Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate General Casimir Pulaski Day, which took place earlier this week. It honors his enduring legacy of service to our Nation when it was very young. He was a native son of Poland, and he became a hero in the American Revolution.

General Pulaski brought to our shores an unshakeable love of liberty and military courage. On the battlefields of our Revolution, Pulaski's strategic brilliance and bravery helped forge what would become the American cavalry. He shed his blood for a nation not yet his own, proving that the cause of liberty knows no borders.

We are proud to honor the deep bonds between the United States and Poland. It is an alliance rooted in shared sacrifice and shared democratic values.

My fellow co-chairs of the Congressional Poland Caucus and other Members of this Chamber have introduced a resolution honoring 250 years of Polish-America relations.

May Pulaski's timeless example continue to inspire us to defend freedom wherever it is threatened and to remain steadfast partners in its cause.

Onward together for your freedom and ours.

Mr. Speaker, too many Americans cannot afford their health insurance. Medical facilities are facing serious cutbacks and staff shortages. Housing is unaffordable for millions of our people, and the cost of living is getting out of hand.

Instead of addressing any one of these critical issues here at home, this weekend, the Trump-Vance administration singularly launched a regime-change war on Iran. Significant U.S. military forces and hundreds of millions of dollars are being deployed without congressional authorization.

As a cosponsor of the Iran War Powers Resolution, I know that no such vote was called in either Chamber of Congress prior to this profound and unprecedented military action.

As Americans from coast to coast honor the sacrifice of the six brave servicemembers who already lost their lives in this war, our people have a right to hear debate before more U.S. troops and military assets are sent abroad. Billions and billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are being expended in this war which could last for weeks or months or years.

The economic impact of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already being felt. Yesterday, the price of gasoline was bobbing up and down, up and down. The American people deserve affordability, not more foreign wars.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today and include in the Record a portion of President Harry S. Truman's Address in St. Paul at the Municipal Auditorium on October 13, 1948. While this speech is over 50 years old, the sentiments still remain today, as highlighted by the President's recent State of the Union. Millions have lost access to much needed food assistance, while prices at the grocery store continue to rise. Daycare centers and rural hospitals are closing. Ill- considered tariffs have cost every hardworking family more than $1,750 and caused untold inflation which is making everyday life unaffordable. We cannot pretend all is well when many of our fellow citizens know it simply is not. I hope that my colleagues across the aisle will join me in this pursuit, because all the people we represent surely need it.

Well, I have been studying the Republican Party for over 12

years at close hand in the Capital of the United States. And

by this time, I have discovered where the Republicans stand

on most of the major issues.

Since they won't tell you themselves, I am going to tell

you.

They approve of the American farmer--but they are willing

to help him go broke.

They stand four-square for the American home--but not for

housing.

They are strong for labor--but they are stronger for

restricting labor's rights.

They favor a minimum wage--the smaller the minimum the

better.

They indorse educational opportunity for all--but they

won't spend money for teachers or for schools.

They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine--for

people who can afford them.

They approve of social security benefits--so much so that

they took them away from almost a million people.

They believe in international trade--so much so that they

crippled our reciprocal trade program, and killed our

International Wheat Agreement.

They favor the admission of displaced persons--but only

within shameful racial and religious limitations.

They consider electric power a great blessing--but only

when the private power companies get their rake-off.

They say TVA is wonderful--but we ought never to try it

again.

They condemn ``cruelly high prices''--but fight to the

death every effort to bring them down.

They think the American standard of living is a fine

thing--so long as it doesn't spread to all the people.

And they admire the Government of the United States so much

that they would like to buy it.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today and every day on behalf of the people of northwestern Ohio: farmers, factory workers, small business owners, nurses, veterans, and retirees. They carry the heavy burden of President Trump's reckless trade war.

Tariffs hit our region harder than almost anywhere in our country. Why? We make and grow America.

Our soybean growers saw foreign markets slam shut and prices tumble, all because the President acted carelessly. Many are still waiting to be made whole as export markets vanish.

Our manufacturers, from steel processors to auto suppliers, are writing off huge losses, paying more on parts for materials, squeezing margins, and laying off workers.

Small retailers, restaurants, and childcare centers face higher costs they cannot absorb. Every family pays more at the checkout counter, and tariffs and reckless trade wars raise prices.

