Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ron Kagan on the occasion of his retirement after nearly 28 years of service to the Detroit Zoological Society. His nearly three decades of service to the animals, staff, and patrons of the Detroit Zoo is worthy of commendation.

Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Mr. Kagan studied Zoology at the University of Massachusetts and at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Prior to coming to Detroit, he worked at the Jerusalem Zoo and the Dallas Zoo and Aquarium. Mr. Kagan first served as Director of the Detroit Zoo before becoming the Executive Director CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society.

During Mr. Kagan's tenure at the Detroit Zoo, he was responsible for many impressive new exhibits, programs, and conservation efforts. These include the National Amphibian Conservation Center, the Berman Academy for Humane Education, the Ford Education Center and several exciting exhibits such as Arctic Ring of Life, Australian Outback Adventure, and the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation Red Panda Forest. Mr. Kagan has led the way in conservation and sustainability at the Detroit Zoo. In 2015, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums named the Detroit Zoo the greenest zoo in the United States. Under the leadership of Mr. Kagan, the successful Greenprint sustainability program has been instrumental in transitioning the Zoo to 100 percent renewable energy.

An advocate for compassionate conservation and animal welfare, he has encouraged the rescue of exotic animals and created the Center for Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare and Ethics. In 2004, the Detroit Zoo was the first zoo to decide to no longer keep elephants in captivity for ethical reasons, the Zoo's beloved elephants were sent to a sanctuary in California to live the rest of their lives in peace.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ron Kagan for his exemplary years of service. Mr. Kagan's visionary leadership has transformed the Detroit Zoo for the better. His endless compassion for animals and the wellbeing of his entire community has made a true difference in the lives of those big and small. We thank him once again for his lifelong dedication to animal welfare and sustainability and to leaving a better world for the next generation. I join with Ron's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my best wishes to him in retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Elsa Forth of Taylor, Michigan on her 100th birthday. Her life of courage and strength is worthy of recognition.

Mrs. Forth was born in the city of Belluno, Italy on October 1, 1921, the second of twins, to Andreas and Maria Da Rin. She spent summers in the village of Laggio di Cadore with her sister Antonietta and brother Alvio. She was educated at the Vatican at the sponsorship of Father Albino Luciani--later Pope John Paul I. Her hometown became a battlefield during World War II and Mrs. Forth played a major role in the operations of the Partisans who fought alongside the allied forces against the fascist Mussolini and Nazi Germany. Her actions branded her a hero to those who know her legacy in Belluno. She left her home after being proposed to by a man with American citizenship and moved to Melvindale, Michigan.

After taking time to learn to speak English, she started working as a waitress at The Venetian Inn in downriver. In good company with the Italian family who owned the bar, they called her their ``Italian Hero.'' She was quick to make friends and was well beloved in her new home. Tragically, she came home one night to a drunken, jealous husband and came face to face with a shotgun. She managed to escape down the stairs of their small apartment but was hit in her face and upper chest. She escaped bullets in Italy only to fall victim to gunshots in America.

Luckily, Mrs. Forth was able to get an experimental plastic surgery and was able to heal quickly. Soon after, she met Raymond Forth and they wed. Together they have one son, Tony ``Tone''. She was able to find work in a technical industrial role where she remained until her retirement at age 70. When Tony joined the Marines, Mr. and Mrs. Forth moved to a home in Taylor, Michigan. Today, they live together in the renovate family home, along with Tony's wife, Antonette. Mr. Raymond Forth passed away in 1983 Tony struggles to keep up with his mother who remains full of life, even at age 100.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Mrs. Elsa Forth on her 100th birthday. Her story is one that inspires all who hear it. I join with her family and friends in extending my best and warmest wishes to her on this special day. I am proud to honor her life, her accomplishments, and her invaluable contributions to our community here at home and abroad.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Hassan Jaber on the occasion of his retirement from The Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) after over 40 years of service to the organization. His contributions to the Arab American community in Michigan and across the country are significant and deserve to be recognized.

