Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Psyko Steve Presents, a homegrown Arizona company that is celebrating their 25-year anniversary next week. Psyko Steve Presents shapes our state's modern music culture. Psyko Steve Presents brings artists, audiences, and communities together and strengthens the creative fabric that makes Phoenix such a vibrant place to live.

Founded in 2000 by Steve Chilton, known throughout the Valley as ``Psyko Steve,'' the company began with small DIY shows booked while he was still in high school and at Arizona State University. What started as a hobby quickly became a driving force in reviving live music in Phoenix at a time when the local scene needed new energy. Steve helps emerging musicians find their footing, many of whom later grew into nationally recognized acts. Today, Psyko Steve Presents produces more than 700 concerts annually across venues of every size, from intimate performances at The Rebel Lounge to major events at The Van Buren, the Marquee Theatre, the Arizona Financial Theatre, and festivals including M3F, ZONA Music Festival, and 8123 Fest.

Steve is more than a promoter. He is also advocates for artists and independent venues across the U.S. As a co-founder and early leader of the National Independent Venue Association, he helped organize the grassroots #SaveOurStages campaign during the Covid-19 pandemic. The campaign led Congress to pass the Save Our Stages Act and create the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant program, which kept local venues afloat in their darkest hour. His work demonstrated how central live music is to the economic and cultural vitality of communities across America.

Psyko Steve Presents has grown a great deal over the past 25 years, but its mission has remained constant: support local artists and give Arizonans access to unforgettable live music experiences.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating the 25th anniversary of Psyko Steve Presents and congratulating Steve Chilton and his team. Their commitment to creativity, community, and independent music has enriched our state, and we look forward to many more years of music ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember Hazel Chandler, a tireless advocate for public health and the environment, who passed away last month at the age of 80.

For nearly six decades, Hazel devoted her life to cleaner air, a safer climate, and a healthier future for generations she would never meet. Hazel's work began long before climate change was a household term. Growing up during the first wave of modern environmental awareness, she saw firsthand how polluted air and water harmed communities and fueled her own health struggles. When she moved to Arizona in the late 1970s, she had already spent years organizing for clean air initiatives. In Phoenix, she brought that passion into public service. At the Arizona Department of Health Services, she rose to lead

health care licensing and later helped launch Phoenix Shanti, a pioneering treatment center for people living with HIV. She worked with Phoenix Children's Hospital and Maricopa County on air quality regulations that helped bring the region into compliance and protect vital federal transportation funding. She later returned to ADHS as part of the First Things First early childhood program.

Hazel never slowed down, even in retirement. She was a key voice for science and climate action with the Union of Concerned Scientists, Moms Clean Air Force, and Elders Climate Action. She helped grow Elders Climate Action into a national network of thousands of older Americans, including many here in Arizona, who refused to stay silent about the climate crisis. Friends and colleagues remember her as a constant presence at the Capitol and in community spaces, recognizable by her red advocacy shirts and the oven mitt she used to grip overheated railings on summer days at rallies and hearings. She even continued her fight for climate justice from hospice, testifying virtually at an EPA hearing to defend federal climate protections and reminding decisionmakers that their choices would define the world her grandchildren and great-grandchildren will inherit.

Hazel believed deeply that everyone deserves clean air, access to nature, and a livable planet. She helped advise on Phoenix's tree and shade planning and worked to bring more trees and cooling to neighborhoods that lacked them. She championed practical steps that ordinary people could take to confront climate change, from planting native shade trees to speaking up for strong public health protections. Her leadership earned recognition from leaders across our state, including a proclamation in Phoenix marking ``Hazel Chandler Day'' and Lifetime Achievement Awards from both the Sierra Club and EDF Action.

