Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2655) to amend the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to prohibit certain securities trading and related communications by those who possess material, nonpublic information, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert any extraneous materials thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2655, the Insider Trading Prohibition Act, which was introduced by my colleague, Mr. Himes.

This long-overdue bill creates a clear definition of illegal insider trading under the securities laws so that there is a codified, consistent standard for courts and market participants. This bill will help to better protect the hard-earned savings of millions of Americans and bring legal and regulatory certainty to U.S. securities markets.

For nearly 80 years, the Securities and Exchange Commission has sought to hold corporate insiders accountable for insider trading through general statutory antifraud provisions and rules it has promulgated under those provisions. This has resulted in a web of court decisions that generally prohibit insiders with a duty of trust and confidence to a corporation from secretly trading on material, nonpublic corporate information for their own personal gain.

These insiders are also generally prohibited from tipping outsiders, known as tippees, who then trade on the information themselves, even though they knew it was wrongly obtained. But because there isn't a statutory definition of insider trading, there is uncertainty around who is subject to insider trading prohibitions.

Further, with various court decisions, liability for this type of violation has shifted. For example, in 2014, an appeals court added a brand-new requirement that the tippee must not just know that information was wrongfully disclosed but must also know about the specific personal benefit that the insider received. This decision has severely hampered the SEC's ability to prosecute insider trading cases.

According to Preet Bharara, the former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, this decision ``provides a virtual roadmap for savvy hedge-fund managers to insulate themselves from tippee liability by knowingly placing themselves at the end of a chain of insider information and avoiding learning details about the sources of obvious confidential and improperly disclosed information.''

I am pleased that this bill codifies existing case law and overturns this new controversial requirement, creating a clear, consistent standard for the SEC, the courts, and market participants to follow.

Last Congress, the House of Representatives passed this commonsense bipartisan bill with an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 410-13.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to once again support this important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes), who is also a sponsor of this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Himes).

Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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

H.R. 2655, the Insider Trading Prohibition Act, is a long overdue piece of legislation that simply spells out the definition of illegal insider trading under the security laws. It creates clarity for participants in financial markets, and empowers the SEC to punish bad actors.

This bill is supported by groups, including the Council of Institutional Investors, the California State Teachers' Retirement System, the North American Securities Administrators Association, and Public Citizen.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on this important bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2959) to establish the Consumer and Investor Fraud Working Group to help protect consumers and investors from fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic, to assist consumers and investors affected by such fraud, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank Representative Axne for her leadership on H.R. 2959, the COVID-19 Fraud Prevention Act.

This bill would create a joint Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Securities and Exchange Commission fraud working group to better protect consumers and investors against fraudulent schemes during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the wake of the pandemic outbreak in the United States last year, millions of American families lost work and struggled to keep food on the table, pay their bills, and a roof over their heads. As early as April 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that more than 20 million workers had lost their jobs.

As consumers across the country struggled with their finances and to stay protected against infection, predatory scammers and unscrupulous actors have profited from consumers' concerns and anxiety.

Scams targeting consumers' economic stimulus payments and unemployment benefits have delayed or prevented consumers from receiving the resources that they desperately need.

At the Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions hearing held in March entitled ``Slipping Through the Cracks: Policy Options to Help America's Consumers During the Pandemic,'' Carla Sanchez-Adams, managing attorney with the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, shared the story of a client she called Ms. Y, who lost her job because of the pandemic, fell ill from COVID-19, and became a victim of fraud.

Ms. Sanchez-Adams said: ``Ms. Y qualified for unemployment benefits through the Texas Workforce Commission. Ms. Y does not have a bank account, so her only option to receive her unemployment benefits was to have the funds deposited on a prepaid card . . . '' The Texas Workforce Commission ``disbursed $6,000 in unemployment benefits through the'' card. ``Soon after receiving her card, Ms. Y got COVID-19 and had to be hospitalized. When she was released, she tried to access the funds . . . and discovered there was'' not one single penny left. ``When she called . . . to inquire about the problem, she was told that someone had called, requested a new card be issued to an address in Michigan, and that someone in Michigan had used all the funds.''

Ms. Y is, unfortunately, not alone in experiencing this kind of shameless profiteering during a national crisis. Representative Axne's bill would help ensure that consumers who have been impacted by fraud can report it and have access to legal resources to combat it. It would also provide coordination between the CFPB and the SEC to combat these fraudulent schemes.

Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers and am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time until Mr. Hill yields back.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, the COVID-19 Fraud Prevention Act led by Representative Axne would provide essential resources and support for consumers and investors to protect them against fraudulent schemes that have been rampant during this tragic pandemic.

The House passed this unanimously by voice vote in September of 2020. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me again in supporting this legislation.

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

Madam Speaker, let me, first of all, thank Chairwoman Waters for including my legislation, my Debt Collection Improvement Act, into the Stop Debt Collection Abuse Act, which would, among other things, extend the protections in the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to debt owed to a Federal, State, territory, District of Columbia, and local government agency, and limit the excessive fees that debt collectors may charge.

The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was enacted in 1978 to eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors and to ensure that those debt collectors who refrain from using abusive debt collection practices were not competitively disadvantaged.

Congress has found abundant evidence of the use of abusive, deceptive, and unfair debt collection practices by many debt collectors, and Congress expressly found that abusive debt collection practices contribute to social ills. Those findings are still true today.

Unfortunately, when Congress enacted the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act in 1978, it did not apply the law to debt collectors hired by Federal Government entities. As one witness before the Financial Services Committee pointed out, extending the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act to debt collectors hired by government entities is important because collection by or on behalf of the government is already unusually coercive as a result of the government's immense and unrivaled police power and other means of seizing citizens' assets.

