Floor Statements

Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to H.R. 7023.

Mr. Chair, despite meeting every stipulated requirement, my amendment to this dangerous bill to protect our children from pollutants in their water was not ruled in order.

Something is not right. This is unacceptable as a matter of parliamentary process, and it is unacceptable because our children's health is at risk.

Infants and children are among the most vulnerable to the negative health effects of pollutants in their water. They are often the closest to the source. They crawl on the floor and in the grass, and they put anything they find in their mouths, including their hands, which puts them at greater risk of exposure to toxins.

Their immune systems are the least prepared to handle this exposure. Children's internal organs are still developing and maturing. According to the National Institutes of Health, kids' immune systems may provide less natural protection against toxins than adults. Infants and children face more critical periods when exposure to toxic chemicals may alter their health for the rest of their lives.

The Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act would increase the risk to our children by limiting the tools and processes that the EPA utilizes for monitoring the health of our water, improving water quality, and limiting pollutants from entering our waters in the first place.

The amendment I submitted was simple. It would have paused the changes within the bill until the EPA could certify that they would not lead to increased discharges of pollutants that have adverse effects on infants and children from increased exposure.

Some of these pollutants we may see more of are linked to neurological disorders, behavioral changes, and certain forms of cancer, including breast cancer, leukemia, and brain tumors.

My colleagues and I across the aisle may not agree on the merits of the

Clean Water Act or the importance of protecting our local waters from contamination and degradation, but surely we can all agree that protecting our Nation's infants and children from toxic chemicals is our shared responsibility and that we simply need to know where there is poison in our water and whether we are giving it to our children.

For that reason, Mr. Chair, at the appropriate time I will offer my amendment as a motion to recommit because I will never stop fighting for our children.

This is not just a bad bill. It is dangerous for our kids.

Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment, and I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this motion to recommit for our children.

Ms. Scholten moves to recommit the bill H.R. 7023 to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure with

instructions to report the same back to the House forthwith,

with the following amendment:

Add at the end the following:

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Madam Speaker, each February, we come together as a nation to celebrate Black History Month. While we may have just closed out Black History Month, our celebration here in Congress and back home in west Michigan continues.

This year, I had the honor of partnering with the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives to elevate the stories of west Michigan's heroes, barrier breakers, and change-makers who shaped the course of our community and our Nation's history.

I am proud to offer these six stories of change-makers from Michigan's Third Congressional District. Here are their stories.

First, as we stand at this bridge between February and March, Black History Month and Women's History Month, as we just heard from our incredible Congressional Black Caucus, it is appropriate to begin with our first story, the story of Emma Warren Ford.

Mrs. Ford was a well-known community organizer who challenged Jim Crow laws and protested discrimination in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

She began her work in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the WCTU. At the 1982 WCTU State convention in Benton Harbor, she was appointed as the superintendent of the Work Among Colored People.

She was a founding member of the Married Ladies' 19th Century Club, hosting meetings and leading activities for the first literary and social club for African-American women in Grand Rapids.

In 1913, Mrs. Ford was chosen by Governor Woodbridge Ferris to represent the State of Michigan at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Emancipation Proclamation in New York. What an honor for west Michigan.

Our second story is the story of Paul Phillips. Phillips grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, where he set a State record in track, earning himself a scholarship to Marquette University. Later, he received a master's degree and a Ph.D. in sociology from Fisk University. In 1946, Phillips came to Grand Rapids to work for the Borough Community Association. Passionate about civic and community work, by 1947, he became executive director and secretary of the Grand Rapids Urban League, where he would continue to serve for more than 30 years, including through the civil rights struggles of the 1950s and 1960s, serving as a calm and strong force against racial discrimination.

Phillips was passionate about documenting and researching Black history in Grand Rapids and is one of the most influential contributors to the local history that we know today.

In 1951, Phillips won election to the City Charter Commission, one of the first African Americans elected to public office in Grand Rapids. He was also the first African American elected to the city's board of education.

During President Gerald Ford's time in office, Phillips served as a consultant on minority citizen concerns. In 1972, Phillips received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Grand Valley State University.

In 1967, Phillips passed away. The Paul I. Phillips Boys and Girls Club in Grand Rapids is named in his honor.

