Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize September 27 as Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day. This day serves to honor the Gold Star Mothers and Families across Colorado and our Nation.

Since World War I, families have marked the loss of a loved one in the Armed Forces by displaying a service flag with a gold star in the window of their homes. In 1936, President Roosevelt signed legislation establishing Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day, observed on the last Sunday of September to honor mothers and families of our Nation's fallen service members.

Colorado has a long history of military service, and the mothers and families of our state's fallen service members have carried the loss with strength and grace. Many continue to support other military and veteran families in their communities, and keep the memory of their loved ones alive through this work.

I honor the Gold Star Mothers and Families of Colorado. as well as Gold Star Mothers and Families across our country, for their sacrifice and for the lasting impact of the loved ones they lost in service to our country.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Moulton for his leadership on this.

I want to highlight a different component to this. There is a debate around imminent threat. Very clearly, in my opinion and in the opinion of most folks, there is no imminent threat. In fact, the administration itself has stopped even trying to show that, which I think is a clear illustration that there never was one and there isn't one.

Beyond the debate on this floor, one of the things that gets lost, and the important thing that gets lost, is the people who actually get to make this decision are the American people. The genius of our system is that it is Americans who get to decide matters of war and peace, through the Representatives in this body.

For 25 years now, America has been in endless conflict. There have been threats that have come and threats that have gone. The answer can't be that whenever there is a threat, instantly it means we have to go to war. That is the logic on the other side: threat equals war. If a threat pops up, you go to war.

That can't possibly be the logic. If that is the case, then we will be at war forever. We will spend another $3 trillion in addition to the $3 trillion we have already spent. Regardless of the nature of the threat posed, the answer always will be to send our military. Americans know that is not tenable, in fact.

What is the accountability mechanism? The accountability mechanism is that Americans are in the driver seat because Americans are the ones that have to do the fighting, do the dying, and pay for this. It is not the elites and the pedigreed folks in this administration that are fighting and dying. They are banging the war drums and sending working- class kids like us to go do it.

Why are the Republicans so desperate to avoid even voting on this? Why have they literally canceled votes this year to avoid voting on this? Because they know that Americans don't want it. Republicans and Democrats alike don't want it.

President Trump himself used to know that. I don't know what happened, but he campaigned on this. He went around the country and said, let's stop the endless wars. Let's pull out. Let's focus back home. He was right about that. Then he became President and turned his back on the American people and on the very promise he made.

Let's have these votes. Let's let people know where we stand, then go home, stand in front of our constituents, and answer the tough questions. Why send your taxpayer money? Why send your sons and daughters to go do it?

That is why we are here.

Mr. Speaker, I join all Americans, my colleagues, and Chairman Mast in mourning those lost who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, once again. I honor greatly the service of the chairman. We served in these wars together. He knows sacrifice. He, in fact, sacrificed and gave more than I did.

He also deeply understands the threats. He was right when he outlined those threats. Iran is a malignant regime. Iran does and has posed a threat to Americans, as has North Korea, Russia, and many other regimes, countries, and terrorists around the world. The important thing is not just to recognize the threat and say if there is a threat that we automatically have to go to war, because that is the start of the analysis, not the end of it.

The next questions and the important questions are what do we do about it. Do we go to war? Do we assemble a coalition? Do we use sanctions? Do we use soft power? How do we meet that threat? It is a fact that in the 20 years in Iraq and Afghanistan we stopped asking that essential question and just assumed that war was the answer and would solve it. That is what led us to 20-plus years, trillions of dollars, and thousands of American lives lost for wars that ended poorly.

I am unwilling to not learn that lesson.

I want to be really clear about Iran, in particular. There was no intelligence showing that Iran was proceeding with the development of a nuclear weapon. If there was intelligence, we would be having a different discussion here. There wasn't, and that fact matters.

That leads us to the second part of it: What do we do? How do we meet this threat that has been posed for 40-plus years? What is clear is that Americans are done with an endless cycle of conflict in the Middle East.