This title within the bill also ensures that fees from debt collectors working on behalf of the Federal Government cannot be unreasonable, and requires the GAO to conduct a study into the use of third-party debt collectors by State and local governments. This title within the bill is supported by more than 20 civil rights organizations and consumer rights groups across the Nation.

The Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act before us is a timely piece of legislation. America's hardworking families, small businesses, and students deserve to be treated with respect, integrity, and fairness, including those who owe debt to the Federal Government.

Americans currently find themselves in greater debt than at any other time in history, including prior to the great financial crisis of 2008. The debt burden stands at approximately $14.56 trillion and includes all types of consumer secured and unsecured loans.

No American should have to deal with abusive, predatory practices from debt collectors, especially when those debt collectors have been hired by the United States Federal Government.

This bill strengthens consumer protections by rectifying loopholes in existing Federal law that enables private companies hired by the Federal Government to unnecessarily harass individuals.

If Congress is going to set up fair debt collection practices to hold the private sector accountable, the Federal agency collecting a debt from consumers should be held to the same standard.

Madam Speaker, it is with a deep and poignant gratitude that I rise today to celebrate the American heroes who lost their lives seventy-seven years ago during Exercise Tiger. Paving the way for the D-Day invasion that would take place on June 6, 1944, Exercise Tiger, while once kept secret, is now regarded as having been both a tragedy and a critically instructive component of the Allies' mission to end World War II. The lives lost on that fateful day were honored by the soldiers who learned from Exercise Tiger and carried their memory into battle during the liberation of France. It is a story we must never allow ourselves to forget.

Before the assembled British, Canadian, and American forces could carry out the D-Day invasion, 4,000 soldiers conducted a massive simulated landing to rehearse and prepare for that immeasurably vital military act. However, what started as a military exercise ended as one of the greatest military tragedies of World War II. The calm, dark night of April 28, 1944, burst into chaos and combat when German U- boats ambushed the Tank Landing Ships (LSTs) transporting American soldiers. Almost 750 American servicemen, including over 200 Missourians, would give their last full measure of devotion when their vessels were either destroyed or severely damaged. But Allied forces would not be deterred, as the brave soldiers on those vessels banded together to repel enemy attacks and move forward with their mission. Even in the face of immense loss, a well-equipped enemy force, and little help from nearby Allied forces, the tenacity and determination of the soldiers and sailors involved ensured that the landing operations would continue mere hours after the initial attack. Allied Commanders planning the eventual D-Day invasion learned from Exercise Tiger and incorporated new strategies to ensure soldiers would be protected from barrage before landing on the beach. Without the bravery of the forces that fought that day, it is possible that even more American, Canadian, and British lives would have been lost on D-Day, and that the invasion of France, which hinged on secrecy, speed, and synchronicity, would have failed. It is not hyperbole to say that the soldiers and sailors of Exercise Tiger changed the course of world history and that we are forever indebted to their sacrifice.

It is a time-honored tradition in the United States for us to gather and celebrate the heroism and sacrifices of the countless fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children who have died to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats. On the last Monday of May, thousands congregate to quietly observe and remember the names found on marble headstones cascading across Arlington National Cemetery. On the fourth day of July, we join friends and family for a celebration of our nation's independence. On each November 11th, we reach out to the veterans in our lives, thank them for their service, and if we are lucky, listen to their stories of service. Scattered between these national celebrations are memorials hosted in small towns and big cities

across America that pay tribute to the local legends who fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear. Every year since 1989, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, alongside the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, have celebrated the heroes of Exercise Tiger with a wreath-laying ceremony at stations across the United States. It is now the longest-running wreath tribute in Coast Guard history.

Moreover, this year, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation has worked with the Audrain County Commissioners to memorialize and celebrate the oft-overlooked heroism of our nation's Black soldiers and sailors. We must never lose sight of the fact that while Black soldiers were fighting for the freedom of France, they themselves were not free in America. As they parachuted in Normandy and stormed Omaha and Utah Beaches, our nation was upholding the horrors of segregation and Jim Crow. They did so because they believed in the promise of America. We are all eternally indebted to that faith and their sacrifices, and I want to thank the Foundation and the Audrain County Commissioners for working to ensure that all our veterans receive the praise, glory, and honor they have earned.

A 5,000-pound anchor, located in Audrain County, serves as the memorial for the heroes of Exercise Tiger. However, it is more than just a relic of the past. Rather, it is a constant reminder that our freedom was paid for by the sacrifices of those who came before us. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a blue ribbon was wrapped around that anchor, and it was only to be cut down when a vaccine was developed. On April 28, 2021, as our scientists, healthcare workers, and soldiers engage in a noble crusade against COVID-19 at vaccination sites across the country, that ribbon will be removed. While its removal does not signal the end of the pandemic, it does celebrate the fact that we are accomplishing what seemed impossible just months ago. We have demonstrated, like the Greatest Generation before us, that America can overcome any threat when we are united, be it a fleet of enemy submarines or an elusive virus. That capacity will always be worth celebrating.

Madam Speaker, please join me and my colleagues in honoring the nearly 750 Americans, including 201 Missourians, who gave their lives during Exercise Tiger. Additionally, please join me in extending a heartfelt ``thank you'' to the Audrain County Commissioners, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, and the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, for organizing these memorial events each year since 1989. On April 28th, it is my fervent hope that we all take a moment to remember the victims and veterans of Exercise Tiger and to re-affirm our commitment to honoring their legacy each day through selfless service to others in our community.

