Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 60th anniversary of the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program.

This is one of the oldest, most impactful senior service programs in the country. Since 1965, foster grandparents, who are volunteers aged 55 and older, have provided consistent support, mentorship, and care to children and youth.

Through this intergenerational service, they help young people thrive while strengthening communities.

Foster grandparents volunteer their time to help children through tutoring, mentoring, and sometimes providing classroom support to teachers. These grandparents have the ability to help young people in need learn independence, self-confidence, and social skills.

Mr. Speaker, many of us have fond memories of our own grandparents, and I am glad that for the past 60 years the foster grandparent program has helped connect seniors with young people to form these wonderful relationships.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Coudersport, Pennsylvania, as the 2025 Heritage Community of the Year through the PA Route 6 Alliance.

This award is presented each year to one designated heritage community

that has embraced their heritage tourism work plan and has implemented worthwhile projects that show impact and results in their community.

Coudersport will be officially recognized during a ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Wilds Sonshine Factory in Kane. The PA Route 6 Alliance will also present awards in the categories of Heritage Partnership, Heritage Tourism, Heritage Leadership, Lifetime Achievement, and the Artisan of the Year Award.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Coudersport on this recognition. Located in the heart of Potter County, Coudersport is often referred to as ``God's country.'' The scenic countryside and nearby Allegheny River create an outdoor paradise with recreation opportunities like fishing, hunting, camping, kayaking, hiking, skiing, snowmobiling, and more.

Coudersport's historical downtown and charming shops make it a small- town community that has it all. Thank you to the PA Route 6 Alliance for its efforts to preserve and promote our treasured communities like Coudersport.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4550) to reauthorize the United States Grain Standards Act, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on behalf of the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025, a piece of legislation that is more than 100 years old and plays a vital role in preserving safety, quality, and a standard of excellence for the American grain industry.

If we want America to maintain its status as the safest, most abundant grain supply in the world, reauthorization of this act before several of its key provisions expire at the end of September is absolutely essential.

Originally passed in 1916, the United States Grain Standards Act gave the Federal Government the authority to set official marketing standards for grains and oilseeds. It also provided a framework for inspection and weighing procedures.

Because of the United States Grain Standards Act, the American grain industry has developed an enduring reputation for consistency and quality in the global market.

This vital tool plays a critical role in reinforcing the strength of our agriculture supply chain. It ensures that farmers, whether they grow corn, sorghum, soybeans, or any other grain, receive a fair price that reflects the quality of their crop. It allows buyers of U.S. grain to feel confident in the safety and quality of the products they need.

The United States Grain Standards Act also supports U.S. trade, a crucial part of the American farm economy. In 2024, the U.S. exported more than $26 billion of American grains. In just my home State of Pennsylvania alone, almost $100 million of corn and barley are exported every year.

These exports make a difference to the bottom line for family farmers in Pennsylvania and across our country.

American agriculture has certainly changed since 1916, and the United States Grain Standards Act continues to evolve with the times. The 2025 reauthorization of the act includes key improvements that will help grain standards continue to modernize while emphasizing cost- effectiveness from both government and industry.

This legislation promotes technological innovation by advancing grain grading tools to improve accuracy, efficiency, and consistency while giving USDA the flexibility to invest in critical technological upgrades. Annual reports on technological challenges and

solutions ensure Congress remains informed and transparency is maintained.

This bill will improve long-term financial management by allowing user fees to be deposited into interest-bearing trust funds. It also grants the Secretary authority to permit domestic grain inspection at export ports, facilitating faster, more flexible service where needed. Finally, it ensures that advisory committee members may continue serving until replacements are appointed, preserving expertise and continuity.

While much of the act is permanently authorized, such as mandatory inspection and weighing of exported grain, there are important provisions set to expire at the end of this month. A lapse in authorization would disrupt the current grain inspection and weighing process, cost the farm economy more than $70 million a day, and create serious consequences for American family farms, our supply chain, and our international trading partners. These disruptions are entirely avoidable.

We are doing our farmers and export partners a disservice if we don't do our jobs and get this critical piece of legislation across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, I hope you will join me in voting ``yes'' for the United States Grain Standards Reauthorization Act of 2025.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, first, I thank the gentlewoman from the Wheat State for her leadership on the Agriculture Committee and on this topic in particular.

