Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Arkansas for this very special time.

Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor a truly heroic man who was taken from us, unfortunately, too soon.

Captain Russ Maynard, who many of us knew by his call sign of ``Gnat,'' was my good friend. He was my instructor. He was a mentor, a family man, a man of God, and he was a great American.

He flew the venerable F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet from aircraft carriers during combat operations. He was a graduate of TOPGUN and an instructor. Simply put: He was a badass with the humility of a man who knew that his mission, his team, and his country were more important than he was.

Russ died of cancer this last May 8, just a few days before his 51st birthday. He left behind his loyal wife, Karen, who he loved dearly after 28 years of marriage and his daughters Katie, Kiersten, and Hailey.

Mr. Speaker, we have seen too many combat fighter pilots die of cancer at such young ages. In one of Russ' prior squadrons, the VFA-97 Warhawks,

three pilots of his era, his age, have already seen the darkness of these deadly cancers. It is not a coincidence.

In 2023, the DOD found that aircrew members had a 24 percent higher chance of cancer compared to the rest of the U.S. population, including an 84 percent higher chance of melanoma, a 39 percent higher chance of thyroid cancer, and a 16 percent higher chance of prostate cancer, and these numbers for fighter pilots are significantly higher and at significantly younger ages.

I, along with other veterans in the House and Senate, remain committed to finding out what is causing these early deadly cancers at such anomalous rates. We remain committed to making sure the VA begins to treat these disability cases as presumptive claims as opposed to having to prove that these cancers are service-related. This was a fight that Russ, unfortunately, had to fight in the final days of his life.

The data supports this paradigm shift, and the especially high rates within the fighter pilot community warrant this paradigm shift by the VA for such disability claims.

I say to my friend Russ, we lost you too early, brother, but you left behind a legacy of honor and excellence that has touched thousands and will echo in the history books of naval aviation for generations to come. The girls are lucky to have had you as a daddy and as a husband, and I am lucky to have known you as a friend and truly as one of the best of the best.

Our beautiful Nation is lucky to have you as a steward of our Constitution.

Keep it above the datums up there in Heaven, buddy, as you fly loyal wingman to our Lord. Know that God and your mortal wingmen that remain here on Earth will do everything and anything to look after your family.

God bless our naval aviators, God bless our troops, and God bless you, Russ ``Gnat'' Maynard, for your service. May you rest in peace.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Arkansas for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a community member who has served with faith and passion for 25 years. As the rabbi at Temple Beth Ami, Mark Blazer has dedicated his life to strengthening cultural fibers in the Jewish and non-Jewish communities alike.

Rabbi Mark has diligently served as the spiritual leader at Temple Beth Ami for 25 years. His leadership has impacted the congregation deeply, through increasing its Social Action commitment, expanding Jewish learning, and building programming for families and kids. For Rabbi Mark, his work with the youth of the congregation is most rewarding, as he guides Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, runs family events, and serves as a mentor and role model for the next generation.

During his tenure, Temple Beth Ami's Social Action arm has built a loving network of care and support amongst its members and within the larger Santa Clarita Valley community. Rabbi Mark also gives creative, meaningful services to inspire the congregation, often attracting a digital audience of nearly 250 people in addition to in-person attendees. Perhaps more importantly now than ever before, he has led over 500 people on educational trips to Israel, sharing his love and knowledge of the land on birthright trips, Bar and Bat Mitzvah adventures, and on interfaith experiences.

I want to thank Rabbi Mark for his 25 years of faithful service. Our community is better because of him, and I look forward to seeing how he continues to make an impact on those around him.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear friend, a war veteran, and a real hero of California's 27th Congressional District who was taken from us way too soon. Mr. Bill Reynolds crossed into Heaven and joined the Lord on January 11, 2021, a couple of years ago.

As a young man, Bill crossed oceans and fought for this Nation in the jungles of Vietnam. He fought in some of the war's fiercest battles while in Vietnam, including the Mekong Delta, where he was wounded but continued fighting alongside his brothers, the famous and heroic Boys of `67.

Bill earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his extraordinary bravery, but he never forgot his brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who didn't come home, and he never stopped serving our Nation when he returned home.

