Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor George Jewett, a legend of the gridiron, a physician, and an entrepreneur who blazed a trail through the history of both football and race relations, breaking barriers and records at every turn, including a forward pass through Howell, Michigan.

Intelligent, driven, and athletically blessed, George was a classic all-American, and he was also an African-American at a time when Jim Crow was tightening its grip on the country.

Valedictorian of the class of 1889 at Ann Arbor High School, Jewett captained the football and baseball teams--as well as the debate club. He was the fastest sprinter in the Midwest, and was fluent in German, Italian, and French. He went on to attend the University of Michigan, becoming the first African American in the school's history to letter in football, and ultimately one of its greatest stars.

Though he excelled on the field and in the classroom, Jewett endured racial taunts and physical abuse on and off the field. A newspaper during Jewett's time aptly described him as ``a brilliant player who stands punishment with indifference.''

Jewett transferred to Northwestern University in 1893 where he suited up for the Wildcats, becoming the first Black player for that school's football team as well. Upon graduating from medical school in 1895, he returned to Michigan where Howell Public Schools Superintendent Robert Briggs hired the doctor as coach of the first official Howell High School football team.

Now, high school sports had different rules and norms in the late 1800s, with teams composed of both student athletes and local residents who would join them. And that is how Dr. George Jewett became not just the first Black coach of a Michigan high school football team, but also a teammate.

To fundraise for the new team, Mr. Jewett hosted a gala at the Howell Opera House, a lavish event featuring food, music, and demonstrations of football plays.

By all accounts it was a smashing success, and if it hadn't been for that event, we might never have known about the remarkable role George Jewett played in Howell's history.

A program from his fundraiser was recently found under the floorboards of the Howell Opera House during its renovation, connecting this trailblazing legend to the community, and forever cementing his role in Howell history.

Last fall, the George Jewett Trophy--the first rivalry trophy in major college football named for an African American player--debuted in Ann Arbor when the University of Michigan played Northwestern University. And from now on, the George Jewett Trophy will be played for, each and every time the two programs meet on the field.

I'm so proud to see George Jewett's cultural, academic, and athletic accomplishments solidified, immortalized and set in stone.

It is my honor to record his name and his story so that all who read it may catch inspiration from his groundbreaking achievements--So that we too may tackle our current challenges with the same dedication and perseverance he brought to every aspect of his life--And so that each of us may lace up our shoes, march onto the field, and pass on his legacy of triumph over adversity, and indifference to punishment.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Reverend Doctor Melvin T. Jones as the dedicated Senior Pastor of the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Lansing, Michigan. He has stood at the forefront of fighting for justice since he was a child, and continues to do so throughout the Greater Lansing community today. He is a living testimony of using one's life to serve others.

At 78 years old, Pastor Jones is a model and inspiration for generations of citizens and faith leaders in our community. He has served at Union Missionary Baptist Church for 37 years, and is often referred to as ``The Patriarch,'' because nothing happens in the Lansing community without seeking his wisdom, guidance, and support.

Every community has a guiding light, that someone who serves as the force to bring others together to drive change, and in the Lansing faith community, that someone is Pastor Melvin T. Jones. More than a decade ago, he became founder and Chairman of GLADE, currently known as ACTION of Greater Lansing, an interdenominational justice ministry of churches. Pastor Jones has served as President of The Greater Lansing Clergy Forum, Co-President of ACTION of Greater Lansing, and most recently helped shape the Assembly of Lansing Pastors to address gun violence.

He has received numerous awards and honors, both civic and national including an Honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Dallas Baptist Christian College, and he is currently completing a Doctor of Ministry degree program at Ashland Theological Seminary.

Pastor Jones has accomplished all of this while still devoting himself to his family: his wife Sallie of more than 50 years, and their five grown children.

As Pastor Jones prepares for retirement, he will be remembered for his faithful leadership that positively changed the direction of the city and impacted individuals and families for the better. He will be known for the inspiration and love he brought to Lansing, but also for the many pastoral leaders he mentored over many decades.

I have no doubt that even after retirement he will continue to be a voice for Lansing, and a strong supporter for those in need. While we will miss his voice in the house of worship, it is my great honor to record his many good works in so that they may live forever.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to share the story of a courageous Black woman from Brighton who would not sit down when faced with racism, hatred, and bigotry.

Thelma Lett did not grow up in Livingston County, but moved there from Detroit in 1976 with her husband. She was an avid churchgoer and involved in many community organizations, as she and her husband raised their two children, Paul and Keith.

But it was her involvement with the Livingston Diversity Council, then known as Livingston 2001, that drew headlines and propelled this quiet woman into the local spotlight.

