Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend two of our Nation's finest who saved a life that otherwise would surely have been lost.

On March 15, a man driving through Florida experienced a medical emergency that caused him to crash into a shallow body of water, fully submerging the vehicle.

Airman Jesse Arguello and Airman Skyluv Rios, both of the Naval Aviation Schools Command leapt into action with military precision.

While Airman Rios summoned emergency services, Airman Arguello jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue the now drowning driver.

After kicking a hole in the sunroof and tearing out chunks of glass with his bear hands, Airman Arguello pulled the driver through the broken sunroof opening and dragged this individual to safety on shore.

I couldn't be more proud of these two young airmen. They represent the finest tradition of our military warriors. I am especially proud to say that Airman Jesse Arguello hails from my own Third District in Utah.

Mr. Speaker, may God bless these two great examples of what is making America great again.

Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Gottheimer and Officer Rutherford for organizing this Special Order hour. It is a reflection of the good things that happen here in Congress, Madam Speaker, the fact that Mr. Gottheimer can be here on the Republican side of the aisle, acknowledging something significant. The fact that we as Republicans and Democrats can stand united behind the thin blue line between order and chaos, and sometimes between life and death. I am honored to join this distinguished group of people who recognize the significance of National Police Week, which is what we are doing this week.

In memory of those who have given their lives--which I will review in my prepared notes in a moment regarding that--we can't forget that we must remember those who continue to live in the service of our country in the form of what Representative Gillen just talked about. There are a variety of toxic exposures, as well as mental health challenges, that come along with the job associated with the chaos that sometimes our law enforcement officers have to deal with.

I want to point out, as well, that, in Congress, there is a great deal of attention paid to the dysfunction, disagreements, arguments, and outright vigorous vitriol that goes back and forth between us. There is far more that unites us, as reflected by Congressman Rutherford and Congressman Gottheimer as they organized this. We can unite together to honor our police officers who do a great service for our society.

We need to honor these men and women in law enforcement who serve our communities with courage, integrity, and sacrifice day in and day out. Two hundred fifty years of American liberty have taught us that law and order is essential to a free society. Without order, our freedoms cannot survive. Our freedoms only hold because good men and women are willing to back them up--sometimes with their lives.

This week, I and the people in the State of Utah especially remember Sergeant Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department who gave their lives last August as they answered an average call for help from a citizen who ultimately, they gave their lives to try to respond to and help.

In Congress, I and many others will remain committed to backing our blue, the officers who need resources, support, and respect as they do their jobs.

To every officer in Utah and across this country, I thank them for keeping us safe. I am deeply grateful for all they do.

Madam Speaker, I will conclude by saying, I don't believe that there is going to be a lot of attention given by the media to what is happening right now. We need our country to recognize that there is a lot more good that is happening in Congress. Even though we have our disagreements, we find far more that unites us and that we can work together on than those things that will divide us and cause us to be media clowns and have the circus of Congress be demonstrated on a regular basis.

I am proud to join with these great people to recognize something that is functioning well, and that is our law enforcement throughout the country and the fact that we can all unite together to acknowledge that great service.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a constituent, a volunteer, and a good friend, Lyman, on the occasion of his 75th birthday.

Lyman has volunteered his time and energy on behalf of the people of Utah for many years. He shows up. He does the work, and he does it because he cares about this State and the people in it.

That kind of dedication deserves to be recognized. I am thankful for Lyman and those like him who are willing to volunteer their time and serve the people of Utah and the people of the United States of America.

Happy birthday to Lyman. May God bless him, and may God bless the great United States of America.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Colorado and my friend from Alabama for the opportunity to speak in favor of the FIRE Act. I appreciate the important work that is being done, which is critical for my home State of Utah.

Last year, Utah saw over 1,000 wildfires burn 160,000 acres. I represent a district that has watched wildfires tear through our communities. I have seen what fire does to our land, and I have heard from the land managers, the ranchers, and the State officials who want something done about it.

In many cases, we actually know what to do about it. We know what steps we can take to mitigate the risk, how to proactively manage the land before a fire even begins. The problem isn't the will or the answers. The problem is too often the regulations. It is regulations that actually limit our ability to take the steps needed to protect ourselves.

The FIRE Act gives States the regulatory certainty they need to act before fires grow out of control, and it has my full support.

