Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated career diplomat who has devoted her life to public service, Ambassador Yuri Kim.

I first met Ambassador Kim years ago when we worked together on Iraq policy. Like so many others around the world who have worked alongside her, my initial thought was one of gratitude for her contributions to our team. Ambassador Kim is a thoughtful, compassionate, and committed diplomat who can masterfully leverage her deep knowledge and her magnetic charisma to the task at hand. It's no surprise that Ambassador Kim was confirmed to her position by voice vote in the U.S. Senate-- she's one of the best that our country has to offer and I'm proud to call her a friend.

In August, when dire circumstances required us to scramble and reach out to potential countries that could host our group of Afghan evacuees, Ambassador Kim jumped into the breach. Our team called the embassy in Tirana and she personally returned our call--setting in motion a chain of events that led to more than 100 lives being saved. That we were able to cross paths in the way that we did is a testament to the power of relationships and how they can change the course of history.

All leadership starts at the top, and our embassy staff in Tirana is a powerful example of putting country over self in order to complete a mission. They are truly learning from the best, in the same way that Ambassador Kim learned from the best as a special assistant to the late Colin Powell. There are no words to express the relief and the joy that I felt after that initial call with Ambassador Kim. I--and my entire team--are forever in her debt.

Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ambassador Yuri Kim for her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For her efforts to marshal the resources and personnel of our Embassy in Tirana and for her quick and efficient actions that undoubtedly saved lives in their hour of greatest need, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Lansing Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Originally chartered with just 17 members on December 3, 1896, the organization now lists 135 women actively committed to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing a better future for our nation's children through education.

Throughout its existence, the DAR ladies--as they affectionately call themselves--have supported civic works throughout the Greater Lansing area. In 2007, the Lansing DAR chapter supported WKAR in the making of the award-winning documentary, ``The War: Michigan Voices,'' a local companion to the landmark Ken Burns series.

They often present flags to new American citizens and deliver copies of the Pledge of Allegiance to local schools. Service is an important common thread among the Lansing DAR ladies, with many of them serving or having served our country in the armed forces. In addition, they recognize a top cadet each year from the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs at Michigan State University, as well as the local U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps.

The Lansing chapter has itself been recognized for its work in the community--in 2000, it won Michigan Outstanding Chapter Regent at the state level and was awarded National Outstanding School Chair at the DAR's national meeting, the Continental Congress, in 2006.

Today, after more than a century of uplifting each other and the Michiganders who call Lansing home, the Chapter continues to support community service, good citizenship, scholarship, veterans assistance, literacy, and so much more. In support of Wreaths Across America, you can consistently find Lansing Chapter members laying wreaths at veterans' graves, furthering their mission of ``Remember, Teach, and Honor.''

Madam Speaker, the Lansing Chapter of the Daughter of the American Revolution has been remembering, teaching, and honoring for 125 years. It's my great privilege today to celebrate them by submitting these words to the Congressional Record so that future generations--those in the 125 years to come--may learn about their dedicated service to others.

Mr. Speaker, this has been one of the darkest and most painful weeks our State of Michigan has had in recent memory. We stand here, the Michigan delegation of Democrats and Republicans, along with honorary Michiganians, to ask Congress to recognize that pain and to ask Members here to see their own children in the pictures of those who were lost in yet another school shooting.

In less than 5 minutes, the small town of Oxford, Michigan, was changed forever when a gunman opened fire on his fellow high school students.

In that momentary flash, four innocent teenagers, students with their entire lives ahead of them, were taken from us in yet another senseless act of violence.

Hana St. Juliana was an exuberant freshman and a volleyball and basketball player. She babysat for a friend of mine and brought joy to everyone who knew her. She made her high school debut on the basketball team on Monday night. Hana was 14 years old.

Madisyn Baldwin was going to graduate this year, and she had already been accepted to several colleges, some with a full scholarship. She had a younger half-brother and two sisters, and her friends describe her as an artist who loved to draw, read, and write. Madisyn was 17.

Tate Myre was a tight end and running back on the varsity football team and an honor student. There is already a petition circulating to rename Oxford's football stadium in his honor. He was 16 years old.

Justin Shilling was a senior getting ready for life after high school. He was the co-captain of the school's bowling team, and he worked part-time at Anita's Kitchen, a restaurant in nearby Lake Orion. Justin was 17.

Seven others were wounded, and make no mistake, every single student, parent, friend, family member, and community member in the greater area now has wounds that you can't see, the wounds that affect the head and the heart.

Last night, I attended a service at a church where many Oxford families attend. The pastor spoke for many when he asked: ``Where do we go with our fears? We feel powerless to prevent this kind of tragedy. We mourn the brokenness of a culture where children kill children.''

Today I ask my colleagues from across the country to join me in a moment of silence to honor the lives of Hana, Madisyn, Tate, and Justin.

I ask you for this moment to put yourself in the shoes of the families in places like Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Santa Fe, Noblesville, and now Oxford, Michigan.

And I ask you to refuse to be powerless in the powerful body that is the U.S. Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the Oxford High School tragedy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in the shadow of a terrible tragedy that has shaken my district and the entire State of Michigan to its core.

Oxford, Michigan, is a quiet town in northern Oakland County. It is a small, close-knit community where folks know and care for each other. But just 2 days ago, in less than 5 minutes, the heart of the town was ripped out in a flurry of screams and gunfire.

On Tuesday, a 15-year-old boy walked into his Oxford High School and took the lives of four of his fellow students, four young Michiganders with their entire lives ahead of them.

I mentioned them in our moment of silence, but it bears repeating.

Hana St. Juliana was an exuberant freshman on the volleyball and basketball team. She babysat for a friend of mine and brought joy to all who knew her. She made her high school debut on the basketball team on Monday night. Hana was 14 years old.

Madisyn Baldwin was going to graduate this year, and she had already been accepted to several colleges, some with a full scholarship. She had a younger half-brother and two sisters, and her friends described her as an artist who loved to draw and read and write. Madisyn was 17.