Eager to champion the cause of diversity in the mostly white county, she joined the organization in 1988, its founding year--the same year a cross was burned on the property of a Black family in the county. She's credited with helping to grow the group and support for the cause with her dynamic, can-do style.

Here's what some former friends and colleagues had to say about Thelma: ``A tremendous go-getter.''

``You just had a smile on your face after talking to her,'' and,

``I would put a great deal of the success of the membership on her leadership.''

But it's what SHE had to say to a group who showed up to protest a community forum that will go down in history. In 1994, members of the National Association for the Advancement of White People showed up at a forum in Howell and openly declared that they didn't want Black people living in their community.

Lett stood up, looked directly at the crowd, and calmly, but passionately informed them she would not be run out of her home.

``When I walk down the street, I'd like not to have cat calls or the N-word shouted at me,'' she said, staring into the eyes of men and women wearing hats emblazoned with ``NAAWP'' and ``Anglo-Saxon.''

She told the crowd how some of her family members served in the U.S. military, and were wounded in combat fighting for the American ideal that all people are created equal.

And when she called for some simple respect, saying ``I give dignity and I want dignity,'' the crowd rocketed to its feet.

Lett never backed down from her devotion to diversity, continuing her activism and community involvement until her death at age 79. In fact, if you visit the Detroit Impact Youth Center on the city's west side, you'll find the Thelma Lett Library inside, a tribute to the many young people she taught to read and write.

And if you visit Howell, you'll find the Livingston Diversity Council continuing her work, inspired by the courage of her convictions, and still standing up to intolerance and hate.

Thelma Lett lived and died in Brighton, Michigan and made it abundantly clear her love for this country and all it stands for was far greater than the hatred she was shown. Brighton was her home, and today it is my honor in sharing her story.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Page Fence Giants, an all-black baseball team that was founded in 1894 in Adrian, Michigan. At a time when Jim Crow laws swept the nation and racial segregation largely divided sports, the all-black Page Fence Giants persevered, ultimately claiming their place in history in the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame.

The team was founded by Bud Fowler and Grant ``Home Run'' Johnson, both of whom went on to play for the Giants. The team was a knockout, winning over 100 games in each of their four seasons. And in 1897 they went on a winning streak, claiming 82 consecutive victories. The team's four-year run was an early success towards integration--but was phased out of the league decades before Jackie Robinson's 1947 debut.

The Page Fence Giants traveled around the Midwest and Canada on a 60- foot railcar. While the team was celebrated and welcomed in some communities, they were discriminated against and disparaged in others, often barred from eating at the local restaurants or sleeping in the hotels. This railcar provided the basic necessities for the ball players when they were unwelcome to stay or dine in the whites-only establishments.

One of the full-time cooks on the train was William Wendell Gaskin, who is believed to be Lansing-born. Gaskin traveled with the team, cooking meals and even joining the team in a couple of games as the Giants' pitcher.

Last year, on June 19, our very own Lansing Lugnuts paid tribute to the Page Fence Giants by wearing historically accurate black and burgundy Giants jerseys.

While the Giants dissolved after four solid seasons in 1898, their contributions to sports and to Michigan's history will be forever remembered.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Barbara Roberts Mason of Lansing as an internationally recognized voice for education, equality, and justice.

This exceptional public servant made Michigan history by becoming the first African American woman to be elected to statewide office. Serving 24 years on Michigan's State Board of Education, Barbara worked tirelessly as a child advocate to push for equal educational opportunities and high academic standards for all.

In 1986, she founded the Black Child and Family Institute in Lansing, which she considers one of her proudest accomplishments. She met with President Jimmy Carter on Strategic Arms Limitation Talks, and was a trailblazer for the Equal Rights Amendment campaign alongside legends like Gloria Steinem, Dorothy Height, and Mildred Jeffrey.

Barbara's advocacy and dedication to the service of others has taken her all over the globe. She has lectured abroad and led humanitarian, business, and education exchanges to Japan, Germany, Korea, Ghana, Cameroon, and South Africa. During her time as the President of Lansing's Regional Sister City Commission, she established an HIV-AIDS project in Ghana, as well as the construction and renovation of health clinics, schools, libraries, and worked towards clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.

Clearly, Barbara's humanitarian heart knows no bounds. For her outstanding merit and life accomplishments in service of her community, and the international community, Barbara received the honor of being inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 2014. When asked to give remarks, Barbara stated that she ``strongly believes that if everyone would reach out and give help to someone in need, we'd all be better off.'' I agree, and I am so thankful for her commendable actions that made Michigan a better place.

For her tireless service to all those in need, it is my privilege to add her story so that many more will answer her call to service.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible contributions to musical history and to the history of Howell, Michigan made by one of the city's Black pioneers, Lulu Childers.

This remarkable woman was ultimately responsible for developing the small music program at Howard University in Washington, D.C., first into a Conservatory of Music, and then into a School of Music.

