Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate and recognize the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita for their more than 30 years of continuous service to the youth of our community at their first full-time clubhouse. Since 1992, the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita has provided invaluable resources and mentorship to countless children and young adults at the James T. Ventress Clubhouse.

The club's mission to inspire youth, especially those who need it most, would not be possible without the passion and dedication on display every day from the volunteers and employees of this important organization. The time and effort that they invest in our community's youth goes unnoticed far too often, but it is because of their tireless work and compassion that generations of today's adults possess the skills and lessons needed for success. This drive to help and mentor our youth was perhaps best exemplified by the man for whom the club's first full-time facility is named: Jim Ventress. When Jim became director of Santa Clarita's Boys and Girls Club in 1984, he set out to expand services to as many children as possible and was instrumental in the establishment of the first permanent clubhouse.

Years after Jim's retirement, it's in this same spirit of hard work and dedication that the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Clarita continues to serve the youth of our valley. They have since expanded to include another full-time clubhouse and 3 separate after-school programs available to thousands of children

across the community. As we celebrate the anniversary of their first clubhouse, I have full confidence that they will continue to be a shining example of the power of community involvement for years to come.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and contributions of Gloria ``Glo'' Donnelly. Alongside her husband, Art, Glo was instrumental in the founding of the City of Santa Clarita in the 1980s. After a lifetime of activism and community involvement, Glo passed away this summer, but we continue to honor her legacy as one of Santa Clarita's founders.

A long-time resident of Santa Clarita before it was incorporated as a city, and a prominent Valencia realtor, Glo Donnelly played a crucial role in the formation of a city now home to more than 200,000 people. When the area that would become Santa Clarita grew from a farming community to a burgeoning suburb in the second half of the 20th century, Gloria was a leading voice among many like-minded community members who advocated for self-governance. Her and her husband Art, as co-chairs of the Santa Clarita Formation Committee, worked hard to win support for the formation of the city by spreading awareness and raising funds to make the dream of Santa Clarita come true. When Santa Clarita won cityhood and the first city council was elected, Glo and Art worked hand-in-hand with the newly elected city leaders to ensure that Santa Clarita got off to a smooth start.

Glo's community leadership and involvement did not end with Santa Clarita's incorporation as a city. She was also the spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Association of Realtors, as well as the Chair of the Whittaker-Bermite Citizens Advisory Group. In both roles she prioritized giving community members a voice and always put the interests of Santa Clarita first. In her retirement from real estate, she remained active in Santa Clarita civics and the charitable community.

Glo leaves behind a monumental legacy, and in many ways every single resident of Santa Clarita owes her a debt of gratitude for her tireless work to make Santa Clarita what it is today. We will continue to honor her service as one of Santa Clarita's founders, and we offer our condolences to her loved ones.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas for hosting this very important hour.

I think what you have captured here in calling our Nation's debt a curse is very important, very apropos. When you do the math with the $31 trillion worth of debt, that equates to roughly $94,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.

As a head of a household of four and the father of two young boys, 15 and 6 years old, I echo your sentiments that we cannot put this curse on our children, our grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, facts are cold, hard, stubborn things. In this world, it doesn't matter what you hope for. It doesn't matter what you wish for. It doesn't even matter what your intentions were, even if they were well-meaning intentions. What matters are the results.

The results stemming from this tax-and-spend policy brought on by this body, led by a very progressive majority with what I would submit are very regressive results, have resulted in a cold, hard reality for the average American family.

Today's reality for the average middle-income, lower-class family is one defined by record-high inflation, mortgage rates that are skyrocketing, retirement accounts that are down nearly 20 percent since their high was established in early 2021, and record debt. These are regressive economic indicators.

This reality is not just bad luck, Mr. Speaker, or the product of anything or anyone else besides your agenda to overtax and overspend, to overpromise and underdeliver.

Mr. Speaker, economics is simply physics with dollar signs. For every action, there is a reaction. For every input, there is an output. There are fundamental rules that don't bend to your desires, your hopes, or your wishes. These are cold, hard facts and cold, hard rules, just like physics.

With over $10 trillion now in obligations and liquidity injected into the system by Congress in just the last 2 years, and a war on American energy and a war on small business, the result is 40-year record inflation. That is a reaction as a result of an action.

With record-high inflation, the Fed is now forced to raise rates some 400 basis points just in the last 6 months--again, action and reaction.

