Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Don Davis for his years of service as County Manager for Jefferson County, Colorado.

Throughout his five years as the County Manager, Don showed tremendous dedication, dependability, and leadership, directing the organizational and administrative operations of 3,000 employees and one of the largest counties in the state. As the fourth-most populous county in Colorado which serves as the gateway from the Denver Metro region to the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson County has had to face a variety of issues in recent years ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and budget shortfalls to wildfire events and infrastructure challenges. At every turn, Don has led with a pragmatic and innovative approach.

Don began his post-graduate career as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and served his country through numerous deployments to the Middle East. Following his 27 years of service in the U.S. military, he retired with the rank of Colonel in 2017.

Don has successfully navigated Jefferson County and its residents through an unprecedented pandemic while continuing to move the region forward on climate change issues and creating a better quality of life for all Jeff co residents. I am incredibly thankful for his service and dedication to the people of Jefferson County and wish him well in his future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Maria Zubia for her contributions to our community as Director of Community Outreach at Kids First Health Care.

Kids First Health Care is a non-profit pediatric organization that provides health care services to underserved and low-income families. In her role at the organization, Maria worked tirelessly to build relationships and serve the families of Adams County. Her important work helped to spread awareness of the opportunities offered by Kids First Health Care, and helped make health care services more accessible through broader promotion via text messaging, online enrollment, and other platforms to make it easier for people to connect with affordable pediatric care.

Maria began working for Kids First Health Care in 2001. She has served her community and the families of Adams County through Kids First and as a Adams 14 school board member. Maria has a passion for ensuring all children receive quality education and healthcare, including making sure bilingualism is integrated in the services provided through Adams County. I am incredibly grateful for the important work that Ms. Zubia has done with Kids First Health Care to support the families of Adams County, and I look forward to her future contributions to our community and wish her all the best in the next phase of her career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Police Chief Dan McCasky from the City of Lakewood, Colo. for his decades of service to our community.

After thirty-eight years of service to our community and the great State of Colorado, Chief McCasky has shown constant leadership and dedication to his profession, the department's employees, and the broader community. Chief McCasky has excelled in this role and is a prime example of a true public servant who has dedicated their life to putting others wellbeing before his own. I am especially grateful for Chief McCasky's work during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the development of the Community Action Team to provide services to the homeless community in our district.

Throughout Chief McCasky's career as Police Chief he always maintained the best interest for Lakewood and its residents and has made great strides in improving the safety and quality of life for our community. I am incredibly thankful for Chief McCasky's commitment to the City of Lakewood and the State of Colorado. His leadership will be missed, and I wish him all the best in retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Keira Nicole Lipp for achieving the new world record for youngest person to ski on all seven continents.

Keira first learned to ski in her home state of Colorado at just two years old. She began exploring the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and then went on to ski in Italy (Europe), Australia, South Korea (Asia), Morocco (Africa), and Antarctica. To prepare for the toughest continent in the world, Antarctica, Keira needed to ski at an expert-level and be comfortable skiing backcountry. She skied two different sides of a nunatak in Antarctica on February 1, 2022. And with her father and brother by her side, Keira conquered the snowy slopes of Portillo, Chile, skiing her 7th continent at just ten years old and breaking the world record--a tremendous and inspiring feat!

As a courageous elementary school student from Golden, Colorado, Keira has shown immense perseverance and determination. She has put in countless hours of training even in the summer months when ski resorts were closed, skiing small glaciers and permanent snowfields.

She is now currently working on her next goal of becoming a better skier than her father while she is still a kid. I cannot wait to see all of her future accomplishments and I wish her all the best.

Mr. Speaker, let's start with the beginning of the Constitution: ``We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare . . .''

That is how our Constitution starts, to uphold the premise of the Declaration of Independence, of freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

This bill helps us move forward because it helps us with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

My friend complains about the red flag rule. It helps us with those individuals who suffer from domestic violence and who have suicidal ideation, but it also helps the families destroyed at Columbine in my area and at the Aurora movie theater.

This bill that I am so happy to advance today is pro-Constitution, pro-freedom, and pro-liberty.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dolly Anderson Travis of Lakewood, Colorado who will turn 100 years old on June 18, 2022.

