Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize Jewish Family Services (JFS) and join them in celebrating their 150th Anniversary. JFS is a nonprofit human services organization that draws upon traditional Jewish values to provide services to those in need-- regardless of their faith, age, income, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Founded in 1872, JFS began as the Hebrew Benevolent Society to meet the needs of Denver's first 300 Jewish pioneers. From there, JFS has continued to grow and expand their mission--meeting the moment time and time again. They helped resettle Holocaust survivors in the wake of World War II, opened a group home for individuals with disabilities in the 1980s, formed an Employment Services Department in 2021, and continue to fight day after day to remove barriers to employment and help people find opportunities to work towards a livable wage.

In the face of an unprecedented pandemic and seemingly insurmountable difficulties, JFS continued to provide food security, children's services, mental health counseling, disability services, employment support, and housing stability. In the last year alone, JFS helped over 25,000 individuals with the aid of over 1,300 volunteers to stand strong against COVID-19 and address the needs of the community regardless of circumstance.

At the beginning of 2022, JFS became a temporary Afghan Refugee Resettlement Agency--providing comprehensive services to refugees arriving from Afghanistan who are starting new lives in in the Denver metro area. These services include cultural orientation, housing, employment, food, school enrollment, and referrals to language classes.

For 150 years our community has been made a better, more inclusive place to live because of the thousands of selfless JFS volunteers who have pulled upon their faith to serve our community and improve the lives of others. I congratulate and thank JFS for their service to our community and look forward to the incredible achievements the next 150 years will bring.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the service and accomplishments of Colonel Stephen Gourley and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement. He took the values from his years of service and cultivated a post-service career that made lasting impacts in our community by educating, advocating, and supporting veterans and their families.

Prior to Colonel Gourley's contributions to our community, he served our nation with honor as a 26-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Throughout his service, he worked on projects in space acquisition and operations--commanding teams and space systems of the highest national importance.

Upon retirement from active duty, Colonel Gourley came to Colorado and began working on behalf of veterans and furthering youth STEM education. After years of service as an active member of the Air Force Association--where he led the development and implementation of StellarXplorers--Colonel Gourley was appointed to serve as the Chair of the Aurora Defense Council. Colonel Gourley worked diligently to ensure the Council continued operating throughout the pandemic--conducting virtual meetings focused on strengthening military healthcare, promoting the aerospace industry, establishing the Aurora Armed Forces Treatment Court, recognizing those who served during the pandemic, and supporting the people and missions of the U.S. Military.

Colonel Gourley's contributions to our country and community epitomize what it means to practice servant leadership. I congratulate Colonel Gourley on his retirement and thank him for his service to our community and Nation.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the members of South Metro Fire Rescue for their bravery and professionalism in combating the devastating Marshall fire that swept across Boulder County.

As we prepared to ring in the new year, Colorado experienced the most destructive wildfire in its history. Faced with hurricane-level winds that fueled rapid spread, our very own South Metro firefighters jumped into action. They sacrificed time with family during the holidays and put their lives on the line to protect thousands of homes, save countless lives, and make our community proud.

Rising temperatures and prolonged drought have made wildfires a part of everyday life in Colorado. As Coloradans inevitably face similar challenges in the coming years, I am grateful to have the heroes at South Metro representing and protecting our community.

I am honored to recognize the members of South Metro Fire Rescue for their service to our community and thank them for inspiring a hope in our future, a hope that together we can face the challenges of this new future head-on.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of El Comercio de Colorado for receiving 14 national journalism awards granted by the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP).

In my time in Congress, I have been proud to represent the most diverse district in Colorado. With people from all walks of life and over 120,000 immigrants calling our community home, our diversity makes our community a stronger and more vibrant place to live.

As our district's Latino and Hispanic populations have grown, El Comercio de Colorado has offered high-quality Spanish-language content for our community. As the publication has gained recognition. Jesus Sanchez, chief editor of El Comercio de Colorado, has made it his mission to provide our Spanish-speaking community with a publication that provides well-sourced information about what is happening across our district and nation.

The hard work and dedication shown by Jesus and his staff at El Comercio de Colorado has more than paid off as the publication was awarded 14 national journalism awards by the NAHP, including five first place recognitions for Outstanding Entertainment Section, Outstanding Latin American Article, Outstanding Community Photo, Outstanding Cultural Photo Essay, and Outstanding Editorial Audio. These awards truly demonstrate the hard-earned trust El Comercio de Colorado has built within our community.

