Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the Great Lakes Boat Building School for being named Operation Action U.P.'s Non- Profit of the Year. Through their tireless work and steadfast devotion to their students and community, GLBBS has become an indispensable part of the Upper Peninsula, the State of Michigan, and the Great Lakes region.

The Great Lakes Boat Building School was created in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in 2005, with a mission to bring a local maritime trade school to the region. Their school has given many people the opportunity to learn about the boat building industry and embark on successful careers after their education. In addition to being awarded the 2020-21 Non-Profit of the Year by Operation Action U.P., they also recently have been recognized as a Bronze-Level Veteran-Friendly School by the Michigan Veteran-Friendly Schools Program. As a Veteran myself, I greatly appreciate the work they have dedicated to our men and women in uniform as they return from service. GLBBS continues to serve as a model for other programs across the country for the national educational standards they regularly exceed.

Madam Speaker, it's my honor to recognize the Great Lakes Boat Building School for their significant contributions to our region and their recent well-deserved recognitions. Michiganders can take great pride in knowing the First District is home to such dedicated citizens. On behalf of my constituents, I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the life of Henry Garnett Plaster, who passed away recently after a lifetime of service. Through his extreme dedication to the public good, Henry became an essential part of Loudoun County, the State of Virginia, and the United States of America.

Henry was born July 26, 1928, to Henry Garnett Plaster, Sr. and Jerusha Lohman Plaster in Washington, D.C. After graduating from St. Albans School in 1946, he went on to receive a B.S. in Physics at Duke University in 1950, and was part of the NROTC program. He received a master's degree in Engineering Administration from The George Washington University in 1961. Following his graduation from college, he began active duty in the United States Navy. He served in the Korean War and received a battle star in 1953. Henry resigned his commission in June 1953 and subsequently retired as a Lieutenant, USNR.

Henry was hired by the Central Intelligence Agency in 1954 and while his work at the agency was classified, he played a major role in a variety of CIA efforts including the CORONA and HEXAGON satellite programs. After serving his country for more than 43 years at the CIA, he retired in 1993 as the Cold War ended. He was awarded the Intelligence Medal of Merit in 1971 and the CIA Career Intelligence Medal. After his retirement, he left Bethesda, Maryland and moved to his family farm Glenmeade in Bluemont, Virginia. Henry and his wife Anne became very involved in their local community. He was the longtime Chairman of the Snickersville Turnpike Association, a very active member of the Bluemont Citizens Association, and was heavily involved in preserving local Civil War history.

Henry passed away peacefully on March 21, 2022. His steadfast care and friendly nature toward all members of his community will surely leave a lasting mark on those who had the opportunity to know him. He is missed dearly by his family and friends, and his legacy will undoubtedly live on for generations to come. Henry's tireless dedication to public service touched the lives of countless Americans, and the impact of his work cannot be overstated.

Madam Speaker, I ask you to join me in honoring the life of Henry Garnett Plaster. His legacy will forever live on in his family and in the many lives he bettered through his service.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the 100th birthday and the service of Walter J. Kusz. Through his commitment to our country and his local community, Walter has become an indispensable part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Mr. Kusz was born on March 2, 1922, in Ironwood, Michigan, to Joseph and Magdalena Kusz and was the middle of nine siblings. Walter and his bothers all went on to serve in the U.S. Military after high school during World War II and the Korean War. He was drafted in 1943 and became a member of the U.S. Army-Air Corps after his completion of his basic training in Miami Beach, Florida. From there, Walter was assigned to Dowling Air Field in Washington, D.C., where he relayed meteorological data at the Pentagon to U.S. Bomber Command in Europe. He was then promoted to Staff Sergeant T-5 and joined Occupation Forces in Austria between 1945 and 1946.

As a Yooper and an avid outdoorsman, Walter also has a great passion for winter sports, snow skiing, and hunting. While serving in Europe, he joined the U.S. Army ski-jumping team and competed in competitions in Holmenkollen, Norway, and Garmisch, Germany, Following his military service, he became president of the Gogebic Range Ski Corporation and brought several competitions to the U.P. at Copper Peak during the 1970s and 1980s. In addition, Walter was a devoted hunter throughout his life, shooting his last buck at the age of 92.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Michigan's First Congressional District, I ask you to join me in honoring the 100th birthday of Walter J. Kusz. His accomplishments inspire us all and we are grateful for his years of service to our country.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the 33-year career of the Director of the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center, James Rice. Through his commitment to our Veterans and his local communities, James has become an indispensable part of the State of Michigan, the Upper Peninsula, and northern Wisconsin.

