Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud McLane for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Business on the Move Award.

The Business on the Move Award recognizes businesses bringing new employment, growth in sales, or new capital investment to Commerce City. McLane started as a small retail grocer in 1894 and grew to a leading grocery, wholesaler and distributer in the 1970s and 1980s and to a worldwide logistics powerhouse in the 1990s. Today it is a global wholesale distributer of 35,000 products to over 50,000 businesses in the grocery, foodservice, convenience, mass merchandise, quick service restaurant, and drug store industries. In 2017, McLane completed a 226,000 square-foot facility along Tower Road creating 235 new jobs to Commerce City.

McLane is passionate about making a difference in the community. The company creates a diverse and inclusive workforce through their Hiring Our Heroes and Operation Network of Champions hiring initiatives. Employees also proudly support the Children's Miracle Network and the United Way.

I extend my deepest congratulations to McLane for this well-deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Sutrak for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Business on the Move Award.

The Business on the Move Award recognizes businesses bringing new employment, growth in sales, or new capital investment to Commerce City. Sutrak is a manufacturer of HVAC systems for transit vehicles including bus, light rail, and automated people movers. Founded in the 1970s by Hugh Ferdows in Germany, Sutrak expanded into the United States and Colorado by the early 1980s.

With over 30 years of domestic production, Sutrak systems have been installed on virtually every major bus, light rail vehicle, and automatic people mover system manufacturer in the United States. Sutrak completed a

major expansion in 2017, adding two new warehouse buildings and seven additional employees to the company's existing 70 employees.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Sutrak for this well-deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud the George T. Sanders Company for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Business on the Move Award.

The Business on the Move Award recognizes businesses bringing new employment, growth in sales, or new capital investment to Commerce City. The George T. Sanders Company is Colorado's largest independent distributor of plumbing and heating supplies and services the plumbing, heating, and HVAC trades as well as the general public and can accommodate plumbing and heating projects for residential dwellings or large commercial buildings. Last year, George T. Sanders Company built a new, 76,000 square-foot facility in Commerce City, which brought 25 new jobs to the city adding to their 16 existing locations throughout Colorado and in Wyoming.

I extend my deepest congratulations to the George T. Sanders Company for this well-deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud L.G. Everist, Inc. for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Business of the Year Award.

The Business of the Year Award is given to a Commerce City company with a pioneer spirit that has shown a history of leadership within its industry and the community. L.G. Everist has demonstrated longevity and sustained growth within the Commerce City community for over 26 years and just celebrated its 140th year in business. This family owned company provides construction aggregates, transload/bulk services, dimensional stone, decorative stone, rail services, and water storage. The business has spanned five generations of owners and has employed other several multi-generation families.

In 2016, L.G. Everist expanded its facility and is now well- positioned to accommodate the next phase of growth to meet the growing needs for transloading bulk construction products across the Denver metro region. L.G. Everist values every opportunity to contribute to its community through economic development and enhancing the lives of employees, families, and the community as a whole.

I extend my deepest congratulations to L.G. Everist, Inc. for this well-deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud BASF Corporation for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Business on the Move Award.

The Business on the Move Award recognizes businesses bringing new employment, growth in sales, or new capital investment to Commerce City. BASF currently employs 17,500 people across North America and 114,000 worldwide, and operates across five segments--Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil and Gas. These segments create chemistry for a sustainable future in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. In Commerce City, BASF Corporation's local focus is in the area of construction chemicals. The company operates out of a 150,000 square-feet facility with almost 150 employees including the addition of 30 new employees in 2017.

BASF is extremely involved in the community where their employees engage in BASF Kids Lab, Site Safety Day, Boy & Girl Scouts, and Engineer's Without Borders.

I extend my deepest congratulations to the BASF for this well- deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Gallery on The Go, Inc. for receiving the 2018 Commerce City Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.

