Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pride that I rise to pay a very special tribute to an outstanding high school athlete from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Rania Brown, a senior at Avon High School, has represented her school ably on her way to achieving the Division I State Title for the Discus Throw at the State Track and Field Meet. Rania overcame the challenges posed by intense competition in her effort to win the title.

In pursuing the State Championship, Rania defeated her opponents with an impressive throw of 153 feet 4 inches. Her hard work and dedication, both on and off the field, in achieving this accomplishment is truly outstanding. She has achieved an impressive season, bringing pride to her school and community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Rania Brown of Avon High School. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize this great achievement.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pride that I rise to pay a very special tribute to an outstanding high school athlete from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Owen Scott, a senior at Van Wert High School, has represented his school ably on his way to achieving the Division II State Title for the 1600 Meter Run at the State Track and Field Meet. Owen overcame the challenges posed by intense competition in his effort to win the title.

In pursuing the State Championship, Owen defeated his opponents with an impressive time of 4:10.19. His hard work and dedication, both on and off the track, in achieving this accomplishment is truly outstanding. He has achieved an impressive season, bringing pride to his school and community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Owen Scott of Van Wert High School. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize this great achievement.

Mr. Speaker, it is with a great deal of pride that I rise to pay a very special tribute to an outstanding high school athlete from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. Ariannah Floyd, a senior at Firelands High School, has represented her school ably on her way to achieving the Division II State Title for the 300 Meter Hurdles at the State Track and Field Meet. Ariannah overcame the challenges posed by intense competition in her effort to win the title.

In pursuing the State Championship, Ariannah defeated her opponents with an impressive time of 42.76 seconds. Her hard work and dedication, both on and off the track, in achieving this accomplishment is truly outstanding. She has achieved an impressive season, bringing pride to her school and community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Ariannah Floyd of Firelands High School. On behalf of the people of the Fifth District of Ohio, I am proud to recognize this great achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, for 4 years I have worked tirelessly with my colleague from Virginia's Ninth District to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act. In 2023, we saw over 107,000 overdose deaths, 75,000 of those attributed to synthetic opioids, especially fentanyl-related substances.

Currently, fentanyl and fentanyl analogues temporarily fall under schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the CSA, due to a temporary scheduling order that runs through September 30 of this year.

This bill would permanently place fentanyl analogues into schedule I of the CSA. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse,

has no currently accepted medical value, and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative civil and criminal penalties.

Today, this Chamber is permanently scheduling fentanyl-related substances as schedule I.

We owe it to our communities, our constituents, the families, and to the victims. Cartels are quite literally killing Americans for ten cents. Among teens, fentanyl poisoning accounted for an average of 22 deaths per week in 2022.

Fentanyl is the number one cause of death among adults 18 to 49, more than cancer, heart disease, and car accidents. This isn't about criminal justice reform. This is about victims getting justice.

Currently, to trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum, an offense must involve 100 or more grams of a mixture containing a fentanyl analogue. Two milligrams of fentanyl will kill. This means 100 grams of fentanyl analogue can kill roughly 50,000 people.

Mr. Speaker, I thank our Senate colleagues for passing this critical legislation, and I encourage all of my House colleagues to support the HALT Fentanyl Act so we can get this to the President's desk and stop the greatest poisoning in American history.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and remember the life and service of a dedicated American veteran, Mr. Orval Mullens of Oakwood, Ohio. Orval, who celebrated his 103rd birthday in February, passed away on May 15, 2025. Orval led a long, productive life, and I am honored to have the opportunity to recognize his many accomplishments in life, especially his service to our Nation.

During World War II, Orval served as a field lineman in the Eighth Regiment of the Fourth Infantry of the U.S. Army from October 14, 1942, to September 25, 1945. Orval landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944, and he fought in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. In April of 1945, Orval and the soldiers of the Eighth Regiment assisted in the liberation of the concentration camp at Dachau. He was awarded two Purple Hearts for his service. He also received a Bronze Star and the French Legion of Honor, as well as several other medals.

