Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 489, I call up the bill (H.R. 2096) to restore the right to negotiate matters pertaining to the discipline of law enforcement officers of the District of Columbia through collective bargaining, to restore the statute of limitations for bringing disciplinary cases against members or civilian employees of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Madam 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 measure under consideration.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2096, sponsored by Mr. Garbarino, the Protecting Our Nation's Capital Emergency Act.

The men and women of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department serve the community every day to keep this District safe and secure.

On January 4, 2023, the D.C. Council passed the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. The act stripped D.C. police officers of certain employee protections, making the job more difficult despite rising crime in the District.

When the D.C. Council passed this law, Congress acted swiftly in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to overturn it. The House and Senate passed H.J. Res. 42, which would have overturned the entire D.C. law, with 14 House Democrats and 6 Senate Democrats joining Republicans in support of the resolution.

However, then-President Biden vetoed the bipartisan resolution of disapproval, allowing the harmful policies of the D.C. Council to remain in effect today.

In another attempt to protect the D.C. police, Representative Garbarino introduced this bill to repeal certain provisions of D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act. That bill passed through the Oversight Committee last Congress in 2024 and was reintroduced this Congress, again, favorably reporting out of the Oversight Committee, but now with the full support of the White House.

H.R. 2096 restores D.C. police officers' right to collectively bargain over disciplinary matters and reinstates clear timelines for disciplinary investigations.

H.R. 2096 also repeals the D.C. Council's requirement that the time and place of some adverse action hearings be posted to a public website.

This public posting requirement enables antipolice activists to harass officers attempting to pursue their due process in the workplace.

In summary, this legislation is necessary to support the recruitment and retention of the Metropolitan Police Department.

Washington, D.C., cannot afford to continue to lose police officers during the ongoing crime crisis in the Nation's Capital city.

My colleagues recognize the importance of supporting the law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect our communities.

By restoring employee protections, this legislation gives the Metropolitan Police Department officers the due process they need to confidently do their job.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino), the sponsor of the bill.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, before I reserve, I want to make sure that my colleagues across the aisle know what bill we are actually debating on the floor, that the bill that pertains to law enforcement in Washington, D.C. It has nothing to do with their quest to continue to defend the rioters and illegals in California.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I yield myself the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I note that H.R. 2096 is endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police. I strongly encourage each of my House colleagues to support this bill, which will help strengthen law and order in our Nation's Capital City, which is the responsibility of Congress and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Again, I encourage passage of H.R. 2096, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 489, I call up the bill (H.R. 884) to prohibit individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia and to repeal the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 884, which prohibits individuals who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia.

On November 21, 2022, the D.C. Government enacted the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act, permitting noncitizen residents to vote in D.C. local elections. This includes illegal immigrants and even foreign diplomats whose interests may be opposed to the interests of Americans.

This radical change to Washington, D.C.'s election laws upset lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. For instance, Washington, D.C., Mayor Bowser withheld her signature on the act, something she has done only a handful of times.

Last Congress, when an identical bill was brought to the floor, 262 Members voted in favor, including 52 of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle. Unfortunately, the Senate refused to take up this bipartisan, commonsense bill to maintain election integrity in our Nation's Capital.

The right to vote is a defining privilege of American citizenship. Diluting that right by extending it to noncitizens, whether here legally or illegally, undermines the voice of Washington, D.C., residents.

Article I of the Constitution grants Congress exclusive jurisdiction over the Nation's Capital, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is charged with ensuring responsible governance in the District, including its election laws.

I urge my colleagues to support Representative August Pfluger's bill to restore commonsense protections and ensure that only United States citizens have the right to vote in local D.C. elections.

Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger), the sponsor of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Malliotakis).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill).

Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil).

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

Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleague on the other side of the aisle, the U.S. Congress has a constitutional role to oversee Washington, D.C., law and intervene as necessary.

D.C.'s noncitizen voting law is a dangerous policy. Only American citizens should be permitted to vote in this country, especially right here in the Nation's Capital city.

I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation to prohibit those who are not citizens of the United States from voting in elections in the District of Columbia.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 160) to amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to reauthorize the sale by the Department of Defense of aircraft and parts for wildfire suppression purposes, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to support S. 160, the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act.