Hazel leaves behind more than accomplishments. She leaves behind cleaner skies, stronger community coalitions, and a movement that draws strength from her example. Her insistence that every person deserves a healthy environment will continue to inspire people across Arizona for years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering an organizer, mentor, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose commitment to public health and environmental justice never wavered. Hazel Chandler gave her voice, her energy, and her last days to the cause of a safer, healthier planet, and we are all better for it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember John Garza, a dedicated Tempe firefighter, Marine Corps veteran, and lifelong public servant who passed away earlier this

month after a courageous battle with cancer. John lived a full life with a deep commitment to service.

John served with Tempe Fire Medical Rescue for twenty years. He responded to countless emergencies and delivered lifesaving care to thousands of Arizonans. He served several roles, from paramedic to captain, to engineer, and took pride in mentoring younger firefighters. Colleagues remember his solid judgment, quick thinking, and a steady presence he brought to even the most difficult calls. His last assignment, Engine 273 at Station 3, was a place where he earned the respect and friendship of everyone he served with.

John's dedication to the people of Tempe extended far beyond the calls he answered. A proud graduate of Tempe High School, he knew the neighborhoods, families, and history of this community as well as anyone. Fellow firefighters describe the warmth he brought into every room, the humor that lifted spirits on hard days, and the genuine kindness that made people feel seen and appreciated. He was the kind of public servant who led by example, placing others first and treating every person with respect and dignity.

Love of country and a belief in service shaped his life well before joining the fire department. As a United States Marine, John embodied courage, discipline, and devotion to country. He brought those values with him throughout his life and showed tremendous work ethic, passion, and pride in helping others. He possessed those same traits as a husband, father, and friend. Outside the firehouse, he found joy in the outdoors, whether hunting, fishing, camping, cooking, or golfing with the people he loved.

John is survived by his wife, Liana; his children, John Jr. and Maya; his parents, Robert and Nora; his sister, Elizabeth, and her children, PJ and Brooke. He leaves behind extended family, fellow Marines, and generations of firefighters who admire his character and carry his example into their own service.

Tempe is a better place because of John. He saved lives and selflessly uplifted those who had the privilege of knowing him.

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Arizona, I extend my deepest condolences to his family and ask my colleagues to join me in honoring a firefighter, veteran, husband, father, and friend whose life reflects the very best of public service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember and honor Dennis Cahill, a devoted public servant and lifelong Tempean who passed away last month. He leaves behind a remarkable legacy of leadership, craftsmanship, creativity, and love for the city he helped shape.

A bricklayer by trade and a proud union member, Dennis built homes, schools, churches, and public spaces long before he held elected office. Through his family's company, Cahill Contracting, he trained and mentored apprentices and took pride in teaching the craft to the next generation. That same commitment to workforce development later guided his service as Arizona's Director of Apprenticeship Services, where he worked to expand opportunity for young tradespeople across our state.

His eleven years on the Tempe City Council came during a period of significant growth in Tempe. Dennis took part in decisions that shaped the city's future. He championed the creation of Tempe Town Lake, pushed for the development of a regional light rail system, and supported one of Tempe's earliest efforts to protect public health through an indoor-smoking ordinance. He also helped launch the Ensure to Insure program so that more young people could access affordable auto insurance. Today, the Dennis J. Cahill Senior Center stands as a tribute to his years of advocacy on behalf of Tempe families.

Public service was only one dimension of his impact. Dennis was an artist whose mosaics brighten public spaces throughout Tempe, a storyteller who brought people together, and a student of history who believed deeply in the principles of the Constitution. His patriotism inspired his friends, neighbors, and especially his children and grandchildren.

Dennis was the son of Evelyn and James Cahill and the big brother of David, Donald, and Dwight. He is survived by his children, James, Maret, and Brendan; by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and by relatives and friends who loved him dearly. He spent his final years with his beloved, Liz Varney.

Dennis leaves behind a city that reflects his work, his creativity, and his belief in community. From Tempe Town Lake to the senior center that bears his name, his influence is visible in the places where families gather, learn, and build their lives. Tempe families will continue to benefit from the causes he championed.