The Supreme Court affirmed that our Constitution still matters and President Trump overstepped his authority. These policies must be thoughtful, and Americans deserve stable markets and leadership that fights for our producers and workers.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank Congressman Casten for his great leadership and also Congressman Mike Levin for drawing us together here today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, as I do every day, on behalf of the people of the region I represent, but also for people across our country. Americans are facing the high cost of energy, and it is becoming unaffordable, but it is not their fault.

At the same time, many Federal incentives to help lower energy costs and to create the new energy systems for the future have been rolled back by the current administration. Actually, I am somewhat surprised that that happened.

America's grid is old. I hope President Trump hears this. It is under greater strain. Our country actually set new records twice this past July for peak electricity demand. It is getting hotter in many parts of the country during the summer months, and for those of us who live up north, let me tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is getting colder. The old grid system is being tested like never before by hotter weather and cooler weather, cold weather, and frigid weather, and higher usage. When the grid strains, costs rise.

Every household, I would venture, in our country, is feeling the pinch. For us in the upper Midwest, it isn't a 9 percent increase. Our energy bills have doubled. In Ohio, rapid demand growth from Big Tech data centers are also pushing up energy costs before the public, the people who live in these areas, can even catch the wind that they can actually try to figure out and have meetings and say: Hey, wait a minute, what can we do about this?

That is because their prices are doubling across our State and region.

Families notice the increase. One constituent even told me that her family's bill increased from $230 a month to $494 in July. That is a huge increase. This increased cost spiral in energy is simply not sustainable.

The majority party and the Department of Energy, meanwhile, under the current administration, are rolling back energy investments in America's future to help lower costs. I represent the most important domestic solar manufacturer, First Solar. I don't take money from them, and I don't own their stock. What they have done for America, 10 percent of our energy production in this country is now renewable and energy savings.

We are smarter. We are smarter than we were 50 years ago. Our Nation must invest faster in modern infrastructure with an all-of-the-above energy strategy to truly become energy independent in perpetuity.

I see many younger people in the gallery. For those of them who are a little bit techie and they care about the future of our country, they can help us become energy independent within our own shores and do so in a way that doesn't damage the environment.

Just this last year, there were 354 clean energy projects or companies that the new administration canceled--new projects--delaying new investments. We have seen layoffs of workers across the country because these projects lost Federal funding.

In my district, one of the lodestar companies that I represent is called Libbey Glass. Toledo, Ohio, is the glass center of the world. The administration took away over $40 million that was going to help them. This is legislation Congress passed, and the administration signed the bill. It was vetted by the agencies and so forth. It helped them save energy so that they could compete with glass against China, France, and Mexico, where workers are paid less and product is dumped on the global markets.

When we don't invest in companies and the jobs they create for the American people, then we shoot ourselves in the foot. There is no question that over 173,000 clean energy jobs actually have been eliminated between President Trump's election and swearing-in and February of this year.

Think about that, Mr. Speaker. That was building the future for our country. The ten top States that have lost the most jobs from this misguided assault on clean energy are the following: Texas, Massachusetts, Arizona, New Jersey, Michigan, New York, South Carolina, Illinois, North Carolina, and my home State of Ohio. It is interesting to me that three of the Members who are on the floor now are from Illinois, Mr. Casten; Mr. Levin from California; and myself from Ohio. We understand what these budget cuts mean. While at the national level, the rise in energy rates is affecting people in every single State in our Union.

For my own district, the prices have doubled. Every family in the country knows what is happening. It is time for the executive branch to wake up. Meanwhile, China isn't asleep. It is investing in record levels in terms of energy development making its products more competitive worldwide.

President Trump said that he was going to fix this, and he has done completely the opposite. He did hint last night about something dealing with new energy investments and these AI terminals in centers that are being built across the country. I hope he follows through.

The American people certainly deserve better, and we need to stand up for affordability, not abdication. That sends our country backward.

I thank, Mr. Speaker, Congressman Casten and Congressman Levin and others who have spoken today this afternoon in order to stand up for the American people and help them manage their budgets, and energy is such a central account in every single family's budget.

I thank the gentleman for his leadership on this and for giving us a roadmap to lower America's energy bills.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about Ohio's own Laila Edwards. Laila is a native of Cleveland Heights and currently represents the United States in the Winter Olympics, my favorite.

Laila became the first Black woman to play for the United States in the Olympic women's ice hockey at this year's Milano Cortina Games. At 22, she didn't just make the roster, she contributed, recording her first Olympic point in a 5-1 win over Czechia.

We have been saying it for years. Ohioans are awesome, and Laila truly proves it. She grew up skating on our lakes and ponds, working hard and believing in herself. She kept going even when she was the only girl on the ice, even when few people who looked like her had been given that chance.

