Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Kaleigh Melinger for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Kaleigh Melinger is a student at Jefferson High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Kaleigh Melinger 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 Kaleigh Melinger for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Brooke Miller for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Brooke Miller 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 Brooke Miller 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 Brooke Miller for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Angelina Apodaca for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Angelina Apodaca is a student at Jefferson High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Angelina Apodaca 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 Angelina Apodaca for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Jalissa Archuleta for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Jalissa Archuleta 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 Jalissa Archuleta 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 Jalissa Archuleta for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Emily Bishop for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Emily Bishop is a student at Everitt Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Emily Bishop 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 Emily Bishop for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Isabella Brown for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Isabella Brown is a student at Arvada K-8 and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Isabella Brown 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 Isabella Brown for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Ally Buckner for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Ally Buckner is a student at Ralston Valley High School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Ally Buckner 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 Ally Buckner for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Rowanchayse Cleveland for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Rowanchayse Cleveland is a student at Arvada K-8 and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Rowanchayse Cleveland 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 Rowanchayse Cleveland for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Jordan Cross for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Jordan Cross 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 Jordan Cross 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 Jordan Cross for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Ruby Eames for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Ruby Eames is a student at Drake Middle School and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Ruby Eames 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 Ruby Eames for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Darrien Espinoza for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

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

The dedication demonstrated by Darrien Espinoza 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 Darrien Espinoza for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Mariah Fernandez for receiving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award.

Mariah Fernandez is a student at Arvada K-8 and received this award because her determination and hard work have allowed her to overcome adversities.

The dedication demonstrated by Mariah Fernandez 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 Mariah Fernandez for winning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth award. I have no doubt she will exhibit the same dedication and character in all of her future accomplishments.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Chair for the opportunity to address the House and people across the country.

I am joined today by two of my friends, Jared Huffman, Congressman from northern California; and Dan Kildee, Congressman from Flint, Michigan.

We are here on another very important topic. We just heard our friend, Jamie Raskin from Maryland, talking about gun violence and the need to try to limit that and bring it under control, but today we have another very important topic, a very troubling topic, and it has to do with the sovereignty of our Nation.

It has to do with our freedom, and it is really as pretty simple as that.

This country separated from England so that we could be a sovereign nation, so that we could rule ourselves, and right now that is a real big question as to whether or not that is happening, because it is clear that the Russians interfered with our elections last year.

The investigation into that interference now has resulted in at least 13 indictments of Russians, coupled with indictments of 5 or 6 people, 5 of whom have pled guilty to some crime or another based upon the investigation conducted by Robert Mueller. There seems to be something going on between the Trump administration and Russia, and we want to know what it is. The investigation is directed at that.

Mr. Speaker, it starts with something that we asked for last year. We asked to see the President's tax returns. We asked for it on a number of occasions. But unlike anybody else who has run for President or who has been President, our President has refused to turn over his tax returns.

So the question we ask is: Why? What is in there that would stop him from producing his tax returns? Is it a relationship that shows some kind of financial connection to Russia or the like? What is in there? Is he hiding something? What is it?

As time has gone on, starting with that question, we have some more questions. There has been this effort, beginning last summer, to question the integrity of the FBI and to question Mr. Mueller and this investigation to the point there was word that Mr. Mueller was going to be fired from his job last summer, and that question seems to percolate to the surface every so often.

And the question is: Why? What are they afraid of that he might find? What connections are they worried about that Mr. Mueller may uncover that really are hurting our Nation? So what is it that they are hiding? What are they afraid of?

These are very simple questions that need to be answered. This is important because this goes back to the heart of why our Nation was founded and the heart of all of us as Americans. It is our sovereignty, and it is our freedom. And if, in fact, we are being directed, our government is being directed by a foreign entity, by Vladimir Putin or Russia, generally, then this country has been undermined to a degree none of us could have ever seen coming.

Now, hopefully, that is not the case, but let's get this investigation going.

Let's keep it going. Let's not impugn the integrity of our detectives, the FBI, or the prosecutors who are trying to just find out what the truth is. And any kinds of actions to really undermine that, whether it is from here in the Congress or from the executive branch, it is like: What are you afraid of? What are you hiding?

So just to kind of connect a couple more dots, something that I am concerned about, and I know my friends are, too, is you go back to our sovereignty, our freedom--and this Congress, Mr. Speaker--particularly concerned about the interference by the Russians in our elections. There is not any question that there has been some interference.

We know that the Russians are flexing their muscle around the world. In fact, Putin, the other day, said: I have got nuclear weapons you can't detect.

So they are flexing their muscles.

