Dusty Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen).

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Smucker).

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves), chair of the full committee.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jerry Oster on his 49 years of broadcasting in South Dakota. Mr. Oster is retiring from his current position as News Director of WNAX in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has become known across five states as the voice of the station. Following his graduation from USD-Springfield, Mr. Oster took hold of the opportunity to start in the broadcast industry at the young age of 23. With his career spanning near]y five decades. Mr. Oster has covered some of the state's biggest stories and personalities. It is now at the age of 70 that Mr. Oster has decided to retire. Throughout his career, Mr. Oster has dedicated an incredible amount of time, talent, and service to the state of South Dakota and to his loyal listeners, whom he says are the reason he stayed in the industry for as long as he has. Mr. Oster leaves behind a legacy of reaching out and making a difference in the lives of his listeners. A legacy modeled after his inspiration, former SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier and his ``Make a Difference'' Book. I am proud to stand today and recognize Mr. Oster's dedication to his community in South Dakota and thank him for his hard work. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Jerry Oster on his 49 years of broadcasting in South Dakota. Mr. Oster is retiring from his current position as News Director of WNAX in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he has become known across five states as the voice of the station. Following his graduation from USD-Springfield, Mr. Oster took hold of the opportunity to start in the broadcast industry at the young age of 23. With his career spanning nearly five decades, Mr. Oster has covered some of the state's biggest stories and personalities. It is now at the age of 70 that Mr. Oster has decided to retire. Throughout his career. Mr. Oster has dedicated an incredible amount of time, talent, and service to the state of South Dakota and to his loyal listeners, whom he says are the reason he stayed in the industry for as long as he has. Mr. Oster leaves behind a legacy of reaching out and making a difference in the lives of his listeners. A legacy modeled after his inspiration, former SDSU football coach John Stiegelmeier and his MAD book, ``Make a Difference''. I am proud to stand today and recognize Mr. Oster's dedication to his community in South Dakota and thank him for his hard work. I wish him all the best in his retirement.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Laurie Nichols on her retirement. Dr. Nichols is retiring from her current position as President of the Black Hills State University, where she says the highlight of her role was returning to the same region where she began her career nearly 40 years earlier. Dr. Nichols has also served the education community as President of the University of Wyoming and held leadership roles at South Dakota State University and Northern State University. During her term as President of Black Hills State University, she expanded the Rapid City campus, strengthened partnerships with the nearby Ellsworth Air Force Base, and continued to build on the academic partnerships with American Indian University of North America. I am proud to recognize her accomplishments throughout her career and service to her community in South Dakota.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 2023 Truman Scholars. This year the Foundation received 705 applications from 275 institutions. After a review of the students' records of leadership, public service, and academic achievement, the finalist selection committee selected 199 students from 133 institutions to interview. The final selection of students includes 62 students from 60 institutions. This year's nominees are: Malhaar Agrawal, Lina Altaan Al Hariri, Andres Arocho Gonzalez, Bob Atkinson, Andee Baker, Malea Bauer, Zachary Billot, Maisie Brown, Grace Carter, Gabrielle Chiodo, Isobel Dernlan, Madeleine Dotson, Margot Duque, Abby Dziura, Yasmine Elkharssa, Maya Elsner, Colin Hall, Sky Harper, Jason Hess, Amarachukwu Ifeji, Luda Isakharov, Samiha Islam, Adam Johnson, Travis Johnson, Ayesha Khan, Azeem Khan, Catherine Kish, Nidhi Krishnan, Niko Malhotra, Dewayne Martin, Anna Mathis, Sandrien Mekany, Sarah Mickelson, Rafael Montero, Aaliyah Moore, Tay Moore, Rina Nagashima, Klemmer Nicodemus, Anchee Nitschke Durben, Shreeya Parekh, Joleece Pecore, Irena Petryk, Hattie Polson, Christian Gyles Ramos, Emily Robertson, Andrew Schumann, Cheyon Sheen, Michael Solomon, Caleb Swanson, Cameron Tiefenthaler, Jalen Travis, Martayn Van de Wall, Madison Van Der Mark, Pieter van Wingerden, Kaitlyn Vana, Iona Volynets, Corbin Walls, Caleb Weiland, Jonathan Weinberg, Aubrey Wieberg, Ambria Williams, and Carter Yost. Established in 1975, the Truman Foundation is the nation's living memorial to the thirty-third president. According to the Foundation's website their mission is to recognize aspiring leaders at an important inflection point in their development. Students are recognized in their junior year of college and rewarded for their aspirations to enter public service. After being selected, students receive a scholarship for graduate or professional school, participate in leadership development activities, and have special opportunities for internships and employment with the federal government. Congratulations to this year's nominees. I look forward to seeing where each of them will go in the future.