After completing his military service, he started O.H. Mullen Sales in the 1950s and owned and operated the business until the mid-1980s. His company manufactured, sold, and distributed archery equipment. He married Luella Conley on October 24, 1942, and they were together for 74 years until her passing in 2016. They had three children: Dr. Orval Lee Mullen, James Mullen of Oakwood, and Judith Wieging of Willshire. The family has grown to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to the life and service of Orval Mullen. On behalf of the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio, it is my honor to recognize his contributions to our Nation, community, and his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family as they celebrate his long life.

Mr. Chairman, I thank the chair of the full committee for yielding. I appreciate it.

Mr. Chair, I rise in support of H.R. 2483, the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025.

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025 is one of the most impactful bills the Committee on Energy and Commerce has worked on during my time in Congress. Simply put, we came together to implement bipartisan policies that would save lives.

Gone are the days that substance abuse and addiction are a far off problem that doesn't impact each one of our districts. Instead of hearing the words: ``I know someone who knows someone,'' we hear too often: ``I know someone personally who is impacted by addiction.''

That is why it is absolutely essential that we reauthorize the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act of 2025, which will ensure that we have the right tools at our disposal to fight the scourge of fentanyl and opioids in our communities. We must continue vital resources for prevention, education, treatment, recovery, workforce, and law enforcement to help patients struggling with substance abuse. This reauthorization ensures that we will continue to make progress, continue to fight back, and will continue to save lives.

Mr. Chair, I again thank the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), for his leadership on this legislation. Let's fix it. Let's promote treatment before tragedy, and stop the drug poisonings.

Mr. Chair, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me.

Mr. Speaker, I, along with members of the Ohio Delegation, would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Major General John C. Harris, Jr., on his retirement as Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard. During General Harris's career in the Ohio National Guard, he held a wide range of leadership positions, culminating in service as a key member of Governor DeWine's cabinet. Governor DeWine announced General Harris's retirement and nomination to be the next director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs.

General Harris began his military career in 1981 when he enlisted in the Ohio Army National Guard. He was assigned to the 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment located in Worthington, Ohio where he was part of their Attack Helicopter Troop. Through Officer Candidate School, he received his commission in 1984 and became the section leader for the Attack Helicopter Troop at his original station in Worthington. In 1988, General Harris became Aide-de-Camp to Major General Richard Alexander, Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard.

Throughout the 1990's and 2000's, General Harris held multiple leadership positions for several National Guard posts including Executive Officer of the 2-107th Cavalry in Kettering, Ohio, Assistant Chief of Staff at Headquarters State Area Command, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel OHARNG Element, and Chief of Staff, Ohio Army National Guard in Columbus, Ohio. In 2011, General Harris was appointed Assistant Adjutant General for Army by Governor John Kasich. On December 12, 2014, he was promoted to his current rank of Major General.

In 2018, then Governor-elect Mike DeWine nominated General Harris to succeed General Mark Bartman as Ohio Adjutant General. On January 14, 2019, Major General Harris was sworn in as the 83rd Adjutant General of the Ohio National Guard. Since then, General Harris has been a steadfast and capable leader of the Ohio National Guard. He has been instrumental in the creation of the Ohio Cyber Reserve as well as the conversion of the Mansfield Air National Guard Wing to the 179th Cyberspace Wing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his strong leadership allowed the National Guard to respond across the state and assist hospitals and Ohioans in need.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in paying special tribute to Major General John Harris, on his retirement from the Ohio National Guard. On behalf of the citizens of Ohio, I wish General Harris all the best as he assumes his new position as Director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs. I along with the entire Ohio Delegation thank him for his forty-four years of service to Ohio and our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Luke Bowlsby from Amherst, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Luke's offer of appointment permits him to attend the United States Naval Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Luke brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Marion L. Steele High School, he was involved in cross country and track and field, earning his varsity letter in both. After high school, he attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island. I am confident that he will carry the lessons of his student and athletic leadership to the Naval Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Luke Bowlsby on his offer of appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Luke will excel during his career at the Naval Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Lindsey Hatcher of Van Wert, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Lindsey's offer of appointment permits her to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives. Lindsey brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Lincolnview High School, she participated in science club, band, student government, and was on the honor roll. Throughout high school, Lindsey was involved in track and field and golf, earning her varsity letter in both. I am confident that she will carry the lessons of her student and athletic leadership to the Military Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Lindsey Hatcher on her offer of appointment to the United States Military Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Linsdey will excel during her career at the Military Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to her as she begins her service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Garrett Cook of Norwalk, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Garrett's offer of appointment permits him to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

