Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a good and selfless neighbor in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, my friend, Rick Grizzell, from Goochland County, Virginia.

After Hurricane Helene swept through the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia last year, Virginians across the Commonwealth answered the call.

Rick formed a team of Virginians, in conjunction with the Goochland County Tea Party, to collect donations and take them to folks in need. They collected and delivered tents, propane tanks, sleeping bags, winter clothes, heaters, food and water, and much more.

As recently as last week, Rick received a call on Monday and delivered supplies on Tuesday. Rick and his team save lives with his work, and I am extremely privileged to recognize a hero like Rick Grizzell.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Gail Acampora from Prospect, Virginia. I am lucky enough to call Gail a close friend of mine. She has always been interested in politics and is an avid supporter of President Trump.

In 2021, Gail was diagnosed with lung cancer. She has had a lobe and lymph nodes removed and went through tough chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she is still fighting after another cancer diagnosis.

Her strong faith in God and positive attitude will keep her on the road to recovery.

Tracy and I are with Gail, and I know she is going to fight hard and beat this thing. I ask that everyone include her in your prayers.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a fellow veteran and champion for students in the Goochland and Richmond community, the president of the Benedictine Schools of Richmond, Jesse Grapes.

Mr. Grapes embodies the spirit of service.

The day after the September 11 attacks, Mr. Grapes joined the Marine Corps as an infantry platoon commander. He deployed for three combat tours in Iraq and earned the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.

He continued his life of service after he returned home. In 2010, he became headmaster of Benedictine College Preparatory, and in 2020 he was announced as president of Benedictine Schools of Richmond.

The Benedictine Schools of Richmond offer a good, Christian-based education that prepares their students for life.

Mr. Speaker, as a fellow veteran and Navy SEAL, I know you can never have enough marines around. I thank Mr. Grapes for his service to our country and our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember the life of Paul Jackson from Victoria, Virginia.

On March 15, Paul's life was tragically cut short while doing what he loved, flying his helicopter. Last year, Paul was asked to help with Hurricane Helene relief in North Carolina. Over the next 10 days, he flew critical supplies to North Carolina on his own dime.

Paul was President Trump's number one fan. He was a personal friend to me, and he made anyone he met want to be a better person. His daughter, Raven, described him as a true patriot and a man who loved our country.

Paul is survived by his wife, Christy; his son, Christopher; his daughter, Raven; his five grandchildren; his brother, Nelson; and many, many friends.

I hope everyone hearing this will strive to help others, just like Paul.

Mr. Speaker, we have some amazing people in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District that spend their life helping others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish happy birthday to the president of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce, Anne Moore- Sparks, who celebrated her birthday on March 1.

Anne is a native of Danville and graduate of Averett University and the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. She has lived her entire life in service to the citizens of Danville and Pittsylvania County.

As President of the Chamber, she has led the charge to build a secure economy in southside Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Anne on her success and wish her a happy birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gleaning For The World, a Christian-based nonprofit in my district, Virginia-05, that helps people recover from disasters.

Mr. Speaker, they have distributed over 100 million pounds of humanitarian aid around the globe. When devastating floods hit southwest Virginia due to Hurricane Helene and when southwest Virginia was hit by harmful snowstorms, Gleaning For The World answered the call.

During my first district work period this year, I visited Gleaning For The World's headquarters in Appomattox County. I was moved by their compassion for their fellow man and their willingness to give to others.

Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the cheerful givers of Gleaning For The World, and I am honored to have them as my constituents.

Mr. Speaker, southwest Virginia, in Congressman Morgan Griffith's district, has been hit hard by storms over and over again in the past few months, including Hurricane Helene. I visited Damascus in October, where I cooked and served food for first responders with my team for the victims of Hurricane Helene.

My thoughts and prayers have been with southwest Virginia since then and certainly remain today as they deal with the consequences of continued flooding.

I rise today to recognize and commend the nine members of the Lynchburg Fire Department's Urban Search and Rescue Team who recently deployed to southwest Virginia in anticipation of further flooding.

The Lynchburg search and rescue team represents what it means to be a proud Virginian. No matter where you are in the Commonwealth, when you are in need, a fellow Virginian gives you a hand.

Our first responders are critical to our safety, not just in disasters but every day. To all of those on the front lines, I thank them. May God and their training keep them safe.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an important milestone in my congressional career. Last week, I introduced my first bill as a Member of this body. I introduced the Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act.