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the name of the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Rouzer) as cosponsor of H.R. 386.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and leadership of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, a global spiritual leader known universally as the Rebbe, and head of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. The Rebbe was born in 1902, and lived through the darkest periods of history, the evils of Russian communism, and the horrors of Nazi Germany. In 1941, the Rebbe and his wife Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, arrived safely on the shores of the United States, where he worked tirelessly to rebuild and guide a demoralized world Jewry after the Holocaust. With brilliant Talmudic and Hasidic scholarship, deep insight into the human condition, and his love for all of God's creatures the Rebbe exemplified an ideal and value that we need today: give of ourselves selflessly for the betterment of those around us. The Rebbe encouraged rabbinical students to travel across the country to visit Jewish farmers, U.S. servicemen, and those isolated from their families or larger communities. This includes Ellsworth Air Force Base, and cities and towns across South Dakota. The rabbinical students sent by the Rebbe are often the only Jewish connection locals have with their faith. The Rebbe urged all people to become ambassadors for goodness and kindness and explained that education must not be limited to the academics needed for making a good living, but rather focus on the ethics, morals, and values that have always been the basis of decent societies. One result of the Rebbe's leadership is the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which, by following his teachings and example, became the world's largest Jewish educational organization. Today, there are more than 3,500 permanent Chabad-Lubavitch centers providing educational, religious, and humanitarian programming in all 50 States and 109 countries around the world. It is thanks to the Rebbe's vision that our state has its first rabbi in almost forty years, with the establishment of the Chabad Jewish Center of South Dakota. The Rebbe extolled America's unique role as a global superpower and had meaningful relationships with several of our nation's leaders who saw him as the moral guide of so many. For the Rebbe, America is a beacon of light to be utilized in influencing the betterment of all humanity, and he often pointed to the words in God we trust enshrined on our currency as a defining element of the great American story. For more than four decades, every U.S. president declared the annual observance of Education and Sharing Day in honor of the anniversary of the Rebbe's birth, and in recognition of his contributions to the betterment of moral education for all people. It is to the eternal merit of our country and this august body that we honored the Rebbe's outstanding and enduring contributions toward world education, morality, and acts of charity by awarding him the Congressional Gold Medal. Education and Sharing Day represents an excellent opportunity for us to reflect on the Rebbe's vision and leadership, and to take his teachings to heart, that starting with moral education, we each do our part to increase in goodness and kindness and bring the world to a state of peace for all people.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Chairman, I spent 6 years as a State energy regulator, and our focus was always on safe, affordable, reliable energy because we knew that that could power American prosperity. Indeed, this abundance of American energy that we have been talking about can be a huge American competitive advantage in an increasingly uncertain world. Unfortunately, we have made it so difficult to do big projects in this country anymore. If you need a strong piece of evidence, look at President Biden's unilateral canceling of the Keystone XL pipeline. Unfortunately, that is not the only piece of evidence. It takes 5 to 7 years to permit an energy project in this country. It is an almost uniquely American problem. That same energy project could get permitted in less than half the time in countries like Canada and Australia. H.R. 1, Mr. Chairman, is a huge step in the right direction. It prevents the constant relitigation of projects and of reviews that have already been settled. It moves the NEPA process into the 21st century by making sure that we have got an online permitting portal for projects. It creates deadlines for NEPA and other environmental reviews. Imagine that, a shot clock, a deadline, to make sure the government's work is done on time. Then, Mr. Chairman, it unlocks American energy by allowing the Department of the Interior to resume energy leasing and to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas. Mr. Chair, the abundance of American energy is a huge American competitive advantage. H.R. 1 makes that so.