Mr. Speaker, the communities I represent cannot afford continued inaction. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the FIRE Act.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight that March is designated as National Kidney Month to focus on kidney disease awareness.

As a family doctor, I know firsthand how debilitating this disease can be, especially for those needing to go on dialysis while facing the agonizing wait for a kidney transplant.

One of the leading causes of death in the United States, an estimated 35 million American adults are living with chronic kidney disease, including 76,000 in my home State of Utah.

Early stage kidney disease can be hard to detect due to the lack of symptoms, which is why as many as 9 out of 10 adults are unaware they even have it. Many Americans are at high risk of chronic kidney disease due to factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.

The good news is there are ways we can manage the risk factors. I am very grateful for the Trump administration's focus on making America healthy again because with proper nutrition, hydration, and physical activity, we can push back the rising tide of Americans with chronic conditions like kidney disease.

Together, we can raise awareness, encourage regular screenings for early detection, and increase nutrition education for both doctors and patients.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Kenneth John Brown, a marine, teacher, husband, and man of deep faith who recently passed away at 102 years old.

Ken Brown was just 20 when he landed on Iwo Jima, where he proudly served his country. He came home, started a family, earned his doctorate, and spent his career teaching our youth in the classroom.

He was, by every account, a man who showed up for his country, for his church, for his students, and for his family for over a century.

Mr. Speaker, lives like Ken Brown's are worth pausing to recognize. He is a reminder that one person committed to the right things can leave this world better than he found it. May his example inspire all of us to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shed light on endometriosis, a chronic and debilitating condition affecting more than 6.5 million women across the United States.

Despite its prevalence, it often goes undiagnosed for years. The journey to diagnosis is long, an average of more than 6 years from first symptoms to definitive diagnosis. Raising awareness is the first step to change.

That is why I thank Mary Alice Marriott Hatch for her partnership in bringing a screening of ``Below the Belt'' to Capitol Hill on March 18. I invite all of my congressional colleagues to join us and learn more about this important issue.

Mr. Speaker, awareness alone isn't enough. Investing in research, improving training for health professionals, and removing barriers to care are essential steps. With proper funding and attention, we can find effective treatments, improve quality of life, and bring hope to millions.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to give endometriosis care the attention that it deserves.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jack), for the privilege of being able to speak on this really important topic today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule to put a stop to yet another Democrat/Schumer shutdown and fund the Department of Homeland Security at this critical time. We all know and Democrats know that shutdowns are bad for the American people. That has been true regardless of which party has caused them.

Democrats have now shut down the government twice in the span of 4 months, holding the American people's safety hostage to their policy demands.

We have just heard Democrats admit responsibility for this nonsensical shutdown on this floor today. House Republicans negotiated in good faith with House and Senate Democrats and produced a clean, bipartisan funding bill for all of the Departments. That is how this process is supposed to work.

ICE is already funded and operational, exposing the Schumer shutdown as a political stunt more than anything else. What has actually been left without funding is the Coast Guard, TSA, and FEMA, the agencies that keep us safe when disaster strikes. The agencies on the front lines of American safety are now in limbo over a political standoff that never should have happened.

Even more troubling is the fact that the agency tasked with keeping Americans safe from terrorism is defunded when we face terrorist threats from Iran.

Mr. Speaker, I say to my Democratic friends and colleagues: Stop the games. End the shutdown.

``In looking forward to the moment which is intended to terminate the career of my public life, my feelings do not permit me to suspend the deep acknowledgment of that debt of gratitude which I owe to my beloved country for the many honors it has conferred upon me; still more for the steadfast confidence with which it has supported me; and for the opportunities I have thence enjoyed of manifesting my inviolable attachment, by services faithful and persevering, though in usefulness unequal to my zeal. If benefits have resulted to our country from these services, let it always be remembered to your praise, and as an instructive example in our annals that under circumstances in which the passions agitated in every direction were liable to mislead, amidst appearances sometimes dubious, vicissitudes of fortune often discouraging, in situations in which not unfrequently want of success has countenanced the spirit of criticism, the constancy of your support was the essential prop of the efforts, and a guarantee of the plans by which they were effected. Profoundly penetrated with this idea, I shall carry it with me to my grave, as a strong incitement to unceasing vows that Heaven may continue to you the choicest tokens of its beneficence; that your Union and brotherly affection may be perpetual; that the free Constitution, which is the work of your hands, may be sacredly maintained; that its administration in every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue; that, in fine, the happiness of the people of these States, under the auspices of liberty, may be made complete by so careful a preservation and so prudent a use of this blessing as will acquire to them the glory of recommending it to the applause, the affection, and adoption if every nation which is yet a stranger to it.

