Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a visionary social justice innovator and academic who is making space for African American women and girls to celebrate who they are and what they bring to the world, and bringing new and critical opportunities to students at Michigan State University.

Ruth Nicole Brown is the Inaugural Chairperson of and Professor in the Department of African American and African Studies at Michigan State University. Dr. Brown, an internationally recognized leader in Black Girlhood, joined MSU on July 1, 2020, and quickly got to work creating and advancing the mission of this new degree-granting department of the university. Thanks to her efforts, beginning in the 2022-23 school year, MSU students were able for the first time to declare a major in African American and American Studies, and many have jumped at the opportunity.

In addition to her academic and administrative accomplishments, Dr. Brown is the founder of Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths, a creative space that brings young African American girls together to celebrate Black girlhood. She also started BlackGirl Genius Week, a city/ university wide social media takeover and awareness campaign focusing on rising Black women. She has written several books on the topic, and is a highly sought after speaker.

It's this combination of scholarly work and public engagement that makes Dr. Brown such an innovator. One day she is co-editing educational research anthologies and articles about racial equality and feminism, and the next day she is performing in powerful pieces combining music, images, and words.

Dr. Brown is the master of seeing a void and stepping up to fill it. The performance community she has created responds to a need for spaces where Black girls and women are seen and valued. And the department she chairs allows students for the first time to center their studies on Black history, including a critical exploration of the role of feminism and gender.

Today I salute Dr. Brown for the many ways she is changing the game: through art, through music, and through education. I am so grateful that along with her many distinguished titles we are able to call her a Michigan State University Spartan. May her successes and contributions continue to enrich the MSU community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to communicate to you the profound influence and legacy of a man who was the ultimate communicator. Larry Carter dedicated his life to informing and uplifting Lansing, Michigan's Black community, first through the radio, and later through a newspaper he founded with his wife, Carolyn, that continues in publication today under his daughter's hand.

Carter, also known as Jay Price, was born in Mississippi but grew up in the Midwest, graduating from John Marshall High School in Chicago in 1967. He met his future wife, Carolyn Hill, at the age of 12, and married her shortly after graduating from Columbia College with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. Together they raised three children: Anastacio; William; and Yanice.

Larry spent the early years of his career in positions spanning several media markets across the Midwest and Southern regions. In 1984, an industry colleague convinced him to move to Lansing, Michigan, where he accepted a position in local radio. There, he quickly talked the station owner into changing the format to adult contemporary, with Larry as the morning host. He was an instant on-air success, and also worked behind the scenes as sales manager to produce commercials.

Despite the success he achieved in radio, Carter was itching to explore other avenues. In 1986, he launched a print publication initially called ``The Capital Chronicle'' and later renamed ``The Chronicle News.'' The focus was simple: fill the void Larry saw in local news coverage by spotlighting and enhancing awareness of issues in the Black community. It was a family affair from the start: Larry handled advertising sales; Carolyn learned how to design and layout the stories; and the kids enlisted their friends to deliver the paper door- to-door.

Today, Larry and Carolyn have both passed on but their legacy remains. The Chronicle Newspaper is published twice monthly, by their daughter Yanice. The free publication is distributed throughout Mid- Michigan and can be found in municipal buildings, schools, local businesses, churches, and community centers. They also leave behind the legacy of family, including their three children, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Larry was devoted to lifting up the stories of his community, and today, it is my great honor to lift up his story, with profound gratitude for his devotion to creating a platform for the Black community to be seen, heard, and understood.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of Abraham Losford, the first Black resident of Howell, Michigan--a brave man who escaped slavery and used the trade he learned while captive to build a life of freedom for his family and for generations to come.

It was 1849 when Abraham Losford fled north with nothing but his clippers from Kentucky where he had been enslaved and served as a plantation barber. He was captured, escaped again, and after Emancipation, returned to free his children, Benjamin and Sally. The plan was to travel to Lansing, Michigan, via the Old Plank Road and open a barber shop, but when Losford stopped in Howell to change stagecoaches, he was convinced to stay in the small town. The people of Howell promised to keep him safe if he would stay and open up a barber shop, which they sorely needed. It was a deal both sides would forever uphold.

Losford and his barber business both thrived in Howell, and he became a successful, respected businessman in the predominantly white community--no small feat for a former slave in the years following the end of the Civil War. Newspaper ads from the time boast of his salon offering ``Shaving, Shampooing, and Hairdressing'' for both men and women, and it was noted in the local press that when Losford fell ill, a band of 60 kids and adults joined together to bring him gifts and money in a show of support and affection for the beloved town barber.

Abraham passed the trade to his son, who went on to open a barber shop of his own in the Town of Edmore, Michigan. Today, Ben's story-- and that of his father--are immortalized in the children's book ``Benjamin Losford and his Handy, Dandy Clippers.'' It is the story of how skill equals freedom, and a potent reminder that we must all make the most of the tools we have been fortunate enough to receive.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to Michigan State University, as tonight marks 2 weeks since a horrific shooting took the lives of three innocent students and injured five others.

On February 13, 2023, Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser, and Alexandria

Verner were taken from us far too soon. Four students are still in Sparrow Hospital. One, thankfully, has been released and is at home.

In the days since, we have all spent many hours in East Lansing talking to MSU current Spartans and alumni. The strength and resilience I have witnessed has been both inspiring and moving.

I have attended vigils where thousands have shown up to honor the victims and talk to students who are too scared to leave their dorm rooms.

We have seen demonstrations where brave young students have made clear that they want action, not just thoughts and prayers.

I have also met with many of the 25 different law enforcement and first responder organizations that ran toward the danger that night. I commend the 911 dispatchers who guided agencies calmly during the response for both the shootings and the manhunt, as well as thank staff at Sparrow Hospital for saving students who were transported with gunshot wounds.

Our community is Spartan strong, but the grief remains palpable--even on my own team, my staff who is here--among current MSU and alumni.

Almost 15 months ago, this same group of Michigan lawmakers with our friends and allies stood up here to mourn the loss of life at Oxford High School. It seems beyond belief that I am a Member of Congress who has now overseen two school shootings in her district in 15 months--yet another horrific tragedy that has forever changed the families of the victims, their classmates, professors, and the entire community.

We cannot be desensitized to this senseless violence.

As the Representative of the university, I have heard from people across the State who love MSU and want to protect our children. All anyone wants is to protect our kids in a place that should be their sanctuary. Gun violence is the number one killer of children under 21, and I will work with anyone who is willing to recognize that and decide that we are not going to accept it.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues for a moment of silence for Arielle, for Brian, for Alexandria, and for the families and our State who grieve this immeasurable loss.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of my Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, every February, Black History Month affords us the opportunity to learn about, celebrate, and honor Black leaders and to shine a light on the often-neglected contributions of African Americans in every area of our history.