This bill will amend the Wildfire Suppression Aircraft Transfer Act of 1996 to allow the Department of Defense to, once again, sell excess aircraft and aircraft parts for wildfire suppression.

This will help facilitate the acquisition of excess military aircraft for the aerial wildfire suppression fleet.

This lifesaving authority protects our aerial firefighters and brings in revenue from military aircraft that are not needed. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office anticipates this legislation will reduce government spending.

Our brave first responders work tirelessly on the front lines, fighting wildfires that continue to get more dangerous every year.

This bipartisan, commonsense bill gives these brave men and women access to more equipment that is critical in an emergency.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Senators Tim Sheehy and Martin Heinrich for introducing this important legislation which passed the Senate unanimously in April.

I also thank Representative Dan Newhouse for introducing the House companion bill and leading the charge in this Chamber. I encourage my colleagues to once again support S. 160.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, which will protect our brave aerial firefighters across the country.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3490) to require the Government Accountability Office to produce a report on esophageal cancer, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives has lost a true statesman.

Gerry Connolly was a father, a husband, friend, and a lifelong public servant that dedicated his life to his constituents, his community, and his country. I was deeply saddened to hear about his sudden passing.

From the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gerry Connolly was a devoted public servant from Virginia's 11th Congressional District.

In Congress, Gerry Connolly was a friend to many of us. He was steadfast in fighting for what he believed in, but he was always committed to bipartisanship where he thought we could agree.

Over his tenure on this committee, I am proud to say we cosponsored eight bills together, including the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act, the FedRAMP Authorization Act, and the Federal AI Governance and Transparency Act.

Mr. Speaker, I know I am not alone in that.

Many of my Republican committee colleagues found Gerry Connolly to be a partner and a friend. I extend my condolences to his family and also to the members of his staff. We lost our colleague after a short but courageous fight against esophageal cancer, one of the deadliest and fastest growing cancer diagnoses among Americans today.

The symptoms of this cancer are often overlooked or misdiagnosed, leading to late detection and limited treatment options.

Through this legislation, we hope to raise awareness about esophageal cancer to improve the odds for those who contract this disease. I am proud to have joined Ranking Member Gerry Connolly in cosponsoring the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on its passage into law.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill honoring the legacy of our friend and colleague, Gerry Connolly. I hope that this legislation can shed some light on the impact of esophageal cancer on Federal Government public servants.

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

Mr. Speaker, many parts of Kentucky are just now recovering from a devastating flood that we saw a few weeks ago. I thank the first responders who were first on the scene, and thank our utility crews who worked day and night to restore utilities.

I want to let the families who lost everything know that if there is anything my office can do to be of any assistance, don't hesitate to reach out. President Trump has signed a declaration for individual assistance. FEMA should be on the ground, working with families to try to help identify any type of assistance that the families in need can qualify for, and I encourage FEMA to continue to work with the local governments to ensure that the heavy burden of debris removal is reimbursed by the Federal Government. That is something that my office will continue to ensure to see that it happens.

We have had devastating floods. The government's responsibility is to help those in need, and that is what we expect to do. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to make that point loud and clear and hope that we can continue to work through the recovery phase.

Mr. Speaker, I want to make it very clear to my constituents in Kentucky what my objectives are over the next 22 months of the 119th Congress.

First of all, President Trump received an overwhelming mandate not just in Kentucky's First Congressional District, but all across Kentucky.

The mandate was to do two major things. First of all, obviously, the mandate involved draining the swamp. That is what President Trump campaigned on; and, secondly, to pass an America First agenda.

With respect to draining the swamp, President Trump nominated disrupters to lead his Cabinet and agencies, people like Kash Patel at the FBI; John Ratcliffe at the CIA; and RFK, Jr., at HHS.

I was proud to support every single nominee, and I am pretty confident that every single nominee will win Senate confirmation, which has never happened before.

With respect to passing an America First agenda, the first step in that was what we voted on last week, a budget reconciliation bill. I was proud to work with our House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as a major committee of jurisdiction on the budget reconciliation bill. We pledged to come up with $50 billion in savings to go along with the first real effort in the entire 8 years I have been in Congress by this body to actually save money and to cut wasteful, unnecessary expenses which is what the mandate was all about.