We as a Congress--419-3 in this House, and 98-2 in the Senate, virtually unanimously--said: We want you to be imposing sanctions against this Russian interference, against some things that they have been doing around the world.

Not one sanction has been added by the Trump administration. Why not?

Even more perplexing, the State Department has been appropriated, Mr. Speaker, $120 million to prevent further espionage and interference by the Russians in our elections. Do you know how much money has been spent by them, by the State Department under this White House, to stop this interference, to stop this espionage? Not one dollar.

These departments generally say we need more money to do X, Y, or Z. Here, something so important as to the integrity of our elections, not $1 spent by the State Department, despite the fact that this Congress appropriated $120 million. Why not?

So a lot of questions are out there. I think it is time, and I think my friends will make some comments and statements similar to mine: What are you afraid of? What are you hiding? Let the detectives in the FBI, let the prosecutors do their job.

Why aren't sanctions being imposed? And why aren't we using the money we have appropriated to spend against this espionage and interference? Why aren't you spending it?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman) to see if he has any answers or if he only has questions about what is going on.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Kildee), and he will make some comments about how he perceives all of this, and then I am going to open it up to a little conversation among the three of us.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Michigan for his comments. And he was talking about the 17 indictments. We have a poster here. Starting over on the far side of this poster to my right is Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman. Then we have 13 Russians who have been indicted, plus three Russian companies that interfered with our elections, and we will see how these indictments and the cases unfold, but Bob Mueller and the team have said those people should be indicted.

This side, we have guilty pleas by Michael Flynn, National Security Advisor; Rick Gates, assistant campaign manager; George Papadopoulos, campaign adviser; Richard Pinedo, apparently he did some kind of--stole identity from somebody; and a lawyer, Alex van der Zwaan, from--he is a foreign lawyer who worked for a firm here in the United States. We have five guilty pleas. We have 14, 15, 16 indictments. There is a lot of smoke. Where there is smoke, there is fire.

Mr. Kildee talked about sort of the bread-and-butter issues: Do I have a good job? Am I ready as the economy changes and innovation kicks in; am I going to be ready for the next job? You know, do we have the proper infrastructure for this country so that for the next 50 years we can compete with anybody at any time?

I mean, those are the conversations we really want to have. But when you get down to it, at the very heart of why we are America, why we are the United States of America, it is about our freedom. It is about the sovereignty of this Nation to conduct its own affairs without interference by another entity: Russia, England, Japan, North Korea, it doesn't matter. We want to take care of ourselves and not be told what to do by others.

That interference from outside of this country, despite these big questions we have as to our infrastructure, our future of our workplace, our education, when it comes to freedom, you don't step away. You don't ignore attacks on our freedom.

And we are not going to let that happen. I am just very pleased that these two men joining me today, and Democrats, really, throughout this Chamber, and I know some Republicans, are very concerned about what is unfolding. And all of us are asking: What is the problem here? What are you hiding? What are you afraid of? Why won't you let the detectives do their work?

Sam Nunberg, he was going to--last night, he was on all the TV stations: I am not going to honor that subpoena. What is he afraid of?

We have been joined by our friend Jamie Raskin, but, first, let me give him a second to catch his breath.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend from northern California (Mr. Huffman) for a comment or two, and then I will yield to Mr. Raskin.

Mr. Speaker, you know, we have got to say to the Speaker and to the other Republicans in this Chamber, you know, they need to do their job on this thing. This isn't just something that is peanuts. This goes to the heart of what America is all about: our freedom and our sovereignty.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Maryland for participating with us. We are going to be doing this because we want people asking this question all across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I yield now to my friend from Michigan (Mr. Kildee) to let him close us out.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, I thank Mr. Huffman, and I thank Mr. Raskin for their comments.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 57 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, March 8, 2018, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my close friend Bill Loper. My brother, sister and I grew up in one of the best neighborhoods a kid could ever grow up in. As youngsters we roamed from one house to another. No matter where we were, we knew we were under the watchful eyes of parents and adults who treated us like their own--the Wehdes, the Driftmiers, the Fisks, and especially, the Lopers. So, as I write this recognition and celebration of Bill's life, I cannot do it in isolation and think of Annie and the other families and my own mom and dad.

As close as we were to all of our neighbors, Bill and Annie and my mom and dad had something special. They all met at the University of Colorado just after WWII, and from that time on were the best of friends and partners. This was due, in no small part, to the kindred spirit that Bill and my dad shared and still share even with Bill's passing.