Today, I rise to pay tribute to 10 remarkable individuals from Michigan's Seventh Congressional District--some of them famous names, others with buried histories that deserve to be shared.

Their stories span the geographical breadth of the district as well as the depths of our Nation's history: from the Civil War heroes of escaped slaves to modern singers and scholars.

All of them should be celebrated, and all of them called Michigan home.

Before I share their stories, though, I must also share the story of our great State.

While many know Michigan for the Motor City or for Motown, what you might not know is the critical role our State played in the Underground Railroad.

There are endless accounts of our State's importance to the secret network that aided thousands of people on their journey to freedom. Conductors hid freedom seekers in their homes and barns during the day. At night, freedom seekers would go to a depot in the next town.

For many, Detroit, code name ``Midnight,'' was the last stop before making their way to a free life in Canada, but a number stayed in Michigan and started their new lives.

I am so proud of the role our State played in securing freedom, and it is my honor to highlight these stories of Black Michiganders who have been shaping our State since day one.

Tribute to Abraham Losford

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Abraham Losford, the first Black resident of Howell, Michigan; a brave man who escaped slavery and used the trade he learned while captive to build a life of freedom for his family and for generations to come.

It was 1849 when Abraham Losford fled north with nothing but his clippers from Kentucky where he had been enslaved and served as a plantation barber. He was captured, escaped again, and after emancipation, returned to free his children, Benjamin and Sally.

The plan was to travel to Lansing, Michigan, via the Old Plank Road and open a barbershop, but when Losford stopped in Howell to change stagecoaches, he was convinced to stay in the small town.

The people of Howell promised to keep him safe if he would stay and open a barbershop, which they sorely needed. It was a deal both sides would forever uphold.

Losford and his barber business thrived in Howell and he became a successful, respected businessman in the predominantly White community--no small feat for a former slave in the years following the end of the Civil War.

Newspaper ads from the time boast of his salon offering, ``Shaving, Shampooing, and Hairdressing'' for both men and women, and it was noted in the local press that when Losford fell ill, a band of 60 kids and adults joined together to bring him gifts and money in a show of support and affection for their beloved town barber.

Abraham passed the trade to his son, who went on to open a barbershop of his own in the town of Edmore, Michigan. Today, Ben's story, and that of his father, are immortalized in the children's book ``Benjamin Losford and His Handy Dandy Clippers.''

It is the story of how skill equals freedom and a potent reminder that we must all make the most of the tools we have been fortunate enough to receive.

Abraham Losford died in 1897 and was buried in Lakeview Cemetery in downtown Howell, Michigan. His obituary states that, ``His presence, as well as his open, manly character, was a living reminder of the sin of slavery. Many winters will come and go before the name of Old Uncle Abe is forgotten in this community.''

Mr. Speaker, I ask that his name and his accomplishments live forever in our hearts and minds as well as here in the permanent Record of the people's House.

Tribute to Alexander Johnson

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay tribute to a man who should have been hailed as a hero, but for too long his story was lost in history.

Alexander Johnson was a Black Civil War veteran who lived and worked in Owosso, Michigan, in the late 1800s. When a group of White residents chased most Black folks out of town, Johnson and two others refused to go.

Born in Tennessee in 1833, Johnson fled slavery and made his way to Michigan before enlisting in a Union regiment of African Americans in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to fight in the Civil War, then moving to Canada at the war's end, and later returning to Michigan to settle in Owosso with his wife.

No one knows for sure why he chose Owosso. Some historians believe Johnson's wife may have had family nearby. Others surmise he might have had connections to a home in Owosso rumored to be a part of the Underground Railroad, and still others say that at the time, the growing community was a place where people of all races moved to explore economic opportunity.

Whatever the reason, Owosso is where Alexander Johnson chose to put down his roots, opening up a downtown barbershop and was, by all accounts, a well-liked businessman and respected member of the community.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last long as racial tensions grew and the Ku Klux Klan became active in the county. The tensions culminated in 1871 when 40 White vigilantes gathered together and attempted to drive the Black residents out of town.

There is little we know about this dark moment in Owosso's history, but we do know that Alexander Johnson was a light that would not be extinguished. Johnson stayed on in Owosso, along with two other Black men, until he died.

In 1907, Johnson received a military burial at Oak Hill Cemetery in Owosso, and his story was buried with him for more than 100 years.

There are those who seek to ignore or even wipe away those painful pieces of our history, and there are those who understand that we cannot ever be great without acknowledging our failures, learning from them, and moving forward with a commitment to grow.

The Owosso Rotary Club falls into that latter category, as they were the ones not just to uncover Johnson's story, but to acknowledge and honor it as a piece of Owosso's history.

Alexander Johnson was formally recognized by the Owosso Rotary on Veterans Day 2021 with a solemn ceremony at his grave site.

It is only fitting that I, too, join in paying tribute to this great man whose convictions led him first out of slavery and then to fight for a country he believed in to establish the life he wanted and to stay in the community that he loved.

May his memory be a blessing and an inspiration to all of us and may his story forever rest here in the permanent Record of the people's House.

Tribute to Hiram Archer

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor one of the first African-American college athletes and scholars who paved the way for students of color across the State of Michigan and this Nation.

Hiram Archer was the first student of color to be officially documented as a graduate of Olivet College located in Eaton County in Michigan's Seventh District, a historic place in and of itself.

He attended Olivet from 1888 to 1904, and played on the school's varsity baseball team, making him one of the first ten Black athletes in the Nation to play intercollegiate sports.

While a student at Olivet, Archer was active in music and other creative endeavors. A gifted public speaker, Archer won several oratory and debate contests, and spoke at prominent events, including the inauguration of college president, William G. Sperry, in 1893.

The school considers him to be a model representative of both the history and the future goals of students of color at Olivet.

Archer remained at Olivet to complete his master's degree in science and went on to earn a doctorate. He went on to serve in leadership positions at several academic institutions, at the college in Normal, Alabama, which today is known as Alabama A&M University.

He finished his career with the Smithsonian Institution here in D.C., as a nationally recognized scientist. Archer passed away in 1945, having made Olivet and the State of Michigan proud. His alma mater says Archer's life's work is a testament to Olivet College's academic vision: ``Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.''

According to Olivet's current president, Dr. Steven Corey, Archer's successes were extraordinary for anyone, but for an African American in the late 1800s, they were truly groundbreaking and added much to the rich, Black history that has shaped this college and our country.

Today, his legacy lives on at Olivet with the Hiram Archer Student Success Academy, a mentorship and support group for students of color on campus.

It shall live on here in the people's House where I ask that he be forever remembered for his pioneering contributions to the great State of Michigan.

