Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Kathryn Wirkus for her hard work and dedication to the people of the 7th Congressional District.

Since I met Kathryn in 2012, she has become a friend and an instrumental member of my team. For more than seven years, she has worked in my congressional office as part of the constituent services team and handled the issues of military and Veterans affairs and aerospace. Her time as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force brought a wealth of knowledge on Veteran's issues and a shared experience she that she was able to relate to with the Veterans she helped. She has been a tremendous asset to our team and to the constituents we serve. Her relationships with liaisons at federal agencies and within the community helped ensure she was always able to help answer questions, direct folks to the appropriate resources, secure long-deserved medals and recognition for Veterans, and even secure money or benefits that were owed to Veterans in the district.

Prior to serving in my congressional office, Kathryn worked on behalf of Veterans across the state in the Colorado Department of Veterans Affairs. Prior to that, she served in the United States Air Force for 27 years, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. Her dedication, particularly to women Veterans, is commendable and is shown through her work in forming the Colorado Women's Veterans organization, which she is the current Vice President.

Kathryn has a true gift for working with Veterans and understanding the issues and challenges they face. Her good nature and sense of humor always help make Veterans and constituents feel comfortable and welcome. I extend my deepest appreciation to Kathryn Wirkus for the difference she made in the lives of many people in our community and for her service to our country. I will be forever grateful for her service to our team, the district, and the United States of America. I wish her all the best in her next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 418.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Kim Brock for receiving the Golden Mayor's Award for Excellence.

Kim has chaired the Golden Schools Foundation (GSF) since 2013. In that time, she has implemented innovative programs like summer academic boot camps at Bell Middle School and Golden High School, elementary tutoring programs, and the teaching excellence program. Additionally, Kim manages and oversees all aspects of the Golden Gallop--a community event that involves over 1,000 runners, 100 volunteers, and is the main fundraiser for GSF. She is an advocate for our local schools, recognizing that strong neighborhood schools are the cornerstone of strong neighborhoods and successful students.

I congratulate Kim for receiving this well-deserved honor by Mayor Marjorie Sloan. I thank her for her contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Carol and Don Cameron for receiving the Golden Mayor's Award for Excellence.

Carol and Don Cameron are models of good citizenship and community advocacy. They are passionate voices for conservation, sustainability, and biking. Their home has become a meeting place for those who share their legendary neighborhood garden. Carol graduated from the Air Force Academy and was a pilot for United Airlines, and today she chairs the Golden Optimists Bicycle Recycling Program. Don, who was previously an engineer and a teacher, serves on the Golden Planning Commission and works to bring more affordable housing to Golden.

I congratulate Carol and Don Cameron for receiving this well-deserved honor by Mayor Marjorie Sloan. I thank them for their contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud the Colorado School of Mines Dance Team for receiving the Golden Mayor's Goldmine Award for Excellence.

The Colorado School of Mines Dance Team's contribution to the Golden community while representing Mines is truly inspiring. With their hard work and dedication, the Mines Dance team has brought their spirit into all that they do. Not only are they involved with athletic events and campus appearances, they also participate in community events such as the Buffalo Bill Days parade and the Nightmare on Greek Street.

I congratulate the Colorado School of Mines Dance Team for being the recipient of this well-deserved honor by Mayor Marjorie Sloan. I thank them for their contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud the Lunch and Life Program for receiving the Golden Mayor's Award for Excellence.

From its humble beginnings of about six students in 2000, the Lunch and Life Program has grown to become one of the primary connections between Mines students, Calvary Episcopal Church, and the Golden community. During the fall and spring semesters, several hundred students and members of the Golden community from different countries and walks of life, come together to enjoy a homemade meal and great hospitality. To date, more than 26,000 meals have been served to students, thanks to the ongoing contributions of about 20 hardworking volunteers in the community.

I congratulate the Lunch and Life Program for receiving this well- deserved honor by Mayor Marjorie Sloan. I thank them for their contributions to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of William ``Bill'' Coors who passed away peacefully last week at the age of 102. Bill served as the chairman of what became the Coors Brewing Company from 1959 until 2000, and he continued serving as an official beer taster for Coors until his 100th birthday.

