Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to spotlight the over 32,000 honorable Hoosier veterans across Indiana's Sixth District.

A recurring theme I have heard from veterans as I move around the district is how difficult it can be to obtain the care that they have earned through their service. I am listening to these concerns and working hard to address them.

I had the opportunity this month to welcome our Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Doug Collins, to the Roudebush VA Medical Center back home in Indiana, where we discussed these very concerns close to our Hoosier veterans.

I am supporting legislation that ensures that our veterans receive the care and benefits that they have earned. I will continue to fight for my Hoosier veterans from my post here in Washington and back home in my district.

Mr. Speaker, Indiana is at the Crossroads of America. The Indianapolis International Airport is in my district. It is one of the reasons we proudly hold the claim to the distinction of Crossroads of America.

This past month, Indianapolis International Airport welcomed a nonstop transatlantic flight to one of our gates. The flight from Indianapolis to Dublin on Aer Lingus marked the start of daily nonstop service to this European gateway and onward connections throughout Europe.

Importantly, it represents an important economic development tool. Indianapolis has long been recognized as one of our country's best midsize airports. We completed a multiyear, multibillion-dollar infrastructure project to ensure that Indianapolis is prepared for our growing economy.

In addition to 53 nonstop designations served by Indianapolis, we are the home of FedEx's national hub, only the second largest in the country for FedEx. Our maiden Aer Lingus flight is a testament to the strength of Indianapolis and reflects the global reach of our Hoosier economy.

I look forward to continuing my work to enhance IND and other airports across Indiana's Sixth District.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of our law enforcement community in Indiana's Sixth District and across our Hoosier State.

Police Week is a time for all of us to recognize and honor those serving our communities and, most especially, those who have given their lives in the line of duty.

This week, I was joined by our Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess. Duane and his deputies work tirelessly to keep Johnson County a safe community in which to live, work, and to raise a family.

I thank Sheriff Burgess for his many years of dedicated service.

During my short time in Congress, I have prioritized issues, including protecting qualified immunity and officer safety and wellness. I remain committed to providing support for our law enforcement officers who do such vital work to protect our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Hoosier basketball star Braylon Mullins of Greenfield, Indiana.

Braylon has distinguished himself not only as the best high school basketball player in my home State but as one of the best players in the Nation.

This past season, he led his high school, Greenfield Central, to its best season in school history, finishing 23-4. On the court, Braylon averaged an incredible 33 points per game, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He shattered school records, setting the highest point total for the season with 887 points and setting a single-game scoring record of 52 points.

For his incredible achievements, Braylon earned the title of Indiana's Gatorade Player of the Year; McDonald's All American; and, most importantly, Indiana's Mr. Basketball.

Although he is leaving the Hoosier State to begin his collegiate career at UConn, we will never forget the great accomplishments of Braylon and that which he has brought to our State. Braylon is one of our own. He has made us proud, and we wish him the very best as he takes this next step in his athletic career.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hundreds of young Hoosiers who just participated in our annual Special Olympics Indiana Youth Basketball Tournament.

Basketball is a beloved tradition in my Hoosier State, and this tournament is amongst the largest in North America. It has been hosted at the University of Indianapolis, just 2 miles from my home, since 2010.

This year's event brought together athletes from across our State to compete in five-on-five, three-on-three, and individual basketball skill competitions.

Special Olympics Indiana transforms young lives through the power of sports, breaking down barriers while building up kids with intellectual disabilities. It provides 19,000 Hoosier youth an opportunity to fulfill their sporting ambitions, all with the support of 10,000 volunteers and not one red cent of taxpayer money.

These special young athletes embody the spirit of perseverance on the court and in their lives. They have bright futures ahead of them, and we are proud.

Mr. Speaker, the robotics industry is quietly reshaping the manufacturing and distribution economies of Indiana and our world.

I rise today to congratulate a team of extraordinary young students at Greenfield-Central High School back home in my district for their winning performance at our Indiana State robotics competition.

Greenfield-Central's team surpassed 62 other terrific Hoosier teams to claim top honors. Coach Jason led The Exothermics, Greenfield Central's team, comprised of juniors Simon, Hayley, and Brayden.