Mr. Speaker, we remember Dennis Cahill not only for what he built, but for how he built it. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, and I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring a craftsman, artist, public servant, and father who helped shape Tempe into the city it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep concerns about the Trump administration's policies that will increase homelessness in America.

Last week, in the middle of the funding cycle, HUD changed their Continuum of Care grant criteria, cutting funding for permanent support of housing by over 50 percent.

Local housing organizations will owe landlords rent checks on January 1 with no guarantee they will have the funds. Mr. Speaker, 170,000 of our fellow Americans will risk falling back into homelessness.

Before I served as mayor of Phoenix, I chaired Maricopa County's Continuum of Care. We put our funding

where it made the biggest impact with proven and effective solutions like permanent supportive housing.

That model provides stability and access to support services while people get back on their feet. It helps some of our most vulnerable Americans, those with debilitating disabilities, keep a roof over their heads.

Mr. Speaker, behind every grant line item is a human being who has overcome great adversity to achieve stability. Trump's cuts will undo years of hard-won progress. These Americans deserve better from our government.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Gosar, the new dean of Arizona's State delegation. It has been a minute since we have all been together on the House floor. I am looking for cobwebs around here.

As dean, Congressman Gosar replaces the late Congressman Raul Grijalva, one of the most impactful leaders in Arizona history.

Now, with great pride, I rise today to do something we have waited 50 long days to do--exactly 49 days too long--and that is to introduce our colleague from Arizona, Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva.

Since September 23, the people of Arizona have been waiting for this day, and the excuses for the delay have changed seemingly daily. First they said they need an election certificate, though one isn't required. Then they wanted to make sure there was enough pomp and circumstance. Then we were informed about a nonexistent Pelosi precedent.

At one point, the Speaker went on television and said, ``Bless her heart. She's a Representative-elect. She doesn't know how things work around here.''

Bless his heart, because here is how it should work. Let's call it the Adelita Grijalva precedent: When the American people vote, this Chamber respects their will and seats them immediately. Politics should never come into play.

Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Grijalva is a native Tucsonan, the granddaughter of a bracero who came here from Mexico. She is the youngest woman ever elected to the Tucson Unified School Board, serving 20 years, then a Pima County supervisor, fighting for working families, affordable housing, and early childhood education. She brings that same fight to Congress.

The people of Arizona's Seventh District placed their trust in her, and today that trust is rewarded.

Her first act of Congress will be a powerful one. She will be the 218th and final signature on the discharge petition to force the Trump administration to release the Epstein files, delivering long overdue justice and accountability for hundreds of victims abused by rich and powerful men.

She is a smart, principled fighter through and through.

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to welcome and introduce to this Chamber Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize St. Benedict Catholic Church, a mainstay

of the Ahwatukee community, as it celebrates its 40-year anniversary. St. Benedict has helped families live out the Gospel through worship and service for four decades.

Ahwatukee began to grow rapidly in the mid-1980's. The community was still discovering its identity as new families moved in and schools and neighborhoods took shape. In an era of great change, St. Benedict became a spiritual home for the people who built Ahwatukee. It offered a place for neighbors to gather, raise their children in faith, and support one another through service.

St. Benedict Catholic Church began in 1985, holding its first Mass with 79 families. As the parish grew, it moved to Ahwatukee in 2003, next to the newly established St. John Bosco Catholic School, which became one of its key ministries.

Today, under Father Manasseh Iorchir, St. Benedict serves more than 2,000 families today and continues to grow, including liturgical and outreach programs, youth formation, and volunteer groups such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Knights of Columbus. Its new church building, dedicated in 2024, stands as a testament to the faith, perseverance, and generosity of its parishioners.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating St. Benedict Catholic Church on this remarkable milestone. Its 40 years of faith and service have strengthened Ahwatukee and enriched the lives of families in Arizona.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Corpus Christi Catholic Church of Ahwatukee as it celebrates forty years of faith and service. Since its founding in 1985, Corpus Christi has grown into a vibrant spiritual and community center for thousands of families in the Valley.