Tribute to Dr. Eva Evans

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a legend of Lansing, Michigan, whose tireless advocacy on behalf of effective education for students of color changed the trajectory of hundreds of young lives in mid-Michigan.

Dr. Eva Evans was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in Detroit where she attended Northern High School in the early 1950s.

Former teachers and fellow students remember her as one of the most willing, giving, and compassionate people they have ever met, traits that would ultimately define her life of service.

She went on to earn a bachelor of science from Wayne State and both a master's and doctorate from Michigan State University.

Dr. Evans served in a number of administrative positions in the Lansing School District, from director of elementary education to deputy superintendent, the first female ever to hold that position.

As a leader in the school system, she developed and implemented innovative programs such as schools of choice and a district-wide talent fair for students and staff.

She connected the school district with Lansing Community College and Michigan State for the 2+2+2 Program, which channels minority students right into Michigan State's College of Engineering.

While she had a particular passion for math and science, she also created ``Be a Star'' performing arts programs.

These programs and partnerships have endured over the years, benefiting countless individuals and shaping practice and policy in education, healthcare, social services, and beyond.

Outside the school buildings, Dr. Evans tirelessly devoted herself to dozens of causes, giving of herself in leadership roles.

She was the 24th international president of Alpha Kappa Alpha, AKA, and chair of LCC, the Lansing Community College Foundation, president of the Lansing Woman's Club, and grand marshal of the African American Parade and Family Picnic in Lansing.

Evans was also appointed by the governor to serve on the Michigan Council for the Humanities and was chairwoman for the Michigan Department of Civil Rights.

She championed causes with the American Red Cross and created programs to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS.

I like to think of her as a great connector--connecting underprivileged students to education beyond high school, connecting communities in need of programs that had the capacity to help, and simply connecting people to each other.

Dr. Evans passed away in 2020, receiving numerous honors in her adopted hometown of Lansing, including the YMCA's Diana Award for Excellence in Education, the NAACP's Educator of the Year, the Lansing Chamber of Commerce's Athena Award, the Crystal Apple Award for Education from Michigan State University, and the Applause Award from the Lansing Center of the Arts.

But I believe the greatest honor and the most profound title she ever received was to be called a teacher.

I ask that the permanent Record of this Chamber reflect her enduring lessons and legacy and that her service be forever remembered here in the United States House of Representatives.

Tribute to Clifton Wharton, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in honor of a man who has spent his entire life and career breaking racial barriers and paving the way for future generations of Black scholars and leaders.

The name Clifton Wharton, Jr., is known by many in the Michigan State University community thanks to the predominant campus landmark: The Wharton Center for the Performing Arts.

But in addition to his name, I want them to know his story as it features a persistent rise against the odds, a tale worthy of being staged inside the building that is now bearing his name.

By the time Clifton Wharton, Jr., became the president of Michigan State University, the first African American to head a major, predominantly White university in the United States, he was no stranger to being first.

Wharton, who grew up in Boston, entered Harvard University at age 16. There he became the first Black announcer at the campus radio station and the first Black Secretary of the National Student Association, a lobbying group that he founded.

Later, he was the first African American admitted to Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago.

He worked for about a decade with the Agriculture Development Council, a nongovernmental agency, before he returned to the academic world.

When the MSU trustees appointed him the university's 14th president in 1969, it was a time of tremendous change and cultural upheaval in the country, with college campuses taking center stage in the civil rights movement and protests over the Vietnam war.

Against that tumultuous backdrop, Wharton set another first: Unlike any other major university president of the time, he supported students who demanded that their concerns be heard, even offering to personally take student petitions against the war to Michigan's congressional delegation in Washington, D.C.

Wharton's 8-year tenure at MSU's helm was marked by his successful efforts to maintain the quality of the university's academic programs in the face of major budget cuts, his commitment to serving underprivileged students, and the integration of the College of Osteopathic Medicine with the other medical schools.

In 1978, Wharton achieved another first when he stepped down from MSU to become the chancellor of the State University of New York system, making him the first African-American leader there of the Nation's largest university system.

But he wasn't done breaking barriers. In 1987, he was named the president and CEO of the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association- College Retirement Equities Fund, making him the first Black CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

He held that role until 1993, when he became the Deputy Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton, not surprisingly, the first Black American to ever hold the second-highest foreign policy post.

I salute Dr. Wharton for his groundbreaking career and the path of excellence he has blazed, and I am humbled to be the first to ask that his accomplishments be forever enshrined in the official Record of the people's House, the House of Representatives.

Tribute to Larry Carter

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to communicate to you the profound influence and legacy of a man who was the ultimate communicator.

Larry Carter dedicated his life to informing and uplifting Lansing, Michigan's, Black community, first through the radio, and later through a newspaper he founded with his wife, Carolyn, that continues in publication today under his daughter's hand.

Carter, also known as Jay Price, was born in Mississippi but grew up in the Midwest, graduating from John Marshall High School in Chicago in 1967.

He met his future wife, Carolyn Hill, at the age of 12, and married her shortly after graduating from Columbia College with a degree in broadcast journalism. Together, they raised three beautiful children.

Larry spent the early years of his career in positions spanning several media markets across the Midwest and southern regions.

In 1984, an industry colleague convinced him to move to Lansing, Michigan, where he accepted a position in local radio.

There, he quickly talked the station owner into changing the format to adult contemporary, with Larry as the morning host.

He was an instant on-air success, and also worked behind the scenes as sales manager to produce commercials.

Despite what he achieved in radio, Carter was itching to explore other avenues. In 1986, he launched a print publication initially called ``The Capital Chronicle'' and later renamed ``The Chronicle News.''

The focus was simple: Fill the void Larry saw in local news coverage by spotlighting and enhancing awareness of issues in the Black community.

It was a family affair from the start: Larry handled advertising sales, Carolyn learned how to design and lay out the stories, and the kids enlisted their friends to deliver the paper door to door.

Today, Larry and Carolyn have both passed, but their legacy remains. The Chronicle newspaper is published twice monthly by their daughter.

The free publication is distributed throughout mid-Michigan and can be found in municipal buildings, schools, local businesses, churches, and community centers.

They also leave behind the legacy of family, including their three children, six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Larry was devoted to lifting up the stories of his community, and today, it is my great honor to lift up his story and inscribe it in the official Record of the United States House of Representatives with profound gratitude for his devotion to creating a platform for the Black community to be seen, heard, and understood.

Tribute to Barbara Lewis

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a legend of R&B sound who hails not from a musical capital like Detroit, Chicago, or New York, but from a small town in Michigan's Seventh District, South Lyon.

Barbara Lewis was born into a powerful legacy as the great- granddaughter of Civil War veteran John W. Lewis.

She was also born with a musical heritage, as her bandleader father played trumpet, her mother and uncle played sax, and her aunt was a music teacher.

