Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 1333, the NO BAN Act.

This legislation prohibits discrimination based on religion and limits the executive branch's ability to issue future travel bans.

I stand here today during Arab American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the diversity of our country and remind ourselves that our country is stronger for it.

My district is home to the largest Arab-American population in the United States. Arab Americans are an integral part of Michigan's identity and have made enormous contributions to our society. Many of my constituents fled war and violence to seek a safer life;--have done it legally--and many of their families still experience this suffering every day.

The former President's Muslim ban kept these families separated. It inspired fear. It perpetuated hate. And as the Speaker so eloquently stated, national security experts have made it clear that it has made us less safe, not more safe.

I believe that every one of us in this Chamber loves our country, and that it is a priority for all of us to keep this Nation safe.

I would argue that the actions by the previous administration did not. The President called for a total ban on all Muslims entering this country. We must work together against terrorism, both foreign and domestic. We need to worry about what we witnessed in our own Chamber on January 6.

This bill will not allow people to be targeted because of their religion again. We must work together to restore the faith and trust of the international communities targeted by the previous administration.

Madam Speaker, I urge people to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the centennial anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor. I am proud to celebrate their 100 years of service to the children, youth, and families of our Ann Arbor community.

Kiwanis International was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. In its early years, members focused on business networking but changed its focus to service, particularly service to children, by 1919. Following this admirable mission of service to local communities, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor was organized on May 13, 1921 and was chartered on June 13, 1921 with 60 members. In 1922, Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor began working with the University of Michigan Hospital to provide recreation and education for children staying there, and later established a Michigan District project that enabled Kiwanis chapters to serve children in hospitals across the state. Beyond their work in hospitals, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor has raised money through their thrift sales that contribute to a variety of local charitable organizations.

A century later, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor continues to be a pillar of our Ann Arbor community. Since their founding, the club has inducted over 1,100 members and remains one of Michigan's largest Kiwanis Clubs. Throughout the years, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor has made a tremendous difference in our community, completing tens of thousands of volunteer hours, and providing over $8 million in grants and services for children, students, and families in our community. With the help of great leadership and their dedicated members and volunteers, the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor has lent its unwavering support to those in need, striving to improve our community and uplift everyone in it.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor. We are grateful for the club's century of impactful work and wish the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor continued success in service in the years ahead.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Commander Houssain ``Sam'' Sareini of Dearborn, Michigan. His accomplishments and service to our nation are worthy of commendation.

As a young man with an interest in government service, Commander Sareini enlisted in the United States Navy when he was 18 years old. During his first tour of duty, he was selected for the Enlisted Commissioning Program and went on to study Biochemistry at Iowa State University.

Commander Sareini has served in the United States Navy for nearly 27 years in a variety of roles all over the globe. He has served as Air Defense Commander, Reactor Laboratories Division Officer, Chemistry and Radiological Controls Principal Assistant, Radiation Health Officer, Senior Watch Officer, and now Commanding Officer for the USS Nitze. A dedicated servicemember, he has earned the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal.

On April 9, 2021 at a ceremony in Portsmouth, Virginia, Commander Sareini took command of the USS Nitze, an Arleigh Burke-class guided- missile destroyer. He is one of the first ever Muslim-Americans to command his own naval ship. His Islamic faith tells him to ``live for others'' and military service allows him to do just that. A dedicated leader and an inspiration to all, Commander Sareini embodies the unofficial Navy motto of ``Not self, but country.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Commander Houssain ``Sam'' Sareini for his invaluable service to this nation. I join with Commander Sareini's family, friends, and colleagues in extending my gratitude to him for his continued exemplary service to this country and congratulate him on this terrific achievement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Joan McFarland of Riverview on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Her contributions to our nation are worthy of commendation.

Mrs. McFarland was born in Canton, Ohio, and came to Ecorse, Michigan in 1933 when her father got a job at Great Lakes Steel during the Great Depression. A graduate of Ecorse High School, she was considered the class artist. At age 20, she married her husband but only a week after their wedding, Pearl Harbor was attacked and World War II began. He left to serve overseas, and Mrs. McFarland joined Ford Motor Company to build aircraft engines. As a Rosie the Riveter, Joan's hard work, grit, and patriotism not only sustained the American war effort, but paved a path for the next generation of working women.