Corpus Christi was established by Bishop Thomas J. O'Brien to serve the fast-growing Ahwatukee area. Parishioners celebrated their first Mass at Mountain View Lutheran Church, sharing worship space while they organized for a permanent home. In just a few years the small congregation tripled in size, and the parish was able to build its own worship space with classrooms, parish offices, and a rectory.

As the community continued to grow, parishioners completed a second building fund and constructed a permanent church, dedicated by Bishop O'Brien in 1997. What began as a community of 300 families has grown to

more than 2,000. Today, Corpus Christi continues to expand its ministries in faith formation, outreach, and community service.

Under the leadership of Father James Aboyi, the Corpus Christi parish remains a cornerstone of Ahwatukee's Catholic community. Its forty-year history reflects the faith, generosity, and unity of its members, who continue to strengthen the spiritual and civic life of our community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Corpus Christi Catholic Church on this milestone.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Paul Eckstein, a giant in Arizona law and a stalwart public servant, on the remarkable occasion of his 60th work anniversary at Perkins Coie LLP.

Paul worked on many consequential legal disputes in Arizona history that shaped the state's legal and civic landscape. He brought a rare combination of trial skill, appellate judgment, and moral clarity. Time and again, he shows Arizonans that the law can correct course and restore trust.

As lead counsel for the Arizona House of Representatives in the 1988 impeachment of Governor Evan Mecham, he tried the case with rigor and restraint--cross-examining the governor, arguing the evidence, and reminding Arizona that no one is above the law. The Senate's verdict confirmed the point, and renewed public faith that our Constitution has teeth when it must.

Early in Paul's career, he represented Navajo leader Tom Shirley in Shirley v. Superior Court, securing a decision that affirmed Native American citizens living on reservations are fully entitled to hold public office in Arizona. He defended voter-driven reform by helping ensure Clean Elections reached the ballot. He stood up for independent redistricting when it mattered most, supporting the reinstatement of the Independent Redistricting Commission's chair. And he defended Arizona's merit-based judgeship selection, fending off efforts to politicize the bench. Across these battles runs a common thread: Paul used the law to safeguard the people's voice and the independence of our courts.

What sets Paul apart is not only what he has done, but how he has done it. He takes the lawyer's oath seriously--so seriously that he chooses principle over convenience, even when it costs him. He demands candor. He proves, by example, that zealous advocacy and impeccable ethics go hand in hand.

Paul's extraordinary impact extends well beyond the courtroom. He taught constitutional law at Arizona State University, and his students now serve across our state. At his alma mater, Pomona College, he and his wife, Florence ``Flo'' Eckstein, endowed a scholarship for refugee and forcibly displaced students, opening doors for those whose lives were upended by conflict or catastrophe.

Paul served for decades on the board of Phoenix Children's Hospital, including as Board Chair. At Arizona State University, the Flo Eckstein Endowment supports students focused on children, youth, and families, and the Albert & Liese Eckstein Scholar-in-Residence brings leading voices in Jewish studies to our community each year. For more than three decades, the Ecksteins stewarded the Jewish

News of Greater Phoenix, preserving a vital forum for community life and donating archives that keep history alive. Their philanthropy is practical and personal: it meets people where they are and lifts them up.

Paul also lives his values through pro bono work. He stands with those without a voice and no means--most recently as part of a team recognized by the federal court for advancing a prisoner civil-rights case to trial. He has served with the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, lending Arizona's steady voice to the cause of equal justice.

Mr. Speaker, Arizona is a better place because of Paul Eckstein. He has defended our Constitution in court and in public life; he has protected fair elections and independent courts; he has fought for a free press and for equal justice; and he has invested his time, talent, and treasure to care for children, and educate the next generation.

On behalf of the people of Arizona, I congratulate Paul on 60 years of distinguished service at Perkins Coie. I thank him for his example of courage and integrity, and I ask my colleagues to join me in celebrating a lawyer, teacher, and citizen whose life's work has strengthened our state.