James was born in Clare, MI and attended Central Michigan University for his Bachelor's and Master's degrees. Following college, he started his career in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in 1990 as the Safety & Occupational Health Manager at the Allen Park VAMC in southeastern Michigan. In addition, he served in a VHA leadership position in Washington, D.C., as the Acting Director of Safety and Technical Services, After successfully serving in multiple roles within the Veterans integrated Services Network (VISN) 11 and 12 for over two decades, James was appointed to Acting Director for the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in 2011.

Under Director Rice's outstanding leadership, Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center continues to set the national standard for medical care within the VHA and serves tens of thousands of our nation's Veterans across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and northern Wisconsin. Along with his work at the Iron Mountain VAMC, he oversaw six Community Based Outpatient Clinics in Michigan and Wisconsin including Ironwood, Hancock, Marquette. Menominee, Sault Ste Marie and Rhinelander to offer Veterans the support and care they need closer to home. In addition, Oscar G. Johnson continues to receive 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and has been nationally recognized through several VHA-related awards including the Best Experience Award for Level 3 Medical Centers, the Best Patient Experience Award, and the Dickinson County Chamber of Commerce's ``Large Business of the Year Award.'' For fiscal year 2021, James was also awarded the Meritorious Executive Presidential Rank Award for his decades of leadership in VISN 11 and 12 and longtime dedication to our Veterans.

Madam Speaker. I ask you to join me in honoring the career and service of Director James Rice. The example he has set over the last three decades inspires us all and will continue to do so for future successors of his position, Michigan and Wisconsin's retired servicemembers, their families, caregivers, and the VA staff he proudly led will forever be thankful for his contributions. We wish him the best on his future endeavors and look forward to seeing what his next mission will be.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th anniversary of the first Native American in the Winter Olympics and fellow Yooper, Clarence ``Taffy'' Abel.

Taffy was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, on May 28, 1900, and was a member of the Sault Tribe of the Chippewa Indians. Following his childhood years, he joined the U.S. National Hockey Team in the first Winter Olympics in 1924. From there, he was selected by his fellow athletes to carry the American flag during the opening ceremonies and helped the U.S. win a Silver Medal.

Taffy went on to lead a successful professional career in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks, resulting in two Stanley Cups, and was greatly respected by many of his peers. His accomplishments significantly advanced international hockey as an institution by tearing down many sport and cultural barriers.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in recognizing this historic anniversary and the legacy of Clarence ``Taffy'' Abel.

Mr. Speaker, I am honored to be here with my colleagues

who believe so fervently in doing the right thing because if you seek your wisdom from above, you will always do the right thing. I appreciate Mr. Smith's leadership.

As we stand here remembering the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I want to remind my colleagues that standing for life--and I repeat, standing for life--has historically been a bipartisan effort. Example, the Hyde amendment, especially across Michigan's First District.

Since coming to Congress, I am proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with my constituents as we collectively raise our voice, and our vote, for those who have neither.

The very first inalienable right described in the Declaration of Independence is the right to life.

As a Member of Congress I have always and will always continue to fight to correct that right for the born and the unborn.

Protecting life isn't an issue of division. In fact, it is one of unity.

We must all work together to enact better policies and build stronger communities that create a culture of life.

Together, we can create a Nation that honors life and upholds the self-evident truth that every life is precious and must be protected.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the 100th anniversary of the first Native American in the Winter Olympics, Clarence ``Taffy'' Abel. Over the last century, Taffy's accomplishments have inspired countless people across this nation and the world.

Clarence ``Taffy'' Abel was born on May 28, 1900, in Sault Ste. Marie as part of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians. He received the nickname ``Taffy'' on the hockey rink for his attempts to sneak taffy during class. He spent many summers as a teenager working on the USS Clover, visiting ports such as Duluth, delivering supplies to local communities. Following his high school years, he joined the United States National Hockey Team for the first Winter Olympics in 1924. There he became the first Native American to participate in the winter games. He was recognized by his fellow athletes for his patriotism and leadership, helping him become captain of his team and the first person to represent the United States at the Winter Olympics by carrying the flag during the opening ceremonies. Taffy and the U.S. National Hockey Team led a successful tournament run that landed them a silver medal at the conclusion of the Olympics.