Garrett brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending St. Paul High School, he participated in National Honor Society becoming president, Teen Leadership Corps, and was on the honor role. Throughout high school, Garrett was involved in basketball, baseball and marching band. I am confident that he will carry the lessons of his student and athletic leadership to the Military Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Garrett Cook on his offer of appointment to the United States Military Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and educatjon available, and I am positive that Garrett will excel during his career at the Military Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Connor Bender of Avon Lake, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Connor's offer of appointment permits him to attend the United States Naval Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

Connor brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Saint Ingnatius High School, he participated in student government, Saint Ignatius Broadcast Network, and was on the honor role. Throughout high school, Connor was involved in rugby, earning his varsity letter and becoming team captain. I am confident that he will carry the lessons of his student and athletic leadership to the Naval Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Connor Bender on his offer of appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Connor will excel during his career at the Naval Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Grace Anderson of Norwalk, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Grace's offer of appointment permits her to attend the United States Naval Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

Grace brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Edison High School, she participated in Spanish Honor Society, dance, and was on the honor roll. Throughout high school, Grace was involved in track and field and cross country, earning her varsity letter in both. I am confident that she will carry the lessons of her student and athletic leadership to the Naval Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Grace Anderson on her offer of appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Grace will excel during her career at the Naval Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to her as she begins her service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Sarah Connor of Avon, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Sarah's offer of appointment permits her to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

Sarah brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Avon High School, she participated in Sign Language Club, Model UN, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and was on the honor roll. Throughout high school, Sarah was involved in track and field and tennis, earning her varsity letter in both. I am confident that she will carry the lessons of her student and athletic leadership to the Military Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Sarah Connor on her offer of appointment to the United States Military Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Sarah will excel during her career at the Military Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to her as she begins her service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that Charles Knight of Republic, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

Charles's offer of appointment permits him to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

Charles brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Columbian High School, he participated in Boy Scouts earning his Eagle Scout rank, Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council, and was on the honor roll. Throughout high school, Charles was involved in soccer, earning his varsity letter and becoming team captain. I am confident that he will carry the lessons of his student and athletic leadership to the Military Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Charles Knight on his offer of appointment to the United States Military Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that Charles will excel during his a career at the Military Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to our Nation.

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to pay special tribute to an outstanding student from Ohio's Fifth Congressional District. I am pleased to announce that William Sikora of Avon, Ohio, has been offered an appointment to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.

William's offer of appointment permits him to attend the United States Military Academy this fall with the incoming Class of 2029. Attending one of our Nation's military academies not only offers the opportunity to serve our country but also guarantees a world-class education while undertaking one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of their lives.

William brings a tremendous amount of leadership, service, and dedication to the incoming Class of 2029. While attending Avon High School, he received the College Board National Hispanic Recognition Academic Achievement Award, the AP Scholar with Distinction Award, attended Buckeye Boys State, and was on the honor role. Throughout high school, William was involved in wrestling, earning wrestler of the week. I am confident that he will carry the lessons of his student and athletic leadership to the Military Academy.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating William Sikora on his offer of appointment to the United States Military Academy. Our service academies offer the finest military training and education available, and I am positive that William will excel during his career at the Military Academy. I ask my colleagues to join me in extending their best wishes to him as he begins his service to our Nation.