When I was in Afghanistan, our adversaries, the enemies that we fought, would often say: Americans have all the clocks, but we have all the time. They simply want to wait us out knowing that we will just spend more money, have more combat deployments, that we will just continue to do it year after year until we wear out.

When I am facing my constituents who are losing their homes, losing their farms, and losing their healthcare, who can't answer the simple question of how this is making them safer or how this is improving their life, I can't answer that. I am unwilling to perpetuate yet another quagmire and endless cycle of conflict.

It is time for us to restart the accountability loop here in Congress. All these rules, all the authorizations that we debate, why it matters is because this Congress, this body, has the duty to take a vote, to have this debate, and

then go home and stand in front of those constituents who are losing their homes, losing their farms, and losing their healthcare, and say why we should or shouldn't do it. That is what this is about.

Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to learn this lesson from the last 20-plus years and end this endless cycle of conflict. Let's bring our folks home. Let's focus on healthcare, housing, and meeting the needs of our constituents and serving our military families in the way that they need to be served.

Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. Chair, I understand my colleague's eagerness to conclude the Afghanistan War Commission's work and to have a full accounting of our Nation's longest war, a war that spanned 20 years, trillions of dollars, millions of combat tours, thousands of American lives lost, tens of thousands of American lives and families forever altered.

I do not want a half measure. I do not want an accounting that is not full and complete. When this body, when this Congress, and the Armed Services Committee created the Afghanistan War Commission years ago on a bipartisan basis, we structured this to be a full and complete accounting. Both sides appointed their Members. We have a Republican co-chair and a Democratic co-chair.

The work of this commission has been impressive so far: over 350 interviews, tens of thousands of documents reviewed, and field hearings across this Nation.

The work is not yet complete. Both the Republicans on the commission and the Democrats on the commission say as much. They need another year to make sure that it presents a clear picture of the things we did right and the things we did wrong so that we are not condemned to repeat the same mistakes from the past, as the saying goes.

Yes, I want a timely result. The thousands of Americans who gave their lives and the tens of thousands who stepped up to serve deserve a full and complete accounting of what happened and, ultimately, what went wrong.

Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this amendment and make sure that we have the time necessary to have the complete story so we can fix it, do it better, and ensure that this never happens again.

Mr. Chair, I implore my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers), the chairman of the Armed Services Committee.

Mr. Chair, once again, the work of this commission has been incredible. We are not asking for 20 years. We are not asking for 2 years. We are asking for a 1-year extension so that the Republicans and the Democrats who have dedicated their time to a full and thorough accounting of our Nation's longest war can do so on a professional and bipartisan basis.

We have heard from the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee whose leadership helped establish this commission, as well. We need to do this right. The men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice and their families deserve all the answers and all the accountability. An additional 1-year extension is necessary to complete that.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am here on behalf of the millions of working-class Americans who have had it and are fed up with an endless cycle of unaccountable conflict in the Middle East.

I started my service to this Nation in uniform, like the chairman. I honor his service, like all of our brothers and sisters. I am proud of that service, as should all of my brothers and sisters who took the oath I took, stood up when our country called, and did our duty honorably.

What is abundantly clear is that our system is broken. Working-class Americans, like the kids who I grew up with, deployed with, fought with, and suffered with, are the ones who have to do the fighting, the dying, and the paying for of these conflicts. They see that the burden of these wars falls on them, while the elites, the rich, and the powerful in this country get richer, more powerful, and more comfortable. The burden is not equal in this Nation. It is because the system is broken.

Mr. Speaker, I want to be clear that this isn't about process to me. Yes, there are important constitutional checks and safeguards at play, but this isn't about inside baseball, notification, and process. The Americans' eyes glaze over when people talk about that under this dome. What it is about to me is accountability.

When I did my combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, combat mission after

combat mission after combat mission, what I had to know is that important questions were being asked and people were being held to account and asking tough questions, so that I could focus on my mission in bringing my men home.