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

Mr. Speaker, Arizona has suffered year after year after year of record-breaking temperatures. Our summers are getting hotter, lasting longer, and providing little relief at night. This heat is incredibly dangerous for our health and for our economy.

Last summer, tragically, more than 600 of our fellow Arizonans lost their lives to the heat. Today, there are another 406 heat-related deaths in Maricopa County, Arizona, parts of which I have represented for 25 years. Those deaths are under investigation. We are on track, yet again, to be one of the deadliest areas for heat exposure in this country.

That is why I launched the bipartisan Extreme Heat Caucus early this year with Congressman Mike Lawler of New York. At one point this summer, nearly half of the country's population was under an extreme heat warning. From coast to coast, we are struggling to keep people safe and to fully understand the challenges posed by extreme heat.

Extreme heat is a danger to public health, but it also threatens our very way of life. As heat waves get worse, roadways will crack, energy grids will falter, and crops will dry out. Insurance rates and electric bills will spike.

Some Arizonans saw triple-digit increases on their electric bills this summer. More evictions will follow. Frontline workers will stay home or end up hospitalized. Our local economies will lose millions.

We have to take this seriously, but this administration has shown a profound disregard for the problem at hand. From his very first day, President Trump has gutted the Federal heat response. Researchers, public health experts, and administrators of critical grant programs were caught up in Trump's mass firings, and it is everyday Americans who will pay the price. A senior, struggling to balance a tight budget, could be left high and dry without LIHEAP funds to cover their electric bills or keep the AC running. A single mother, working full time is worried that her child's school won't be able to keep him safe during recess or after-school sports practice. A landscaper, growing his small business, was diagnosed with kidney disease in his early 30s due to heat exposures.

Members of the Extreme Heat Caucus and I are fighting for the Federal workforce that handles extreme heat to be reinstated. Their work is critical to combat extreme heat and the greater climate crisis.

Without a robust Federal heat response, we put countless lives and billions of dollars at risk. The Extreme Heat Caucus is stepping up to change that. We are championing smart, bipartisan actions to combat extreme heat.

As a former mayor of Phoenix, I have been focused on heat policy that starts local, where the rubber meets the road. Our cities, counties, and universities are pioneering new ways to combat extreme heat and to respond to heat emergencies, but they are often going at it without proper and adequate funding.

My bipartisan bill, the Heat Management Assistance Grant Program Act, will allow States, local governments, and our Tribal partners to apply for dedicated, fast-release funding to respond to extreme heat events. This funding could be used to stand up cooling centers, purchase medical equipment for heat illnesses, or many other critical services.

For families worried about balancing high-energy costs with high grocery bills, I have been working to introduce the LIHEAP Parity Act. The bill will fairly and fully distribute LIHEAP dollars to families in cold weather States who need help with their heating bill in the winter and families in warm weather States like mine who need help with their air-conditioning bill in the summer.

We still don't know much about the possible impacts of extreme heat on our emergency response, so as the ranking member of the Transportation and Infrastructure's Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management Subcommittee, I partnered with Congresswoman Dina Titus on the Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act, which, among many other things, will study the unexpected impacts of heat on key infrastructure and public health.

That study was wrapped into a larger FEMA reform package, and it passed our committee on a huge bipartisan

margin. It will form an emergency response advisory panel to study slow moving natural disasters like extreme heat.

I am glad to see the study one step closer to law, and I will keep working to get the Extreme Weather and Heat Response Modernization Act across the finish line, as well.

I thank my colleagues who have come to speak before the House today. They understand the challenge before us.

As Members of Congress, our most basic duty as elected officials is to keep our constituents and fellow Americans safe. Right now, Congress must rise to the challenge and start actively combating the effects of heat.