For me, this is a safety concern. On the one hand, this bill helps farmers and loggers feed and fuel this country by helping them move product across the Commonwealth of Virginia directly from their farms to their processors, but the bill also increases transportation safety.

Agriculture and logging are two of the largest industries in the Commonwealth of Virginia, combining for over $120 billion in annual economic impact. However, unlike many other States, currently Virginia loggers primarily use rural roadways to transport product because of weight limitations on interstate highways.

My bill increases the maximum weight allowance from 80,000 pounds to 90,000 pounds on interstate highways in Virginia for trucks hauling certain agricultural and forest products. This will ensure a safer and more efficient transportation system while reducing congestion and fatalities on secondary roads.

I am proud that the first bill that I introduced in Congress is very important not only for my district but for the rest of the Commonwealth.

I thank Congressman Rob Wittman for supporting this legislation, and I thank the associations that advocated for this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember the award-winning TV anchor, Mark Spain. On December 18, central Virginia lost a friend in WSET ABC 13 News anchor Mark Spain after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Mark Spain was known for his sense of humor, his smile, and his positive nicknames for his friends in the office. Mark was a consistent voice in the community and will be remembered as a pillar in the Lynchburg, Virginia, area.

On January 4, a day after being sworn into Congress, I attended Mark Spain's celebration of life at the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Mr. Speaker, today from the House floor I want to take a moment to remember Mark Spain and say that Tracy and I join our community in praying for Mark, his wife Lynita, their three children, and the WSET ABC 13 News family during this difficult time.

Mr. Speaker, today I rise today to honor an amazing person, Frances Mae West Byers from Bumpass, Virginia, in my district, Virginia's Fifth Congressional District.

Mrs. Byers was born on January 25, 1915, in Hanover County, where my family is from, in the district, and she just celebrated her 110th birthday on January 25, 2025.

In 1932, she married John Franklin Byers and became the proud matriarch of a lineage that now spans six generations.

Her family's dedication to service is evident with three sons in the military. John was in the Navy. Thomas was in the Army. Paul was in the Air Force. Her son Dan served on the Louisa Board of Supervisors.

Mrs. Byers has lived a life grounded in morality. In addition to her faith, which she has in common with me, we have never tasted alcohol, and we have never smoked. Instead, she invests her time reading the Bible and helping those in need, which I have no doubt has added significantly to her longevity and to the vitality of her spirit.

At the remarkable age of 110, Frances Mae still leads a home Bible study, sharing her wisdom and faith with others.

On behalf of the people of Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, I wish Mrs. Byers a happy 110th birthday.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the March for Life. Life is a miracle, and it must be protected. I have this small camouflage backpack I have carried in the general assembly for 7 years and now in Congress with a small baby sock to remind us of our most vulnerable.

This week I was proud to cosponsor the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, legislation that continues House Republicans' theme of commonsense measures for the 119th Congress. This bill requires that healthcare providers treat babies born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion with compassion and dignity.

I encourage all of my colleagues across the aisle to vote for life in favor of this legislation. As thousands of people come to our Nation's Capital and rally to support the right for life, I would like everyone to take a moment and remember the millions of unborn feet this small sock could have warmed.

Recognizing National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. It can happen anywhere, and it can impact anyone, regardless of race, religion, or creed.

During my time in the Virginia General Assembly, I have fought on the legislative front lines to stiffen felony penalties for human traffickers. Now as a Member of Congress, I am going to continue the fight, and I encourage everyone to help raise awareness so we can save lives.

Whether it is learning more about the telltale signs of human trafficking or reaching out to your local authorities to learn about their efforts, if you see something, say something. Do something.

I encourage everyone to do their homework. Learn more about human trafficking, and join the fight to protect the vulnerable.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the Representative of Virginia's Fifth Congressional District.

I am honored to serve nearly 800,000 Virginians.

Virginia, thousands of miles from the border, is a border State. Every county, city, and town is a border county, city, and town under the current administration.

Last week, I voted on my first bill, the Laken Riley Act. Illegal aliens are robbing, sexually assaulting, and murdering American citizens. This bill detains illegal immigrants who commit additional crimes, like theft, until they get deported.

Laken had a bright future, but her life was cut short when an illegal alien murdered her while she was jogging one morning. She fought and did everything right.

The perpetrator kept getting released from jail because of weak America-last policies.

I was proud to vote in favor of this legislation introduced by my good friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Collins), who is empowering law enforcement to do their job.