This is what President Trump campaigned on not just in Kentucky but all across America. I pledge to continue to work with President Trump.

Next, he has asked us to pass a continuing resolution. It is a shame that Congress is broken. In the entire 8 years I have been here, the Senate has failed to pass any individual appropriations bill, and this is what we have to do to be able to pass the Trump agenda with respect to renewing the Trump tax cuts, with respect to creating and passing legislation to prohibit tax on tips and tax on overtime, and all the new blue-collar, working-class tax cuts that President Trump campaigned on and received a mandate to do.

After the mandate, draining the swamp, and passing the America First agenda, next is to work with DOGE. In the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee we created a DOGE Subcommittee. I asked Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia to lead that subcommittee.

The first three hearings of that subcommittee have involved improper payments and looking at the USAID's mishandling of funds. The next hearing will be on defunding NPR and other government-funded media outlets.

This is exactly what President Trump campaigned on. This is exactly what I talked about with my constituents when I ran for reelection last November. We want to look at the spending. I know there are protesters, there are the Indivisible groups funded by George Soros who also funded the Congressional Integrity Project who spent at least $2 million harassing me over past 2 years with banners and all the TV cameras, the mobile TV units that drove through rural Kentucky trying to intimidate me from the Biden investigation, which, by the way, ended with Joe Biden's last act as President of the United States to pardon his entire family.

I know my friends on the other side of the aisle don't like to think about that, but that is a fact.

All DOGE is wanting to do is look at spending and see if we can cut out unnecessary spending. I think the American taxpayers want that. We continue to pledge to see if we can find wasteful spending and eliminate it altogether.

Recognizing Terry Forcht of the Forcht Bank

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Terry Forcht, Forcht Group of Kentucky chairman and CEO of the Forcht Bank, for an impressive 40 years of service and dedication to communities across the Commonwealth, including in the First Congressional District.

The core banking principles of Forcht Bank are respecting the customer, offering competitive rates, and serving the community. Across Kentucky, with 23 banking centers and three loan production offices, Forcht Bank continues to serve Kentuckians and Bluegrass businesses.

Mr. Forcht's role has allowed for the enhancement and visionary leadership of Forcht Bank to celebrate this 40th anniversary signifying exceptional dedication and service to Kentucky communities.

I consider Terry Forcht a close friend, and I appreciate all that he has done for all the communities in Kentucky and all the charitable organizations. I congratulate him on his outstanding achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1515) to increase access to agency guidance documents.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.

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

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1515, the Guidance Out of Darkness Act, or the GOOD Act.

Regulatory guidance includes agency statements that, while not intended to have the force and effect of law, establish agency policies of statutory, regulatory, or technical issues. Because such guidance communicates how an agency will administer their law and its programs, it has a significant effect on regulated entities.

Regulated entities in the public should know what agency guidance says about the laws and programs that affect them. However, guidance documents are not easy to find. They are not consistently posted on agency websites.

This inconsistency burdens regulated entities, and it especially burdens small businesses who often lack the resources to hire compliance experts. The problem is so bad that agency guidance documents are known as regulatory dark matter.

For a brief time, the first Trump administration was able to bring helpful and needed sunshine to the situation. Following the GOOD Act's passage by the House during the 115th Congress, the first Trump administration voluntarily adopted the bill's reforms through an October 2019 executive order after the Senate failed to act.

Under the executive order, guidance was required to become fully transparent online. Across the government, each agency was directed to make available on its website a single, searchable indexed database with links to all guidance documents in effect. As a result, for the first time, Members of the public could easily find whatever agency guidance they needed online in a central location.

The order was in effect during 2019 and 2020 but was regrettably rescinded by the Biden administration. As a result, agencies pulled down their guidance web pages, and guidance, once again, fell into darkness, increasing the potential for agency abuse. This is why we need to, once again, pass the GOOD Act in the House and require agencies to publish their regulatory guidance in a single, easily accessible location.

The American public deserves nothing less from their government.