When her husband returned from the war in 1947, the couple made their home in Lincoln Park, Michigan. Nineteen years later, the family moved to Southgate and purchased a party store. Together they had five children before her husband passed at the age of 51. Mrs. McFarland is known by family and friends for her kind spirit and caring personality.

A proud Rosie, she remained an active member of our community through her church, St. Pius X Catholic Church in Southgate. Her lifelong commitment to service in her church and neighborhood reminds us all of the impact that the Rosies have had on our state and nation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Joan McFarland on her 100th 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 Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of the Ford Motor Company during the COVID-19 Pandemic. On Wednesday, April 7th they fulfilled their commitment to providing personal protective equipment to those in need, surpassing their original goal of donating 100 million face masks. To date, they've donated 120 million face masks for children and adults distributing them to nonprofits, schools, state and local officials, first responders, and Ford dealers all across the nation.

Face masks that are manufactured in Michigan by Ford-UAW employees are protecting Americans in all 50 states. UAW workers have been coming to work in the middle of the pandemic to ensure that their communities are safe. From manufacturing ventilators for hospitals and providing masks to the areas hardest hit by the pandemic, to donating Michigan- made masks for the 59th inaugural ceremonies, Ford's dedication to safety has protected millions during this crisis.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking the Ford Motor Company and their workers for their leadership in combating the coronavirus pandemic. Workers at the Willow Run Assembly Plant heard the call of their nation during World War II, and now 80 years after being the arsenal of democracy, Ford's factories became the arsenal of health. Michigan workers met the moment when normal production shifted to manufacturing the personal protective equipment and ventilators that this country sorely needed. Ford's #FinishStrong and Project Apollo initiatives have saved lives and I congratulate them on reaching this milestone.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Suffragan Bishop Avery Dumas III and First Lady Rosalind Dumas of Ann Arbor on the occasion of their 20th Pastoral Anniversary. Their contributions to our community are worthy of commendation.

Suffragan Bishop Dumas is the son of District Elder Avery Dumas Jr. and First Lady emeritus Jeanette Dumas. A graduate of Ypsilanti Public Schools, he attended DeVry Institute of Technology and worked in the technological field for major corporations before being installed as the Pastor of New Grace Apostolic Temple on March 31, 2001 by Bishop Harry L. Herman, Diocesan Bishop of the 5th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. His installation service took place just one day before the passing of his father, mentor, and best friend, District Elder Avery Dumas Jr.

He has gracefully upheld the legacy of service that begun with his father and grandfather who originally served as pastor of the church. Suffragan Bishop Dumas serves as the chairman of the Ghana Council in Africa and oversees other churches and pastors in his position as Suffragan Bishop. Well known in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti community, their church has touched countless lives through their jail and prison ministry, charity drives, campus outreach, and community events.

Suffragan Bishop Dumas married First Lady Rosalind Lee Dumas in June 1986 and together they have three children, Jennifer Lee, Madison Elyse, and Avery Dumas IV. Those who know him describe him as a dynamic servant leader and as ``a man after God's heart.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Suffragan Bishop Avery Dumas III and First Lady Rosalind Dumas on their 20th Pastoral Anniversary. I join with the Dumas' family, friends, and the entire congregation of the New Grace Apostolic Temple in extending my best wishes and gratitude to them on their pastoral anniversary.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Christopher John Kurbel of Dearborn on the occasion of his 100th Birthday. His contributions to our community and to our nation are worthy of commendation.

The son of immigrants from Austria and Germany, Mr. Kurbel was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan as the youngest of four children. He met his wife, wife Evelyn Mae Stirbrny when the family moved to Lincoln Park, Michigan.

Mr. Kurbel joined the United States Army in 1942 during World War II. He was a member of the 34th Infantry Division, serving as 3rd Platoon squad leader; 135th Regiment; Company; Private First Class. He was first stationed in Africa and later shipped to Italy, and other parts of Europe. His last battle was the victory of the complete surrender of the German 34th Division on May 1, 1945. He was awarded two bronze medals and a Good Conduct Award for his service to our nation which ended in 1945.