Through Bill's decades of service to the Brewery, he was involved in much of the growth in the beer industry in America. One of his biggest accomplishments was his development of the aluminum can. Before 1959, Americans drank beer out of a tin-lined steel container. Not only was this practice extremely wasteful, but the lining affected the flavor of the beer. Bill realized aluminum would be a better container because it is 100 percent recyclable, it would be less expensive to transport, and wouldn't affect the taste of the beer. Bill's push to use the aluminum can and modernize the canning assembly line almost 60 years ago had a lasting impact on the entire industry.

More importantly, Bill was a close family friend who worked with my father Leonard Perlmutter over the years. The two enjoyed a great friendship which spread to the rest of our families. I will always remember Bill as a fantastic piano player, as he would often play the piano beautifully at parties I attended. He was also involved in many community organizations throughout Colorado.

I want to thank Bill for his years of friendship and recognize his tremendous contributions to the Coors Brewing Company over the years.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Golden Fire Chief John E. Bales for his many years of service to the City of Golden and surrounding communities.

For almost two decades, Chief Bales has been active within the Golden community and fire department. Chief Bales became Golden Fire Chief in 2001, but his personal passion and a commitment to his community started long before then. For more than 50 years, Chief Bales contributed to several Colorado communities and other communities across the country with positions at the Rocky Flats Fire Department, Genesee Fire Protection District, Cunningham Fire Protection District, City of Thornton Fire Department, and the Wichita Fire Department. His hard work and dedication has helped make our community--and so many others--a great place to live and work.

I extend my deepest thanks to Chief Bales for his service to our community. Thank you for your continuous dedication to serving the people of Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Gwynith (Gwyn) Green, a great Coloradan and wife, mother and grandmother.

Gwyn Green was born on November 21, 1938 in New Orleans, LA. She died peacefully in her home September 12, 2018 after a long battle with ALS. She was married to her husband Daniel for 56 years and had four children, Laura, Kevin (Barb), Mark (Mary Ann), and Benjamin (Julie), 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

In 1961, Gwyn graduated from St. Mary's College in South Bend, Indiana. She went on to receive her Master's in Social Work from the University of Denver in 1984. For more than 40 years, she served numerous populations of people in Colorado through her social work. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters, particularly with sustainability and children's issues. Gwyn was very active with the National Association of Social Workers and the Alliance for Retired Americans, working with these organizations for many decades. Her dedication and passion for social justice issues throughout her time as a social worker was inspiring.

Gwyn was also very active in public service in Colorado, serving on the Golden City Council for three years. In 2004, she ran for State Representative in House District 23 and won her seat. She served in the State legislator from 2004 to 2009 before stepping down to spend more time with her family. During her time at the State Capitol, she quickly became

known as the ``Fighting Granny'' for her fierce advocacy for children, the poor and for the City of Golden. For her service as a State Legislator, she was awarded several awards including the Award for Excelling, Distinguished Legislator of the Year, and was appointed Honorary Police Officer in the City of Golden.

I was privileged to know Gwyn for many years and I appreciate her tireless work ethic and service to the people of Colorado. Her passion for social injustice, her good nature and sense of humor was a true delight. On behalf of the people of Colorado, I extend my deepest appreciation to Gwyn Green for her dedication to her community and to the people of the State of Colorado.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Dr. Frederick Grover for his decades of service to the Colorado medical community and Veterans in Colorado.

For over forty years, Dr. Grover has trained and mentored numerous thoracic surgery residents all while providing high-quality care to numerous patients throughout Colorado. In addition to clinical interests in the areas of acquired adult cardiac surgery and lung and heart transplantation, Dr. Grover is also focused on risk adjusted outcomes analyses and quality improvement in the field of cardiothoracic surgery. He chaired the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Work Force on National Databases from 1995 to 2004. Dr. Grover served as the Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University Colorado School of Medicine where he helped develop future generations of medical professionals and the success of Colorado's medical community for generations to come. His selfless devotion to his students has provided an exemplary standard of service.

