Gabe Evans

Mr. EVANS of Colorado

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber), a fellow former law enforcement officer, who served in the Duluth Police Department.

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those words. It is truly meaningful. Madam Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Ellzey). Honoring Captain Bruce ``Puppy'' Fecht

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those incredibly moving tributes and for the words, the memories, and the recognition. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from the 23rd District of California (Mr. Obernolte), a fellow member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. Tribute to Officer Seth Franklin and Officer Shaun Jarvis

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Baird), himself a veteran of our United States military. In Memory of Fred Fislar and Brandon Schreiber

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week in strong support of the law enforcement community and the men and women I served with in my former career as a police officer as we all worked together to protect our communities. Police service runs deep in my blood. In fact, both of my grandfathers were proud veterans. One of them, my abuelito Cuauhtemoc Chavez, earned his citizenship in World War II along with two Purple Hearts. My other grandfather, Gregory Evans, was a career naval aviator. He believed that service to this country wasn't just an obligation; it was a privilege. That belief has shaped who I am today. From a young age, I was taught that truly loving this country means being willing to serve, to protect, and to sacrifice for it. That lesson has stayed with me and led me to serve 12 years in the U.S. Army and the Colorado Army National Guard, and later to my 10 years of service with the Arvada Police Department. Wearing the uniform teaches you so much about leadership, resilience, and responsibility. It gives a deeper understanding and respect for the men and women who put themselves in harm's way for others. These are the people who don't just talk about courage and service; they live it. During my first term here in Congress, I have made it a priority to defend and honor our law enforcement officers, especially those who have given everything in the line of duty. The very first bill I introduced as a Member of this House was about defending and uplifting our State and local law enforcement, the UPLIFT Act. This bill is about empowering law enforcement officers to do their jobs and keep our communities safe by extending hold harmless protections to officers who work with Federal law enforcement to remove people who are illegally present in our communities and who are committing other crimes. In fact, I found out just today that a friend of mine had lost a daughter, Kaitlyn Weaver, to an illegal immigrant who was driving over 90 miles an hour in a 45-mile-an-hour zone and created a fatal traffic accident. Unfortunately, the State that I represent, Colorado, continues to prioritize the protection of illegal immigrants who commit crimes over the safety of innocent American citizens like Kaitlyn. While Colorado has been a sanctuary State for nearly 6 years, the State legislature continues to handcuff police officers from cooperating with their Federal law enforcement counterparts. Colorado also severely restricts local police officers from being able to even safely and orderly transfer a criminal to Federal custody, which jeopardizes officer safety and results in our police officers being assaulted. My bill, the UPLIFT Act, would help fix this problem. As a former cop, I will never stop advocating for the protection and well-being of law enforcement. While my first bill focused on defending law enforcement, my most recent one focuses on honoring law enforcement. As someone who has worn the badge, I know firsthand the sacrifice and commitment that the job requires. Law enforcement isn't just a profession. It is a calling. It takes a special kind of person to wake up every day knowing the risks, knowing the dangers, and knowing that that might be their last day, and they still put on the uniform and go to work John 15:13 talks about the greatest love that someone has as being willing to lay down their life for their friends. Police officers across our country embody that kind of love every single day when they go out and protect our communities. When I think about this fundamental principle of law enforcement, I think about officers from my district. I think about folks like Weld County Sheriff's Deputy Sam Brownlee. A devoted husband, father, and stepfather, Deputy Brownlee was tragically shot and killed in the line of duty in 2010 during a struggle with a gang member. He served with distinction for 5 years with the Weld County Sheriff's Department and was always committed to protecting his community. Deputy Brownlee's story is one that should never be forgotten. His sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the risks that our law enforcement officers face every day and the courage it takes to wear the badge. That is why I am proud to announce that, this week, during National Police Week, I introduced a bill to rename the Evans Post Office in Weld County after Deputy Brownlee to ensure that the community that he loved is able to properly honor and remember his courage, his service, and his enduring legacy. In a time when law enforcement officers across this country face growing threats and far too little appreciation, we must do more to recognize their bravery, their sacrifice, and their families. This bill is a tribute not just to Deputy Brownlee, but to every officer who has laid down their life in defense of their community and the families that they left behind. I look forward to continuing to build support for this bill with the Colorado delegation and working to get it signed into law. Part of my passion in doing this comes from one of these specific assignments that I had when I was a police officer. I served in a variety of capacities, but one of the most meaningful was serving as a member of, a sergeant of, and the lieutenant for our Honor Guard. The Honor Guard is the agency within a police department that is responsible for conducting a variety of ceremonies. They do the flag postings at civic events, but one of the most sacred responsibilities that they have is honoring the fallen officers who gave their lives in the line of duty. I served in that role for several years with my agency and, unfortunately, I have buried more officers than I can remember starting with Heath Gumm of the Adams County Sheriff's