Tate Myre was a tight end and running back on the varsity football team and an honor student. Already, there is a petition with more than 80,000 signatures circulating to rename Oxford's football stadium in honor of Tate. He was 16 years old.

Justin Shilling was a senior getting ready for life after high school. He was the co-captain of the school's bowling team, and he worked part time at Anita's Kitchen, a restaurant in nearby Lake Orion. Justin was 17.

The loss of these four young people has ripped a hole in our community, and the trauma inflicted on their friends and classmates will never fully subside.

No one has been left unscathed. The aftershocks of the senseless act of violence are being felt across the State, most clearly in the 60 school districts that have been forced to cancel school out of an abundance of caution due to copycat threats.

All of us can see ourselves in the parents, students, and teachers at Oxford, but we can't begin to imagine their pain.

As agonizing as the last few days have been, the place to take solace is in the incredible response of the hundreds of first responders who jumped into action to end the violence before more lives were taken.

Yesterday, I visited the professionals at the Oakland County Operations Center, which was the eye of the hurricane on Tuesday, and heard firsthand accounts of heroism, bravery, and dedication under extreme stress.

In the darkness of the event, the light we should try and focus on is that, in our hour of need, our first responders were trained and ready. They did not hesitate. In the span of just a few minutes, the gunman fired 30 shots, hitting 11 people. Four of them are dead.

When the gunman was stopped by law enforcement inside the school, he had 18 rounds left. I shudder to think about how much more damage could have been done if those officers hadn't stopped him so quickly.

The people who responded on Tuesday saved lives unequivocally. The training, speed, and efficiency of those on site made all the difference, and I want to speak directly to them for a moment.

First, to the teachers who have been through so much in these last 2 years and who jumped into action when the crisis struck; to the police officers and sheriff's deputies who headed straight into the school without hesitation and who told me, ``We were going inside no matter what. We were never going to simply stage outside and wait to assess the risks to ourselves''; to all the firefighters and first responders from our area and well beyond who didn't wait for direction and simply steamed straight for Oxford; to the 911 dispatch operators who took more than 100 calls from terrified children whispering and crying from their hiding places, and the dispatch shift leaders who ran the massive logistical operation to coordinate over 300 first responders at the school; and to the doctors, nurses, EMS, and hospital staff who put emergency procedures in place and all answered the call to help, what you did saved children, and teachers, and administrators.

You saved someone's child, someone's brother, someone's mom. You kept people on this Earth for their families to cherish and hold close. And every one of them will remember that day and the role you played. There are children in that school who will go on to be police officers and firefighters and doctors because of how you responded this week, and for that, we owe you so much.

Madam Speaker, over the last few days, I have thought a great deal about the sacrifices we ask our kids to make and the burdens we ask them to bear. We are all so exhausted seeing fleeing students, panicked parents, and bewildered teachers.

The inescapable conclusion we must draw is that we are failing our children, not just failing to keep them safe but failing to set an example. Our daily rhetoric continues to deteriorate. Threats of violence are commonplace.

As someone who worked alongside the military for years, I was trained that leadership climate is set at the top. Whether you are the leader of a platoon or a small town, or simply the head of a household, the leadership style you use in your own life will be internalized by those you lead. It will become the standard. Nowhere is this more clear than with our kids.

The hard truth is that violence, including gun violence, has become normal. Threatening someone online has become normal. Inciting violence and calling for violence has become normal. People do it online, in neighborhood forums, at school board meetings, at hospitals, on airplanes, and even on the steps of this Capitol, like it is nothing at all, like it is somehow part of their freedom of speech. But it is not.

Threatening other people is where our freedom of speech ends. But how are kids to understand that? How are they to rationalize the lessons they learned in kindergarten to treat others as we would like to be treated if they see adults demonstrating the opposite?

That betrayal has taken hold in the roots of our communities. Not a day goes by that I don't hear about it, and our kids are watching our every move.

This tragedy also makes clear that we are in desperate need of mental health support for our young people. Services and providers are scarce, and there is no way of meeting the need, especially in the wake of

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of a local leader and dedicated public servant who I am proud to call a friend--the outgoing Mayor of Howell, Nick Proctor.

Mayor Proctor's ties to Howell stretch back to his ancestors when they first set down roots in the mid-19th century. First elected to the city council in 2013, he's served as the city's mayor for the last seven. With an agenda focused on economic vibrancy, he's been a key partner of the Howell Downtown Development Authority and the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce in the effort to revitalize Michigan Avenue. Thanks to his vision of a combination of economic development and historic preservation, Howell was honored in 2018 with the Great American Main Street Award--a national recognition for achievements in transforming the downtown district into a cultural destination.

In this era of great challenges and uncertainty, it's been a comfort to know that Howell has had a calm, level-headed mayor with firsthand experience in crisis management. He's been a champion for every resident of Howell--presiding over a city council that unanimously approved the first anti-discrimination ordinance aimed at protecting LGBT and other individuals in Livingston County.

Last year, when he opted not to seek another term, he reached out via email to all of the candidates--both before and after the primary-- making himself available to discuss issues confronting the city. And while some may see his comity as a bygone relic, Mayor Proctor would tell you that collegiality is integral to who he is. He's a public servant first, committed to the mission at hand.

He learned this as a former official with the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. In his role as a security attache, he traveled the world, including stops in Germany, Sri Lanka, Jordan, and Japan. Later on, he served as Head of Global Security for British American Tobacco, based out of London. Needless to say, Mayor Proctor has seen the world and brought back a unique perspective to the good folks of Howell.

His ability to see things from different points of view is one of his greatest skills, and I appreciate his words as Congress has worked to pass an infrastructure bill. Last month, he was quoted as saying: ``Infrastructure has no political affiliation. We need to come together to serve the people.''