After his duties ended, he returned to Michigan, working various jobs before ending up at McLean Trucking, where he remained for thirty years until his retirement. Before her passing in 2017, Mr. and Mrs. Kurbel were married for nearly seventy years and together they have seven children, thirteen grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Christopher John Kurbel on his 100th Birthday. He has honorably served this country through his exemplary military service during World War II. I join with Mr. Kurbel's family and friends in extending my best wishes to him on his birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Former Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley. His contributions to the State of Michigan and to our nation are worthy of commendation.

Frank Kelley was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1924. The first in his family to graduate from college, he attended the University of Detroit where he earned his law degree and then moved to Alpena, Michigan to serve as city attorney. He was appointed to the position of Michigan Attorney General by Governor John Swainson in 1961. The longest serving attorney general in Michigan history, he served for thirty-seven years under five different Governors, both Republicans and Democrats. He often recalled what U.S. Attorney General Robert Kertnedy told him shortly before his appointment to the office of Michigan Attorney General: ``Reach out against injustice wherever you see it and protect the public.'' He truly was the people's lawyer.

During his tenure as Michigan Attorney General, he was known for his leadership on the issues of the environment, civil rights, and consumer protection. He fought back against utility companies and powerful corporations regardless of if it could damage his political career. In the early 1960s, when it remained unpopular to advocate for racial justice, he prosecuted a White gang for the killing of a young Black man named Grady Little. From combating high interest rates and price fixing to protecting our natural resources, he was relentless in the pursuit of justice for all Michiganders. A chamion for the environment even in retirement, he was there in January 2020 when Governor Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel announced a lawsuit against seventeen chemical companies accused of being responsible for PFAS contamination. The lasting impact of his work on the State of Michigan and its citizens is impossible to measure.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy of former Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelley, a friend and mentor to many. He has honorably served our State and this country. Our thoughts are with the Kelley family and the people of the State of Michigan at this time as they mourn the loss of the eternal general.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Hajji Fadwat ``Em Chawki'' Haidous-Bazzi of Dearborn, Michigan who passed away on March 22nd. Her lifetime of service to our community is worthy of commendation.

Hajji was born on March 1, 1938 in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon but made her home in Dearborn, Michigan. In 1957, she married Hajji Kassem Bazzi and in the wake of the Lebanese Civil War in 1975, they left their home country to come to America. Together they raised six children. After leaving her homeland, she worked tirelessly to reunite her children and their families in diaspora.

Known for her tender heart, she dedicated herself to charitable giving, volunteering, and fundraising for people in need in both Lebanon and Michigan, never asking for anything in return. Generous by nature, she was known to shower those she loved in prayer and in song.

A towering figure among those who knew her, Hajji had a commanding presence and an enduring love of family. She and her husband raised a family of forty-seven strong, who adored her infectious spirit and thoughtful humor. She is survived by her husband, her siblings, including Wayne County Commissioner Al Haidous, her grandchildren, including Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Alawieh Hammoud, children in law, and great-grandchildren.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Hajji Fadwat ``Em Chawki'' Haidous-Bazzi. She was a loving mother and grandmother, and a friend to many. A pillar of our community and a constant reminder of the importance of family and charity, she will be deeply missed. Our thoughts are with Mr. Bazzi and his family at this time.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Edward Gazel of Lincoln Park on the occasion of his 100th birthday. His contributions to our community and to our nation are worthy of commendation.

Mr. Gazel was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and is a 1939 graduate of Detroit Northwestern High School. During the Great Depression he earned money working at the Detroit Golf Club, caddying for Michigan sports legends like Coach Harry Kipke and Detroit Tiger Mickey Cochrane. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he volunteered for the Marine Corps.