But before all that, she was a child in Howell, Michigan, the daughter of slaves, her parents brought her from Dry Ridge, Kentucky in 1875 at the age of five.

It was in Howell that the public was first treated to the gift of Lulu's voice. In the early 1880s, she performed regularly at the Howell Opera House and its neighboring Methodist Church on Walnut Street. By 17 she was singing at numerous fundraisers and events across the area and was billed as ``Howell's Lulu Childers.''

And in 1890, she walked across the stage as valedictorian of the Howell High School Class, and enrolled at Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio to study voice.

After graduation, Childers performed around the country but felt a tug to the classroom. She taught music in Ohio public schools for several years, and then in 1905, she joined the faculty of Howard University.

At the time, Lulu was one of only two music teachers at Howard. She taught voice, and another instructor taught piano. In 1906, Lulu was appointed Director of Music and steadily the program blossomed.

Lulu established a college-level curriculum, hired experienced instructors, and created the University Choral Society. When she led the chorus in song, the people turned out. At the 1929 Christmas service, Lulu drew a crowd so large that there was standing room only and 400 people had to be turned away.

Lulu also created an annual concert series that brought renowned musicians to the Washington community. In 1938 she invited the famed contralto, Marian Anderson, to perform. The performance gained national attention because both the Board of Education of Washington, D.C. and the Daughters of the American Revolution refused to let Anderson perform in their facilities because of her race.

Lulu used her voice, not just to sing, but to enlist the help of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in the fight for equity and justice. She also took her advocacy to Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes, who in turn invited Anderson to perform at the Lincoln Memorial, a free concert which drew 75,000 people on Easter Sunday of 1939.

One year later, Lulu retired from Howard University and returned to her family home in Howell, where she died in 1946.

It's so entirely fitting that ten years after her passing, the classroom portion of Howard University's fine arts complex was renamed Lulu V. Childers Hall.

Lulu Childers was born with the gift of voice, a gift she never took for granted. She used that voice to entertain, to instruct, and to advocate. She sang the anthem of freedom, justice, and equality with perfect pitch and tone. Let us all endeavor to use our own lives and our own voices to carry her tune, to continue singing her song, and to ensure that the music never ends.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jake Vedder, a young man of exceptional character and talent who valiantly represented his home town of Pinckney, Michigan and Team USA at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

At the Olympics, Vedder finished sixth out of 32 competitors in the individual snowboard race, and was first among the four Americans competing. This 23-year-old phenom was also named to one of the two United States tandems for the inaugural mixed team snowboard cross event, where he and his partner made it to the quarterfinals.

Unlike many snowboarders, Jake wasn't born in the mountains and didn't grow up in a resort town. He's from Pinckney, population 2300, and he began his snowsports career at the age of two on the small but beloved ski hills in the neighboring town that were made with leftover material from the construction of the interstate.

He was a kid with a dream, a family that supported it, and a community that nurtured it. And as his star has risen, from winning the state championship as a 10th grader, to winning a gold medal in the Youth Olympics at age 18, to competing on the world's biggest athletic stage at age 23, he's never forgotten where he comes from.

Jake is known for spending whatever free time he has dishing out encouragement to younger athletes, giving tips on techniques, handing out gear, and just being present to offer support. In fact, just hours after returning home from the Olympics, Jake was back at Mt. Brighton where it all began for him, cheering on high school snowboarders who were competing in the state meet.

No matter how high he jumps, how fast he races, or how far he travels, Jake clearly remains grounded. He is tethered by his hometown values, anchored by humility, and rooted in kindness. In an era where so many seek instant celebrity or viral fame, Jake's modest spirit and good nature are almost as impressive as his athletic accomplishments.

On and off the slopes, he is a leader and a role model who has made Pinckney so proud. I have no doubt that whatever the future holds for him, he will conquer it with the tenacity, discipline, and humanity that have already taken him so far. It is my great honor to inscribe his accomplishments in the United States House of Representatives.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Willard Walker, a civil rights era leader, devoted public servant, youth football coach, MSU alumnus, and friend to the Greater Lansing community. For more than 50 years, Mr. Walker has fought tirelessly for social justice, and the community is so much better for his efforts.

Raised in Columbus, Georgia, by his grandmother, he joined the military after graduating from Albany State University.

His first job out of the military was as a math teacher in Chicago. There, he fought to unite historically segregated schools. Willard met and married his first wife in Chicago, with whom he had two children. They eventually moved to Alabama, where Mr. Walker began work for the Birmingham Urban League, before arriving at Michigan State University in 1969, where he was the first Black student in the industrial relations department. He lived in Case Hall, a place he described as the epicenter for black student life.