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits football team for their win in the Division I National Championship Subdivision Championship game in Frisco, Texas. SDSU defeated the North Dakota State University Bison by a score of 45 to 21. This season, the SDSU Jackrabbits finished with an overall record of 14 wins and 1 loss. The Jackrabbits have qualified for the Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs the past 11 seasons. Mr. Speaker, this is a huge accomplishment for the Jackrabbits and truly exemplifies all their hard work. Today I also rise to congratulate Coach John Stiegelmeier on his retirement after 26 seasons as the head coach. I commend Coach Stiegelmeier for his dedication and service to the SDSU football program.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Larry Ness on his banking career of more than 50 years in South Dakota. As CEO of First Dakota National Bank in Yankton, South Dakota, Larry helped the company rebound once he joined over 40 years ago. Prior to working with First Dakota National Bank, Larry was a bank examiner at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Over the last 40 years, Larry and his wife Diane have dedicated an incredible amount of time, talent, and treasure to Yankton and the whole state of South Dakota. They have been among the very best citizens and community members I've ever met. Larry's leadership has left a legacy in the state of South Dakota and we are grateful for his service. I wish him all the best in his retirement and as he continues to serve as Chairman of the Board for First Dakota National Bank.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate South Dakota's 2022 Congressional App Challenge winners Katelyn and Casie Dale from Spearfish. The Dale sisters designed an app called ``Lighthouse.'' This is Katelyn and Casie's second Congressional App Challenge victory after winning the 2021 Congressional App Challenge. Technological literacy is a vital skill for success both in business and daily life. The goal of the App Challenge is to get students excited about the important and growing field of technology and coding. As a parent, I know how important it is to ensure the media we surround ourselves with has a positive and healthy impact on how we live our lives, which is why I was especially impressed by Katelyn and Casie's submission. The ``Lighthouse'' app is a program to help kids and adults find literary material that is appropriate. ``While our brains are so amazing, they need to be protected. We are surrounded by all different kinds of media that, if we're not careful, can poorly program our brains especially those of young people and children in ways that we don't even notice or understand . . . that is why we created Lighthouse,'' said the Dales. Congratulations again to Katelyn and Casie.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, quite a little bit of the national narrative over the last week has been about Republican disunity, and some have tried to apply that narrative to this rules package. I get it. I get it. It makes for a good story, but it just isn't so. I rise today, Mr. Speaker, with a more accurate assessment. This rules package is actually about Republican unity. This package, except for one single change, is the same rules package that was released two weekends ago. This is the same rules package, except for one single change that the Republican Conference had widespread agreement on weeks ago. There are a tremendous number of conservative wins here: At least 72 hours for Members and the public to review legislation before we vote on it. Requiring every bill to deal with only a single subject. Getting rid of proxy voting. Bringing back the Holman rule, which will allow this body to target specific spending line items. And then the return of CutGo so that spending increases have to be offset by spending reductions. Mr. Speaker, every single one of these big conservative wins, and many more like them were supported by the Republican Conference long before the excitement of last week. Today's rules package is actually proof of Republican unity, and it is proof that we are committed to bringing increased accountability, transparency, and fiscal responsibility for this Chamber and for our country.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Lionel R. Bordeaux, Wakinyan Wanbli, (Thundering Eagle), of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and the President of Sinte Gleska University in Mission, South Dakota. President Bordeaux passed away on November 16, 2022 at the age of 82. President Bordeaux led an amazing life dedicated to the service of his people. He was a pioneer in expanding upper education access for Native Americans through his advocacy and work at Sinte Gleska University, which became the first tribal university in the nation during his leadership. Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring the life and memory of President Lionel R. Bordeaux, a constant fighter for Indian Country and a great American. I am honored to include in the Record this memoriam. Lionel R. Bordeaux, Wakinyan Wanbli, President of Sinte Gleska University for 50 Years, Departs for Spirit World Lionel R. Bordeaux, Wakinyan Wanbli (Thundering Eagle), an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota and the president of Sinte Gleska University, departed for the spirit world on November 16. This is a tremendous loss for his family, Sinte Gleska University, the Sicangu Lakota Oyate, and Indian Country. For all who knew him, he was a grounding force in stormy times; a paragon of goodwill, solidarity, and wisdom; and the heart and soul of the Tribal College Movement to which he was fiercely devoted. Lionel R. Bordeaux was born in 1940 and raised by his grandfather, Alex Bordeaux Jr., and his grandmother, Mary Jordan Bordeaux. His mother, Ella, had moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to work and eventually own her own business. Lionel attended the Horse Creek Day School, St. Mary's School in Winner, South Dakota, and a public school in White River, South Dakota. He later attended public schools in Lincoln, Nebraska, returning to the Rosebud reservation where he graduated from St. Francis Indian Mission, a Roman Catholic boarding school. He went on to enroll at Black Hills State Teachers' College where he earned a BA in composite history and social science, with a minor in psychology. Bordeaux later took classes at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. He eventually transferred to the University of South Dakota where he completed a master's degree in guidance and counseling. Bordeaux's career included working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) as a counselor on the Jicarilla Apache reservation in Dulce, New Mexico, a job he credited with giving him good early career experience. From there he entered the BIA's management training program and relocated to Washington, DC, where he trained in various federal agencies. His experience in DC was later instructive for his role at Sinte Gleska, helping him pursue passage of federal legislation to support tribal colleges and universities. After transferring to Dallas, Texas, Bordeaux learned about the needs of Native people living in cities due to the federal government's relocation program. Bordeaux relocated to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, and taught guidance and culture classes at high schools and grade schools in various communities. In an interview with Tribal College Journal, he shared that his goal was to finish his career as a superintendent in Rosebud and later serve as the BIA area director in Aberdeen, South Dakota. It was while living in Pine Ridge that he completed his master's degree at the University of South Dakota. Bordeaux continued his graduate studies at the University of Minnesota where he completed his doctorate coursework in educational administration. Before completing his dissertation, Stanley Red Bird Sr., founder of Sinte Gleska College, approached Bordeaux and told him traditional healers had held spiritual ceremonies and directed Red Bird to seek out the graduate student, who knew the tribal language and history of the Sicangu Lakota people, and request that Bordeaux withdraw from his doctoral studies and return to the Rosebud reservation to serve as president of Sinte Gleska College. Bordeaux consulted with his wife Barbara, who told him that if that was their calling, they must follow it. Shortly thereafter, Bordeaux and his family returned home where on February 3, 1973, 12 Lakota medicine men inaugurated him as president of the college, a position he held ever since. President Bordeaux's career, and indeed his passion, for the next 50 years was focused on culturally based Native higher education and serving his community, making him the longest serving college or university president in the United States. Known as the ``Dean of the Tribal College Movement,'' President Bordeaux oversaw the expansion and development of Sinte Gleska College into the first tribal university. Throughout his career there, he worked to strengthen Lakota culture and language. He also forcefully advocated locally, regionally, and nationally for Native peoples' educational sovereignty over curriculum and a tribally based accreditation body rooted in spirituality and traditional laws. Family, kinship, spirituality, and culture were the driving forces in everything he did. President Bordeaux credited the spirituality, prayer, and ceremony of the medicine men for the success of Sinte Gleska University and his long-term presidency. In addition to his role as a tribal university president, Bordeaux had a long-established history in the tribal college movement. He was a founder of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), which serves as the voice of the 35 tribal colleges and universities in Washington, DC. He was also a founder of the American Indian College Fund, the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium, and Tribal College Journal. President Bordeaux also served in leadership roles as a councilman in the Rosebud Sioux tribal government for 14 years; chair of the tribal education committee and education board; board member of the South Dakota State Education and Planning Commission; board member of the Native American Rights Fund; board member of the Phelps Stokes Fund; regent of the Haskell Indian Junior College in Lawrence, Kansas; and president of both AIHEC and the National Indian Education Association. Bordeaux received presidential appointments to serve on the National Advisory Council on Indian Education and the Advisory