Jaime Herrera Beutler

Mr. Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to serve in this distinguished body on behalf of the people of southwest Washington.

As I look around this Chamber, I am flooded with memories, thinking about everything that has happened in this room, both good and bad, in the 12 years since I first took my oath.

I can remember driving my 1990s vintage Ford Explorer across the country, with my husband of 3 months, in late December 2010 to get here in time for swearing in. I was ready to do my very best for my home region and Congress.

Some things haven't changed. I still have that Ford Explorer; my husband is every bit the rock now that he was then; and I have never compromised

what I came here to do, which is to serve my region and defend the Constitution.

Some things have changed. We have added a minivan to our fleet to transport our three beautiful children, and I have gotten a chance to work with some amazing people.

I will share a few observations but, first, some thanks.

I thank my colleagues. In this body, I have gotten to work with some of the most accomplished, smartest people in the world, and I treasure your friendship.

My husband, Dan, deserves the lion's share of my gratitude. The sacrifices that he has made, his wisdom and his love for me and our three children--Abigail, who is 9; Ethan, who is 6; and Isana, who is 3--have been an immeasurable blessing to our family.

I had all three of my kids during my congressional tenure, if that gives you a little glimpse into the amazing man that my husband is. My parents and Dan's parents have done more than I can possibly recount to support us.

To southwest Washington, thank you for entrusting me six times with this awesome responsibility. To my team, many of whom have been with me all 12 years--Afton, Casey, Pam, Jordan, and the rest--with your help, we did things that nobody else could have done.

When I was first elected, healthcare reform was our Nation's challenge. But if you know me, you know that ``no'' or ``never'' are like a starter's gun to me. We took the challenge on, and in 12 years: We helped launch the first of its kind Maternity Care Caucus; we successfully championed the ACE Kids Act, which broke the barrier for low-income and high-needs kids; we helped drive maternal mortality review committees; we helped grandfather association health plans for Washington residents; and we also worked our tails off for every single corner of our region.

We found out that veterans had to drive for hours to get a blood draw or a flu shot, so we pushed, pulled, and prodded the VA until we got a regular mobile clinic out to serve those military heroes.

For those who make their living fishing in our rivers, few achievements have given me more joy than passing landmark salmon preservation legislation. I still get stopped in the grocery store over that one.

I took to this floor to successfully block some ideas and projects that were just plain bad for our region. Sometimes the region demands that you stand up and say stop, even if the momentum is going against you.

On that note, as I depart, I would like to offer just a little bit of unsolicited advice to my friends here in this Chamber.

One way or another, every single one of us, or you, are going to leave office, as I am preparing to do now. When that happens, so many people are going to ask you what you are most proud of.

You are going to think back with pride about all the times that you helped someone that you represent out of a really tough situation, or you will be proud that you stood strong for what you thought was right, or you will be proud of the laws that you passed to help make lives better for Americans.

But let me tell you what you won't think of: That time you tweeted something that got 10,000 likes; or that time that you thought of a really mean, clever thing to say about the other party or the other team; or those times you told part of the truth or maybe not all the truth and hoped that no one was going to ask you what you really meant.

The people who elect us put their faith in us to represent them, and we owe them the truth. At times, especially in the heat of the moment, the truth is somewhat the last thing that people want to hear, especially if it doesn't fit their narrative, but that doesn't make it any less true.

We don't do Americans any favors if we deceive them or if we stand by quietly as they deceive themselves.

Hard-core partisans on both sides will tell you that their party is blameless and that the other party is the only one that engages in deception. But the truth is, there are people in both parties who have made an industry of it.

I have faith in the American people to eventually put a stop to this, but we here in this body also have a responsibility to truth. After all, it is the only thing that truly sets us free.

Madam Speaker, today, I rise to honor and recognize my friend and fellow Southwest Washingtonian and State Representative Larry Hoff, who is retiring at the end of this term.

Larry has been just an upstanding member of Southwest Washington's community for over 40 years. After serving in the Navy and graduating from college, Larry moved to Vancouver, where he was an executive in the financial services industry before successfully running to serve Clark County in the 18th Legislative District.

In Olympia, Larry fought hard to get things done for Southwest Washington's small businesses, for our farmers, families, and our communities. But it is really Larry's heart for serving our community that is what stands out to all of us who know him.

Whether it is his role on the board of the Doernbecher Children's Hospital Foundation, or the Clark County Department of Community Services, or the countless other stories of coming alongside his neighbors, Larry's infectious optimism and selflessness are apparent to all who meet him.

Thank you, Larry, for your many years of service and hard work to make our Evergreen State a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

Recognizing the Service of Brandon Vick

Madam Speaker, I rise today to who honor and recognize Southwest Washingtonian and State Representative Brandon Vick, who is retiring at the end of this term.

Brandon is a lifelong resident of Southwest Washington and a rock- solid member of our community. In addition to serving in the State House of Representatives, he also gives his time to the Boy Scouts and to the Boys and Girls Club.

In Olympia, Brandon has been a champion for his home county, my home county, Clark County, for the last decade. Under his leadership on the Consumer Protection and Small Business Committee, 14 bills that he wrote and led have been signed into law, including recent legislation to help small businesses obtain work permits for rehabilitated individuals.

Brandon's work in the State Legislature has earned him many awards, including Vancouver Business Journal's ``Accomplished and Under 40`` list.

Thank you, Brandon, for your many years of service. I am hopeful that you are going to have more time to spend with your wonderful wife, Darci, and daughter, Makena. You have made Southwest Washington proud.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Wind River Administrative Site Conveyance Act which, if we get it passed today by the House and signed into law, will provide enormous benefits to the folks I serve in Skamania County, Washington.

This bill exemplifies a groundbreaking win-win agreement in a rural county where so often locals' needs get completely trampled by the Federal Government.

With this carefully negotiated solution, the Forest Service unloads land that it no longer wants to manage, and the local community gains a very valuable economic asset and resource.

In Skamania County, where 80 percent of the land is locked up by the Federal Government, even more if you count the State-owned land, only 1.8 percent of the land in the county is taxed at full market value.

What does that mean?

It means that this has severely hindered the county's ability to fund basic services that citizens rely upon, like roads and schools, and police and fire protection.

The bill that I have introduced and that we are considering today is simple. It would convey ownership of approximately 23 acres in the former Wind River Nursery from the U.S. Forest Service to Skamania County. It is important to note here that this proposal is supported by Skamania County and by the Forest Service.

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest, which covers a majority of the county, is currently facing tens of millions of dollars in deferred maintenance.

By conveying the land to the county, the Forest Service will shed that financial responsibility for these pieces associated with the maintenance of buildings and facilities on the Wind River Nursery, and by taking ownership of the land, Skamania County will develop recreational, historical, and business opportunities that will draw in tourism and critical revenue.

This is a win-win solution, and it will result in substantial benefits to the folks who call Skamania County home.

Mr. Speaker, I urge the House to approve this important legislation.