All of us here agree on this duty before us. Now we have the responsibility to meet this moment and to save lives.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure now to yield to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott), my friend, and the ranking member of the Education and Workforce Committee.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Scott for his leadership on this important issue and the bill that he referenced supporting our workforce dealing with extreme heat. That is an important piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, that is all of our speeches on this important topic of the extreme heat and the Extreme Heat Caucus. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and welcome His All- Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, who visits the United States this week to receive the prestigious Templeton Prize. As the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide and the longest-serving Archbishop of Constantinople in the Church's two- thousand-year history, His All-Holiness distinguishes himself as a global advocate for peace, reconciliation, and religious freedom.

Elected in 1991, Bartholomew leads efforts to unify the Orthodox Church and other faiths across national and cultural boundaries. He

convenes councils, restores long-oppressed churches, and recognizes the independence of emerging Orthodox churches. His tireless efforts to bring together Christians of different traditions do not go unnoticed.

His All-Holiness is a champion for interfaith dialogue and a steadfast advocate for interfaith understanding. He builds meaningful relationships with Muslim and Jewish leaders in the Middle East, Europe, and beyond. He consistently speaks for peace and emphasizes that religious freedom and tolerance are essential to global stability, even as he faces persecution and harassment in his homeland.

Bartholomew is also a steward for the environment who organizes international ecological symposia and advocates for waterway preservation. His call for September 1 to be a day of prayer for the environment earned him the title ``the Green Patriarch,'' a role he continues to embrace.

His relationship with the United States is long and distinguished. He received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bill Clinton in 1997 and has since met Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden, as well as other U.S. leaders, in recognition of his contributions to global peace and understanding.

As His All-Holiness is in our Nation's Capital once again, his visit highlights his extraordinary leadership. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew continues to devote his life to advancing peace, fostering understanding across faiths, and promoting human dignity. His leadership continues to inspire communities in the United States and around the world.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Department of Commerce's decision to terminate the Tomato Suspension Agreement and slap a 20 percent tariff on tomatoes imported from Mexico.

This is a political choice that directly raises prices on American families and hurts American workers and businesses. It hits Arizona's economy especially hard. Nearly half of all tomatoes imported from Mexico come through our State.

This industry supports more than 22,000 jobs in Arizona, 50,000 nationally, and Trump's tomato tax puts $8.3 billion in economic activity at risk. In fact, 136 Arizona businesses have formally urged the Department of Commerce to preserve the Tomato Suspension Agreement: restaurants, retailers, trucking companies, and chambers of commerce.

This is all to overturn an effective and enforceable agreement that has been in place for almost 30 years, and it drives us away from Mexico at a time when we should be expanding our relationship with Arizona's and America's largest trading partner.

Ending the Tomato Suspension Agreement will lead to higher tomato prices and shortages around the country. I urge the Commerce Department to reverse course.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to amend the rule to make in order the amendment at the desk that protects against any cuts to Medicaid or SNAP.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a remarkable public servant, leader, and civil rights trailblazer, Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr., on the occasion of his retirement as Senior Pastor at Arizona's First Institutional Baptist Church.

God called Pastor Stewart to Arizona 48 years ago, and he has been speaking truth to power in the state ever since. Each Sunday, Pastor Stewart's sermons and service work inspired Arizonans to better their community and uplift their neighbors. From the helm of Phoenix's oldest African American Baptist church, Pastor Stewart used his platform to advance justice and civil rights across our state. His guiding principle: Jesus and Justice work together.

His advocacy is well illustrated by the battle to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a state holiday. By 1992, Arizona was the last state refusing to recognize MLK Day, despite the federal holiday being signed into law nearly a decade prior. Pastor Stewart fought to correct this, leading multiple movements to get the holiday initiative on the ballot. He mobilized coalitions across political spectrums, religions, and cultural backgrounds to come together to win this historic, long overdue vote.

As the longest-serving leader of the First Institutional Baptist Church, Pastor Stewart has traveled extensively, preaching in 39 states and territories and 60 countries, and has received many accolades for his contributions to our community and beyond. Following the teachings of the Gospel, his work always focused on the poorest and neediest: immigrants, unsheltered people and veterans, and those suffering from mental health issues.