``Here, perhaps, I ought to stop. But a solicitude for your welfare, which cannot end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger, natural to that solicitude, urge me on an occasion like the present, to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no than inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me all important to the permanency of your felicity as a people. These will be offered to you with the more freedom as you can only see in them the disinterested warnings of a parting friend, who can possibly have no personal motive to bias his counsel. Nor can I forget, as an encouragement to it, your indulgent reception of my sentiments on a former and not dissimilar occasion.

``Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment.

``The unity of government which constitutes you one people is also now dear to you. It is justly so; for it is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence, the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth; as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national Union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity; watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety, discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned, and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.

``For this you have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discriminations.

``With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have in a common cause fought and triumphed together. The independence and liberty you possess are the work of joint councils and joint efforts--of common dangers, sufferings, and successes.

Mr. Speaker, it goes on to say: ``It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule indeed extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?

``Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.

``As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear. The execution of these maxims belongs to your representatives, but it is necessary that public opinion should cooperate. To facilitate to them the performance of their duty, it is essential that you should practically bear in mind that towards the payment of debts there must be revenue; that to have revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant; that the intrinsic embarrassment inseparable from the selection of the proper objects (which is always a choice of difficulties) ought to be a decisive motive for a candid construction of the conduct of the government in making it, and for a spirit of acquiescence in the measures for obtaining revenue which the public exigencies may at any time dictate.

``Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all--religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a

great nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt that in the course of time and things the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be, that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature. Alas! is it rendered impossible by its vices?

``In the execution of such a plan nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations and passionate attachments for others should be excluded and that in place of them just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests. The nation, prompted by ill will and resentment, sometimes impels to war the government, contrary to the best calculations of policy. The government sometimes participates in the national propensity and adopts through passion what reason would reject; at other times, it makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility instigated by pride, ambition, and other sinister and pernicious motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations has been the victim.

Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate something truly remarkable happening in Utah. It is the reconstruction of the Salt Lake Temple.

For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like myself, this is a sacred house of worship. For all Utahns, it is a symbol of our heritage and the pioneer spirit that built our State.

Think for a moment what it took to build this temple in the first place. Impoverished settlers spent 40 years quarrying granite from the Wasatch Mountains and hauling the stone by wagon. They had almost nothing. But they had faith, and they built something meant to endure.

It has endured. Over 130 years later, the temple still stands strong. This temple has stood through wars, depressions, and tremendous change. It has watched Utah grow from a pioneer settlement into a thriving State.

The temple has been closed for renovation since 2019, and I know many have missed seeing this architectural masterpiece. Even this marvel of architecture requires each generation to do the work of preservation.

In that same pioneer spirit, engineers and skilled artisans are fortifying it with seismic upgrades, base isolation, structural reinforcement, and steel reinforcement to keep it standing for another 130 years.

I believe there is a lesson here for all of us. This year, America celebrates 250 years. Our Founders, like the Utah pioneers, built something extraordinary, not just for themselves but for us and for generations yet to come. They built this country with faith and sacrifice. They built it to last.

Madam Speaker, if we want America to last another 250 years, we need to do more than celebrate. We need to renovate. We need to strengthen our foundations. We need to strengthen our foundations of individual liberty and responsibility. We need to fortify what made America great in the first place.

Like those pioneers who built the temple, we must be wise stewards of what we have inherited. We must be willing to make the hard choices today. We must be willing to cut waste and restore accountability so American families can thrive. We must build not for ourselves but for those who come after us so they inherit a nation with a strong foundation and faith in the principles of freedom our Founders gave us.

Madam Speaker, with the Salt Lake Temple completion expected in 2026 and a public open house planned for 2027, just next year, I extend a personal invitation to my colleagues in this Chamber to come visit and see what faith and determination can build and preserve. The open house is free. It will be next year from April to October, and all people around the world are invited.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand in support of the SAVE America Act.