That has stopped. The debate isn't happening. We are paying for these wars with debt, $5 trillion to $8 trillion, 7,000 American lives, and on and on it goes.

It is not just our right. It is our duty. It is our job under this dome to take votes, to appropriate money, to ask tough questions, to hold people to account, and then go home and stand in front of high school gymnasiums, stand in front of our constituents, go to Rotary Clubs, and explain those votes, why we should send our sons and our daughters and our money to the Middle East again and again and again.

That is what our system requires. That is what Americans deserve.

Mr. Speaker, this is not optional. The Framers dedicated this responsibility to us because they knew that the decision to send our sons and daughters into war and to spend taxpayers' money was our most solemn responsibility, and no one person should make that decision.

The system is broken. It is our duty to take it back. That is what this vote is for.

Maybe we should go to war in one instance, but the debate must happen. The vote must happen.

I encourage--I demand that my colleagues step up and take this vote and retake our constitutional duty and to get this done. It is what our servicemen and -women deserve.

Madam Chair, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on the Crawford of Arkansas Amendment No. 8. Had I been present for Roll Call No. 145, I would have voted ``AYE'' on this measure.

Amendment No. 20 Offered by Mr. Grothman

Mr. Speaker, 75 years ago, a group of visionary educators, parents, and community members came together with a common dream: to create a district where every child would have the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. I rise today to congratulate the Cherry Creek School District on celebrating this important milestone.

Cherry Creek opened in 1950 with eight schools and grew to double their enrollment by the 1970's. Today, the district serves 53,000 students over 67 K-12 schools across the Denver Metro Area. The district's students have excelled in state and national competitions in academics, athletics, and the arts.

Cherry Creek has prioritized meeting the needs of their students. In 2023, Traverse Academy became the first district-operated mental health facility and school of its kind across the Nation.

Today, the district's mission is to ``inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, and to care.'' This mission has guided Cherry Creek in their work to support every child across all backgrounds and academic pathways.

As one of the districts in Colorado's most diverse congressional district, Cherry Creek serves students from all over the world. Currently, more than 150 languages are spoken throughout the school district.

Cherry Creek has continued its leadership and dedication to meeting the needs of today by opening the dynamic Cherry Creek Innovation Campus in 2019. The school offers multiple non-traditional academic pathways for students to excel, including Aerospace Manufacturing, Hospitality, and Infrastructure Engineering. In 2024, it was recognized as a top 100 school for educational innovation by HundredED. Since their opening in 2019, 776 students at the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus have earned their industry certificates.

I am honored to represent the Cherry Creek School District and I know I speak for many in Colorado when I congratulate all members of the Cherry Creek School District community on their dedication to our students and contributions to our state. With work grounded in innovation, excellence, and a commitment to their students, I know they will continue to focus on educating and lifting up their students for the next 75 years and beyond.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my constituent, Mr. Byuzand Yeremyan, President of Armenians of Colorado, for his exceptional dedication and steadfast commitment to our community.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of Mr. Yeremyan's volunteer service with Armenians of Colorado. Armenians of Colorado is a nonprofit organization devoted to preserving and promoting Armenian culture and heritage in our state.

Over the last decade, Mr. Yeremyan has devoted his time and leadership to the community, including through the establishment of the Armenian School of Colorado in 2017. Through this initiative, students learn about Armenian language, literature, history, and culture, ensuring they continue to be passed down to future generations.

Nourishing younger generations, supporting Armenian Americans in Colorado, and engaging the broader community are just a few of the ways Mr. Yeremyan shows up for Coloradans. He also previously served on the boards of the Lone Tree Arts Center Fund and the U.S. Bank Development Network, and currently contributes his time and expertise as a board member of the Coalition Against Global Genocide (COAGG).

I commend Mr. Yeremyan for years of devoted leadership, service, and commitment to the Armenian community and to the people of Colorado. His efforts embody the spirit of civic engagement and cultural stewardship.