Bill Reynolds dedicated himself to fellow veterans in California's 27th Congressional District and around the country. His work led to the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Wall in Newhall, California, and he personally documented the stories of countless veterans to ensure their service and sacrifices will be remembered for future generations.

I am proud to say the endless service and sacrifice of Bill will now forever be etched in the heart of Santa Clarita, as well. Right in the middle of my district, today we celebrate the official renaming of the Valencia post office to the William L. Reynolds Post Office Building, an honor that has been signed into law by the President of the United States.

This commemoration is a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated so much of his life to this beautiful Nation, both on the battlefield and in our communities. It should be noted, and frankly a fitting tribute, that about 63,000 postal workers themselves are veterans, so this is very apropos.

Bill was a devoted husband to his beloved wife, Meg, who lives in Santa Clarita, a loving father and grandfather, and a friend to thousands. His legacy not only lives on in the medals he won and the landmarks that bear his name, but in the lives he touched and the community that he strengthened.

Bill left an indelible mark on me personally, and he continues to inspire me

to serve this beautiful country in this capacity.

In a time marked by stark political division, it was inspiring to witness both Democrats and Republicans unite in support of honoring this great man who epitomized the pinnacle of American valor and empathy.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring Bill Reynolds, a true American hero, by supporting this special tribute.

May God bless Bill Reynolds and his family, and may God continue to bless this beautiful country, the United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sorrow that I rise today to pay tribute to a peacemaker of California's 27th Congressional District who was taken from us too soon.

On April 20 of this year, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Alfredo ``Freddy'' Flores tragically passed away at the age of 51 after suffering injuries during a training exercise last October.

He is survived by his wife Maggie and his children, Nathaniel, Kayla, Victoria, and Adrian.

While our community is grieving this tragic loss, we were also blessed by his extraordinary life and the security

blanket that he provided us on a daily basis.

Deputy Flores lived a life of service to his family, community, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office.

Deputy Flores dedicated 22 years of his life to the safety, security, and prosperity of our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, there is no greater form of love than being willing to sacrifice your own life in the defense of others.

While he is with the Lord now, Deputy Flores' legacy lives on with everyone who knew him and his family. He looks down upon us with great pride today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his leadership on this bill.

In my district, it is all about security. It is about economic security. It is about national security. It is about school security, neighborhood security, and yes, border security, as well as protecting Social Security.

If you live in my district, you will recognize that this bill, H.R. 4866, is truly about security. My district in north L.A. County has the most dense and largest interface of wildlands with human beings and housing developments.

They are all too familiar, my constituents, with the dangers that wildfires pose to our homes and to our livelihoods.

For my constituents, wildfire mitigation isn't a red or blue issue. It is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is a life-or-death issue. That is why I have made it a top priority since coming to Washington to improve our ability to predict and to fight these disasters in order to keep our firefighters,

our homes, and our families safe from harm.

My bill, H.R. 4866, the Fire Weather Development Act, is a strong bipartisan step forward in a constant fight against these catastrophic wildfires.

This bill will dramatically improve NOAA's ability to predict, prevent, and respond to wildfires and to get information down to the local emergency responders.

It would be easy, the last 2 years have been relatively calm fire seasons, to get lulled into a false sense of security in southern California, but the next big fire season is right around the corner.

We have had 2 years of record rain that has spurred an explosion of grass and dense shrubbery across the hills in my district.

As the weather starts to dry out again, so will the forest, transforming greenery into an abundance of fuel and Btus that a stray spark or lightning strike can set ablaze in a moment's notice.

Southern California will be a tinderbox this fall, and the time to prevent wildfires is now. We can't allow ourselves to wait for another wildfire season like we had in 2020 where California lost over 4 million acres and 10,000 buildings due to mismanagement in years prior, like the fires that we saw in Texas just recently and in Hawaii just last year, so horrifically taking the lives of so many Americans.

Half the wildland in my district falls in Federal forests, so this is very important that we, at the Federal level, take care of this issue.

We need to be investing now, not just for our prediction efforts, but to ensure that our firefighters have every possible tool at their disposal to respond.