Pastor Stewart and the Church turned Christian values into action. FIBCO Family Services, Samaritan House for Homeless Families, Ujima House for Unwed Teenage Mothers and their Infants, and the Broadway House, all created under Pastor Stewart, minister to those most in need of compassion and care. FIBCO has become a hallmark in Phoenix's nonprofit scene and has even taken their mission abroad, expanding across Africa.

Pastor Stewart's impressive academic and public service record led to roles as Chair of the National Immigration Forum and President of American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest. He was proclaimed a ``State History Maker'' by the Arizona Historical Society. Under unanimous direction of the Phoenix City Council, the street in front of the First Institutional Baptist Church was renamed ``Dr. Warren H. Stewart Way''.

Today, all of Arizona congratulates our very own ``living legend'' on his well-deserved retirement. Pastor Stewart's career and contributions have cemented him as one of Arizona's greatest religious leaders.

I have personally been blessed to know him as a friend and trusted advisor. He'll be the first to tell you he couldn't have enjoyed such a long career without the love and support of his wife, Reverend Dr. Karen Stewart, and their children and grandchildren. We thank the entire Stewart family for sharing him with us.

I thank Pastor Stewart for his decades of service to our community, and may your quest for moral justice continue in your next chapter. Godspeed.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a remarkable public servant, faith leader, and civil rights trailblazer, Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr., on the occasion of his retirement as senior pastor at First Institutional Baptist Church in downtown Phoenix.

God called Pastor Stewart to Arizona 48 years ago, and he has been speaking truth to power in our State ever since. Each Sunday, Pastor Stewart's sermons and service work inspire Arizonans to better their community and to uplift their neighbors.

From the helm of Phoenix's oldest African-American Baptist church in Arizona, Pastor Stewart used his platform to advance justice and civil rights across our State.

His guiding principle is Jesus and justice work together. His advocacy is well-illustrated by the battle to establish Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a State holiday in Arizona. By 1992, Arizona was the last State refusing to recognize MLK Day, despite the Federal holiday being signed into law nearly a decade prior.

Pastor Stewart fought to correct this injustice, leading multiple movements to get the holiday initiative on the ballot. He mobilized coalitions across political spectrums, religions, and cultural backgrounds to come together to win this long overdue public vote.

As the longest serving leader of the First Institutional Baptist Church, Pastor Stewart traveled extensively, preaching in 39 States and territories and in 60 countries. He has received many, many accolades for his contributions to our community and beyond.

Following the teachings of the Gospel, his work always focused on the poorest and neediest immigrants, unsheltered people and veterans, and those suffering with mental health challenges.

Pastor Stewart and the church turned Christian values into action. FIBCO Family Services, Samaritan House for Homeless Families, Ujima House for Unwed Teenage Mothers and their Infants, and the Broadway House were all created under Pastor Stewart. They minister to those most in need of compassion and care. FIBCO has become a hallmark in Phoenix's nonprofit scene and has even taken their mission abroad, expanding into Africa.

Pastor Stewart's impressive academic and public service record led to roles as chair of the National Immigration Forum and president of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest.

He was proclaimed a State Historymaker by the Arizona Historical Society. Under unanimous direction of the Phoenix City Council, the street in front of his church was named ``Dr. Warren H. Stewart Way.''

Today, all of Arizona congratulates our very own living legend on his well-deserved retirement. Pastor Stewart's career and contributions have cemented him as one of Arizona's greatest religious leaders and greatest overall Arizonans.

I personally have been blessed to know him as a friend and trusted adviser. He will be the first to say he couldn't have enjoyed such a long and stellar career without the love and support of his wife, the Reverend Dr. Karen Stewart, and their children and grandchildren. We thank the entire Stewart family for sharing this great man with all of us.

We thank Pastor Stewart for his decades of commitment to our community. May his quest for moral justice continue in whatever he does next. Godspeed.