Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the accomplishments of Mi Casa Resource Center, now in their 45th year of service. Mi Casa was founded in 1976 by a group of eight Latina mothers who dreamed of a better world for themselves and their families. They wanted a safe space to develop skills for employment and education and expanded Mi Casa to include business development--delivering training for low-income entrepreneurs who just needed an opportunity.

Today, Mi Casa is a pillar for women, Latinos, or anyone looking for business or career support in the Denver metro area.

In the midst of the devastating pandemic, Mi Casa launched 45 new businesses, supported 45 Coloradans pivot to new careers, and reached more than 1,800 people overall. The transformational impact of Mi Casa on our community cannot be understated. I commend them for their remarkable work, and I congratulate Mi Casa Resource Center on their 45th anniversary.

Community Churches

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the efforts of several churches in my district that worked tirelessly to provide relief, support, and resources to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. They hosted food banks for those in need, provided financial help to those struggling to make ends meet, and sought out opportunities to support the social, spiritual, and emotional needs of members.

Our community is better because of them, and I recognize the volunteers who sacrificed their time, energy, and own well-being to provide relief to those who needed a lifeline extended to them. In a time of fear, they built a network of hope.

I thank the staff, volunteers, and members of Mosaic Church, Friendship Church, Word in Action Church, City of God Church, Confluence Ministries, Orchard Church, Northern Hills Church, Colorado Multiethnic Coalition, Renewal Christian Center, and Hard Rock Church.

The impact of this outreach in our communities is profound. I commend all involved for their ongoing effort to ensure that no one gets left behind.

Celebrating Douglas County

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Douglas County in Colorado's Sixth District for being named the second healthiest county in the United States by the U.S. News & World Report.

With all due respect to the rest of my colleagues, there is no State like Colorado. We are home to 300 days of sunshine, the Rocky Mountains, world-class outdoor recreation, and exceptional small businesses.

In a year defined by a devastating public health crisis, our State added another accomplishment: community health.

With six of America's top 257 healthiest communities in Colorado, Douglas County ranks second. Home to countless walking trails, community-building events, and innovative infrastructure solutions, Douglas County is a great place to live.

So come out to see what it is all about. I invite my colleagues to visit Douglas County and the rest of my incredible district to see for themselves what makes the Centennial State one of a kind.

Recognizing the Career of Vita Lantz Brown

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the career of Vita Lantz Brown. In Arapahoe County, the saying goes: If you want something done, ask Vita. And, if Vita asks you to do something, you just can't say no.

A force for change in our community, Vita's faith drives her devotion to good government and diverse leadership. Vita is civic-minded and is committed to ensuring elected officials at every level are working to better the community.

She devotes her time and energy to many organizations, including Moms Demand Action, the Aurora NAACP, and countless others. As a servant leader, she also supports her community by providing free babysitting, tutoring for children, volunteering at a local school, feeding the homeless, and serving as deaconess at Macedonia Baptist Church.

Vita's life work is inspired by 2 Timothy 4:7:

I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, I

have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown

of righteousness.

I thank Vita for her exemplary leadership, expertise, and commitment to our community.

30th Anniversary of Aurora NAACP

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the 30th anniversary of Aurora, Colorado's NAACP branch.

In 1991 Dr. Barbara Shannon-Bannister founded the Aurora branch as an important step in a long career devoted to civil rights. She built upon the legacy of her father's work in her hometown of New Orleans and later moved to Wyoming where she helped form the NAACP Wyoming chapter.

She recognized a need in Aurora. Though Aurora was one of Colorado's fastest growing cities, it lacked essential advocacy on civil rights issues.

Dr. Shannon-Bannister addressed this gap by creating the Aurora branch of the NAACP.

I extend my gratitude to Dr. Shannon-Bannister, current president Omar Montgomery, and all who have dedicated their time and expertise to the Aurora NAACP over the last 30 years. I thank them for their commitment to the residents of my district and for continually working toward this crucial mission.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership and support, as well as the members of the committee and the committee staff for making sure that this bill received full and quick consideration.

I do rise today in support of H.R. 4172 to name the new Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic in Aurora, Colorado, for Lieutenant Colonel John W. Mosley.

Lieutenant Colonel Mosley embodies the finest our country has to offer. Mosley was an inspirational leader in the Aurora community and in the Air Force.

Mosley was born in Denver, Colorado, in 1921 and broke barriers at a time where Black men and women were prevented from achieving the full rights of their citizenship and full participation in the military.

Colonel Mosley attended what is now Colorado State University and became the first ever Black player on the football team.