I thank my committee colleague, Representative Ro Khanna from California, for cosponsoring my legislation, and I especially thank the ranking member for working with my staff to help us advance a bipartisan bill here today.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley).

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the Guidance Out Of Darkness Act, or GOOD Act, and to pass this legislation once again, like the House did in the last term. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 872) to require covered contractors implement a vulnerability disclosure policy consistent with NIST guidelines, and for other purposes, as amended.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to support H.R. 872, the Federal Contractor Cybersecurity Vulnerability Reduction Act.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will require Federal contractors to have a vulnerability disclosure policy, or VDP. This would help contractors more quickly alert Federal agencies about vulnerabilities, which could avoid a future cybersecurity breach.

Federal agencies must act quickly when dealing with a cyberattack. The sooner a Federal agency knows that it may have a problem, the sooner it can take steps to protect its systems and data, including the personal data of millions of Americans.

It is reasonable to require Federal contractors to play a proactive role in addressing vulnerabilities in Federal information systems. This bill complements the committee's ongoing work aimed at helping Federal agencies protect their data and information systems.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our great Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee chairwoman, the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace), for introducing this important legislation, which the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee unanimously passed last year and the House later passed as part of the fiscal year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.

I also thank the Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee ranking member, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Brown), for cosponsoring this legislation, building on the bipartisan support from last year.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 872 once again, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 10 minutes to the gentlewoman from South Carolina (Ms. Mace), the chairman of the Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Subcommittee.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation, which will streamline cybersecurity vulnerability disclosure to protect Federal IT systems.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 856) to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget conduct a review to determine the impact of the lowest price technically acceptable source selection process on national security, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, the lowest price technically acceptable, LPTA, is a source selection method outlined in the Federal Acquisition Regulation.

This process uses price as a determining factor for a contract rather than other technical or operational factors.

Following legislative work done by the House Oversight Committee during the 115th Congress, constraints were placed on agency use of the LPTA in the fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act.

These constraints recognize that the LPTA criteria are not always appropriate for agencies seeking complex or technically innovative services.

For instance, this can result in agencies sacrificing long-term value for short-term savings. We also do not want the LPTA to be used in a manner that jeopardizes national security.

This bill requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to evaluate this source selection process to determine whether agencies are

using the LPTA in an appropriate manner.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my Oversight Committee colleague, Mr. Donalds, for his leadership on this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Donalds), a rising star.

Mr. Speaker, the Safe and Smart Federal Purchasing Act is measured and targeted legislation that can inform future congressional work on Federal procurement, a policy area we know is ripe for reform and taxpayer savings.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 758) to direct the United States Postal Service to issue regulations requiring Postal Service employees and contractors to report to the Postal Service traffic crashes involving vehicles carrying mail that result in injury or death, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 758, which requires U.S. Postal Service employees and contractors to report to the Postal Service traffic crashes that result in injury or death.

In 2023, The Wall Street Journal published an article alleging that the Postal Service contracted with low-cost trucking companies that did not follow highway safety regulations.

They also reported that postal contractors have been involved in car crashes that have killed 79 people in the last 3 years.

To conduct oversight of this important topic, Congress needs to be informed.

The Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act requires the Postal Service to report to Congress any traffic crashes that result in injury or death.

Under the bill, Postal Service employees and contractors will have 3 days to report a traffic accident to the Postal Service.

These reports will include, at minimum, the date, time, location, nature of the crash, information identifying the contractor, and number of injuries and fatalities.

The Postal Service will maintain a comprehensive internal digital database of this information. The Postal Service is also required to compile a publicly available report summarizing annual stats related to injuries and deaths from traffic accidents.

I thank Representative Connolly, the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, for working to partner with me on this necessary legislation. I encourage all of my House colleagues to support this national safety legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, the Postal Service is tasked with the challenging job of providing fast, reliable mail service nationwide. While they do so, their safety should be prioritized.

I encourage all my colleagues to support this commonsense bill that increases transparency into the Postal Service's safety record to improve the public safety throughout our Nation. I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Officer Oscar Guevara of the Frankfort Police Department for being awarded the 2024 Medal of Merit Citation for his bravery responding to a structure fire.