Mr. Speaker, I now yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), chairman of the General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit Subcommittee and vice chair of the full Agriculture Committee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Kansas (Ms. Davids) for her passionate work on behalf of America's number one industry, agriculture, and on this specific piece of legislation.

I thank my good friend from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott) for his leadership as subcommittee chair with the area of jurisdiction from which this bill comes.

Mr. Speaker, it is not too often we have the opportunity to take a piece of legislation that is over 100 years old in its origin and modernize it into the 21st century. That is what we have done with the technological advancements and the transparency.

I am very proud of the work that our Agriculture Committee has done. I certainly would encourage a ``yes'' vote on this piece of legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and I rise today during National Suicide Prevention Week to raise awareness and promote hope.

Suicide affects millions of people every year, yet too many struggle in silence. Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone, regardless of age. It is among the leading causes of death in the United States.

Mental health professionals, advocacy organizations, survivors, and allies take this month to combat the stigma of discussing mental health and connect those with suicidal thoughts to a network of professional resources.

There is no single cause of suicide, but suicide risk increases when several health factors and life stressors converge to create an experience of hopelessness and despair.

Mr. Speaker, suicide is preventable. Increasing access to crisis resources saves lives. Mental and behavioral health research saves lives. Ending the stigma surrounding suicide saves lives.

Prioritizing self-care is a vital way to support mental well-being and reduce the risk of suicide. National Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that silence can cost lives, and conversation can save them. Start a conversation today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Centre County Grange Fair.

For more than 150 years, Centre County has welcomed visitors from across the world to the Grange Fair. The Grange Fair has served as a home away from home for families who, for a period of over a week, live in a thousand tents and 1,500 recreational vehicles. It is a testament to our unique and enduring spirit that the Grange Fair stands as the only remaining tenting fair in the Nation.

This weeklong celebration encompasses the very best of our rural communities, from concerts to motorsports and craft shows to animal exhibits. The charm and nostalgia are everywhere.

With more than 200,000 visitors coming to Centre County every year, attendees immerse themselves in the rich traditions this fair provides.

It is more than just a weeklong fair. It celebrates Pennsylvania agriculture. This year, I was honored to be named ``friend of the fair'' for my work on behalf of our ag community.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Grange for its dedication to supporting rural America and all the volunteers for making the Grange Fair the best days of the summer.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the Wilds Sonshine Factory, a distillery in McKean County, Kane, Pennsylvania, that makes a great product using sunflowers for that beverage.

I commend them today for honoring a vital piece of the Commonwealth's logging and conservation heritage, the Colossal Cherry. The Colossal Cherry is now an artifact, but at one time it was the largest black cherry tree in the world. The Wilds Sonshine Factory hosted a dedication ceremony on August 22 in honor of the Colossal Cherry, which is also known as the Sheffield Log.

Discovered and preserved through efforts of local historians and conservation advocates, the Sheffield Log stands as a powerful symbol of the region's natural history, the resilience of its people, and the enduring value of sustainable forestry.

It once stood in the woods of the Allegheny National Forest before being knocked down during the tornado of 1985. It was then formally homed in Sheffield, Pennsylvania, to mark its sesquicentennial in 1986. Now, the newly restored Colossal Black Cherry sits at its permanent home at the Wilds Sonshine Factory.

Mr. Speaker, this rededication is a story worth celebrating. I thank everyone who took part in the preservation of the Colossal Black Cherry.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Sergeant John Danneker of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Sergeant Danneker served as a waist gunner for the 565th Bombardment Squadron, 389th Bombardment Group during World War II.

On June 20, 1944, his bomber crashed into the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark. Sergeant Danneker was initially declared nonrecoverable after investigations into the crash were unable to locate the crewmen.

In 2019, Danish divers alerted the Royal Danish Navy of a World War II-era aircraft wreckage in the general area of where Sergeant Danneker's aircraft went down.

From May 2024 to June 2024, the Royal Danish Navy, the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, and their partners were able to recover the remains from the aircraft.

On December 10, 2024, Sergeant Danneker was positively identified through DNA analysis.

Last week, on August 26, Sergeant Danneker was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.

Mr. Speaker, we must never stop searching for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. I am grateful to all involved for bringing Sergeant Danneker home.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join the bipartisan Congressional Scouting Caucus.

Scouting has been an essential part of my life. I am an Eagle Scout and was a Scoutmaster for more than 30 years.