Board of the White House Initiative on Tribal Colleges and Universities. He co-chaired the historic White House Conference on Indian Education. President Bordeaux is and was among the most honored Native American educators in the United States. His generosity went beyond the borders of the Rosebud reservation by providing support to relatives on other Lakota and Dakota reservations. This included assisting tribes like Lower Brule and Ihanktonwan in achieving their dreams of having a tribal college. Among the many honors President Bordeaux received include Outstanding Administrator of the Year (Black Hills State College in affiliation status with Sinte Gleska College), Outstanding Educator of the Year (South Dakota Indian Education Association), Tribal Government award (the National Congress of American Indians), Outstanding Indian Educator of the Year (National Indian Education Association), American Indian Distinguished Achievement Award (American Indian Resource Institute), Human and Civil Rights Award (South Dakota Education Association/National Education Association), First Lifetime Achievement Award (National Indian Education Association), and two Living Legend Awards (National American Indian Enterprise Development and the National Indian Gaming Association). President Bordeaux earned the Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of South Dakota and was named as one of the top 25 graduates in the history of Black Hills State University in South Dakota. He received two honorary doctorate degrees, one from South Dakota State University and another from Augustana University in South Dakota. The tribal holiday ``Lionel R. Bordeaux Day'' was named in his honor on the Rosebud reservation, and he was inducted into the South Dakota State Hall of Fame. In July of 2017, President Bordeaux spoke at the World's Indigenous People's Conference on Education in Toronto, Canada, where he was presented with an honorary doctorate degree by the World's Indigenous Nations University in Hawaii. In October of 2017, his alma mater, Black Hills State University, named a residence hall on its campus the ``Lionel R. Bordeaux Residence Hall'' in honor of his many lifetime achievements. In 2018, Bordeaux was also among the inaugural inductees into the Native American Hall of Fame for his educational leadership. The state of South Dakota issued an executive proclamation from the Office of the Governor, Dennis Daugaard, proclaiming February 9, 2018, as Lionel R. Bordeaux Day. Carrie Billy, president and CEO of AIHEC, said, ``President Bordeaux was the heart--the drumbeat--of the Tribal College Movement. We feel his loss profoundly, but his songs and stories will never leave us. His legacy will endure for generations and that gives us peace and hope for the future of the Tribal College Movement. Please say a prayer for President Bordeaux's wife, Barbara, his children, grandchildren, and the students, faculty, and staff at the college he loved so profoundly Sinte Gleska University. I pray that the Holy Ones watch over all of us.'' Many people who worked with President Bordeaux throughout his career have shared their messages of congratulations and gratitude for his service over the years, illustrating his legacy. Dr. Justin Guillory, president of Northwest Indian College wrote on his 45th anniversary, ``The TCU movement is alive and growing stronger because of warriors like you who paved the way for us.'' John Forkenbrock, who first met President Bordeaux when Forkenbrock served on the staff of the House Labor and Education Committee under the leadership of Representative Michael Blouin of Iowa, wrote, ``Your role in the passage of the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act was instrumental. If not for your continued optimism and your continued efforts at keeping the House committee's efforts moving forward, I know without hesitation that this legislation would not have crossed the finish line.'' President Bordeaux said in a 2012 interview with Tribal College Journal, ``I see tribal colleges and universities standing alone, as other institutions do not have the same calling or vision to strengthen tribal nations as we do. We are undoing the damage that was previously done and rebuilding nationhood according to tribal prophecy and the dictates of the four directions, aho! Waste' yelo!'' In addition to President Bordeaux's remarkable legacy as an educator and activist for Native higher education, his legacy is no less strong in the loving and devoted family he created, including his wife, Barbara, who survives him, his daughter, Debra, and sons, Shawn and Brian, all of the Rosebud reservation, along with 11 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved son Scott, his brother Lynwood Fallis, his daughter-in-law Jodie, and granddaughter Jordan. A celebration of life is being held at the Wakinyan Wanbli Multipurpose Student Center on December 1, 2022, at 10:00 AM located on the Sinte Gleska University Lake Campus. For more details, please visit the Sinte Gleska University website at https://www.sintegleska.edu/. President Bordeaux's services will be live streamed with the link accessible on the university's website.