Mr. Jaber was born in Lebanon and immigrated to the United States in 1977. He attended Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He worked at ACCESS for several years in various roles before ultimately serving as CEO and President. Throughout his lifetime, Mr. Jaber has sought to address the challenges facing Arab Americans. He has done this through collaborating with national foundations, think tanks, policy, civil rights, and advocacy organizations. A testament to his devotion to his heritage despite his busy schedule, he still found time to teach Arabic Language & Culture to students at the University of Michigan--Dearborn.

Based in Dearborn, Michigan--the heart of the Arab American community in the United States--ACCESS is a nonprofit that honors Arab American heritage through community-building and service. They provide medical, public health, mental health, and other support services through their Community Health and Research Center. ACCESS also aids with employment services, citizenship preparation courses, youth programs, and philanthropy related to Arab American culture and community giving. The programs that they provide help so many of our neighbors each day and truly change the lives of the people they serve. Under Mr. Jaber's leadership ACCESS has grown from simple beginnings as a group of volunteers seeking to help the Arab immigrant population adapt to American life to a vast support system for Arab Americans from all walks of life. With Mr. Jaber at the helm, they opened the very first Arab American Museum in the nation.

Those who know him know Mr. Jaber's integrity, empathy, and his endless quest for equity and justice. From my days serving on the Board at ACCESS I have personally experienced his compassion and wisdom and know how much he cares for the people of his community. He is a proud American, someone who is patriotic and is unafraid to show it. In his next role he will be as a consultant for ACCESS, focusing on national policy and advocacy and cultivating the next generation of Arab American leaders.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Hassan Jaber for four decades of service with ACCESS. His outstanding commitment to the Arab American community here in Dearborn and beyond has made all the difference. I join with Hassan's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my best wishes to him in his next role. His positive impact will be felt for years to come and we are beyond grateful for his leadership.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Bishop Harry S. Grayson. of Ypsilanti, Michigan. He is an extraordinary leader in faith and an example of compassion personified. His lifetime of service and dedication to our community is worthy of commendation.

Bishop Grayson grew up on the southside of Ypsilanti, Michigan. He became Bishop of Messias Temple Church in Ypsilanti on September 1991 with the support of his congregation, he was installed by Bishop Willie Burrell in January 1992. In 1999, he became a District Elder and in 2011 was named Suffragan Bishop. In 2018, he was elevated to the office of Diocesan Bishop of the 60th Episcopal District Council of the Western Cape, South Africa. His ministry in Africa has led him across the continent from Egypt in the north to Zimbabwe in the south. After a ten-day stint in Harare, Zimbabwe spent spreading the word, Bishop Grayson was able to provide the needed funding for a new church sanctuary and for the construction of a new medical clinic to be named in his honor.

A man of conviction and steadfast faith, Bishop Grayson is a trusted leader and friend to those who know him. He is mentor to children and adults alike, from the youth of the church to government and educational leaders--they all benefit from his wisdom and love. Even in the face of a lengthy battle with COVID-19, his strength has never once faltered. We are grateful that he is a distinguished leader in our community who continues to give back to the place where he came of age. Where some see hopelessness, he can see opportunity. Whether it is in cleaning up local parks, mentoring the formerly incarcerated, or helping out with Messias Temple Church's expansive ``We Care We Share'' ministry--Bishop Grayson provides compassion to those who need it the most. Never once in his thirty years has he given up in the face of a challenge.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Bishop Harry S. Grayson, a pillar of our community, a son of Ypsilanti, a leader, and a man of true faith. We extend our thanks to his family for their everlasting support--his wife First Lady Mary Grayson, and his children Evan, Maya, and Shari. We join with his congregation, friends, and family in wishing Bishop Grayson the best in the years to come and thank him for his work in bettering the community for us all.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Messias Temple Church located in Ypsilanti, Michigan on the occasion of their 80th anniversary. For the past eight decades, this church has been the embodiment of faith and service. Their commitment to serving the Ypsilanti community in the past, present, and future is worthy of commendation.

Formed in 1940, a vision inspired Elder John T. Elders and Sister Laura Elders to create a sanctuary for the people of Ypsilanti. They began holding prayer meetings in a wooded area they named Messias Grove at the corner of Monroe and Hawkins and later in the home of the Barfields until they moved into their first church building on Monroe Street in 1941. Faithfulness, dedication, service, and spreading the word is what this church has focused on since their founding. Today, the vision of the Elders lives on through Bishop Harry Grayson, as he has led the Messias Temple congregation in faith and service for the past thirty years.

