence, Ms. Lacey Anderson.

Lacey is a special education teacher who refused to accept low expectations for neurodivergent students. Instead, she founded Autism Solutions Academy in West Jordan, Utah, becoming a board-certified behavior analyst and building a school that meets the needs of kids where they are.

Her student-first approach provides real options for parents of special needs children. By customizing lesson plans and blending teaching, she makes sure that every student, regardless of ability, has the path to succeed.

During a recent visit, I met Sofia, a student who once was nonverbal and withdrawn. Today, she is reading, writing, and thriving because of a teacher who believed in her.

That is what real leadership looks like. That is merit in action. When we raise the bar, our kids rise to meet it. Every child in America deserves the same chance.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Blake for the time.

Mr. Speaker, this week, we honor the brave men and women who wear the badge, those who serve with courage, professionalism, and heart to keep our communities safe.

National Police Week is a time to give thanks and to reaffirm our support for the law enforcement officers, from Utah to D.C., who put their lives on the line every single day.

These officers aren't just responding to emergencies. They are neighbors, trusted members of our communities, and our role models.

Today, I also want to honor a fallen hero from my home State of Utah, Sergeant Bill Hooser of the Santaquin Police Department. Sergeant Hooser gave his life in the line of duty, and this week his name is being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in our Nation's Capital.

Mr. Speaker, may God bless the Hooser family. May He continue to comfort them and be with them always. We will never forget Bill's service or sacrifice.

House Republicans are taking action to support those who serve. This week we are advancing commonsense legislation that equips, respects, and protects our law enforcement community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank every officer, every family who has lost a hero in the line of duty. Their service matters. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

We back the blue. We trust our officers, and we will fight to protect those who protect us.

God bless our law enforcement community. God bless the Hooser family, and may God continue to bless our great Nation.

Mr. Speaker, in Utah, we believe in opportunity, hard work, and raising kids with the character to stand tall--not just in the classroom, but in life. That means giving them more than screens and participation trophies. It means real challenges, real discipline, and real opportunities to grow.

That's why I want to recognize two Utah businesses--Gateway Parks in Spanish Fork and Barn Elite Training in Mapleton--that are stepping up where too many institutions have failed.

Gateway Parks is making winter sports accessible to kids who might never get the chance, teaching them confidence, grit, and the value of falling down and getting back up. Barn Elite Training is giving young athletes a place to push their limits, to build mental and physical toughness in an era when both are in short supply.

Too many kids today are struggling--with stress, with isolation, and with a culture that pushes them toward passivity instead of purpose. Meanwhile, Washington drags its feet. But these businesses aren't waiting for permission--they're taking action. And as we refocus on Making America Healthy Again, this is exactly the kind of leadership we should be lifting up.

I'm proud to recognize Gateway Parks and Barn Elite Training for investing in our youth--because a strong America starts with strong kids.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Utah Pipe Band and the Barclay School of Highland Dance--two groups that embody the spirit of tradition, excellence, and service.

For over a century, the Utah Pipe Band has honored our heroes, playing at Memorial Day events across our great state, competing in Highland Games, and standing as a living tribute to history. Last year, they marched on the sands of Utah Beach for the 80th anniversary of D- Day. Before that, they played in Honolulu for the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. Their music isn't just performance, it's a bridge to the past, a reminder of sacrifice, and a call to honor.

Their motto, Act well thy part, is more than words--it's a way of life. And it speaks to what makes Utah special: faith, family, service, and a deep respect for the past.

I thank them not just for their music, but for what they represent. Our state, our country, and our history are better because of them.