These talented young Hoosiers will again showcase their talents at VEX World competition in Dallas later this year. These students exemplify the best of the next generation of innovators, engineers, and scientists. Their work underscores the importance of a STEM education.

Many Hoosiers have celebrated victories on basketball courts, and I am proud to take this opportunity to spotlight these victories of our young Hoosiers in robotics innovation. Their talented minds will reshape our economy.

Mr. Speaker, during this past district work period, I had the opportunity of hosting discussions with business leaders and constituents across Indiana's Sixth District. With our community leaders, we had conversations that focused on the need to extend the progrowth policies of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Over 17 visits across my district, I spoke with our seniors on Medicare Advantage. I spoke with Hoosier farmers on National Ag Day at our Purdue Extension facility in Johnson County. I heard from our Indiana Realtors--and no one knows our communities like our Realtors-- about the importance of homeownership and having sufficient housing inventory for job growth and economic creation.

I appreciate these listen-and-learn opportunities with our local small businesses and constituents. All policy is so very local.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to work with businesses across Indiana's Sixth District to bring business sense to Washington. The American people expect results, and we must deliver.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition of the outstanding leadership of Sheriff Randy Retter, who dedicated 37 years of law enforcement experience to my district in Wayne County.

Over that career, Sheriff Retter has worked tirelessly, holding positions of ever-increasing responsibility, beginning as a road patrol officer before being ultimately elected sheriff of Wayne County and having served as president of the Indiana Sheriffs' Association.

It was as sheriff that Mr. Retter met with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to diligently detain illegal criminal migrants, making the Sixth District far safer for Hoosiers to live and work in.

It was this past Tuesday in the joint session that I had the privilege of hosting Sheriff Retter as my guest for the President's joint address to Congress. It was our first. We shared that experience together.

It was there that the President reaffirmed his steadfast support for our Nation's law enforcement officers and their vital work to protect our communities.

Mr. Speaker, during our district workweek this past week, I had the opportunity to visit with Hoosiers across Indiana's Sixth District. I applied my first in-district workweek traveling from Indianapolis to Columbus and points in between. It was great to hear directly from Hoosiers about their priorities and listening to the issues that are important to them.

Above all else, in this role, our job as Representatives is to listen to our constituents. I was honored to attend the Indiana National Guard change of command ceremony, at which Brigadier General Lawrence Muennich assumed command from Major General Dale Lyles, making General Muennich the 60th Adjutant General of Indiana's National Guard.

I met with constituents from the Indiana Railroad Association and the Indiana Trucking Association. The district that I represent literally lies at the crossroads of America, and industries such as these represent key parts of the lifeblood of our economy.

Indiana's Sixth continues to be home to safe and prosperous communities in which to raise families. It was highlighted by my visit with the leadership of Franklin College and a number of state of the city addresses that occur in the month of January, including Greenwood's, where I attended Mayor Mark Myers' 14th state of the city address.

I visited with the leadership of Cummins Engine Company, headquartered in the district. I toured their cutting-edge engineering facility at their Cummins Engine plant.

I toured Rolls Royce and their massive aircraft engine design and manufacturing facility, where they are at the leading edge of military aircraft production for our national defense.

I also visited with SABIC, a company in Bartholomew County that is part of a global plastics industry.

At each of these companies in my district, I witnessed the best of Indiana: highly-skilled, hardworking Hoosiers who are contributing to the success and the defense of our country.

Above all, I heard a common theme as I traveled my district: Let's bring more Hoosier common sense to Washington.

Mr. Speaker, that is the commitment I made, and that is what I will continue to do.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the memory of a fellow Hoosier, Joey Handlon of Greenwood. He lost his life to fentanyl in 2022.

Joey was deeply loved by his parents, Kathy and Jamison Carrier. They have turned their grief into action, sharing Joey's story to help prevent other families from experiencing similar heartbreak.

Last week, on this House floor, I voted for the HALT Fentanyl Act. It represents a crucial step to providing law enforcement with the necessary tools to keep these deadly drugs off of our streets and to save countless lives.

We must come together to confront this crisis by securing our borders, by holding traffickers accountable, and supporting those impacted. Together, we can save lives, and, in doing so, honor the legacy of Joey Handlon.