Surrounded by the symphony of sound, it was no surprise that Barbara began playing piano, guitar, and harmonica at an early age, writing songs at the age of 9, and singing lead vocals at family jam sessions in her teens.

While Barbara told her friends and family that she had no intention of pursuing music as a career, a meeting with Ollie McLaughlin, an Ann Arbor deejay-turned-producer and manager, changed all that and changed the course of her life.

Impressed by her talent and her original songs, he signed Barbara on the spot. In 1962, she recorded her first two singles, one of them a peppy, upbeat piece called ``My Heart Went Do Dat Da,'' and was, according to Barbara, written on her upright piano while she was babysitting one night while still attending South Lyon High School.

Lewis holds the distinction of being the first Michigan artist to record for Atlantic Records. In the span of her career, she went on to record three Top Ten R&B hits for McLaughlin's record label, including the number one smash, ``Hello Stranger.''

She also had ten songs on Billboard's Hot 100 during the 1960s, ranking her second only to Aretha Franklin, also of Michigan, in terms of chart success for female solo artists from the State.

Barbara recorded songs at the legendary Motown Studios in Detroit and performed with some of the greatest R&B artists of her time.

Many of her songs have been remade and remastered and live on today, including by Queen Latifah, with others featured on hit movie soundtracks, including ``The Bridges of Madison County.''

Barbara returned to Michigan in 1971, following stints in New York and Chicago, and lived many years in her home State before relocating to Florida.

She received the Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999, and in 2016, Barbara Lewis was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

While health issues forced her to retire in 2017, I ask that her legendary sound and contributions to the arts be forever recorded in our hearts and here in the permanent Record of the United States House of Representatives.

Tribute to Carrie Owens

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of an extraordinary educator who shaped the lives of thousands of mid-Michigan students during her groundbreaking career.

Carrie Owens grew up in Florida during the time of segregation and high racial tensions, and she knew from an early age she wanted to work toward dismantling the systems she saw all around her.

Though her parents had no formal education, they pushed their kids to have what they did not have, and a young Carrie thrived in school.

She eventually became a teacher and was hired at Okemos Public Schools in 1964, becoming the first Black teacher in the district.

It is said that when Mrs. Owens first interviewed for a job at Cornell Elementary in Okemos, she vowed to help

each student individually because she recognized what many even in education circles did not yet grasp--that all students learn at different paces and in different ways.

Just as she thrived in school, Owens did everything to ensure her students did the same, and she was put in charge of a transitional class of elementary school students who, up until that point, had had limited success in school.

Owens made sure that each of her students progressed to grade level and empowered them to understand how they learned.

Word of her tireless dedication to student success and her innovative teaching philosophy spread quickly, and many families moved to Okemos just so their children could be in her class.

By the time she retired from teaching in 2001, she had touched thousands of young lives and helped change the face of education in our community.

Not only did her hiring pave the way for other teachers of color, but by the end of her career, Okemos had its first Black superintendent, and the district was overall a more diverse, inclusive community.

As we mark Black History Month, I salute Carrie Owens, who is Black history in Okemos. This trailblazing teacher has left her mark on the hearts and minds of the entire community, and we are so much better for her service.

May her lessons live on in the students she touched, in all the lives that she changed, and here in the permanent Record of the United States House of Representatives.

Tribute to Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay tribute to one of the greatest basketball players of all time, a man who brought so much magic to the game it quite literally became part of his name. It all began in Michigan's capital city of Lansing, his hometown.

To say that Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson came from humble roots is an understatement. His mother was a school janitor, and his father worked at General Motors on the assembly line by day and collected garbage in the evenings.

Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, earning his nickname ``Garbage Man'' with the neighborhood kids.

All that teasing ended when he hit the basketball court. Johnson started playing as a youngster. By the time he graduated from Lansing Everett High School, where he had led his team to a State championship and was dubbed ``Magic,'' he was already considered the greatest high school basketball player to ever come out of Michigan.

He moved just down the road to East Lansing, attending Michigan State University, where he became a two-time All-American, leading the Spartans to the 1979 National Championship while being voted the Most Outstanding Player of the Year in that year's Final Four.

He was the number one overall selection for the 1979 NBA draft, chosen by the L.A. Lakers, where he would go on to play his entire professional career.

The stats are dazzling. In his 13 seasons with the Lakers, Johnson was a key member of five NBA championships, as well as being a 12-time All-Star, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and three-time league MVP. During his NBA career, Johnson averaged 19.5 points per game, 7.2 rebounds per game, and 11 assists per game.

He was a member of the original NBA Dream Team, winning a Gold Medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Both his Spartan jersey and his Lakers jersey were retired, and Magic Johnson has been inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame, and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.

Johnson stunned the world in 1991 with the announcement that he had tested positive for HIV. It was a seismic moment in our culture, as an athlete of Johnson's stature vowed in public to raise awareness about a virus that was shrouded in stigma.

In the decades since that pivotal moment, his advocacy off the court has been as impressive as his skills on the court, and he has not been limited to that one topic.

He has used his platform to support so many causes, from HIV and AIDS to mental health, COVID vaccines, and the transformational power of wealth-building for Black families.

Johnson has said about his legacy: ``Now these kids dream that they can become not only a basketball player or a football player, but they can become a businessman. So that is what is important, that we have power and that we have a seat at the table.''

With gratitude for his enduring contributions, I submit to the permanent Record of the United States House of Representatives that Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson not only provided a seat at the table but helped construct it, a table formed in the heart of East Lansing, shaped by a fierce work ethic and raw talent and sprinkled with magic.

Tribute to Dr. Ruth Nicole Brown

Finally, Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to pay tribute to a visionary social justice innovator and academic who is making space for African-American women and girls to celebrate who they are and what they bring to the world, and bringing new and critical opportunities to students at Michigan State University.

Ruth Nicole Brown is the inaugural chairperson of and professor in the Department of African American and African Studies at MSU.

Dr. Brown, an internationally recognized leader in Black girlhood, joined MSU on July 1, 2020, and quickly got to work creating and advancing the mission of this new degree-granting department at the university. Thanks to her efforts, beginning in the 2022-23 school year, MSU students were, for the first time, able to declare a major in African American and American studies, and many have jumped at the opportunity.

In addition to her academic and administrative accomplishments, Dr. Brown is the founder of Saving Our Lives Hear Our Truths, a creative space that brings young African-American girls together to celebrate Black girlhood.

She also started Black Girl Genius Week, a city and university-wide social media takeover and awareness campaign focusing on rising Black women. She has written several books on the topic and is a highly sought-after speaker.

It is this combination of scholarly work and public engagement that makes Dr. Brown such an innovator. One day she is coediting educational research and anthologies and articles about racial equality and feminism, and the next day she is performing powerful pieces combining music, images, and words.