Firefighters are like frontline combat operators against wildfires, and there is no reason they shouldn't be as well-equipped as they fight fires as our soldiers are when they fight our enemies overseas.

They need the tools this bill provides; advanced imaging to see the fires before they grow out of control, drones to reach the small and remote fires, and improved communications to adjust the forward line of combat operations quickly and safely.

Just like our soldiers, we also need to send the firefighters into dangerous situations only when it is absolutely necessary.

My bill invests in fuel mapping, unmanned vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, wildfire behavior models and more, and all the steps to make 1 firefighter fight like 10 and to minimize the need to put them in danger. More importantly, to make sure that when they fight, they come home each night.

The side benefit of all of this is there is an ongoing fight against insurance companies in California, and this is going to improve lives outside of just the wildfire events as well.

This is a constant threat, and we haven't done a good job in California managing our wildlands.

As a result of that, we have seen a disastrous effect on livelihoods and the economy, especially in southern California. The threat has gotten so bad that insurance companies are jacking up rates on current customers and have stopped offering policies to any new homeowners in my district.

I have heard countless stories from constituents about their house fire policies going up anywhere from 5 to 10 times what they were just in one year. I had a church pastor reach out this last weekend, Mr. Speaker, who said his premiums went from $3,000 a year for his fire insurance to $30,000 a year for a very small church.

To be clear, this bill is not a silver bullet that is going to solve the insurance problem. That is a problem made in Sacramento that this will hopefully mitigate, but there is still a whole lot of bad policies coming out of Sacramento that need to be addressed.

If we can drastically improve our ability to protect people's homes, it will hopefully be a massive step in the right direction and allow the insurance companies to come back to California.

I thank Chairman Lucas for his leadership on this bill and allowing this to come to the floor. I thank Ms. Caraveo for her cosponsorship of this bill. I urge my colleagues to support the Fire Weather Development Act to ensure the security of our constituents in all districts, not just mine, but throughout the Nation that face the daily threat of catastrophic wildfires.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Lucas for introducing the reauthorization of the Weather Act, which includes my bill, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasting Act.

In my home State of California, we can experience devastating flooding, wildfires, and droughts all in the same year, if not in the same season. Needless to say, we have learned the value of being well prepared. These past two winters, we have experienced a new threat called atmospheric rivers. This past winter, 51 atmospheric rivers hit California, dumping trillions of gallons of water on us, causing flooding and damage to homes and businesses.

It is clear that we need to do more to improve our predictive capabilities to give emergency coordinators as much of a heads-up as possible. We also need to make sure that we are taking advantage of this free water as much as possible. The problem in California isn't that we don't have enough water, it is that we don't retain enough of it. We don't have enough storage, we don't have enough capacity, and we don't plan appropriately based on the predictions.

The L.A. Times recently reported that nearly 95 percent of the water from the atmospheric rivers this last year flowed back into the ocean. That is trillions of gallons of free water that could have been stored for dry seasons. It is clear that Sacramento isn't going to build more storage any time soon, so we need to be investing in infrastructure we already have and improve the efficiency of our reservoirs.

That is why my bill increases research into what is called Forecast Informed Reservoir Operations. If we can give water managers a heads-up that these storms are coming, they can prepare reservoirs to capture the water, helping us fight off droughts when the dry seasons come.

We got lucky this last time; we got so much water that even California's terrible water policies weren't enough to keep us in a prolonged drought. We can't keep relying on luck, and we can't wait around for Sacramento to get its act together. If there was a zombie apocalypse in Sacramento, Mr. Speaker, even the zombies would die because there are not enough brains in our State's capital right now when it comes to water policies, and this goes a long way in helping them. We need improved prediction of atmospheric rivers moving forward, and that is what this bill does.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in solidarity with my good friend from New York, and I thank him for his service as a law enforcement officer before coming to Congress.

Most importantly, I stand here today in support of our law enforcement officers who are currently wearing the uniform. We have similar problems in California as New York does.

These brave men and women wake up every morning and think about the sobering and very realistic thought that today may actually be the last day of their life. Despite having that realization every morning, the realization that they may have to deal with someone who will literally try to kill them,

they still get up, they still put on the uniform, and they proudly serve our communities.