During Black History Month, her story reminds us that progress doesn't happen by accident. It happens because purposeful people show up, work hard, and refuse to be told they don't belong.

I congratulate Laila Edwards. Laila has made northwest Ohio and all of Ohio extremely proud. I am proud of our country. Go Laila. Go team

Mr. Speaker, I was privileged to join colleagues from both sides of the aisle this week in the House vote that was overwhelming in bipartisan fashion to end the damaging Trump tariff regime on Canada. The Senate had already taken the same action three times before the House measure was even brought up.

Canada is our neighbor, our ally, and our friend. They have fought at our side in every war for nearly two centuries.

Our Great Lakes region and its economy is the third largest in the world. It is like no other with its industrial and agricultural bounty, blessed for generations by the largest body of freshwater on Earth. Ours is the longest U.S. coastline with numerous ports, energy resources, cultural endowments, and unrivaled natural beauty.

The American and Canadian economies are totally intertwined. Robust supply chains on both sides of our northern border make, grow, and transport everything from autos to lumber to soil to energy to food and even to hockey teams.

This damaging trade war with Canada has caused prices to rise, led to more job losses, disrupted trade, and caused tourism to drop 31 percent. These are no victories.

Mr. Speaker, I just wish to say that I voted to end this upside-down trade mess today. Let's strengthen our economy and make life affordable again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Social Security. It is a sacred trust and a solemn promise to generations of America's workers. It is a promise that includes a retirement benefit that is earned. It is a disability benefit in the event of injury. It is also a survivorship benefit, an insurance benefit for families if the earner becomes ill or is fatally hurt and dies.

This belongs to all Americans who work. Workers pay into this earned benefit system, and they do it through their FICA taxes. It comes out of a check every month. Social Security is earned.

Yet, President Trump and his administration, especially the DOGE boys--I bet you nobody in this Chamber even knows their names--have worked to weaken this 90-year-old security benefit.

The Trump administration and their approach threatens the Social Security Administration's ability to operate. They have already cut over 7,000 jobs of employees who administer this program to millions of Americans from coast to coast.

In my district alone, there was an 11 percent decrease in Social Security field office workers. That means appointments are delayed, and questions can't be answered for months. Sometimes the phone isn't answered through no fault of their own.

I want to say to every single public employee who works in a Social Security office across this country that they are patriots. We thank them for the work they do. We salute them. We salute them for their patriotism.

Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration says they are not closing any offices; but the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE, is attempting to weaken and dismantle a system which has stood tall for almost a century, created by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

More than 11,000 Americans turn 65 each day. Many will graduate to access benefits and, ultimately, Medicare for their own health. Congress must ensure that our citizens have a guaranteed safe and secure retirement. They worked for it.

DOGE not only threatens Social Security by removing vital staff across our country but by mistreating and exposing beneficiaries' private and personal information.

In my entire lifetime, I have never seen strangers go into the U.S. Treasury Department and peek at other people's private beneficiary records. This is un-American. We can't even name the names of those who did this.

The private information of the American people should not be fed into AI software somewhere or made open for the entire internet, which is full of hackers to access. We must protect the assets of our people and those who trust this program.

Social Security information has always been private until now. Social Security is often the only resource that keeps our seniors out of poverty. For more than 7 million Americans over the age of 65, at least 90 percent of their income comes from Social Security, which they earned.

Of those 7 million, almost half would not be able to afford essentials such as food, housing, and clothing without Social Security benefits. Now due to tariffs and inflation caused by Trump, those costs continue to go up, up, and up for everybody including seniors. It is hardest on them.

Every county in Ohio has at least 20 percent of its population receiving some form of Social Security benefits, and this means Social Security plays a huge role economically in northwestern Ohio's economy.

Standing up for our region and our seniors is one of my highest priorities in Congress, and that is why last year, when Social Security celebrated its 90th birthday, I introduced a resolution to demonstrate continued support from Congress for this program. It must be strengthened to support Americans and the next generation throughout their retirement for decades to come.

Raising the retirement age would reduce benefits for millions of Americans, placing an unnecessary burden on

seniors and those who are close to retirement.

I promise to oppose any changes to the retirement age for these vital, national retirement, disability, and insurance programs. If seniors choose to keep working after age 60 or age 65, that is okay, but they will be taxed on their income. That is only fair, but that FICA tax will go into Social Security.