Mr. Speaker, it is with solemn respect and heartfelt sympathy that I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Sandy Kruse, whose courage, kindness, and unwavering spirit touched the lives of so many in her community and beyond.

Sandy was just 51 years old when she passed away on June 24, 2025, following a brave and determined battle against a primary neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas, diagnosed in 2021. Despite the challenges of her illness, Sandy faced each day with grace, resilience, and a smile that inspired all who knew her.

Throughout her life, Sandy devoted herself to caring for others. She was known as a calm and steady presence--a true mediator and friend who brought peace wherever she went. Deeply involved in the Neuroendocrine Tumor (NET) community, she led Colorado's NET Facebook support group for three years, offering hope, information, and understanding to countless families navigating similar challenges.

In addition to her advocacy work, Sandy's friends shared that her life was defined by love, service, and dedication. She was an integral part of her Southshore neighborhood, playing bunco with friends and sharing laughter with the close-knit ``Southshore Besties.'' She also co-led the Kruse Nussbaum Team at Kentwood Real Estate, mentoring others in her profession and helping families find their homes.

Sandy's family felt her support for them to be boundless. She ensured her two sons were engaged in a wide range of activities--from piano and drums to swim team, football, baseball, and taekwondo--always encouraging them to learn, grow, and strive for excellence. At Christmas, she organized toy drives to bring joy to children in need, embodying the spirit of giving that defined her life. Her passing has left a profound void in the lives of her family, friends, colleagues, and community.

I extend my deepest condolences to Sandy's husband Steven and her two children, Lucas and Colton. May we all strive to honor Sandy's legacy by living with the same grace, selflessness, and love that she so freely gave.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and celebrate the recent opening of the Community College of Aurora's Center for Applied Science and Technology (CAST) Building in Aurora, Colorado.

This is the first new building the college has opened in 20 years, and it marks a significant milestone. The CAST Building will house high-demand programs such as construction, diesel power mechanics, cybersecurity, engineering, and renewable energy. It will open new pathways for students and create lasting opportunities that will benefit both the college and the surrounding community for years to come.

CAST will host programs in partnership with BuildStrong Academy of Colorado, including industry aligned workforce training programs in construction, skilled trades, and applied technologies. This will open up further pipelines of skilled students who will enter the Colorado workforce in industries that are in considerable demand.

Furthermore, with the leadership of Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, the Community College of Aurora has experienced remarkable growth and progress. In August, the college opened its third campus in Centennial, focused on health care and first responder training. This new campus expands access to career-ready health sciences programs and student support services.

Additionally, the college reached record enrollment levels this year, with more than 9,500 students enrolled for the Fall 2025 semester, an increase of approximately 1,000 students from Fall 2024. This is the highest enrollment in the college's history and is due, in part, to incredible partnerships that the college fostered with Aurora Public Schools to create more accessible pathways to careers and higher education for high school students. These pathways include dual- enrollment, which will allow more high school students to graduate with college credits, OSHA certifications, and industry-recognized credentials--at no cost.

CAST will help meet the needs of this growing and diverse student body by providing expanded access to in-demand career training and education. It is a powerful example of how institutions like the Community College of Aurora are preparing the workforce of tomorrow.

My district, our state, and our Nation are stronger when we invest in our workforce, create opportunities for growth, and empower our communities. I congratulate the Community College of Aurora on the opening of the Center for Applied Science and Technology and thank them for their continued service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize a truly remarkable leader and dedicated public servant, Major General Laura M. Clellan, on the occasion of her retirement as The Adjutant General of Colorado. For over three decades, Major General Clellan has served our Nation and the State of Colorado with unwavering commitment, integrity, and distinction.