Mr. Walker has been influential in both local and state government, serving under four City of Lansing Mayors in various roles, including director of the Human Resources and Community Services Department, and on the Lansing Police Commission. At the state level he served as director of Michigan's School-to-Work Office, director of the Michigan Department of Commerce, and deputy director of the Neighborhood Builders Alliance--just to name a few.

But beyond his many impressive titles, his work to ensure the Greater Lansing area is a more equitable and welcoming place is legendary. As a founding member of the Greater Lansing Area, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commission, he was the first recipient of the Commission's MLK Legacy Award in 2010.

In 2018, the City of Lansing Parks and Recreation Department dedicated the former youth sports facility, Ridsdale Park, in his honor, and it is now known as the Willard Walker stadium at Ridsdale Park. It gives me great happiness to know that through these awards and honors, his legacy of service will continue to provide a positive impact in the Greater Lansing community for generations to come.

Mr. Walker is married to his current wife Victoria where they have been residents of Lansing's historic Westside for over five decades. Two years ago, he returned to local government to serve the City of Lansing as a consultant in Human Relations and Community Service, a department he ran for over a decade.

It's an honor to represent a community leader like Mr. Willard Walker in Washington, and I am grateful for his personal and professional sacrifices to advance civil rights at the local, state, and national levels. May his efforts be forever celebrated, uplifted, and immortalized.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the community of Oxford Michigan located in my district in Oakland County.

As everyone knows, last year on November 30, Oxford suffered the worst sort of tragedy when a student at the town's high school brought a gun to school and used it to shoot a teacher and 10 fellow students.

The community lost four beautiful, kind, talented and beloved young people that day: Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, and Hana St. Juliana. I had the honor of attending the funerals for Justin and Hana and the visitation for Madisyn, and witnessing the outpouring of love for them from hundreds and hundreds in their community was inspiring.

The United States, unfortunately, has seen many of these shooting in the past 25 years but nothing prepares a community for being the one where it happens. In Oxford, the wounded from that terrible day extends far beyond the teacher and six students who were shot. The entire community has suffered a devastating and life-changing trauma.

Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about what that means and what I hope we will do to support the people of Oxford and its neighboring communities in the months and years ahead, because it will take years to heal.

First, I want to share with you some of the stories from Oxford from the last 2 months. In the aftermath of the shooting, the community was determined to be ``Oxford Strong.'' The people I have met and sat with and listened to in the past couple of months have made it clear that ``Oxford Strong'' isn't just a catchphrase.

Strong, in Oxford, is about compassion, about caring about asking for help when you need it, and finding a way to help your neighbors even if it comes at a real cost to yourself.

To our local small businesses, which, in the days after the shooting, went to great lengths and great expense to provide families with support and a safe haven. It started with the local Meijer, which closed the day of the shooting to provide a gathering place for students fleeing the building. Meijer had partnered with Oxford schools to be part of their emergency evacuation plan so students knew exactly where to go when the building became unsafe.

By the next day, Sick Pizza had offered to donate 100 percent of their proceeds from pizza sales over several days to victims' families. Owner Scott Taylor hoped to raise about $25,000. Instead, his restaurant raised four times that amount.

Oxford Bank sprang into action offering to collect donations for the victims so that the community would have a

trusted, central location to direct its generosity. To date, more than $1.6 million has poured in and the bank has enlisted the National Compassion Fund to ensure it is distributed thoughtfully, fairly, and transparently.

And though I am only scratching the surface of the local business community's generosity, I would be remiss not to mention Legacy Center and its many tenant businesses which offered services entirely for free for several days and became a community gathering spot for grieving teens throughout December.

As recently as a couple of weeks ago, the Legacy Center provided a space for my staff and I to meet with a group of Oxford parents and educators for a listening session. They continue to be true partners to people of Oxford.

For the remarkable contributions made by our local small businesses in the wake of this tragedy, I read the statement into the people's House so that it may be remembered in perpetuity.

To our elected local leaders, we find out what people are made of in difficult times. Local Oxford Village President Joe Madore, Oxford Township President Jack Curtis, and Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett, you responded immediately to the crisis facing your community working tireless in the shooting's aftermath to provide anything and everything you could, from meals for students returning to school because all the stored food had perished, to clear backpacks to enhance security.

Jack Curtis opened the township doors to me personally, giving me space to conduct a virtual townhall meeting. Your helpers were too many to count, but their actions in those initial days will never be forgotten.

For the remarkable contributions made by our local leaders in the wake of this tragedy I read the statement into the people's House so that it may be remembered in perpetuity.

To the first responders, though the story of the Oxford shooting is, of course, a horrific one, one part of the story has brought many families and the larger community comfort, and that was your incredible actions on that day. More than 30 agencies responded to the school that day from all levels of government, many arriving little more than moments after the 911 calls began. You were incredibly brave, and your expertly coordinated effort, we know, undoubtedly saved lives.