After college, Colonel Mosley wanted to become a pilot, so he paid to get his own pilot's license. When the Air Force didn't assign him to be a pilot, he lobbied his own command in D.C. to assign him to a pilot role. He was eventually assigned to the segregated Tuskegee Airmen unit.

During World War II, he trained as a bomber pilot, serving as one of the first African Americans in that role. He earned the flight qualification of Command Pilot during his service in the U.S. Air Force. The brave service of the Tuskegee Airmen and Colonel Mosley helped pave the way for integration of the armed services.

Upon his return, he married Edna, and together John and Edna Mosley became tireless community activists and organizers. Among her many achievements, Edna was elected to three terms as Aurora's first African American city councilwoman.

After a brief break from military service, Colonel Mosley served during the Korean and the Vietnam wars. Three conflicts. Mosley was an operations officer in Thailand during the Vietnam war.

So naming the new Aurora clinic after Colonel Mosley honors his legacy and will inspire future generations to break barriers. I can't think of a better name for my fellow veterans to be walking in to this new clinic in Aurora, Colorado, than to see the name of Colonel John Mosley as they walk in and to remember his service, his sacrifice, his leadership, and the best of what we can be as a country.

I thank the House Veterans' Affairs Committee for their work to advance this bill, and I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this effort to honor Lieutenant Colonel John Mosley.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and sacrifice of the Thornton Fire Department in my district.

When COVID-19 vaccines became available, the city of Thornton jumped into action and tasked the Thornton Fire Department with administering vaccines to residents. Thornton Fire was uniquely qualified for this rollout as they had been providing mass COVID-19 testing during the pandemic.

As of this past June, Thornton Fire administered over 82,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. These efforts went above and beyond their call of duty and drew in Coloradans from all over the state.

In late-April, the Congressional Fire Services Institute awarded Thornton Fire their ``Fire Service-Based EMS Award,'' a highly coveted award that recognizes the work of the department in testing and vaccinating our community members and implementing a monitoring program for COVID-symptomatic firefighters.

I thank Thornton Fire for their service, sacrifice, and unfailing commitment to all Coloradans.

Madam Speaker, as a combat veteran who served three tours of duty, both in Afghanistan and Iraq, I understand the danger and lasting implications of war. We mourn for the U.S. servicemembers killed in the August 26 attack in Kabul. These service members were engaged in a mission to save the lives of others, and we should never forget their service and sacrifice.

As we grieve with the rest of America, we must commit to evacuating U.S. citizens and our Afghan partners, regardless of the August 31st deadline. I recognize this operation is not without risk, but I believe it is both a moral and national security imperative to see this evacuation to completion.

Therefore, I include in the Record the following letter signed by 600 veterans on the importance of continued evacuation efforts. I look forward to our continued work to bring our brave service members, U.S. citizens, and Afghan partners to safety.

Veterans' Letter to President Biden on Afghanistan

August 25, 2021.

President Joe Biden,

The White House,

Washington, DC.

Dear Mr. President: As veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces,

we are writing to express our strong and unwavering support

for the ongoing evacuation efforts for U.S. citizens and our

Afghan allies being led by the United States at the Hamid

Karzai International Airport.

Throughout our military service, we have seen firsthand the

importance of not just the interpreters who worked alongside

our troops on the battlefield, but also the thousands of

Afghans who directly supported our American mission through

U.S.-funded NGOs, contractors, and other implementers.

These civilian operations--led by the Afghans working on

U.S. funded projects--have been vital for U.S. national

security and for empowering millions of women and girls. The

grave danger now faced by these Afghan allies and their

families cannot be overstated.

We are also deeply worried that this group of Afghans--

individuals who qualify for Priority 2 refugee status--could

be largely left behind by the current U.S. military

evacuation efforts. We fear that the U.S. will fail in its

moral duty to protect these individuals who stood directly

with America.

Therefore, we write with three specific and urgent requests

for your Administration:

1. Prioritize U.S.-led evacuations for potential and

qualifying Priority 2 applicants and their families for

evacuation efforts alongside potential Special Immigrant Visa

(SIV) applicants and U.S. citizens.

2. Extend the evacuation mission past August 31, 2021--not

just for U.S. citizens--but for all our Afghan allies that

worked alongside us in the military and U.S. civilian

missions, assuming everyone cannot be evacuated by the

deadline.

3. Ensure safe corridors for evacuees to access the Kabul

airport.

Thank you for your attention and leadership to help get all

our Afghan allies to safety. As we all know, time is of the

essence.

Very respectfully,

Russell McLachlan, Joseph Snowden, Anne Hobbs, Birmingham,

Neil Rafferty, Dena Contri Cook, Chris Perry, Paulette

Risher, John Hamilton, Mike Ball, William Turkoski, Al Wood,

Stephen Charles, Danielle Bennett, Tim Smithpeters, Donald

Becka, Betty Carlene Gilio, Wade Rutt, Luis Cardenas Camacho.