The third story is that of Yvonne Little Woodward, the sister of Malcolm X and a local leader and advocate in west Michigan.

Yvonne secured her place of recognition as the first African-American telephone operator for Michigan Bell in Grand Rapids in 1948.

Her son said: ``She knew if she didn't do the right thing, it would take years for them to hire another Black operator.''

In Grand Rapids, the operators took a vote on whether they were willing to work with her. The vote was unanimous except for one, who Little later won over.

From her engagement with customers at the Woodland Park grocery store to her civic involvements, winning people over was at the heart of how she interacted with her community.

Little was often called on to speak in west Michigan and elsewhere where children were the audience, focusing always on the next generation.

Our next story is Merze Tate. Merze Tate defied the odds during the Jim Crow era and became a college dean and professor, a world traveler, an international reporter, and an adviser to General Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Tate was born 60 miles northeast of Grand Rapids in Blanchard, Michigan, in 1905. She longed to see the world outside the pine trees and dirt roads and to receive an education.

After high school, Tate applied to the University of Michigan but was rejected because of the color of her skin. This obstacle did not prevent her from getting an education. She was invited to attend Western Michigan University by President Dwight B. Waldo. In 1927, Tate became the first African American to graduate from that institution.

In 1935, she went back to school and became the first African American to earn a graduate degree from Oxford University. Her dissertation and scholarly interest focused on disarmament, and she pursued a Fulbright fellowship in India.

This wealth of experience led her to an appointment as an adviser to General Eisenhower on international relations. It also formed the basis for her

continued scholarly work on the subject.

Her second book, ``The United States and Armaments,'' was widely used by the Department of State and Committee for World Development and World Disarmament. In 1984, the Department named Dr. Tate one of three Americans to represent the United States at a UNESCO seminar.

Tate made history throughout her career. In 1941, she became the first African-American female to earn a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University. In 1970, she became the first African American to receive a distinguished alumni award from Western Michigan University.

Tate was a college professor at several institutions, including Barber-Scotia College, Bennett College, Morgan State College, and Howard University, where she taught from 1942 to 1977.

She spoke five languages, traveled the world twice, was an international reporter for Baltimore's Afro-American newspaper, and worked as a photographer, filmmaker, and researcher for the U.S. State Department, all while being a college professor.

Tate passed away in 1996 at the age of 91. She has left millions to institutes of higher learning that looked beyond her race and gender to provide her with a stellar education and to inspire her to impact the world in many areas for generations to come.

We next have a pair of stories, those of Major Denzal Harvey and Dr. Robert Garrison. Major Harvey and Dr. Garrison both have strong connections to the Muskegon community and served as Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Denzal Harvey was born at Hackley Hospital and graduated from Muskegon High School. In high school, he earned a letter in track, where he was only one of a few men of color on the team.

In 1941, Harvey enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a private first class and by 1942 had been sent to Air Corps' advanced flight school in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he joined the 99th Fighter Squadron.

The 99th Fighter Squadron in 1943 was assigned to North Africa, flying hand-me-down aircraft on support missions. They joined up with other African-American aviation units there to create the 332nd Fighter Group.

The 99th eventually moved to Foggia, Italy, where the group served as fighter escorts to B-24 bombers in bombing raids over the Mediterranean and Europe.

It was the bombing crews that gave the group its name, ``Red Tails.'' The National Park Service's Tuskegee exhibit notes that the transition from training to actual combat wasn't always smooth, given the racial tensions of the time. However, the airmen overcame the obstacles posed by segregation.

In 1942, Harvey eventually began serving temporarily as a captain. It was extremely rare. At the start of World War II, there were only 12 African-American officers in the U.S. military.

As a captain, Harvey once had a corpsman who refused to salute him. His daughter said he responded with: ``You are going to salute the uniform if you don't salute me.'' She said: ``They made it look easy, but it was never easy because dealing with racism was never easy.''

Garrison's daughter, Judy Rogers, says her father was reluctant to talk about the war. Until she was 45 years old, she never knew that he had been a Tuskegee Airman. ``He was proud of himself, but I can't say he actually enjoyed being in the war.''