Department and ending with Eric Talley from the Boulder Police Department. There are two officers that I had to bury that I will specifically mention. The first was my friend and coworker for almost 10 years, Officer Gordon Beesley of the Arvada Police Department. Gordon was a school resource officer. He was one of the nicest people that you would ever meet. In fact, before his ambush and murder, he actually was making the news because of his work as a school resource officer who took the time to personally ride his bike to school with a kid who was having some trouble at that school. Officer Beesley truly embodied what it meant to serve your community, to protect your community, and to work alongside your community to make sure that everyone gets the best possible outcome that they possibly can. He had a life motto and his life motto was: Find the good. Find the good in every person and in every situation. Even though he was a police officer and had to sometimes do things like put handcuffs on people and hold others accountable, Gordon Beesley lived by those words every single day. He was a pillar in the community who truly worked to find the good in every situation. Another officer from my agency was Officer Dillon Vakoff. Dillon was actually an Air Force veteran. He served for several years in the United States Air Force before he became a police officer. Dillon was actually an officer on one of the units that I commanded. He was one of my mobile field force officers. I remember training him to be able to go out and do the requirements of that special assignment. Dillon was, unfortunately, shot and killed on September 11, 2022, while he was responding to an altercation that turned deadly. Dillon also had a motto that he lived by. I can't say it on the floor of this House, but the acronym for it is NFQ. It means never quit. Dillon was somebody who never quit. He never quit in his commitment to his country. He never quit in his commitment to his State. And Dillon never quit even when he was called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice and lay down his life in defense of his community. In many ways Dillon embodies what it means to be a police officer. Having served for 12 years in the Army and another 10 years in law enforcement, I often compare military and law enforcement service to being two sides of the same coin or to use police terminology, two sides of the same perimeter. In law enforcement, whenever we have a dangerous situation, we have to contain that situation to keep the public safe, so we set up what is called an inner perimeter. We also want to make sure that the rest of the community does not go into that perimeter. While you have an inner perimeter of officers who are containing the situation and who are focused inward, you have an outer perimeter of officers who are making sure that the innocents stay away from a potentially hazardous situation or area. That is how I see the military and law enforcement. Law enforcement is the inner perimeter. They protect us in our homes, in our communities, in our schools, in our parks, and on our roadways. The military protects us from external threats, but they are two sides of the same coin. When folks like Dillon or Gordon or Heath Gumm or Eric Talley or so many others are called upon to make that sacrifice, they are making that sacrifice from the exact same motivations as the broader community of military and law enforcement and first responders who are out to make sure that we stay safe. At a law enforcement funeral, which, again, I have unfortunately been to too many of, we honor those sacrifices, and we make two solemn promises. The first promise is to never forget. We honor that promise by doing things like what we are doing tonight. We honor that promise through memorials and through speeches and through memories, through carrying the actual lives and stories of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Dillon and Gordon are no longer with us, but as long as we talk about them, as long as we talk about how they lived their lives, as long as we carry on their mottos, never quit, find the good, in a small way they are still with us and their memories, their examples, their courage, their commitment, and their service lives on through them as long as we never forget. There is a second promise that we make at law enforcement funerals. We have the watch from here. Law enforcement is like the thin blue line, individuals may come and go, but the thin blue line itself never sleeps, never grows tired. It doesn't fail. It cannot fail. The thin blue line is what keeps our communities, our country, and our way of life safe from the threats and the harms and the chaos that would exist if just for a single day police officers didn't put on the badge and the uniform and go to work. Individual officers come and go, but the thin blue line never does. We make a promise to the fallen who gave the ultimate sacrifice. They are no longer able to continue in that watch. We do a final radio call, but then we make a promise. We have the watch from here. For everyone within the sound of my voice--for the police officers, for the citizens, for everyone else, that is the action item, that is the takeaway from this speech. We have the watch from here. For the police officers, for the first responders, for the families who serve right alongside their loved ones, know that we will not forget and that we will stand by you to the absolute utmost of our abilities because that is what having the watch from here means. It means that the sacred requirement to protect our communities will not end. It means that those of us, the living, and particularly the living who are in this great self-governed society that we call the United States of America, it means that we have the responsibility to work with, to support, to empower, and to protect our law enforcement officers as they go out into the community and they put their lives and their families' future on the line to protect us. As someone who has made those sacred promises too many times at funerals, it is my honor to stand here today on the floor of the United States House of Representatives on May 15, police day in police week, to reaffirm and to challenge all of us to continue with those two sacred promises: never forget and then go out, be a good citizen, be a member of a community, support the law enforcement officers, and the men and women who themselves are physically every day putting on the badge and the uniform and who are keeping that watch from here. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. EVANS of Colorado