Edward Logan, Henry Wade, Sean Till, Bruce Pagel, Terell

Welch, Tim Cullison, John Phelps, Sol Jaffe, Brett Hunt, Rick

Erickson, Richard Chapman, Kees Rietsema, Jon Miller, Robert

Welch, Wanona Fritz, Alex Rodriguez, Mark Flanigan, Jeff

Tennen, Jason Tomlinson, Robert Hayward, John Steele.

Bob Rieman, Elton Johnson, Joanne Johnson, Thor Gjerdrum,

James Boarman, Tommaso DeAngelis, Tony Priestley, Diana N

Richard Rabe, Bianca Garilli, Penny Doswell, Lupita Palacios,

Cheryl Shipman, Leon Persaud, Cindy MacDonald, Presley Guio,

David Taliaferro, Edward Post, Bill Holen, Jim Glenn, Donna

Abenroth, John Brackney, Bear McConnell, Joseph Reagan, Peter

Mueller, Corey Tucker, Randy Garcia.

Joanna McConnell, Jeffrey Samet, David French, Donald

VanGilder, Michael Crader, Joe Rice, David Skaggs, Otis

McGregor, Brittany Bartges, Ron Struthers, Sally Ireland,

Christopher Rivers, Jeremy Rodrigues, George Mitchell,

William Card, Robert Rains, Jeff Steele, Nick Riffel, Sean

Sorbie, Scott Cooper, David Anderson, Larry Reed, Ronald

Blanck, Dawan Collick, Rick White, Klint Krieger, Anthony

Hardie, Mike Bontell, Bruce Jones, Andrew Learned,

Christopher Charo, Diane Maye Zorri, Stphen Leisenring,

William Oshell, Laura Waters, John Miller, Ron Fithen Sr.,

Wayne Hoyt, Kirby Wedekind.

Bobby Drummond, Michael Raynor, Gregory Martin, Scott

Wuesthoff, Barbara Cooper, Paul Chevalier, Emilio Gonzalez,

Andres Soberon, Lynare Robbins, Mark Kerr, Michael Bryan,

Connie Crawford, Blake Locklar, Martha Marden, Dick

Batchelor, William Toti, Ross Clemons, Walter Bondarchuk,

Christopher Baker, Willie Berges, Jerry Rogers, Jeff

Ponkratz, Houston Tucker, Dennis Stoneking, Elizabeth

Masters.

Alfredo Anthony, Kevin Connelly, James Welch, Rosa Sanders,

Daniel Hubbard, Bob Burleson, David Brady, Christopher Cano,

Andrew Wilson, Bill Aquino, Houston Mc Gowan, John Ionoff,

Jay Hood, Mark Campbell, Mike Brassaw, Steve Rutherford, Jeff

Cathey, Mark Fetterman, Anthony Pawlisz, Thomas Trifiletti,

John Mulholland, Chris Purdy, Frederick Lutz, WD Williams,

Kevin Murray, Michael Karabasz.

Michelle Cain, William Howerton, Kevin Wince, Roger

Harrison, David Snow, William Leverett, Angela Vinson, Robert

Anderson, Christopher Drumhiller, Don Albertson, Peter Welch,

Keith Luchtel, Robert Felderman, Steve Dodson, Ron Dardis,

William Holderman, Richard Ritter, Chris Clark, Laura Hubka.

Steve Warnstadt, Miyoko Hikiji, Bernie Stone, Jim Durand,

Jeff Dow, John MacDonald, Ken Holliday, Reo Felts, Everett

Wohlers, Rudy Soto, Susan Megy, Brent Webb, Charles Tucker,

Michael Hubbard.

Megan Everett, Theresa Eckard, Jennifer Mcintosh, Anil

D'Souza, Kirk Samson, Sharon DeVary, Beverly Thompson,

Matthew Brodycz, Chris Young, Lindsey Figgins, Andrew

Gothreau, Gregory Runyon, Joseph Ellis, Gary Dillman, Brian

Copes, Angela DeMaree, Matthew Piety, Charles Williams,

Tabitha Bartley.

David Zipoff, Paul McKinney, Charles Winkle, James Wieser,

Dr. Richard Marcantonio, Daniel Bradley, Otis Kerr, Doug

Martin, Erika Steuterman, Jamie Richards, Rick Burns, Mike

Denning, Doug Tystad, Aaron Estabrook, Barth Crouch, Gary

Morsch, Jim Gartner, Seth Merrell, Jeff Mahan, Tim Hudgins.