It's a message that folks in Washington would do well to heed--we were sent here to put our constituents first, just like Mayor Proctor has for the better part of a decade. I'll miss working with him-- particularly given our backgrounds in national security--but I know he's earned a relaxing retirement filled with occasional travel, a good book, and watching the latest ice hockey or college football game.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful community, it's my privilege to honor Mayor Nick Proctor so that my colleagues in the People's House may know that Mayor Nick Proctor made a difference.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a team that has electrified the East Lansing community with its accomplishments both on and off the field--the 2021 Michigan State University football team.

Under the leadership of Coach Mel Tucker, the Spartans' motto is ``relentless.'' The word is stamped on the back of the players' helmets and it's present in everything the players do. Since the first offseason conditioning practice, the players have had an energy drilled into them that has translated to an undefeated season with four games left to play. Today, MSU is the fifth-ranked team in the nation because of what Coach Tucker calls the ``deep water.''

Madam Speaker, the deep water is a place that you don't want to be in. The deep water is cold, dark, and disorienting. For the MSU football team, their success lies in their ability to take their opponents to the deep water--to outlast them both physically and mentally.

As a result, this Spartan team has been defying the odds and the naysayers. And after last Saturday's comeback victory against the University of Michigan, it's clear that this team has what it takes to go all the way.

Heisman-favorite Kenneth Walker III put on a clinic, scoring all five touchdowns and notching 191 rushing yards--101 of them in the fourth quarter alone. Quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Jayden Reed, teammates who have been playing together since middle school, connected on a two-point conversion late in the game to complete a 16-point comeback. And on defense, everyone from linebacker Simeon Barrow to freshman cornerback Chuck Brantley personified the idea of ``bend, don't break'' as they came up with clutch plays time and time again. It's because of their relentless efforts, and the efforts of every member of the roster, that the Paul Bunyan trophy is staying home with the Sparty faithful.

From campus to Congress, the MSU-UM rivalry is an example of how good old fashioned competition can bring out the best in us. To that end, I want to thank my dear friend Representative Dingell for being a good sport and rallying the alumni as part of our prank war last week.

In closing, Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the Michigan State fight song, ``Victory for MSU''. And today, tomorrow, and forever: Go Green.

On the banks of the Red Cedar,

There's a school that's known to all;

Its specialty is winning,

And those Spartans play good ball;

Spartan teams are never beaten,

All through the game they fight;

Fight for the only colors:

Green and White.

Smash right through that line of blue,

Watch the points keep growing,

Spartan teams are bound to win,

They're fighting with a vim!

Rah! Rah! Rah!

Michigan is weakening,

We're going to win this game,

Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight!

Victory for MSU

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass my bill, the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act, so that we never again are dependent on foreign manufacturers for the supplies we need to keep Americans safe.

This bipartisan bill, brought to this Chamber by eight Democrats and eight Republicans, would make sure our country never again endures what we went through in those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when we all received those urgent calls, only to learn that our stockpile, the national stockpile, would only provide a fraction of what we needed, many pieces inside expired, some of them molding.

This bill would ensure that we have a properly maintained national stockpile of medical supplies so that our doctors, nurses, and frontline workers have the personal protective equipment they need to protect themselves while helping others.

Put yourself back into the mindset of April 2020: frantic calls and e-mails from essential workers begging for help. As cases of COVID surged, both in our hospitals and in our nursing homes, our frontline workers made it clear that they simply didn't have enough protective equipment to keep themselves safe.

In fact, the National Institutes of Health conducted a study on why we have a shortage of protective equipment. Through that study, they found that the U.S. anticipated--we knew--that our national supply would come up short, and they estimated that we would need 3.5 billion N95 masks to protect Americans from a pandemic that affected only a third of our country. This is why we cannot move on without cleaning up our system.

In 2020, every Member of this body was hearing from doctors, nurses, and first responders who were bravely battling this disease and improvised face shields and homemade solutions to protect themselves.

I still think about the physician in Brighton, Michigan, who compared his job to being a soldier on the front lines, wearing only a T-shirt and a baseball cap instead of body armor and a helmet; or the nurses in Mason, Michigan, who had to share one gown, not per person, but for the entire staff on a COVID ward.

In response, I found myself doing anything and everything I could to secure protective equipment for Michigan: calling mask manufacturers, negotiating with companies in China, and fighting for each and every shipment. I was sending Ziplocs of 10 masks to our nursing homes individually. If a Congresswoman is negotiating in the dead of night with a Chinese middleman for masks, our supply chains have officially failed us.

This searing experience shook me to my core. We can and must do better to protect Americans and to learn from our mistakes.

This bill, the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act, would ensure that if States ever need to turn to it, our stockpile will be fully supplied, maintained, and ready to go.

It requires constant maintenance and inventory checks to make sure items aren't expired. We need to make the distribution process transparent. It helps States to create their own local stockpiles, and it prevents waste of taxpayer dollars by allowing the stockpile to sell excess supplies to other agencies before they expire.

Perhaps most importantly, this bill incentivizes production of critical medical supplies right here at home, in the United States. Through a $500 million program, the stockpile will partner directly with American manufacturers to expand capacity and strengthen our domestic supply chains.

Now, in Michigan, we get it. Before the pandemic, the mere mention of supply chains was enough to put some to sleep. But the last year and a half has changed that. The issue is now on the front page of every paper and at the heart of every key business and policy decision.

From masks to microchips, the disruptions we have experienced have forced us to pull back the curtain and take a hard look at the systems we rely on in our daily lives. Michiganders have been saying this for 30 years. If you outsource our supply chains too far to China, it becomes a national security issue, and it has.

Here in Congress, we have a responsibility to respond to the way this crisis has shook our communities for our first responders and our businesses. I ask my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this critical piece of legislation. Help clean up the mess that was on display last year. That is our job and our responsibility to the next crisis.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my little town of Holly and, in particular, its commitment to its men and women who have served in uniform. I am especially proud to commemorate the Holly Area Veterans Resource Center and its dedicated members as they host a Welcome Home event tomorrow for our troops and their families.

Holly's track record of service isn't limited to just one event on one day--far from it. Our village's commitment is absolute, as evidenced by the namesake of the community center where the Veterans' Resource Center holds its events: Lt. Karl Richter.