Once Officer Guevara and Officer Byrd arrived at the scene of the fire, they immediately took action to rescue a mentally disabled female trapped inside the burning structure. After finding the front door was unsafe to enter, they went to the rear of the structure and scaled a fence to reach the victim.

With Officer Guevara supporting Officer Byrd, they executed a critical rescue operation by reaching through a smoke-filled window to remove the trapped female from the building moments before the structure was completely engulfed.

Through successfully executing this critical rescue operation, Officer Guevara showcased great bravery in the face of distress. Their actions demonstrate the utmost professionalism and capability beyond day-to-day requirements.

Officer Guevara voluntarily performed extraordinary acts of bravery. His actions went above and beyond and have made him deserving of this fine honor. I am confident that Officer Guevara will continue to serve as an exemplary role model for law enforcement officers across the 1st Congressional District and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jessica Wooldridge of the Frankfort Police Department for being awarded the 2024 Citizen Distinguished Achievement Award.

During a critical missing person case involving an elderly resident with dementia, Ms. Wooldridge voluntarily joined the search operation, demonstrating exceptional civic duty. While braving challenging terrain, she covered an extensive area on foot, showcasing remarkable determination. Her efforts led to the successful location of the missing person, directly saving a life. Ms. Wooldridge's actions embody the values of service, commitment, and community that the Frankfort Police Department holds dear.

Ms. Wooldridge's example serves as an inspiration, reminding us of the power of individual initiative in making a difference. Her dedication to public service makes her a role model for citizens in the community. I join with the Frankfort Police Department in thanking Ms. Wooldridge for her dedicated service and commitment. I am confident her actions will continue to inspire community members and law enforcement officers across the 1st Congressional District and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant Craig Gonzalez of the Frankfort Police Department on being awarded the 2024 Medal of Valor for his bravery demonstrated while responding to a critical situation within Franklin County.

Without regard for his own safety, Sergeant Gonzalez played a crucial role in successfully resolving a life-threatening situation. Through his actions and support in the face of clear and obvious peril, Sergeant Gonzalez exemplified the highest standards of law enforcement professionalism and demonstrated extraordinary commitment to preserving human life.

His teamwork and decisive intervention reflected greatly upon himself and upheld the finest traditions of the Frankfort Police Department. Sergeant Gonzalez has earned the respect and support of Franklin County. Sergeant Gonzalez voluntarily performed extraordinary acts of bravery. His actions went above and beyond and have made him deserving of this fine honor. I am confident that Sergeant Gonzalez will continue to serve as an exemplary role model for law enforcement officers across the 1st Congressional District and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Officer Maurice Byrd of the Frankfort Police Department for being awarded the 2024 Medal of Merit Citation for his bravery while responding to a structure fire.

Once Officer Byrd and Officer Guevara arrived at the scene of the fire, they immediately took action to rescue a mentally disabled female trapped inside the burning structure. After finding the front door was unsafe to enter, they went to the rear of the structure and scaled a fence to reach the victim. With Officer Guevara supporting Officer Byrd, they executed a critical rescue operation by reaching through a smoke-filled window to remove the trapped female from the building moments before the structure was completely engulfed. Through successfully executing this critical rescue operation, Officer Byrd showcased great bravery in the face of distress. Their actions demonstrate the utmost professionalism and capability beyond day-to-day requirements.

Officer Byrd voluntarily performed extraordinary acts of bravery. His actions went above and beyond have made him deserving of this fine honor. I am confident that Officer Byrd will continue to serve as an exemplary role model for law enforcement officers across the 1st Congressional District and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize McCracken County on the celebration of their Bicentennial. McCracken County is an integral part of Kentucky's 1st Congressional District, full of rich history and wonderful people. McCracken County, along with the City of Paducah, has been central to Western Kentucky's identity and growth for two centuries.

McCracken County has a proud history of contributing to the communities' rich economic, artistic, and cultural development.

The waterways of McCracken County play a pivotal role in the county's story, serving as a strategic hub for inland waterway industries. They continue to attract businesses to contribute significantly to local revenue through job creation, tourism, and business operations.

I am proud to represent the good people of McCracken County in Congress and look forward to seeing even more prosperous years to come.