Danny Davis, Lewis Walter, Robert Gadd, Joseph Tharp,

Robert Durham, Doug Tirey, Vernon Black, Marty Smith, Sonny

Greeson, James Santos, John Rice, Evette Mittin, Richard

DeNoyer, Peter Prieto, Martha Barbone, Ken Murphy, John

Caldwell, David Tohn, Stuart Dye, Kathryn Beasley, Lawrence

Brill.

Andrew Fallon, Edward Slaughter, Christopher Ackerman,

Ethan Dietrich, Joe Plenzler, Gregory Grunwald, Lyn McCall,

Nicholas Albicocco, David Paschane, Arielle Berghammer-

Ziegler, Charles Ray.

Richard Kessler, Stephanie Grant, Sharon Nelson, James

Settele, Peter Kuniholm, Christian Trocchi, Alicia Barnes,

Joe Schwarz, John Schwarz, Richard Van Buskirk, Travis Ernst,

Joshua Lunger, PJ Mulford, Tom Niemela, Dennis Kooren, Jan

Bakalyar, Kristy Janigo, Sheila Jessen, George Waldow, Matt

Gill, Walter Kocemba, Shelia Jessen, John Baker, Thomas

Cocchiarella, Rage Ali, Mathew Meyer, Mary Hafner.

Ronald Schwartau, Pat Finley, David Currey, Steven Clark,

Robert Bennett, Pat Castillo, Jim Gwinner, Robert Speir,

Michael Guiles, Bruce McDonald, Lee Mitchell, Sammy Martin,

Missionary Cecil Fayard, Michael Philley, Moe Davis, Nick

Justice, Richard Vosteen, Francis Proctor, Dennis Harris,

Gene Stewart.

Michael Kingsley, Paul Dillon, Peter Aubrey, Kathy Greggs,

Stacy Mathews, James Keith Grindle, Linda Barto, John

Wilkinson, Craig Horn, Richard Cantwell, Dana Tucker,

Kathleen Volandt, Frank Segal, Tomas Franklin Castillo,

Stefanie Maloney, Aurelia Fedenisn, Larry Skogen, Murray

Sagsveen, David Sprynczynatyk, Drew Combs, Frank Jessup,

Kathy Lahners Rall, Thomas Janssen, Fred Tisdale.

John E. Nelson, Jesse Edwards, Chuck Nettleship, Paul

Lloyd, Dave Porterfield, Carol Bartlett, Peter Burdett, Otto

A. Busher III, Kenneth Clark, Al Baldasaro, Mark Aquino,

Karen Merrill, William Yamaji, Corey Houghtaling, Bryan Dunn,

Steven Hashem, Rhonda Spinelli, Jannell MacAulay, Peter

Robinson, Robert Goff, Beverly Cover, Quentin Collins,

Timothy Harrod, John Williams, Brian Maccormack-Burt.

Kathy Scariot, Sue Balderrama, Linnes Chester, Ross Bryant,

Chaz Wellington, Joseph Godwin, Christopher Milan, Matt

Carrescia, Emilia Montenegro-Stroud, Edward Vento, Steven

Schwarzer, Mike Bolley, Ralf Schloss, William Andrews, Jerry

Terhaar, Leslie Green, Eric Gardiner, Gerard Grant, Henry

Grossman.

John Flynn, Mike Parks, John McCance, Richard Lauf, Gregory

Johnson, Frank Titus, Frank LaRose, Jason Rafeld, Terry

Lawson, Matt Eichmann, Gretchen Klingler, Al Burzynski,

Robert Viney, George Hoffman, John Shaw, Robert Lees, Carl

Miller, Bill Tate, Linda Davis, Patrick Williams, Brian

Kennedy, David Butler, Howard Mckinnis, Seth Mccool, Timothy

Lind, Will Meyer, Donald Dean, Rob Luster.

Jack McCutchen, Joseph Bautista, Charles Allen, Stephen

McNamara, Thomas Rodriguez, Bob Sutton, John Strong, Bruce

Bingaman, Jesse Hamilton, Bob McMahon, Richard Bugbee, Carl

Witte, Joe Gullo, Glenn Geissinger, Irv Halter, Mark

Liberman, Joe Witte, Michael Noonan, Robert Hoe, Bill

Mccartan, Gary Freyberger, Todd Werley, Bradley Kenny, Joseph

Albert, David Eisele, James W. Houck.

Dr. Karin Warner, Thomas Richards III, Joe Kirlin, Warren

Gunderman, Matthew Peoria, Osvaldo Sanchez, Jose Cabrera,

Tracey Rivkin, Ron Green, Samuel Hines, Bud Ferillo, Jeff

Jacobs, Mike Dhunjishah, George Goldsmith, Steven Diaz,

Allison Love, James Polasky, Samuel Boone, Harry Dean Cook,

Jason Kramer.

