Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Tom Chalfant for his contribution to our state and Randolph County.

Tom is a farmer in Randolph County and also serves as a County Commissioner. He has been involved in Republican politics for decades and is extremely well respected by the community. He is also a member of the 6th District Agriculture Advisory Committee, where he meets with my team regularly to discuss emerging agriculture issues that are impacting Indiana farmers. Randolph County and our state are better off today because of his leadership and service.

On a personal note, Tom is a friend in faith and was among my earliest and most vocal supporters. I want to thank him for his prayers and support of my work in Congress. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Mayor Mike Pavey for his contribution to our state and the City of Rushville.

Throughout his career, Mike has served Rush County and the City of Rushville with honor and integrity. From his time on the city council to his service as mayor, Mike has made improving the quality of life in the community his main priority. Several economic development initiatives, including being designated as a Stellar Community in 2016, have helped improve the City of Rushville. Without a doubt, our state is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service.

On a personal note, Mike has been a loyal friend and wise adviser during my entire tenure in Congress. I want to thank him for his friendship and support of my work. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Dominic Grote for his contribution to our state and the City of Madison.

As a member of the 6th District Manufacturing Advisory Committee, Dominic regularly met with my team to discuss emerging manufacturing issues that are impacting Indiana. Dominic is an important business leader in the Madison community and Indiana is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service.

On a personal note, Dominic is a loyal friend and wise adviser. I want to thank the Grote family for their friendship and incredible support of my work in Congress. I wish them continued success in all that God has planned for their family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Mayor Chuck Fewell for his contribution to our state and the City of Greenfield.

Throughout his career, Chuck has dedicated himself to serving our country, our state, and the City of Greenfield with honor and integrity. As mayor, Chuck has made improving the quality of life in Greenfield his main priority. Greenfield is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service.

On a personal note, Chuck is a loyal friend and wise adviser. Chuck is among my closest friends in politics. I want to thank him for his incredible support of my work in Congress. I wish Chuck continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Ann Ogle for her contribution to our state and her community.

Ann has spent her career working at Cummins and dedicates much of her free time toward volunteering in the community. Bartholomew County and our state are better off today because of her extraordinary leadership and service.

On a personal note, Ann and her late husband, Ted, are among my best friends in politics. They were among the first and most vocal supporters of my campaign for State Representative nearly twenty years ago. Jennifer and I cherish our friendship with the Ogles. They are great friends and wise advisers.

I want to thank Ann for her friendship and support of my work in Congress. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Lee and Rose McNeely for their contribution to our state and Shelby County.

The McNeelys have made a positive and lasting impact in their hometown of Shelbyville. Lee has had an incredible career as an attorney and is a founding partner of McNeely Stephenson, one of the top firms in the state. He has also served as a Trustee at our alma mater, Wabash College, and was President of the National Association of Wabash Men. I know our state is better off today because of the McNeely's extraordinary leadership and service to their community.

On a personal note, Jennifer and I cherish our friendship with Lee and Rose. They are loyal friends and wise advisers, who were among my earliest and most vocal supporters in Shelby County. We wish them continued success in all that God has planned for their family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Rev. Matthew Barnes for his contribution to our state.

For years, Matt has served as a pastor and spiritual leader at the Indiana Statehouse. Republicans and Democrats alike are blessed to have Matt around to pray with or turn to for guidance. I was fortunate to get to know Matt during my time in the Indiana General Assembly. Without a doubt, our state is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service.

Most importantly, Matt is a brother in Christ, and I appreciate his prayers and encouragement over the years. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family. No doubt, Matt is a man who will continue to serve the Lord.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Janice Silvey for her contribution to our state and Hancock County.

Janice has spent her career in public service, working in the Hancock County Treasurer's office for over 40 years and serving as the Treasurer for the past six years. Hancock County is better off today because of her extraordinary leadership and service.

On a personal note, I first met Janice almost a decade ago when I was running for Congress. She's an incredible woman and is unrelenting in her passion for advancing our shared Republican principles. She is a loyal friend and wise adviser.

I want to thank Janice for her friendship and support of my work in Congress. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her family.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the individuals who served on our 6th Congressional District Military Service Academy Nomination Board.

As a Member of Congress, I have the honor of nominating young Hoosiers from Indiana's 6th Congressional District to the United States Military Service Academies. Each Member of Congress may nominate up to ten candidates for each available vacancy to the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy, and the Merchant Marine Academy.

Each year, the members of the 6th Congressional District Military Service Academy Nomination Board work with my staff and I to evaluate the applications of young men and women from our District who are seeking admittance to a military academy. During my time in Congress, we have nominated more than 90 young men and women to these academies. Many of them have since graduated and are currently serving our country.

I want to thank all of the members of the Nomination Board, including, Nate LaMar, Jan Frazier, Robert Morrow, David Martin, and Kelly Poltrack for their service. The Board's insight and experience has always been helpful to me and my staff.

I appreciate their service on the Committee and their dedication to our country. I wish all of them continued success in whatever God has in store for them and their families.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of a good friend, and tremendous public servant, State Representative Tim Brown, who was severely injured in a recent motorcycle crash.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Doc Brown, a retired emergency room physician, during our time in the Indiana General Assembly.

I know firsthand that Doc Brown is a wise and humble man with a great sense of humor and the common sense to never take himself, or his important work, too seriously.

He's represented Hoosiers in the House since 1994 and, as Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he is a big reason why our state's fiscal health has become a model for the rest of the country.

But more than that, Doc Brown is good man who has dedicated his life to serving his fellow Hoosiers with kindness and compassion.