With Fed rates now going up so quickly, banks now have to likewise increase their mortgage lending rates accordingly. Just 12 months ago, a home buyer could get a 30-year loan for just 3 percent interest. Today, that same loan is now close to 7 percent. It prices half of the new buyers out of the market--again, action and reaction.

Because people are suffering on a daily basis and can't afford to make ends meet, much less purchase homes, especially first-time home buyers, the housing market and the stock market are now pulling back significantly--action and reaction.

Mr. Speaker, the majority and White House policies over the last 2 years have tried to defy physics, and now gravity is taking over.

My constituents, especially in California, see $6 to $7 a gallon gas. Even if they have an electric vehicle, they pay close to $1,000 a month for their electricity bills. Groceries, school supplies, clothes, everything is about 15 to 20 percent higher than it was just 2 years ago.

They are actually afraid to look at their 401(k)'s or their retirement accounts because they have lost so much. Californians are getting especially crushed.

To pull out of this nosedive, we need to cut spending, like my colleague from Texas has stated several times, and Congress needs to balance its budget. We need to stop adding to the debt and stop adding more risk to our children's economic futures.

We need to actually be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and be responsible with it. We need to shrink Federal agencies and hold them accountable to higher efficiencies.

We need to cut taxes so Americans can keep more of their money and so small businesses can afford to hire and grow.

More importantly, Mr. Speaker, we need to listen to our constituents and those in our communities who create jobs, instead of punishing them for the majority's hopes and wishes that defy physics.

The poorer families are the ones getting hammered the most because of it. Congress can do and has done better--and we will again when we get the majority back.

The United States can do and has done better, and we will again. The best times and the greatest prosperity are ahead of us as a Nation, but only as long as we as legislators respect the laws and fundamentals of the economy.

Like I said, it is just physics with dollar signs, Mr. Speaker, and to fight those physics is folly. To add to our debt is reckless. Our debt now has become an existential threat to the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, Democrats have failed middle-class families with these policies, but now a new majority will come in, elected by those hurt the most, the middle class, the lower income families, and we will fix this problem. Again, that is an action and reaction.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas for hosting this and educating Congress. I think most Americans realize the fundamental physics of all of this, and we have to just teach our colleagues to implement them and save our country from this very crushing debt.

Madam Speaker, I would like to take a moment to honor the life of my dear friend, Batta Vucijic.

Batta was a leader in our community whose contributions to North LA County will live on for several generations. As a founding board member at the Ministry of Life Without Limbs, he spread the good word of our savior Jesus Christ to many, including those in prison ministries.

Batta is served by the love of his life, Rita; their seven children, Marco, Natalie, Elena, Lara, Daniela, Dario, Ariana, and Nataliya, who he loved as his own; their spouses; and dozens more family members.

I will always remember Batta's commitment to our community and his friendship. We will miss him dearly. Today, he sits next to the one true king in heaven and looks down upon us all with pride with his warm, humble demeanor.

Batta was a dear friend, a great American, and a true believer. We love you and miss you, my friend. God blessed us with Batta's presence and now has brought him home.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in celebration, honoring a man who has dedicated himself to serving his community of Santa Clarita and beyond in an astounding manner: Jim Oliver. After serving in the United States Army, he became a member of the service organization Optimist International and has remained involved for over 52 years. His continued involvement reflects his genuine belief in the organization's goals, which is evident in his optimism and compassion towards everyone he encounters. As a member of Optimist International, Jim Oliver prioritizes meeting the needs of young people across the world alongside the mission of bringing out the best in every individual as they develop into their greatest potential.

Jim has consistently recruited and sought new members to sponsor and mentor within Optimist while upholding a steady commitment to the Optimist Creed. Since 1970, Jim has been named an officer at the Optimist International and district level 78 times and maintained membership in 9 different clubs. Putting the Optimist Creed into action, he has dedicated time to the Blind Olympics, taught water skiing to the Braille Institute, and provided necessities to an orphanage in Mazatlan, Mexico. These philanthropic exploits are just a few of the many examples of service that Jim has displayed in his over five decades of membership to Optimist International.