As a 23-year-old officer in the Air Force, Lt. Richter became the youngest pilot to shoot down a MiG over Vietnam. He would eventually fly 198 missions--the most out of any airman at the time--and would ultimately earn the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, and Purple Heart for his valor.

Lt. Richter was born and raised in Holly, and the legacy of service that he exemplified continues to live on in our community. The old oak tree in the parking lot of Holly Elementary School is ringed by dozens of yellow ribbons noting which of our hometown heroes are on active duty. Holly is also home to the Great Lakes National Cemetery, where over fifty-thousand of our nation's veterans and their family members have been laid to rest. At their military funerals, it's common to see a joint honor guard of Holly VFW and American Legion members carry on their traditions with a performance.

Lastly, together with local leaders and veterans groups, my team led an effort to rename our local post office. I believe service is the greatest love letter you can send your country, and at the Holly Veterans Memorial Post Office, we will soon be able to pay tribute to that service each time we send letters of our own.

In short, Holly is a place that knows its veterans. We're proud to stand with them throughout their entire careers--from that first bus that takes them to boot camp until their retirement and beyond. After all, when we send folks to fight for us, we have a responsibility to care for them and their loved ones for the rest of their lives.

That said, we know that the return to civilian life can be difficult. With its Welcome Home event tomorrow, Holly honors the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. With a parade, food trucks, and live music, we will celebrate the folks who stepped up to serve our nation. And through a commemorative pinning for any veteran who served from 1955 to 1975, we will thank them for their willingness to risk life and limb to defend our way of life.

Representing Holly is one of the greatest privileges of my life. I'm proud to honor Holly, so that its legacy of service can forever be remembered.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a pioneer for civil rights in East Lansing, Dr. Robert L. Green.

In 1964, Dr. Green broke barriers as the first African American to own a home in East Lansing. As he tells it, after finishing his PhD, he was a young, tenured Black professor at Michigan State University.

His students in the School of Education would come to him with problems--like the fact that Black students were being turned away at the barbershop in the Union building. As soon as he heard about it, Dr. Green went to the President of MSU, John Hannah, and, together with the student, the three of them marched down to the Union and personally desegregated the barbershop.

Stories like these are a dime a dozen with Dr. Green. He's been a lifelong champion for equality and he's never met a problem he couldn't solve. He worked at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)--marching for voting rights in Mississippi and bringing his boss, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to speak on campus.

And yet, despite his achievements, when he and his wife, Lettie, were looking to buy a home, they would arrive at a house knowing it was available--only to be denied due to the color of their skin. Dr. Green's tenacity was clear from the start, and he wouldn't let the prejudice of the day win.

It was only after President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order banning housing discrimination that Dr. Green and Lettie sued the Lansing Board of Realtors to have their chance. When they won their case, the Greens became the first couple in the Nation to use the executive order's authority to purchase a home.

Visitors to that home included the highest levels of the SCLC, from Ambassador Andrew Young to Coretta Scott King. Recently, a group of civic leaders worked with the Michigan Historical Society to approve a historical marker that commemorates that groundbreaking first house.

And just last month, it was announced that the elementary school that taught Dr. Green's children will soon be renamed to commemorate his lifelong commitment to communities of color. As the elected representative for East Lansing, I'm proud to recognize him today, in the People's House, so that his legacy may live on.

Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment which would take a number of steps to address PFAS contamination--a significant issue in my home State of Michigan and across the country. These include: Requiring a national primary drinking water regulation for PFAS.

Strengthening disclosure requirements for manufacturers who discharge PFAS into our environment.

And mandating the DOD comply with safe incineration standards for

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the tenth anniversary of the Big Red Barrel Project, founded in Livingston County.

On Good Friday in 2011, two local residents, Joe Carney and Terry Murray, struck up a conversation with then-Under Sheriff Mike Murphy. The three men were attending a biannual DEA drug takeback event and agreed that safe disposal of prescription drugs should happen every day--not just every two years.

What began with that conversation turned into the original Big Red Barrel, a metal dropbox at the Michigan State Police Post in Brighton where folks could safely dispose of their unused medications. Today, there are more than 75 Big Red Barrels all over the state.

In addition to the permanent locations, sponsors have teamed up with the drain commissioner to host several events at local recycling centers where residents can drop off needles in addition to prescription pills.

In its first decade, the Big Red Barrel project has safely disposed of over 20 tons of unused medications. It's lifesaving work, because as that number grows, it means more pills out of the wrong hands and out of municipal water systems.

Michiganders don't admire problems from afar--when they see something that needs fixing, they go out and do it. For ten years, the Big Red Barrel Project has been a perfect example of folks coming together for the common good. I'm proud to recognize it, and I wish this community project the best for the next 10 years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the PFAS Action Act, a bill that I am proud to cosponsor and that will address a critically important issue in my district and across the country, PFAS contamination.

This bill will take bold action to address PFAS contamination and it contains a number of provisions in particular that will affect our smallest communities; and I want to share those today.

From the very early days when I became a Member of Congress, one of the issues that my residents were talking about more than anything else was the need to access clean water. In particular, Michiganders are concerned about increasing levels of PFAS and other toxic chemicals that we are continuing to find in our drinking water.

In Michigan, water is our identity. We are the home of the Great Lakes, and protecting our water and our waters is one of the most bipartisan issues you will find in the State of Michigan.

I have always believed that environmental security is homeland security, because it is about the safety and security of our kids and the preservation of our way of life in Michigan.

If you can't take your grandchildren fishing in the lakes you grew up on, or can't safely hand your child a glass of water without knowing they might get a learning disability, that is a threat to your family.

We have kicked the can down the road long enough when it comes to finally addressing the PFAS issue, and I am happy to stand here today to fight for a bill that will make a real difference in people's lives when it comes to clean water.

Today, the House is going to vote on several amendments that I drafted and introduced and come directly from on-the-ground conversations I have had with residents in my district. Here is a story for you:

In Michigan, roughly 25 percent of our households get our water from private wells, including myself and my family farm. And even though there is a great deal of public reporting on PFAS contamination in our public water sources, those of us who have private wells do not have a ton of access to best practices, information, how we test.