Madam Speaker, it is with a deep and poignant gratitude that I rise today to celebrate the American heroes who lost their lives seventy-seven years ago during Exercise Tiger. Paving the way for the D-Day invasion that would take place on June 6, 1944, Exercise Tiger, while once kept secret, is now regarded as having been both a tragedy and a critically instructive component of the Allies' mission to end World War II. The lives lost on that fateful day were honored by the soldiers who learned from Exercise Tiger and carried their memory into battle during the liberation of France. It is a story we must never allow ourselves to forget.

Before the assembled British, Canadian, and American forces could carry out the D-Day invasion, 4,000 soldiers conducted a massive simulated landing to rehearse and prepare for that immeasurably vital military act. However, what started as a military exercise ended as one of the greatest military tragedies of World War II. The calm, dark night of April 28, 1944, burst into chaos and combat when German U- boats ambushed the Tank Landing Ships (LSTs) transporting American soldiers. Almost 750 American servicemen, including over 200 Missourians, would give their last full measure of devotion when their vessels were either destroyed or severely damaged. But Allied forces would not be deterred, as the brave soldiers on those vessels banded together to repel enemy attacks and move forward with their mission. Even in the face of immense loss, a well-equipped enemy force, and little help from nearby Allied forces, the tenacity and determination of the soldiers and sailors involved ensured that the landing operations would continue mere hours after the initial attack. Allied Commanders planning the eventual D-Day invasion learned from Exercise Tiger and incorporated new strategies to ensure soldiers would be protected from barrage before landing on the beach. Without the bravery of the forces that fought that day, it is possible that even more American, Canadian, and British lives would have been lost on D-Day, and that the invasion of France, which hinged on secrecy, speed, and synchronicity, would have failed. It is not hyperbole to say that the soldiers and sailors of Exercise Tiger changed the course of world history and that we are forever indebted to their sacrifice.

It is a time-honored tradition in the United States for us to gather and celebrate the heroism and sacrifices of the countless fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and children who have died to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats. On the last Monday of May, thousands congregate to quietly observe and remember the names found on marble

headstones cascading across Arlington National Cemetery. On the fourth day of July, we join friends and family for a celebration of our nation's independence. On each November 11th, we reach out to the veterans in our lives, thank them for their service, and if we are lucky, listen to their stories of service. Scattered between these national celebrations are memorials hosted in small towns and big cities across America that pay tribute to the local legends who fought to protect the freedoms we hold dear. Every year since 1989, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, alongside the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, have celebrated the heroes of Exercise Tiger with a wreath-laying ceremony at stations across the United States. It is now the longest-running wreath tribute in Coast Guard history.

Moreover, this year, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation has worked with the Audrain County Commissioners to memorialize and celebrate the oft-overlooked heroism of our nation's Black soldiers and sailors. We must never lose sight of the fact that while Black soldiers were fighting for the freedom of France, they themselves were not free in America. As they parachuted in Normandy and stormed Omaha and Utah Beaches, our nation was upholding the horrors of segregation and Jim Crow. They did so because they believed in the promise of America. We are all eternally indebted to that faith and their sacrifices, and I want to thank the Foundation and the Audrain County Commissioners for working to ensure that all our veterans receive the praise, glory, and honor they have earned.

A 5,000-pound anchor, located in Audrain County, serves as the memorial for the heroes of Exercise Tiger. However, it is more than just a relic of the past. Rather, it is a constant reminder that our freedom was paid for by the sacrifices of those who came before us. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a blue ribbon was wrapped around that anchor, and it was only to be cut down when a vaccine was developed. On April 28, 2021, as our scientists, healthcare workers, and soldiers engage in a noble crusade against COVID-19 at vaccination sites across the country, that ribbon will be removed. While its removal does not signal the end of the pandemic, it does celebrate the fact that we are accomplishing what seemed impossible just months ago. We have demonstrated, like the Greatest Generation before us, that America can overcome any threat when we are united, be it a fleet of enemy submarines or an elusive virus. That capacity will always be worth celebrating.

Madam Speaker, please join me and my colleagues in honoring the nearly 750 Americans, including 201 Missourians, who gave their lives during Exercise Tiger. Additionally, please join me in extending a heartfelt ``thank you'' to the Audrain County Commissioners, the Exercise Tiger Commemorative Foundation, and the Coast Guard Station Barnegat Light, for organizing these memorial events each year since 1989. On April 28th, it is my fervent hope that we all take a moment to remember the victims and veterans of Exercise Tiger and to re-affirm our commitment to honoring their legacy each day through selfless service to others in our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to recognize the life and accomplishments of Fred Arbanas, who recently passed away at the age of 82. A husband, father, grandfather, athlete, public servant, and Kansas City icon, Fred was widely loved and will be fondly remembered. In his youth, Fred played for the Kansas City Chiefs and set records on the field. After his retirement from professional football, Fred dedicated himself to a life of service as an influential player in the Jackson County legislature for more than four decades of stunning community development.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Fred's introduction to Kansas City was through his time on the Kansas City Chiefs, then the Dallas Texans, as a tight end. For eight years, Fred set records for the Chiefs and helped bring them to two Super Bowls and a World Championship. Before his remarkable life came to end, Fred had been inducted into the Chiefs' Hall of Fame, the Missouri Hall of Fame, the Michigan Hall of Fame, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame's All-Time AFL Team. Even in the face of an injury at the height of his career, Mr. Arbanas continued to play and persevere, inspiring those around him.