Following his time with U.S. Hockey, Taffy went on to lead a successful professional career. After playing for the St. Paul Hockey Club for three seasons in the USAHA, he moved to the Minneapolis Millers where he helped win the CHL title in 1926. Following that title victory, Taffy was recruited by legendary NHL owner, Conn Smythe, to play on the New York Rangers and then later with the Chicago Blackhawks. There he became the first American to become a regular NHL player in a sport that had up until then been overwhelmingly played by Canadians. During his eight-year NHL career, Taffy went on to win two Stanley Cups and was thought of by many of his peers as the best left defenseman in the league. At the conclusion of his career, he played a total of 16 seasons of amateur and professional hockey, received an Olympic silver medal, won two Stanley Cups, and played a total of 333 games in the NHL.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of Michigan's First Congressional District, I ask you to join me in honoring the 100th anniversary of the first Native American in the Winter Olympics, Clarence ``Taffy'' Abel. His historic accomplishments are memorialized in the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. Taffy's legacy continues to inspire future generations across Michigan, the United States, and the world.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Senior Captain Mike Green for 46 years of service to his community with his work with the Beaver Island Boat Company. Through his steadfast commitment to transporting the public safely and consistently across Lake Michigan, he has become an indispensable part of Northern Michigan.

Mike began his career with the Beaver Island Boat Company (BIBC) as a deckhand in 1975 when he was only 18 years old. He started out alongside his father before eventually taking over the helm himself--a role he has held for 46 years since. Mike's work has been critical for Northern Michigan over the years in facilitating travel to and from Beaver Island for goods, services, and visitors. BIBC operates nine months out of the year, and Mike himself runs over 150 trips annually to ensure customers and cargo make it safely to their destination.

For nearly half a century, Mike has served the public and our community with kindness, professionalism, and compassion. We will miss him at the helm, but we are excited about what his next voyage will be. The example he set as Senior Captain of the Beaver Island Boat Company inspires us all and will continue to do so for future successors of the position.

Madam Speaker, it's my honor to congratulate Senior Captain Mike Green on his career. Michiganders can take great pride in knowing the First District is home to such a driven leader. On behalf of my constituents, I wish Mike all the best in his future endeavors.

Mr. Speaker, a week after my visit to the border to meet with agents on the ground and survey the situation with my own eyes, I am here to report some unsurprising news. There is still a growing crisis at our Nation's southern border.

I saw firsthand how President Biden has ceded--not in farming, but given up--ceded control of the southern border to the cartels.

Thankfully, Texas Governor Abbott has stepped up to enforce the law, but Federal border agents continue to lack critical federally provided resources.

From halting construction of the wall and resisting the remain in Mexico policy, to releasing illegals into our interior and pursuing mass amnesty, this President and Democrats in Congress have incentivized a long-term border surge that will forever change our Nation.

I urge my colleagues to reverse these America-last policies, secure the border, and uphold law and order in the face of this current administration's refusal to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Bost for yielding me the time. I am always proud to stand on this floor and talk about the men and women who serve our country. And it is our country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition today to H.R. 1836, the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2021. And it kind of saddens me that I have to rise in opposition because while this bill, well-intentioned, is unfortunately potentially prone to unintended consequences on the overall readiness of our Armed Forces, Active Reserve and Guard. But first I must note that these issues could have been brought to light earlier had this piece of legislation gone through regular order, received proper consideration across all the normal things that we historically have done. It received no legislative hearings, foregoing the opportunity to receive input from key stakeholders, veteran service organizations, new committee members on both sides of the aisle, and even the Biden administration.

Without that engagement, we are just left with a bill that in its current form, which would count guard and reservists Federal Active- Duty service days towards GI eligibility, including for training. And there is a very subtle difference. In fact, it is a very exact difference in law between Active Duty for training and Active Duty.

I spent much of my 40-year Marine Corps career in the Reserve component. And in fact, a little known part of my bio, my first 2 years off of Active Duty in the Marine Corps, I spent 2 years as a member of the Rhode Island National Guard. So not only Active component, Reserve component, but also a guardsman as well.

And my final assignment for 4\1/2\ years, I had the blessing and the opportunity to command the Marine Corps Reserve, roughly 100,000 folks in 183 sites across the country at a time when we are deploying them at never-before-seen rates.

I will always stand by the unwavering service and sacrifice given by the men and women in the Reserve component and the National Guard.

This bill, however, may unintentionally become an obstacle to the recruitment and retention efforts of our Active component military. We are in a time, and have been for over 40 years, of an all-recruited force on all levels.

Mr. Speaker, even as Governors offer non-GI Bill education benefits to their Guard, the parity with Active-Duty Forces that this bill is seeking for the Guard and Reserves, again, could impact our Active-Duty military, which we need to be ready at all times, considering today's global threats.

Today, more than 4 years after my colleagues and I passed into law an unprecedented GI Bill expansion to allow any veteran to use these GI Bill benefits without restriction of time, so they are good to go for as long as they live, I still believe there are many ways we can work responsibly to expand these benefits.

For these reasons, I will be voting in favor of my friend and colleague Mr. Moore's benefit expansion amendment to ensure guard and reservists accrue GI Bill eligibility during any and all Federal Active-Duty days that are not training days.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose the bill and support the Moore amendment.