So back in 2020, I went on a wells and waterways tour in my district and hosted an evening in Davisburg, in Oakland County, right before COVID came to us to talk directly with people who have private wells about how we can make sure that our water is protected, clean, safe, and tested.

The response was overwhelming. We had 150 people on a weekday to talk about how we protect those of us on private wells. Most people do not have the resources, information, or tools they need to get their private wells tested.

These questions led to a bill that I am proud to cosponsor called the Test Your Well Water Act, which ended up being included in the PFAS Action Act. It requires the EPA to set up a website with information for residents on private wells, including how to get your water tested, treatment options, and financial assistance to help homeowners afford the necessary treatment.

I also wrote an amendment to the PFAS Action Act to ensure that this website also contains information about the health risks associated with PFAS. My goal was to create a resource that would be able to answer the questions I received from my constituents a little over a year ago in Davisburg.

The fight to protect safe drinking water for all Michiganders actually starts usually with local advocacy from people in our districts who are directly impacted by that PFAS contamination. This includes people like Stacy Taylor.

Stacy is a resident of my town of Holly, Michigan, and she gets her water directly from a well on her property. When she and her husband started experiencing serious health effects, she suspected there may be PFAS in her water supply.

Stacy conducted intense research on her well and Holly's history, digging through old documents, deeds, and maps to figure out where the problem may lie. When she presented her findings to our office--and she was diligent about coming to find me everywhere I was in the district-- we reached out to the State agency that is responsible for testing our water sources in Michigan, and it turns out Stacy was right. There was PFAS in her water supply--in our water supply.

But discovering the contamination isn't the end of the story. We have to make sure that our towns and cities can clean up these chemicals and provide their residents with clean water, even our smallest communities.

Because of Stacy's dogged advocacy and countless other local folks across my district, one of my amendments to the PFAS Action Act will beef up assistance to local and community governments that would otherwise really struggle to pay for PFAS cleanup. The cost can often be prohibitive.

The stories my constituents have shared have helped shape this bill to be more effective and impactful. In the

richest and most powerful country on Earth, we have to have the ability to provide clean water to our citizens. We have to be able to lead healthy lives, and that certainly includes guaranteeing a clean water supply.

Madam Speaker, I am proud to support the PFAS Action Act, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the CISA Cyber Exercise Act, a bipartisan bill to strengthen our preparation for cyber threats, which I introduced following the ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline.

Last month, I happened to have the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Vilsack join me in Ingham County in my district to talk to farmers about protecting family farms, a very important topic in a rural community like mine. And when we went to open Q and A what I think shocked everybody was that the first man to stand up, the first farmer that stood up in his John Deere hat and his overalls wanted to know about cybersecurity. That was the first thing on his mind.

I never imagined that, as a Member of Congress, I would find myself standing in a barn talking with local farmers about ransomware, cyberattacks, and how we are going to protect ourselves but, in fact, I have been having that conversation over and over again in my community. And that is because the last few months have made clear to all Americans that cybersecurity is not just a tech issue, it has gone mainstream. It is at the very heart of protecting our critical infrastructure, energy, food, water, and healthcare that drives our daily lives, and it affects every single one of us. That is why just a week after a ransomware attack struck the world's largest meat processor, these Ingham County farmers wanted to know how cyberattacks would affect their family farms, their livelihood.

What would happen if we were struck by ransomware in Michigan? Who could they turn to to call for help? And above all, what is our government doing to protect citizens who are on the front lines of this threat?

I introduced the CISA Cyber Exercise Act to help answer exactly those questions.

This bill will make sure that our government is preparing for the full range of cyber threats and that we are giving our communities and businesses the tools they need to be secure and resilient.

It strengthens CISA, which is literally America's 911 call for cybersecurity, by formally establishing a National Cyber Exercise Program to test our Nation's response plans for major cyberattacks.

It also directs CISA to build and expand a set of model cyber exercises that can be used by our State and local governments.

By passing this legislation today, we are helping to ensure our Nation and our communities are protected.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join several of my colleagues tonight to recognize our former colleague, Mr. Paul Mitchell.

Paul was recently diagnosed with cancer, and so many of us wanted to send our well-wishes that we decided the best way we could do it was from the well of the House, a place that Paul Mitchell loved and spent so much of his time.

Paul represented Michigan's 10th District in our State's thumb from 2017 until his retirement just this year. In that time, he proved himself to be the kind of principled, practical leader that Michigan is known for.

Paul knew that the path to good government runs through reaching across the aisle. The proof is in his record. Paul was intentional about ensuring key legislation be introduced in a bipartisan fashion, and the folks he drew to his legislation ran the gamut of the political spectrum.

Paul was an advocate for students, for investing in innovation, and for

economic development. Whether you were on the left or the right, Paul worked with you to get things done.

These days, some might call that behavior an independent, being a maverick. But to us, that was just Paul.

When he announced his retirement in July 2019 in order to spend more time with his family, we, of course, wished him all the best. But I also felt a twinge of sadness in losing a funny, charming, and humble servant leader.

He charted his own course in Congress as both a legislator and a friend. His presence is deeply missed in this Chamber.

Earlier this month, we received the news that Paul had been diagnosed with renal cancer. Weeks before, he had had emergency surgery to remove a mass and a blood clot that had moved to his heart. His doctors at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital estimated a 10 percent chance of survival, but true to form, Paul pulled through.

I am happy to announce that last night Paul went home to his family in Dryden. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him, one that will require things like physical therapy and immunotherapy, but Paul is approaching his recovery with a typical can-do approach.

We want to send him all of our love and all of our strength for recovery, those of us who spent so much time with him. Here assembled, we have members of the Michigan delegation and members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, two groups that spent a ton of time with Paul Mitchell.

Mr. Speaker, it is, therefore, my privilege to turn the floor over to some of those friends to recognize him in the place that we know he loved so much.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger).