Dolly Anderson Travis was born June 18, 1922 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. Dolly's great-grandparents immigrated from Austria and Slovakia. Dolly's parents having only a grade school education valued education as a means to success in the United States and made it a priority for both her and her brother, Jan. When Dolly was 11 or so, her parents paid for a few piano lessons which they felt would provide a creative outlet for her and her brother. They both quickly discovered a prodigious talent for music. Within a year, Dolly and Jan were playing instrumental accompaniment for singers on Hazleton's radio station WAZL and at other public events. While at Julliard in the early 1940s, Dolly was recruited to participate in numerous musical and entertainment events sponsored by the United Service Organization, started in 1941 to entertain soldiers, sailors and airmen departing for oversees deployment during WWII. She subsequently played in many swing- era bands in New York City, where she played the piano, accordion, guitar and saxophone.

Dolly married a sailor from Brooklyn, New York in the early 1950s and moved to Denver, where she fell in love with the mountains and the great outdoors. She was fond of western, cowboy music and culture, and started a family in Thornton, a Denver suburb, where her son Mark and daughter June would grow up.

Dolly loves to shop for unique items and collectibles from the many indoor malls that dot the Denver landscape. Villa Italia mall in Lakewood, a suburb of Denver, was one of her favorites, offering a large variety of merchandise at so many price points. She particularly enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwiches that Woolworth offered in their restaurants in the early days of the mall and throughout their Denver locations. She enjoyed taking her children to the Sinclair dinosaur exhibit in Villa Italia's parking lot, featuring lifelike recreations of dinosaurs which Sinclair would host in Denver and other cities during the 1960s.

Dolly still plays the piano, walks without assistance, and is addicted to blueberry and cherry pies. Dolly has an unfinished concerto she's been composing for years, loves reading the funnies, and enjoys perusing tabloids and gossip magazines while hanging out at the local Starbucks.

Celebrating 100 years of age is a tremendous milestone and should be celebrated. It is my privilege to wish Dolly a very happy birthday and wish her all the best in the future.

Madam Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the lifetime of public service of Meredith (``Merrie'') Roosa Inderfurth. After graduating from Brown University, Merrie came to Washington to earn an MPA at George Washington University and never left.

Merrie joined the congressional staff of Rep. Lindy Boggs, whose late husband, then-Majority Leader Hale Boggs led the creation of the National Flood Insurance Program, cementing Merrie's interest in flood management.

During her 15 years with Rep. Boggs, Merrie took time to have two extraordinary daughters, both now in public service; one is my Deputy Chief of Staff and essential to my office, and her sister is a respected prosecutor in nearby Montgomery County, Maryland. Her stepdaughter is a highly qualified medical professional.

Merrie then returned to public life and made use of her flood pedigree serving for almost 30 years as the Washington Liaison for the Association of State Flood Plain Managers and National Flood Association.

In 2007, she was the recipient of the Association's highest honor, the Goddard-White Award `For Outstanding Leadership and Guidance on National Flood Policy Issues'.

Madam Speaker, it is impossible to count how many Members of Congress have benefited from Merrie's thoughtful, consistent counsel. I want to express sincere appreciation for the career and public service of my friend Merrie Inderfurth.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the lifetime of public service of Meredith ``Merrie'' Roosa Inderfurth.

After graduating from Brown University, Merrie came to Washington to earn an MPA at George Washington University, and she never left.

Merrie joined the congressional staff of Representative Lindy Boggs, whose late husband, then-Majority Leader Hale Boggs, led the creation of the National Flood Insurance Program, cementing Merrie's interest in flood management.

During her 15 years with Representative Boggs, Merrie took time to have two extraordinary daughters, one of whom is my deputy chief of staff and essential to my office. Her sister is a respected prosecutor in nearby Montgomery County. Her stepdaughter is a highly qualified medical professional.

Merrie then returned to public life and made use of her flood pedigree, serving for almost 30 years as the Washington liaison for the Association of State Floodplain Managers and the National Flood Association.

In 2007, she was the recipient of the association's highest honor, the Goddard-White Award for outstanding leadership and guidance on flood policy issues.

I express my sincere appreciation for the career in public service of my friend, Merrie Inderfurth.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate Jefferson High School's Class of 1972 on their 50th High School reunion.

After being rivals for many years, the Edgewater Mustangs and the Mountain Wildcats combined their student bodies to form the newest high school in Jefferson County. From its inception, Jefferson High School has been a focal point for the northern Lakewood, Edgewater and eastern Wheat Ridge communities. The new school's name, mascot, colors, and song were voted on by both student bodies in 1955, with Saint Jeff becoming the mascot of the school. The image of Saint Jeff was created by Bob Harvey, an Edgewater graduate, and symbolizes the honorable qualities of a fighting spirit. Today, that spirit of coming together continues as Jefferson High School honors all who come together for our school, our community, and our world.