George I. Boniface, Bob Cristian, Robert Brennan, Steve

Stark, Robyn Grable, Melissa Watson, John Krenson, Richard

LaMonica, Danny Hatcher, Wayne Culbreth, Robert Coughlin,

Glasgow Rex, Charles Bowers, Robert Peal, Patrick Ryan, David

Lambert, Joe M. Caraveo, Johnny Dickey, Michael Carroll.

Mike Valadez, John Gerlaugh, Michael LeCompte, Heather

Herrera, Joe Cerami, J. Wayne Trimmer, Howard Schauer, Rene

Chapa, Evelyn Quattrone, Alan Manley, David Sanders, Martin

White, Jo Kat, David Lewis, Jeff Haynes, Sharon A Bataille,

Jeremy Jordan, Tommy Gonzalez, Martin Martinez, Omar

Williams, Juan Pablo Gmz, John Roe, Rafael Rodriguez, Shirby

Ford, Jeffrey Kendall, Sam Tijerina.

Walter Ulrich, Charles Starnes, Jose Garduno, Boyd

Neathery, Rosalie Burleson, Robert Hastings, Constance de

Chevalier, Brett Farley, Ronald Olness, Tim Farrell, John

Casey, John Duggan, Todd Speer.

Mark Alvarez, Richard Delgado Jr., Richard Delgado, Merlin

Bjerke, David McArthur, Jeff Snell, Brittany Lambert, William

Cosgrove, David Pyne, Alex Dubovik, Josh Burgess, Daniel

Gade, Terron Sims II, Isaac Eagan, Robert Gard, Michael

Luttrell, Clay Monroe, Edwin Vincent, Will Woldenberg, Jon

Stull, Jeanie Graves, Ralph Hastings, Terry Orndorff, Alec

Williamson, Eliot Evans, Hal Donahue, Ron Suzuki.

William Parrish, Rudy Wadle, John Peterson, Mckinley Price,

Leandrew Reese, Robert Bracknell, Cherylynn Sagester, Charles

Tyler, Terry Phillips, Christopher Campbell, William Leighty,

Eric Postow, Jason Roberge, Royes Gernandt, David Hamon,

Isabel Hodge, Mark Kustra, Dave Belote, Jeri Prophet.

Gerard Mauer Jr., Chris Phillips, Peter Smith, Heather

Veenker, Matthew Hepner, John Petersen, Steven Brown, Dave

Baine, John Kilpatrick, Peter Wilson, Jim Perkins, Echo

Penley, Diana Smith, Mike Moore, Brian Newberry, Steven Bell,

Margaret Cope, Andrew Anderson, Michael Trudeau, James

Strong.

Toni Horak, John Katzka, Christopher Goebel, William Davis,

Hector Sepulveda, Mark Freitag, Walter Hladko, .Jason Johns,

Thomas Plantenberg, John Becker, Darrel Feucht, David Hollis,

Rob Palmer, Darla LeClair, Herb Davis, Michael Martin,

Davidjames Lynch, Patrick M. Kitkowski Sr.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the efforts of several churches in my district that worked tirelessly to provide relief, support, and resources to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Churches provide essential support in our community during the pandemic, far beyond the call of duty. They hosted food banks for those in need, provided financial help to those struggling to make ends meet, and sought out opportunities to support the social, spiritual, and emotional needs of members.

Our community is better because of them and I recognize the volunteers who sacrificed their time, energy, and own well-being to provide relief to those who needed a lifeline extended to them. In a time of fear, they built a network of hope.

I thank the staff, volunteers, and members of Iglesia Amistad, Mosaic Church, Iglesia Palabra en Accion, Iglesia Ciudad de Dios, Confluence Ministries, Roca Fuerte, Iglesia Orchard, El renuevo, Northern Hills Church, the Colorado Multiethnic Coalition, and Renewal Christian Center.

The impact of this outreach on our community is profound. I commend all involved for their ongoing effort to ensure that no one gets left behind.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the importance of SCORE and stand in favor of the amendment I introduced with Rep. Spanberger to increase SCORE funding to $21.7 million.

Simply put, this amendment would help build businesses and create jobs.

SCORE is the nation's largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, with more than 10,000 volunteers across 240+ chapters.

They offer free and confidential advice, and free or low-cost educational workshops to current and aspiring small business owners.

Since 1964, SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs to start and grow their small business.

In FY20, SCORE helped its clients to start 45,027 new businesses and create 74,535 new jobs.