The Entrepreneurial Spirit Award recognizes a company or entrepreneur that demonstrates a pioneering spirit and development of a business start-up, new product development, or a company/product with growth in new markets. In October 2011, Maria Borrego, a Commerce City resident and Adams City High School graduate, co-founded the mobile painting planning party, Gallery on The Go. She was joined by Mandy Thomas in 2014 and today are a staff of four full-time and two part time employees. They have now expanded to over 160 Independent Gallery Guides in 30 states, serving over 35,000 painters in 2017.

In addition to expanding across the country, Gallery on The Go is also committed to giving

back to the community. They have given over $105,000 in donations, fundraising painting parties, and free events to benefit a variety of non-profits within the Commerce City community.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Gallery On The Go, Inc. for this well-deserved recognition by Commerce City.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Foothills Integrated Health for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Woman-Owned Business of the Year Award.

Raised by entrepreneurial parents, Dr. Darcy Koehn has always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit and drive to succeed. Working in the healthcare industry for the last 15 years has afforded her the opportunity to collaborate with many different people and a variety of organizations with diverse practices and philosophies. Dr. Darcy started Foothills Integrated Health as a chiropractor 11 years ago with a focus on a holistic approach to pain management and whole-body wellness.

After recognizing a need to diversify her practice, Dr. Darcy became a Family Nurse Practitioner with a focus on functional and regenerative medicine to provide the best care for patients. She currently holds a Doctorate in Chiropractic, Master of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science, Bachelor of Science in Anatomy and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness. Dr. Darcy's training and education has allowed her practice to flourish and provide care to those in need.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Foothills Integrated Health for this well-deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud the Jefferson Center for Mental Health for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Nonprofit Business of the Year Award.

The Jefferson Center for Mental Health is a mental health and substance use organization committed to making mental health care accessible to all. Each year, the Jefferson Center helps bring hope for a brighter future to thousands of community members who struggle with mental health and substance abuse disorders, individuals whose daily lives have been disrupted and whose mental health problems contribute to difficulties at work or school, hospitalization, homelessness, or even involvement with the juvenile or criminal justice system.

The Jefferson Center's programs and services serve people of all ages and foster the recovery and resiliency of clients throughout their treatment. Their services include outpatient counseling, 24-hour emergency services, wellness classes, recovery-focused support groups, vocational services, homeless prevention assistance and school-based counseling.

The Jefferson Center provides services at 20 clinic locations and various places in the community such as schools, healthcare offices, nursing homes, community centers and foster homes. Because the Jefferson Center offices are throughout our neighborhoods, the Center staff members are intertwined in the community and provide personal care to the people they treat.

I extend my deepest congratulations to the Jefferson Center for Mental Health for this well-deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud the Ramos Law for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Medium Business of the Year Award.

When determining what type of medicine to pursue, Dr. Joseph Ramos kept asking one question: ``What kind of medicine can I do that everyone can get, regardless of race, religion, sexual preference or ability to pay?'' And only one answer came to mind: emergency room medicine. Dr. Ramos strongly believes in inclusion, and the ER is the one place where a homeless man can be seen next to a gunshot victim or a wealthy CEO. After completing law school, Dr. Ramos began serving clients in the same way he treated his patients--with respect and inclusion.

As a business leader, Dr. Ramos understands the importance of investing in and giving back to his community. He routinely lectures at schools, donates significant resources to his church, supports programs for his neighborhood as well as overseas. In addition, he supports multiple sports teams and scholarship programs.

Dr. Ramos is an inspiration of how to achieve a dream with a great support system and a lot of hard work. He demonstrates focus, dedication and commitment to excellence. Regardless of the level of success he achieves, he's always putting people first.

I extend my deepest congratulations to the Ramos Law for this well- deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Bill Marino for receiving the 2017 Steve Burkholder Diamond Legacy Award from the West Chamber of Commerce.