He was sent to San Diego, California for boot camp and was then assigned to a medium tank unit of the Second Tank battalion, Second Marine Division. The stories of his service are numerous and detailed and cannot only be shared in one short speech. His unit saw action at Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. After the Japanese surrendered, his unit was assigned to maintain order at the scene of the second atomic bombing in Nagasaki. He often remembers his fellow Marines who lost their lives in combat and is the last surviving member of his unit. Mr. Gazel was awarded the Bronze Star for his gallantry at Tinian.

After his return to the United States in December 1945 and his discharge from the armed forces in January 1946 he returned to civilian life, marrying Esther the same year. Together they had three girls and Mr. Gazel found his success in selling wholesale produce in Detroit. A true patriot and a decorated Marine, he is known to insist that ``the real heroes are those who fell in combat and rest under those markers on far away and sometimes forgotten battlefields.''

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Edward Gazel on his 100th

birthday. He has honorably served this country through his exemplary military service during World War II. I join with Mr. Gazel's family and friends in extending my best wishes to him on his birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Arthur Russell of Dearborn on the occasion of his 100th birthday. His contributions to our community and to our nation are worthy of commendation.

Mr. Russell was born in Texas but grew up in Plymouth, Michigan. During the Great Depression he became an avid small game hunter to help put food on his family's table. During prohibition, he helped his mother at her blind pig. He ended up leaving school after 11th grade and went to work on a milk truck and as a plumber's assistant. Seeing war on the horizon, he volunteered for the United States Marine Corps at age 20 in 1941.

He went to boot camp in San Diego, California and was first assigned to the armory there. He was then transferred to Jaques Farm and was assigned to train with the ``D'' Company of the Second Tank Battalion. He was integrated into the ``B'' Company and was deployed to New Zealand in the spring of 1943. After a few brief stops throughout the Pacific, the Second Marine Division assaulted Tarawa. This resulted in a 76-hour battle with the Japanese troops. His tank did not fare well on the atoll and was disabled by enemy fire. During combat, he was hit by sniper fire but was only nicked. Today, he proudly owns the rifle that the Japanese snipers used against him. He also participated in combat in the assaults on Saipan and Tinian. After being relived of combat duty he was assigned to guard duty in Washington, D,C. where he was a guard for the Main Navy Building. He was then transferred to Camp Lejeune in North Carolina where he was discharged from in 1946.

In 1948 Mr. Russell married Patricia and together they had six children. He began working in the Forestry Division of the Wayne County Roads Commission, where he rose to be Head of the Forestry Division. A true patriot, when the Korean War broke out, he joined the Navy where he was sent to serve in Guam and was promoted the rank of Petty Officer First Class.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Arthur Russell on his 100th Birthday. He has honorably served this country through his exemplary military service. I join with Mr. Russell's family and friends in extending my best wishes to him on his birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Anthony Procassini of Ann Arbor on the occasion of his 100th birthday. His contributions to our community and to our Nation are worthy of commendation.

Mr. Procassini was raised in New Jersey but first came to Michigan when he enrolled at the University of Michigan in 1939. Here he met his wife Dawn while working at a pharmacy and they wed in 1943. When the war broke out, he heeded the call from his nation and enlisted in the Marines. After attending boot camp in San Diego, California, he was assigned to the ``I'' Company, Third Battalion, First Marine Regiment. His unit fought in two of the bloodiest battles of the war, Peleliu and Okinawa, where many of his fellow soldiers lost their lives. He was wounded in battle in mid-June 1945 and after recovering, he toured with the First Marine Division that was tasked

with keeping the peace in North China. Mr. Procassini was honorably discharged in 1946 and was awarded the Purple Heart in July 2019.

After his honorable discharge, he returned to the University of Michigan to finish his degree. Post-graduation, he worked at Willow Run Airport and then Bendix Corporation. He retired from the company as Corporate Chief of Personnel 28 years later. He is the founder of AJProcassini & Associates, a consulting firm, and AJP Rentals, a rental property company in Ann Arbor.