It is estimated that this increased funding would help SCORE create over 100,000 additional new businesses and/or jobs, beyond last year's impact numbers.

Moreover, SCORE is cost-effective.

In 2020, SCORE clients generated $67.35 in new federal tax revenue for every $1 appropriated to SCORE.

The need is urgent. As we continue to recover from the COVID pandemic, we need to support entrepreneurs in building businesses and creating jobs. Our response must meet the moment.

Mr. Speaker, the ALLIES Act is a chance for Congress to ensure that America honors its promise to our Afghan partners and friends.

The phrase ``life and death'' gets tossed around in this Chamber, but this bill is truly that for thousands of our Afghan friends. The Taliban is intent on hunting down and killing Afghans that served alongside Americans for the past 20 years.

Some Members of this body, including me, may not be here today without the service and sacrifice of Afghans who answered the call to serve shoulder to shoulder with us. Those Afghans knew the risk that their service posed to them and their families, yet they signed up to help because they believed we would have their back.

They have already demonstrated unwavering courage and loyalty by working alongside us. They have demonstrated their commitment to America, and they have earned a path to safety.

The U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan will come to an end in a matter of weeks. At the same time, the threat to our Afghan partners who served alongside men and women is increasing drastically every single day.

Simply put, we are running out of time. They are running out of time. We must streamline the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa process and increase the number of visas to match the pipeline of applicants. The ALLIES Act does just that.

The ALLIES Act removes several administrative barriers to expedite visa processing, and it makes these changes without weakening the important security vetting of applicants. The bill allows family members of deceased SIV applicants to continue through the process if the applicant is killed before visa approval.

The bill clarifies that Afghans who worked to benefit the U.S. mission under federally funded cooperative agreements and grants also qualify for the program. This includes Afghans who performed critical democracy, human rights, and governance work on behalf of the U.S.

Lastly, the ALLIES Act raises the visa cap by 8,000 visas to meet the current number of applicants.

Before I close, let me thank the Honoring Our Promises Working Group, a bipartisan group; the Biden administration; Leader Hoyer; and the Judiciary Committee for their partnership in crafting this bill and getting us to the vote today.

This is personal to any of us who served with the men and women who will be saved by this bill. But it is also a moral and national security issue for America.

It is a moral issue because the American handshake must matter. We must be a country that honors our promises if we are to be a beacon of hope and democracy for the world.

It is a national security issue because America is strong, not just because we have aircraft carriers and fighters and bombers, but because we have friends and allies. We don't go it alone. We face many threats, and we will continue to in the future, and we will need friends to help us face those threats. If we turn our back on the Afghans who served with us for the last two decades, it is going to be awfully hard to find future friends.

Mr. Speaker, this is our chance to do the right thing. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the ALLIES Act.

Madam Speaker, 9 years ago today, Aurora, Colorado, faced an unbelievable tragedy when a shooter opened fire in a movie theater.

Madam Speaker, 12 people lost their lives, 70 were injured, and countless others are still impacted by the trauma of that day.

Every year, Aurora and the greater Colorado community come together to remember the lives lost and the trauma. We also come together to recognize the everyday heroes that stepped up to help their neighbors and loved ones. Their heroism saved lives.

I thank my friend and colleague, Representative Ed Perlmutter for, again, offering a resolution to designate July 28 as National Heroes Day. This year, in particular, we recognize the everyday heroes that have helped us withstand this pandemic, our frontline workers, scientists, and healthcare professionals, and the first responders who stand on the front lines every day.

As we reflect today, let us also be galvanized into action. In the 9 years since the Aurora tragedy, little has been done at the Federal level to reduce gun violence and mass shootings. Enough is enough. I am here, in part, because I have been inspired by my constituents who endured incredible tragedy 9 years ago and have directed that pain to fight for change. Let us not grow numb to the pain of this day, but let's continue to work toward meaningful and lasting change.

Mr. Speaker, the Army Ranger Creed reads, in part: ``I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy.''

Today, Afghans who worked for U.S. forces are in grave danger. The organization No One Left Behind, a nonprofit that advocates for the relocation of Afghan interpreters to the U.S., says that more than 300 translators or their relatives have already been killed since 2014, but that number only increasing every day.

We cannot allow a slow bureaucracy to cost the lives of Afghans who served alongside our men and women.

As an Army Ranger and paratrooper, I served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In both places, I worked very closely with Iraqi and Afghan interpreters who were absolutely critical to me accomplishing my mission.

Mr. Speaker, I am not somebody who many people in this House would say is prone to hyperbole or exaggeration, but I can say with confidence that I might not be here today speaking to all of my colleagues had it not been for these men and women who trusted us, who fought with us, who died with us, shoulder to shoulder.