Mr. Speaker, in honor of Mr. Mitchell, we will now start going Democrat-Republican, Democrat-Republican to demonstrate our bipartisanship.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton).

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Reed).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Reed for those heartfelt words.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips), another member of the Problem Solvers Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Phillips for his heartfelt words.

In conclusion, Paul, as you can imagine, we, of course, had our schedule changed 12 different times today. There are many, many more of our colleagues who are submitting official notes for the Record, and who are stuck in various places and will reach out directly.

But to you and your family, for the legacy that you left in this place, please know that we see you, we recognize you, we believe in your will to fight, and we are behind you 100 percent.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for joining on both sides of the aisle.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Walberg for those kind words.

Paul, I hope you know the strength that we are sending you, all of us on both sides of the aisle. We feel it, we have been talking about you and Sherry and the kids constantly. And we hope that from our convening on you, you feel that strength and the power to fight back and beat this thing.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about service by recognizing individuals and organizations who have stepped up when their fellow citizens needed them most. Through their actions, they have shown what it means to put others before self.

Dr. Saturnino Rodriguez

Mr. Speaker, I begin by rising today to honor Dr. Saturnino Rodriguez, a good friend and devoted servant of the Latino community in Lansing.

Over the years, Dr. Rodriguez, or Nino as he is known around town, has had many titles. In each role, he has left a profound impact on the students, faculty, parents, and community residents that call greater Lansing home.

Dr. Rodriguez has spent his entire professional life working in schools--first in Peru, then in Grand Rapids, and then Lansing, where he has worked tirelessly for the past 50 years to improve the lives of children through education. His career has taken him from being a counselor at C.W. Otto Junior High, an assistant principal at Gardner Junior High and Eastern High School, principal at Pattengill Middle School, and finally as deputy superintendent of the entire school district.

He was an innovator in the classroom, developing a clustered teaching approach that is still being used today. In addition, he led the adoption of guidelines proposed by the Youth Violence Prevention Coalition, which brought about significant positive changes in student and community relations.

Since 2009, he has been an elected member of the Lansing District Board of Education, a role that he carries out with joy because it allows him to continue his service to Lansing students.

Dr. Rodriguez' passions extend beyond education. He is an officer with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Ingham County Health Department's Board of Health. But to really know Dr. Rodriguez, you only need to read his monthly magazine Adelante Forward.

Published in both English and Spanish, Adelante Forward has been an instrumental source of information for the Lansing community, advertising new businesses and spreading word about resources from Head Start classes to COVID vaccine clinics. It has been a key way to reach Latino and Hispanic residents, bridging the language gap in order to improve community relations. And, as I am sure Dr. Rodriguez is proud to know, it is even being used by some Spanish language teachers as part of their lesson plans.

The publication wouldn't be possible without the special partners that work to put it together: Danny Layne, Allena Tapia, Patricia Briones, and Dr. George Mansour. In addition, no tribute to Dr. Rodriguez would be complete without mention of his wife of 30 years, Margarita, as well as their two daughters and two grandchildren.

It is my privilege to represent Dr. Rodriguez in Washington. I am grateful for his willingness to always speak to me about Lansing's needs. Every time we are able to connect, it is a pleasure to hear about the good work being done to improve the lives of others. I am appreciative of his commitment to serving others, and it is my honor to recognize him today in the permanent Record of the people's House.

Honoring Lisa Brinker

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ms. Lisa Brinker, a resident of Lake Orion, who has been there for her community when it needed her most.

Ms. Brinker has faced adversity in her life. Three years ago, her husband passed away from brain cancer. Out of that pain, she found purpose. Over the course of the last year, she has devoted her time to the New Day Foundation for Families, a local nonprofit that supports those fighting cancer and their loved ones.

The financial cost of a cancer diagnosis goes beyond just medical care, as I know well. Beyond the loss of income, the increase in expenses, and emotional distress, it is a diagnosis that can consume us entirely. And that is where the New Day Foundation for Families comes in. With an army of local volunteers like Ms. Brinker, they provide resources to give cancer patients hope through financial assistance and emotional support.

When her husband was in the hospital, Ms. Brinker was surrounded by family, friends, and churchgoers who helped lighten the load. For her, she wouldn't have known what to do without that help. And it is why she works so hard to make someone else's load a little lighter. During the pandemic, when family members of immunocompromised patients saw a trip to the grocery store as a fraught experience, Ms. Brinker was there to provide for their essential needs.

Since the program began last spring, volunteers like Lisa made more than 300 deliveries helping 125 families in total. They were a godsend during COVID, and not just for their food deliveries. By demonstrating that service doesn't stop, not even during a once-in-a-generation pandemic, Ms. Brinker was a source of inspiration and strength. With an infectious attitude that brightens the days of all she serves, we are lucky to have her in our community.

Ms. Brinker has persevered through adversity and loss, and it has magnified her service. With the powerful perspective that comes with experience, she has used it to better her Lake Orion community. As a humble spirit, she prefers that any recognition focus on making a difference. An article in the local paper ended with her asking readers to get themselves involved. And true to form, for this recognition, she indicated that credit should go to the good people of the New Day Foundation for Families.

It is a rare soul who can reduce pain and hardship in others, especially when they themselves have been in that position. For her work to honor the loving memory of her husband and her tireless service to community, it is my privilege to recognize Lisa Brinker on the House floor today.

Honoring Lisa Kocab

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize another Lisa, the ultimate champion and advocate for the disability community in Brighton, Michigan, Ms. Lisa Kocab.

Put simply, Lisa is a powerhouse. As a teacher and a mother of five, including an incredible 10-year-old boy, PJ, who has Down syndrome, she has built and created an incredible circle of support since moving back to Michigan in 2016.

At first, when she was scouting schools for PJ, she had to push through being told ``no.'' The family wanted to move back to be nearer to the kids' grandparents, but the first school district that they called referred to students with special needs as ``those kids.'' Other schools gave similar responses when asked if PJ could be placed in general education.