Dr. Robert Garrison was from Ohio, but he spent his entire postwar adult life working as a physician in Muskegon after being hired by Hackley Hospital in 1958. He didn't much talk about his work or his service, and for many years, he was known mostly for his work as a doctor in the community.

Harvey earned a degree from Muskegon Community College, worked as a real estate agent, and attended law school. He later returned to the Air Force, taking his family with him to far-flung bases. He finished his career working in the city of Detroit's municipal courts.

His daughter, Judy Rogers, said he was the area's only Black physician for several years. In 1971, Garrison became the first Black member of the Muskegon Community College Board of Trustees. He served for 10 years as a trustee for the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

Finally, to close out this moment of reflection, we have the story of a storyteller. I would like to honor the Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archive's owned George Bayard. A long time Grand Rapidian, every single day, George is working to preserve west Michigan's African American history and keep memories alive for future generations.

I couldn't be more grateful for his friendship, his partnership in this project, and our shared work together for our west Michigan community.

Madam Speaker, this is for George. His passion and dedication to telling the stories of Black west Michiganians ensures that Black History Month is not contained just to a single month but that we recognize the contributions of African Americans in our community every day.

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

Madam Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 2 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the birthday of a beloved constituent, Blanche Vander Bent, who turned 100 years old this month.

Blanche Vander Bent's life has been one of service: to God, to her family, and to others. Blanche is a distinguished matriarch, a mother, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother.

She has a servant's heart and has spent countless hours volunteering at schools and food programs throughout west Michigan.

Blanche's commitment to service didn't just stop in west Michigan, though, as she and her husband volunteered throughout their life in disaster relief efforts all across the country, lending a hand to those whose lives had been upended.

Blanche defines what it means to put her faith into action, and I couldn't be more thrilled to celebrate her today.

A very happy birthday, Blanche.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the lives of five marines who tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash last week:

Lance Corporal Donovan Davis of Olathe, Kansas; Sergeant Alec Langen of Chandler, Arizona; Captain Benjamin Moulton of Emmett, Idaho; Captain Jack Casey of Dover, New Hampshire; and my constituent, Captain Miguel Nava of Comstock Park, Michigan.

I ask my colleagues to join me in a moment of silence to recognize these heroes and their service. We are holding their families and their fellow servicemembers close in our thoughts and prayers at this devastating time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, last week I joined my colleagues from all corners of the country on a trip to the southern border to El Paso, hosted by my good friend, Congresswoman Escobar. This wasn't my first trip to the border.

Before coming to Congress, I worked on this issue for close to 20 years as a social worker, walking alongside immigrants and refugees who were new to this country, also as an attorney for the United States Department of Justice enforcing our immigration laws at the Nation's highest law enforcement agency. I also worked at a community legal aid organization in west Michigan. I have also helped employers try to get the workers that they need. I have worked on all aspects of this issue.

What I saw on the border was truly horrific. We are in a crisis mode. During our trip we talked to Border Patrol agents, we met with individuals at holding facilities, talked to the immigrants themselves, and we talked to humanitarian aid workers. Across the board everyone was unified in this one belief: the border is broken. Our immigration system is broken. There has never been a more important time to come together with bipartisan solutions to fix it.

There is truly a crisis at our border. It is a humanitarian nightmare, a national security red alarm, and an economic disaster.

We visited a holding facility just outside of El Paso. The number of immigrants crossing the border every single day is far too many for the El Paso Del Norte Processing Center to contain in just 1 day, so they are held at a detention facility. It costs our United States Government, our taxpayers, $1.2 million every single day to run this facility just to hold people. This cannot be.

Now is the time for action, not the time for pointing fingers. Now is the time not for kicking the can down the road but picking it up and solving this problem.

We don't have to start from scratch for a new bill, a bill that would get bipartisan support. We already have that bill. It is bipartisan, and it is called the Dignity Act. It is the only bipartisan comprehensive reform bill in Congress right now.

Instead of infighting and pointing fingers, Mr. Speaker, why not put it to a vote on the floor and see how many individuals would support it?

What are we afraid of?

That it might actually work?

That it might actually solve this problem?

The immigration crisis in our country is at a fever pitch. It has evolved over many years of inaction, of moments just like this where we are compelled to act but we refuse to do so.

The immigration crisis in our country is a multifaceted problem that requires a multifaceted response.