Mr. Speaker, on this the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor, it is only right to honor a marine who served in the South Pacific. I rise today to honor the life and legacy of fellow Michigander and U.S. Marine Raymond Heise.

On Thursday, November 18, Ray passed away after nearly a century of service to his community and to our Nation. I met Ray back in June 2016 when we exchanged personal stories of our time in the Corps.

At only 19 years of age, he enlisted and joined the Marine Corps during World War II. He truly made a difference, both in the South Pacific and in Michigan. The commitment and courage that he and so many others displayed during that time is unmatched. As Admiral Nimitz famously said of those Marines involved in our victory on Iwo Jima: ``Uncommon valor was a common virtue.''

Ray will be remembered for his caring and calming personality toward anyone who had the opportunity to meet him. I encourage my colleagues to join me in remembering the life and selfless service of Raymond Heise, United States marine.

May God rest his soul and comfort his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of all Americans who feel that they are being abandoned by the current administration. I share this sentiment.

To be clear, President Biden is the President of now leaving you behind. He will leave you behind in Afghanistan. He will leave your job behind if you don't comply with his mandates. He will leave our borders behind in favor of illegal immigrants. He will leave our economy behind for China to surpass. He plain old leads from behind.

I propose we leave President Biden's dangerous policies behind before our children's futures are ultimately destroyed. It is time for our leaders to put America first by securing our border, keeping our Nation's promises to veterans and overseas allies, and in ending the senseless Washington spending addiction.

Mr. Speaker, in Michigan's First District, we are hunkering down for the usual long but beautiful winter season. We enjoy it, and we prepare for it.

This year, that preparation is much more complicated. The supply chain crisis, labor shortages, and inflation have made our gas and groceries that much more expensive at a time when we can't necessarily afford it at that working-family level.

In my district, we are truly feeling the negative impacts of this administration's failed policies. The White

House and congressional Democrats seem to be living in a different reality, telling us that the President's agenda ``will not add to inflationary pressure.''

Mr. Speaker, the real risk here would be passing the Democrat's multitrillion-dollar tax and spend package. My colleagues in the House seem to be turning a blind eye to what Americans are actually experiencing.

Make no mistake, spending trillions, while punishing the middle class and job creators, will make inflation worse.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 4626, as amended, the Department of Veterans Affairs Assessment by Independent Measures Act, or AIM Act.

When it comes to bureaucracies, I have never believed that maintaining the status quo is an acceptable path forward. In fact, it is an impossible path forward.

The world is constantly in a state of change. The way American men and women defend freedom around the world, and the way those same men and women seek care when they come home, is constantly changing as well. The VA healthcare system must change, too, or it will never fulfill its obligations to all of our veterans.

That is where the AIM Act comes in. The AIM Act would require an independent assessment of the operations and management of the VA healthcare system once every decade, beginning in 2025.

The independent assessment framework in the AIM Act is modeled after the independent assessment that was required in the Choice Act, which was signed into law in 2014 following the nationwide VA access and accountability crisis that saw some veterans literally dying on VA facilities' waiting lists.

That independent assessment was completed in 2015, and the findings and recommendations it contained directly underpinned many of the necessary improvements that have occurred in the VA healthcare system since then.

The AIM Act would ensure that this successful model is not a one-and- done but instead regularly recurs to ensure that the VA keeps improving for veterans long into the future.

I am grateful for the support the AIM Act has received from veterans service organizations, particularly the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Wounded Warrior Project, and the Minority Veterans of America.

I am also grateful for the bipartisan support the AIM Act received in the Veterans' Affairs Committee. I thank all of my colleagues for that. I hope that there will be a similar show of bipartisan support for the bill today. My fellow veterans have earned it.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor to recognize the 95th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps Reserve Association. The work of the USMCRA over nearly a century has been critical in ensuring the common defense of our country and assisting in the readiness of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves for future conflict.

The United States Naval and Marine Corps Reserves were established through the Naval Appropriations Act on August 29, 1916. Ten years later, the USMCRA was formed to ensure the readiness of Reserve Forces and promote the interests of the United States Marine Corps and United States Marine Corps Reserves. Since then, the USMCRA has constantly worked to help preserve the safety of our country and the wellbeing of those whom defend it. As a Retired Lt. General and the former Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves and Marine Forces North, I deeply understand the importance of strong and battle-ready reserves units and will continue to support their mission here in Congress. The work of the USMCRA and the impact of their advocacy on behalf of our servicemembers, Veterans, and their families cannot be overstated.

Madam Speaker, it is an honor to recognize the United States Marine Corps Reserve Association for 95 years of service to our country. I look forward to assisting in fulfilling their mission to support our Servicemen and women. Please join me in congratulating the USMCRA for this historic achievement.