An active member of our community, Mr. Procassini has remained involved in the city that he now calls home. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Washtenaw County Community College, Chairman of the Industrial Division Blood Bank, and on the Executive Board of the American Red Cross. He has also taught courses in Adult Education at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University. A dedicated member of the Ann Arbor M Club, he served as the event coordinator at the Big House for sixty-two years.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Anthony Procassini on his 100th birthday. I join with Mr. Procassini's family, including his ten children, eighteen grandchildren, and two great grandchildren, and friends in extending my best wishes to him on his birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Paul, Phillip, Patrick, and Benjamin Motylinski of Dundee, Michigan. Their heroic efforts are worthy of commendation.

On Sunday, February 29th Paul Motylinski was driving down Custer Road in Monroe County, Michigan when he noticed someone had fallen through the ice of a nearby pond. He responded quickly by calling 911 and phoning his brothers who were at his mother's house nearby.

Together, the brothers got a hold of a small boat to help get the victim out of the water. As two of them used the boat to reach the victim, the other two brothers used a rope to pull them all back to shore.

The eighty-one year old man was taken to ProMedica Hospital in Monroe and is expected to recover fully thanks to the life-saving efforts of the Motylinski brothers.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in thanking the Motylinski brothers for their efforts that saved a life. We are grateful for Benjamin and Paul Motylinskis continued service to the Michigan community in their role as firefighters with the Dundee Township Fire Department and also to Phillip and Patrick Motylunski for rising to the occasion when lives were at stake. I am proud to commemorate their efforts here today.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jean Zaranko on the occasion of her 95th birthday. Mrs. Zaranko was born on June 10, 1926. She was raised in Taylor Township, Michigan. She completed school up to 8th grade and then worked as an elevator operator at the Griswold Building in Downtown Detroit but felt like she needed to do something more for her country during World War II.

At the age of 17 she altered her birth certificate in order to join the war effort at the Willow Run Bomber Plant in Ypsilanti Township. Jean was originally hired as a welder but became a riveter, working on the center wing of the B-24 and sometimes slipping notes into the wings for servicemembers to find. As a Rosie the Riveter, Jean's hard work, grit, and patriotism not only sustained the American war effort, but paved a path for the next generation of working women.

She came to meet her first husband Moscow Lambert after a man at a bus stop at Willow Run had broken his glasses and asked for assistance in writing to his son who was serving overseas. This began a two-year affair, constantly exchanging calls and letters until they finally met one day at the Train Depot in Detroit where he proposed to her that day. Together, they had four sons and were married for nine years before Moscow passed away due to an accident at the steel plant where he worked. She later married Mr. Zaranko and they were together for 52 years.

A proud Rosie, even now she has remained an active member of our community. She feels

that she is here to give her time and efforts to others when they need it and is God's tool to help others. Her lifelong commitment to service reminds us all of the impact that the Rosies have had on our state and nation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Jean Zaranko on her 95th birthday. I join with her family, including twenty grandchildren and twenty-one great grandchildren, 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 nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stella Prusak on the occasion of her 100th birthday. Her significant contributions to our community is worthy of commendation.

Mrs. Prusak was born in Coldwater, Poland on May 5, 1921 and came to the United States at only six months old. She was raised in Detroit, Michigan and attended St. Hedwig and Condon Schools until 10th grade. At the

age of 15 she went to work in the kitchen at Marygrove College to help out her family. While working, she continued to attend night school taking business classes.

In 1942, Mrs. Prusak went to work with her father on the assembly line at Ford Motor Company in Detroit working on transmissions for aircrafts. The next year, she transferred to a General Motors Plant where she worked as a riveter on the wings of the B-29. As a Rosie the Riveter, Stella's hard work, grit, and patriotism not only sustained the American war effort, but paved a path for the next generation of working women.

After the war, she moved to California for work but before long she returned to Michigan to marry Mr. Walter Prusak and they settled in Allen Park. Together they had three children, two sons and one daughter. A proud Rosie, Mrs. Prusak continued to be a working woman and was employed by Burroughs and many other places as a file clerk. Known by friends for her kindness, generosity, and lucky streak at the casino, she has remained an active member of our community. Her lifelong commitment to service reminds us all of the impact that the Rosies have had on our state and nation.

Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me today in celebrating Stella Prusak on her 100th 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 nation.