Dr. Brown is the master of seeing a void and stepping up to fill it.

The performance community she has created responds to a need for spaces where Black girls and women are seen and valued. The department she chairs allows students, for the first time, to center their studies on Black history, including a critical exploration of the role of feminism and gender.

Today, I salute Dr. Brown for the many ways she is changing the game--through art, through music, and through education.

I am so grateful that, along with her many distinguished titles, we are able to call her a Michigan State University Spartan.

May her successes and contributions continue to enrich the MSU community and be acknowledged here, in the permanent record of the United States House of Representatives.

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

Mr. Speaker, today l rise to pay tribute to a beloved teacher, athlete, coach, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend who inspired so many during her 45 years on earth, and continues to inspire and teach us even in death. Linsey Anne Ebert was born on September 12, 1977 in Howell, Michigan. She grew up in Fowlerville with her parents, Cecelia and Randy, and her older sister, Tonya. Active in many sports from a young age, Linsey found her true passion on the volleyball court, playing on the varsity team as a high school freshman, earning all-state honors and eventually signing to play for the University of Michigan on a full scholarship.

There, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1999 while racking up victories for the Wolverine volleyball team and helping lead them to the NCAA tournament. To this day, she holds numerous university records, and even played internationally for a brief time after graduation.

As significant as her collegiate and athletic accomplishments were, they were just the beginning for Linsey, who went on to earn not one but two Master's degrees from the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, along with her teaching certifications. Her abiding faith was evident in all she did, including her early years teaching at-risk youth in Chicago Public Schools. The tug of family brought her back to Michigan, and in 2012 she was hired to teach middle school science and social studies in Dansville Public Schools, and as a volleyball coach at Fowlerville High School.

There are those who were born to teach, and Linsey was a prime example. She poured her heart into her lesson plans and her students and was passionate about implementing the most effective, research- based strategies. She mentored thousands of students and always sought to ensure they knew they were seen, valued, and loved, while pushing them to become academically proficient. Linsey was the first to step up to lead an extracurricular activity or club, to chaperone a trip, or to fill a void, including learning a whole new curriculum when the district needed a high school biology teacher. She was passionate about understanding systemic racism, educational inequities, and reaching marginalized students. It's no surprise that in 2018, Linsey was chosen as the Dansville Teacher of the Year for her outstanding teaching and service to the school and community.

I had the chance to meet Linsey a few years ago and hear firsthand her passionate belief in the power of education to change lives. She was active and engaged on every issue, and radiated love for her students and her craft.

Every one of us can look back and identify a teacher who made a difference. For thousands of students, Linsey Ebert was exactly that. She was brilliant, accomplished, and humble, and her sudden death rips a hole in the fabric of this small community. But even in death, Linsey, a registered organ donor, continues to teach us what it means to be fully devoted to the service of others. Mr. Speaker, I send my condolences to her family, her friends, her former colleagues, and the entire Dansville community. Just as her lessons will live on in the people she loved, it is only fitting that her name and her story be forever remembered.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the career of a consummate public

servant tirelessly devoted to improving the health and safety of the community. For the past decade, Linda Vail has served as Health Officer for Ingham County, overseeing more than 400 employees, an annual budget of more than $50 million, and a network of health centers. And she's done so by always keeping science and justice at the forefront, with a no-nonsense, analytical approach. This, even as she faced extreme challenges brought on by a global pandemic, social upheaval, and the politicization of the field she so loves.

But it all began with a girl and a chemistry kit. Growing up in suburban Atlanta, a young Linda Vail was fortunate to have parents who nurtured her love of science. After excelling in all scientific endeavors in high school, Vail went on to earn a bachelor's degree in microbiology from the University of Georgia. Four years later, she arrived in Kalamazoo, Michigan as a researcher for pharmaceutical giant Upjohn. In 1996, she earned a Master's degree in public health administration at Western Michigan University, which led to her first public service position in emergency preparedness at Kalamazoo County's Health Department. She was soon promoted to deputy health officer, and then in 2006 to the role of health officer.

Her disaster preparation skills and studies were quickly put to the test when, in 2010, a pipeline rupture on the Kalamazoo River resulted in one of the largest inland oil spills in U.S. history. It was the efforts and advocacy of Linda and her team that kept that toxic sludge from reaching Lake Michigan, mixing with superfund sites, and multiplying the disaster into an all-out ecological and health catastrophe.

She joined the Ingham County Health Department shortly after, and became Health Officer in 2014. Under her tenure, Vail has brought a holistic, equity-based approach to the role and to the community. From greenlighting clean syringe exchange programs, to securing federal funds for gun violence prevention groups, and advocating for a declaration of racism as a public health crisis, Linda has constantly sought to amplify and expand the definition of what it means for a community to be healthy.

I came to know Linda as she skillfully led the county's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She was the clear, concise, voice that calmly cut through the chaos, and I am so grateful for the way she always made herself available to me and my team. In early 2021, I joined her alongside volunteers to support a drive through vaccination clinic at Michigan State University, an experience I will never forget, and one made possible by her professionalism and advocacy.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that Linda Vail's exemplary leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic saved countless lives in mid-Michigan, but it was not without a toll on her own. As she now steps back from the pressures of public health in an effort to focus on her own well-being, I salute her extraordinary devotion to reducing disparities, eliminating inequities, and creating a healthier, more just community for all. I wish her all the best in retirement and offer my gratitude for her long and fruitful career, and for her service above self.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a group of motivated students in Livingston County who have a few things to teach the adults in the room. The Brighton High School Leadership Class of 2023 represents not just some of the best and brightest students in the great state of Michigan, but a group that gives me so much hope for the future because of the way they have dedicated themselves to improving the world around them.

While this class takes on many projects and endeavors, today I would like to highlight one in particular. Every year in October, the Leadership Class takes on the planning and execution of a weeklong fundraiser to support the local cancer center. But to call this a simple fundraiser does not encompass the scope of the endeavor. ``Pink Week'' is a citywide engagement initiative designed to unite the community around a common cause, and it's entirely student-led.

At the start of the week, BHS students paint downtown Brighton pink with spirit, covering store fronts, businesses and restaurants with pink ribbons and supportive messages. The days that follow are a flurry of pastel activity at the high school, including daily baked goods and t-shirt sales, face painting, driveway decorating, a 5K race, a vocal competition, a powder puff football game, and a traditional football game complete with a ``Pink

Out'' in the stands and an emotional Survivor Walk around the field. And it's not just a high school activity--every building in the district takes part in Pink Week activities, and students solicit donations and prizes from the generous local business community. The Leadership Class organizes and executes all of this, under the guidance and direction of their teacher, Mrs. Kelly Armstrong, and with the support and backing of the administration, all while balancing challenging coursework, college applications, varsity sports, musical endeavors, part-time jobs, and the general ups and downs of high school life.