His service has left a remarkable impact on not only our local community, but in communities around the world. Those that have served alongside can attest he is undoubtedly due recognition by his nation and Optimist International. It is an honor to represent him in the United States Congress.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Jerry Gladbach, an accomplished, distinguished, and beloved public servant to the City of Santa Clarita for more than three decades. Countless friends, colleagues, and family members remember Jerry for the way he treated everyone he encountered with kindness and respect. In addition to his affable demeanor and his magnetic personality, Jerry also left a remarkable impact on the world of Southern California water, using his unique set of skills and expertise to ensure Santa Clarita had access to clean water as it expanded from a small town to a booming suburb of Los Angeles.

Jerry received his bachelor's and master's degrees from University of Missouri Columbia before moving to Santa Clarita in 1968. Upon arriving in California during one of the most dynamic periods of growth in the State's history, Jerry went to work establishing his roots, raising a family, and throwing himself into his work to provide clean and accessible water to the citizens of Los Angeles County. During his 35 years of service as an engineer at the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Jerry was responsible for creating solutions to provide reliable and clean water to millions of people.

In 1985, Jerry was first elected to the Castaic Lake Water Agency Board in 1985, a whole year before Santa Clarita was even incorporated as a city, serving on the board through its merger to become the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency, until his passing. During his tenure, he oversaw the expansion of Santa Clarita from a city of 85,000 to a city of more than 400,000, ensuring access to safe and reliable water to all its residents along the way. Additionally, he took his breadth of knowledge to share with various organizations, including the Local Agency Formation Commission, in which he served as president, chair, and received the ``Most Outstanding Commissioner'' Award in 2013. His dedication and willingness to encourage others left a significant impact on those that worked for and around him.

His lifetime of service has left an indelible mark on our community, and his work on Santa Clarita's water boards will have a lasting impact for generations of Californians. His passion, kindness, and knowledge will undoubtedly inspire others to follow in his footsteps of dedicated public service. Our community is blessed to have had a man like him serving as a proficient steward of our water resources, and those who knew him are blessed to have counted him as a friend. We will continue to pray for his loving family that he left behind, but they can look back fondly at the legacy of Jerry knowing that he made a difference for the city he loved so much.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the retirement and commend the service of John Heubusch, an individual who has spent decades in both the private and public sector and who, for the past 13 years, has played a pivotal role in the growth and revitalization of one of the jewels of our nation: the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. After guiding this prestigious institution through the challenges of the past decade, he will be enjoying his well-deserved retirement.

A native of our nation's capital, John Heubusch spent his college years in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area studying political science and receiving a master's degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown University. John started his career in public service nearly forty years ago working as an analyst for the Department of the Air Force. He soon moved to Capitol Hill, serving as a staffer for Congressman Denny Smith, where he quickly ascended the ranks to become his

Chief of Staff and working directly with Congressman Smith to trim down wasteful Department of Defense spending and maximize the efficiency and the safety of the military under the Reagan administration. Under the Bush administration, John served as the Chief of Staff to Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole before becoming the Vice President of Communications of the American Red Cross, one of the largest and oldest non-profit humanitarian organizations in the world. In these roles, from the Pentagon to Capitol Hill, to the Red Cross, John embodied what it means to serve one's country and be a faithful advocate for the greater good.

After impressive stints in the campaign and corporate worlds, John was personally selected by former First Lady Nancy Reagan and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute Board of Trustees to serve as Executive Director. In this role John led this organization, which oversees the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, into a new era of success and fostered renewed respect for President Reagan's legacy. Under his leadership, the Reagan Foundation championed the same values that President Reagan embodied, including charity, private goodwill, and free enterprise. Additionally, the Reagan Library under John educated a new generation of Americans about the life, presidency, and ideals of President Reagan. Leaving the Reagan Foundation with a historic $250 million endowment as he enters the next chapter of his life, John has provided an invaluable service to our community and our nation, as the Reagan Foundation, Institute, and Library remains well equipped to face the years ahead and continue their critical mission in preserving the legacy of one of our greatest presidents.

I cannot commend John Heubusch enough for his service to California's 25th District and the Nation. We thank him for his stewardship of President Reagan's legacy, and while we will miss him, his retirement and the opportunity to--spend--more time with friends and loved ones is certainly deserved after a long and successful career.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life and service of the Honorable Alan Rosenfield, who served for more than 15 years as a judge for the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Throughout his life and career, Judge Rosenfield exemplified what it meant to be a public servant with dignity, honor, and integrity.