I thank all of our colleagues who joined in supporting my resolution and urge others to consider supporting this resolution, which demonstrates the House of Representatives' dedication to protecting retirement security by not raising the retirement age. I support strengthening Social Security, not cutting and gutting it.

Mr. Speaker, I end with Social Security is a sacred trust from one generation to the next, and we intend to keep it.

God bless every senior in this country and those who will access that important age of 65-66 very soon.

Mr. Speaker, let me celebrate a hometown institution that keeps northwest Ohio moving: the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority proudly marking 55 years of service, half a century plus 5.

Voters approved creation of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority on January 19, 1971, to connect opportunity and dignity for neighbors who depend on reliable transportation.

TARTA has linked workers to jobs, seniors to medical care, students to education, families to first ball games, family and class reunions, and everyday life. TARTA truly moves people where they need to go affordably.

TARTA has led with innovation, launching paratransit service, on- demand microtransit, Ohio's only Certified Autism Center designation, and deploying electric vehicles.

New Federal investments enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allow TARTA to modernize its fleet, add zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure, strengthen safety, training, and create good- paying, local jobs.

This year, we honor the drivers, mechanics, planners, and riders who make the system thrive. May the next generation yield more affordable, safer, accessible, and better connected transportation for northwest Ohio.

Mr. Speaker, I salute TARTA at 55.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heart full of joy to celebrate a story that reminds us why sports, family, and community matter.

At the University of Toledo, sophomore Rocket Miriam Diala was greeted after a hard-fought win by her mother, Francisca. Her mom had traveled 4,300 miles from Germany to see her daughter play women's college basketball at UT in person for the very first time.

Francisca often stays up past midnight to watch Miriam's games on TV because of the 6-hour time difference. We can just imagine the embrace in the stands, the tears, the joy, and the gratitude.

Miriam's performance showed talent, discipline, and resilience, but the real victory was love made visible. This community wrapped an international student in a sense of belonging, friendship, and a second family. That is the spirit of Toledo. That is the promise of America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Francisca for her sacrifice to Miriam and for inspiring us. To the Rocket family, keep lifting one another higher.

Mr. Speaker, I rise with an urgent plea for small, family-owned farms, especially across the American heartland and communities I represent. Seven of the eight counties I represent in northwest Ohio are predominantly rural and home to hardworking farmers who produce the nutritious food that feeds and fuels our Nation. They deserve our unwavering support because what America makes and grows makes and grows America.

Yet their work has never been harder. Over the past year, they have endured setback after setback--including during the driest spells we have witnessed in more than a decade--due to tariffs, losing markets all across the world, and we think permanently. The severity of this physical, as well as tariff, drought runs straight through our district.

Our farmers need certainty. We need to pass a farm bill. We don't need recklessly imposed tariffs that break their backs due to lost export markets and then paying Argentina $40 billion for their beef when our cattlemen are going out of business.

Something's wrong here. Farmers are hurting. They need leadership that invests in their success, Mr. Speaker. Don't cut their rural water infrastructure or weaken the science that our farmers depend upon.

Mr. Speaker, please allow me to begin by applauding President Zelenskyy of Ukraine on his exceptional and historic remarks in Davos, Switzerland, earlier today.

I heard an astoundingly unapologetic plea by a new world leader whose remarks resounded across our globe as he championed the cause of liberty in our modern era.

Despite his own nation being bordered by tyranny, on almost all sides, rooted in Russia and all of its repressed client states, he raised his valiant voice strong and clear before the free world's leaders.

They all know that today's spider web of tyranny is spinning and stretching its ugly net from Russia to Brazil, India, North Korea, and South Africa, seeking a global necklace of repression and domination.

Yet, at Davos today stood the unvanquished, courageous leader of the poorest and most embattled nation in Europe. On behalf of his valorous people, he delivered his eloquent plea.

Bravo, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. You singlehandedly challenged the scions of the global order. Your firm supplication and urgent request for liberty were extraordinary, rising far above global niceties.

You delivered the raw choice, as our own Nation's Founders did: Liberty or tyranny?

Your clear invitation for these leaders to choose forward hangs in the balance, and your plea is historic, passionate, soulful, inspiring not just world leaders but people everywhere as they weigh recalibrating the dial for liberty.

It is your voice that history will remember, rising to energize our world forward from inside the grim, fierce cauldron of struggle that is Ukraine.

For any freedom lover to miss your message would be a tragedy, for if your words, coupled with the ongoing martyrdom of your people, do not give rise to crescendos of applause and recommitment, then will liberty cede its worth to dictators, charlatans, plunderers, and fools?