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor President Barry Dunn of South Dakota State University for winning the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education. This award is a testament to the progress President Dunn has made during his tenure to improve academic access and success in Indian Country through the Wokini Initiative and the New Beginnings Initiative. Education is an undisputed path to better career prospects and is vital to those in Indian Country facing staggering unemployment rates. Investing in recruitment, retention, and graduation of Tribal students is a critical step to helping them participate in the American economy and the American Dream. I am proud that I, along with my colleagues, have been able to successfully secure Federal funding for the New Beginnings Initiative during my time in Congress. Madam Speaker, the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education is one of the most competitive and prestigious awards in education. I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating President Barry Dunn for this remarkable achievement.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize, honor, and welcome home Private First Class Melvin J. Little Bear of Standing Rock, South Dakota. PFC Little Bear entered the U.S. Army from South Dakota and served with Battery A, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division in the Korean War. He was captured by Chinese Communist Forces on February 13, 1951, as his unit made a fighting withdrawal from Changbong-ni to Wonju, South Korea. PFC Little Bear was marched to POW Camp 1 at Changsong, where he died of malnutrition, exhaustion, and pneumonia on July 21, 1951. During Operation GLORY, the United Nations Command and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea exchanged the remains of war dead, including those who had died in captivity. In September of 1954, as part of this operation, the D.P.R.K. returned to the United States a box containing PFC Little Bear's remains from Changsong. PFC Little Bear could not be identified at the time and his remains, designated X-14251, were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii on February 16, 1956. In 2020, his remains were disinterred from the NMCP and sent to the DPAA Laboratory for scientific testing. Laboratory analysis led to the identification of PFC Little Bear from among these remains. PFC Little Bear was posthumously awarded the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. PFC Little Bear will be laid to rest on September 30th, in Little Eagle, South Dakota. Madam Speaker, PFC Little Bear made the ultimate sacrifice for this Nation. I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring his memory and his service. Currently over 80,000 Americans are listed as Prisoners of War or Missing in Action. It is a blessing that by reuniting PFC Little Bear with his family and his people, today that number is smaller by one.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the gentlewoman and thank the gentleman for their words of support for this piece of legislation. I ask all my colleagues to support my bill. It would do exactly as the previous two speakers said. It would make things a lot easier. It would advance environmental quality. What exactly are we dealing with here? We have a 266-acre parcel. It used to be the site of the Gilt Edge Mine. It is now an EPA Superfund site. Mr. Speaker, you can see a picture of the site here. This is not pristine wilderness; but, of course, we want to get it back to an environmental asset. This is now, as the gentlewoman said, a checkerboard of competing governmental ownerships and roles. You have got the Forest Service which owns much of this land; you have got the State of South Dakota which owns some of the rest of it; you have got the EPA which for 20 years has been doing remediation work on the water; and then you have got the State of South Dakota which has other environmental cleanup and management responsibilities on this site. So what this bill would do is take the portions of this site that are owned by the Forest Service, and it would allow the State of South Dakota to purchase this land. That is going to get the Forest Service out of the middle of this. They don't need to play a role here. The work of the State will be easier if they have one less Federal partner to work with and to navigate. Now, sometimes my colleagues get concerned if we are going to take a Federal asset and give it to a State. Will this be a loss of important Federal access opportunities for the public? Well, that is why I brought this picture up here, Mr. Speaker. People are not going hiking here. This is not wildlife habitat. You will not have bison from the Black Hills of South Dakota nestle in this leach pond here. We have real environmental work to do here, and it is important that we do it in the most effective way. This bill would advance that cause. I just want to make it clear, so many people who are involved are supportive of this. Senators Thune and Rounds have been supportive. Governor Noem has been supportive. Lawrence County, the city of Lead, and the city of Deadwood are all supportive. I ask all of my colleagues to join their voices of support so we can do what needs to be done on this Superfund site. We didn't treat this land properly, and the mining company did not treat this land properly. We have a continuing opportunity to do right. My bill would do that. Vote ``yes.''