The lessons I learned through Scouting: leadership, service, self- reliance, and integrity remain deeply imbedded in my daily life and guide my work here in Congress.

My decisions are guided by the principles of the Scout oath: my duty to God, duty to country, duty to others, and to myself. That is the kind of clarity and compass that Scouting instills. It is a moral benchmark, one that teaches young people to serve their communities, respect others, and become engaged, responsible citizens.

That is why I am proud of the work we are doing with the bipartisan Congressional Scouting Caucus. This group exists to strengthen and support Scouting programs across the country and to highlight the incredible impact Scouts have in each of our districts.

Madam Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join our caucus whether you were a Scout yourself, have Scouts in your family, or simply believe in the power of mentorship and youth leadership. There is no better time to get involved than now.

Today, we are hosting Camp Capitol Hill, an event that will bring the spirit of Scouting right to the heart of our Nation's Capital. This unique showcase will feature Scouts demonstrating outdoor and leadership skills right here on the Capitol grounds in the Rayburn foyer. Displays will include camping equipment, a canoe, a rocket, robotics, knot tying, and Pinewood Derby car racing, alongside educational tables sharing the story and scope of modern Scouting.

There will also be a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Scouting leaders and alumni, highlighting the diverse ways this program shapes the

next generation of leaders, young men and women who will one day serve as firefighters, teachers, doctors, small business owners, and yes, even Members of Congress.

We are also hosting Eagles on the Hill, a reception that will bring together Eagle Scouts and Scouting alumni to celebrate our shared background in Scouting. Eagles on the Hill serves as a reminder that even when Eagle Scouts in Washington disagree on the issues before us, we are united in the belief that Scouting instills essential leadership skills and character values.

The Scouting memorial, just steps from where we sit today, is a tribute not only to the organization but to the ideals it stands for: duty, service, community, and character.

That memorial was made possible entirely through Scout-raised funds in 1960, mostly in the form of dimes. Those Scouts who sent in their dimes have their names engraved at the base of that statue, reminding us of the quiet strength and legacy of civic engagement.

Madam Speaker, I, once again, encourage all my colleagues to join the Congressional Scouting Caucus, attend Camp Capitol Hill, and support the young people who work every day to build a stronger, more service- minded America.

Let's help ensure that the next generation lives up to the Scout law: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Also today, on a personal note, I welcome Josh and Finn Kirby to Washington, a Scout leader and a Scout, from the Boy Scout Council in the Juniata Valley.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Central Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce as it celebrates its 120th anniversary.

In 1905, the chamber was founded as the Milton Board of Trade. Over the last 120 years, the chamber has grown and expanded its reach and membership into Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union Counties, and 120 years later, the mission of

the chamber remains the same as when it was founded: ``To be the partner of choice to enable economic and business development by partnering with businesses, schools, communities, and individuals in Central Pennsylvania.''

As a proud member of the chamber, I recognize its vital role in driving regional economic growth, fostering job creation, and supporting businesses of all sizes as they innovate and invest in America's future.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the board members, staff, membership, and partners who have worked together to promote and improve our region. They have fostered a commitment to free enterprise that enables our local communities to unlock their true economic potential.

I congratulate the chamber on this milestone occasion.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the West End Fair in Union County, Pennsylvania.

The West End Fair started as a homecoming picnic for the residents of Laurelton and has always been held during the first week of August so sweet corn could be served.

Originally known as the Corn Festival, the fair evolved into the agricultural fair that it is today and remains the only fair in Union County.

This weeklong celebration encompasses the very best of our rural communities, from tractor pulls to fair rides and animal exhibits to car shows. The excitement, nostalgia, and community bond is everywhere.

This year, the Union County West End Fair Association is partnering with the Union County Historical Society to promote a book and exhibit that showcase the importance of agriculture in central Pennsylvania and the development of the fair over the last 100 years.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate the Union County West End Fair Association and all the dedicated volunteers on this milestone anniversary and their commitment to preserving the spirit of this wonderful event.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Centre Safe which celebrates 50 years of providing confidential and professional services for victims and survivors of domestic, dating, and sexual violence.

Centre Safe began as a grassroots effort in 1975 as the Centre County Women's Resource Center. Since then, it has grown from a one-room operation in State College to three locations which are the administrative offices and Sylvia Stein Shelter in State College, the counseling and legal advocacy satellite office in Bellefonte, and the Child Access Center in Bellefonte.