Your call is to bold leadership from a new generation of freedom lovers. Let us all rise to answer that call. Freedom means never surrender.

Bravo, Ukraine. Bravo, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. You inspired freedom lovers across our globe.

JD Vance Visits Toledo

Mr. Speaker, on another front, today, Vice President JD Vance traveled to Toledo, Ohio. He came to talk about the Trump administration's so-called record to bring jobs and help grow manufacturing in our region.

This came as quite a surprise to me. Indeed, his words were empty because his administration's reckless tariffs and disastrous trade wars have increased manufacturing job losses not just in our region of Ohio but across our Nation.

The Wall Street Journal documents that, over the last year, manufacturing

unemployment has risen in our country by 68,000 more unemployed workers. You can't Make America Great Again unless you restore American manufacturing on our home soil.

The Trump administration's reckless tariffs and disastrous trade wars are straining the pocketbooks of our workers, farmers, and consumers. Prices keep rising for everything--food, housing, utility bills, lumber, and cars. This is true across the entirety of our northwest Ohio region, in both urban and rural communities.

Vice President Vance says he is now interested in lowering drug prices, but his party consistently voted against those efforts, which were championed under a prior Democratic administration. I know because I voted to help cap insulin costs at $35 a month for seniors on Medicare. I voted for prescription drug negotiations that are saving seniors thousands of dollars as we speak here tonight.

Unsurprisingly, the Vice President avoided discussing the awful, unwise decisions by his administration to rip away almost $150 million from the city that he was in by taking away $45 million from the Libbey Glass Company to purchase two new glass furnaces that were to compete against Chinese, Mexican, and French producers. We are known as The Glass City. He took it away. He didn't bring us anything; he took it away. The money evaporated. Even though Congress had passed it--it had all been vetted and everything--they took it away. That hurts a manufacturing company which is a lodestar company in our community.

Then, his administration canceled--are you ready for this?--$57 million more for another manufacturing company, Owens-Illinois, which competes globally.

Then, if that wasn't enough, they canceled over $16 million for our local Kraft Heinz facility in the agricultural sector to compete against foreign products.

Another $28.5 million was taken away from our region via rescissions over the summer for major repair work in the heart of our city on Front and Main Street, on the side of the river that he traveled to. The streets he rode over should have been repaved, but they took away the money. He didn't mention them because he helped cancel them.

That is over $146 million that would have helped to invest in new possibilities to modernize our entire region. Those investments were critical to American manufacturing, with new-age furnaces and technology, not only to compete with foreign glass producers but also to help reduce emissions here at home for the people who work in those plants and to make work safer for our workers. How would you like to sit in front of a 98-degree furnace all day long?

Now, the administration has announced plans to eliminate $14.6 million in Ohio from the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which has launched dozens of small and midsized regional food businesses driven by the creativity of our people. The U.S. Department of Commerce used to care about those businesses, the small, creative new launches, like Willy's Fresh Salsa, which just got into Winn-Dixie. That was invented by a gentleman who came from Toledo. There is also Gertie's Premium BBQ Sauce. That is a product on our shelves created through that program to create wealth, opportunities, and jobs.

So many more, dozens and dozens of these companies, have been created, and jobs. Why destroy something that is working? Can somebody tell me how else do we sprout and grow our local economies?

I thought when the Vice President said he was coming to Toledo, he might help announce the $20 million in Department of Transportation RAISE funds, which had been awarded to improve connectivity in Toledo's heart, in our Junction neighborhood, in the downtown, in the heart of our city on both sides of our Grand Maumee River, but that announcement never came.

If this administration really wants to help Toledo, they better stop driving backward. Mr. Vice President, can you please bring our check which the administration owes us?

All of these awards were passed by Congress, authorized, appropriated, and signed into law. Our community should never be shortchanged. Our taxpayers send their dollars here. They have a right to get them back. Our people work too hard for a living. We need to respect them, and we need to build our communities forward, not backward.

Year-round E-15

Mr. Speaker, I now turn to a very important issue that arose today because of something that happened with Speaker Johnson.

America's farmers are hurting. They need every bit of help Congress can deliver. So do truckers and working families paying more for groceries and at the pump just to haul goods, get to work, and move around their communities. Prices are going up, not just in America's heartland, but across our great country.

Republican leadership today had a chance to authorize year-round E15, a commonsense blend of ethanol and gasoline, but guess what. They walked away from it again.