They do it despite the radical policies like defunding the police, despite the lunatics dressed in suits disguised as DAs like our own district attorney in Los Angeles County who goes by the name of George Gascon.

Gascon, instead of being the DA is more like a defense attorney rather than a district attorney. He is more like the Penguin of Gotham City who enables the death of his constituents and puts our sheriffs' and LAPD officers' lives at risk every day. He helps the bad guys instead of protecting the innocent, instead of allowing the police to do their job. He allows for early release of felons, downgraded or no charges at all for serious offenses--most of them felonies--and zero- cash bail policies instead of supporting law enforcement and law- abiding citizens.

The brave peacemakers in blue wake up every morning and serve, despite the fact that they are working double overtime because our county supervisors and our mayors aren't hiring enough new cadets into the academies.

They get up and put their lives on the line on a daily basis despite their own elected officials who are supposed to represent them at all levels of government not supporting them.

They also suffer disproportionately high divorce rates, and unfortunately, astronomical suicide rates. In my district alone, we saw four law enforcement officers commit suicide in just 1 week.

But to the 708,000 police officers, please know this: The good guys have your back. As a former combat Naval aviator and the son of an LAPD officer, I know the dangers that are faced on a daily basis, and I appreciate their courage and their sacrifice and that of their families. Their families face fear on a daily basis, the reality that some of them may not come home at night because evil still does exist on our streets. We are eternally grateful to them, and most people in our communities are.

Each year more than 100 cops give their lives in our defense. Last year, 136 cops were killed in the line of duty.

Someone doesn't need to become a cop, or someone doesn't want to become a cop. They don't do it for the money. They don't do it for the benefits. They do it because they want to serve, they want to protect, and they want to do what is right and what is noble.

There is no greater form of love than being willing to give your own life in defense of another human being, and for many of us that is true for our kids, that is true for our spouses or close friends. We would die for them.

But the amazing thing about law enforcement officers is that they wake up every morning willing to give up their lives in defense of complete strangers. That is extremely powerful, and that should be very humbling to the rest of us.

The least we can do as elected officials at all levels of government is to give our law enforcement officers every dollar of funding and every policy tool to make sure that they come home at night and that the bad guys go to prison. We should never bend the knee. Never bend the knee to an organization or human being that supports defunding or jeopardizing the lives of our police officers.

I urge leadership in this body, the House of Representatives, to bring my bill, the Sergeant Steve Owen bill to the floor for a vote.

Sergeant Steve Owen, who is pictured here, was a brave sheriff who was brutally executed in broad daylight in the Antelope Valley, just like Deputy Ryan Clinkunbroomer, who is also pictured here, was shot in the head while sitting in his patrol car in the afternoon in the Antelope Valley.

The Sergeant Steve Owen bill would make the intentional killing of a cop a Federal felony with a punishment no less than the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. This should be the law of the land in all 50 States, and, Mr. Speaker, we should all agree that it is a reasonable law. This is a reasonable punishment for such evil.

May God look over our peacemakers. I thank my colleague from New York for putting this Special Order on. May the lawmakers and the district attorneys, the elected officials, do their jobs and take care of those who provide our communities with our security blankets on a daily basis.

God bless our law enforcement officers. God bless this country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the West Ranch Marching Band for their outstanding achievement in winning first place in Division 4A at the SoCal Marching Band Championship. Led by first-year band director Rod Schueller, the West Ranch Marching Band won every category leading up to their gold medal.

This significant accomplishment reflects the talent, hard work, and dedication of the students, staff, and parents involved in the West Ranch High School music program. Their performance was a true display of artistry, skill, and precision.

Four other high schools from the Santa Clarita Valley competed in the championships. Valencia and Canyon High Schools took second and eighth place respectively in Division 2A, while Saugus High School and Golden Valley took fifth and eighth place respectively in Division 3A. Each marching band has made their school and community proud.

I encourage all members of Congress to join me in congratulating the West Ranch High School Marching Band on their impressive achievement. Their commitment to excellence in their craft should serve as an inspiration to all of us. I wish them continued success in all of their future endeavors.