During the time I spent in Oxford, I have had the honor of meeting with many of you, starting with Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard and Deputy Sheriff Mike McCabe, who just retired. I also met Oxford Police Chief Mike Solwold who started his career as a school liaison officer in Oxford and who worked literally nonstop in the shooting's aftermath; and Oxford Fire Chief Peter Scholz and Lieutenant Mike Majestic who, despite the grief of witnessing the death of young people whom they had known for years, kept showing up to serve their beloved community, including working as valuable partners at emergency management planning meetings every week to address public safety, mental health, funding, and other needs for the schools and surrounding communities.

I spoke with Lake Orion Police Chief Harold Rossman and Lieutenant Todd Stanfield who helped secure the building and who tried desperately to save one of the victims, and who spoke eloquently of the impact limited mental health services have on the community. And I met with Orion Township Fire Rescue Department led by Chief Robert Duke who also responded to the scene and who, like many of their colleagues, pressed on in the days after in the face of their own grief with little respite.

At the funeral for Hana St. Juliana I sat with Lieutenant Gregory Glover and Detective Sergeant Richard Hubble, both of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, whose mere presence was a comfort to me personally and to so many others on that incredibly sad night.

I had the chance to see them again during a recent visit to town. Both men were among the first to enter the building along with Deputy John MacDonald, who put Tate Myre in his vehicle in a heroic effort to save him.

Down the street from the sheriff's substation is the Brandon Township Fire Department which I visited at the invitation of Lieutenant Doug Brice. He and his fellow firefighters entered the building directly behind law enforcement and did everything they could to aid the wounded.

All of these men, like so many others on that day, stayed focused and calm in the face of real terror, and by doing so not only saved lives but provided comfort to terrified students who, no doubt, will forever view first responders differently, having been so well protected and shepherded to safety when they needed it most.

For the remarkable bravery displayed by our first responders in the wake of this tragedy, I read the statement into the people's House so that it may be remembered in perpetuity.

To the parents and students of Oxford, I want to recognize you most of all. I have met with many of you in recent weeks, sometimes in hours-long sessions, to hear how you are doing and what you need most. And it is clear what you need from the rest of us is to listen. I have heard from parents whose children are worried they will fall behind in school if they don't attend, but who find going to class in the same building where they fled bullets and friends were hurt or killed just a few weeks ago to be hard to tolerate.

I have heard from students who now wince at loud sounds and get overwhelmed by crowds, who are worried about their friends and themselves and who feel overlooked. Many have told me they badly want to get the mental health support that they need but their parents can't afford a therapist and they are tired of telling and retelling their story of the crisis.

The fact is, everyone in Oxford has post-traumatic stress. Everyone. There is no escaping the impact of this immense and overwhelming tragedy. But I want you to know that post-traumatic stress does not have to become post-traumatic stress disorder. With proper support, traumatized people can recover. You may never be exactly the same as you once were, but you can discover new reserves of strength and renewed appreciation for life and for your loved ones.

Psychologists have a term for this. It is called post-traumatic stress growth. It is a theory that holds that people who endure intense trauma can see positive growth come from their desperate struggle.

But that doesn't happen overnight, and it doesn't happen without a lot of hard work and help. The people of Oxford, though incredibly resilient in the face of staggering loss, need our support. ``Oxford Strong'' does not mean Oxford can or should do it alone. I have heard from teachers who tell me they can't possibly provide the mental health support that some of their students need.

Schools have precious few social workers on staff and troubled students have effectively nowhere to go in a State with fewer than 300 psychiatric beds in the entire State, all of which have long waiting lists. So kids with serious emotional and behavioral issues often must stay in class with little support, causing challenges for their peers and unable to get the intervention they so badly need.

I have heard from nearly everyone that we need to make sure at the very least that we keep guns out of the hands of our kids. The shooting at Oxford High School made it very clear that we have a serious, systemic problem to solve. But in the meantime, the least we can do is ensure that kids don't have access to guns. I am not talking about families who teach their kids how to hunt, which in Michigan is very common. I grew up in a gun-owning household. I am talking about leaving a deadly weapon unsecured. We must do everything we can to keep our kids safe, and that is one easy and crucial step we can take.

I wasn't able to be in Oxford last Friday night. The Michigan High School Athletic Association organized an Oxford Strong night and across the State. Teams playing their Friday night games showed their support and love for the people of Oxford. The MHSAA raised $200,000 for the victims and their families with its effort. That kind of ongoing love and support is so heartening to see. I am standing here today asking all of us to continue to hold Oxford in our hearts, and to do the hard work necessary to ensure its people get the resources they need to recover, and to ensure no other community suffers such a needless and devastating event.