In the years since that first meeting, Messias Temple Church has grown tremendously, and the church is known as a place where warmth, compassion, support, and fellowship will always be found. The congregation's charitable work has sustained those in their time of need. The ``We Care We Share'' outreach ministry provides hot meals and clothing for those in need. Through this program they have served over ten thousand neighbors. Additionally, they host a food pantry and run programs for local youth and families. Even when faced with challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, this congregation has never faltered in their commitment to serving the people of the community and ensuring that they are taken care of. Their dedication to carrying out the teachings of their church is unparalleled.

The Messias Temple Church has positively impacted the lives of so many through their outreach and for that we are grateful. The church has been under the steadfast leadership of Bishop Harry Grayson since 1991 and has only grown since then. Their ministry reaches not only across Ypsilanti, but around the globe. Those who know the spirit of Bishop Grayson know his compassion, wisdom, and tireless devotion to our community and to the faith that drives him as a servant of God.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Messias Temple Church for their 80 years of faith and service. Please join me in congratulating Bishop Grayson and the entire Messias Temple congregation on eight faithful decades and in wishing them the best of luck in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chief Ronald Haddad of the Dearborn Police Department who was recently chosen to be featured in the National Law Enforcement Museum's new exhibit: Post-9/ 11: The Evolution of American Law Enforcement. His honorable years of service to our community is worthy of commendation.

Two decades after the terrorist attacks on our nation that shook the world, we remember the lives lost on that terrible day. Dearborn, Michigan is home to the largest Arab American and Muslim populations in the United States and faced unique challenges in the days and months following the horrendous attacks by extremists. Muslim-owned businesses and mosques faced threats, Islamophobia, and hatred--but the Dearborn police ensured their safety and routinely checked in on our neighbors.

For their courageous actions in the face of hate, Chief Haddad and the Dearborn Police Department are featured in an exhibit on post-9/11 policing at the National Law Enforcement Museum in Washington, D.C. Though Chief Haddad was working in Detroit on September 11th, he took it upon himself to work with area police departments to build relationships with the Arab American community and to do what was needed to protect them amidst rising hatred.

Chief Haddad became Dearborn's first Arab American police chief in 2008, as well as the first Arab American police chief in Michigan. He serves on several state and national advisory boards, including on the Law Enforcement Immigration Reform Commission.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Chief Ronald Haddad for his invaluable service to the Dearborn Police Department and for his lasting impact on our community following the events of September 11, 2001. Chief Haddad and the Dearborn Police Department are hardworking, everyday heroes that we are fortunate to have here in Michigan.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Taylor North Little League Team, the winners of the 2021 Little League World Series. This team's tremendous accomplishment is worthy of commendation.

After defeating their opponents at the district, state, and Great Lakes Regional championship, the Taylor North team was not yet done. On August 29, 2021., they won 5-2 against Ohio's Hamilton West Side team at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Throughout the championship they defeated seven state champions and came out on top with a record of 19-1. In a season that was as challenging as it was rewarding, the team's tireless dedication to baseball and commitment to teamwork paid off when they became world champions at just twelve years old. These players proved that with hard work and confidence in your teammates, there is no obstacle that is too big to overcome.

No Michigan Little League team has won the World Series since 1959. This team put Michigan Little League back on the map after 62 years. They brought their win back home to Taylor, Michigan to be met with a fitting homecoming victory parade complete with cheering

fans, a marching band, and ending with a glittering fireworks show.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the Taylor North Little League Team: Chauncey Adkins, Noah Boren, Lucas Farner, Job Furkas, Kale Harris, Max LeForest, Jaxon Shufeldt, Jackson Surma, Cameron Thorning, Gavin Ulin, and Ethan Van Belle--along with Coach Guido Ulin and Manager Rick Thorning. Please join me in congratulating this team on their fantastic win and in wishing them the best of luck in the years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Neel Hajra, the outgoing CEO of the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. His significant contributions to our community are worthy of commendation.