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill, H.R. 1682, the Benefits that Endure for Lifetimes Of Service Act, or BELO'S Act, named after Marc Belo, a fellow veteran, aviation legend, and friend with whom I had the great honor of serving. This bill would honor our Nation's fallen heroes and their loved ones by expanding free access to national parks to the families of veterans who pass away from a service-related illness or accident. As a former Army Black Hawk helicopter pilot, I had the blessing of serving with countless men and women across the Active-Duty, Reserve, and National Guard components of our Armed Forces. During that time, I took on many roles, from supporting wildfire fighting efforts to deploying as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Speaker, any soldier or veteran will tell you that service to the Nation takes many forms, but that also means sacrifice does, too. When I learned that, under existing law, only the families of soldiers who died in Active-Duty combat operations were eligible for free lifetime national parks passes, I immediately thought of my friend and fellow veteran, First Sergeant Marc Belo. I served alongside Sergeant Belo for a decade in the Colorado Army National Guard. Belo was already a senior sergeant and crew chief when I was a young lieutenant. He took me under his wing from day one. Whether it was a domestic operation, including fighting fires and conducting search and rescues, or whether it was deployment overseas to the Middle East as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, Marc and I were in it together. He was the heart and soul of our company, Alpha Company ``Wolfpack,'' and the 2-135th General Support Aviation Battalion ``Blackjacks.'' An amateur photographer and a true patriot who was a 9/11 first responder and who gave his life to his Nation for more than 30 years, the passage of this bill could not come at a more timely, if tragic, moment. Unfortunately, 1 year ago this week, Marc passed away from cancer related to his military service. His family, friends, and all who served with him were devastated. Mr. Speaker, a friend you served with being taken far too soon by a service-related illness or injury is a story that, unfortunately, sounds all too familiar to veterans all across our country. The circumstances of their deaths can never minimize the magnitude of their sacrifice. That is why I am so proud to sponsor the bipartisan BELO'S Act, along with the gentleman from California (Mr. Panetta). This ensures that the families of servicemembers who die in circumstances not related to combat, like training accidents or service-connected illness, are still honored with free lifetime passes to enjoy America's beautiful national parks. While this will benefit military families from coast to coast, it will especially make a difference for the military families in my district, who are blessed to live so close to some of the most beautiful public lands and national parks in the country. It is truly the least that we can do to thank these veterans' families for serving right alongside their loved ones. Veterans and military families often find solace, peace, and healing in the great outdoors. Whether it is coping with PTSD, undergoing physical training, or coming to terms with the loss of a loved one, national parks play a vital role in their health and well-being. It is my sincere hope that this bill can play a small role in helping military families, like the Belos, find peace in their loss and honor their loved ones who are taken from them too soon. This week marks 1 year since Marc left us, but his legacy lives on and is now helping other veterans to do the same. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in honoring American heroes like Marc Belo and their families by passing this important bill.

Mr. EVANS of Colorado

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H.R. 881, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, of which I am an original cosponsor. The stakes for our national security, constitutional freedoms, and the future of American innovation could not be higher. My 12 years of service in the Army provided me with a deep understanding of the criminal transnational activities of the Chinese Communist Party. CCP intellectual property theft is not a distant threat. It is actively happening, and it is targeting military readiness and the very foundations of American competitiveness. In my district, where energy production, manufacturing, and agriculture are paramount, we know the looming threat of the Chinese Communist Party on jobs and national security. Mr. Speaker, as you have heard from my colleagues, the CCP has also systematically expanded its influence throughout Confucius Institutes and affiliate programs on U.S. colleges and campuses. These programs, often cloaked in the promises of language and cultural exchange, have served as vehicles for espionage, intellectual property theft, and transnational repression. We cannot allow these vulnerabilities to persist. Today, House Republicans are taking action. Our Nation's most innovative breakthroughs have been developed at U.S. universities, while conducting vital research related to defense, energy sciences, and other sensitive industries. Many colleges and universities have accepted CCP funding, hoping to simply expand their foreign language learning. They have, unfortunately, opened the doors for our biggest foreign adversary to exploit breakthroughs for Chinese strategic advantage. This bill protects our institutions of higher education from the dangers of the CCP by prohibiting American universities that receive Department of Homeland Security funding from continuing relationships with Chinese entities of concern. Today, foreign language and cultural exchange programs thrive in my State of Colorado, without the influx of CCP dollars, enhancing students' global knowledge and growing our Nation's vital national security workforce. Congress needs to send a clear message to the CCP that we will not allow foreign powers to erode national security, steal intellectual property, or threaten our immigrant population. This Congress, I have partnered with my colleagues on other legislation in this area. My bill, the bipartisan Countering Transnational Repression Act, continues this important work by stopping Chinese Communist Party surveillance and intimidating Chinese nationals on U.S. soil. We have also introduced the Global Investment in American Jobs Act. We must now come together to restrict the infiltration of the Chinese Communist Party onto our college campuses by passing the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand in defense of American values and support this bill.