While Centre Safe began as an agency by women, for women, it works to support all survivors and victims. It offers a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, crisis counseling, legal advocacy, legal representation, and transitional housing.

Centre Safe also works to address violence before it begins by educating children and youth about healthy relationships.

Mr. Speaker, domestic violence has no place in American society. Victims often feel that they have nowhere to turn. For the last 50 years, Centre Safe has been a safe place for those who need support in times of crisis. For that, we are grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize two outstanding students from West Shamokin Junior-Senior High School, Aybrah Zelenski and Elena Gourley, who earned top national honors at the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference.

FBLA is a nationwide student organization that prepares young people to become community-minded business

leaders through career development and leadership opportunities. Their annual leadership conference brings together over 11,000 students from more than 2,000 schools nationwide to compete in career and leadership building events.

While in Anaheim, California, Aybrah placed sixth in public speaking and Elena placed seventh in career exploration.

West Shamokin's FBLA chapter, founded in the fall of 2023, has quickly made a name for itself and has proven that a small, rural school can leave a big mark on the national stage.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud both Aybrah and Elena and the entire West Shamokin FBLA team for their leadership, hard work, and bright futures. They make their school, their community, the Commonwealth, and this Congressman very proud.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am incredibly proud today to stand before you to share my support for the CLARITY Act. This is legislation that we have been working on in the Agriculture Committee for 7 years. This is an improvement over the legislation that fulfilled the very same purpose of what we are addressing today that passed last Congress with over 300 votes, including 71 Democrats, and it was a great bipartisan bill. This is an improvement on that bill.

The CLARITY Act is about three related ideas: certainty, protection, and innovation. I will talk about why each of these ideas is important.

First, the CLARITY Act provides regulatory certainty for all corners of the digital asset ecosystem, including issuers; exchanges; intermediaries; builders; software developers; and, most importantly, users of digital assets.

This regulatory certainty means that all parts of the ecosystem can engage with digital assets with confidence. It promotes healthy markets by establishing commonsense requirements to protect consumers. Those are all built on the existing requirements in the financial services markets.

Secondly, the CLARITY Act protects good actors from government overreach. By establishing clear rules, we limit the government's ability to subjectively enforce vague statutes. These protections are important to those entities like exchanges, brokers, and dealers, who we require to register. Yet, in many cases, they are more important to entities which Congress is not seeking to register.

Third, and most importantly, the CLARITY Act supports innovation across the economy, not just the crypto economy.

At the House Agriculture Committee, we heard testimony from numerous stakeholders about innovative ways in which developers and entrepreneurs are leveraging blockchain to build projects and services using blockchains and digital assets.

The certainty and protections provided through the CLARITY Act will lead to the development of a new generation of services, tools, and systems. I am excited for that future to happen here in the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, Congress has a historic opportunity here today to act. With the CLARITY Act, we can pass legislation that protects consumers and ensures that the United States remains at the forefront of technological innovation. These are not mutually exclusive goals. They are mutually reinforcing goals.

By supporting the CLARITY Act, we can create a safer, more transparent, and more accessible environment for digital assets.

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

Mr. Speaker, I was remiss with my opening comments not to thank my Agriculture Committee partner, Ranking Member Angie Craig, for her leadership and for working together with me on this issue, but also our Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill; my good friend, Don Davis; Whip Emmer; Bryan Steil, and so many more. There was just such a strong bipartisan leadership partner team.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Feenstra), a member of the House Agriculture Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn), a member of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I will expand for a minute on the important protections included in the CLARITY Act. The CLARITY Act includes strong protections for the developers of software. Sections 309 and 409 make it clear that neither the CFTC nor the SEC have the authority to require a person to register just because that person is developing, publishing, or distributing software. This is a critical protection, rooted in our First Amendment, that should be read expansively by the commissions.

The creation of new decentralized finance protocols is also an important development that the CLARITY Act seeks to protect. Both the CFTC and the SEC must carefully examine and understand DeFi, which is why we are requiring both Commissions to undertake a robust study on the unique benefits and risks of DeFi.

Through the CLARITY Act, Congress is making an unambiguous statement that DeFi is different, and it should be treated differently from the centralized custodial intermediaries. Protecting this emerging technology is an essential purpose of the CLARITY Act.