It is the honor of my life to represent the people of Oxford in the U.S. House of Representatives and to be able to speak their stories of resilience into the permanent record of the people's House.

In the face of unimaginable adversity, you have shown us a path forward on the road to recovery.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. J. David VanderVeen on his retirement after 55 years of devoted service as director of Oakland County International Airport.

Mr. VanderVeen first took the reins as director of the airport on February 25, 1967--several years before the position of Oakland County county executive was even established. Since then, he's served under three elected county executives, seven Michigan governors, and a whopping eleven presidential administrations. Madam Speaker, to put this into perspective, Mr. VanderVeen has helmed the county airport longer than one-third of the Members of this Chamber have been alive.

However, beyond his record-breaking tenure, Mr. VanderVeen's accomplishments in that time truly stand out. Today, the runways at Oakland County International Airport capably handle an average of 120,000 takeoffs and landings per year, ranking it the twelfth-busiest general aviation airport in the world. In addition, over 150 corporations and more than 554 aircraft have entrusted the airport to serve as a base of operations, which contributes $1 billion annually to the local economy of southeast Michigan.

Even our state's notorious winter storms, the bane of so many airports across the Midwest, have been no match for Mr. VanderVeen. Among his proudest achievements is that the runways never once closed due to snow or ice--the airport's steadfast ground crews have worked around the clock to keep them operational, including in 1982 when football fans flew in from all over the country to see Super Bowl XVI at the Pontiac Silverdome.

Simply put, for more than half a century, Mr. VanderVeen's leadership has been a touchstone of Oakland County government. He doesn't just have institutional knowledge, he is the institution. And while others may have come and gone, Mr. VanderVeen has remained at his post, helping his colleagues as they navigate the challenges of a dynamic county and growing community.

Several years ago, when Oakland County's first county executive, Daniel T. Murphy, passed away, Mr. VandenVeen spoke at a service for his former boss, remarking that, ``Dan Murphy set the bar high for political leaders in this state.''

Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that, like Mr. Murphy, Mr. VanderVeen has similarly set the bar high for public servants--both in our state and across our nation. He has been an instrumental part of the county's success story, and there is no question he leaves his successor enormous shoes to fill.

While I understand that Mr. VanderVeen will continue to represent the current county executive on the county's parks and recreation and airport committees, I know I speak for everyone when I say that he's more than earned some well-deserved time off.

To his friends and loved ones, particularly his wife, Shelagh, his four children, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren, may they enjoy the time they now have to spend with him. And to all of my colleagues, may we take a page from Mr. VanderVeen's playbook and strive, as he did, to always put service before self. It's my honor to spotlight his incredible accomplishments.

Madam Speaker, I rise today, two weeks after what would have been his 95th birthday, to honor Mr. Stanley A. Weiss--a business executive, prolific writer, and civic leader who passed away earlier this year in August.

Self-described as a ``skinny Jewish kid from South Philadelphia'', he lived a life of adventure and purpose. Mere weeks after turning 17, he joined the Army and the next summer, he was training for the invasion of Japan when the atomic bombs ended World War II. He launched his first business, selling scrap metal and surplus Army supplies, shortly thereafter.

While studying at Georgetown, he was inspired by the film The Treasure of Sierra Madre to move to Mexico in search of gold. Without knowing Spanish and with no previous mining experience, he took his pickaxe to the hills. Mr. Weiss didn't find gold--but he found rich deposits of manganese, a crucial ingredient used in the production of metal alloys.

By 1960, Mr. Weiss had founded a mining and mineral processing company that, after a merger, became American Premier, Inc. The conglomerate became a major supplier and processor for chemicals used in everything from glazing tiles to Epsom salt, and at the height of the Cold War, was responsible for fostering trade opportunities between the U.S. and the USSR.

In addition to his business acumen, Mr. Weiss always had an interest in giving back. During the 1977 to 1978 school year, he was a business fellow at Harvard's Center of International Affairs, and would later serve as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, on the Board of Visitors for Georgetown's Walsh School of Foregn Service, as well as the on advisory board of the RAND Center for Middle East Public Policy.

However, his greatest contribution to the public arena was as the founding chairman of Business Executives for National Security (BENS). When asked why he and other leaders in the private sector were getting involved in national security issues, he delivered his signature phrase: ``being dead is bad for business.'' Focused on nuclear non- proliferation, arms control, and the defense procurement process, BENS was instrumental in reforming the Pentagon and cutting unnecessary waste and pork from the budget.

His advocacy, in addition to his leadership in supporting innovation in government, led to him being honored with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award by the U.S. Department of Defense in 2007.