Consider the simple realities of life. In this country, you are required to show an ID to drive a car, to board an airplane, or to cash a paycheck. These are routine requirements for everyday participation in our society. Yet, for the most fundamental act of a self-governing people, the right to vote, that same standard of verification is missing.

Let us be clear. Despite the rhetoric, this is not about creating hurdles at the polling place. It is about the integrity of the registration process. As Americans, our right to vote is sacred, but that right is only as strong as a system that protects it. When one single illegal vote is cast, a legal vote is diluted. When a foreign national influences an election, the voice of an American citizen is silenced. This isn't a hypothetical concern. It is a matter of protecting the value of everyone's choice.

The SAVE America Act is guided by one simple principle: Only Americans should decide American elections.

Across this country, we have seen noncitizens identified on voter rolls. This is a vulnerability we can no longer afford to ignore. By passing this act, we provide the public with the one thing our political system needs most: trust--trust that the process is secure; trust that the rules are followed; and trust that every legal vote counts.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me. Let us unify around the democratic principles that built this Republic. Let us pass the SAVE America Act to keep our elections exclusively in the hands of the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Florida, Mr. Haridopolos, for organizing this Special Order.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Housing for the 21st Century Act. I support this because it is good policy, and I support it because my constituents want me to support this. But I also support it because my children and grandchildren deserve better than what we are currently delivering.

For example, I have a family member who has gone to medical school. This individual has taken out enormous amounts of debt to achieve that significant opportunity to become a doctor and currently is in that practice.

At the same time this individual has taken on the burden of a home mortgage, which in the State that this individual resides in is costing up to $500,000 for that individual to just buy a home and take on a mortgage. When added to the medical school debt, this individual in their early thirties is subject to a million dollars of debt.

In the State of Utah where I am from, the median home price is more than $500,000. In other States that many people are moving to you are looking at three to $500,000 just to buy a starter home.

These costs are unacceptable. They are multifactorial in how they have been driven, as well. The reality behind this--I am a doctor and most people around here know that in order to cure cancer there is not just one simple answer. When it comes to the unaffordability associated with housing costs, there is not just one answer there.

That is why I am so proud to support and have voted in favor of the Housing for the 21st Century Act. I call on my friends in the Senate to pass this along as well.

I thank Chairman French Hill for his leadership in confronting the housing affordability crisis with practical and progrowth reforms.

I also appreciate President Trump's leadership and his focus on making the American Dream attainable again for hardworking families.

President Trump is not serving for his own benefit. He is serving because he believes in the future of the United States of America. As we look to America 250 and the next 250 years of America's success, we need to focus on policies that are going to fulfill the American Dream, which homeownership is integral to.

The American Dream is getting more and more out of reach as housing costs continue to climb. While demand soars, the country remains stalled by a 5\1/2\ million unit shortfall.

Between the red tape of regulatory delays and the rigid constraints of zoning, the path to affordable living is being made more difficult to navigate, and it is American families who are paying the price.

As one of the fastest growing States in the Nation, this is a harsh reality for Utahns. We face one of the most expensive housing markets in the Nation, and too many families are being priced out of the American Dream.

The truth is simple. When the government makes it slow, expensive, and unpredictable to build houses, the costs get passed along to families.

This bill attacks that problem by reducing regulatory costs and delays that make housing more expensive in the first place.

It encourages zoning reform the right way. It respects local control and gives communities tools and flexibility to expand housing supply, rather than forcing one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington.

It expands opportunities for rural housing developments by ensuring rural communities aren't left behind and directing real attention and resources to rural housing needs. It strengthens accountability at HUD by demanding more transparency and more meaningful oversight, so taxpayers get results not bureaucracy.

Making the American Dream attainable requires us to make housing affordable again, and I appreciate President Trump and Chairman Hill for leading on reforms that prioritize supply, affordability, and accountability.

I thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Haridopolos, for organizing this Special Order hour.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the epidemic of waste, fraud, and abuse that is ripping off taxpayers with impunity.

Too often, Congress forgets that every dollar of government money collected comes from an American who worked hard for it. That is why waste, fraud, and abuse are not abstract problems. They are real problems that hurt real people.