Just insisting that we are going to close the border is not a magic wand that would wave and fix the vast number of individuals who are finding their way across our border every day.

It doesn't automatically provide the funding necessary for the Border Patrol agents who would be required to enforce this border closure, and it doesn't provide the pathways to the legal workforce that is so desperately needed in this country.

Moreover, it surely does not address the root causes of the increase in migrant flow that we are seeing over the years.

However, the bipartisan Dignity Act does.

The Dignity Act provides for an immediate infusion of $25 billion to help secure our border, and the bill pays for itself through fees generated from visas for qualified workers.

If we put this bill to a vote on the floor tomorrow, billions of dollars would begin to start flowing to our border communities to give them the help that they need.

This bill also addresses the source of the flow by creating new, regional in-country processing centers, taking the pressure off the border and helping individuals determine their eligibility ahead of time--or lack thereof--and immigrate here to the U.S.

The bill also addresses the fact that our immigration crisis does not exist in a vacuum at the southern border. Our years of failed policy have resulted in millions of individuals living in the shadows of the United States, again, a national security red alarm, an economic disaster, and a humanitarian crisis that must be addressed.

This bill provides a means to identify these individuals and the means to remove those who have violated our laws and pose a threat to our country. Those who pass a background check and qualify and who pay a fine will immediately receive permission to work and be provided a pathway to lawful citizenship, supporting our growing economy and enhancing all of our communities in a multitude of ways.

Why wouldn't we take this moment to address this immigration crisis?

Why wouldn't we put this bipartisan bill on the floor?

This is not a perfect bill by any stretch of the imagination. It is a compromise bill. Republicans are not getting everything they want, and Democrats are surely not getting everything they want, I can tell you that, Mr. Speaker, but it is a compromise. That is not a dirty word.

The last time we had comprehensive immigration reform in this country was over 40 years ago. Think about how much our world and our economy have changed in that time. We are not always going to get exactly what we want, but if we work hard and we work together, then we can provide for the good of this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4668, the Providing Opportunities to Show Transparency via Information Technology Act, also known simply as the POST IT Act.

It has been an honor to co-lead this bill with Congressman Molinaro to increase transparency in the small business space. Most Americans want more transparency from our government. This is an easy, straightforward, and bipartisan bill.

It is critical that Federal agencies produce smart, well-crafted regulations. I hear all the time from small business owners across different sectors in west Michigan that they want to comply and follow rules and regulations, but they need clear guidance. Far too often, it is hard to find.

Federal regulations can be a nightmare to navigate for small businesses who often serve as founder, CEO, president, store clerk, janitor, CPA, and attorney all in the same day. Most small businesses don't have attorneys, accountants, or compliance departments to learn and track all Federal regulations to make sure that they remain in compliance. That is why it is imperative on the agencies themselves that are setting the regulations to make sure that these regulations are open, available, and as easy as possible to follow and understand.

I am proud to cosponsor this bill with Congressman Molinaro. This bill will help small businesses stay in compliance with Federal regulations by making compliance information from the Federal agencies easier to locate.

Specifically, this bill requires that Federal agencies post guidance on the Small Business Administration's Office of the National Ombudsman's website for any rule that has a significant impact on a small business. It seems pretty easy, doesn't it?

Now more than ever, as our Nation's small businesses are recovering from a global pandemic and are dealing with widespread worker shortages and rising inflation, it is our duty as lawmakers to take unnecessary hurdles for small business owners out of the way, whether that is increasing access to capital, ensuring access to technical assistance for SBA programs, or making sure that Federal regulations are easy to understand.

I am working hard in the Small Business Committee to keep Main Street alive and thriving. It is great to partner with Congressman Molinaro in that effort.

Before I close, let me say a few words about another bill on suspension today, H.R. 4670, the Small Business Contracting Transparency Act, by Representative Houlahan, of which I am an original cosponsor and have been proud to help usher through the Small Business Committee, where I serve as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure.

This bill would ensure that the SBA is acquiring up-to-date data on where Federal procurement dollars are going. In addition, this data will inform my committee's work to ensure that all small businesses are able to compete in the Federal procurement space.

Madam Speaker, I rise ahead of Veterans Day to honor the incredible life and sacrifice of an amazing veteran from west Michigan who gave his life in service to our Nation, Specialist Four Lloyd Slack.

Earlier this year, I had the honor of hosting a ceremony in his honor at the brand-new veterans home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Lloyd Slack paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Vietnam, drawing enemy fire upon himself and thereby saving his team.

My team learned that Lloyd's mother, 96-year-old Lola Mondy, a Gold Star mother, never received the medals that he was due. We got right to work to make sure she could see those medals and receive the commemoration of her son's service before she died.

Ms. Mondy turned unimaginable loss into purpose, serving other Gold Star families while also living with her own grief.

Presenting these medals to her in the ceremony was the honor of my time in Congress. Our military families sacrifice so much, and on this Veterans Day, I give my thanks to west Michiganians who have served and their families. We are the home of the free because of the brave.

Mr. Speaker, during rollcall Vote number 598 on H.R. 3774, I mistakenly recorded my vote as ``nay'' when I should have voted ``yea.''

personal explanation

Mr. Speaker, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle may not have something to say today, but I surely do.

I rise today to express my profound disappointment in House Republicans' decision to prioritize their extremist agenda over passing a strong, bipartisan appropriations bill.

I pride myself on always looking for ways to find common ground with my Republican colleagues, and the bill to fund the VA and military construction usually provides ample opportunity to do so. We need to do everything we can to ensure that our current and former servicemembers are provided the best possible care.

I was hoping I could count on my friends across the aisle to put forth a bill that we could all support, just like we have done time and time again. Instead, extremists in the party have hijacked this bill and removed dedicated funding for PFAS cleanup, eliminated funding for climate resilience during a time of increasingly severe weather events, and put women and families at risk by restricting access to potentially lifesaving healthcare.

By including these provisions, extremists on the right have decided that playing partisan politics is more important than improving the lives of our Nation's heroes.

Mr. Speaker, unlike our colleagues across the aisle, Democrats are focused on delivering results on the things that matter to our communities. For this reason, if we defeat the previous question, we will bring up a resolution affirming our commitment to protecting Social Security and Medicare.

Why don't Republicans want to do the same thing? These programs are critically important lifelines for tens of millions of Americans across the country. In west Michigan, my home district, Medicare provides lifesaving healthcare coverage for over 100,000 seniors. Additionally, nearly 150,000 recipients receive $264 million in monthly Social Security benefits, including over 110,000 seniors.

Mr. Speaker, these are the sorts of programs we should be spending our time working on and strengthening, not unserious messaging bills which will be dead on arrival in the Senate. We are just wasting time.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to defeat the previous question so we can bring up this important legislation.

Mr. Chairman, it is exciting to play a role in crafting legislation as impactful as reauthorizing the FAA, especially as a freshman legislator. I came to Congress to deliver for the people of west Michigan, and this robust bipartisan bill will do just that.

Two specific provisions in this bill will be especially beneficial for my district. Michigan's Third District includes the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, the second busiest airport in the State and one of the busiest airports in the entire country.

The airport's aging air traffic control tower is preventing needed expansion. It is the oldest tower among any of the top 75 largest airports and does not meet the security requirements or operational necessities found in more modern towers.

This bill includes provisions which direct FAA to specifically consider old towers at airports like GRR when selecting projects for replacement and increasing transparency around the process the FAA uses when deciding which towers need to be upgraded. These policies will help GRR forge a path forward to ensure the airport can meet the needs of the region.

Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for working with me to include these critical priorities for my district and other similarly situated airports around the country, and I urge the passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the west Michiganders who are asking and begging Congress to finally act on the uniquely American gun violence epidemic.

As a mother and a lawmaker, I simply cannot sit by and let our kids be senselessly killed in their classrooms and our communities any longer. It is just too much.

Gun violence has become the number one cause of death for kids in the United States. Not drug overdoses, not car accidents. Gun violence.

Earlier this year, the entire State of Michigan watched in horror as the Michigan State University campus was on lockdown during a mass shooting. Three students died and five were injured. The reverberating impacts were felt around the entire State and the entire country. The effects of this trauma linger.

This is now the reality for our children and young adults, but it doesn't have to be.