In 1973, after his departure from the NFL, Fred joined the Jackson County legislature. Between 1974 and 1989, Mr. Arbanas served as the chairman of the legislature four separate times. His tenure in politics was dedicated to transforming the County's recreational services and amenities. Over the course of his 41-year career, Jackson County came to boast the third largest county parks system in the United States, with more than 20,000 acres of land dedicated to that purpose. Fred also played a considerable role in the paving of every road in unincorporated Jackson County and in the relocation of the county jail, projects of great importance to the county at the time.

There is no doubt that Fred Arbanas was a pillar of the Jackson County community. His dedication to the county and his place in Kansas City history will not be forgotten; his contributions to his community will be memorialized in the happy memories created in the green spaces his work made possible; and his inspiring example will be carried forward by a loving family and a grateful community, whose lives were touched, in so many ways, by his devotion to service. Fred is survived by his four children and eight grandchildren. His name will also live on through the Fred Arbanas Golf Course, christened in his honor.

Fred was an icon to his community and a model public servant. His good deeds and commitment to helping others bring to mind Acts 20:35: ``In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, `It is more blessed to give than to receive.' '' Fred Arbanas embodied what it means to give rather than receive. Whether he was giving his all on the field, or giving his service in the halls of the Jackson County legislature--whether he was giving to his team or to his community at large--Fred Arbanas was always giving.

Madam Speaker, please join me in remembering the incredible, vibrant life of Fred Arbanas. Please also join me in offering condolences to his family and all those mourning his loss. Let us seek to emulate his example in the work we do here in Congress by remembering that service is about setting our talents upon the alter of change and making life better for those in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 131.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with immense appreciation for Patricia ``Pattie'' Mansur's years of service to the students and community of Kansas City, Missouri as a member of the Kansas City Public School Board. Over the last several years, Pattie has demonstrated the passion, integrity, and determination that we hope the students whom she served will emulate as they become leaders in their own right.

Pattie's time on the School Board is a testament to what can be accomplished when concerned citizens engage with their community to overcome difficult issues. When Pattie enrolled her children into Kansas City Public Schools (KCPS), she recognized that its teachers and students were burdened as a consequence of dwindling revenues, inequitable opportunities, and transient leadership. Instead of simply lamenting those problems, Pattie set about building coalitions, engaging the community, and eventually, winning an at-large seat on the School Board. During her time in office, Pattie worked hard to build a strong foundation that future School Boards will expand upon for years to come. She helped recruit Dr. Mark Bedell, an administrator dedicated to equality in education, to serve as the superintendent. Dr. Bedell, along with Pattie and other Board members, secured the stability and leadership necessary for the district to implement a one-of-a-kind equity policy that has provided additional resources to chronically underfunded schools. Pattie also worked to increase the number of AP and dual-credit courses offered across KCPS high schools, ensuring that all students had the ability to earn college credit while attending high school. She engaged with private businesses to build and renovate existing fields, stadiums, and other venues so that every student has the opportunity to participate in sports and other extra-curricular activities. Recognizing that we communicate our values by how we spend our dollars, Pattie fought for increased teacher pay and further investment in new technologies that have helped educators connect with the next generation of students. As the district celebrated noticeable improvements in graduation rates and college readiness, she was a champion in the fight for full accreditation from the Missouri Department of Early and Secondary Education. Inspired by their mother's advocacy and her dedication to serving Kansas City's students, one of Pattie's three beloved children is now a teacher in the KCPS system. These accomplishments not only had a positive impact on children currently enrolled in KCPS, but will also continue to generate equitable opportunities for the next generations of KCPS students.

In addition to her stellar efforts on the School Board, Pattie has further served the Kansas City community through a number of non-profit organizations. She continues to serve as the Director of Health Policy and Communications for the REACH Healthcare Foundation, which works to improve access to healthcare for uninsured and underserved communities. As Director, she's advocated for policies in both Jefferson City and Washington, D.C. that would address systemic and deeply rooted inequities in the healthcare system. Recently, her tireless work at REACH helped the organization mobilize 29 local healthcare providers in an effort to strengthen the community's fight against the coronavirus pandemic. The REACH Foundation, and by extension those the foundation serves, has benefitted immensely from Pattie's three decades of proven leadership in the non-profit sector.

Marian Wright Edelman, a renowned advocate for children and founder of the Children's Defense Fund, once elegantly noted that working in education comes with a momentous duty to improve the lives of others and leave your community better than you found it. As Pattie's time on the School Board concludes, she can rest assured that KCPS students have more opportunities, are succeeding at higher rates, and have brighter futures because of her efforts. Madam Speaker, please join me in extending heartfelt and sincere congratulations to Pattie Mansur on a successful and accomplished tenure on the Kansas City Public School Board. Furthermore, let us renew our commitment to students as we strengthen our nation by investing in equitable, inclusive, and innovative public schools.

Madam Speaker, I proudly rise today to recognize and celebrate a passionate historian, dedicated public servant, and deeply valued member of the Kansas City community, Mr. Elvis ``Sonny'' Gibson. Though Mr. Gibson retired from a career with the federal government in 1989, his work to make our world a more equitable and just place has never stopped. To this day, Sonny continues to give back to his community, contribute to the Black cultural history of Kansas City, and bend the American historical record as a whole towards truth and justice. Because of Mr. Gibson's outstanding work and tireless commitment, voices once silenced have been heard, people once forgotten have been remembered, and stories once lost have been told.

After moving to Kansas City with his family in 1947, Sonny attended R. T. Coles High School, one of only two high schools for Black students in Kansas City at the time. He then went on to work as Branch Chief of Fair Housing within the United States Department of Housing of Urban Development. In that role, Sonny proved himself to be adept at navigating the bureaucracy to find solutions for those who needed it most. After a career that lasted over twenty-nine years, Sonny retired, but his work was far from over.