Growing up in the San Fernando Valley, Alan was an exemplary student, charming friend, and dedicated son. Returning to Los Angeles after spending his college years in Iowa, Alan first began his life of service by joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department, one of the most storied and prestigious law enforcement agencies in California. While protecting and serving the citizens of Los Angeles County, he worked hard to also obtain a law degree, being admitted to the California Bar in 1981. After becoming an attorney, Alan continued his career as a Deputy District Attorney, enforcing the law and prosecuting dangerous criminals.

In 1990, Alan become the Honorable Judge Rosenfield after being appointed to the Newhall Municipal Court by California Governor George Deukmejian. He was later elevated to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2000, where he served for 17 years and had jurisdiction over cases in Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley. As a judge, Rosenfield applied the law fairly and equally, fostering a justice system that upheld the values of our Constitution while also protecting the freedoms and security of law-abiding citizens. Even after his retirement, he continued to serve as an assigned judge and remained an active member of the Santa Clarita community, continuing to give back and devote time to charitable causes. Serving in the U.S. Army Reserves for nearly three decades, Judge Rosenfield was the recipient of the distinguished Judge Advocates Association Outstanding Career Armed Services Attorney Award.

Although he has left us too soon, the impact of Judge Alan Rosenfields life will not soon be forgotten. Our communities are safer and our lives richer because of the life and service of Judge Rosenfield. We will continue to keep the Rosenfield family in our prayers, and we are thankful that our community was blessed enough to have Alan as a leader in the justice system.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life, memory, and legacy of a great Californian and one of the great philanthropists in California's 25th District, Charlotte Kleeman. A devoted servant to her community, a loving wife, and an amazing mother, Charlotte exemplified what it means to give back and live your life in the service of others.

Like many who are blessed to call the 25th District home, Charlotte was not a native of Santa Clarita. Born in Chicago and raised in North Hollywood, she came to Santa Clarita in 1965 with her family, where she wasted no time in immersing herself in the philanthropic community. Throughout her life, she served on the board of the local Child and Family Center, Boys and Girls Club, Foundation for Children's Dental Health, and Samuel Dixon Family Health Center, in addition to serving on the Foundation committee for College of the Canyons and as an ambassador to the local Chamber of Commerce.

Both Charlotte and her late husband Frank, were recognized as Santa Clarita's Woman and Man of the Year in 1996 and 2002, respectively. Even after earning this prestigious award recognizing her lifetime of contribution to charitable causes in her community, she was still driven to continue finding ways to give back in any way that she could. Her contributions to the many non-profits and organizations in our valley are immeasurable, and our city is a better place because of her efforts.

I have long held the belief that charity is one of the most important moral cornerstones of our great nation. There are few things more honorable than living your life in the service of others, and Charlotte Kleeman is the benchmark for what it means to give back, help others, and blaze a trail of light that touches countless lives. We will always remember her service to the Santa Clarita Valley, and we will continue to honor her memory through acts of charity and by helping those in need.

Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 471, the PAUSE Act, to protect all Americans from Biden's border crisis.

Madam Speaker, the Chinese Communist regime under Chairman Xi is certainly our greatest opponent. His vision and mission is to eliminate the United States by 2050, and his investments are aimed toward this end.

The CCP is not on our team, and we should not encourage competition from China, as the White House has stated. In many domains, they are outpacing us.

In lower altitude hypersonic weapons development; in the advancement and proliferation of high-altitude nuclear ICBMs, such as the DF-41; in the space

domain; in the cyber domain; in shipbuilding--they are currently building two ships per month; in the construction and networking of UAVs, or unmanned aerial vehicles; and in the advancement of low observable fighter jets both in terms of capacity as well as quantity, China certainly is our greatest threat.

They are not on our team, and their progress and their advantages are designed to be used against us in a coordinated fashion in all of those domains. But the single biggest threat to our Nation is not China alone. It is our own weaknesses within--weaknesses from people who are supposed to be on our team and weaknesses from those who seek to cooperate and profit from the CCP's behavior that ultimately enables the CCP in their atrocities.

Those who may chastise the CCP with Twitter posts in the same day enable them with joint ventures, small words compared to large supporting investments or bills such as the ones brought to the floor this week. This is exactly what Chairman Xi wants: big carrots and small sticks.

We must disentangle all of our interests from China. But above all things, we must disentangle our corporate interests from China as soon as possible.

