Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, today, the majority has decided to protect household appliances. That is the most important thing we can focus on in this House in 2024, the year of our Lord, with so much happening. Instead of doing the work that the American people sent us here to do, we are protecting household appliances.

In 2022, we saw the Supreme Court end a woman's right to reproductive choice, and 21 States have followed suit with even greater attempts to limit women's reproductive healthcare.

This bill, which I introduced with my colleagues, Representatives Fletcher and Raskin, would make sure that individuals crossing State lines are constitutionally protected when seeking safe and legal reproductive healthcare, or those traveling with them are protected from receiving criminal punishment.

Impeding a woman's right to travel for healthcare is an assault on her freedom. Criminalizing women for crossing State lines to get reproductive care is a violation of the 14th Amendment.

Being denied an abortion disproportionately affects women of color, especially Black women. Black women in the U.S. are more likely to die from pregnancy or childbirth than women in any other racial group. Women deserve to be prioritized over household appliances.

It is well past time for Congress to pass real legislation to protect real people, not household appliances.

I urge you to pass my motion to recommit and do the real work that the American people sent us here to do.

For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would bring up H.R. 782, the Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act.

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

Mr. Speaker, 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.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the staff that make our work possible, and one staff member, in particular, who has dutifully served the House for 20 years: Rebecca Snyder.

When I started in this body 4 years ago, I hit the ground running, in large part due to Rebecca.

She has directly assisted over 1,100 constituents and helped rightfully return over $10 million to taxpayers while she has worked with me.

As our Military Service Academy coordinator, she has upleveled and diversified the nominees heading to our Nation's prestigious service academies.

Her former bosses, Congressman Adam Smith and Mr. Denny Heck, my predecessor, remember Rebecca as being a trusted and determined constituent advocate, helping us better serve the American people.

Rebecca has made it her life's work to serve our Nation with 20 years of service in the U.S. Navy prior to the U.S. House. Enlisting at the age of 19, serving as an aviation electrician tech, she rose to the rank of chief petty officer when she separated in 2004.

Rebecca is the very best of a public servant: determined and constituent-focused with a little bit of tough as nails thrown in.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Rebecca so much for all she does for the people across the South Sound and the work she continues to do. We are grateful for her service to our Nation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of Senior Master Sergeant Retired Calvin Pearson, who passed away on June 19, 2024.

I knew Mr. Pearson as a man who loved his country, who served his country, loved his community, and loved his family.

Mr. Pearson was born in Moultrie, Georgia, on October 6, 1938. At the age of 17, he enlisted and joined the U.S. Air Force, beginning a remarkable 30-year career of excellence and distinction in service to his country.

Mr. Pearson loved sports. He loved playing music. He loved being present at the milestones and moments in the lives of his children and his grandchildren.

When he was in his fifties, he used his GI Bill benefits to obtain a business degree from Bellevue College.

He was married for 60 years to Mrs. Olimpia S. Pearson, who he met when he was stationed in Madrid. They shared a life of travel, friendship, and a loving family.

Mr. Pearson will always be known as a great husband, a great father, grandfather, and loyal friend to all. He was respected by all. He served his country. He loved his country, and those who knew him loved him deeply.

Madam Speaker, it was an honor to know and work with Mr. Pearson. May he rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major General Bret Daugherty, who will retire at the end of this month from the Washington National Guard, after 44 years of service protecting the great state of Washington and our nation.

Major General Daugherty began his military service in 1980, serving nine years on Active Duty in the Army. After transitioning to the Army National Guard, he rose to the rank of Adjutant General and became the longest-serving National Guard leader in the United States.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Major General Daugherty navigated unprecedented emergencies across the state of Washington with diligence. Whether he was facilitating access to vaccinations and masks, responding to some of our state's worst natural disasters, or ensuring the security of our national elections, he completed these duties with unfaltering resiliency.

Major General Daugherty's accomplishments also laid the groundwork for an improved collaborative environment that Washingtonians benefit from today. When I had the honor of meeting with him in 2021, I was particularly inspired by his dedication to public service and commitment to supporting the members of Washington's National Guard. His mindfulness of the future of our nation, and care for the personnel who serve it, are clear in both his words and actions.