Dad and Bill were native Coloradans, Bill from Olathe and Dad from Denver. Bill followed in his big brother Bob's footsteps when he enrolled at CU after serving a hitch in the Navy at the end of WWII. My dad followed in his big brother Jack's footsteps, when he enrolled at Boulder. Both studied liberal arts, Dad--Political Science and Bill-- Economics. They were friends, classmates and roommates. Both enjoyed politics and were left in their leanings. They were pretty rebellious too and despite Joe McCarthy's ``Red Scare'' of the late 40's and early 50's, they named their intramural softball team ``The Social Science Reds.'' Bill excelled at everything while at CU, except spelling. According to my dad, Bill's friends had to help him correct his term papers so he could graduate.

After graduation, Bill announced he was moving to Alaska to find his fame and fortune, and follow his brother who had moved up to the Northwest. Apparently he didn't find fame or fortune and wasn't too enamored with his brother, because he returned to Colorado shortly thereafter.

My dad, grandfather, Uncles Mike and Jack, and Aunt Ann knew Bill could build or fix just about anything and that whatever he worked at or worked on he would master. So, upon returning from Alaska, he joined them in business at Perlmutter & Sons Construction and Prestressed Concrete/Stanly Structures where he was the head of operations. As the head of operations, Bill learned and mastered new products and construction techniques for the next 50 years or so.

Bill, together with the others, helped build much of the West, whether it was roads, bridges, apartments, hotels, offices, warehouses or shopping centers. If there was a construction problem, Bill was the trouble shooter to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. Bill helped build much of Vail and the Gore Valley, and even the precursor to the building hosting Bill's memorial, the Tivoli. He was also a risk taker, helping to stake and support young entrepreneurial developers and owners like Bob Lazier, the owner and proprietor of the Tivoli. Besides the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Business, Bill also headed up the Air Structure business which built big air bubble structures to cover virtually anything from tennis courts to football fields. He founded Cygnus with his friend and fishing buddy, Tom Obermeyer, which made the precast facia and cladding for buildings all over the country.

But of greater importance to me, Cassie and Joe, was the way that Bill and Annie treated us, whether it was barbecues in their backyard on Upham Court (where the hamburgers were a little too rare) to badminton, or pool, or tennis or going to football games, or of course, skiing. We all spent countless hours together learning and playing and enjoying each other's company. One time, Bill agreed to teach me how to drive a stick shift over Loveland Pass just after I got my learner's permit. It was snowing and icy and I remember how scared I was; he must have been petrified, but he never showed it.

Annie taught all of us, including my mom and dad, how to ski. When Annie was teaching a class, Bill was always with us and his kids on the slopes. It didn't matter whether it was at Eldora, Winter Park, or Vail. We spent many nights and weekends bunking in the Loper's cabin in Fraser or their condo at the Villa Cortina in Vail.

Bill loved his sports, especially tennis, skiing, and squash. At one time he was one of the best squash players in Denver and was a regular at the downtown YMCA. He loved Bronco football and attended many games with Jerry Shpall and other Bronco fanatics.

Whatever Bill did, he did it to his best ability. One of the things he did best was to encourage people. He loved his children and grandchildren and encouraged them in every way possible. That encouragement and support led Amy, Steve, and Ted to take risks and accomplish things that most people fear to undertake, whether it's starting a business, moving overseas or telemarking down the Minturn Mile.

Bill loved politics. He and my dad were Democratic precinct committeemen in Wheat

Ridge and had all of us kids out walking precincts for our local candidates at a very early age. Bill participated in so many civic and charitable organizations that are too numerous to list. But suffice it to say, local PTA's, animal protection organizations, rotaries and industry groups benefitted from his leadership.

Bill had a wry sense of humor and could find something funny in just about everything and every situation (with the possible exception of the Trump Administration). He had many sayings but one that stands out for me is, ``If you do somebody a favor, you can be sure they will remember it . . . the next time they need another favor.'' Despite the sardonic humor, you can bet that Bill did favors for just about everyone, whether it was teaching somebody like me to drive over an icy pass or helping a young ski bum build his first hotel.

I talked to Annie and Bill a couple of weeks before Bill passed away. As always, they both expressed interest in how I was doing, what it was like these days with Donald Trump in office and how my family was doing. Bill continued to encourage me to do my best for my constituents, no matter their means, and make sure that they had a voice in Washington. Bill was always concerned about the success of the little guy or the hardworking family down the street.

Bill was one of the nicest, smartest, most generous men I've ever known. In that regard, he and my dad were not only kindred spirits, but twin brothers. Bill was like a second dad to me, Cassie, and Joe, and he will be sorely missed. As my dad so succinctly put it, ``Bill worked hard. He played hard. And he kept faith with himself.'' Bill lived a good life and was loved by anybody and everybody who knew him.