Major General Clellan's exceptional career began in 1989 when she was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant through the Army ROTC program. Her journey has been one of exemplary leadership and selfless service, marked by numerous key assignments and deployments that have taken her across the globe in defense of our freedoms. She has answered the call of duty in Afghanistan, Hungary, Panama, Saudi Arabia, and Honduras, leading our troops with courage and compassion.

Her command of the 193rd Military Police Battalion during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan stands as a testament to her leadership under the most demanding of circumstances. She has consistently demonstrated a profound dedication to the well-being and readiness of our Soldiers and Airmen.

In her most recent role as the 44th Adjutant General of Colorado, Major General Clellan made history as the first woman to hold the position. She has been a transformative leader for the Colorado National Guard. Assuming command in 2020, she expertly guided the organization through a period of unprecedented challenges, including the state's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, devastating wildfires, and floods. Her steady hand ensured the safety and security of our communities while fostering a climate of excellence and inclusivity. As Executive Director of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, her strategic vision enhanced not only the readiness of our forces but also the support for our state's veterans.

Mr. Speaker, Major General Clellan's career is a shining example of a life dedicated to service. Her leadership has left an indelible mark on the Colorado National Guard and our Nation. On behalf of a grateful state and Nation, I extend my deepest gratitude to Major General Laura M. Clellan for her more than 35 years of distinguished service.

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 thereon.

Mr. Speaker, almost 7 years ago, I came to Congress to serve my community, my State, my fellow veterans, and the country that I deeply love in a different way than I served it on the battlefield. When I put the uniform on as a teenager, I swore an oath to the Constitution, and I stand here today to uphold that oath.

I came here to represent a State that has been racked with trauma: Columbine, Aurora Theater, Club Q, Boulder, and, most recently, Evergreen High.

I came here because, like so many of my fellow veterans, I harbor deep resentment for our wars that cost thousands of lives, trillions of dollars, and decades of lost opportunity.

Mr. Speaker, I came here because the American working class has been gutted, left behind, and excluded from the American Dream, while the elites grow wealthier than ever.

Together with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle, I came to Congress, assuming that we could solve these problems together. We could have open and safe debates in a free society.

Instead, I have seen two impeachments, an insurrection, a pandemic, cyberattacks, social unrest, political assassinations, mass shooting after mass shooting, wars, tumultuous elections, and a rapid collapse of our social fabric.

In the last 9 months, the Republican majority has given up the power and the responsibility of Congress to serve the American people and has turned this Congress into nothing more than a rubber stamp for Donald Trump.

We should do what we were sent here to do. We should make people's lives better, but the Republican majority has stopped that. The lives of average Americans everywhere are getting much worse.

Prices are skyrocketing. Homes are unaffordable. Consumer debt is surging. Unemployment is rising. Credit scores are plummeting. Family farms are going under. Gun violence continues to devastate our schools and our towns.

While Americans struggle, Donald Trump and his family are cashing in at our expense. They accept endless gifts from businesses and foreign nations, including a $400 million jet. Individuals are charged $500,000 to join a private club for access to Trump officials.

Mar-a-Lago and the White House Rose Garden have been turned into a pay-to-play destination for the wealthy and well-connected. Meme coins are issued so investors and foreign individuals can buy influence and personally enrich the President and his family. All of this has added billions of dollars to Trump's wealth since becoming President.

While Americans get poorer and Trump gets richer, something darker is happening. The walls of our democracy are being disassembled brick by brick. Federal troops are patrolling our streets to intimate and instill fear. Senators and Members of Congress are thrown to the ground, handcuffed, arrested, and intimidated. They are firing our most experienced generals and admirals who may simply disagree with the President.

They are purging military officials who find themselves on the wrong side of the President's cronies. They are threatening American cities with war and violence. They are attacking civil society, journalists, and public servants who show independence or speak freely.

They are censoring media because someone dares to question or make a joke about the President. They are snatching people off the streets with masked agents in unmarked vehicles. They are forcing American troops to get on their knees and roll out the red carpet for a brutal dictator. They are now using a terrible tragedy to pit Americans against one another and grab power.