Mr. Hajra came to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation in 2011 and became CEO in 2015. He is a two-time graduate of the University of Michigan who started his career as an attorney with the Ford Motor Company. During a sabbatical from that job, he developed a love for community and the nonprofit sector. He later took a job at Nonprofit Enterprise at Work (NEW), where he remained for nine years before joining the Foundation.

As CEO of the Community Foundation, his determination to create positive community change is infectious. Among his numerous successful endeavors includes establishing a scholarship program that increased graduation rates for underserved students, and launching a resilient support system for Washtenaw

County nonprofits so that the foundation can help them thrive. Years after his passion for the nonprofit sector was sparked, Mr. Hajra continues to show his dedication to community through his work. Even as a busy CEO, Mr. Hajra teaches courses in nonprofit policy and management to the next generation of leaders at the Gerald R. Ford School for Public Policy. The impact of his work in our community will be felt for years to come.

Mr. Hajra was born and raised in Washtenaw County and continues to serve his hometown as a vice chair for the Council of Michigan Foundations and as a member of the Washtenaw County Board of Health. He is the recipient of two prestigious national awards: the Aspen Institute Fellowship for Emerging Nonprofit Leaders and the American Express NGen Fellowship. He resides in Ann Arbor with his wife Lisa and their three children.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Neel Hajra for an exemplary decade of dedicated service to the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. He has effectively served the Ann Arbor community and has enhanced the nonprofit field in Washtenaw County and beyond. I join with Neel's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my best wishes to him in his new role as CEO of the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, where he will be improving the health of Michigan residents through grant awards and professional support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mrs. Samantha Rosanne Macon of Dearborn Heights, Michigan, on the occasion of her 50th birthday. Her continued service to our community is worthy of commendation.

Mrs. Macon was born in Dearborn, Michigan, to Rose Tripepi and Joseph Czapiewski. A graduate of Annapolis High School, she later attended Henry Ford College and Eastern Michigan University, graduating with honors. Mrs. Macon holds a master's degree in education and teaches at Simpson Middle School in Flat Rock, Michigan. In 2006, she married Dino Macon and together they have two dogs and a cat.

When she is not in the classroom with her middle schoolers, Mrs. Macon continues to teach and serve her community. She can be found at the Eton Senior Center in Dearborn Heights, teaching seniors how to decorate cupcakes. She is also an active member of her church and volunteers there often.

Mrs. Macon is known by friends and family as someone with a kind and generous heart, who is always there to help those in need. In her downtime, she enjoys hosting gatherings for friends and family, visiting the beach, baking, and traveling.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Samantha Rosanne Macon on her 50th birthday. I join with her family and friends in extending my best and warmest wishes to her on this special day. I am proud to honor her life, her accomplishments, and her invaluable contributions to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ibrahim Al Hasbani, the founder of Qahwah House. Qahwah House

was founded in Dearborn, Michigan, in 2018 as the first coffee shop of its kind to serve organic Yemeni coffee to Dearborn and beyond. Qahwah House's status as a Dearborn institution is worthy of commendation.

Qahwah House's mission is to provide customers with an exceptional coffee experience, using high quality premium organic coffee sourced from Ibrahim's family farm in Yemen. Since 2018, the shop has grown exponentially and has expanded its offerings to include authentic Yemini pastries. The popularity of the coffee shop has pushed Ibrahim to establish two additional locations, one in Canton, Michigan, and another in Brooklyn, New York--with more locations to come. The cafe that started out as just the idea of sharing delicious Yemeni coffee with neighbors has become a gathering spot for the people of Dearborn and beyond.

A household name in Southeast Michigan, Qahwah House has become a place for Michiganders of all ages and cultures. As an establishment that serves up more than just delicious coffee, they serve the local community by raising funds for the education of our youth. Hundreds of children in the Dearborn area and in Ibrahim's home of Yemen have benefited from their generosity.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Ibrahim Al Hasbani of Qahwah House for being a cultural ambassador of the Yemeni community and for sharing his cultural roots for the world to enjoy.

Madam Speaker, I thank the distinguished subcommittee chair for yielding.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the en bloc, which includes my important amendment highlighting the United States' continued enabling of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition's ongoing blockade of Yemen.

The war in Yemen is now in its sixth year, and it is clear that there is no military solution to the conflict.

While the Biden administration announced earlier this year that it would limit U.S. involvement in the conflict, it has never been authorized by Congress, and more needs to be done.