In addition to his work at the University of Colorado, Dr. Grover distinguishes himself as a caring member of the community by striving to aid numerous professional organizations. His dedication to the field of medicine and contributions can be seen across Colorado and our nation. He has been a strong advocate for healthcare policy at the national level by serving as President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Additionally, the work he has done within the Veteran's community of Colorado as the Chief of Surgical Services at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Denver and his pioneering of the VA Cardiac Surgery Database as the Medical Director has been very beneficial to Veterans in Colorado. He chaired the United Network for Organ Sharing Thoracic Committee, and has served on the UNOS Board of Directors. He was the co-principal investigator of a large VA multi-center clinical trial comparing off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

I extend my deepest thanks to Dr. Frederick Grover for his service to the people of Colorado and across the nation. I am certain the effects of his service will continue to benefit our communities for decades to come. I thank Dr. Grover for being a remarkable member of the Colorado medical community.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I thank my friend, Mr. Rothfus, for bringing this bill up today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in favor of legislation I introduced with my colleague from New Mexico, Steve Pearce. H.R. 6411, the FinCEN Improvement Act, is a straightforward bill which will modernize the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, otherwise known as FinCEN.

The mission of FinCEN is to safeguard the financial system from crimes or illicit use, combat money laundering, and promote national security through the collection, analysis, and dissemination of financial information and intelligence.

In order to accomplish its mission, FinCEN needs to partner with all available law enforcement agencies to gather and share data needed to safeguard the financial system from the abuses of financial crime, including terrorist financing. This legislation builds upon the existing relationships with partners in foreign, Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials by ensuring FinCEN has the authority to work with Tribal law enforcement across the country.

Additionally, FinCEN's current authorizing statute is limited to combating international terrorism, which leaves out domestic terrorist activities, which is just as important to protecting our neighborhoods and communities. This legislation fixes that oversight.

Lastly, this legislation ensures FinCEN is focusing on emerging methods of financing illicit activity, including cryptocurrencies. As the ranking Democrat on the Terrorism and Illicit Finance Subcommittee, along with Chairman Pearce, we have held numerous hearings and meetings discussing these new technologies. While they often have tremendous benefit to consumers in connecting the world, the reality is bad actors can benefit from this new technology by shielding their identities or the identities of those they work with. We need to work to understand this potential threat and find new ways to combat it.

This bipartisan piece of legislation is an important step in modernizing FinCEN to ensure our law enforcement and intelligence communities work together to detect and stop criminals and terrorist networks. I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Rothfus, and certainly subcommittee Chairman Steve Pearce for working with me on this legislation. I would also like to thank the chairman and ranking member of the full committee for their support, and lastly, I thank Katy Strohmaier on the Democratic staff for working with my office to help us draft this legislation.

With that, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation. I urge an ``aye'' vote on H.R. 6411, the FinCEN Improvement Act.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Leonard Michael Perlmutter, a great Coloradan and a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle and cousin.

Leonard Perlmutter, born October 16, 1925 to Phil and Belle Perlmutter in Denver, Colorado died July 8, 2018 in Denver. Leonard (or ``Len'' or ``Laz'' as he was known to many) was married for 66 years to his college sweetheart Alice and they had three children Ed (Nancy), Joe, and Cassie (Joe Levi), six grandchildren (Alexis, Abby, Zoe, Ian, Aaron and Braden) and one great-granddaughter (Lily). He was predeceased by his mother and father, his sister Ann Reinstein, brother Jack, and sister Roz Altenberg.

Laz was a lifelong Coloradan and lived in Denver and Jefferson County. He attended Colfax Elementary, Lake Junior High, West High School and the University of Colorado at Boulder. He played all manner of sports from baseball to tennis to skiing to squash and handball. As a kid, he fished pretty much every stream Colorado has to offer.

Laz was a true citizen of the West in business and civic matters. In 1951, with family members and a close friend, he helped start and build Perlmutter and Sons, a prestressed and precast concrete company. Perlmutter and Sons became Prestressed Concrete of Colorado before eventually becoming Stanley Structures, which spanned the Rocky Mountain West, Texas, Arizona and Canada, and employed more than 2,000 people. Laz served as CEO of Stanley Structures for many years. It was a union business from top to bottom and was instrumental in building thousands of structures including airports, resorts, roads and bridges, federal and state installations and laboratories, military bases, apartments, warehouses, office buildings, shopping centers, and hospitals.