Once again, I extend a warm congratulations to the West Ranch High School Marching Band on this well-deserved honor.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the distinguished career of Sergeant Mark Wilbur, Serial No. 30646, who is retiring from the Los Angeles Police Department after 30 years of dedicated service to the citizens of Los Angeles. Sergeant Wilbur has made significant contributions to the safety and well-being of our community, and his exemplary service is deserving of our highest recognition and gratitude.

Sergeant Wilbur was appointed to the Department on November 29, 1993. He has served in various capacities, including West Valley Patrol, Van Nuys Patrol, Rampart Patrol, Foothill Patrol, and Mission Gang Unit, among others. His leadership and expertise have been essential in maintaining law and order. He has received significant promotions throughout his career, as well as 342 minor commendations from the citizens and Department for his exemplary service. Sergeant Wilbur has also received three major commendations, including the Purple Heart, which he was awarded after being shot by a criminal gang member in 2006. His dedication, courage, and professionalism have set a high standard for all law enforcement offices, and his retirement marks the end of an illustrious career.

I ask that all members of Congress join me in expressing our sincere appreciation to Sergeant Mark Wilbur for his three decades of service to the Los Angeles Police Department and the people of Los Angeles.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Charles Hull, a constituent who truly embodies the American ideals of innovation and exploration. As an inventor and scientist, Mr. Hull has dedicated his life to the creation of technology that would be useful to his fellow creators.

Mr. Hull is no stranger to trailblazing. His greatest invention, the 3-D printer, came in 1983 and he co-founded the world's first 3-D printing company, 3-D Systems, just three years later. In 1987, 3-D Systems introduced the world to the stereolithographic apparatus machine, which produced more detailed products faster than ever before. The innovation didn't stop there, though, as Mr. Hull is also known as the godfather of the rapid prototyping movement. This movement focuses on utilizing technology, such as 3-D printers, to deliver one-of-a-kind pieces quickly so that inventors and scientists can focus their time on discovery. For these reasons, Charles Hull was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2014 and more recently recognized by President Biden with the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. This recognition is extraordinary and couldn't be more well-deserved.

I want to thank Mr. Hull for his persistence and dedication to his trade. Our community is better because of him, and I look forward to hearing of his next innovation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a friend and a true American hero.

Mike Kuper passed away on November 22, 2023, at the age of 70. He is survived by his lovely wife, Yong; his son, Thomas; his daughter, Melissa; and five grandchildren.

Mike dedicated his career and life to service. He served in both the Army and the Air Force. He protected our community for three decades working for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. He influenced hundreds of young men and women as the Law Enforcement Explorer Mentor.

Mike even continued to work as a reserve deputy after his retirement. Simply put, he went above and beyond to help others his entire life.

Mike Kuper was a great father, a great husband, and a public servant. He will be missed by his family, his friends, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, and the Lancaster communities.

Madam Speaker, may God bless Mike Kuper and all of our peacemakers.

Madam Chair, it should not take an act of Congress to stop our President, the President of the United States, from sending $6 billion to Iran. Iran is the world's most prolific sponsor of terrorism, but here we are, having to go through this.

This administration has said that this money is to be used for humanitarian purposes only. Madam Chair, that is like giving money to a junkie and expecting them to buy food with it. You can tell them to buy food with it, and they can promise you that they will buy food with it. We all know he ain't buying food with it.

In this case, Iran will not use this money for humanitarian assistance. Even if they did, it would just free up other cash so they could fund their international terror organizations and nuclear ambitions. Now that we have control of these assets, let's not let this money be weaponized against us, our allies, and especially Israel.

Madam Chair, I urge support of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recalibrate our minds on what is actually happening here today.

This proceeding looks important. It feels consequential, but let's look at what else is happening across America.

Today, about 300 Americans will die from fentanyl poisoning. Today, about 11,000 people will illegally penetrate our borders. Today's debt is approaching $34 trillion. Today's mortgage rates just hit a 25-year high now approaching 8 percent. Our energy prices are again at backbreaking highs with gas approaching $8 a gallon in my district. Today, China and the CCP grow stronger with an intent to go to war by 2027, and our military is experiencing record-low retention and record- low recruitment.