I commend Major General Daugherty on his decades of service to Washingtonians and the Guard. Congratulations on his retirement and may he enjoy this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Major Janill Castillo of the United States Army upon her departure from this body as a Legislative Liaison. In her role as a Legislative Liaison, Major Castillo was the face and voice of the Army for Congress, bridging the gap between military leadership and 28 Members of Congress across six states. She built strong relationships with Members and their staff, promoting the Army's message and priorities with exceptional responsiveness and professionalism. Her attention to detail and excellent communication skills while planning CODELS earned her high praise from multiple Members of Congress.

Major Janill Castillo's military career began in 2010 when she commissioned in the Army through officer candidate school, where she became an Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialist. Over the past decade, she has served in various capacities with the Army, including deployments to Kosovo and Kuwait, and in units in Fort Irwin, California; Fort Cavazos, Texas; Fort Lee, Virginia; Fort Carson, Colorado. She had previously held a nominative position as a fellow on the Joint Staff before joining us in the Capitol. A lifelong learner, Major Castillo has earned three degrees--a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia, a master's degree in biotechnology from the University of Maryland, and a master's degree in policy management from Georgetown University.

I extend my sincere wishes for a smooth transition to Fort Liberty, North Carolina, to Major Castillo and her daughter, Mia, and express my deep gratitude for Major Castillo's continued dedication and service to our great Nation.

Mr Speaker, I rise today to recognize a standout member of our South Sound community, Dr. Nichole Ayres, whose clinical practice has served thousands of veterans, servicemembers, and their families seeking mental health care and services in our region. As the Clinic Director at The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Valley Cities, Nichole leads a team of care professionals that has provided mental healthcare to over 6,000 military-connected clients since her clinic opened in 2019. As a military spouse of over 14 years, Nichole understands the importance of listening to--and learning from--our military and veteran community on how providers can best meet the community's mental health needs and build clinical approaches around military cultural competency. I, along with the thousands of South Sound residents her clinic has reached, am deeply grateful for her leadership and dedication to our district's active-duty and veteran population. As Mental Health Awareness Month approaches, I'm proud to shine a spotlight on her and her vital work.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a standout member of our South Sound community, Chris Hyde of Olympia, whose soup- centered, community-powered food hub has helped keep fellow Olympians fed for free.

A longtime Olympia resident, Chris founded Souper Sunday to help ensure his community's access to healthy, hot, and nutrient-dense meals, as well as strengthen community connections through his almost 2,000-member strong Facebook page on which he takes soup orders and posts menu updates.

The increasing popularity of Souper Sunday has resulted in Chris ramping up production, and he now spends five days a week making hot soups and preparing frozen soups for pickup from his ``soup library'' to meet the community's needs. No matter who you are, where you are from, or what you believe in, Chris refuses no one and aims to serve all of his community, one soup at a time.

To help spread his soup mission across the South Sound, Chris is also actively looking to start similar soup groups in nearby towns, which speaks to his strong spirit of service and commitment to combatting hunger while promoting community cohesion.

Chris is a stellar example of what it means to be an active and compassionate member of a community, and I am proud to honor him as my Constituent of the Month.

Mr. Speaker, on March 20, 2024, I missed Roll Call votes. Had I been present I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 92, and NAY on Roll Call No. 93.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 25-year Army veteran Shellie Willis, a Pierce County-based leader in the veterans' advocacy space who empowers veterans to put the skills and knowledge they gained serving our nation to work in the civilian workforce.

As Founder and CEO of the Redefining You Foundation, Shellie shepherds a team of skilled life coaches and workforce development professionals to help transitioning servicemernbers and their spouses reenter civilian life. With special attention to supporting female veterans, Shellie's organization provides professional and personal development training, connects retired servicewomen to job resources, and builds bespoke programs to help reorient and redefine the lifestyles of those seeking direction after their military careers. Shellie's spirit of service extends to her role as Senior Director of Collective Impact at WorkForce Central matching jobseekers with employment opportunities throughout Pierce County.

With the South Sound's significant active duty and veteran population, Shellie's work plays a critical role in putting transitioning servicemembers on pathways to post-service success. I commend Shellie's service to our country and our community and am proud to have her as my Constituent of the Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Dr. Laurie Dent, a standout educator in our South Sound community who was recently named the 2024 Superintendent of the Year by the Washington Association of School Administrators.

As Sumner-Bonney Lake School District's Superintendent since 2016, Dr. Dent has not only shepherded school communities through numerous challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but has also transformed schools' and individual students' performance trajectories through and in spite of pandemic-related challenges. Since the start of her tenure as Superintendent, the district's graduation rate has risen from 84 percent in 2016 to 92.1 percent in 2023, an achievement that her colleagues attribute to her staunch commitment to her ``100% Graduation Campaign.'' Beyond the numbers, Dr. Dent's commitment to this campaign has undoubtedly strengthened schools, enriched students, and deepened community connections.

