Floor Statements

Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Private Nicole Burnham. Private Burnham didn't die on the battlefield. Her life was stolen by the cruelty of her fellow soldiers and the apathy of her superiors.

There are several tragedies in Nicole's story.

The first is the horrific sexual assault she endured at the hands of her fellow soldiers.

The second is the failure of our military leadership to protect her.

The third is the amount of time it took to ensure something like this never happens again.

Nicole did everything right. She reported the incident and applied for a transfer. Instead, her superiors, who are capable of deploying soldiers into a war zone overnight, let her request languish for an unconscionable 82 days. During that time, she was harassed, ostracized, and assaulted a second time.

A few months later, Nicole took her own life.

On October 2, the Third Annual Nicole Burnham Veteran Suicide 5k will take place along the Rum River in Anoka, Minnesota, the town where Nicole grew up.

We cannot forget Nicole's story, and we owe it to Nicole and her family to ensure her legacy is one that prevents injustices like she suffered from ever happening again.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Paap, who will be retiring in November.

Kevin has been president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau for 16 years, during which time I and my team have been fortunate enough to work with him very closely on many occasions.

In addition to being a selfless servant leader, Kevin Paap walks the walk. He and his wife, Julie, own and operate a fourth-generation family farm in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, where they grow corn and soybeans.

Whenever I speak to Kevin, I am impressed by his commitment and focus to improving the lives of Minnesota's farmers and advancing American agriculture. He has been the advocate that our State's farm and ranch community deserves, and we will be forever grateful for his work.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Kevin on his well-earned retirement. I look forward to seeing him and his family again soon.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Brian McDonald and his entire team at the Small Business Administration's Minnesota District Office.

In May 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, Brian took on an enormous challenge when he rose to the role of district director for the SBA's Minnesota region.

Brian and his team were charged with supporting Minnesota's 500,000 small businesses and their 1.3 million employees through one of the most challenging economic crises in our Nation's history. Under Brian's leadership, the SBA's Minnesota district office team facilitated critical loans, provided valuable training, and served as true warrior advocates for businesses of all sizes during this difficult time.

At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, Brian and I hosted a joint town hall where he helped my constituents understand how they could keep their small businesses afloat. Brian's participation was crucial, and his willingness to offer guidance and expertise is characteristic of his office's impressive work throughout the crisis.

Brian and his team in the SBA's Minnesota district office continue to work around the clock to help businesses in our State survive. We are grateful for all of their work, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated SBA district presence in our State. I thank them for all they do.

Congratulating Minnesota Assistant Principal of the Year Angie

Charboneau-Folch

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Angie Charboneau-Folch, assistant principal at Big Lake High School.

In April, Angie was named this year's Minnesota Assistant Principal of the Year by the Central Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals. She received this honor after 15 years of service as a school administrator, including a decade at Big Lake.

Angie has been a longtime advocate for both students and educators during her tenure. As leader of Big Lake High School's Student Targeted Instruction and Goals program, better known as STING, she has ensured that students receive the additional instruction time and support they need. She has also worked to open the channels of communication between teachers and families through her Being Your Own Champion initiative.

I congratulate Angie on this remarkable achievement. I thank her for her years of dedication to the Big Lake community, and I know Minnesota students are better off because of her support.

Honoring the Work and Bravery of HALO Trust Afghanistan

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the bravery and sacrifice of the HALO Trust employees who were recently attacked in Afghanistan. Earlier this month, 110 demining workers in the northeastern Afghanistan province of Baghlan were attacked. Ten HALO Trust workers lost their lives and 16 more were injured.

HALO Trust staff is comprised of locals who work alongside American citizens around the world to clear the debris of war, especially landmines. Their work is vital in Afghanistan, where nearly 40 years of conflict has left the land littered with explosives and citizens living under constant threat of detonation. This forces locals to make an unimaginable choice: either let their families starve or risk their lives to farm dangerous land.

Thanks to the work of HALO Trust and the entire demining community, war-torn nations across the globe are being revitalized. Within the Herat province alone, HALO Trust workers have cleared over 600 minefields and provided steady employment to 2,600 Afghan locals.

This devastating attack was an act of cowardice from an organization that feeds off instability and fear. I commend the profound bravery of the workers who face down death to rebuild their communities. I hope everyone will join me in recognition of their sacrifice.

Thanking Tammy Biery and Career Solutions

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tammy Biery, the executive director of the employment agency Career Solutions.

Electrolux had a long legacy in our home State, employing Minnesotans since 1946. In 1998, the plant produced 75 percent of all freezers sold in the United States.

In 2018, the business was St. Cloud's eighth largest employer, with nearly 900 employees. However, a year later, Electrolux consolidated their freezer production to South Carolina. Despite our efforts and the efforts of the community urging Electrolux to reconsider, approximately 760 employees faced layoffs.

To support these workers who faced separation from employment, Tammy and her employment agency, Career Solutions, went to work. After receiving an award from the State Dislocated Worker program, Career Solutions offered career counseling, on-the-job training, and interview coaching to 513 former Electrolux employees. By the end of 2020, 159 of those trainees were gainfully employed.

Thanks to the work of Tammy and the Career Solutions team, St. Cloud was able to weather the largest layoff in our history. I thank Tammy for that.

Teresa Bohnen: A Career of Service

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the career of Teresa Bohnen. Teresa is retiring this year as president of the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.

Teresa led the chamber for the past 23 years. During that time, she has been a staunch advocate for small business.

Under Teresa's leadership, the St. Cloud Area Chamber earned a five- star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce the first year it became eligible and has maintained that rating ever since.

I thank Teresa for her service to St. Cloud, and she should enjoy her well-earned retirement.

Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted ``nay`` on rollcall No. 176.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Comprehensive Debt Collection Improvement Act, a partisan package of bills which threatens to limit access to credit and other financial products that Americans from all walks of life rely on.

Simply put, this legislation undermines the collections process, the very system that ensures that Americans can access credit in the first place.

Without a collections process, consumers' ability to obtain credit cards or other forms of credit would be restricted, and, in many cases, limited to a cash-only basis. If adopted, this bill will limit Americans' options and weaken our standard of living, a standard that every American deserves.

I urge my colleagues to oppose this misguided, partisan legislation and instead support policies that expand financial inclusion, strengthen our system of credit, and support businesses that fuel our economy.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember and honor the life of Lindsay Overbay.

Lindsay lost her life, and several of her coworkers were injured, in a tragic and senseless attack on the Allina Health Clinic in Buffalo, Minnesota, on February 9.

We continue to pray for Lindsay and her family and for the full and speedy recovery of her coworkers.

Lindsay was the best Minnesota has to offer. She devoted her life to family and her community, and her career to caring for people. She was only 37 years old. She leaves behind her husband, Donnie, and two young children, Gavin and Ava.

Special thanks to Wright County Sheriff Sean Deringer and his deputies and the city of Buffalo Police Department for their immediate and professional response that ended the threat and prevented further loss of life.

Our community must heal, and we will heal from this sad event, but we will always remember Lindsay, Donnie, Gavin, Ava, and the entire Allina family.

Mr. Speaker, many families, including my own, have been impacted by cancer. For more than 178,000 Americans diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, the Be The Match program represents hope.

Founded in Minnesota, Be The Match runs the world's largest registry designed to connect patients in need of lifesaving blood or marrow transplants with a donor. In 2019, Be The Match facilitated over 6,500 transplants, giving hope to countless families around the world. Minnesota has long been a hub for this kind of medical innovation.

As a co-chair of the Personalized Medicine Caucus, I urge all of my colleagues today to support the TRANSPLANT Act and reauthorize Federal partnerships like Be The Match, which have impacted the lives of millions. Connecting patients with donors and developing the next generation of regenerative medicine truly represents the best of who we are as a society.

I thank Representative Matsui and the other sponsors of this legislation for their hard work. I encourage everyone to help keep hope alive by supporting this bill.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Madam Speaker, for the second consecutive Congress, House Democrats have shown us what their priorities are.

Is their top priority, H.R. 1, about improving roads and bridges? No.

Is their top priority, H.R. 1, about improving access to healthcare? No.

Is there top priority, H.R. 1, about ensuring that our communities are safe? Absolutely not.

No, their number one priority is themselves and their elections. Instead of prioritizing these important issues, they have offered H.R. 1 to eliminate our State-based system of elections, to codify practices like ballot harvesting, and to establish a Federal match with taxpayer funds for campaign contributions.

I guess Federalizing our elections becomes the only option when your ideas, the very thing our constituents should be judging us on, are defunding our police and promoting government-run healthcare. The American people have soundly rejected those ideas, but that hasn't stopped our colleagues from finding a way to work around the will of the American people.

Madam Speaker, the bill we are debating today, H.R. 1, is that workaround and, if adopted, will allow our colleagues to continue bypassing the issues most important to the people while guaranteeing their reelection to Congress.

The American people are smart, and they are going to remember when they step into the voting booths next November that the top priority for House Democrats was not to address the health or safety of the American people, it was to undermine our Constitution in order to win elections.

Madam Speaker, I urge everyone in this Chamber to vote ``no'' on H.R. 1.

Mr. Speaker, as we begin this new session of Congress, I rise today to honor the memory and legacy of my friend, Minnesota Congressman Jim Ramstad.

For nearly two decades, Jim represented the people of Minnesota's Third Congressional District. Sadly, after so many years of service to his country and community, Jim lost his fight with Parkinson's just a few months ago.

Jim was a true public servant, a lawmaker whose passion for his work only made him more effective. He was a tireless champion for any person who needed his help, even if they were a stranger. He was truly a leader guided by his compassion for others.

Although Jim and I never served together, he was a personal friend of my wife, Jacquie, and me for 40 years. And today, his legacy shapes my work.

As a fellow Minnesotan, I am proud to continue his monumental work on addiction and mental healthcare by introducing legislation that will bring care to those who need it most.

I am also happy to support a bill to name the Wayzata Post Office after Jim, a physical memorial to his work and legacy in the State and the town that he loved so much. The monument is a fitting tribute, but his lasting legacy will always be the impact he made on millions of Americans.

Thank you, Jim. You will be missed, but you will never be forgotten.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the St. Cloud Police Department for receiving the United States Department of Justice's L. Anthony Sutin Civic Imagination Award. This award recognizes collaborative partnerships between law enforcement and their communities.

The St. Cloud Police Department received the award for its Community Outpost Project. The ``Cop House,'' as is it is more commonly known, is a refurbished residential home in a neighborhood that previously experienced a high level of calls for local law enforcement.

The St. Cloud Police Department, together with numerous community partners, now provides not only a local gathering place, but safety and health programming for the neighborhood residents out of this home.

Congratulations to Chief Blair Anderson, Lieutenant Lori Ellering, the Greater St. Cloud Public Safety Foundation, and all of the officers of the St. Cloud Police Department for this well-deserved award.

Our community appreciates all of you and all that you do to protect and serve us.

Prioritizing Transportation Safety

Mr. Speaker, on Minnesota's U.S. Highway 12 between the cities of Independence and my hometown of Delano, in just the last 5 years, there have been 811 crashes in which 239 people have been injured and 24 people have lost their lives.

Several of those lost have been high school classmates of my own children. In fact, this past March, Marleena Dieterich, a senior honor student at Delano High School and the child of Thom and Deb, lost her life as she was trying to get home.

Recently, Deputy Administrator for the Federal Highway Administration Brandye Hendrickson visited Minnesota on behalf of Secretary Chao. Following a bus tour of the most dangerous stretches of U.S. Highway 12, we held a roundtable with community leaders and residents to discuss possible solutions and the need for action.

The accidents and fatalities on this road are avoidable. We continue to urge Secretary Chao to visit and see firsthand the danger this highway presents.

Congress must do its part to provide long-term Federal transportation funding for needed infrastructure repairs and improvements. We must find innovative and long-term solutions to address these sorely needed improvements, like the need on U.S. Highway 12.

I thank Deputy Administrator Hendrickson and everyone who participated in our roundtable. Together, we will continue fighting for improvements on U.S. Highway 12 until we see the changes that will prioritize the safety of our neighbors, our friends, and our fellow Minnesotans.

Inspiring Future Female Leaders

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my staff and to highlight a program our office launched during my first term in Congress for high school women in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District.

The program is called the Young Women's Leadership Program.

In addition to my staff, I want to personally thank the amazing women leaders who have participated in the program and who have agreed to be a resource and mentors for the young women who attend these programs as they get ready for life beyond high school.

Every summer, our Young Women's Leadership Program hosts three roundtable discussions featuring high-achieving professional women in our district.

To date, we have been honored by the first female brigadier general for both the Army and Air Force, the first Asian American female U.S. district attorney, a surgeon, a college professor, and numerous female entrepreneurs and business owners.

This program gives our participants insight into valuable leadership experiences and career advice during a pivotal time in their lives.

Our panelists have discussed how to negotiate your first salary, tips for networking successfully, managing a work-life balance, and countless other lessons.

We live in a time in our Nation's history where everyone is important and needed, especially strong women.

Again, I want to thank the incredible women leaders who have participated in our program to pay it forward for the next generation of women leaders, and I encourage my Republican and Democrat colleagues here in Congress to do the same in all of your districts.

A Better Way to Age

Mr. Speaker, we recently held a senior forum for residents of Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. This forum was an opportunity to connect our seniors and their caregivers with resources to assist with health, lifestyle, and future planning needs.

I want to thank the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging and the Central Minnesota Council on Aging for partnering with our office to make this event a success.

Recently, the House passed the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act. This nonpartisan law, more commonly known as the SECURE Act, will make it easier to establish retirement plans and removes age limits for IRA contributions.

The SECURE Act will allow our seniors more flexibility and improve their quality of life in retirement.

This is great, nonpartisan work by Congress. And, going forward, we must all be committed to doing what we can to ensure our seniors are able to plan for their financial futures, stay healthy, and maintain connections to their communities.

Madam Speaker, on June 27th, I attended my son's induction to the U.S. Naval Academy and was therefore unable to cast my vote on one piece of legislation and approval of the Journal. If present, I would have voted YEA on Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment to H.R. 3401 (RC No. 429) and YEA on Approving the Journal (RC No. 430).

Madam Speaker, If present on June 20th and 21st, I would have voted on amendments to H.R. 3055, the Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2020, in the following way: NAY on the Rutherford Amendment (Roll Call No. 368); YEA on the King Amendment (Roll Call No. 369); YEA on the Blumenauer Amendment (Roll Call No. 370); YEA on the Banks Amendment (Roll Call No. 371); NAY on the Golden Amendment (Roll Call No. 372); YEA on the Stevens Amendment (Roll Call No. 373); NAY on the Underwood Amendment (Roll Call No. 374); YEA on the Banks Amendment (Roll Call No. 375); YEA on the Pence Amendment (Roll Call No. 376); YEA on the Spanberger Amendment (Roll Call No. 377); NAY on the Wasserman Schultz Amendment (Roll Call No. 378); NAY on the Pallone Amendment (Roll Call No. 379); NAY on the Buchanan Amendment (Roll Call No. 380); YEA on the Duncan Amendment (Roll Call No. 381); NAY on the Blumenauer Amendment (Roll Call No. 382); YEA on the Gosar Amendment (Roll Call No. 383); YEA on the Duncan Amendment (Roll Call No. 384); YEA on the Mullin Amendment (Roll Call No. 385); YEA on the Mullin Amendment (Roll Call No. 386); YEA on the Graves Amendment (Roll Call No. 387); YEA on the Hice Amendment (Roll Call No. 388); YEA on the Banks Amendment (Roll Call No. 389); YEA on the Biggs Amendment (Roll Call No. 390); NAY on the Cunningham Amendment (Roll Call No. 391); YEA on the Cunningham Amendment (Roll Call No. 392); NAY on the Carbajal Amendment (Roll Call No. 393); NAY on the Hill Amendment (Roll Call No. 394); NAY on the Schrier Amendment (Roll Call No. 395); YEA on the Bost Amendment (Roll Call No. 396); YEA on the Golden Amendment (Roll Call No. 397); and voted YEA on the McAdams Amendment (Roll Call No. 398).

Mr. Speaker, I want to echo the concerns of my colleague and friend, Mr. Stauber, over the rejection of our reasonable amendment to this bill in the Rules Committee.

In their very last days, the Obama administration ordered Federal control of Minnesota land in the form of a mineral withdrawal proposal. We were told it was a step to protect the environment when, in reality, it was nothing more than Washington telling Minnesotans that they can't be responsible for their own land and resources.

Blocking exploration and potential development has devastated the region. That is exactly what this bill will continue to do today if it passes.

I introduced the MINER Act 2 years ago to restore the rights and responsibilities back to Minnesotans as stewards of our lands. The House passed our bill last year, closely followed by action from this administration to restore our rights. Yet, bureaucrats from Washington are at it again, this time including a provision in this bill to create the ``study'' that is yet another barrier, another delay tactic outside of the normal regulatory review process.

The amendment I offered with Mr. Stauber would address this and simply allow the process to move forward. Let us be clear: Any proposed mine in the area would still need to go through a long and thoroughly detailed review through the National Environmental Policy Act and other regulatory processes. Leaseholders would be allowed to propose a mine plan of operation and demonstrate how they will protect the environment in the surrounding area. If that plan does not meet the high standards that our State and country require, it will be rejected.

Yet, I am disappointed by some of my Minnesota colleagues who do not have faith in the people of our great State. They don't have faith that our people would want to protect our own land while ensuring development and a better future for our children.

My colleagues don't want to entertain the potential for thousands of high-paying, labor-negotiated jobs for northern Minnesota and the surrounding region. These same men and women, these miners, are Minnesotans first.

These same men and women, these miners, are Minnesotans first. We are proud of our State's natural beauty, and we are experts when it comes to how to preserve it.

I believe my State is perfectly capable of abiding by the existing rules and regulations and determining the best way to use our land.