Pink Week is a cherished tradition in Brighton, annually bringing in thousands of dollars to support cancer treatment for local residents. But the class of 2023 broke all records, raising close to $55,000 in a single week for the Trinity Health Cancer Center, located just a few miles from their high school.

Mr. Speaker, today's high school seniors have had to navigate and overcome so much: the massive disruptions of a global pandemic, social and political upheaval, a mental health crisis, the very real threat of gun violence, and so many more obstacles than they should have had to face in just 18 years of life. And yet in Brighton, still they rise in the service of others. I submit that these students are not waiting to become the leaders of tomorrow; they are stepping up today. I applaud the extraordinary accomplishments of the Brighton High School Leadership Class of 2023. Long may they continue to lead the way.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to the strength, resilience, and heart of Oxford, Michigan: a small town that was forever changed on November 30, 2021. That day, the world watched in horror as news broke that a gunman had opened fire at Oxford High School, killing four people and injuring eight others. It was a community-wide tragedy the depth and breadth of which I have never experienced, and one that forever changed the trajectory of life for all those in and around Oxford.

But before it was a headline, Oxford was a close-knit town, the kind of place where neighbors reach out to help neighbors, where people of all ages gather at the local diner sporting Wildcat blue and gold before packing the stands for Friday night football games.

After the unimaginable happened, Oxford was fundamentally changed, clothed from head to toe in profound and overwhelming grief. While that grief will never completely lift, I have seen this community transform yet again through countless acts of kindness and bravery--both from around the world and from right within this community--because Oxford is a place where neighbors reach out to help neighbors.

The examples would fill a library, but to share just a few: the legions of Oxford businesses like Meijer, Sick Pizza, and Legacy Center that opened their doors to provide a safe haven for students and families and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support victims. Their contributions, both financial and emotional, are too numerous to count and will never be forgotten.

Oxford Township President Jack Curtis and Oxford Village President Joe Madore responded immediately to the crisis, and worked tirelessly to provide anything and everything they could. They led their boards to channel grief into action, banding together to bring every available resource--local, state, and federal--into this community. And dedicated public servant C.J. Carnacchio used his skill and stalwart determination to tell Oxford's story, playing a pivotal role in bringing meaningful benefits and resources into the community.

More than 30 emergency service agencies--police, fire, and EMS-- rushed into the school that day, and today they continue to

show up to address the ongoing challenges of public safety, mental health support, and other needs for their own staff, for the schools, and for surrounding communities.

I continue to be amazed by the bravery and resilience of Oxford High School students, many of whom have become fierce advocates for gun safety and mental health. And I am in awe of the teachers and staff who define fortitude and service above self every day when, despite their own pain and suffering, they walk back into the building and turn their focus to their students.

In the days and months since the shooting, I have watched leaders emerge from every corner of Oxford, and through them I have seen how grief can walk hand-in-hand with hope, stitched with an indestructible fabric of Wildcat blue and gold. Because above all, Oxford is a place where neighbors reach out to help neighbors.

It has been the honor of my life to represent this community in Congress, and today while one tragic day broke Oxford's heart, it did not and it will not break this community's spirit. Through our collective grief, and through this declaration, may we forever honor the people of Oxford and the memories of Hana, Tate, Madisyn, and Justin.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Kathleen Kline- Hudson, an extraordinary public servant upon her retirement, and to pay tribute to her dedication and devotion to community planning over the past 3 decades that have helped shape and mold Livingston County, Michigan into the thriving, vibrant place it is today.

Nearly 32 years ago, with the ink barely dry on her Master's degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan, Kathleen Kline- Hudson was hired as a ``principal planner'' with the Livingston County Planning Department. By 2009 she had risen through the ranks to become its director, a position she has held for the past 13 years. All this at a time when the county was experiencing unprecedented growth and transforming from a collection of predominantly rural areas to a bustling bedroom community at the crossroads of the region's major expressways.

A self-proclaimed data nerd, Kathleen thrived on organizing critical information about that growth into tables and graphs and analyzing what the changes meant for Livingston County. She created data books and detailed community profiles that now serve as historical documentation of the county's trajectory. Three times--in 2000, 2010, and 2020--she helped lead the effort to ensure every resident was counted in the decennial census, serving on the Complete Count Committees, revising census tracts based on population and housing units, and ultimately crunching the numbers that came in to plan for the county's future. She helped draft Livingston County's first master plan in 2002, and its second in 2018, which won statewide and national awards.

But Kathleen Kline-Hudson has not been a simple observer of Livingston County's trends, or a mere chronicler of its past. A county resident, her devotion to her work as a land use planner has always been rooted in her abiding love for the place she calls home and her passionate advocacy for creating more diverse, equitable, and accessible communities. She served as a founding director of the Livingston County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, helping the organization obtain nonprofit status and break ground on its first local home. She facilitated a grassroots committee focused on affordable housing, reviewed all proposed developments along the M-59 corridor, and coordinated the opening of Fillmore and Lutz County Parks, to name just a few of her many accomplishments and contributions to the betterment county.

As she now closes this chapter as a county planner, my wish is that her personal planner will be filled with quality time with her cherished family and friends, the traveling adventures she so loves, kayaking, hiking, biking, and Michigan-themed crafting. Kathleen Kline- Hudson charted a course of excellence for Livingston County that will not be forgotten.

Madam Speaker, it is with the utmost appreciation for his distinguished career and life of service that I rise today to honor Judge Richard Ball of East Lansing. After three decades on the bench and nearly 20 years of service in the Michigan National Guard, I extend my congratulations to Judge Ball on his retirement and express my deep gratitude to him for his tireless efforts to preserve and promote justice and equality in Michigan, particularly in the veteran community.

Judge Ball, a proud graduate of Michigan State University and Thomas Cooley Law School, began dedicating himself to the public good shortly after completing his undergraduate degree in 1972, when he joined the Michigan National Guard. During his 19 years with the Guard, he completed law school and began working in private practice, and also rose to the rank of Major, serving as a Staff Judge Advocate General. In 1993, Judge Ball was elected to the East Lansing 54B Circuit Court, where he has served for nearly 30 years.

As a veteran himself, Judge Ball was quick to recognize that military life has many lasting effects on those who serve, and in 2013 he began serving as the presiding judge for the Ingham County Veterans Treatment Court. This model speciality court is a program that promotes sobriety, recovery, and stability for veterans by coordinating treatment and combining it with accountability based on the veteran's specific needs. During his time on the bench, this program has provided direct services for nearly 250 local veterans, indirect services for dozens more, and sports a remarkable graduation rate of 82 percent.