Bill Marino came to Colorado in 1995 with his wife, Jane, and two children. While they came here on vacation, they decided to stay. While his private ventures have taken him to London, San Francisco and Sydney, his touchstone for 20+ years has been Lakewood, Colorado. His willingness to service his community started when he served as president of his local neighborhood group. He was asked by then- Lakewood Mayor Linda Morton to be a part of a community discussion on land use, which resulted in his appointment to the Planning Commission, where he served for eight years. During the time, Bill oversaw the planning and development of Colorado Mills, Creekside on Colfax and Belmar.

Bill has now worked with four consecutive Lakewood mayors. While serving as Planning Commission Chair, former Mayor Steve Burkholder appointed him to his Blue-Ribbon Committee on West Colfax that developed the West Colfax Action Plan. In 2009, he was asked by former Mayor Bob Murphy to lead the charge to form a much-needed Business Improvement District along West Colfax, an initiative that had failed twice before. Most recently, he has worked with Mayor Adam Paul and local community leaders to develop and implement the West Colfax 2040 Vision Plan.

Bill currently serves as the Chief Executive of the Lakewood-W. Colfax Business Improvement District, Board Chair of 40 West Arts

District and Founder of The Creativity Lab of Colorado. He is a published author and frequent speaker on entrepreneurship and community engagement. He led the grassroots campaign for the petition drive and successful special election that formed the Lakewood-W. Colfax BID and championed the formation of a new arts district along West Colfax, now one of 21 state-certified creative districts in Colorado.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Bill Marino for this well- deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Nicole McCabe Design for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Minority-Owned Business of the Year Award.

Nicole McCabe is the owner of Nicole McCabe Design which is a full service graphic design firm offering innovative design and marketing solutions. This boutique firm specializes in corporate identity, print, packaging, signage and event collateral. Established in San Francisco 20 years ago, Nicole relocated her family and business to Lakewood 10 years ago. Her business offers design communication nationwide, to start-ups, non-profits and businesses of all sizes. At Nicole McCabe Design, their mission is to provide graphic design solutions that communicate the vision of their clients.

As a minority business owner, Nicole feels it's essential to inspire not only people of color, but anyone facing challenges in their personal or professional life. She enjoys sharing the benefits of owning a business, such as learning tenacity, standing up to face challenges, personal growth, and the people you meet. Nicole is a graduate of Pasadena Art Center College of Design and San Francisco State University.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Nicole McCabe Design for this well-deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Minuteman Press of Lakewood for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award.

Minuteman Press of Lakewood believes that every business or organization is a force for good in the community, bringing economic growth, education and employment opportunities. As a strong supporter of their community, Minuteman Press works to help local businesses and organizations communicate their values and brand, and build relationships that inspire customers to choose you again and again.

The owners, Meg Gideon and Mike Inzitari, spent most of their careers in large corporations prior to opening their Lakewood franchise in September 2016. Their vision was to run a business together that enshrines their shared values of family, economy and community.

A month before opening their doors, Mike got involved in many networking events and programs. Now, almost a year and a half and many mixers later, Minuteman Press of Lakewood is thrilled to be counted among the numerous local businesses and organizations that are privileged to be a daily force for good in our community.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Minuteman Press of Lakewood for this well-deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and applaud Yard House for receiving the 2017 West Chamber of Commerce Large Business of the Year Award.

Yard House is a modern American gathering place, where food and beer lovers unite. The restaurant offers 130 taps of draft brews, an array of crafted cocktails, and a globally-inspired menu featuring more than 100 made-from-scratch favorites. Each Yard House location has a distinct vibe with custom artwork, a classic and current rock soundtrack of 10,000 songs and glass-enclosed keg room housing up to 3,000 gallons of fresh, quality beer. Founded in Long Beach, Calif., in 1996, Yard House now has 71 restaurants across 24 states and is open daily for lunch, dinner, happy hour and late-night dining.

The Colorado Mills Yard House has been part of the Lakewood community for 14 years. When hail split the roof of the restaurant in May 2017, they needed to close for refurbishment. During this time, they continued to pay their employees until reopening in August 2017. Throughout the closure, team members were offered classes biweekly on topics ranging from beer selection, wine pairings and fresh ideas for improving hospitality.