Right up until his death, Mr. Weiss was writing. His last piece, published on Election Day last year, talks about his experience as a 13-year old seeing the 1940 election up close. He recounts how President Roosevelt's opponent, Wendell Willkie, initially stood opposed to American intervention in Europe as the Third Reich invaded its neighbors. And then, in a speech to 300,000 supporters a month after France fell to the Nazis, Willkie ``did one of the most extraordinary things a politician had ever done: he decided that Roosevelt was right.'' He chose the correct path even if it was the unpopular one with the party that nominated him.

Although he lost in a historic landslide, Willkie's actions after the election stand as an even greater testament to his bipartisanship. He appealed to his fellow Republicans to not oppose the President for the sake of opposition and even flew to England as an envoy to reassure Prime Minister Churchill that the U.S. would be there for its ally when it was needed most.

Madam Speaker, there is no doubt that Mr. Weiss' commitment to forging a more perfect union rivals the one that he writes about. His loss is a great loss for his friends, his family, and the country that he loved. For his accomplishments as a businessman and his advocacy for public service, It is my honor to submit these words in the People's House so that his legacy may be remembered for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member of our team that worked to evacuate vulnerable Afghans during the fall of Kabul, Mr. Sohum Pawar.

Originally from East Hanover, New Jersey, for many years, Mr. Pawar has worn many hats--scientist, engineer, and policy researcher. Since graduating with honors from little-known schools such as Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's worked on cybersecurity, climate, and energy policy at the White House, assisted negotiators at the U.S. Department of State working on UN climate talks, and written speeches for the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Beyond public service, he's also worked as a cyber threat intelligence analyst, assessed clean energy startups for a climate- focused venture capital fund, and developed policy and strategy for an advanced nuclear reactor startup. He also has experience in journalism, conducting research for David Sanger, the prominent national journalist for the New York Times and his bestselling book chronicling the rise of cyber warfare.

The knowledge and experience Mr. Pawar acquired in all of these ventures were heavily relied upon when he joined our cobbled-together effort working to evacuate vulnerable Afghans from Kabul. For several sleepless nights, he was part of our tiger team--responsible for gathering the required information for the group of Afghans, verifying the authenticity of documents, and supporting evacuees with letters of support of our own.

Our mission depended on a broad cross-section of skills and traits, from perseverance to grit. Very few people could have handled the flood of information that our office received during those frantic days, and even fewer as quickly and efficiently as Sohum did. We needed Pawar power to succeed, and it is thanks to him that we did.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Sohum Pawar for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul. For his meticulous record keeping, for his flexibility and perseverance, and for his dogged pursuit of any lead that would benefit the mission, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Undersheriff Michael McCabe as he retires from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office after 44 years of service.

Born and raised in Bloomfield Township, Mike's lifelong dream was to become a police officer. When he was a young child, he had been riding in the car with his mother and brother when they were involved in a traffic accident. Although thankfully no one was seriously injured, Undersheriff McCabe still remembers the Bloomfield Township police officer that came to take a statement in the hospital.

That seminal memory stuck with him as he attended Brother Rice High School alongside future Sheriff Mike Bouchard, and later, when he graduated from Michigan State University in 1977. Just four months after earning his degree, Undersheriff McCabe joined the Oakland County Sheriff's Office--earning one of six spots out of 800 applicants. The rest, as they say, is history.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, he's risen through the ranks, working in every division along the way--from patrol deputy to detective to substation commander to chief of staff to now undersheriff and chief deputy, the position he's held for nearly 18 years. As the senior official responsible for day-to-day operations, his latest duties have included managing more than 1,400 employees and overseeing the $165 million annual budget.

Undersheriff McCabe's commitment to his fellow officers is the stuff of legend. In 1982, while responding to an armed robbery, his partner was critically wounded with gunshots to the chest and left shoulder. Without a moment's hesitation, Undersheriff McCabe threw his fellow officer into the passenger's seat of their patrol car and drove him to Crittenton Hospital--undoubtedly saving his partner's life. Last year, when a routine doctor's visit discovered an issue that required him to go in for emergency surgery, he was reportedly answering emails and returning phone calls from his room in the hospital.

However, it is his actions in the last few weeks of his service that will serve as a lasting testament to Undersheriff McCabe's heroism. On November 30, 2021, when a 15-year-old student at Oxford High School opened fire on his classmates, Undersheriff McCabe was one of the first responders to arrive and he was on-site and in command as the senior officer in charge of the law enforcement mobilization. He and his fellow officers answered the call--more than 100 in total that were frantically placed to 911--and without waiting to set up a perimeter or assess the danger, they ran into the high school and apprehended the shooter before more lives were lost. As he had done before in his career, Undersheriff's McCabe's quick thinking saved lives. There is 110 question that there are teachers and students who are still here because of what he did and that his seasoned, experienced leadership helped mitigate and manage an unimaginable situation. For that, our community will forever be in his debt.