In his nearly 50 years of public and community service, Judge Ball has been a beacon of light for so many in the veteran community. His unshakable belief in the principles of fairness, justice, and compassion have served as

an inspiring example to all. I am so grateful for his lifetime of advocacy, leadership, and service, and his passion for helping veterans in need. I extend my best wishes for happiness, health, and many Spartan victories in his retirement. The legacy of his life of service, his exemplary career, and his compassion for the plight of those who serve will live on in the hearts and lives of all those he reached, in the foundation he built with the Ingham County Veterans Treatment Court, and here, in the United States House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a local legend, Mr. Steve Manor of Howell, Michigan. For more than 50 years, Steve has served the community as an educator, a city councilmember. an advocate, and a visionary. Universally beloved, Manor is the rare figure who bridges all divides: political, social, and generational. As he comes to the end of his earthly journey, his faithful dedication to Howell has ensured that his imprint will forever rest on the city. It is, likewise, my privilege to ensure that the life of this history teacher is permanently enshrined in the history of this Nation.

More than five decades of history have passed since a young Steve Manor first walked through the doors of Howell's Michigan Avenue School in 1966. He later taught at Highlander Way Middle School and then Howell High School, retiring in 1998 after 32 years in the classroom.

From public education he turned to public service, to winning a seat on Howell City Council in 1999. Over the next 23 years he served in a variety of roles, including mayor pro tem, chair of the Howell Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and as Howell's delegate to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. Through it all, he conducted himself exactly how a non-partisan elected official should: always looking beyond politics to the city's best interests.

Manor advocated for much-needed investments in infrastructure, worked with developers to make the city more business-friendly, helped revitalize an old alleyway into a picturesque shopping district, and worked with a local company to turn an unused patch of land into a whimsical children's playscape. And somehow he found time to volunteer with dozens of local organizations and causes, including Howell Rotary, Howell Main Street, and the Countryside Veterinary Dog Park.

But as much as he loved the city, Steve was the first to recognize its flaws, and also the first to roll up his sleeves to make improvements. Manor helped start the Howell High School Diversity Club in 1987 in response to a cross burning in the city, and served on the Livingston County Diversity Council for many years; he was deeply committed to helping the city work to rid itself from intolerance and bigotry.

Steve has bravely battled cancer for the past five years, and a servant to the very end, still attended City Council meetings even after requiring home hospice care. He recently stepped down from his beloved council seat, leaving a void no election or appointment can ever fill.

Manor once said that Howell is a special place, because unlike some surrounding communities, it has ``a core.'' That core--a vibrant downtown, healthy neighborhoods, a thriving community--didn't just happen, it happened because Steve Manor worked to make it so. I submit that Steve Manor IS the core of Howell: a rock solid core of selfless service, cultivating seeds of integrity, and bearing fruit for generations to come.

I therefore enter his life of principled leadership into the official record of the United States House of Representatives. It's an example we would all do well to study and commit to memory: the enduring final lesson plan of Steve Manor, beloved teacher.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to give voice to the quiet heroism of a young man who has dedicated his time, talent, and treasure to the safekeeping and evacuation of refugee families from Afghanistan. Christopher Pumford of Howell has logged hundreds of volunteer hours with The Fletcher Afghanistan Evacuation & Resettlement Working Group, a grassroots organization that provides emergency support and resettlement assistance to Afghans.

When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban on August 15, 2021, the resulting humanitarian crisis gripped our hearts and souls. As we watched Afghans and foreign nationals seek refuge from assured atrocities and even death at the hands of the Taliban, a small group of advocates representing the very best among us stepped up to find ways to protect the allies that had once protected our own. Christopher Pumford was one of them.

Mr. Pumford, a proud graduate of the University of Michigan and the Fletcher School of International Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, joined the evacuation effort in the fall of 2021. Since then, he has worked in both fundraising and finance, and serves as the lead volunteer responsible for dispersing funds to Afghans in hiding to cover the costs of safe houses. He also tracks and manages reimbursement for food drops for these same refugees. His faithful efforts are credited with sustaining the lives of 18 families throughout the most harrowing year. On top of that, he has personally registered more than 100 families for evacuation consideration with the United States Department of State. In less than one year's time, Mr. Pumford has devoted more than 800 hours of service to assisting these families with the enormous challenges of food, shelter, and security, and has done everything in his power to prepare them for a better future.

Despite his young age, Mr. Pumford's resume is already quite impressive, having interned for the Senate of Canada, the International Center for Religion and Diplomacy, the delegation of the European Union to the United States, USAID, and the Middle East Institute. He is also a graduate of Harvard Law School's program on negotiation, and spent last summer on a Fulbright Scholarship to Morocco. But what stands out most to me is his dedication to humanity, his investment in the plight of strangers, and his commitment to use his skills and talents in the service of the most vulnerable.

We know that evacuation efforts from Afghanistan will continue for years, and it's entirely possible that Mr. Pumford will never meet the families he is working so hard to protect and rescue from the clutches of the Taliban. But their hearts will forever carry the story of the stranger who cared enough to help. On behalf of those who have no voice, it is my honor to speak these words of tribute for Christopher Pumford of Howell, Michigan in the People's House.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Mr. Harry Niblock of Okemos, Michigan on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Mr. Niblock is among the bravest of men our great nation has ever known--those who led the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in June of 1944. It is with profound gratitude for his service to our nation, and in celebration of his long and fruitful life, that I recognize him today.

Before he was a war hero, Harry was a Michigander, the second of five children born to Raymond and Pearl Niblock on October 9, 1922. He graduated from Howell High School in 1940 and married Margaret Fay three years later, after he had been drafted into the Army and was stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Niblock trained as a tank driver, and was sent to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, where he joined the 3rd Armored Division. His unit was sent to Warminster, England for additional training, and thanks to his outstanding leadership and skills, Harry was made the driver for the captain of his company. And when the call came in the summer of 1944 to waterproof the tanks and prepare for invasion, he was ready.

Nearly 80 years later, Harry still recalls the harrowing details of the day he arrived on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, and immediately began pushing through the German

lines to Paris. Along the way, Harry's tank motor died and he had to wait, alone, for an airdropped replacement from a C47 before continuing on to join his outfit. From Paris they turned north toward Belgium, encountering sporadic gunfire along the way, as German troops were making a desperate attempt to return home. A few days later Harry and his crew were among the very first American troops to cross into Germany, a day forever etched in his memory. Harry spent two months camped near the city of Stolberg before the fateful day a sniper attack killed his captain and his radioman, right before a bazooka took out the majority of the unit. With severed nerves in his arms and legs, and shrapnel in much of his body, Harry was eventually flown to a hospital in England, where he was awarded the Purple Heart for his bravery.