Now, Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messmer), a member of the Committee on Agriculture and a member of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman who just spoke for his remarks concerning the need for high-speed broadband. My pledge, as the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, is that when we are back in September, we will have farm bill 2.0, which includes rural economic development and rural broadband. We have to get that done.

I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), a cosponsor of the CLARITY Act, for 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, may I ask how much time is remaining.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose), the vice chair of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee and also a member of the House Financial Services Committee. He is a very busy man.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Dakota (Mr. Johnson), the chairman of the Commodity Markets, Digital Assets, and Rural Development Subcommittee.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Dakota for his remarks and, quite frankly, I couldn't agree more. I also thank, again, my Agriculture partner, Ranking Member Angie Craig with the Agriculture Committee, and Don Davis and our leadership and all those who have the foresight to see that this is about the future. Well, it is about today because, you know, companies are struggling with this, but more importantly, it is about the future of both the financial sector and the technological sector.

A vote for the CLARITY Act is a vote for America's future and America's leadership. I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the CLARITY Act. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before Chairman Hill and support the GENIUS Act. It actually garnered 68 bipartisan votes in the Senate. I appreciate those Senators. They demonstrated an awareness of the needs of a modern financial sector here in the United States. I congratulate Chairman Hill and Chairman Steil and thank them for their work on the stablecoin legislation.

The GENIUS Act represents an important step for this Congress in establishing the United States as a leader in the digital asset space.

This legislation, together with the market structure bill that we previously considered, which I have had the honor of cosponsoring with my colleagues on the Financial Services Committee, will provide important safeguards around the utility of vital digital assets in the next generation of global finance.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, I intend to submit additional remarks for the Record to clarify congressional intent on the effect the bill may have on the ability to list certain derivative products.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize The Waterville Hotel, a cherished institution in Waterville, Pennsylvania, as it marks two centuries of service to the Pine Creek Valley community.

In 1825, Abraham Harris founded what was then known as the Harris Hotel, strategically positioned on Route 44 overlooking Little Pine Creek.

It quickly became more than a simple roadside stop. It provided rest, refuge, and warmth for lumberjacks, hunters, fishermen, travelers, and politicians traversing our rugged Pennsylvania Wilds.

As the logging and lumber industry flourished in the 19th century, so did the hotel's significance. It hosted community meetings, business affairs, social gatherings, and even served as a way station for elected officials, becoming an integral part of the region's political and civic fabric.

Through wars, Prohibition, economic strangulation, and the decline of rail, The Waterville Hotel pressed on. Under the stewardship of generations, most notably under Jess and William Smith from 1933 to 1945, it reinvented itself, evolving along with its patrons and the purpose it served, the Pennsylvania Wilds.

Fast-forward to 2023, when local residents Jason McConnell and Vanessa Brown, whose families had roots and ownership of the adjacent country store, joined forces with longtime friend Brad Wyland to revitalize both the hotel and the restaurant.

Their vision has been rooted in pride and preservation, honoring family ties and restoring beloved menu items including a throwback menu featuring The Original Mountain Burger, a culinary emblem of community heritage.

Today, The Waterville Hotel stands as a vibrant hub, serving hearty fare from burgers and fries to vegetarian dishes, complemented by local craft beers and wines. The interior is filled with photographs spanning generations, each snapshot a testament to traditions, memories, and the moments shared.

For many, this hotel is far more than a place to eat or sleep. It is a community gathering place. It is their own Cheers, as longtime staff member Dan Collar described. It is a place where locals and visitors alike return year after year, bound by a shared experience of belonging.

The Waterville Hotel serves as a gateway to the spectacular Pine Creek Valley, the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, and the Pine Creek Rail Trail.

From summer activities like biking, hiking, kayaking, and fishing to winter pursuits such as snowmobiling and snowshoeing, guests make the hotel their base for outdoor adventures throughout the seasons.

As we celebrate 200 years from its humble origins in 1825 to its enduring cornerstone status today, we honor not just a building but a living legacy woven into the heart of Waterville.

It has cultivated community, supported local economies, and preserved a connection across generations.

Looking ahead, under the stewardship of McConnell, Brown, and Wyland, and buoyed by devoted staff and loyal patrons, the Waterville Hotel embarks on its third century with the same spirit of resilience, innovation, and community pride that has carried it this far.

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating the Waterville Hotel's bicentennial, a symbol of heritage, community, and hope.

May its doors open to new chapters for generations to come.