Mr. Speaker, political violence in every form is abhorrent. I condemn every single act of political violence, regardless of its source or its motivation.

I went to war three times for this country to defend the Constitution and the rights of people to say things I might disagree with. The right of every American to speak freely, peacefully, organize, and protest is fundamental to who we are. After all, what is more American than the ability to question authority? Questioning authority is, in fact, how we came to be a Nation.

We all lose when free and open debate is replaced with violence or threats. We must not lose our right and our responsibility to speak up against abuses of authority.

Power in America has always been cyclical. At one time, one party is in power. The next moment, another is. That is why we must all protect it all of the time and not just when it is convenient for us.

Everyone must defend the ability of a minority, Republican or Democrat, to question and protest, because at some point, we will need that right. That is why an attack on one person's freedom is an attack on all of us.

That is exactly what Donald Trump is doing. He is attacking all of our rights. Donald Trump and his cronies are now labeling those who disagree with him terrorists, scum, and enemies of the State. Only they will decide what is hateful. Only they will decide what poses a threat. Only they will decide who can speak and who will be silenced.

If anyone thinks they are safe just because it is happening to someone else this time, they are not paying attention to history. Donald Trump and his cronies have attacked anyone, including rightwing media and politicians, simply for questioning them.

The point for Trump is not to advance an ideology. It is to silence dissent and anyone who would dare speak up. When dissent is silenced, they can turn our government and weaponize it into an institution that serves only Donald Trump and enriches those who are loyal to him.

In a system where the rule of law is replaced with raw power and governed by grievance, greed, cruelty, and impunity, nobody is safe.

This is not just a story of a Presidential power grab because that was envisioned by our Constitution. That is why it was written the way it was. It was written to prevent power grabs. There are people with power right now allowing this to happen.

As Trump tramples on the Constitution, some of our most elite and powerful individuals and institutions are

failing to defend our democracy. Some of our Nation's most powerful law firms have bent the knee. Some of our finest universities are buckling. Some of our most powerful CEOs have capitulated. Some of our largest media companies are simply surrendering.

If those with power and influence want to sell off our rights and freedoms to enrich themselves, then Americans should make it clear that cowardice and greed will fail. We will not shop at their stores. We will not tune in to their TV and radio stations. We won't send our kids and our money to their universities. We won't use their services if they are going to enable our slide to authoritarianism. What makes their cowardice and greed so stark is the courage we have seen from everyday Americans.

When ICE agents started interrogating kids on a baseball diamond in Harlem, Coach Youman Wilder was the only thing that stood between those agents and his young players. Despite threats, he stood up and told the agents that they had no right to speak to those kids. The agents left. In the moment, Wilder told himself he was willing to die to make sure those kids got home.

In Twisp, Washington, a small, rural town that Trump won last November, hundreds of residents gather every Saturday to protest cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. These are cuts that will devastate their community. One resident, a school teacher of over 30 years, said they protest because: ``Democracy only works if we work it.''

In April, millions took to the streets to peacefully protest. We saw massive demonstrations nationwide in cities big and small. In Cortez, Colorado, a population of 9,000, 600 people showed up. In Gardiner, Montana, a population of 800, 75 people made their voices heard. In Daleville, Alabama, home to 5,000, 100 members of the community showed up and spoke out.

Here in Washington, D.C., as the National Guard is patrolling, and ICE agents are dramatically ramping up raids across the city, citizens are starting Instagram pages and Facebook groups to inform fellow citizens of their rights. Parents are patrolling schoolyards to protect the rights of students and other parents. Around the country journalists are investigating and relentlessly searching for and reporting the truth, despite threats to them and their family.

There is courage everywhere we look. We have not yet lost our power. So many Americans have been sounding the alarm bell for a long time, and they have been right.

We have now reached the inflection point.