This is the reality of today for 335 million Americans under President Joe Biden. It is a dark and scary reality. This Republican majority here today in the House is the only firewall against the damaging far-left policies of the Biden administration.

The single-subject appropriations bills that we were supposed to be voting on this week will literally fight to reverse the darkness of these realities and fight inflation, cut spending, secure our border, while enhancing our Nation's security and investing in our soldiers at a meaningful level.

Today, this body filled with people in fancy suits led by a few Republicans who are running with scissors and supported by Democrats who have personal issues with the Speaker, have uncertain intentions and even more uncertain goals, and they have decided to make today about drama. Today is not about solving problems and helping our constituents but about drama.

We need to be the no-drama option for America--this party, this majority. I fear that this self-inflicted drama of today jeopardizes our majority and by definition removes the last layer of defense protecting America from this Biden administration.

Let's dispense with the drama, do our jobs, and move on with defending this beautiful country.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay attribute to a friend, a hero, and a great American.

Jason Rooney passed on June 11 this year, just shy of his 51st birthday. He is survived by his parents, Dudley and Cathy; his daughter, Skyler; and his three brothers, Christopher, Michael, and Brian.

Growing up, Jason always put others first. He had a heart for serving others that ultimately led him to serve as a Los Angeles County deputy for over 15 years. He took great pride in being a deputy and he performed all of his positions with honor and with distinction. However his true purpose in life came on January 31, 2008, when he welcomed his daughter Skyler Marie into the world. Skyler is a beautiful and intelligent young lady and Jay's world revolved around her.

Jason Dudley Rooney was a great brother, great son, and a great father. He will be missed by his family, friends, and the good people of Los Angeles County whom he served so well.

Mr. Speaker, may God bless Jay Rooney, who is now by His side, and may God bless all of our peacekeepers.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Comer and Ranking Member Raskin for their support on this very special bill for a real, true American hero.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 292, to name the post office in Valencia, California, after a true American patriot, Mr. Bill Reynolds.

This is a fitting tribute for someone who gave so much over the course of his life to this beautiful Nation. While his military service and heroism in the jungles of Vietnam with the famous Charlie Company warrant this honor alone, it was his tireless commitment to recognizing his fellow brothers and sisters in arms that cemented him as a lion in the veterans' community.

A lifelong resident of Southern California, Bill was drafted for service shortly after graduating from high school and went on to join the Army's Charlie Company, 9th Division, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment. The ``Boys of `67'' is what they were known as.

Bill was a part of the only division to be raised, drafted, and trained for service in the Vietnam war. Despite being wounded in action in June of 1967, he continued fighting alongside his friends, defending his friends in the Mekong Delta, and was ultimately awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his bravery.

After his service, he embraced his proud identity of being a U.S. veteran and took every opportunity to advocate and support his brothers and sisters who served. He was one of the very

first ambassadors for the Greatest Generations Foundation, he served as a member of the local American Legion Post, and he was a member of the Santa Clarita Veterans' Day Committee.

During the last decade of his life, Bill cemented his legacy as the most passionate and high-profile veterans advocate in the Santa Clarita Valley. He was single-handedly responsible for the installment of a memorial wall at the Veterans Plaza in Newhall, California. He accompanied the President and fellow veterans to Da Nang to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam war. He also worked as the director of veterans affairs for the two largest news publications in Santa Clarita.

As director of veterans affairs for both the Santa Clarita Signal and KHTS Radio, Bill Reynolds served as the historian for local veterans, writing more than 100 profiles in courage of hometown heroes; something that they could share with their families and relive their legacies.

Bill was also a devoted husband to the love of his life, Meg, and was a loving father and grandfather to his children and grandchildren.

Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, our Nation is simply better because of Bill Reynolds. He embodied the very values that America was founded on and continues to hold to this day: love of country, grit, and service above all else.

Patriots like Bill Reynolds make the United States the greatest country in history. A small tribute like naming a post office after him is the least we can do. The debt of gratitude Americans owe to Bill Reynolds can never fully be paid.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me and pass this very special bill to honor a true American hero.