Disentanglement takes courage, which is often not present in most boardrooms and certainly not present in our own Treasury Department. American corporations and our own Treasury are exchanging their own long-term security and our collective security for the short-term high of profits and business in a market they have been seeking for a long time.

These corporate leaders think they are fishing in knee-high water in a trout farm. But in reality, the water, that market space, is filled with piranhas, leaches, and sharks. The bare and bloodied ankles of our economy and our intellectual property and technology are now fully exposed to these very intelligent predators.

The Chinese Communist Party is not on our side, and our own greed and a willingness to compromise the integrity of our business ethics system in order to profit from endeavors with China are our greatest weaknesses and, I would say, our greatest threat.

We cannot afford to profit from selling the rope to China that will ultimately be used to hang us by 2050.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman and shipmate from Indiana for this evening's Special Order.

Madam Speaker, we the people really aren't asking much of our elected officials. Above all things, we just want them to do what is right for our country and be on the side of Americans. This isn't a party thing. This isn't a Republican versus Democrat thing. Regardless of party affiliation, we just want them to do what is right for the country.

The current Presidential administration and its policies have failed us in this regard and in a frighteningly short period of time. In just 1 year, this administration and its policies have eroded America's status as the lone, premier superpower; eroded our energy independence, making us once again beholden to OPEC, literally begging Middle Eastern nations to provide us with more oil; eroded an economy that was thriving before COVID and beginning to recover in the midst of COVID, and now, we are experiencing inflation that we haven't seen in 40 years; eroded our Nation's security, tucking tail against a group of savages and terrorists in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting for the right reasons.

After almost 2 years of no American deaths in Afghanistan and relative stability in a country that was formerly a breeding ground for terrorists, this administration set an arbitrary exit date and backed that date up with absolutely no plan. This admin stranded hundreds of Americans in Afghanistan and left our allies high and dry. The ad hoc and sloppy withdrawal led to the death of these 13 precious American servicemembers--absolutely avoidable and absolutely the fault of this administration.

We are really not asking for much from our elected officials. We the people just want this administration to stop giving hope to the bad guys and to start taking care of our Nation, our workers, our jobs, the small business owners, our children and their education, and to allow parents the right to understand what our children are being taught in school, the right to make school choices for our children.

We are asking that the administration stop calling parents terrorists and start preventing actual terrorists from infiltrating our country. We are asking for secure borders, so we don't see 175,000 human beings come across our border and into our Nation each month without any accountability.

If you care about the Dreamers, if you care about the potential DACA recipients, like many of us do, then you must first end this man-made border crisis.

We are really not asking for much. We just want someone to stand up and fight against this ridiculous defund the police movement and make our streets safe again.

We don't want the cost of goods and supply chain issues to overcome our income. We are asking simply that we fairly value the time, the skills, and the experience of our workers so that when they work harder and provide quality service, they make more money and keep more money. We don't want higher taxes only to see the government at all levels squander our hard-earned money.

Madam Speaker, above all things, we just want the President to be on our side and to have the backbone to stand up for the good guys. We are not asking for much. We just want this administration to stop giving hope to the bad guys.

Madam Speaker, I want to commend both sides of the aisle for a rather strong National Defense Authorization Act and commend the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Rogers) for his revisions.

Madam Speaker, it is a good top-line NDAA, it makes the strategic and tactical level investments necessary to catch up and keep pace with China. A lot of this technology that we are investing in is developed, built, and tested in my district, the 25th Congressional District.

This removes red flag provisions. It allows for those who don't want to get vaccinated to be separated from the service with an honorable discharge.

Clearly, I support this bill and it is an excellent NDAA. I do think we need to do better when it comes to our troops' base pay. Some may tout the 2.7 percent pay increase. I see it as anemic, frankly, and it is actually aggravating the pay gap between military servicemembers and their civilian counterparts.

With record inflation, our troops, especially the junior enlisted, continue to be hammered financially. If we want to deter threats and win wars in the modern battlefield, which we have to, we need to attract and retain more talent.

If we want to end things like conscription, and we should, we need to better incentivize our enlisted ranks to join and stay in. I urge support.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend and honor California's 2021 Representative for Teacher of the Year, Mr. Jim Klipfel. A U.S. History teacher and Athletics coach from my alma mater of Saugus High School, Mr. Klipfel is the embodiment of academic passion, humility, and service to others. While his family, friends, and students would be the first to say that Mr. Klipfel is not one to embrace the spotlight, there is not a shadow of a doubt as to whether he truly deserves the honorific title of ``Teacher of the Year''.