Instead, and I can tell you this for the farmers I represent, half their income comes from raising grains that go into fuels. Without that market, they wouldn't exist.

This is serious business for agricultural America, and instead, Speaker Johnson has set up another delay, a council set to report back within another month on next steps.

Next steps on what? We want to make E15 year-round. That is not too complicated. That may sound like progress with another task force, but we don't really need it.

Farmers want E15 year-round. They can't keep punting our farmers up field. The time to act is now. The solution is within their hands. Why did they delay?

Let's hope this process the Speaker has now set up for another month or 6 weeks is not just another fig leaf for more delay. Year-round E15 sales protect our small refineries, too.

Can Congress achieve this so-called compromise? Ohio farmers and refiners are already hurting. Let's stand up for biofuels and for our farmers. Surely, the hardworking farmers across all of the counties I represent would benefit.

What America makes and grows, makes and grows America. Let me just say to the Speaker, ``please, shake a leg.''

Honoring Steven D. Fought

Mr. Speaker, I will move on now to remember someone that was an extraordinary American.

It is my great privilege, Mr. Speaker, to offer deepest gratitude on behalf of Ohioans and Americans as we recognize the life of an honored and indefatigable public servant in the truest sense.

Steven D. Fought was born in Rapid City, South Dakota, on June 2, 1954, and passed recently at 71 years young. He passed from this life after a truly valiant final fight, on January 10, 2026, in Nebo, North Carolina, surrounded by his beloved family.

Steve was a precious and trusted friend, a brilliant adviser and public servant, incorruptible, compassionate, acerbic, and funny all at the same time, with a twinkle in his eye, you can just see it, and hearty laugh to tie it all up with a bow.

One colleague described him as the most intelligent, frustrating, hardest working, disorganized, nicest person they ever had the pleasure and honor to work with.

Steve Fought truly loved his country and the democratic process. He was always both an ardent participant and learned scholar of democracy. He floated in books. Steve was a lifelong student, earning degrees in literature, history, business administration, and law. He never stopped learning.

He loved baseball. Do not get in his way when there is a baseball around and basketball, as well. He was at one time the ``beloved Little League coach of Celina, Ohio.''

He was always reading, always learning. He could call up any fact. He conversed with the depth of knowledge which at times was actually astounding.

Steve Fought began his professional career as a newspaper reporter. He paid attention to details, and he followed that pursuit with decades in public service, first with the State of Ohio and then with the United States Congress.

He served under then-Secretary of State Sherrod Brown in Columbus, our capital, and would later serve in his office for a decade here in this House. It

was during that time that alongside myself, Sherrod, and others that Steve helped lead the consequential fight against NAFTA on this very floor, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which was anything but free to America's workers and farmers. We all knew the harm it would do to the region we call home. It was a worthy and passionate fight then. We were proven to be right many times over since when we go to the hollowed out cities and towns of our country. I just feel so honored that he was a part of that great struggle for America's people.

Following his service with Sherrod Brown, Steve would join our office where he became a trusted adviser, serving as our legislative director for 5 years and then transitioning to communications director for nearly a decade.

Even in retirement, he continued in public service at the local level for the city of Toledo. He even ran for Congress in a long-shot bid to succeed the retiring Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner.

Though he came up short, Steve believed that everyone deserved a choice and that no one should receive a rubber-stamped, gerrymandered seat in Congress without having to work for it.

He always fought the good fight. His favorite music was Aaron Copland's ``Fanfare for the Common Man.'' Steve loved this land and worked to preserve its future. This was embodied in legislation he drafted to add an international designation to the Detroit River and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuges, which border our dear neighbor to the north, Canada.

He was an avid proponent for countless species and preserving unspoiled lands. Steve helped us to cement our region as the home of the biggest week in American birding, which today attracts birders from around the globe.

To the last, he was an active participant in the American experiment. He wrote Op-Eds and organized, kept reading and studying, even through his final, difficult illnesses.

Steve Fought's life is beautifully summed up by his nephew: ``Steve was many things to many people and had a knack for somehow being everywhere all at once. In addition to being a public servant, he was a deep thinker and conversationalist, a world traveler who visited 41 different countries, a voracious reader and eternal student, a big- hearted hellion, an old hippie who loved rock and roll and bluegrass music, a Zags basketball fanatic, and a passionate champion for underdogs everywhere. But most of all, until the very end, Steve was an outspoken believer in the decency and value of common people, the collective public good, and the principles of democracy, diversity, and equality. He was loved deeply by his family, his friends, his associates from work, and will be severely missed.''