My family and I, along with all Hoosiers, continue to keep Doc Brown in our prayers and wish him a safe and speedy recovery.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentleman from California, Chairman McClintock, for his help on this bill; the gentlewoman from Guam, my friend, Ms. Bordallo, for her support as well; Chairman Bishop and all the members and staff of the Natural Resources Committee for their important work and for bringing this legislation to the House floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to recognize my son, Hudson, I guess named after a river, for tagging along with me and being here as well.

Mr. Speaker, as most of us learned in high school history, in 1803, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were commissioned by President Jefferson to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean across the United States.

This bill, the Eastern Legacy Extension Act, formally recognizes the important role States like Indiana, my home State, played in the expedition by extending the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to the east.

Currently, the trail only marks the western portion of Lewis and Clark's expedition. However, these explorers, as other speakers have said, traveled nearly 1,000 miles along the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers in States like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois before arriving in present day Missouri.

In fact, the town of Clarksville, Indiana, is named after William Clark after he famously stopped there to recruit members for the expedition.

To properly recognize this historic expedition and preserve the entire route Lewis and Clark took, Congress previously requested the National Park Service to study extending the trail along the route they took east of the Mississippi.

In February 2018, the final study was released, recommending that Congress designate the eastern leg of the expedition as part of the trail. This bill makes that a reality, and by recognizing the eastern portions of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, we make the entire national trail stronger.

This legislation will increase tourism opportunities for communities in Indiana and the rest of the 4,900-mile route and promote historic appreciation for the role Lewis and Clark played in making our country what it is today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation for their work on this legislation and, again, thank the committee and the chairmen for their work, too. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this historic bipartisan compromise that rolls back some of the most harmful policies from the Dodd-Frank Act and will help grow our economy.

The Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act includes bipartisan legislation that I authored to help communities in Indiana and across the United States save money on roads, bridges, and schools. It reverses a backward banking rule that gave foreign countries an advantage over American cities and towns. This will drive down the cost of borrowing and make it cheaper for cities and towns to finance local infrastructure projects.

Ultimately, this bill saves taxpayer dollars. That is why it has passed the House twice. It is supported by numerous advocacy groups, and my good friend, the State treasurer of Indiana, Kelly Mitchell. I applaud this bill's inclusion in this banking reform package, and I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend, Jacqueline Linda Blasdel, who recently passed away at the age of 80 in Greensburg, Indiana.

Jackie married Bill Blasdel on September 27, 1963, and they moved to Greensburg, Indiana in 1968. Bill and Jackie were both very active in the community. Jackie's extraordinary civic leadership included service as president of the American Cancer Society, a founding member of both Tree County Players and Tree City Singers, board member of Tulip Trace Girl Scout Council, Vice Chair of the Decatur County Republican Party, and President of the Chamber of Commerce. Jackie was also a 30 year member of the United Methodist Church and a member of the Greensburg Wesleyan Church.

In 1974, Jackie started the WB Panel company with Bill, which was later incorporated with an industrial oven company to form Blasdel Enterprises. Jackie was the CEO for over 35 years. In 2007, she was awarded the Distinguished Hoosier Award from Governor Mitch Daniels and a state recognition from the Republican Party. In 2010, Jackie and Bill were recognized with the Greensburg Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award.

I got to know Jackie during her time as Vice-Chair of the Republican Party. Jackie and

Bill have both been supporters and friends throughout my political career. Jackie was a wise mentor--always encouraging, never ruffled and quick to offer her advice with a smile. I will miss her.

Jackie is survived by her husband, Bill; two sons, Jack (Pam) Blasdel and Tim (Carol) Blasdel; three daughters, Jill Blasdel, Beth (Greg DeWitt) Blasdel, and Becky Blasdel; three grandsons, Todd Blasdel, Matt (Sara) Blasdel, Michael (Brittany Nicole) Blasdel; three granddaughters, Brittany K. Blasdel, Grace Vanderbur and Olivia Vanderbur; four great grandchildren, Miles, Bailey, Malcolm, and Jace Blasdel; two sisters, Eleanor Lorton, and Marjie Bauer; and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 18 farms in the Sixth Congressional District of Indiana who have received a Hoosier Homestead Award for their commitment to Indiana agriculture.

In honor of Indiana's rich agricultural heritage, the Hoosier Homestead Award Program recognizes farms that have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more. I am proud that 18 farms within the Sixth Congressional District have met these qualifications and have received the Hoosier Homestead award. These include:

William S. Emly Farm (Decatur County).

Oesterling Homestead (Decatur County).

Rosfeld Farm (Franklin County).

Meyer Family Farm (Franklin County).

Kolb Farm (Franklin County).

Funke Farm (Jennings County).

Hobson Farm (Randolph County).

Huffman Family Farm (Randolph County).

Timke Farm (Ripley County).

Kohlman Farm (Ripley County).

Huber Farm (Ripley County).

Crum Farm (Ripley County).

Francis Graham Farms Inc. (Rush County).

Linville Farm (Shelby County).

Dake Farm (Shelby County).

Crandell Farm (Switzerland County).

Romerill Farm (Switzerland County).

Gavin-Beck Family Homestead (Union County).

On behalf of the entire Sixth Congressional District of Indiana, it is my privilege to recognize these farms for this award and their lasting impact and commitment on our community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Morristown High School men's basketball team on winning the 2018 Class A IHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship.

Morristown faced off against Southwood High School on March 24th at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Knights 89-60, winning their first men's basketball state championship and setting 10 Class A finals records, including most points and largest margin of victory.

I am proud of these young men for their hard work and for the Hoosier sportsmanship that they displayed throughout the season. I want to commend Coach Scott McClelland as well as the assistant coaches who led these young men to a historic victory.

Congrats, Yellow Jackets, on winning the state title.