Luke Messer

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Katie Murphy, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Katie worked on our team for over a year in several capacities in our Washington, D.C. office. She started as our staff assistant where she was responsible for helping with our constituent mail program, managing our internship program, and processing constituent tour requests. She has been promoted twice and served as a Legislative Assistant, where she is responsible for advising me on a variety of policy issues, including health care, energy, natural resources, judiciary issues, small business, science, space and technology. On a personal note, Katie is a positive spirit and kind soul with a big smile. Literally, every day, Katie made our office a better place to work, and she was a valuable member of our team. I want to thank Katie for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her and her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Dominique Yantko, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Dom served as a Legislative Assistant in our Washington, D.C. office for more than a year. She handled the armed services, veterans' affairs, healthcare, budget, energy and commerce, and foreign affairs legislative portfolios. Dom brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise, specifically on issues relating to the military and our veterans. On a personal note, I admire Dom's loyalty, intellect and work ethic. She has been a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt Dom's future is very bright. I want to thank Dom for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her and her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Brian Gamache, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Brian worked in my Indiana office for nearly a year, serving as a member of our political operations team. Brian has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our team. On a personal note, Brian is a positive, no excuses, nose to the grind stone kind of leader that makes every team stronger. I enjoyed our many trips and long talks traveling the state of Indiana. I want to thank Brian for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish Brian continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a longtime member of my staff, Amy Burke, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Amy has been on our team from the very beginning, working as our office manager and scheduler in my Washington, D.C. office. Amy is a rock star and has been making sure the trains run on time for years. She is an invaluable part of our team and her service and hard work have been unparalleled. On a personal note, words cannot express the appreciation my family has for Amy's extraordinary commitment to us over the past six years. We literally could not have made this journey without her. I want to thank Amy for her friendship and dedication to our work. I wish her and Sean continued success in all that God has planned for their family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Jenna Knepper, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Jenna worked in my Indiana office for nearly a year, serving as our political director. Jenna has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our organization. She brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to our team and was someone I could rely on for on the ground political advice. On a personal note, Jenna is one of the most positive people I have ever met. She is the kind of leader that makes every team better. And, I have no doubt that her biggest achievements lie ahead. I want to thank Jenna for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a dedicated member of my staff, Jake Vreeburg, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Jake has been a part of our team for the past four years, first as our Legislative Director and then as the Staff Director for the House Republican Policy Committee. Jake writes, reviews, and edits the Legislative Digest, a daily summary of legislation considered by the House of Representatives and distributed to 2,500 staff and Members. As Legislative Director, he led efforts to build support for programs, bills, and events that advanced my legislative agenda. Jake has been a close confidant and trusted adviser throughout my time in Congress. On a personal note, Jake is a gifted leader who was far more than an advisor to me. He is my friend. I admire Jake's integrity, persistence and loyalty. I wish Jake continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family. I have no doubt Jake's biggest impact on our nation are yet to come. I look forward to cheering Jake on in those efforts.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Indianapolis Star columnist Matthew Tully, who recently passed away at the age of 49 following a two-year battle with cancer. My heart broke to learn of Matt's passing. To me, Matt was Indiana's most prominent political writer. We didn't always agree, but I never questioned that Matt was doing his best to get the facts and communicate the truth as he saw it. Most importantly, he was an even better person and I considered him a great friend. Matt is survived by his wife, Valerie, and their 7-year-old son, Reid. The Messer family will continue praying for his family as they mourn his passing.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a longtime member of my staff, John Moton, for his work in my office and his service to our state. John has been on our team for over two years now, serving as our District Coordinator in our Shelbyville office. In this role, John is responsible for helping coordinate district events, serving as a constituent liaison, and helping individuals navigate the federal bureaucracy. John also serves as the Vice Chairman of the Ripley County Republican Party. On a personal note, I admire John's loyalty, intellect and work ethic. He has been a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt John's future is very bright. I want to thank John for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former longtime member of my staff, Mary O'Keeffe, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Mary started on our team during my first term in Congress, serving as my foreign affairs Legislative Assistant. During her time in our office, she advised me on a variety of policy issues, served as our lead staffer with the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and helped develop numerous pieces of legislation. After leaving our office, Mary went on to work for Rep. Andy Harris and now serves as the Chief of Staff for the Maryland Transportation Authority. On a personal note, I admire Mary's loyalty, intellect and work ethic. She has been a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt Mary's future is very bright. I want to thank Mary for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her and her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Mike Lynch, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Mike served as my top advisor in Indiana during my first