When government programs pay twice for the same service, fund projects that never get built, or lose track of billions, taxpayers suffer and confidence in government weakens.

We need to honor hardworking families by pursuing the bad actors with a vengeance. Stewardship is our sacred responsibility.

We just found out about a case in my own district where an individual was collecting her dead mother's Social Security checks for 3 years. Her blatant fraud was finally discovered, and she was sentenced and ordered to repay $25,000 in restitution. This case is not isolated. The Government Accountability Office estimates that the Federal Government loses up to $521 billion to fraud every single year.

The American people expect honesty, fiscal discipline, and respect for their sacrifice. I am proud of the Republican Conference for doing just that.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Missouri for this time.

As a family practice doctor for more than 25 years, I hear directly from my patients about the skyrocketing cost of insurance and prescription drugs. Americans were promised lower costs, more choices, and better care. More than a decade later, too many families are asking what happened.

Since its passage, the unaffordable care act has created a subsidy- fueled illusion with spiraling costs hidden by taxpayer dollars and deficit spending.

Today, many Americans have insurance on paper but still cannot afford to use it. Plans often come with deductibles of several thousand dollars, meaning families pay out of pocket for most routine care. Insurance that cannot be used when people are sick is not real security. It is an illusion.

Let's look at the facts. Healthcare costs have skyrocketed since ObamaCare went into effect. The ACA promised to lower healthcare premiums by up to $2,500 per family per year, but since ObamaCare went into effect, premiums have nearly tripled and deductibles have nearly doubled. The cost of coverage for a family of 4 has increased by more than $10,000.

The benchmark ACA silver plan cost $346 a month in 2014. In 2026, the same exact plan costs $625 a month. The benchmark ACA silver plan deductible was $2,425 in 2014. In 2026, the average deductible will be $5,304, a 119 percent increase. That means that before your health insurance even kicks in, you have to incur $5,304 in out-of-pocket costs.

Such deductibles leave families effectively self-funding their care despite being insured. A policy that you can't afford when you are sick is not a real solution, only an illusion of coverage, leaving individuals functionally uninsured.

Compounding these design failures are serious fraud and enforcement breakdowns within the system itself. A 2024 GAO investigation found that fake identities were approved for ObamaCare subsidies at a 100 percent rate. Often remaining enrolled despite missing or falsified documentation, these ObamaCare subsidies continued for these fraudulent applications. Taxpayers are left footing the bill as reused Social Security numbers, subsidies paid on behalf of deceased individuals, and billions in unreconciled payments expose a system unable to protect public funds.

To be clear, expanding access to health insurance and protecting people with preexisting conditions are worthy goals, but good intentions do not excuse bad results.

Mr. Speaker, faced with these affordability problems, what have my Democratic colleagues proposed? Their answer has been more taxpayer subsidies to paper over ObamaCare's problems. Rather than address the root causes of high premiums, they want to pour ever-larger subsidies to insurance companies to mask the broken system.

Extending subsidies without reform is just paying more for a broken system. I am not going to vote to promote a broken ObamaCare system. If health insurance only looks affordable when Washington pumps in billions of temporary subsidies, the law itself is not affordable. That structure is the real problem that we need to fix. I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time.

Mr. Speaker, there is a lot of symbolism that is happening at this point. I appreciate the bipartisanship. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding time. It is a reflection of what really should happen around this place. We should love and help each other and try to find common ground. It is a great representation of how Doug LaMalfa served.

He was a man of the people. He served his people well. He was a man of the land. He loved his land. He loved his rice. He would talk about it with me and everybody else here regularly. He also loved people sufficiently to give them nicknames.

My nickname had something to do with the villain in ``Ocean's Twelve.'' I was the ``Night Fox.'' I don't know if I agree with that characterization. He was the guy that did a break dance across a laser dance floor to steal things. Maybe some around here would think that is the kind of person that I am. I knew it was all in good taste and good fun. Doug game nicknames to everybody.

Mr. Speaker, I will point out the last thing about Doug is that he loved his country. He knew that on the top the Capitol rotunda was a statue called the Statue of Freedom. Doug served not only his people but he served his God. He certainly loved both. In serving his country, he understood he was serving freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that I, as well as all of us, can live up to Doug's standard of service, his love for people, and his love for God.