That is, until she called Brighton's special education director, who told Lisa that PJ could absolutely go to school with the other students; that if they moved to Brighton, she would work with them. So that is what Lisa and her husband did.

Now, Lisa will be the first to tell you that it wasn't always smooth sailing. She has had to overcome plenty of challenges from PJ's struggles with development to the hurt of hearing intolerant words and from other families.

Lisa has been tested in too many ways to count, but she has turned her pain into purpose by deciding to open Gigi's Playhouse in Southfield, Michigan. With more than 45 locations nationwide, Gigi's Playhouses are now ``achievement centers'' for individuals with Down syndrome. They are spaces that are specifically designed for kids to interact and play with each other while offering free programs to learn how to read, improve their health, develop career skills, and reach their greatest potential.

Lisa was the driving force behind fundraising, searching for a location, and pulling resources together. Now, with her dream a reality, she strives every day to realize the vision of Gigi's Playhouses, to see a world where individuals with Down syndrome are accepted and embraced in their families, schools, and communities.

In its first year of operation, Gigi's served 383 people with Down syndrome, more than half of whom were adults. Since then, they have expanded their offerings and, in order to help more residents, even adapting during the pandemic by switching to virtual programs.

Mr. Speaker, I am a firm believer in finding your people, those who will have your back and stay by your side through ups and downs, failures and successes. Without a doubt, Lisa Kocab has found her people in Brighton and at Gigi's Playhouse; and the disability community in Michigan has found its person in Lisa.

She is an inspiration to us all, and I am so proud to represent her here in the Halls of Congress. It is my honor to speak these words into the Congressional Record so that her story can inspire all who read it.

Recognizing the Wong Family

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a staple of the community, the Wong family of Wong Express House in Brighton.

Before moving to Michigan, Xueqi Wong worked as a fisherman and a security officer for his town while raising his family with his wife, Mei, in Fujian province, China.

They immigrated to the U.S. in 1991, moving to Brighton 10 years later, where they have built a successful business with a loyal following for the last two decades. Mr. Wong, known as Ed around town, is known for his work ethic and attention to detail. His employees rave about the culture he brings to the team. ``Extremely flexible and supportive,'' ``Very welcoming and inspiring,'' ``I feel honored to work with such excellent people'' is some of what they have said.

Mr. Wong's character truly came through in his devotion to keeping his customers and employees safe during COVID-19. At a time when restaurants and dining establishments were particularly hard hit by the public health restrictions, Mr. Wong put a plan in place to allow Wong Express House to stay afloat.

After closing for 9 weeks, they reopened on May 29, 2020, as a model for safe service. With a separate enclosed area inside the restaurant, the dining area was transformed into a contactless pickup window for customer convenience. Instead of dine-in, the restaurant trained staff to fully transition into drive-thru and carry-out only.

The changes were not easy, but the space was turned into a safe, simple, and effective process that limited customer-to-staff interaction, keeping everyone safe from infection. That ability to adapt, to work through the challenges in order to keep customers satisfied, is why I am proud to recognize Mr. Wong; his wife, Mei; their son, Jian on the floor of the House today.

Their pride in their restaurant is evident as soon as you walk in the door, and their resilience can be found in their dedication to each other and our community. During the shutdown, when Jian had to travel back to Brooklyn to support his wife and two kids, Mr. and Mrs. Wong stayed in Brighton holding down the fort to make sure that their staff would be taken care of.

It is no surprise that on their first day back in business they were so overwhelmed with support to the point that they completely sold out of food. Now, as they chart a course for the weeks and months ahead, I know that the Wong family will continue to demonstrate the toughness and grit that Michiganians are known for during uncertain times.

On behalf of a grateful community, it is my honor to recognize the leadership and staff at Wong Express House by inserting their story of resilience into the permanent Record so that it may last for years to come.

Recognizing Peckham, Incorporated

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an organization in my district that goes above and beyond by providing job training opportunities for folks with significant disabilities and other barriers to employment.

A nonprofit based in Lansing, Peckham, Incorporated, provides a platform for people to demonstrate their unique abilities by learning new skills and enjoying the rewards of an honest day's works. From career planning to vocational training, to employer services, Peckham offers more than 30 different programs that create opportunities for every single individual they work with.

Named after the former rehabilitation services director of the State of Michigan, Ralf Peckham, they began serving the greater Lansing region in 1976. Today, they have grown into one of the largest community rehabilitation programs in the entire State.

With core values of compassion, community, and collaboration as a foundation, Peckham has broken the mold of what a human services agency can be. They go beyond just matching skills to places of employment. They treat each person, no matter their ability, with respect and dignity. Their holistic approach to each situation allows them to build an environment of trust, where each person they work with can thrive.

A physical, cognitive, behavioral, or socioeconomic challenge should never get in the way of someone realizing their full potential. To that end, Peckham makes our district and our State a better place to live. At a fundamental level, they help folks to earn economic and personal independence by creating, sustaining, and improving employment opportunities in our community.

Peckham is a leader of workplace culture, from how employers view mental health to how to safely reopen as we see a light at the end of the tunnel in COVID-19. For their efforts, they have been featured in Fortune Magazine's Great Places to Work List, and recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor with the Gold Hire Vets Medallion Award.

Mr. Speaker, accessibility and diversity are cornerstones of a modern workplace. They make our economy stronger, bring our communities closer, and demonstrate what our country is all about: Equality of opportunity.

Today, I am proud to congratulate Peckham on 45 successful years harnessing the power of acceptance. They develop potential, work with purpose, and deliver results. With these remarks on the House floor, may their contributions to our Nation live on in the Congressional Record.

Recognizing Livingston County Medical Reserve Corps

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because, in Livingston County, there is a group of retired medical professionals and volunteers that answer the call to serve by staying in action and continuing to train in the event of emergencies.

In 2006, the Livingston County Medical Reserve Corps was founded as a public health volunteer team. Today, I am proud to honor them on the House floor during their work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As one of the 762 Medical Reserve Corps units in the Nation, they are

part of a network of locally organized groups that strive to improve the health and safety of our communities.