I stand here on the floor today with my sons watching on, urging my Republican colleagues to take commonsense action. We can and must come together to close loopholes in the law, ensure universal background checks, and keep guns out of the hands of those that should not have them.

I stand ready with my fellow task force members to do the work to protect our kids, schools, families, and communities across the country. It is time our Republican colleagues join us.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate Pride Month for the good people of west Michigan.

Even as we celebrate this month as a time of joy, allowing individuals to be their authentic selves, it has been marked by communications from back home about the challenges and direct harm individuals face just for being a member of the LGBTQ community. Far, far too often, this harm is inflicted directly and intentionally in the name of God.

West Michigan has not had a countervoice in Congress, but they do now. I rise today as a lawmaker to express my commitment to championing freedom and justice for all in this country. I also rise today as a woman of deep and unwavering faith to reaffirm the equality that we all experience as precious human beings created with love, with joy, in the image and likeness of God. No scheme of man can change that.

To all of you in west Michigan who have felt unseen, unheard, or, even worse, bullied, this statement in the Congressional Record is for you. My votes are for you. My presence here on the House floor is for you.

We are bending the arc toward justice, toward inclusion, toward equality. Happy Pride.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the contributions of some incredible young leaders from Michigan's Third Congressional District. As the school year comes to a close, I commend these Kent Intermediate School District scholars for their leadership, initiative and community service. Their contributions provided an important perspective to community members and school leaders which will undoubtedly improve the educational experience for students throughout Kent ISD.

The Kent ISD Student Leadership Community is composed of 40 high school students from 20 school districts in Kent ISD. These students answered a necessary call to help district leaders make crucial decisions about education with an eye towards improving the educational experience of all Kent ISD pupils.

This past year, the Kent ISD Student Leadership Community was hard at work. It is no surprise that they found numerous avenues to provide their input and affect change. At the inaugural Listen. Learn. Lead. State of the Student event on October 24, 2022, Kent leaders addressed district representatives and local community and business leaders. Through sharing their experiences in school, the challenges they face, and their hopes for the future, they were able to help shape district- level plans for students' academic engagement and success, mental well- being, and sense of belonging as schools navigate and adapt to post- pandemic life. On behalf of myself and our proud West Michigan community, I applaud these students for the enduring impact that their leadership will have in their schools.

Mr. Speaker, once more I ask my colleagues to join me in commending the Kent ISD Student Leadership Community. There is no doubt that their futures are bright, and that their voices will continue to be forces for good in the days and years ahead.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of a very important member of my team, Mr. Isaac Seiler, who will be returning to complete his studies and ending his time as my Communications Director on June 1. We are so very grateful for his service to our office, to this Congress, to the community of West Michigan and to our country.

When the people of West Michigan chose me, the first woman in history to represent our part of the country in Congress, I knew I would need a smart and energetic person by my side helping me set up my new office-- someone who could match my drive and commitment to excellence, someone who cares just as deeply as I do about giving a voice in Congress to people who had never had theirs represented. I was so lucky to find that person in Isaac Seiler. From day one, Isaac showed up for our community in ways big and small. As the youngest Communications Director on the Hill, he quickly proved that no job was too big for him; but more importantly, in embodying the West Michigan ethos of servant leadership, he also showed that no job was too small.

In addition to helping establish our new office, Isaac leaned in enthusiastically and expertly to help me tell West Michigan about the great work we were doing in Congress. He worked tirelessly to get newsletters out to constituents, to secure local media appearances and answer tough questions to make our office accountable to the people we serve. Constituents consistently tell me--I've never felt more connected to my Representative and the work you're doing. That's what representation should be about. That's because of Isaac.

I've drawn great personal inspiration from Isaac as well, as he navigated deeply challenging circumstances of his own with courage and grace well beyond his years. Guided by a deep faith and abiding love, when Isaac faced profound adversity, he met it not as a roadblock, but a springboard to action--for personal growth and community transformation. A moment in his life that could have caused bitterness, but instead moved so many to expand their hearts, and open their minds.

Isaac brings joy to any space he inhabits not only with his infectious laughter, but his drive to do good that inspires others to want to do the same. He truly has the heart of a public servant and West Michigan is better because he chose to serve. On behalf of the people in Michigan's 3rd district and personally from me, I offer him our deepest gratitude. I thank Isaac.