This begins by pushing for an end to the Saudi blockade of Yemen, which has exacerbated what continues to be the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with at least 400,000 Yemeni children facing starvation and potential death.

The blockade limits delivery of food, fuel, and other critical supplies to the Yemeni people. This is unconscionable when Yemen is already facing the devastation of civil war and an ongoing public health crisis caused by COVID.

Madam Speaker, we have to do better. I encourage my colleagues to support this en bloc to send a message that the blockade of Yemen needs to end.

Madam Speaker, I stood here nearly a month ago to deliver a very similar message: once-in-a-lifetime storms are becoming our reality in Michigan.

In the last month, southeast Michigan has flooded three times in the city of Dearborn, nearly 20,000 homes have been impacted. My constituents can't recover from one flood before it worsens and another one hits and there is more damaged property, more lost valuables.

People are angry. People are scared. And they have every right to be. That is because we have known the solution to these disasters for a while. The time for climate action is now. This starts with investing in resilient infrastructure to protect our communities from the impacts of climate crisis.

We need to invest in infrastructure that can withstand natural disasters and make it easier on the American people to recover. We can't continue to have these floods couched as once-in-a-lifetime, if you call them that, when people are dealing with unimaginable damages in my city for the third time in 4 weeks.

We need a strong infrastructure package that takes bold action and addresses change head-on.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2278) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to designate the September 11th National Memorial Trail, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2278, introduced by Representative Gerry Connolly, would designate the September 11th National Memorial Trail Route to honor the family members and loved ones who were victims of that day's attack, as well as the heroes of September 11.

The route will consist of a series of trails and roadways linking the three

sites of the September 11 attack: the World Trade Center in New York; the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia; and the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

As we approach the 20th anniversary of this horrific act of terrorism, this bill would honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives and would serve as a lasting reminder of the heroism and perseverance of our Nation's first responders.

I thank Representative Connolly for introducing this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), the author of this important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1029) to Waive the application fee for any special use permit for veterans' special events at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1029, the Free Veterans from Fees Act, introduced by my colleague, Representative Greg Steube.

This bill would honor the sacrifices made by our veterans and Gold Star families by waiving application fees for veterans' special events at war memorials on land administered by the National Park Service in our Nation's Capital.

Although the National Park Service has a longstanding practice of waiving application fees for special use permits for most veterans' events at war memorials, veterans' organizations have often had to pay administrative fees and associated costs to obtain permits for events, such as honor buses.

By codifying a version of this practice in law, we can ensure that veterans and the Gold Star families are not required to pay when visiting the national war memorials that were built to commemorate their bravery and sacrifices and our country's fallen heroes.

I would like to thank Representative Steube for introducing this important legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Kind).

Mr. Speaker, we have heard all the reasons why this bill matters. We even did an Honor Flight with the Rosies from Michigan, which was memorable.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1154) to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of designating certain land as the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1154, the Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Act, introduced by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. McEachin), my Natural Resources Committee colleague.

This bill would direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study assessing the suitability and the feasibility of designating the Great Dismal Swamp in the States of Virginia and North Carolina as a national heritage area.

The Great Dismal Swamp is an area of great historical, cultural, and environmental importance, and has been home to indigenous people since time immemorial. The swamp includes the ancestral lands of the Nansemond Indian Nation and the historic lands of the Haliwa-Saponi and Meherrin tribes.

The swamp was also one of the only known water-based stops on the Underground Railroad and home to a thriving community descending from early colonial free people of color whose families resisted American slavery by finding refuge within the swamp.

In 1974 the swamp was designated as a national wildlife refuge due to its ecological significance, and today it holds the largest intact remnant of a vast forest that once covered more than a million acres.

Designating the Great Dismal Swamp as a national heritage area will help share the often untold stories of some of our Nation's underrepresented communities.

From the indigenous communities who first called the swamp home to the enslaved African Americans who endured the swamp's hardships in their fight for freedom, these are stories worth sharing with current and future generations.

I would like to thank my friend and colleague, Representative McEachin, for championing this important legislation. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation. I am glad that my colleague's thoughts came through the swamp, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.

I yield back the balance of my time.