Writing his first book in 1988, Sonny quickly began a second career dedicated to telling the stories of the previously unrecognized and acknowledging the work of Black Kansas Citians throughout history. It was, and continues to be, a labor of love for Sonny--one that has propelled him to produce six books and spend innumerable hours researching and collecting reliable historical accounts. The articles and announcements Sonny discovered and shared with the world had often been left out of traditional historical sources. Not only was Sonny resolved to bringing them to light, he also went about the monumental task of arranging them in chronological order and having them reproduced in the exact way he encountered them. His attention to detail and high historiographical standards are a reflection of the importance of Sonny's work and his passion for doing it justice. Front of mind for Sonny has always been the impact these historical artifacts will have on his readers. These small glimpses of history help us understand who we are as a nation as much as, if not more than, any broad volume. For example, in his most recent book, 1865--A Kansas City Negro History, Sonny writes about a place that is especially near and dear to my heart: Kansas City's 18th and Vine district. Through his writing, he is able to take readers back in time to highlight the entertainers, politicians, and business leaders who built the historic area. Sonny has an exceptional talent and ability to help his readers view history through the eyes of those who lived it--people not so different than the readers themselves.

As I think about Sonny's wisdom and passion, one specific instance comes to mind. Sonny was telling an audience about being posed the question ``Why are you always wondering about what Black people did way back when?'' Sonny said, ``To understand the struggle, to understand that there are people in this country and in this city, who have come through an ocean of blood and tears, to get where we are today.'' Fueled by his unwavering mission to understand the struggles of those who have come before him, Sonny has not only deepened his own understanding of our city's rich Black history. He has also given the gift of that knowledge to his community, to his country, and to future generations.

In addition to his work as an author, Sonny also dedicates a great deal of time to giving

back to his community. He has served on numerous boards and societies, including the National Board of Directors for the National Black United Fund. He has held the position of Resident Scholar for the Black Archives of Mid America, Inc., and he has worked as the Historian in Resident for the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Center. Sonny sets a true example of the qualities we should look for in all public servants: dedication, perseverance, and a deep, generous love for his community.

Sonny's unwavering devotion and tireless commitment has made a profound impact on the Kansas City community, so I am truly privileged to be able to recognize Sonny's efforts today. Madam Speaker, please join me and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in celebrating Mr. Elvis ``Sonny'' Gibson. Our history is how we understand ourselves, and every day, Sonny helps us understand ourselves a bit better. Let us all seek to emulate his example by dedicating ourselves to service, dismantling injustice in all its forms, and affirming that the American story is incomplete so long as so many American stories are left off its pages. Let us continue to add new pages, so that we may be able to make history by writing it down.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart on behalf of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District to honor and celebrate the life of Eunice Mae ``Judy'' ``Granny'' Wilkens. A lifetime resident of Concordia, Missouri, Eunice spent her 88 years on this Earth enriching her community through individual acts of service that filled her life with purpose and her neighbors' lives with blessings.

Eunice understood that one need not relocate to a big city to have a big impact, and her remarkable story attests to this simple tenet of service. In a town tucked between Sweet Springs and Odessa in the western half of Missouri, Eunice was determined to improve her small corner of the world through entrepreneurship, activism, and volunteerism. As the owner of Ye Olde Lantern Motel, she worked tirelessly to demonstrate the beauty and grace of her beloved town to those traveling through. When her community was in need, she happily volunteered to pitch in for the greater good. For twenty-four years, she was a member of the Concordia Fire Protection District, serving thousands of people across a 100-square-mile area who called her for help when they needed it most. After years of seeing veterans return home from distant battlefields still bearing the scars of war, she volunteered to be a member of the local V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary at Post 5649. Along with other dedicated volunteers, Eunice helped foster a community where veterans could share their wartime stories, bond over common experiences, honor the sacrifices of those who never made it home, and contribute to their community's future through initiatives like their annual Voice of Democracy scholarship competition.

Eunice's involvement with the V.F.W. and the Concordia Fire Protection District spurred in her a strong sense of political purpose and propelled her to become active in the Lafayette County Democrat Club. When knocking on doors or making calls for local candidates, she undoubtedly carried with her the stories of those who had lost just about everything to an unexpected medical emergency, and those who had defended our country abroad but struggled to find peace back home. Perhaps closest to my heart was Eunice's work at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, where she volunteered as a braille worker. She knew that salvation and jubilation is not reserved only for the able-bodied. Through her generosity, Eunice helped those without sight envision the glory of God through her eyes.

Today, as I reflect on Eunice's beautiful story--a story complete with family, faith, and love--a story in which she and her late husband, Hubie, traveled all over the world and to all fifty states--I cannot help but believe that Eunice, in her daily voyages of selflessness and service, carried with her the lessons from the Sermon on the Mount. In a Sermon described by some as the most important one ever given, Jesus preaches to a mass of followers while standing on a hilltop overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Jesus describes service to God not as strict adherence to rigid principles or unforgiving laws, but rather, as a lifetime dedicated to loving and serving God's children on Earth. At one point, Jesus exclaims that those who are compassionate, forgiving, merciful, sincere, and humble will serve as ``the light that gives light to the world.'' He then implores his disciples not to hide their light behind closed doors, but to let their light ``shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them.'' With every act of kindness to a stranger, service to a neighbor, and compassion for a fellow Concordian, Eunice shined brightly. Just like the oil lamps that lit up the pristine hilltop towns of Galilee when Jesus gave his Sermon all those centuries ago, the light of Eunice's life illuminated Concordia and will continue to shine upon the people who call the town home. There is no doubt that Concordia was blessed to have Eunice, and our community will be forever grateful for her presence in our lives.