In Livingston County, our reserve corps is composed of 194 members, with an extra 80 volunteers, dedicating their time at the clinic. These folks are registered nurses, pharmacists, physician's assistants, nurse practitioners, paramedics, licensed professional nurses, EMTs, firefighters, veterinarians, chiropractors, social workers, teachers, public health professionals, and others with nonmedical backgrounds.

They come from all walks of life, but they are motivated to their cause, which is a healthier Livingston County. And their work during the pandemic is nothing short of heroic. They helped with mask packaging and distribution, staffing a COVID hotline, contact tracing, and vaccine support. Without the reserve corps, the county would not have been able to respond as effectively.

Since the beginning of last year, temporary staff have logged almost 7,000 hours on duty, with volunteers adding another 5,000 hours. These hours represent shots in arms, questions answered, fears put at ease, and more.

When our people need it the most, the Medical Reserve Corps stepped up. Their training designed for full-scale emergencies meant the difference when Livingston County was tested like never before.

I am so grateful for each and every member who has proudly worn the yellow vest of the Medical Reserve Corps.

Mr. Speaker, I especially want to recognize Jennifer Kramer, the Medical Reserve Corps coordinator, who has certainly personally put in incredibly long hours in service to others.

With their motto of Partner, Provide, Prepare, and Protect, the Medical Reserve Corps makes the extraordinary seem ordinary. I have seen them in action myself when I visited a vaccination clinic in January. They are organized, efficient, and wholly devoted to the cause.

It is my great honor to speak these words into the official Record so that future generations can read about these heroes who were there when we needed them most.

Recognizing Cristo Rey Community Center

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cristo Rey Community Center, a nonprofit organization that has been meeting the needs of the Lansing community since 1968.

As a comprehensive, basic-needs service center, Cristo Rey is an invaluable source for residents, no matter their station in life. The center's health clinic serves the uninsured and underinsured while offering counseling to those struggling with substance abuse and addiction. Their financial counselors help folks develop healthy spending and saving habits, and their community kitchen serves free hot breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday.

In 2018 alone, Cristo Rey served over 56,000 members of their community. They distributed over 357,000 pounds of food, and provided more than 21,000 meals to the hungry. Their family health center cared for nearly 2,800 unique patients, empowered 1,500 individuals to manage their finances, and helped families save over $700,000 in prescription drug costs.

In addition to these programs, Cristo Rey served as an essential warming center during harsh winters and as a cooling center during sweltering summers for the roughly 5,000 individuals who are homeless in the Lansing area.

Every day, Cristo Rey staff live up to their motto: ``Serving individuals, serving families, serving communities. Always with compassion. Always with respect.''

Wherever there is a need, whether it is a basic need, a spiritual need, or a societal need, Cristo Rey is there. Yes, they offer support and care, but they also focus on self-sufficiency and honoring the dignity of every person who walks through their doors.

For the poor and vulnerable, immigrants and migrants, and all people in need, regardless of language or culture, Cristo Rey is instrumental in the work to break the cycle of poverty and lift the community up. As a trusted organization, they are crucial to building bridges between different parts of the city.

In 2019, during the search for a new police chief, Cristo Rey hosted the first community meet-and-greet for Daryl Green, who became Lansing's chief of police. When our community was rocked by COVID, Cristo Rey was one of the first to retool its programs and offerings in order to start adapting to changing times.

These days, with a grant from the Dart Foundation, the center has been able to offer vaccinations to residents, particularly in underserved and hard-to-reach communities, which is essential for bringing down the rates of infection and reopening Michigan's economy.

For their 50 years of service to Lansing, it is my great honor to recognize the men and women who truly do God's work at Cristo Rey Community Center. May they continue to live out their mission for the next 50 years and for as long as these words remain in the Record of the people's House.

Recognizing LACASA

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize LACASA, a nonprofit in my community that has stood out as a beacon of hope for thousands of vulnerable women and children in mid-Michigan.

In 1979, LACASA was founded as the Livingston Area Council Against Spousal Abuse. With just $40 in donations and a part-time director at a desk in a borrowed office space, the organization first relied entirely on volunteers, selfless local residents who opened up their own homes so that survivors of domestic violence could find refuge.

Later on, as it grew, LACASA was able to rent, then buy, and finally expand to a permanent shelter where women and children can access counseling services, legal advocacy, and wraparound support.

In addition to sanctuary, LACASA offers 24-hour crisis response with trained staff who are able to intake and serve the diverse needs of survivors of child abuse, domestic abuse, and sexual assault. For so many in our community, the folks at LACASA are directly responsible for giving them the tools and strength to begin the road toward a better future.

However, pandemics don't stop abusers. In fact, when outside stressors occur, abuse historically tends to escalate. So when shelter- in-place orders took effect last year, closing LACASA and its around- the-clock facility was not an option. Record numbers of victims seeking help and refuge contacted them, and their ability to adapt is nothing short of heroic.

In 2020 alone, LACASA provided 1,170 overnight stays in hotel rooms and over 3,500 off-site meals for victims and their families. They expanded capacity to handle a 230-percent increase in child forensic interviews.

LACASA saw the number of calls to their 24/7 helpline nearly double when the number of individuals seeking personal protection orders more than tripled compared to an average year.

Mr. Speaker, I have had the chance to personally visit LACASA, touring their shelter and working with their president, CEO, and badass, Bobette Schrandt, on several occasions. I am so thankful for her leadership and for the entire organization's tireless support and work to provide a port in the storm for local residents.

They are a model for similar nonprofits, earning national accreditation from the National Children's Alliance as a children's advocacy center just last week. Bobette told me herself. It is their highest level of membership, an honor that says everything about LACASA's dedication to addressing childhood abuse in southeast Michigan.

Today, I am proud to lift up their trauma-informed procedures and practices as a shining beacon of hope in Michigan's Eighth District.

On behalf of a grateful community, thank you for the work that you do, and may you continue to lead the way.

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