It goes without saying that the Latino and Hispanic communities in our district play an integral role in making the Sixth District a better

place to live. Publications like El Comercio de Colorado play a vital role in making our community feel like home for everyone--no matter their ethnicity, religion, or place of birth. Our community owes El Comercio de Colorado a debt of gratitude for their remarkable work and I congratulate them on receiving this well-deserved recognition.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of volunteers led by Maisha Fields, Jessica Price, Andrea Herbert, and Kelly Osuna for their work providing equitable access to the lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine.

The devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been felt in every corner of our community. Unfortunately, underserved communities have borne the brunt of the pandemic--with racial and ethnic minority groups contracting and dying from COVID-19 at a much higher rate due to discriminatory healthcare practices, lack of healthcare access, disproportionate representation in front-line occupations, and unfair and crowded housing conditions.

As the COVID-19 vaccine finally began its rollout, many breathed a sigh of relief as a return to normalcy seemed within view. However, community leaders like Maisha, Jessica, Andrea, and Kelly--who had seen first-hand the effects of inequity in our pandemic response--knew vaccine accessibility would not only face similar challenges reaching marginalized groups but would ultimately hamper our recovery and cost even more lives.

These four incredible women jumped into action and created a system of equitable vaccine clinics that operated throughout underserved communities in Arapahoe and Adams Counties. Their efforts included extensive collaboration with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, finding and securing accessible venues, and recruiting volunteers to work at the clinics as translators, organizers, and vaccine administrators. Despite working full-time, this group of women went on to hold over 150 equity vaccine clinics throughout our community--culminating in more than 50,000 people receiving life-saving vaccines.

Time and time again, it is community leaders like Maisha, Jessica, Andrea, Kelly, and their devoted group of volunteers who give me hope we can overcome any challenges that are thrown our way. I am honored to recognize this group of volunteers led by these four women and I thank them for their work putting our community on a path towards a more equitable and safe place to call home.

Madam Speaker, I, along with Representative Perlmutter, Representative DeGette, Representative Lamborn, Representative Neguse, Senator Hickenlooper, and Senator Bennet rise today to recognize the service and accomplishments of Major General Jay Lindell and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement.

A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Major General Lindell served our nation as a fighter pilot and as Commander of the 35th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea and the 27th Operations Group at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico.

In his highly decorated career, Major General Lindell logged more than 4,000 flying hours and was a recipient of the Silver Star--the third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. After leaving his combat role, he went on to serve as a Colonel, a Brigadier General, and was eventually promoted to Major General to serve as the Director of Global Power Programs in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition.

After over 33 years of valiant service to our country, Major General Lindell left the Air Force and was appointed by the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade as Colorado's Aerospace & Defense Industry Champion. Due in no small part to Major General Lindell's dynamic and inspirational leadership, Colorado soon ranked No. 1 in the nation in aerospace employment per capita. During his tenure, Colorado became the proud home of the United States Space Command Headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base and saw two bases redesignated: Buckley Space Force Base in Aurora and Schriever Space Force Base in Colorado Springs.

Beyond Major General Lindell's dedication to the aerospace and defense industry, he has given back to our community and made it his mission to advocate on behalf of active duty veterans and their families. Major General Lindell has served on several boards committed to strengthening our community through providing youth space education programs, creating economic opportunities for veterans, and ensuring we fulfil our sacred promise to care for veterans and their families when they return from duty.

Major General Lindell's contributions to our country and the community epitomize what it means to go above and beyond the call of duty. We congratulate Major General Lindell on his retirement and thank him for his service to our community and nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today along with my colleague, Congressman Perlmutter, to recognize the exceptional accomplishments of Mr. Raymond H. Gonzales and commend him for his outstanding work as County Manager of Adams County--the 5th largest county in the State of Colorado.

Mr. Gonzales is a third generation Coloradan, proud son of Brighton, Colorado, and a dedicated public servant with over 20 years of experience. As County Manager, he supported more than 2,500 personnel, and has always remained devoted to not only his staff, but to all county employees. Adams County has flourished under his nine years of leadership. In a recent survey, 94 percent of employees

named the County an ``Employer of Choice.'' In 2019, he was the first county manager to receive the ``County Manager of the Year'' award from the Colorado City and County Management Association.