Today, my thoughts, and the thoughts of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, are with Eunice's daughter, Nancy; her grandsons, Kyle and Erik; her five great-grandchildren; and her several nieces and nephews, as they come together to celebrate Eunice's lifetime of illuminating service. We can take comfort today in our belief that she joins Hubie in perhaps the one place they never visited in their travels together. Madame Speaker, please join me in honoring Eunice's unique life and the everlasting impression that it has left on the town she so greatly impacted. Please also join me in offering heartfelt condolences to her family and dear friends. Madam Speaker, as we go forth into an uncertain future, let us learn from Eunice's example and serve as shining lights in our own communities so that we may deliver to those whom we serve the way Eunice served those whom she loved.

Madam Speaker, it is with sorrow and a heavy heart that I rise today to commemorate the life and legacy of the late Alvin Sykes, who passed away on March 19th. Alvin was a monumental man--one who dedicated his life to seeking truth and justice for those who were long denied it because of the systemic injustice that was so prevalent in the civil rights era. While he was only on this Earth for sixty-four years, the reverberations of his actions will extend for much longer.

Born in 1956, Alvin came of age during the height of the civil rights movement. Following the eighth grade, Alvin left formal education and continued his learning in the libraries of Kansas City, Missouri. As a young man, he was deeply moved by the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., solidifying his lifelong commitment to carrying on the banner of civil rights. While it was the death of Dr. King that galvanized Alvin, it was a personal tragedy that entrenched his methodology. In 1980, Steve Harvey, a young KC jazz musician and close friend of Alvin, was murdered. Despite the original trial ending in an acquittal, Alvin dug deep through legal resources and collected enough information to reopen the case. Establishing the Steve Harvey Justice Campaign, Sykes collected thousands of signatures in an effort to demonstrate the public's desire to seek justice. In the end, his hard work paid off. Because of his efforts, the man responsible for Mr. Harvey's murder was found guilty of his crime and sentenced to life in prison. With his first case behind him, Alvin turned his eyes to issues of nationwide injustice. Renaming the Steve Harvey Justice Campaign, the Justice Campaign of America, Alvin and his fellow activists sought to right the wrongs of injustice anywhere that they could find it.

While his work on Mr. Harvey's case was notable in its own right, Alvin found national recognition for the integral role he played in the development and passage of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act. Identifying the legal barriers stymying the prosecution of civil rights era cold cases, he pushed for the creation of a bill that would enable the federal government to reopen and pursue racially motivated, pre-1969 cold cases. As a direct result of the bill's passage, over one hundred cases were reopened and investigated under the U.S. Department of Justice's Cold Case Initiative. Consequent to his actions and passion for justice, over a hundred families across the country have been able to gain some sense of closure where none had been before.

Alvin's work to rectify the shortcomings of the civil rights era justice system did not stop with the passage of the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act. In 2010, Alvin was able to reopen the murder case of Leon Jordan, a former Kansas City policeman and cofounder of the city's local, Black political organization known as Freedom, Inc. Equipped with his intimate understanding of the legal system and with newfound evidence, he sought to bring forth justice for Mr. Jordan. While his investigation and efforts into the case did not lead to a prosecution, Alvin did not consider this a failed effort. As he once stated, ``My brand is that I go for the truth and, if possible, justice. That formula hasn't failed me yet. Find the truth. After that, justice may be possible.''

Alvin's lifelong commitment to finding the truth and seeking justice and closure for those whom it had been denied is one that deserves to be memorialized in the annals of history. Without his guiding hand, historic legislation within the state of Missouri and in the halls of Congress may not have been brought into reality. Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating and honoring the life and accomplishments of Alvin Sykes, a man that was truly larger than life. Let his legacy live on in the closure and peace that his work may still bring to the families that have yet to find answers.

Madam Speaker, it is with a heavy but grateful heart that I rise today to

honor the life and legacy of a formidable force from the place I call home. On Sunday, February 14, 2021, Kansas City lost one of its fiercest warriors. A trailblazer, a local civil rights icon, and a leader of the highest caliber, Carol Coe dedicated her every breath to speaking the truth and serving her community.

Born in Houston, Texas in 1947, the same year Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Carol would spend her entire life shattering barriers of her own and inspiring generations of local Black leadership. After moving to Kansas City in the mid-1960s and gaining a juris doctorate from the University of Missouri--Kansas City School of Law, she served as the City's first Black assistant city attorney. Carol brought an indisputable talent and unmistakable tenacity to the role, and her community noticed. She went on to serve in the Jackson County Legislature and eventually ran for, and won, a position on City Council in 1991.

While serving as Councilwoman for the 3rd District of Kansas City, Carol was appointed to the Finance Committee and the Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors. During her time on the Board, Coe was dedicated to the revitalization of Kansas City's historic 18th & Vine district, pushing funding initiatives and supporting the use of Black contractors for various projects in the area. However, Carol's dedication to 18th & Vine was more than an administrative project; it was a lifelong labor of love. One never had to walk far to feel her presence in that historic place, but in October of last year, Kansas City's City Council formally recognized her immense impact on the historic district, naming a bridge at East 19th and Vine the ``Carol Coe Bridge of Opportunity.''

Besides our shared devotion to 18th & Vine, Carol and I also had in common a passion for improving public housing. I vividly remember the time she invited her City Council colleagues to spend the night with her in an apartment in the T.B. Watkins public housing project. The move sought to showcase what were, at the time, dangerous and unsafe living conditions endured by Kansas City residents. While there is still much work to be done, Kansas City has made great strides in public housing since that time, in large part because of Carol's advocacy. And while her work--the work of justice--was constant and unremitting, Carol accomplished these feats while balancing her responsibility of being a loving and devoted mother to her two children.