I extend my deepest congratulations to Yard House for this well- deserved recognition by the West Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I am joined today by Jared Huffman from California. And eventually, I think, Brendan Boyle from Philadelphia, the home of the new NFC champions, is also going to join us.

What we are going to talk about is: What are the Republicans afraid of? What is it they are hiding? What is it they think is going on with respect to this investigation of the President and his ties to Russia?

It starts from the very beginning. This time last year, we asked the President: Are you going to turn over your tax returns so that people can see what is in your tax returns; whether you have relations with the Russians, or who knows who?

Every President for the last 40 or 50 years has turned over their tax returns. But, of course, the President did not turn over his tax returns and has refused to turn over his tax returns.

The first thing you ask is: What is in there? What are you hiding?

Now, what we see is a concerted effort by the Republicans in the Congress and in the White House to smear and disparage hardworking law enforcement officers in the FBI, in the intelligence community, and the Department of Justice, who have been tasked with trying to figure out whether or not Russia involved itself criminally in our elections last year and whether or not there is any implication of the Trump campaign with respect to those particular efforts by the Russians.

We need to make sure that Russia does not hack into our elections, does not participate in a way that favors one party over another or one candidate over another.

These investigations started and the first thing the President did was fire Jim Comey from the FBI. Through a process, the Justice Department then appoints a special prosecutor, a special counsel, to continue this investigation.

Since that has occurred, there have been a couple of indictments and a couple of plea agreements. Michael Flynn, who was the intelligence head for the President, has faced part of this investigation. There was Paul Manafort and Richard Gates, who were involved in the campaign, and then George Papadopoulos.

But that is just the tip of the iceberg. All these people, both on the Trump campaign side and all of these Russians, have played some kind of a role, and this investigation must be pursued.

My friends on the Republican side of the aisle can complain, can stomp their feet, can throw mud at the individuals who are asked to do these investigations, but these investigations must continue so that the people understand exactly what happened and to make sure that the Russians are not allowed to participate and infiltrate and affect our elections once again.

There are just a couple of questions: What are you afraid of? What are you hiding? Is there a coverup of some kind here?

The bottom line is: just let our law enforcement individuals do their detective work, do what they were asked to do, and leave them alone and let it be done. If it exculpates and proved that nothing happened, then great. But if there is some wrongdoing here, America needs to know about it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from northern California (Mr. Huffman).

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from California for his comments. He was talking about a memo.

One of the former chairmen of the House Intelligence Committee, a guy named Mike Rogers, was also a panelist, I think, on a CNN program. Apparently, this memo is going to be released today against all sorts of norms with respect to the Intelligence Committee and classified information. His words were, releasing a memo like this is farcical.

It is a mistake. It starts to undermine so many things with respect to our intelligence community, the trust that we have with our allies, and all of it to kind of put up this smoke screen. They go after the law enforcement agents, who are the detectives on the beat. Now they are releasing information that is incomplete and, in Mike Rogers's words, ``farcical,'' to try to distract, divert, avoid the real conversation, which is: What did the Russians do? How did they play in the elections? Was there any kind of cooperation, collusion, whatever it might be, with the Trump campaign?

We know that Bob Mueller was appointed. He has been a lifelong Republican. Everybody embraced his position as special counsel when it first came about, but quickly the President was

thinking about firing him. Now people want to smear all of this: It is a mistake.

The real question is: What are you hiding?

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brendan F. Boyle), my friend from Philadelphia, who is a pretty happy camper because his Eagles are going to be playing in the Super Bowl on Sunday.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Pennsylvania for the history lesson he just reminded us about. His words are ones that I don't think I can add anything to.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Huffman), my friend, if he has anything else to add.

But I just want the Speaker to know and I want this Chamber to know that we are not going to go away. We are not going to allow things to be hidden. We are not going to allow things to be covered up. This has got to run its full course, just as my friend said.

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 9 o'clock and 56 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, January 30, 2018, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.