Mr. EVANS of Colorado

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate our Nation's brave men and women and to recognize the High Plains Honor Flight Network, which conducts trips for veterans to Washington, D.C., to tour the monuments built to honor their bravery and service. The High Plains Honor Flight gave some of our fellow brave men and women the chance to visit our Nation's capital. As a fellow veteran myself, I am pleased to honor the High Plains Honor Flight and to recognize the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans of Colorado who took part in it. Mr. Speaker, the veterans who participated in this flight are as follows: Veteran of World War II: Richard Chubb. Korean War Veterans: Dale Bellinger, Elmer Dillman, Donald Garcia, Robert Golden, Donald Mayfield, David Mourisse. Veteran of both Korean and Vietnam War: Darwin Dow. Vietnam War Veterans: Anthony Aragon, Robert Archuleta, Dennis Argo, Clarence Axtell, Thomas Bacon, William Baker, Alfred Barthelemy, Larry Beck, Kenneth Beckstead, John Bona, Dallas Bowles, Robert Bowser, James Brinks, Richard Brown, Henry Castillon, Richard Clampitt, Dennis Clermont, Thomas Corrick, Kenneth Cosby, Manuel Covarrubias, Duane Crapser, Gary Cummins, Milo Cushman, Herbert Davis II, Arthur Dehn, Jr., Ben Delahay, David DeMars, Manfred Dorth, William Dundas, Robert Eatman, William Eckert, Donald Eddy, Darrell Einspahr, Teddy Emmons, William Farr, Daniel Frodsham, Sylvio Gamache, Leslie Gardinier, Melchor Garza, Frank Gower, Delbert Hammond, George Hampton, Edward Hansen, Larry Hanson, Stanley Hanson, Delbert Hawkins, Harlow Hill, John Hoelscher, Robert Holt, III, Alfred Homan, Lowell Hummels, Jerome Jaworski, David Johnson, Jonnie Johnson, Korwin Johnson, Clifford Jung, Leonard Juranek, William Klingman, Richard Kotch, Homer Kurtz, Jr., Richard Laingor, Steven Lamon, Jim Lantis, Peter Lederer, Robert Lindsey, James Ling, Larry Luckow, Ronald Macaluso, Karl Magnuson, Russell Maher, Edward Messer, Philip Mollendor, Jr., Robert Mygatt, Robert Neal, John Neill, Jr., James Nelson, Richard Nenno, Michael Nissen, Merlin Otteman, James Pelster, Jonathan Platt, Lloyd Poindexter, Peter Raube, Ronald Ring, James Roof, Jr., John Ross, John Schieler, Carolyn Schneider, David Schneider, William Schumann, Larry Seems, Jerry Severidt, Bryon Shapiro, William Sipe, Carl Smith, Danny Smith, William Stanley, Jr., Lawrence Starck, Richard Steely, Ronald Stine, William Sturgeon, Jerry Tausz, Allen Thomsen, Carlton Thygesen, Antonio Trujillo, Edwin Visconti, Wilton Webb, William Williams, Michael Young, Richard Yurkus. It is my honor and privilege as a veteran and the United States Representative of the 8th District of Colorado to recognize the sacrifice and service of these men and women and all other members of our Nation's military. I thank them for their bravery and service to our Nation.

Mr. EVANS of Colorado

Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the HALT Fentanyl Act. This critical bill would enable law enforcement to get dangerous drug traffickers off of our streets by permanently and responsibly classifying fentanyl analogues as schedule I narcotics. Last year, DEA's Rocky Mountain Division seized a record 2.7 million fentanyl pills, enough to kill everyone in my district 1\1/2\ times, or 1.3 million people. We must do more to stop this drug from infiltrating our communities, and that starts with empowering law enforcement. As a Colorado cop for 10 years, I witnessed firsthand how not supporting law enforcement enables traffickers and the flow of fentanyl into our communities. This bill, of which I am a proud original cosponsor, gives cops the tools that they need to bring traffickers of this poison to justice. Since 2020, illegal drugs like fentanyl have claimed over 7,000 lives in Colorado, twice the death toll of September 11. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.