Carol's career is a story not of chapters but of volumes. She was involved with Freedom, Inc., a political club in Kansas City that has spent decades ensuring that the voices of Kansas City's Black community are heard in the halls of government. She helped establish Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey, a renowned local dance program. And then, of course, there is the Green Acres Urban Farm and Research Bio-Park, which she founded in 2010. Green Acres is an innovative aquaponics system, designed with a sustainable structure to address the impacts of climate change and local food insecurity. While urban farming may have seemed like an unlikely endeavor for Carol, the ambitious project was truly a perfect representation of who she had always been. Whether she was debating in the Jackson County Legislature, advocating for those she represented on the City Council, or building and operating an urban farm, Carol was committed to community-first, community-focused change. Embodying the spirit of servant leadership in all that she did, Carol Coe provided resources and opportunities to marginalized people to help improve their lives. With every vote she cast, Carol stood out as a servant of the people.

``The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, / and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their heart, / their feet do not slip,'' says the holy scripture in Psalm 37:30-31. Carol Coe was a fighter. She fought not for herself, not for power or influence, but for her community. In her seventy-four years, I would venture to guess that Carol never once said anything but what she meant and believed to be true. She pushed and challenged me when I was Mayor of Kansas City, and I am a better public servant because of it. Her candor laid bricks; her tenacity moved legislation; and her tireless work in Kansas City has left an indelible footprint that will outlast us all.

My thoughts and prayers are with Carol's family, friends, and community. Madam Speaker, please join me and Missouri's Fifth Congressional District in recognizing and honoring Carol Coe's incredible life and the legacy that she leaves behind. The Kansas City community will forever remember Carol Coe as a vigorous and determined champion for those in need. Her righteous spirit brought wisdom to those who needed it, even when they did not want it. Her tongue lifted justice into being, even when the strongest of arms could not raise it. And never, not once, did her feet slip. Carol was Kansas City's anchor to the truth, and she held us in place for many, many years. I am heartened to know that she has now, at long last, found eternal rest. I hope she found peace in knowing that her fight for a more just community will continue through of the legions of righteous warriors she inspired. Madam Speaker, in our ongoing struggle for a better country and a better world, let us seek to emulate the example of Carol Coe. Let our feet not slip. Not for one second.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church. Since 1921, this church has served as a cornerstone of Kansas City's African American religious community. Under the dedicated and passionate leadership of its numerous pastors, the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has stood strong and prospered. This church has served as a center of support during Kansas City's most trying times and as a center of celebration during its best times. No matter the challenges Kansas City faced, the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has remained steadfast for all the faithful who made the church their spiritual home.

Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church was first established in February of 1921 by the late Rev. Thomas H. Ewing. Until the construction of the first house of worship, services were held in the homes of congregation members. Built at 19th Street & Highland Avenue, the original location helped spread the ``good news'' to Kansas City's Black population for thirty-four years. During this time, the church led parishioners through some of our nation's darkest periods. Through the hunger of the Great Depression, the grief of the Second World War, and the sorrows of the Korean War, the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church stood strong and guided churchgoers through the trials, tribulations, and troubles that tested the resolve of our country.

In 1955, the congregation moved to a second location at 19th Street & Park Avenue. For the next sixteen years, Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church filled the pews and saved the souls at 19th & Park. Within this new house of God, the church continued delivering the word of God, just as it had done for nearly thirty-five years. As Black Americans across the country were being beaten and jailed for demanding equal citizenship, this church weathered the storm and provided a stable place of worship for Kansas City's African American community. In spite of all that the community faced, the ministry grew rapidly in size, bringing on six new ministers to the fellowship while expanding its program offerings. This remarkable growth in the church body served as a testament to the spiritual gifts of the congregation's dedicated leaders while laying the foundation for the meteoric growth that was soon to come.

Finally, in 1969, it became apparent that the congregation needed a new home. Thus, the church began construction on its third and final location at the intersection of Park and Jackson Avenue in the winter of 1970. For 51 years, Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has remained in this location, providing weekly services and invaluable spiritual guidance to the community which it serves. Since the first bricks of this final location were laid, the church has been led by Rev. Dr. Carl Johnson, Rev. Dr. Ervin, and Rev. Gregory Stevens, respectively.

Following the burning of the mortgage in 1972, the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist

Church has seen incredible growth in congregation size, programming, and community outreach capacity. With this growth, the church has launched more than 25 different ministries, improved the church grounds and building in countless ways, and paved the path for further expansion in the community it serves. In Ephesians 4:16, the Apostle Paul writes that, ``from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.'' The Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church is a lesson in practice of what it means for a church to build itself up in love by leaning on its best parts. Through all the trials that its community has endured, time and again, the church has come out the other end stronger, and more unified.

For an entire century, the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church has been a pillar of devotion in the Kansas City community. I am certain that this church will continue to lift up its community within Missouri's Fifth Congressional District for decades to come. Madam Speaker, please join me in celebrating and honoring Reverend Gregory Stevens and the congregants of the Park Avenue Missionary Baptist Church for reaching this profound and momentous point in their history. Please also join me in wishing them continued prosperity and peace for the next 100 years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with abundant joy and everlasting hope to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Winnetonka High School, a member of the North Kansas City School District. For half a century, as an institution devoted to instilling the fundamental values of tradition, respect, unity, and excellence, Winnetonka High School has consistently proven itself to be far more than just a brick-and- mortar school.