I commend Dr. Dent for being a standard-bearer in our state for what excellence in education is and should be, and I am honored to

spotlight her efforts in empowering local education professionals and supporting students' success in our South Sound community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Katelyn Cleland, a South Sound resident who has shown exemplary commitment to community service and self-improvement, and congratulate her on being awarded the Bronze Medal Congressional Award for such service.

I commend her desire to better both herself and the community around her and know that her contributions to our South Sound community merit Congress's highest form of recognition that can be granted to America's youth.

I hope that Katelyn's service has paved the path for more achievements in the next chapters of her life, as well as inspired others in our community to prioritize service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Pastor Gregory Christopher, who will retire from Shiloh Baptist Church in Tacoma, Washington, after leading the congregation for more than 24 years.

Pastor Christopher became a leader in the Tacoma faith community in 1989 and received a Doctor of Ministry. Following the passing of his mentor Rev. Earnest Brazill in 2000, Dr. Christopher became the Pastor at Shiloh Baptist Church. In the 24 years since, Pastor Christopher has continued to strengthen the congregation, develop the church for future generations, and invest in the surrounding Hilltop neighborhood. With Pastor Christopher at the pulpit, Shiloh Baptist serves the city's most vulnerable residents with an emergency shelter for unhoused men in the church basement and as well as a sixty-unit affordable housing development on church property.

As both Mayor of the City of Tacoma and as a member of Congress, I have worked closely with Pastor Christopher on community development, social justice, and economic issues. His leadership as President of the Tacoma Chapter of the NAACP and member of the Tacoma Pierce County Black Collective will continue to impact the community, even after he retires as Pastor.

I thank Pastor Christopher for his service to Shiloh Baptist Church and Tacoma as well as congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sasha ``taqws4blu'' LaPointe, a Coast Salish poet, essayist, and educator whose work illuminates Native identities, historical memories, and heritages found throughout the United States.

Centered on themes of trauma and resilience, Sasha's poetry and memoirs touch on topics such as PTSD and sexual violence, her great grandmother's efforts to revitalize the Lushootseed language, and personal reflections on her own mixed heritage.

A graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts with a Master of Fine Arts, Sasha now teaches creative writing as part of the Native Pathways Program at Evergreen State College and is a mentor for Seattle's Youth Poet Laureate program.

I'm proud to shine a spotlight on Sasha, who enriches our South Sound community through her exemplary craft, as our Constituent of the Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize delivery driver Phillip Jackson of Thurston County for his remarkable perceptivencss that helped to reunite a five-year-old boy with his mother. While making a delivery to a West Olympia Texaco, Phillip noticed an unaccompanied boy without shoes or a shirt walking around the convenience store. Sensing that something was amiss, Phillip immediately sprang into action and called 911. It was Phillip's initiative in alerting authorities of the situation that allowed local law enforcement, who had already been working with the boy's mother after she had reported him missing, to locate the child. Even after the police had arrived, Phillip remained with the boy until the mother and her child were reunited. Phillip credits his intervention to a workplace training he took that teaches delivery drivers to recognize signs of human trafficking and children at risk on the road. I applaud Phillip's awareness and quick action to help keep our most vulnerable members of our community safe and I am proud to recognize him today as our community's Constituent of the Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Matthew Landers, an elementary school educator at Pleasant Glade Elementary School in Lacey, Washington who empowers his students to be everyday stewards of our environment.

In response to his students' requests to have more of a hands-on role in confronting our climate crisis, Matthew established several programs to encourage composting and recycling on campus. Thanks to Matthew's programs, over 35,000 pounds of food waste have been saved from landfills and over 1,500 pounds of food have been redistributed. Matthew also spearheaded the school's switch from plastic to biodegradable utensils, signaling to students that seemingly small but practical changes can be high-impact solutions. To amplify student activists' voices, Matthew also helped his students present their ideas to supplement ongoing on-campus conversation efforts to the school board.

I'm inspired by Matthew's initiative to ground his students' awareness of environmental issues in actionable avenues for change, and I'm proud to spotlight him and all of the students of Pleasant Glade who have made Lacey cleaner, greener, and better.