They provided this service at great risk to themselves and their families, and they did so with courage and the understanding that we would stand with them and provide a safe haven if and when necessary.

Well, my friends and colleagues, that time has come.

Today, we are considering the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act to allow the administration to waive the requirement that Afghan special immigrant visa applicants undergo a medical examination while in Afghanistan.

As my colleagues already pointed out, there is currently one facility in Kabul that conducts all of these examinations. It is already dangerous and increasingly dangerous to get to that facility, to work through the backlog, and to afford those examinations.

Under our bill, recipients would be required to get a medical examination within 30 days of arriving in the United States.

Let me be clear. Nothing in this bill would impact the security screening and vetting process for these applicants. The National Security Council estimates that this change could decrease the SIV process by approximately 1 month per applicant.

My colleagues, in combat and in a war zone, every hour matters. Minutes seem like hours, days like weeks. A month will save many, many lives.

We wouldn't be considering this bill on the floor today if it weren't for a broad coalition of supporters.

To my friend and colleague, Representative Wenstrup, I thank him for his partnership. I know how important this is to him, too, for personal reasons.

Mr. Speaker, to the members of the Honoring Our Promises Working Group, I thank them for their steadfast attention to this issue and for their support of this bill, Republicans and Democrats alike.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Leader Hoyer, Chairman Nadler, Chairwoman Lofgren, and her subcommittee staff, Ami Shah and Betsy Lawrence, for working very late the last couple of weeks to make sure we got this deal done.

The American handshake needs to mean something, not just in and of itself. But we are strong as a country not because we have aircraft carrier battle groups, fighters, and tanks. We are strong because we have friends. And to have friends, we need to be a friend. We must stand by our partners.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the HOPE for Afghan SIVs Act.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the career of Dr. Betsy Oudenhoven, president of the Community College of Aurora, and congratulate her on her upcoming retirement.

Dr. Oudenhoven joined CCA in 2011, as the vice president for student affairs. She possessed an extensive leadership background, serving students at institutions in Wisconsin, Minnesota, New York, and Illinois.

CCA recognized her commitment and exceptional service when they appointed her president in December 2013.

In her time at CCA, Dr. Oudenhoven is recognized for advancing the institution's commitment to diversity and inclusion, prioritizing equity, and supporting student success.

During her tenure, CCA also reaffirmed its role in the community by expanding enrollment in high school equivalency and English as a second language programs.

Dr. Oudenhoven faithfully served students across the country for 42 years and helped transform CCA over the last decade.

I congratulate Dr. Betsy Oudenhoven on her retirement and thank her for her commitment to our community.

Recognizing the Life and Legacy of Dr. Felix Gilbert

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the life of Dr. Felix Gilbert following his passing on April 27 of this year, 2021.

Dr. Gilbert was a pastor, an Air Force veteran, a professor, a mentor, a father, a brother, and a grandfather. He built his ministry, Restoration Christian Fellowship, and the community development corporation, Restoration Christian Ministries, in Aurora, with his wife, Pastor Kotane Gilbert.

Through these organizations, Dr. Gilbert built collaborative partnerships with members of the community to meet their needs where they live, learn, work, play thrive, and worship.

These efforts include establishing Restoration Christian Academy and working with the Food Bank of the Rockies and the city of Aurora to feed hundreds of families per month.

During the pandemic, Dr. Gilbert devoted his time to public health and housing. He worked with the city of Aurora and UC-Health on testing and vaccination efforts, and with Interfaith Alliance of Colorado and other local agencies to support his ministry's Affordable Housing and Unhoused Residents Village Initiatives.

Dr. Gilbert was an inspiration to his community and worked to mentor local pastors. To honor his legacy, may we strive to build people up and love them just as they are.

Congratulating Deputy City Manager Nancy Freed

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Deputy City Manager Nancy Freed and congratulate her on her retirement following 28 years of service to the city of Aurora.

During Nancy's career, she oversaw nearly every department in the city. Nancy's impact can be felt across every part of Aurora, as she was integral in the planning, construction, and operation of many community services across the municipality, including libraries and recreation centers.

Nancy saw Aurora through incredible challenges, through drought, unprecedented population growth, and tragedy. She rose to each occasion, creating the Prairie Waters Project, one of the country's first reuse water projects; helping plan Colorado's light rail system, including bringing the RTD's R Line to Aurora; and founding the Aurora Strong Resilience Center and the 7/20 Memorial Garden project following the 2012 Aurora Theater shooting.

In 2018, Nancy was named an Unsung Hero of Aurora by the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

A powerhouse of knowledge and creativity, I thank Nancy for her dedicated service and leadership.

