Marcy Kaptur

Mr. Speaker, the President's U.S. Trade Ambassador was born in California, graduated from college in Utah, and lived in Virginia.

He does not know anything about the Great Lakes region or our economy. The Great Lakes economy is the third largest in the world, amounting to over $6 trillion.

The administration has now imposed more huge tariffs on the American people. Tariffs are taxes on the American people. They increase the cost of everything.

Rising prices especially hit hard in my home State of Ohio, the largest exporter of goods to Canada in the Great Lakes region. Numbers don't lie. U.S. exports to Canada keep going down.

Tariffs have already cost Ohioans in industry, agriculture, consumer goods, and tourism over $11 billion more in rising prices due to these tariffs since January of last year. That amounts to over $2,274 for each household, which is unacceptable.

Why would a U.S. President force this burden on the American people?

Consumers and producers must stand up against these destructive tariffs. Let's get rid of these crippling tariffs, protect hardworking Americans, and preserve our valued friendships with our closest, reliable, fair trading partner in Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate Pam Wilson on the occasion of her retirement. As the Senior Vice President of Long-Term Care at the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Pam has lovingly and dutifully served older adults in Northwest Ohio for over four decades.

Tasked with connecting older adults to the care services they need, Pam took her role in stride, always going the extra mile for those who leaned on her. Most remarkably, she secured home care services for nearly 3,000 older adults annually across a ten-county area in Northwest Ohio. These are individuals who qualify for nursing home care but were instead able to remain in the comfort and safety of their own homes. Through these services, Pam provided a sense of security and dignity to countless seniors, along with their families and caregivers. The program represented one of the most extraordinary and successful Medicaid Waiver home care programs in the entire region.

A true wizard on the complexities of Medicare and Medicaid, Pam expertly navigated the systems to secure the care necessary for numerous individuals. She was pivotal in establishing and negotiating contracts with several managed care companies to ensure all recipients were cared for to the highest level. Her service did not end with our region's seniors--Pam was also a tremendous mentor to hundreds of nurses and social workers, and she provided support services to countless caregivers. She organized and led the first-ever Caregiver Support Program, creating a safe space and sense of relief for a group that is often overlooked. Her leadership in establishing high standards and ethical practices had a profound impact on the many nurses and social workers she trained. That impact that will only continue to grow as her mentees continue in the field of aging.

Pam's quiet capability, calm assurance, and caring heart, along with her professional excellence, made her a well-respected member of the aging network right from the start. Her legacy is carried forth in policy, precedence, and leadership throughout gerontology and among her colleagues and our community.

Please join me and our entire Northwest Ohio community in thanking Pam Wilson for her tireless service and in wishing her well in retirement. Pam's steadfast care and immense knowledge will be sorely missed by all she worked alongside and all whose lives she has touched. May her retirement bring her the same joy and peace that she brought to so many others during her time with the Area Office on Aging.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Clay High School as they mark their Centennial Anniversary. Part of the Oregon City School District, Clay High School opened its doors to its first class of freshmen on September 13, 1926.

Public education is a partnership between students, educators, families, and the communities they call home. The students in the classroom today are the leaders who will change the world tomorrow. For a century, Clay High School has helped prepare generations of young people to meet that responsibility, with nearly 23,000 graduates receiving their diplomas since the school first opened its doors.

Named for Jeremiah Clay, on whose farm the school was built, Clay High School has grown from a small school serving its first freshman class into a thriving, comprehensive high school. The school seeks to develop and care for the whole student, offering a range of technical programs, honors courses, Advanced Placement courses, and a College Credit Plus Program. Its 27 varsity sports teams and numerous extracurricular activities give its students a place to connect, grow, and learn outside of the classroom. Through its commitment to rigorous and relevant education, strong relationships, and a culture of excellence and growth, Clay continues to prepare students to become engaged, adaptable citizens.

Please join me in offering heartfelt congratulations to the teachers, staff, and community members who have invested in the success of Clay High School, its many students, and the entire City of Oregon. This milestone reflects a century of dedication and commitment by countless individuals. As Clay High School celebrates 100 years of tradition and achievement, I am so proud of the work being done to expand educational opportunities for young people in Oregon, and across Lucas County and look forward to the many accomplishments still to come.

Go Eagles. Onward.