Jared Polis

Mr. Speaker, it has been the honor of my life to have served 10 years in this body, and I want to take this occasion to thank the amazing and talented staff that has worked both in our congressional office here in Washington as well as in Ft. Collins and Boulder and in Adams and Summit Counties.

I want to thank all of the interns who have lent their services over the last decade, on behalf of the people of the Second Congressional District, hopefully providing them with a great experience that furthers their interest in public affairs.

And, of course, I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. The men and women I have come to know and have worked with in the last decade have been some of the most important relationships of my life. I truly believe that there is no problem so large that the deliberative and thoughtful minds in this body can't rise to the occasion and solve all the pressing issues.

It has been sad to see that, all too often, things stand in the way of that progress, whether it is partisanship, yes, but not only partisanship, the role of the special interests, and the increasingly divided electorate that we have nationally.

But I know that the men and women of this body and in the next Congress, the 116th Congress, will hopefully come together to solve a lot of the pressing issues that affect our country and the world.

Whether it is making sure that kids grow up with a good education, that families have access to affordable healthcare, or protecting our environment for ourselves and future generations, I know that the men and women in this body will be able to rise to that occasion.

It truly has been an amazing honor to have worked with so many terrific people from all over this country, authentically representing their constituents and their districts.

I look forward to taking this decade of service to our Nation with me throughout the rest of my life, wherever I go, to help inform the decisions I make to do the very best job that I can, every day.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the honor of serving in the United States Congress for a decade. I look forward to continuing to work with future United States Congresses.

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 12 o'clock and 7 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until Monday, December 10, 2018, at noon, for morning-hour debate.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to honor the memory of Lew Gaiter III and offer my most sincere condolences to his family and to all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

Lew served the people of Larimer County as County Commissioner for nearly a decade, during which he brought innovative ideas that delivered lasting change. While Lew achieved many things as commissioner, two of his most notable accomplishments were his work in advancing rural broadband development, and his help in establishing the Larimer County Office of Emergency Management.

In addition to his work as commissioner, Lew added tremendous value to his community through his volunteer work. Lew was a member of the Loveland Volunteer Ski Patrol for 25 years and dedicated his time to local churches and charitable organizations.

I am truly grateful to have been able to call Lew a friend and to have observed the dedication and enthusiasm he served his community with. Lew was a remarkable individual with a terrific work ethic and a servant's heart. His passing will be felt throughout his community and beyond