1971 represented the first year that students were warmly welcomed to Winnetonka High School, a place that future alumni would call a ``home away from home.'' Beginning that year, Winnetonka embarked on an endeavor to simultaneously provide opportunities to its students and service to its community. When those first 600 students opened the doors of Winnetonka High School for the first time back on March 1, 1971, they began a tradition of excellence that has been carried on by thousands of students since. In that first year, the students and staff collaborated to create an environment where they could explore their possibilities, prioritize building positive relationships with others, and celebrate the unique purpose that inspires each student.

While many things have changed in our country and in the Kansas City community over the past fifty years, excellence and innovation have remained constant at Winnetonka. Committed to closing the opportunity gap, Winnetonka was the first high school in Missouri to be designated as a National Demonstration School for the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program. This designation was earned after years of helping students find success in both their school and their community through collaboration, inquiry, and relationship building. These principles have provided the bedrock of the many successful student organizations that generations of Winnetonka Griffins have helped create. Groups like the acclaimed student publication Griffin Rites, the Muslim Student Association, the Blacks Achieving Greatness organization, and the National Honors Society all work to create an inclusive, empowering, and exciting space where students can realize their full potential. Winnetonka students have relished these opportunities, with several becoming National Merit Scholarship semi- finalists and thousands more finding success in their careers after graduation. Dr. Eric Johnson, Winnetonka's principal, acknowledged after he was named the 2020 Missouri Principal of the Year that the accolades of the faculty and staff were only made possible by the good fortune of having one-of-a-kind students at a one-of-a-kind school. It is clear for all to see that Kansas City is a better place to live because of the impact that Winnetonka High School graduates have on our community every day.

In a letter to Booker T. Washington, Missouri-born scientist George Washington Carver wrote that ``Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.'' By attending Winnetonka High School, Kansas City students not only gain the freedom that comes with opportunity, but also the skills and abilities needed to achieve their version of the American Dream. As we look to the next fifty years, there are certainly a great many unanswered questions weighing heavily on our minds. However, one thing remains certain: Winnetonka High School will continue its everlasting endeavor to provide that most precious key to freedom to all students who pass through its doors.

Madam Speaker, colleagues, please join me in extending our warm congratulations and very best wishes to the administration, faculty, staff, parents, and students of Winnetonka High School as they commemorate fifty years of exceptional service to Kansas City, and further extend our best wishes for their continued success. Let us also embrace Winnetonka High School's mission in our own lives; let it inspire us to educate others responsively, embrace our duties fully, and prepare holistically the next generation of American leaders, so that we can fulfill our unique purposes and change our community, our country, and our world for the better.

Madam Speaker, I rise today with immense pride to recognize and celebrate the Trabon Group for their contributions to the fight against the COVID-19 global pandemic. Despite the many challenges posed by this virulent virus, the Trabon Group quickly shifted its business operations to help build Personal Protective Equipment for those in Kansas City and across the United States. I am truly honored to represent the Trabon Group, and their commitment to public health is admirable and well worth reflection.

The Trabon Group is a commercial printing business and menu software supplier based in Kansas City, Missouri, that has provided services to over one thousand clients nationwide and printed more than forty-three million menus and prints. Since 1975, the Trabon Group has been providing countless businesses with high quality marketing and sales prints such as brochures and flyers, as well as menu data services that have revolutionized the restaurant industry. With forty-six years of experience, the Trabon Group has become a fixture of the Kansas City business community.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked destruction on American lives and on American livelihoods. One of the first economic sectors to feel the devastating effects of the pandemic was the restaurant industry. Soon to follow was the entire ecosystem of other businesses, including the Trabon Group, who counted restaurants among their most loyal clients. At the beginning of last year, as businesses began to shut their doors, paychecks began to disappear, and cases began to rise, the Trabon Group, like so many others, faced mounting challenges to stay open and pay their employees. Our nation was caught off guard by this virus, and the situation looked bleak. However, in March of 2020, the Trabon group crafted an innovative idea that allowed them to continue operations and maintain their workforce, all while serving struggling communities across the United States.

After communicating with schools, healthcare organizations, and hospitals, the Trabon Group recognized the dire need for protective equipment and began producing face shields. They then went about rethinking their printing machine capabilities and collected the supplies required to produce the shields on a large scale. Within the first few days of producing protective equipment, the Trabon Group, under the brand USA Shields LLC., produced and shipped around fifty thousand medical grade face shields. As a part of this endeavor, the Trabon Group was able to bring back seventy-two of their furloughed workers and are now supplying around eight thousand face shields a day to be shipped to hospitals, restaurants, meatpacking facilities, colleges, and high schools throughout Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and Texas.

The Trabon Group had previously set itself apart in the business community by creating the groundbreaking MenuNet software that has allowed restaurants to better manage their data, but this past year has truly shown their innovative nature and passion for service. As vaccines arrive in cities and towns all across the United States, and as our country begins to see the light at the end of the tunnel, businesses like the Trabon Group will continue to be paramount in defeating this destructive virus. It gives me great hope for the future to see businesses like the Trabon Group step up to serve in times of difficulty, and I am extremely thankful for their efforts to save lives and jobs alike. Throughout American history, our people have confronted many seemingly insurmountable challenges. Much like past generations who faced daunting odds, the American people are meeting these challenges with strength, determination, and deep forethought for their fellow citizens.

Today, we celebrate local businesses such as the Trabon Group, who exemplify what true representatives of servant leadership look like. Madam Speaker, please join me in honoring the outstanding work of the Trabon Group in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Let us seek to emulate their example by setting our talents and resources upon the urgent work of helping those in need.