As an alumni of Jefferson High School, I'm a proud ``Saint'' and know that many other ``Saints'' come from all over Jefferson County. The commitment to the students and the community has remained a top priority. Jefferson High School alumni have gone on to work in various industries ranging from public service, healthcare, law enforcement, entrepreneurship, to name a few. The song for the Class of 1972 class was, ``You've Got a Friend'' which is fitting for the many long-lasting friendships that came from that graduating class yet the diverse career paths and endeavors which continue to make the world a better place.

From one Saint to another, congratulations to Jefferson High School's Class of 1972 on their 50th High School Reunion. I thank them for their numerous contributions to our community and state. We are lucky to have them in our community and wish them best of luck in the coming years.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Luisa Wilson for her creative and unique drawing, earning her first place in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition.

As a participant in the art show and student at Golden High School, Luisa created a work of art entitled, ``Stretched'' which depicts a white face on a black background being pulled back by three hands. It is created with ink on paper.

Luisa spent countless hours and used numerous tools to learn new techniques and refine her painting skills and education in the arts. I appreciate her participation in the competition and the support provided by her teachers at Golden High School.

Congratulations to Luisa Wilson for her hard work and participation in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. I am certain she will exhibit the same dedication and character in her future accomplishments, and I wish her the best of luck going forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gillian McCarron for receiving the 2021 Woman of the Year Award by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. The Woman of the Year Award is given to a woman who has gone above and beyond to serve her community.

Gillian currently serves on the Arvada Economic Development (AEDA) Board of Directors as well as AEDA's Exterior Improvement Grant Committee and Economic Impact Committee. She is also currently the Chairman of Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth. Gillian serves on the Arvada Vitality Alliance Board of Directors and is active in the Ralston Valley High School's Boys Soccer Booster Club. Gillian is also a local business owner who supports local charitable efforts and is a passionate, supportive leader in the Arvada community.

Congratulations again to Gillian McCarron on this recognition from the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. I extend my deepest appreciation for her contributions to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Nevaeh Sena for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Nevaeh Sena is a student at Arvada West High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Nevaeh Sena is exemplary of the type of achievement that can be attained with hard work and perseverance. It is essential students at all levels strive to make the most of their education and develop a work ethic which will guide them for the rest of their lives.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Nevaeh Sena for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassador for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Emily Grace King for receiving the 2021 Young Professional of the Year Award by the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. The Young Professional of the Year Award recognizes an Arvada young professional under the age of 40 whose leadership and dedication have positively impacted their community.

Emily is the Gallery Exhibition Manager at the Arvada Center for Arts & Humanities. In addition, she ensures equitable access to art through Art Drop Arvada and her work on the Arvada Arts and Culture Commission. Emily embodies a leadership style that is rooted in collaboration, sharing, and working to help uplift others.

Congratulations again to Emily Grace King on this recognition from the Arvada Chamber of Commerce. I extend my deepest appreciation for her contributions to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Peyton Duplessis for his creative and unique photograph, earning him the top photography award in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition.

As a participant in the art show and student at Wheat Ridge High School, Peyton created a work of art entitled, ``Beyond the Glass''. The artwork uses digital photography and is meant to show the reflection of an eye through a glass.

Peyton spent countless hours and used numerous tools to learn new techniques and refine his photography skills and education in the arts. I appreciate his participation in the competition and the support provided by his teachers at Wheat Ridge High School.

Congratulations to Peyton Duplessis for his hard work and participation in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. I am certain he will exhibit the same dedication and character in his future accomplishments, and I wish him the best of luck going forward.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Brooklyn Hector for her creative and unique drawing, earning her the top drawing award in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition.

As a participant in the art show and student at Ralston Valley High School, Brooklyn created a work of art entitled, ``Twilight in Golden Canyon''. It was created using watercolors and depicts the sunset reflected on a pond with glass in the foreground.

Brooklyn spent countless hours and used numerous tools to learn new techniques and refine her painting skills and education in the arts. I appreciate her participation in the competition and the support provided by her teachers at Ralston Valley High School.

Congratulations to Brooklyn Hector for her hard work and participation in the 2022 Congressional Art Competition. I am certain she will exhibit the same dedication and character in her future accomplishments, and I wish her the best of luck going forward.