At Saugus High School, Mr. Klipfel has served as an athletic and academic mentor to generations of students, going above and beyond what is normally expected of an educator to impart the leaders of tomorrow with invaluable lessons and qualities to help them succeed and make the world a better place. He has always challenged students to think for themselves, reject the status quo, and ``pull back the curtain'' to expose the faults of existing systems in the hopes of improving them. He has poured his heart and soul into his profession and the success of those whose education he has been entrusted with. It is not a responsibility that he takes lightly. His friends, colleagues, and most of all his students bear witness every day to how much Mr. Klipfel gives of himself to ensure the success of his students. He does so with unbridled intelligence, kindness, and above all else, passion.

Recognizing the unique challenges that American high schoolers face today, Mr. Klipfel has prioritized students' well-being and mental health while also pushing them to go beyond their comfort zone and realize their full potential. He achieves this by putting in the work to make himself available to any student who needs help and by walking them through mistakes in order to learn from them. He routinely holds after-hours study sessions to help students better prepare for tests, and never shies from lending a helping hand to those who may be in difficult situations outside the classroom. He always strives to teach his students lessons that will help them beyond academics, such as the value of charity, making the best out of difficult situations, and the importance of civic engagement.

In the face of numerous challenges over the past two years, Mr. Klipfel has proven to be a resilient figure in the CA-25 community. After a school shooting in November of 2019, he helped his school rebuild and become stronger in the aftermath of tragedy. As the world transitioned to online learning and Zoom classes, Mr. Klipfel worked to keep students engaged and active in the classroom to ensure their continued academic success despite the odds facing them.

I am proud that such an exemplary teacher was selected to represent California's 25th District and California at large on the national stage and honored for his service and accomplishments. Mr. Klipfel no doubt represents the best of what teachers can be, and the promise of the future when we invest ourselves into helping young people realize their full potential inside and outside of the classroom. California's 25th district, our state, and our country are grateful for all Mr. Klipfel has given our community as he continues to inspire and educate the leaders of tomorrow.

Madam Speaker, I look forward to maybe more contested Army-Navy games in the near term.

Madam Speaker, in our battle against our internal demons, there is nothing more powerful than veterans helping other veterans. I rise today to discuss the need to support our veterans battling post- traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as TBI. Prior to coming to Congress I served in the U.S. Navy as an F/ A-18 strike fighter pilot. I served from the age of 18 until the age of 36. I was honored to fly combat missions during the first 6 months of Operation Iraqi Freedom over the skies of Baghdad, Fallujah and Tikrit in 2001 in support of our soldiers and marines on the ground.

As a veteran myself, I understand that individuals serving in the military or those who have served often take pride in their ability to compartmentalize things or to compartmentalize events in their minds. This is how we cope. But during my journey I lost too many friends, and many of them to suicide, because they thought they were able to compartmentalize when in reality they needed the help.

When someone makes a decision to leave the military, they often think that by going back to the real world they will lose their experiences and that the memories that terrorize many of us will come off with the uniform. This simply could not be further from the truth. The memories are always there weighing on you mentally, physically, and emotionally. This is why it is crucial that we raise awareness for those dealing with PTSD or TBI.

The mental toughness taught in the military does not mean staying silent or not reaching out for help. Instead, I believe that receiving help and talking with a professional or a fellow veteran shows resilience. It shows you are longing to heal, Madam Speaker, so you can be a better spouse and you can be a better parent and a better friend. That is what real toughness looks like.

It is abundantly clear that there is a dire need to improve access to the critical mental health resources for our veterans battling PTSD and TBI. This is what H.R. 1476 does. And I commend Representative Zeldin for introducing the bipartisan bill, the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act, which would establish a peer-to-peer support program for military veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI.

Private First Class Joseph P. Dwyer, an Iraq war veteran, is just one example of a life taken too soon because of PTSD acquired during his time of service. There is a bond amongst those who have served that cannot be broken, and this program will create efforts that take into account this bond and this friendship and this kinship, and it provides a way for veterans to heal alongside one another.

Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation and encourage others to do the same. Our precious warriors deserve our support. Our precious warriors and their families need our support.

God bless all those who serve.