Robert J. Wittman

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the incredible life of Mr. James E. ``Jim'' Ukrop, a cherished member of the Richmond community. He was a shining example of what it meant to be a businessman, philanthropist, servant leader, and Virginian.

Jim earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from William & Mary and began helping his family run Ukrop's Supermarket. Alongside his brother Bobby, he helped grow the family business from one store to over two dozen locations across Virginia. Their stores were known for incredible customer service, even carrying patrons' groceries to their cars. For Jim and his family, it was all about treating others the way you would want to be treated. In December of 2009, the family announced it would sell its 25 supermarkets to Giant- Carlisle. However, Jim's service didn't stop with this sale but rather took on a new form. After the sale, he created New Richmond Ventures, a venture capital firm that raised money for local startup businesses. Jim cared deeply about the Richmond area, its community members, and young entrepreneurs to whom he was devoted to helping.

Jim was also a proud and dedicated William & Mary alumnus, serving as a secretary of the William & Mary Board of Visitors, as president of the Alumni Association Board, and as a member of the William & Mary Foundation. Additionally, he was awarded the Alumni Medallion in 1981, the highest honor given by the Alumni Association. Jim generously gave his time, talent, and resources. He was known throughout the William & Mary community for his optimism, pragmatism, and unwavering focus on excellence.

His life was nothing short of extraordinary and he represented the values that make our Commonwealth so great. He spent his life serving others and worked alongside fellow Virginians to make his hometown a better place. Jim's joyful attitude, generosity, and kind spirit will truly be missed. Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my colleagues join me in honoring and celebrating the life of Mr. James E. ``Jim'' Ukrop. I pray for his eternal peace and strength for his loved ones during this time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Daniel Elizalde for his incredible service and contributions to Virginia's 1st District and to our Nation.

Daniel joined my office in September 2025 after spending two and a half years as a Policy Analyst at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Rollins College and a master's in public policy from American University, Daniel displayed an early commitment to civic leadership and service.

During his time in my office, Daniel served as my Energy Policy Fellow and quickly distinguished himself as an indispensable member

of my team. He played a vital role spearheading numerous legislative efforts across a wide array of topics such as energy, transportation, and national security that all delivered tangible results for the people of Virginia's 1st District, the Commonwealth, and our country. Throughout Daniel's time as my policy fellow, he consistently demonstrated remarkable intelligence and an unwavering work ethic. He faced every task with a thoughtful approach and a genuine desire to help his colleagues and constituents.

Daniel's willingness to offer his insightful advice and expertise greatly contributed to the success of our team. His knowledge and guidance made him a mentor to staff and interns alike, helping to foster a collaborative and supportive work environment. His kindness, leadership, and integrity have left a lasting impact on my team. While his cheerful presence will be missed, I am confident he will continue to thrive in this next chapter.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Daniel Elizalde for his dedicated service to Virginia's 1st District and to our Nation. May God bless Daniel as he embarks on this exciting new chapter, and may he continue to excel in all that he does.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act.

This legislation will require State utility regulators to examine standards to ensure that data centers pay all the costs associated with their power generation, transmission lines, and grid upgrades needed to serve their facilities.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is home to approximately 13 percent of all data centers in the world. Some of these data centers are located in the district that I represent.

While data centers create economic opportunities for our communities, they also come with enormous challenges. Data centers support telehealth, mobile banking for American small businesses, and everyday technologies like streaming services. At the same time, they consume massive amounts of power and place increasing strain on our electric grid while threatening to increase costs for families.

Virginians and Americans who choose to have data centers in their communities should not be paying higher electric bills as a result. Instead, these costs should be borne directly by the data center developers, the primary catalysts of this increased demand for energy.

We have a responsibility to ensure that our constituents are not picking up the tab for data centers, and this legislation will do exactly that.

I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Ratepayer Protection Act, and I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage.