Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize fire, rescue and EMS personnel who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District. First responders, fIre departments and emergency medical service teams are summoned on short notice to serve their respective communities. Often, they arrive at scenes of great adversity and trauma, to which they reliably bring strength and composure. These brave men and women spend hundreds of hours in training so that they are prepared when they get ``the call.'' Twelve years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards to honor officers, departments, and units for outstanding achievement. On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, it is my privilege to congratulate the following honorees, who were selected this year by an independent committee comprised of a cross section of current and retired fire and rescue personnel living in the district: Associate Service Award: Private Citizen Jake O'Brien of Hillsborough County Dedication and Professionalism Award: Senior Telecommunicator Lisa Kalmbach of the Manatee County Emergency Communications Center, Deputy Chief Jose Prado, Captain David Raasch, Company Fire Captain Andrew Capeletti, Fire Captain Nico DiNova, Fire Inspector Ryan Gould, Battalion Chief Jeffrey Landis and Captain Scott VanDeBoe of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Unit Citation Award: Captain Rondalfo Rodriguez and Driver/Engineer Jose Obradovich of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Battalion 6-C, Charge Paramedic James Bryant, EMT Monica Ramos, and District Chief Robin Thayer of Manatee County EMS, Fire Chief Tim Geer, Lieutenant Lionel Harrison, Engineer Louis Chiocchio, Engineer Jacob Barwick, EMT Thomas Ferrett, EMT Jared Gould; and Firefighter Bo Gurskis of the Bradenton Fire Department, Fire Chief Joe Sicking, Assistant Chief Joel Baker, Battalion Chief Blair Pontious, Captain Donald Bunch, Captain Ben Miller, Engineer Justin White, Engineer Michael Davila, Firefighter John Mueller, and Robert Barber (Logistics) of the North River Fire District, Division Chief Michael Williamson, Lieutenant Payton Edwards, Firefighter James Howard, Firefighter Aaron White, and Firefighter Liz Alvarez of the Parrish Fire District, Deputy Chief Paul Wren, Lieutenant Adam McDaniel, Firefighter Isaac Libby, and Firefighter Connor Reilly of East Manatee Fire Rescue, Chief Angel Herrera, Chief Jeffrey Landis, Captain Jeffrey Hartner, Captain Pete Dzuibinski, Driver/Engineer Freddy Miller, Driver/Engineer Stan Hyatt, Driver/Engineer Jerome Mancillas, Lieutenant Eric Kotala, Fire Medic John Maltby, Fire Medic Lucas Haislop, Fire Medic Vinny Mortellero, Fire Medic Matthew Holubik, Fire Medic Adam Hayward, Fire Medic Scott Shedd, Firefighter Angel Rengifo, Firefighter Jared Ladd of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Pilot Alex Myers, Flight Nurse Caitlyn Buell, and Flight Paramedic Kyle Miller of Aeromed Career Service Award: Assistant Chief Jane Herdn of the Longboat Key Fire Department, Chief (retired) Edward Cleveland and Fire Commissioner Derrick Warner of the West Manatee Fire and Rescue District, and Jimmie Hamrick, Jr. of Manatee County EMS.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to law enforcement men and women who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

Law enforcement is a demanding profession that requires sacrifice, courage, and dedication to serve others. Every day, brave men and women put themselves in harm's way to enforce the laws of our society and protect public safety. They deserve our gratitude and respect.

Fourteen years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Law Enforcement Awards to give special recognition to law enforcement officers, departments, or units for exceptional achievement.

This year, I will present Congressional law enforcement awards to the following winners chosen by an independent panel comprised of current and retired law enforcement personnel representing a cross-section of the district's law enforcement community:

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award: Lieutenant Nicholas Pruitt, Deputy Michael Ates, Deputy Althavia Brown, Deputy James Forkin, Deputy Christopher Houghton, and Detective Dwight Roberts of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Dedication and Professionalism Award: Officer Andrew Adkins of the Holmes Beach Police Department, Officer Kevin Williams of the Bradenton Police Department, Trooper Taylor Ledford of the Florida Highway Patrol, Corporal Benjamin Schlabach of the Palmetto Police Department, Detective Matthew Hostetler, Detective Steven Luke, and Detective Carmine Luper of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Gary Tibbetts Career Service Award: Major Todd Shear of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office, Captain (retired) William Knight and Detective Jeff Beckley of the Bradenton Police Department, and Special Agent (retired) Stephen Lieberman of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Preservation of Life Award: Sergeant Russell Ackerman of the Bradenton Police Department, Officer Specialist Kelsey Dalton of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Lieutenant Richard Rietz, Sergeant Randy Lamb, Sergeant Laszlo Nagy, Detective Eric Davis, Deputy Jake Essek, Deputy Joshua Groover, Deputy Brian Hart, Deputy Stanley Hartley, Deputy Brandon Howard, Deputy Lauren Jalowiec, Deputy Alexis Lyon, Deputy Robert Macchio, Deputy Paul McCartney, Deputy Humberto Noronha, Deputy Gregory Palso, Deputy Deborah Perry, Deputy Carrie Renninger, Deputy Patti Savageau, Deputy Hurly Smith, and Deputy Arturo Velasquez of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Unit Citation Award: Bradenton Police Department Narcotics Unit: Detective Eleazar Garcia and Detective Brandon Kells; Florida Highway Patrol Troop C Criminal Interdiction Unit: Sergeant Joshua Malloy, Trooper Jeremy Fields, Trooper Wesley Kelly, Trooper Deryck Lewis, Trooper Chris Nottingham, Trooper Sergio Pearce, Trooper Eric Schaub, K-9 Flip, K-9 Titan, and K-9 Lobo; Manatee County Sheriff's Office Fraud/Auto/Pawn Unit: Sergeant Jason Farrier, Detective Anthony Begley, Detective Joshua Breitwieser, Detective Gary Cummings III, Detective Samuel Ebeling, Detective Rachael Fossaceca, Detective Daniel Reyna, Detective Antonio Starnes, and Detective Randall Walker.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of outstanding public school employees in Florida's 16th Congressional District.

School employees work tirelessly because they understand that their efforts are not just about fulfilling a job description, but about shaping the future.

They deserve recognition because they are the architects of knowledge, the mentors of tommorrow's leaders, and the unsung heroes who work behind the scenes to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Ten years ago, I established the Congressional Teacher Awards program with the aim of providing special acknowledgment to educators within Florida's 16th Congressional District for their outstanding achievements. This year, we expanded the event's scope to encompass all school employees, recognizing their invaluable contribution in both teaching and inspiring students.

The following public school employees from Manatee and Hillsborough counties were nominated and selected to receive Florida's 16th District's 2024 Congressional Education Award for their accomplishments:

Manatee County: Michelle Ayling, State College of Florida Collegiate School; Jensina Barnes, Palm View K-8; Pauline Barnes, Manatee High School; W. Shane Baxley, Manatee Technical College; Amy Bradl, Willis Elementary School; Patrice Cairo, Gene Witt Elementary School; William Cirone, Manatee Technical College; Joadie Durfee, Harvey Elementary School; Rennie Finck, Lakewood Ranch High School; Katie Fradley, Willis Elementary School; Jennifer Harper, Williams Elementary School; Jen Johnson, Sea Breeze Elementary School; Kami Lake, various Manatee County schools; Debra McCarthy, Lakewood Ranch High School; Chelsea McCay, Daughtrey Elementary School; Stefanie Minihan, Braden River High School; Patricia Pearson, Braden River Middle School; Katherine Price, Willis Elementary School; Jodi Samson, McNeal Elementary School; Laura Schuyler, Braden River Middle School; Jessica Spence, McNeal Elementary School.

Hillsborough County: Kathy Dodd, Newsome High School; Donna Hart, Newsome High School; Melissa Hart, Winthrop Charter School; Aliya Norman, Reddick Elementary School; Kimberly Opperman, Reddick Elementary School.

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, I congratulate each of these outstanding educators and offer my sincere appreciation for their service and dedication.

Mr. Speaker, on Roll Call No. 570 and No. 571, I inadvertently voted Aye. I oppose the Perry Amendments, and both votes should be recorded as Nay.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize fire, rescue and EMS personnel who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

First responders, fire departments and emergency medical service teams are summoned on short notice to serve their respective communities. Oftentimes, they arrive at scenes of great adversity and trauma, to which they reliably bring strength and composure. These brave men and women spend hundreds of hours in training so that they are prepared when they get ``the call.''

Eleven years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards to honor our first responders for outstanding achievement.

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, it is my privilege to congratulate the following winners, who were selected this year by an independent committee comprised of a cross section of current and retired fire and rescue personnel living in the district.

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award: Charge Paramedic Jacqueline Wright of Manatee County EMS. Lieutenant Derek Foss of Southern Manatee Fire Rescue. Support Specialist Christopher Underwood and Support Specialist Adam Green of Manatee County Search and Rescue.

Dedication & Professionalism Award: Fire Marshall Rodney Kwiatkowski of West Manatee Fire Department. Captain Norman Brown of the Hillsborough County Fire Department. Assistant Chief Sean Dwyer of Manatee County EMS. Lieutenant Lionel Harrison of the City of Bradenton Fire Department.

Career Service Award: Battalion Chief David Foxall of the City of Bradenton Fire Department. Chaplin James Martin and Fire Commissioner Ed Stevens of the Parrish Fire District.

Preservation of Life Award: Chief Jared Leggett, Deputy Chief John Elwood, Captain Sheena Leggett, Captain Chris Krier, Captain Hollister Robinson, Captain Nicholas Reis, Sergeant Elizabeth Alvarez, Captain Joey Spinks, Corporal Harry White, Rescue Technician Matt Snell, Rescue Technician Nik Martinez, Rescue Technician Ebson Parrish, Rescue Technician Terry Olsen, Rescue Technician Rachel Swim, Rescue Technician Joseph Hoffman, Rescue Technician Ben Watts, Rescue Technician Chiara Simeoni, Rescue Technician Evan Gibbs, Rescue Technician Christopher Rodriguez, Rescue Technician A.J. Kwiatkowski, Civilian Pilot Garrett Mitchell, K9 Kaido, K9 Taz, K9 Alpha and K9 Karma of Manatee County Search and Rescue.

Unit Citation Award: District Chief Zach Molnar, Charge Paramedic Brandon Craig, EMT Anthony Tino, Charge Paramedic Jill Kinghorn of Manatee County EMS. Firefighter Aaron Wright, Firefighter/Engineer Brandon Beals of the City of Bradenton Fire Department. Officer Jason Rhind of the Bradenton Police Department. Engineer Daniel Lane, Firefighter Michael Kish, Firefighter Ben Guth, Lieutenant Chad Gamble, Firefighter Jordan Rogers, Firefighter Brian Perdue, Lieutenant Eric Hoying, Firefighter Kyle Powers, Firefighter Bret Kanapux, and Battalion Chief Kyle Taylor of East Manatee Fire Rescue. Medical Director David Nonell, Assistant Chief Sean Dwyer, District Chief Bradley Hughes, Registered Nurse Brie Spuck, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Shannon Shanks, Social Worker Sonia Shuhart, Outreach Case Manager Angie Sciarrone, Community Health Worker Meghan Carr, Community Paramedic Aaron Fullenwider, Community Paramedic Ashley Robinson and Resource Coordinator Vanessa MargrafBrenn of Manatee County EMS.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to law enforcement men and women who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

Law enforcement is a demanding profession that requires sacrifice, courage, and dedication to serve others. Every day, brave men and women put themselves in harm's way to enforce the laws of our society and protect public safety. They deserve our gratitude and respect.

Thirteen years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Law Enforcement Awards to give special recognition to law enforcement officers, departments, or units for exceptional achievement.

This year, I will present congressional law enforcement awards to the following winners chosen by an independent panel comprised of current and retired law enforcement personnel representing a cross-section of the district's law enforcement community:

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award: Lieutenant John Hurd, Lieutenant Nicholas Pruitt, Sergeant Robert Hendrickson, Detective Tyler Ackerman, Detective Imran Din, Detective Christopher Foy, Deputy Michael Davis, Deputy Nicholas DiFilippo, Deputy Amy Dunkum, Deputy Camilo Garcia-Fajardo, Deputy Kevin Gonzalez, Deputy Joshua Groover, Deputy Connor Hartley, Deputy Stephen Hill, Deputy Tristan Knutson, Deputy Alexis Lyon, Deputy Joseph Maggio, Deputy Kelli McLaughlin, Deputy Andrew Rodman, Deputy Hurly Smith, Deputy Adam Spatafora, Deputy Serissa Thompson, Deputy Randall Walker, and Deputy Aaron Winslow of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Dedication and Professionalism Award: Special Agent K. Dino Balos of the ATF, Officer Joshua Small of the Bradenton Police Department, Trooper Taylor Ledford of the Florida Highway Patrol, and Master Detective Juan Lazu, Jr. and Detective Michael Fernandes of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Gary Tibbetts Career Service Award: Major William ``B.G.'' Dixon of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Preservation of Life Award: Detective William Mulligan of the Bradenton Police Department, Trooper Kevin Tomberlin of the Florida Highway Patrol, Deputy Alexander Maldonado and Deputy Kevin Reich of the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Sergeant Thomas Fraser and Officer Alex Hurt of the Holmes Beach Police Department, Detective Grace King, Deputy Ryan Emkey, Deputy Jared Leggett, Deputy Michael Mahoney, Deputy Micah Osornio, Deputy Christian Ruiz, Deputy Monica Ruiz, Deputy Matthew Schwartz, Deputy Reaghn Simandl, and Deputy Ty Simandl of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Unit Citation Award: Florida Highway Patrol Troop C Criminal Interdiction Unit: Sergeant Joshua Malloy, Trooper Jeremy Fields, Trooper Wesley Kelly, Trooper Deryck Lewis, Trooper Chris Nottingham, Trooper Sergio Pearce, Trooper Eric Schaub, K-9 Flip, K-9 Titan, and K- 9 Lobo; Manatee County Search and Rescue: Deputy Jared Leggett of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of outstanding public school teachers in Florida's 16th Congressional District.

I was once told that children are 25 percent of the population, but they are 100 percent of the future.

And it's true. The education of a child is an investment, not only in that student, but in the future of our country.

Therefore, I established the Congressional Teacher Awards to honor educators for their ability to teach and inspire students.

An independent panel has chosen the following teachers from Manatee and Hillsborough counties to receive Florida's 16th District's 2023 Congressional Teacher Award for their accomplishments as educators:

Lori Catalani for her accomplishments as a third-grade teacher at Sea Breeze Elementary School in Bradenton

Stephanie Wajszczuk for her accomplishments as an ESE teacher at Ballard Elementary in Bradenton

Kathleen Brown for her accomplishments as a math teacher at Braden River Middle School in Bradenton

Kendall Carrier for his accomplishments as a music teacher at Parrish Community High School in Parrish

Ann Fleury for her accomplishments as a math teacher at Lakewood Ranch High School in Bradenton

Nicole Seace for her accomplishments as a science teacher at Winthrop Charter School in Riverview

Thomas Waistell for his accomplishments as an English teacher at Rodgers Middle Magnet School in Riverview

Lori Haley for her accomplishments as a Spanish teacher at Joe E. Newsome High School in Lithia

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, I congratulate each of these outstanding teachers and offer my sincere appreciation for their service and dedication.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize a group of veterans for their military and community service.

Our veterans have sacrificed much in the defense of our nation. Many of them retired their uniforms but continued their service by helping others in their community.

I recently established the 16th District Congressional Veteran Commendation program to recognize the heroic wartime sacrifices and admirable peacetime community involvement of my constituents.

An independent panel reviewed several nominations and chose the following six veterans for their wartime and post-military service:

Edward J. Mahoney of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II

John V. Skeen of Bradenton who served in the U.S. Army during World War II

John J. Brill of Longboat Key who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War

Richard J. Petrucci of Lakewood Ranch who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War

Richard M. Swier of Sarasota who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War

David W. Daily of Bradenton who served in the U.S. Army during the Gulf War

These are exceptional Americans. I appreciate the opportunity to honor them for their service to the Nation and community.

Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the Bradenton Kiwanis Club for 100 years of service to children and the community as a whole.

Originally chartered as the Manatee River Kiwanis Club on August 22, 1922, by Kiwanis International, the club later changed its name to the Bradenton Kiwanis Club. For the past century, the club's members have been community leaders working together to make a

positive difference by identifying and meeting the needs of local youth and Manatee County.

In the early years, the club established a Christmas Charity Fund for underprivileged children and began supporting Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other programs for children.

The Club also brought the Manatee County and DeSoto County Commissions together to build a paved, 50-mile road between Bradenton and Arcadia.

During the Great Depression, the Club established, funded, and operated a Health Camp for underprivileged children.

During the height of the depression, to promote tourism and improve the local economy, the Club worked with the City of Bradenton to establish, fund, and operate the Bradenton Trailer Park, which was one of the largest trailer parks in the world until it was sold in 1997.

In 1947, the Club established and funded the Boys Club of Manatee County and continues to support it.

In 1990, the Bradenton Kiwanis Foundation was established, and when it received the net proceeds from the sale of the trailer park, it continued to use the interest income to donate to local nonprofit organizations who provide for children and the disadvantaged. The foundation has contributed nearly $7 million to improve the lives of Bradenton's young people, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Manatee, K-Kids, Builders Clubs, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, the YMCA, Kids Against Hunger, Salvation Army, Headstart, Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army and others.

The Club has further demonstrated its commitment to children and the community by building parks, partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build houses, supporting the Bishop Museum, partnering with the Manatee County Chamber of Commerce to establish a leadership program, launching the College & Career Resource Center at Manatee Memorial High School, participating in Big Brothers Big Sisters' student mentoring program and funding numerous scholarship programs.

The club has also contributed to capital campaigns to support the construction of a new Bradenton Civic Center, a Girl Scout House, the Anna Maria Island Community center, Manatee Performing Arts Center and to purchase land for the Boys Club, United Way, and YMCA.

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, I congratulate the Bradenton Kiwanis Club on their 100th anniversary and applaud its members for the positive impact they have had on the community.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4358, bipartisan legislation I introduced last July with my fellow Floridian Rep. Darren Soto, regarding the Little Manatee River. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join with us in voting in support of this bill.

The Little Manatee Wild and Scenic River Act authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to study whether it's appropriate to add an approximately 51-mile-long segment of the Little Manatee River, from its source in southeastern Hillsborough County to the point at which the river enters Tampa Bay, to its Wild and Scenic River System.

For my part, I strongly support both passage of this bill today and of subsequently adding the Little Manatee River to the NPS' Wild and Scenic River program in the future. Passage of the bill before us today begins that journey and I have been very pleased to work with my colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee toward realizing that goal.

Adding this river to the Wild and Scenic River program in the future will help ensure the Little Manatee will remain available for a full range of recreational activities for Floridians, like canoeing, kayaking, boating and fishing.

In Florida, protecting our precious natural resources has always been a top priority. Florida's Suncoast is blessed with an abundance of natural treasures like Sarasota Bay, Emerson Point Preserve and Myakka River State Park.

I want all of my colleagues to know that adding the Little Manatee River to the Wild and Scenic River program enjoys strong local support as well. Both the Hillsborough County Commission and the Manatee County Commission have approved resolutions supporting this designation.

Of particular note, Hillsborough County Commission Chairman Stacy White has been a leader in the effort to add the Little Manatee River to the Wild and Scenic River program. He has been a champion of this effort from day one and an invaluable partner for me in my efforts at the federal level.

Protecting and enhancing water quality for all of Southwest Florida has always been one of my highest priorities in Congress.

Approving this bill today will move us forward in our efforts to help ensure a vibrant, clean and healthy environment in my home state of Florida. It's both an important element in our quality of life and a vital part of our economic well-being because millions of people visit Florida every year.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the bipartisan leadership of the Natural Resources Committee for working with me to bring H.R. 4358 to the floor today.

Again, I urge all of my colleagues in the House to join with me in voting for this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize fire, rescue and EMS personnel who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

First responders, fire departments and emergency medical service teams are summoned on short notice to serve their respective communities. Often times, they arrive at scenes of great adversity and trauma, to which they reliably bring strength and composure. These brave men and women spend hundreds of hours in training so that they are prepared when they get ``the call.''

Ten years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards to honor officers, departments, and units for outstanding achievement.

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, it is my privilege to congratulate the following winners, who were selected this year by an independent committee comprised of a cross section of current and retired fire and rescue personnel living in the district:

Manatee County EMS Paramedic Lydia Wilkinson for the Preservation of Life Award.

Manatee County EMS Charge Paramedic Karleigh Alday for the Preservation of Life Award.

Manatee County EMS District Chief Jason Evans for the Dedication and Professionalism Award.

Manatee County EMS Charge Paramedic Joe Savasta for the Preservation of Life Award and the Above & Beyond the Call of Duty Award.

Manatee County EMS Paramedic Carlos Santos for the Preservation of Life Award and the Above & Beyond the Call of Duty Award.

Parrish Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Ownbey for the Career Service Award.

Cedar Hammock Fire Inspector Adam Chrisman for the Dedication and Professionalism Award.

Hillsborough County Fire Captain Kevin Kahmeyer for the Dedication and Professionalism Award.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Shift Commander Gil Reyes for the Career Service Award.

Manatee County EMS Operations Chief Larry Luh for the Career Service Award.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Deputy Fire Marshall Ray Hansen for the Career Service Award.

East Manatee Fire Lieutenant Steve Baker, Firefighter Larry White and Firefighter Michael Guard for the Unit Citation Award.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to law enforcement men and women who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

Law enforcement is a demanding profession that requires sacrifice, courage, and dedication to serve others. Every day, brave men and women put themselves in harm's way to enforce the laws of our society and protect public safety. They deserve our gratitude and respect.

Twelve years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Law Enforcement Awards, CLEA, to give special recognition to law enforcement officers, departments, or units for exceptional achievement.

This year, I will present congressional law enforcement awards to the following winners chosen by an independent panel comprised of current and retired law enforcement personnel representing a cross-section of the district's law enforcement community:

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award: Lt. Sean Felton, Deputies Kelsey Belloise, Timothy Downey, Hugo Garcia, Grace King, Alexander Nikias, Monica Ruiz, Todd Sellitto, Logan Wilson and Robert Wildt of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Dedication and Professionalism Award: Lt. Phillip Waller and Sgt. Aaron Pilant of the Bradenton Police Department; Officer Chris Bennett of the Holmes Beach Police Department; Deputies Maria Gillum and Rafael Ortegon, and Detective Derek Pollock of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Gary Tibbetts Career Service Award: Assistant Chief Josh Cramer and Detective James Curulla of the Bradenton Police Department; Barbara Ehrhart of the Florida Highway Patrol; Detective John Lake of the Sarasota Police Department; Lt. Christopher Montalbano of the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Preservation of Life Award: Deputies Ryan Banning, Michael Beers, Leonel Garcia, Zameul Sanchez Garcia, Kyle Kaskiw, Joshua Langieri, Micah Osornio, Benjamin Quick, Grant Weisman, and Detective Scott Williamson of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office; Detective Vincent Diorio of the Palmetto Police Department; Officers Adam Bearden, Whitney Bentz, Ridge Collins, Terry Crenshaw, Timothy Dederick, Julius Gonzalez, Nathan Lynn, Molly Spencer, and Officer Eric Urbain of the Sarasota Police Department.

Unit Citation Award: Lt. Mark Morie, Sergeants Seamus Dwyer, Stephen Ives, Brian Quiles, and Theron Robinson and Detectives Bryan Lake, Carmine Luper, Steven Luke, and James Parrish of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Crimes Against Children Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and Technical Services Unit; Sergeants Stephen Barron and Paul Bulso, Detectives Kelsey Belloise, Ernest Bichsel, Keith English, Philip Fellows, Lucas Freitas-Ferreira, Cody Hobbs, Grace King, Jeremy Martin, Matthew Schwartz, and Austyn Shear of the Manatee County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Division Tactical Unit; Sergeants Sean Carter and Jonathan Misiewicz, Officers Nicholas Bernier, Brenton Bieker, Jarrod Chapman, Timothy Dederick, Giovanni Gonzalez, Julius Gonzalez, Nicholas Laquidara, Nathan Lynn, Aaron Modrow, Jordan Osinga, Elise Schanley, Lauren Stevens, Eric Urbain, Becky Worthington, and Alfonso Varlaro of the Sarasota Police Department Patrol Shift 2A Unit.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize a number of outstanding public school teachers in Florida's 16th Congressional District.

I was once told that children are 25 percent of the population, but they are 100 percent of the future.

And it's true. The education of a child is an investment, not only in that student, but in the future of our country.

Therefore, I established the Congressional Teacher Awards to honor educators for their ability to teach and inspire students.

An independent panel has chosen the following teachers from Manatee, Sarasota, and Hillsborough counties to receive Florida's 16th District's 2022 Congressional Teacher Awards for their accomplishments as educators:

Victoria Adriano for her accomplishments as a Student Support Specialist teacher at Ballard Elementary School in Bradenton

Erica Burton for her accomplishments as an English Language Arts teacher at Lincoln Memorial Middle School in Palmetto

Tammy Harper for her accomplishments as a Chemistry teacher at Lakewood Ranch High School in Lakewood Ranch

Eric Lostorto for his accomplishments as a Math teacher at Tuttle Elementary School in Sarasota

Angelee Gens for her accomplishments as a Life Science teacher at Brookside Middle School in Sarasota

Shannon Nelson for her accomplishments as an Exceptional Student Education teacher at Sarasota High School in Sarasota

Kim Keebler for her accomplishments as a Reading teacher at Newsome High School in Lithia

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, I congratulate each of these outstanding teachers and offer my sincere appreciation for their service and dedication.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2954, the Securing a Strong Retirement Act, also known as SECURE 2.0.

It is a sad reality that today too many hardworking Americans enter retirement without enough savings.

In fact, according to a recent report, only 36 percent of working adults feel their retirement savings are on track to meet their goals and more than one-third of U.S. workers have never even had a retirement account.

It's clear that millions of Americans could face a financial crisis during their retirement years. Congress can help head off this avoidable emergency and give individuals, families, and businesses more tools to boost their retirement nest eggs.

Last year, the House Ways & Means Committee unanimously passed the bipartisan Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2021, legislation providing new incentives to help improve the retirement financial landscape for Americans across the country.

This bipartisan retirement savings bill seeks to build on the momentum from legislation that passed last Congress.

Specifically, this important new legislation would double the existing tax credit for businesses with 50 or fewer employees that start a company retirement plan, expand-auto-enrollment, push back the withdrawal retirement age, and allow workers to double their catch-up contributions. This bipartisan bill also authorizes new protections for people paying down student loan debts and incentives to America's veterans.

SECURE 2.0 is also completely budget neutral.

Retirement doesn't have to turn into another U.S. financial crisis. With responsible incentives and smart planning, we can give more people the peace of mind they deserve as they grow older. I'm pleased to see Congress put aside partisan games and finally come together to enact SECURE 2.0 and strengthen America's retirement security.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize fire, rescue and EMS personnel who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District.

First responders, fire departments and emergency medical service teams are summoned on short notice to serve their respective communities. Oftentimes, they arrive at scenes of great adversity and trauma, to which they reliably bring strength and composure. These brave men and women spend hundreds of hours in training so that they are prepared when they get ``the call.''

Nine years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards to honor officers, departments, and units for outstanding achievement.

On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, it is my privilege to congratulate the following winners, who were selected this year by an independent committee comprised of a cross section of current and retired fire and rescue personnel living in the district.

Parrish Fire District Division Chief Michael Williamson was chosen for the Career Service Award.

Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue Battalion Chief Morris Lopez; Captains Derek Butler, Michael Bugg, Erik Sawyer, and Brian Visnovec; Acting Captains Charles Bridges and Adam Brown; Firefighters Travis Poirier and Edward Kofler; Fire Medics Colin Tracey, Gilad Maimoni, Brandon Gadberry, Adam Schwer, Violet Anderson, Juanita Benjamin, Brian Johnson, and Ryan VanBuskirk; Lieutenants Joseph Blackwelder and Joshua Veeck; Driver Engineers Ralph Mascaro, Derek Wendt, Ayron Burden, Jerome Mancillas, Jeffrey Hartzner, Patrick Geiger; and Acting Driver Engineers Marc Dieth, Joshua Thompson, and Ryan Fritz; and Manatee Search and Rescue Deputy Chief John Elwood and K9 Karma, and Captain Michael Dvorak and K9 Max were chosen to receive the Unit Citation.

Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue Captain John Shirah and Driver Engineer Peter Dziubinski; Sarasota County Fire Department Lieutenant Randy Allen and Fire Medics Miriam Troyer, Andrew Moler, and Michael Alberti were chosen to receive the Preservation of Life Award.

Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue Lieutenant Kimberlee Rogers, Deputy Chief Jason Dougherty; Manatee Search Nicholas Reis; and Manatee County EMS Social Worker Sonia Shuhart were chosen for the Dedication and Professionalism Award.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Terri Adams; Corporals William Barnes and Carlos Brito; and Deputies Keaton Bruce and Andrew Fleming; and Civilians Trexley and Bradley Cleophat were chosen for the Associate Service Award.