Our Nation expresses deepest gratitude for the selfless service of Steve Fought, his true friendship, his humanity, and his abiding and honorable service. We celebrate the difference he made with a lifetime of intention and of active citizenship for this beautiful land and our people.

Those who know him can rest assured they will never ever meet his likes again. May God protect him, bring him peace, and allow his spirit to soar with the eagles.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for allowing me to enter this into the Record.

Honoring Robert ``Rex'' Baumgartner

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Robert ``Rex'' Baumgartner, a true American hero, a man of the law. Rex embodied the very best of our Nation: honor, respect, bravery, duty, and unwavering courage.

Born in east Toledo, Rex answered the call to serve early, joining the United States Air Force and serving as an air policeman and sentry dog handler around the globe. He later dedicated over four decades to the Toledo Police Department.

His instincts, integrity, and fearless commitment to justice as a detective made our community safer and stronger. His work earned him countless honors including induction into the Birmingham Hall of Fame and the National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame.

Even after retiring, he continued to serve, spending another 15 years at the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office, focusing on protecting the elderly from crime. He retired at the young age of 83. He truly made a difference in a lifetime of extraordinary public service.

Yet, Rex's greatest legacy was the love he poured into his family and community. He was a mentor, a coach, a storyteller, and a steady hand. He was always present, always giving, always leading with heart.

For over 30 years, Papa Rex made Halloween camping trips legendary. From silly costumes to spooky decorations, he poured his heart into making those weekends memorable. They became traditions that his kids, grandkids, and now great-grandkids will carry on for years to come.

Beyond all the arrests, titles, and awards, Rex was wise. He told the best stories, made everyone laugh until they cried, always showed up when he was needed most, and taught everyone how to live with integrity, humor, and genuine heart.

With his beloved wife of 62 years, Linda; his children, Debbie, Patti, Robert, and Julie; 13 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and countless other family and friends who loved him dearly, I join to celebrate a life of purpose and courage well-lived. May his example forever inspire all those who knew him.

I thank the Speaker for allowing me to enter his life into the Record.

Celebrating the Life of William ``Bill'' J. Darah, Jr.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life of William ``Bill'' J. Darah, Jr., of northwest Ohio, a husband, father, grandfather, and Toledo businessman.

Bill Darah embodied the American Dream through hard work, integrity, and devotion to family. For more than four decades, this truly good man helped clothe our police officers, firefighters, workers, building Superior Uniform Sales with grit, wisdom, and a gift for bringing people together.

He was so friendly. He was a natural leader, a storyteller, and a man whose word mattered.

Bill's life was deeply rooted in faith, in heritage, and in routine, whether it was at St. Elias church, the Monday cousins' lunch he sustained for 45 years, or cheering for the Yankees, the Rockets, and the Buckeyes.

Yet, at the center of everything was his family. His pride in his family was unmistakable. They include his wife, Amira; his daughters, Natalie and Alyssa; and his grandchildren.

This week, Bill would have celebrated his 76th birthday. Today, we wish him in memoriam a happy birthday. We honor a life truly well- lived. May his memory be eternal.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to enter his story into the Record.

Honoring Sydney Boisselle

Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight with a heavy heart and deep gratitude to remember Sydney M. Boisselle, a young woman whose life proved that impact is not measured in years but in courage, character, and how we lift others.

Sydney shattered expectations. She became a leader in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 8, a teacher in the trades, a voice for women, and a standard-bearer for excellence. She worked hard, spoke honestly, laughed loudly, and made room for others to grow. She was, as all those who loved her say, pint-sized and full of spice, unforgettable in every way.

Above all, Sydney loved fiercely: her family; her friends; her dog, Waylon; and the community she served. In her final act, she gave the gift of life itself through organ donation, offering hope to families she would never meet.

We honor the strength of her family who made this courageous decision with love and grace. Sydney's passing reminds us that even in sorrow, goodness endures. One life lived fully and generously can change the lives of many.

Sydney Boisselle was a shero to working people and to so many who came to know her. May her name be honored forever. I thank the Speaker for allowing me to enter her story into the Record.

Honoring the Life of Timothy Haase

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Timothy Haase, a devoted son, brother, caregiver, and the steady heart of Dino's Family Restaurant in Maumee. I know Dino defines family not just as his family but the family he created, as he created

community in Maumee and the surrounding neighborhoods.

For more than two decades, Tim showed up before dawn, fed neighbors with kindness, and reminded us that dignity lives in every service. His tragic loss on New Year's Eve has left an empty chair at the counter and a deeper ache in a community that loved him and that he helped build, a community of people.