Recognizing Arapahoe Rescue Patrol

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the lifesaving work of the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol.

Formed in 1957, in Arapahoe County, Colorado, the search and rescue operations by this team are managed by local high school students. These students dedicate hundreds of hours to

field search and rescue training, wilderness survival, winter operations, aircraft crash rescue, and more. They live their high school career on call prepared to save lives.

When a person is lost in the Colorado mountains, the patrol's teenage volunteers handle dispatch, patrolling, active search and rescue, emergency medical care, and command of the operation.

In towns like Littleton, Englewood, and Aurora, they manage block searches and neighborhood canvassing to find lost children and elderly neighbors. Patrol members are also on scene for disasters like blizzards, floods, chemical spills, and commercial plane crashes, providing assistance to local police, fire, and the sheriff department.

I am proud to take a moment to honor the hundreds of young heroes who served admirably in the Arapahoe Rescue Patrol over the last 60 years, balancing their high school careers with the commitment to saving lives. We owe a debt of gratitude to these dedicated, service-minded young folks.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the importance of ALS Awareness Month and continued Federal support of funding towards a cure for ALS.

ALS a progressive nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, causing loss of muscle control.

This devastating disease can affect anyone, anywhere, at any age, and, still today, is always fatal.

Veterans are twice as likely to develop ALS, which is why ALS has been designated a service-connected disease.

Not only is there no cure for ALS, but there is also no effective treatment to halt or reverse the progression of the disease.

Patients typically live 2 to 5 years after diagnosis.

President Biden announced an initiative to leverage a $50 billion investment over the course of his presidency through a new HHS program, called ARPA-Health.

This investment would bring focus, scale, and innovation to combat devastating diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and cancer.

Madam Speaker, the need is urgent, and I would encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting these investments. Our response must meet the moment.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the life of Cody Lyster, son of Kevin and Lea Ann Lyster, of Aurora, Colorado.

Cody passed away on April 8, 2020, and is Colorado's second youngest victim to die from COVID-19. He was a criminal justice major at Colorado Mesa University, following in his father's footsteps to become a law enforcement officer.

Cody was an avid baseball player. As a freshman, Cody was named team captain of his school's club baseball team, a first for Colorado Mesa University history. He helped others through his love for the game and had a knack for bringing people together and could be counted on during times of calm and times of crisis.

Cody made his community better. In his honor, a $1 million scholarship was established at Colorado Mesa University, and a sportsmanship award and scholarship at Arapahoe Little League were dedicated to a life well-lived.

Cody was an inspiration to others, and I can think of few as deserving of this honor today. I honor Cody and thank the Lysters for drawing strength from tragedy to make sure Cody's story is heard and to save as many lives as they can during this pandemic.

Mr. Speaker, I grew up a gun owner. I have been hunting since I was 12 years old. I became an Army Ranger and went to war for this country, where I led over 100 combat missions, carrying weapons of war at war in defense of our Nation.

But I am also a father, and I also represent a district that has been hit by some of the worst mass shootings in our Nation's history. I learned in the Army years ago that citizenship comes with duties and rights come with responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, we are failing each other in this country. It is time that we start fulfilling our duties and our responsibilities to each other. We have the opportunity to do that now and to save thousands of lives.

Mr. Speaker, I implore my colleagues to join with me and to pass the Bipartisan Background Checks Act.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1, the For the People Act.

I have said since day one on this job that if you want to do big and transformational things in America, you first have to get rid of big money in politics.

Whether you want to tackle the climate crisis, reform healthcare, address the gun violence epidemic, or level the playing field for American workers, it is all about shutting off the flow of big money, ending gerrymandering, bolstering our ethics laws, and expanding access to the ballot box. H.R. 1 will do all of these things.

This transformational package includes my bill, the End Dark Money Act, to crack down on mega-donors who hide their political contributions through phony social welfare organizations.

If we have learned anything in the past few years, it is that our democracy is in need of reform. We can and must do big things again, and it begins by passing H.R. 1.

I urge my colleagues to join me in this historic effort.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the American Rescue Plan. We cannot grow numb to the pain and devastation the COVID pandemic brought this past year.

Mr. Speaker, 500,000 Americans are dead. Millions have lost their jobs and can't find meaningful employment. Children, including my own, have had to adapt to online learning. Millions of small businesses are struggling to keep the lights on.

Folks in Colorado want to get this done. In fact, over 70 percent of Americans want to get this done, and there

are very few things more bipartisan than that. They want it fixed, and they want it fixed now.

This bill is the first step to building back better. It will support vaccine distribution and research and provide relief to small businesses, schools, and Coloradans who are out of work. So let's get this done.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the American Rescue Plan.