Madam Speaker, even before the tragedy at Oxford High School, Undersheriff McCabe deserved recognition from this chamber for his decades of service. That the coda to his career is a moment in the national spotlight, as the face of a grieving community, only deepens it.

Simply put, Undersheriff McCabe is the best of what Oxford, Michigan and Oakland County represents. There is nothing in the world that I wouldn't give for his recognition to be under different circumstances, and yet, it is a small comfort to know that, in this moment of incredible pain as we seek to pick up the pieces, he has been there as a steady hand and a guiding force for his fellow neighbors.

I rise today in profound thanks to Undersheriff Michael McCabe for 44 years of service, and in honor of his actions throughout his career, and especially his final acts on the force. I ask that my colleagues join me in wishing him and his wife, Rebecca, a well-deserved retirement.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the First Presbyterian Church of Lansing as they gather to celebrate 175 years of continuous faith and service.

Founded on December 17, 1847, First Presbyterian Church is the oldest, formally-constituted church in the city. At the time of its founding, Lansing's residents were unified against slavery and the city served as a secondary stop on the Underground Railroad. The First Presbyterian faith community were among these early advocates for abolition and when the Civil War broke out, strongly supported Michigan troops who joined to defend the Union. The women of First Presbyterian Church cooked, washed clothes, and wrote letters home for those who could not write. Meanwhile, from the church pulpit, Rev. Chester S. Armstrong, urged local farmers to do their part and increase their harvests to feed the Union Army.

After the war, the congregation continued to lead the way for social justice. They were the principal sponsor and supporter of the first African-American Sabbath School in Lansing, which later became the African Methodist Episcopal Church which was founded in 1879. At the turn of the century, when outbreaks of cholera, typhoid, and malaria ravaged the most vulnerable residents in Lansing, First Presbyterian was a key proponent of improving sanitary living conditions. In addition to partnering with the YMCA to support the city's youth, church members were invested in the common welfare of the needy, caring for neighbors who could not work or those whose wages weren't enough to feed their families.

As the city of Lansing grew, so did the First Presbyterian Church congregation. From its new home beside the state Capitol, pastors

and elders occupied prominent positions in the community. During the Great Depression, when charity was so desperately needed, the church distributed food and clothing to the poor and provided care for indigent children. It's essential work that continues to this day-- feeding thousands of people through its food pantry.

Madam Speaker, Lansing's First Presbyterian Church is a key player in interfaith and inter-racial fellowship. It serves as a refuge and a sanctuary for several community based-service organizations who truly do God's work in our state capital. They host weekly forums for residents to come together and enrich their understanding of the church's history and tradition while also providing a venue for civic and academic leaders to meet with the community and answer questions on topics relevant to their lives. First Presbyterian supports artists, musicians, charities, and more--truly living up to its commitment as a strong community of faith and a positive agent for social justice and human welfare.

The theme for their 175th anniversary celebration is: ``a diverse Christian community inspired by its heritage, renewed in faith and outreach, and dedicated to peace and justice.'' It is a noble cause for a noble faith community and it is my privilege to recognize First Presbyterian Church of Lansing with these words in the People's House. May they last as a fitting tribute to its 175 years of service and guide the way for the next 175 years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member of our team that worked to evacuate vulnerable Afghans during the fall of Kabul, Mr. Sohum Pawar.

Originally from East Hanover, New Jersey, for many years, Mr. Pawar has worn many hats--scientist, engineer, and policy researcher. Since graduating with honors from little-known schools such as Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he's worked on cybersecurity, climate, and energy policy at the White House, assisted negotiators at the U.S. Department of State working on UN climate talks, and written speeches for the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Beyond public service, he's also worked as a cyber threat intelligence analyst, assessed clean energy startups for a climate- focused venture capital fund, and developed policy and strategy for an advanced nuclear reactor startup. He also has experience in journalism, conducting research for David Sanger, the prominent national journalist for the New York Times and his bestselling book chronicling the rise of cyber warfare.

The knowledge and experience Mr. Pawar acquired in all of these ventures were heavily relied upon when he joined our cobbled-together effort working to evacuate vulnerable Afghans from Kabul. For several sleepless nights, he was part of our tiger team--responsible for gathering the required information for the group of Afghans, verifying the authenticity of documents, and supporting evacuees with letters of support of our own.

Our mission depended on a broad cross-section of skills and traits, from perseverance to grit. Very few people could have handled the flood of information that our office received during those frantic days, and even fewer as quickly and efficiently as Sohum did. We needed Pawar's to succeed, and it is thanks to him that we did.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Sohum Pawar for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul. For his meticulous record keeping, for his flexibility and perseverance, and for his dogged pursuit of any lead that would benefit the mission, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.