Laz was a dedicated ambassador for National Jewish Health for more than 40 years. He became a member of the Board of Directors in 1978 and served in a variety of key leadership roles, including as Chairman of the Board of Directors from 1983 to 1986. He was on the Executive Committee of the Board since 1980 and a Lifetime Director and even served as interim President and CEO from 1991 through 1993.

Laz's other civic engagements included: lifetime member of the Colorado Forum; Chairman of the Denver Symphony; Chairman of the international trade and standards organization called Prestressed/ Precast Concrete Institute; Chairman of the Santa Fe Opera; Board Member of the Foothills Art Center; Trustee of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory; Board Member of Colorado National Bank Shares; President and Chairman of Colorado Open Lands; President of Reed Street Elementary and Wheat Ridge Junior High PTA's; precinct committee man and district captain for the Democratic Party in Jefferson County; head of Economic Development in the Roy Romer Administration; Chairman of the University of Colorado Foundation; and Board Member of the Foundation for Colorado Community Colleges. He also taught graduate courses in political science at the University of Colorado at Denver as an adjunct professor.

He loved and respected everyone, no matter their station in life or their background. He had time for everyone, especially his family and friends. Laz was a Democrat from the top of his head to the tips of his toes. Even so he had friends all over the political spectrum. He was egalitarian and community-minded. He had a great sense of humor with a big wide smile and a twinkle in his eye for just about everyone.

On behalf of my family and the people of Colorado, I extend my deepest appreciation to Leonard Perlmutter for his dedication to and good works for his community and for his love of Colorado, the mountains and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Nadler.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with Mr. Gianforte and with Mr. Cuellar. We have outstanding men and women in Immigration and Customs Enforcement. I am not going to do anything to disparage the many good men and women that we have, but I will never, never support these abominable policies coming out of the Trump administration that tear families apart, that these men and women are having to implement because the White House has decided they are going to go into the immigrant communities and tear them apart.

This is a piece of legislation that is not necessary, and I say that to my friends on the Republican side. We support the good men and women in law enforcement as Democrats, but I will not support any of these policies or even look like I am supporting any of the immigration policies of this President. They are terrible, and they are hurting this country.

I urge a vote of ``present'' on this particular piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I was not present to vote from July 10, 2018 through July 13, 2018 due to the passing of my father, Leonard Perlmutter.

Had I been present for roll call No. 321 on passage of H.R. 200, the Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act, I would have voted ``NAY.''

Had I been present for roll call No. 325 on passage of H.R. 3281, the Reclamation Title Transfer and Non-Federal Infrastructure Incentivization Act, I would have voted ``NAY.''

Had I been present for roll call No. 326 on passage of H.R. 6237, the Matthew Young Pollard Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, I would have voted ``YEA.''

Had I been present for roll call No. 328 on passage of H.R. 50, the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act, I would have voted ``NAY.''

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Captain Thomas A. Hoffman, U.S. Army, for his service to our country.

Captain Hoffman graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Science and as a Distinguished Military Graduate from the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). He was commissioned as a second lieutenant upon his graduation and went on to serve on active duty for almost five years in the U.S., Europe and Republic of Vietnam. He served with the 14th Cavalry Regiment patrolling the border of East Germany and as an airborne parachutist officer in Vietnam. While in Vietnam, Captain Hoffman participated in the TET Counteroffensive and the Vietnam Counteroffensive Phase III and IV. His military awards and decorations include the Army Commendation, National Defense Service Medals and Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze service stars.

Captain Hoffman served for 24 years in the Jefferson County Public School system in various positions from teacher to school administrator. Additionally, Captain Hoffman continued his public service as a community activist, mediator, ski instructor, and volunteer firefighter and on the board of directors for the Coal Creek Canyon Fire Protection District.

Captain Hoffman's courageous service has charted the path for future generations of men and women to serve in the military. I extend my deepest appreciation to Captain Hoffman for his dedication, integrity and outstanding service to the United States of America.