Mr. Gonzales has dutifully implemented the policies and priorities of the Board of County Commissioners and expertly overseen the day-to-day operations of the county throughout his tenure. Mr. Gonzalez managed many initiatives that positively impacted the residents of Adams County. Initiatives such as the People and Culture Services Department, the establishment of a new animal shelter, the completion of the state- of-the-art human services building, and a new Veterans memorial dedicated to Adams County Veterans who served and sacrificed for their country.

We thank Mr. Gonzales for his years of service to Adams County, and we are pleased he will be taking the next step in his career as the President of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation (MDEDC) and Executive Vice President of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to the incredible things he will do for the State of Colorado.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Dr. Michael

Eduardo Cortes and congratulate him on his retirement. Throughout his career, Dr. Cortes has played an integral role in strengthening and empowering our district's Latino community.

Cortes' career in academia has taken him across the nation, with faculty and administrative appointments at the University of Colorado Denver, the University of San Francisco, and the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught graduate courses in social policy advocacy and public policy analysis. Cortes also served as Scholar in Residence and Special Community Member at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work where he tackled questions surrounding income security and care for disabled Latino elders, policy analysis and advocacy by public charities, and improvement of curricula in schools of social work.

His contribution to the community did not stop there. Dr. Cortes spends much of his time outside work volunteering to help Latinos in Colorado solve problems facing their communities. Recently, Dr. Cortes was honored by the Latino Caucus in the Colorado General Assembly for his work as executive director at the Colorado Latino Leadership, Advocacy, and Research Organization (CLLARO). In this role, he led the organization in its effort to empower Latinos across Colorado through leadership development, advocacy, and policy research.

Dr. Cortes' extraordinary career and service to our community has caused a positive ripple effect across our community that has certainly not gone unnoticed. I congratulate Dr. Cortes on his retirement and thank him for his incredible dedication to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor twelve Colorado nurses who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and been recognized by the Colorado Nurses Foundation (CNF) with the Nightingale Award for working tirelessly to advance the nursing profession, improve quality and access to care, and positively impact their communities.

The CNF has dedicated itself to creating a sustainable health care system for our community and the entire state of Colorado. Throughout their decades of work, and especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, they have continued to work tirelessly to advance their vision of a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable care environment for Colorado nurses and the people they serve. CNF offers scholarships, funds research projects, runs educational initiatives, and makes a concerted effort to recognize nurses who make a difference in the profession.

To this end, CNF hosts the Nightingale Gala each year to recognize pioneers in nursing from across the state who have continuously pushed the boundaries of their profession. This year, the Foundation recognized twelve exemplary nurses who went to great lengths to serve their community by finding innovative solutions to problems like expanding telehealth, combatting sexual assault, and large-scale vaccine administration.

These nurses made a profound difference in our community, and I am proud to recognize the twelve Nightingale Award winners:

Jenifer Bartel, RN, BSN from Parkview Medical Center

Kathy Casey, RN, PHD from Denver Health

Jennifer Coffman, RN, MSN, JD from Children's Hospital Colorado

Christina Denton, RN MSN from UC Health

Amy Dreher, RN, BSN, MPH from Falcon School District 49

Brian Fun, RN, BSN from Denver Health Medical Center

Catherine Kleiner, RN, PhD from Children's Hospital Colorado

Stacey Kreil, RN, DNP from Centura-Penrose-St. Francis Health Services

Dixie Melton, RN, MSN from Centura Health Ignacio Family Medicine

Laura Sandoval-Adams, RN, BSN from Parkview Health System

Rosalyn Walker, RN, MSN from Centura Health St. Thomas More Hospital

Lori Wightman, RN, DNP from SCL Health.

The work and sacrifice by nurses in our community has taken on a whole new meaning these past few years. From twelve-hour shifts, to being forced to isolate from loved ones--nurses have held our community together while enduring enormous personal costs. Still, these nurses have overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges to pioneer breakthroughs in their profession.

Our community is forever indebted to these heroes, and I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize the twelve Nightingale Award winners as well as thank the Colorado Nurses Foundation for their dedication to advancing the nursing profession and keeping our community healthy and safe.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Haneen Omar. A brilliant entrepreneur and dedicated civil servant, Haneen has made it her life's work to aid the underprivileged and make our community a better place to live.