Mr. Speaker, I oppose the rule, and I urge my colleagues to do so as well.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Royce Nelligan for his 41 years of public service.

Earlier this month, Royce retired from his position as Minnesota's Small Business Administration district counsel after a 37-year career. Prior to Minnesota's SBA, he served in the U.S. Air Force and the National Park Service.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Royce for all of his years of service. I thank him for the work he did to help small businesses grow and prosper all across Minnesota. For all the opportunities he helped create and promote, he left our State and our communities better than when he started. I congratulate him on a job well done, and I wish him luck on his next chapter.

Congratulating Andover Fire Department

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Andover Fire Department for being awarded the 2019 Fire Department of the Year by the Minnesota State Fire Department Association.

This award recognizes the department's efforts to provide outreach to seniors in the community, to recruit women, and for maximizing the use of available resources.

The department's Remember When fire safety program brings firefighters into Andover's senior communities to replace smoke alarms and mitigate any tripping hazards that exist.

The department has made significant strides to recruit women firefighters. In fact, Andover is one of the few departments to have a waiting list.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the women and men of the Andover Fire Department for keeping our community safe. Special congratulations to Chief Jerry Streich, Deputy Chief Mark Winczewski, and Battalion Chief John Wallace on earning this important recognition.

Congratulating Elk River Municipal Utilities

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Elk River Municipal Utilities for being a finalist for the 2019 Source Water Protection Award.

We often hear when government fails to protect our water, but today, I want to recognize a local utility for going above and beyond to protect our community's water quality.

Every year, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Rural Water Association award community facilities for their work to protect community drinking water. This year, Elk River Municipal Utilities, also known as ERMU, of Sherburne County, Minnesota, was chosen as a finalist because of their diligence in prioritizing water quality.

ERMU sealed an abandoned well that could have posed a danger to the community's water supply. They consistently examine stormwater ponds and their effects on the treatment of drinking water. They issue rebates for more efficient fixtures.

We are proud that this Sixth District utility is an example for our entire State.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Elk River Municipal Utilities for their selection, and I thank them for protecting the health and welfare of their residents and our drinking water.

Thank You for Your Leadership, Michael Hemesath

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank Michael Hemesath, President of St. John's University in St. Cloud, Minnesota, for his commitment to education and his service to the St. John's community.

Recently, President Hemesath announced he intends to retire at the end of the academic year. Including his time as a student, President Hemesath has belonged to the St. John's family for 42 years.

As President, Michael Hemesath continued and built upon the College of St. John's reputation for developing great talent and strong faith that is reflected in the alumni and Johnnie tradition.

In addition, President Hemesath leaves his alma mater with a balanced budget, a renovated Alcuin Library, and new buildings, like the Dietrich Reinhart Learning Commons and the St. John's Bible Gallery.

Mr. Speaker, I thank President Hemesath for all he has done for the College of St. John's. While he is moving on to the next chapter of his professional life, he will always be part of the Johnnie family.

Madam Speaker, on May 9th and 10th, I attended my son's graduation from Naval Academy Preparatory School and was therefore unable to cast my vote on several pieces of legislation. If present, I would have voted NAY on ordering the previous question to H. Res. 357 (Roll Call No. 189) and NAY on agreeing to H. Res. 357 (Roll Call No. 190).

I would have also voted on amendments to H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act, in the following way: YEA on the Brown Amendment (Roll Call No. 191); YEA on the Holding Amendment (Roll Call No. 192); NAY on the Malinowski Amendment (Roll Call No. 193); and NAY on the Wild Amendment (Roll Call No. 194). I would have voted YEA to recommit H.R. 986 (Roll Call No. 195) and voted NAY on passage (Roll Call No. 196). Despite its title, H.R. 986 does nothing to protect preexisting conditions. Instead, I would have supported my colleague Representative Greg Walden's bill, H.R. 692, the Pre-existing Conditions Protection Act, if it were brought before the House for consideration.

Furthermore, I would have voted on amendments to H.R. 2157, the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2019, in the following way: NAY on the Perlmutter amendment (Roll Call No. 197); NAY on the Sablan amendment (Roll Call No. 198); NAY on the Huffman amendment (Roll Call No. 199); and YEA on the Fletcher amendment (Roll Call No. 200). I would have voted YEA to recommit H.R. 2157 (Roll Call No. 201) and NAY on passage of H.R. 2157 (Roll Call No. 202). While I support targeted funding to help communities recover from flooding, especially in Minnesota, this bill carelessly adds to our growing national debt. Future generations will be forced to confront the over $22 trillion in debt unless Washington can find a way to reform the appropriations process to address unchecked federal spending.