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, earlier this year, my friend Mark Shlanta died at age 57. He had been a South Dakota telecommunications leader since 1998. Earlier this year, my friend Greg Dean died at age 58. He had been a South Dakota telecommunications leader since 1999. Earlier this year, my friend Rod Bowar died at age 60. He had been a South Dakota telecommunications leader since 1976. Earlier this year, my friend Bryan Roth died at age 59. He had been a South Dakota telecommunications leader since 1998. Now, losing one friend, losing one industry leader, is not easy. When you lose four over the past few months, it can be almost more than their friends and family can bear. These were real leaders. Everybody around here talks about broadband. It has been a hot topic in Congress for the last 2 years, every day-- broadband, high-speed internet, broadband, connectivity. But I tell you, Madam Speaker, those four gentlemen were involved in broadband long before it was cool and long before it was the hot topic in Washington, D.C. Mark spent 20 years as the CEO of SDN. Originally, it was the South Dakota Network. He turned this into one of the most sophisticated State networks in the country, and he expanded it by 50,000 miles of fiber- optic cable. For 20 years, Greg, in his work with the South Dakota Telecommunications Act, was probably the most influential person to help set rural broadband policy in the halls of the State capital. For 30 or 40 years, Rod, in his work as the CEO of Kennebec Telephone Company, made sure that two small towns, Kennebec with 281 residents and Presho with 472, had high-speed internet that would be the envy of the largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas in the world. For more than 20 years as CEO of TrioTel, Bryan worked to make sure that that cooperative was the first telephone company in South Dakota, all the way back in 2013, to have 100 percent of its customers connected with fiber. So, yes, Madam Speaker, these were titans of the rural broadband arena. But when I think about connectivity and these gentlemen's contribution to it, I don't just think about rural broadband. I think about the connections they made with their families and their communities. It would have been hard to do more for Sioux Falls or for Scouting or for his family than Mark did. It would have been hard to do more for the Pierre community or Pierre athletics or his family than Greg did. It would have been hard to do more for his church or the outdoors or the Salem community than Bryan did. It would have been hard to do more for Kennebec or for Presho or for the fire department or for his family than Rod did. The contributions of these gentlemen in their communities were absolutely staggering. So, Madam Speaker, it is altogether appropriate that we focus on the contributions to rural broadband of these four titans of the industry. But I also think it is important to recognize that when they thought of connectivity and when they made a contribution to connectivity, it was about the human connection. No one could have done more for the people and the places they loved than Mark, Greg, Rod, and Bryan did.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Beverly A. Roberts, of Pierre, South Dakota. Bev was an amazing woman who led an incredible life. Bev was a friend to thousands, myself included. She was funny, hard-working, and incredibly loyal. Every time I saw Bev, she had a word of encouragement and a piece of advice. She wasn't just that way with the politicians, though. She knew plenty of governors and plenty of cowhands, and she treated them all with kindness and decency. I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the Roberts family and to everyone who knew this wonderful woman. She will be sorely missed. Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the following obituary for Beverly Roberts: Beverly A. Roberts, 87, of Pierre, SD, died Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at Edgewood in Pierre. Inurnment will take place at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 22nd at the Presho Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 22nd at First United Methodist Church in Pierre. Beverly was born on March 27, 1935, to Ward and Frances (Weber) Dittman. She attended grade school and high school in Presho. She graduated from Presho High School in 1952. On December 7, 1952, Beverly married Clinton Roberts in Presho, and they were married for 64 years. They had four children, Debra, Schelle, Clayton and Kristi. Clint and Bev's youngest daughter Kristi died in 1999. There are six grandchildren in the family and nine greatgrandchildren. Family was always a priority for Beverly. They made their home near Presho where they farmed and ranched. Beverly devoted much time to driving the children to town for school, swimming lessons, and school events. She assisted Clint in moving tractors and other farm equipment, often having to drive at the spur of the moment for machinery parts. Leisure time on the farm usually included stock dam fishing or hunting. Beverly was a gracious hostess during multiple opening day pheasant hunts. Her other skills included starting and running a retail business and troubleshooting computers in the SD Dept. of Transportation and Office of the Attorney General. She was a member of the Presho and Pierre United Methodist Churches, Presho Jaycettes, Lyman County Republicans, and the Capitol Club. She was a key campaign strategist in Clint's political campaigns for the SD state legislature, US House of Representatives, and SD governor, contributing to his political successes. Her retirement years were spent enjoying family life in Fort Pierre, SD, living on the river. Since Clint's death in 2017, Beverly lived at Parkwood and most currently at Edgewood Assisted Living in Pierre. Beverly is survived by her children Debra Brakke (Verne), Schelle Wenner, and Clay Roberts (Pam), and grandchildren Nathan Brakke (Michelle), Matthew Brakke (Kimberly), Tessa Wenner, Clint Hunter Roberts (Stephanie), Chelsey Roberts Renemans (Nick), and Tiffany Menke (Nick). Beverly also leaves behind nine adoring great-grandchildren and a sister Linda Kerns of Murdo. Beverly was preceded in death by her husband Clinton, daughter Kristi, and her brothers: Melvin, Delbert, Wayne and Curtis. Memorials may be directed to the Greater Lyman Foundation.