Now is the time for us to stand firm and for us to stand with them, and for all of us to stand with those defending democracy, defending free speech, defending freedom of religion, defending due process, defending the rule of law, defending the right of schoolchildren to learn without fear of being shot, and defending government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

I have taken many oaths to protect and defend our country and our Constitution, first as a soldier and now as a Member of Congress.

I often think back to the start of my service to this Nation as a young paratrooper leading an infantry platoon in the invasion of Iraq. I think about the faces of those young men whom I was responsible for, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, from the North, from the South, East, and West, from farms and from cities, rich and poor.

When I think of America, I still think of those young paratroopers and how we came together despite our differences. We served together, we fought together, and we found great strength in one another.

That is America.

There is a tradition in the paratroopers that the leader of the unit jumps out of the plane first and then the others follow.

Mr. Speaker, I am ready to jump.

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

The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 13 minutes p.m.), the House adjourned until tomorrow, Friday, September 19, 2025, at 9 a.m.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate and recognize a thrilling new chapter in Colorado's proud sporting history. It is with immense pride that I welcome Denver Summit FC, the newest franchise in the National Women's Soccer League, to our great state and to the city of Denver.

The arrival of Denver Summit FC is more than just the addition of a new professional sports team; it is a testament to the growth of women's sports and a beacon of inspiration for young athletes, especially young women, throughout our community. This team represents a pinnacle of athletic achievement and will provide an invaluable platform to showcase the incredible talent, dedication, and sportsmanship of professional female athletes.

The establishment of an NWSL team in Denver will undoubtedly have a profound and positive impact on our community. It will bring families and fans together, create new economic opportunities, and further solidify Colorado's reputation as a premier destination for

professional sports. I also want to specifically commend the organization's investment in a state-of-the-art performance center in Centennial, purpose-built for the unique needs of professional women athletes. This facility is a landmark achievement and a powerful statement about the value and importance of women's sports. Most importantly, the players of Denver Summit FC will serve as powerful role models for our children, demonstrating the limitless possibilities that can be achieved through hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence.

I want to extend my sincerest congratulations and a warm welcome to the players, coaches, staff, and ownership of Denver Summit FC. We eagerly await the inaugural season and the excitement of cheering on our new home team. The entire state of Colorado stands with them, and we look forward to celebrating their success for many years to come.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary individual from our community, Department of the Air Force Police Officer Mykul Thomas, who has been a beacon of inspiration at the gates of Buckley Space Force Base. As he prepares for a new assignment at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, I want to honor the profound, positive impact he has had on countless individuals entering the installation.

For so many, Officer Thomas was more than the first line of security; he was the first source of motivation for the day. He understood that his post at the gate was a unique opportunity to make a difference in people's lives. This understanding comes from a deep personal philosophy, one taught to him by his mother, who gave him his unique name, Mykul. He lives by the creed that the two most important days in life are the day you are born and the day you find out your ``why''. Officer Thomas found his ``why'' in uplifting others, and he lived it every day at the gate.

His commitment was put to the ultimate test one fateful day, when a young man drove up to his gate, not to enter the base, but to say a final goodbye. Officer Thomas immediately engaged with the young man, and he shared a simple, powerful message: that life is worth living and that he was important. That heartfelt intervention saved a life. This remarkable story is a testament to Officer Thomas's character. A belief that we all have a gift to be something and to do something, and he has certainly used his. His actions demonstrate that even in moments when motivation is hard to find, we are not alone.

A proud Marine Corps veteran of 13 years, who served as a drill instructor at Parris Island, Officer Thomas has seamlessly translated his leadership and mentorship skills into his role as a Department of the Air Force Police Officer. As Officer Thomas departs for Cape Canaveral, we thank him for his incredible service and for the spirit of hope and motivation he brought to his post each day. He has left an indelible mark on the Buckley Space Force Base community.

I ask my colleagues to join me in saluting Officer Mykul ``Moto'' Thomas. He showed us the powerful impact one person can have, and we wish him the very best as he continues to live his ``why''.