By February of 1945, Harry was able to return home to continue his recovery, and he laid eyes for the first time on two miraculous sights: first the Statue of Liberty as he sailed into harbor, followed a few days later by his baby girl, Barbara, who awaited his arrival in his wife's arms. Harry continued his healing in a Battle Creek hospital and eventually returned to Howell with his family, where they settled and added another daughter, Susan. Harry worked for several local companies, including Howell Motors, Parker Industries, and his own homebuilding company. After his beloved wife passed away in 2011, and Harry retired from work, he and his eldest daughter moved to Okemos, where Harry is a proud member of the Disabled American Veterans. In addition to his devoted daughters, Harry is beloved by his 8 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 12 great, great grandchildren.

In his 100 years, Harry Niblock has not just lived through our history--he is our history. As he celebrates this remarkable milestone birthday, it is my great honor to inscribe his life of service to our nation and to his family in the official record of the House of Representatives so that generations to come will know of his heroism, bravery, and heart.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Solid Start Act, a truly bipartisan bill that I originally introduced on Veterans Day in 2020.

This bill requires the VA to connect with veterans during their first year when they transition out of service to ensure they are aware of the benefits and resources that they have earned.

I was thrilled to see this bipartisan legislation pass the Senate twice, both times by unanimous consent. It passed the House as part of the STRONG Veterans Act with overwhelming support by voice vote.

First, I would like to thank my Veterans Advisory Board back in Michigan and the other stakeholders in my district who have helped to craft this bill. I would like to thank The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and the VFW for their support, and the countless veterans and veteran families in the district who gave me their feedback to help us craft this bill.

It comes directly from their experience where, overwhelmingly, the sentiment was in that first year of separation, veterans do not understand all of the resources from education to healthcare that they are eligible for.

Madam Speaker, 40 percent of the veterans in Michigan are unconnected totally from the VA and the resources they are entitled to. This statistic, coupled with the experience of navigating those challenges in the VA, are unacceptable. Every veteran I know has their own story as they transition out of the military, whether it has been 3 years or three decades.

I watched this up close with my husband after 30 years of Active Duty in the Army. Newly separated veterans encounter changes in job status, lifestyle, housing, healthcare, and education. It is a period of enormous change, and also a period of vulnerability. Tragically, rates of veteran suicide are higher in those tumultuous first years than later after separation.

Veterans are entitled to a variety of resources, but they only can access them if they know about them. That is why I introduced the Solid Start Act with my Republican friend, Congressman Joyce.

This bipartisan bill codifies a pilot program, as Mr. Bost said, that was initiated under President Trump, and it shows great promise. But as we stand here tonight, this bill has now been unexpectedly thrown into jeopardy, and it is entirely because of political gamesmanship. Right now, at the last minute, before we vote on this bill, the Pro-Life Caucus from the other side of the aisle has acted to stop the bill from moving to prevent the 16 words that are on this page. This language has been in the bill since its inception when we created this: ``Providing women veterans with information that is tailored to their specific healthcare and benefit needs.''

To be clear, if we pass this bill, then it goes to the President's desk to be signed into law.

But just so we understand what was meant with the idea of providing women and veterans with information tailored to them, it is pregnancy and mental health care, maternity care, mammogram, breast health, breastfeeding and lactation, menopause, gynecological cancer, pre- pregnancy health, chronic pelvic pain, birth control, osteoporosis, prosthetics for women, intimate partner violence, disordered eating, and sexual assault. I can go on. There is a very long list of specific health issues that are specific to women.

Instead, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are holding this bill hostage. The 16 words that they apparently now object to are essential for women's healthcare and are already covered by the VA. None of this is controversial. None of this is objectionable. It doesn't change one thing about veterans' benefits or services. It makes no changes to what they are entitled to. All it does is require the VA to reach out to servicemembers three times in their first year from separation. It increases outreach to veterans.

So let's talk about what this is really about.

Earlier today, a letter went out from Ranking Member Bost and the Pro-Life Caucus saying that Members, while they supported it previously, should now turn against it. After publicly supporting this, they are now leaving it.

And why?

Because they are concerned about VA policy. They are concerned about the VA's decision to provide veteran women with access to abortion when they have been raped, when they are the victims of family incest, or when a doctor confirms that the pregnancy is a risk to the health or the life of the mother.

It is not abortion on demand and not extreme policies. These are very basic, commonly accepted instances when a woman veteran has gone through hell and has no other option.

The other side of the aisle, to be clear, is objecting to this bill because they object to any exceptions whatsoever on abortion. It is a political game. It is literally putting politics ahead of the 18 million veterans and 200,000 each year who separate.

It is our responsibility to honor the veterans, male and female. I find it disturbing that you would play politics in this way. I ask the other side of the aisle to reconsider and support this bill.

Madam Speaker, there has been a lot of talk on the other side of the aisle, and I just want to be clear. No one in this room is in the judicial branch, and no one in this room that I am aware of is a medical doctor.

If you believe that the provisions that the VA has put forward have a legal problem, then you have the right to take up that case and put it through the courts. We are the legislative branch. We make laws, and we pass laws. We are not judge and jury. Take it to a court if you are concerned. That is your right.

In terms of making decisions on behalf of women, if you want to take a veterans' bill and make it about abortion, then let's do it. What you are saying, and you are saying it in front of the American people, is that you believe a veteran who has been raped, who is the victim of incest, or who is having a dangerous miscarriage does not deserve access to abortion.

You are saying--unless you correct me and tell me what you believe a woman deserves to have when she has been raped, the victim of incest, or is in the middle of a dangerous miscarriage, if you can't state it then be clear you believe in no exceptions for women--a cold, heartless, and violent approach to women's health.

You want to ban all abortions. That is your goal. Many of you have been open about that, and if you flip the House, we know that you will put forward a full ban on all abortions for all States. You have been clear about it.

If you want to turn a veterans' bill into an abortion bill, then let's do it. Not one of you are a medical doctor. Not one of you.

What the VA guidelines say is that if you have been raped or are the victim of incest or a medical professional deems that your pregnancy is a risk to your health. The one in four women in this country who has had a miscarriage, probably many women in this room, that you are a better judge of who gets to decide the future of their life and not a medical doctor? Who do you think you are?

You are politicians. We are all on this floor elected officials and not medical professionals. If it were your wife or your daughter who is suffering through a miscarriage, are you going to tell her she can't until her fever gets high enough or until she is bleeding harder?

That is what is happening in the State of Texas right now. If that is what you want for veterans, shame on you. Shame on you.

I am sorry we built this bill to be bipartisan. I sought your support particularly, sir, and you are making it a political issue.

Shame on you. You all have pictures of veterans in your office. You are proud to show your pride in our veterans. It should be the most bipartisan issue in the world, and you are making it political. Shame on you.