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, 175 native languages are spoken in this country today, and they are threatened. Without preservation efforts, by the year 2050 there will be fewer than 20 spoken. Now, for best fluency, you really should start language education by the age of 10. And luckily, that is what Pine Ridge's, Thunder Valley CDC, and the rural grant initiative are doing. They are using dollars from the Esther Martinez Native Languages Program, which we have funded, to teach Lakota to the youngest students. It is incredibly powerful. Mr. Speaker, language is the lifeblood of culture, and I am so proud that these two programs are working hard in South Dakota to preserve language and culture.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and I thank leadership for making my bill a priority on the floor today. We have heard from a number of earlier speakers that recent Supreme Court decisions have upset the majority. These are decisions that they disagree with. Now, these are judicial decisions that were rendered under rules that have been in place for more than 150 years. But there seems to be a growing force of people who want to change the rules, that if we didn't get the decision we wanted under the rules that have been in place since 1869, then let's go ahead and change the rules. Let's go ahead and pack the Court. If nine Justices doesn't get what we want, then let's add two. Well, if maybe two more Justices doesn't get us what we want, then let's add four. Maybe we can get with four Justices the kinds of decisions we want. Madam Speaker, this is not a hypothetical boogieman. This is an actual pending legislation introduced by none other than the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. It is an active attempt to pack the Court with 13 Justices. Now, you might ask, Madam Speaker, is 13 the right number? Does 13 come about because there has been some report or some analysis that 13 Justices would make the work of the Court more productive? Or perhaps the Supreme Court itself, the Justices, have indicated that they would do a better job with 13? No. No. It does not come about because of any independent analysis or request by the Court. This attempt to pack the Court is all about power. It is all about power. It is all about getting the kinds of decisions that the House majority wants. Madam Speaker, I would submit that when Washington changes the rules only to acquire power or only to maintain power, then it undermines public trust in these institutions that bind Americans together. We don't need yet a further undermining of these institutions. Frankly, where does it end? Once this body establishes that the size of the Court can grow only so that we can secure the preferred judicial decisions of the House majority, where does it end? You take it to 13. A few years later we take it to 15. You can take it to 17 after that. Again, this is not a hypothetical boogieman. We have seen this happen in other countries. Madam Speaker, this leads to madness. This is no way to run a judiciary. Now, you don't need to take my word for it. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before her death made it clear that packing the Court would undermine and erode public trust in the Supreme Court. She was stridently opposed to it. Retiring Justice Stephen Breyer feels the same and has publicly been opposed to packing the Court. This is not something that only Republicans oppose. It is something that reasonable and like-minded people who care about the independence and the public trust of the Court have opposed, as well. So that is what my resolution would do. It would simply put into the Constitution what has already been the case since 1869, and that is nine Justices on the Supreme Court. I guarantee you, Madam Speaker, that we will still find plenty of political screws to turn and leverage points for us to be able to fight and advance our political causes. But if we can just put into the Constitution this one thing, to keep the nine, we will be able to, at least somehow, insulate the Court from the most corrosive political maneuvering that we know this body is capable of. Now, I make it clear, a ``no'' vote on the previous question which I am urging does not submit this constitutional amendment to the States. All it does is allow this body 1 hour to debate the merits of keeping the nine. What possible argument could there be against taking that 1 hour for us to discuss together what the right size of the Court is and how do we best maintain public trust in the Court going forward? So, Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to heed the words of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Joe Biden, and so many of us on this side of the aisle to consider keeping the nine.

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota

Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. It has been a bit of a journey. The gentleman from California was right, it is almost a year to the day, but we are here, and we are about ready to punch this into the end zone. Mr. Speaker, S. 3580 provides the FMC the crucial tools they need to help protect U.S. shippers. Both Mr. Garamendi and myself are former regulators at the State level, and we had shared that it is unusual in this kind of a highly complex and sophisticated commerce environment that the FMC has lacked these basic authorities in the past. This bill moves us in the right direction. It is going to help during this current crisis. And even more importantly, Mr. Speaker, it will make a future crisis less likely. People will understand that the cop on the beat, the FMC, has the authority they need to shave the most jagged edges off of unreasonable behavior from these foreign-flagged ocean carriers. Mr. Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleagues across the aisle for working with so many of us on this side on this important legislation. It is a strongly bipartisan and strongly bicameral success. I think this time we are going to get it across the finish line, signed into law by the President. I urge support. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.