We also honor the family that Dino's created. In a simple diner, friendships were forged, stories were shared, and strangers became regulars. A community was brought closer together.

Owner Dean Yakumithis and his team built a place where hard work mattered. Coffee stayed warm. People felt seen and appreciated. Though the doors have now closed, the spirit of that table endures in every single life that Tim touched. There were thousands.

Let us keep Tim's memory alive by caring for one another, watching out for our neighbors, and cherishing the small places that bind a town together. Every person is a part of that necklace of life in America. May his light guide us forward.

On behalf of northwest Ohio, we offer gratitude, prayers, and an enduring promise to remember.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, last week I visited Perkins High School in Sandusky, Ohio. My role: to celebrate excellence in STEM education.

This year, Kia Preston won the Ninth Congressional District App Challenge for a project titled ``Light Teachings.''

Kia's interactive app helps users understand fundamentals of ray tracing, a computer graphics technique that simulates how light interacts with objects to create realistic images in video platforms.

Kia's app will be honored here in our Nation's Capital later this year.

I also paid tribute to the school's robotics club that has partnered with NASA. They were the only high school in the United States of America selected alongside other higher education institutions like

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, alongside hundreds of Ohioans, our community of Toledo celebrated the sacrificial life and works of Reverend Martin Luther King.

Macedonia Baptist Church in Toledo, and its rousing choir, welcomed guest speaker and NAACP's national executive board member, Reverend Dr. Wendell Anthony, who spoke eloquently of the living legacy of Reverend Dr. King.

One quote of Dr. King remains alive--and there are so many that do-- but is particularly poignant and courageous. He said:

``I'm not one to lose hope. I keep on hoping. I still have faith in the future. But I have had to analyze many things over the last few years. And I would say over the last few months, I've gone through a lot of soul-searching and agonizing moments. And I have come to see that we have many more difficulties ahead. Some of the old optimism was a little superficial, and now it must be tempered with solid realism. And I think the realistic fact is that we still have a long, long way to go.''

Mr. Speaker, until his life was taken from him, he worked for hope, optimism, and to build a better world every day. I share that with every citizen of our country.

Mr. Speaker, this bill unnecessarily restricts the free market. It dictates what private sector fiduciaries can and cannot consider when making investment decisions that directly affect the savings and retirement savings of hardworking Americans.

For this reason and at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee.

If House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would have been the text of H.R. 1357, the Susan Muffley Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the motion to recommit.

H.R. 1357 is a bill that addresses a true injustice to thousands

of workers and retirees across this country, a bill to restore the Delphi salaried retirees' pensions.

For decades, the men and women who built Delphi--and they worked hard--were told that if they worked hard and kept their end of the deal, their retirement benefits would be there for them.

However, that promise was broken through no fault of their own when Delphi collapsed, leaving more than 23,000 salaried workers, including over 5,000 in Ohio, with sharply reduced or eliminated pensions. Those are the folks that I mean. This is simply wrong. It is un-American.

Mr. Turner, Ms. Tenney, Ms. Moore, and I have a bipartisan bill to restore dignity, fairness, and economic security to people who earned it the hard way. They worked hard.

For too long, Delphi retirees have been asked to wait, to be patient, and to accept less than what they were promised and worked for and earned. Many are now well into their retirement years. It almost seems like a conspiracy to keep their retirement benefits away from them. They face rising healthcare costs, higher prices at the grocery store, and fixed incomes that were unjustly cut.

These are not abstract numbers. These are real people who planned their lives around commitments and promises that were made to them and then broken.

Let me remind you that when the auto rescue moved forward, corporate interests were stabilized, made whole, but working people were left behind, and that imbalance has lingered for two decades. Shame on us as a country. Shame on us and the people who allowed that to happen.

The Susan Muffley Act corrects that injustice. It directs the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation to recalculate benefits without arbitrary gaps that punished Delphi retirees alone. It is a narrowly tailored fix, but one that delivers profound relief and long-overdue justice.

This legislation is also about reaffirming a core American value: If you work hard, play by the rules, and keep your word, your company and country should keep its word to you.

These retirees did not speculate. They did not gamble. They paid into a system that was supposed to protect them. Congress has a moral obligation to fix what was broken. Too bad the market can't do it alone.

Every year of delay compounds the harm. The Susan Muffley Act will finally make these workers whole. I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, I have a motion to recommit at the desk.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.