Many American families struggle to find quality caregiving for their loved-ones, forcing them to shoulder the immense responsibility themselves. In 2016, Haneen recognized this need in our community and founded the 2nd Home Adult Day Service Center of Aurora to provide the elderly and individuals with disabilities daytime programming, emotional support, and assistance with healthcare issues. Haneen designed 2nd Home to provide the highest quality care to these individuals so family members and caregivers can take a break and relieve stress--all while maintaining the much-needed peace of mind that their loved ones are in safe hands.

Haneen did not stop there. In 2019, she founded Helm Community Services (HCS), and this past August, HCS organized the second annual ``Taste of the Middle East'' festival to celebrate the Middle Eastern culture that is such a rich part of our community. Community members from every walk of life came together to listen to Middle Eastern artists and try Middle Eastern staples like Manooshe, Turkish Coffee Cup Reading, Henna, and delicious food from local restaurants. Our community is stronger for its embrace of diversity.

Throughout Haneen's career, she has been a tireless advocate for those who are all-too-often marginalized. Driven by her mission to bring the community together--regardless of beliefs, race, or cultural background--Haneen has found unbelievable strength in differences and diversity. I congratulate Haneen on her incredible achievements and express my sincere gratitude for her dedication, leadership, and service to our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3462, the bipartisan SBA Cyber Awareness Act.

As we all know, small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and they are certainly the backbone of my community. However, these small businesses are also increasingly the target of cyberattacks and theft of data and intellectual property.

Unfortunately, Federal agencies are not immune to such attacks either. For more than 20 years, SBA's Office of Inspector General has listed IT security as one of the most serious management and performance challenges facing the agency.

During the pandemic, demand for relief programs like PPP and EIDL have overwhelmed SBA's IT systems. As a result, a glitch in the EIDL application system led to an exposure of personal information of over 8,000 applicants with no public announcement of the data breach until weeks later.

The SBA Cyber Awareness Act would direct SBA to issue an annual report assessing its cybersecurity infrastructure. The bill would also require the SBA to report cyber-threats, breaches, and cyberattacks to the House Small Business Committee and the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and notify affected individuals and small businesses within 30 days of an incident.

Cyberattacks are one of the biggest threats to our economy, small businesses, and way of life. This bill would ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect the millions of small businesses that the SBA serves and prepare them for 21st century threats.

I would like to thank Chairwoman Velazquez and Ranking Member Luetkemeyer for the bipartisan support and my friend, Young Kim from California, for joining with me on this very important effort.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of my colleagues to join with us and support this bill.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the accomplishments of Leanna Harris, Jamie Sarche, and Cary Chapman who will be honored by the Jewish Family Service (JFS) for making a lasting impact in our community.

Each year, JFS honors three individuals who embody the Jewish value of Tikkun Olam--the obligation to make the world a better place--and impact our community through exemplary leadership, philanthropy, and dedication to JFS. The winners come from all walks of life but unite around their values to provide premier human services to those in need no matter their faith, age, income, ability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

The ``Yana Vishnitsky Leadership Award'' is given to one individual who embodies former JFS president and CEO, Yana Vishnitsky's, commitment to exemplary leadership, public service and those in need. This year's winner is Leanna Harris who, in addition to her work as an author and educational consultant dedicated to improving student achievement, serves on the JFS Board of Directors and spends many of her days volunteering at the local Weinberg Food Pantry.

The ``Joyce and Kal Zeff Humanitarian Award'' is given to two individuals who embody the passion of two legendary community leaders who made a lasting impact as a part of JFS--Joyce and Kal Zeff. This year's winners are Jamie Sarche and Cary Chapman--both of whom, motivated by their faith, have served on the JFS Board of Directors and committed themselves to JFS' mission to make our community a better place.

In the face of challenges like mental health difficulties, homelessness, and food insecurity--all heightened by the ongoing COVID- 19 pandemic--our community needs heroes. In the last year alone, JFS helped over 25,000 individuals with the aid of over 1,300 volunteers who have pulled upon their faith to serve as heroes in our community and in the lives of others. I congratulate Leanna Harris, Jamie Sarche, and Cary Chapman on their award, and I thank them for their work making our community a better, more inclusive place to live.

Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the accomplishments of Maria Bales, Heidi Ganahl, and Dr. Shauna Gulley who will be honored by the Northwest Douglas County Chamber & Economic Development Corporation as ``Women Who Soar.''

Each year, the Northwest Douglas County Chamber & Economic Development Corporation recognizes three women in the Denver Metro Community who inspire our community and are blazing the path for future generations.

Maria Bales has been recognized as a ``Woman Who Soars'' because of her strength in turning heartbreak into inspiration. In 2016, while a sophomore at Arapahoe High School, her son Nick Bales started Brought to Reality (BTR) to bring awareness to teen mental health and end the stigma surrounding mental illness. Tragically, on September 29, 2018, Nick took his own life. After her son's passing, Maria made it her mission to continue Nick's work and fight each day to spare other parents, siblings, and friends from feeling how her family did. As a survivor of incredible adversity in the face of the unthinkable, she used that same adversity to inspire and help others. That strength makes her truly deserving of such an honor.

Heidi Ganahl has been recognized as a ``Woman Who Soars'' because of her entrepreneurial success. She is the founder of the recently launched women's lifestyle brand SheFactor but is best known as the founder of Camp Bow Wow, where she turned a lifelong passion for dogs into the largest pet care franchise in the world. She's passionate about giving back and in 2013 founded the Fight Back Foundation, a charity to positively tackle the most pressing issues facing our kids today.

Dr. Shauna Gulley has been recognized as a ``Woman Who Soars'' because of her exemplary leadership and exceptional background, knowledge, expertise, and record of success in bettering our community. Dr. Gulley provides strategic direction to Centura Health in its mission to build whole person care and flourishing communities. Her work focuses on optimizing clinical quality and patient safety, building world-class clinical service lines, and promoting an agile, team-based culture at the forefront of all they do.

From overcoming incredible adversity to showcasing exemplary leadership in medicine and business, this year's recipients have made a lasting impact on those around them and in our community. It is leaders like these three women who will allow us to achieve a more prosperous and inclusive future and I congratulate them all on being recognized as ``Women Who Soar.''

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the accomplishments of Tom Bugnitz and congratulate him on his upcoming retirement. For over 20 years, Tom was a proud resident of Colorado where he dedicated his career to helping manufacturing businesses and their people be and do better.

Most recently, Tom led Manufacturers Edge, a non-profit that positioned itself as the ``go to'' resource for the manufacturing industry in Colorado. Under Tom's leadership, Manufacturers Edge built a strong team of dedicated professionals and developed an extensive portfolio of services--all while dealing with economic uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tom's inspirational leadership in manufacturing, however, is not confined only to Colorado state lines. Tom was instrumental in forming the Center Leadership Team (CLT) for the National Institute of the Standards and Technology's (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program that developed and deployed cybersecurity services to manufacturers across the United States. Additionally, as the MEP Center Director for Colorado, Tom mentored, inspired, and supported other Center Directors across the country while working to ensure the voice of Colorado manufacturers were heard by local, state, and federal lawmakers.

Throughout Tom's career he has been a champion for small- and medium- sized manufacturers both in Colorado and across the country. Further, his coworkers attest that through hard work, integrity, and a genuine passion for making an impact on those around him, Tom changed the staff of Manufacturer's Edge from a group of people who work together to a family united behind the same mission--to grow and strengthen the Colorado manufacturing community.

Tom's contributions to the community, the manufacturing industry, and those around him have been enormous. I congratulate Tom Bugnitz on his retirement and thank him for his service to our community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Renaissance Veterans Apartments at Fitzsimons in Aurora, Colorado, for receiving the 2021 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award by demonstrating one of the most impactful uses of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit--the primary tool to build new affordable homes for the most vulnerable populations in Colorado and the Nation.

As you know, our Nation's lack of affordable housing has reached crisis levels in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Colorado alone, over 175,000 renters pay more than half of their monthly income on rent, leaving too little for other expenses like health care, transportation, and food, let alone education or retirement savings.

However, using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Renaissance Veterans Apartments built 59 new affordable homes in order to house and provide quality services to veterans who were formerly unhoused or are living with physical disabilities.

I applaud the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, National Affordable Housing Trust, Colorado Division of Housing, City of Aurora,

Home Depot, and all who made Renaissance Veterans Apartments possible, and I thank them for serving our community.