term in Congress. In that role, he helped open our district office, established our constituent service operations, and managed our Indiana-based staff. Since leaving our office, Mike has worked in senior leadership roles at SpaceX, DAQRI, and now works as the Chief Revenue Officer at WaveOptics. On a personal note, Mike is a talented leader and wise advisor that I greatly admire. We share a love of Wabash College and the life lessons of sports. But, more importantly, we share a belief that it's never wrong to do things the right way. I want to thank Mike for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him and Lacy continued success in all that remains ahead for their family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Kyle Pierce, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Kyle worked in several of my Indiana offices during my first and second terms in Congress, serving as an intern and later as a staff assistant. Kyle is a self-starter and always delivered on whatever was asked of him. He was integral to the success of many of the events we put on around the District. Since leaving our office, Kyle has gone on to work for the Indiana Attorney General, and now works at Hathaway Strategies as an Associate Project Manager. He is also currently pursuing a law degree at the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in Indianapolis. On a personal note, I admire Kyle's loyalty, intellect and work ethic. He was a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt Kyle's future is very bright. I want to thank Kyle for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Mark Tieken, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Mark worked in my Indiana office for nearly a year, serving in a variety of capacities and focused primarily on field operations. Mark has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our organization. He was always quick with a joke and was someone I could rely on for on the ground political advice. I want to thank Mark for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Steve Sharp, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Steve worked in my Muncie office for over a year, serving in a variety of capacities and focused primarily on our field operations. Steve has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our organization. Since leaving our office, Steve has worked as a financial adviser for Foresters Financial Services and WestPoint Financial Group. I want to thank Steve for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Josh Taulbee, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Josh worked in my Muncie office for over a year, serving in a variety of capacities and focused primarily on field operations. Josh has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our organization. Since leaving our office, Josh has worked in political roles on various local campaigns in Indiana and now works in the Delaware County Auditor's office. I want to thank Josh for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Jack Miles, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Jack worked in my Indiana office for nearly a year, serving as a member of our political operations team. Jack has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our team. On a personal note, Jack is a humble and positive teammate. I admire Jack's commitment to public service, and I have no doubt his future is very, very bright. I am grateful to Jack for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish Jack continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Kim Bennett, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Kim worked in our Muncie office for two years during my first term in Congress, serving as our Constituent Services Director. Kim has had a long career serving the people of Indiana's 6th Congressional District, as she previously worked for my predecessor and our current Vice President, Mike Pence and for former Congressman David McIntosh. Kim has helped thousands of individuals navigate the complex federal bureaucracy and receive the help they need and she managed our Muncie job fair. On a personal note, I have known Kim for more than two decades. I want to thank Kim for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her and her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a dedicated member of my staff, Peter Hoffman, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Peter has worked for our team for a year and a half, first as a Press Assistant and Legislative Aide, then as Press Secretary, and finally as Communications Director in our Washington, D.C. office. He was responsible for all my official communications and media relations, which included writing press releases, speeches, opinion editorials and more. Peter also booked appearances for me on national and local media outlets and worked with me to implement a successful communications strategy. On a personal note, Peter and I share a love of sports and that a belief God does an amazing job of keeping good people in our lives. I first met a far shorter Peter when he interviewed me as a Ball State freshman for the school newspaper. Since that time it has been fun to watch Peter grow physically, spiritually, and professionally. I have no doubt God has big things in store for his future. I want to thank Peter for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a longtime member of my staff, Molly Newell, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Molly has been on our team for nearly five years now, serving in several capacities in our Washington, D.C. office. She started as our staff assistant, where she was responsible for coordinating our constituent mail program, managing our office intern program, and processing tour requests. She now serves as a Senior Legislative Assistant, where she is responsible for advising me on a variety of policy issues, including foreign affairs, healthcare, energy, workforce development, armed services, and veterans' affairs. On a personal note, Molly is a kind soul, with a positive spirit and big smile. I am proud to call her my friend. I would also like to thank her for her hard work in our office. I wish her and Elliott continued success in all remains ahead for their family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Cameron Silveus for his contribution to our state. During my entire tenure in Congress, Cameron has been a loyal friend and wise adviser. Cameron is also a leader in Indiana's agriculture industry, serving as an executive at Silveus Insurance Group. Our state is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service. On a personal note, Cameron is a brother in Christ. I have appreciated his prayers and encouragement over the years. I want to thank him for his friendship and support of my work in Congress. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a longtime member of my staff, Tracy Smith, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Tracy is based in Indiana and worked for our team during my entire time in Congress. Tracy has an incredible work ethic and was a tremendous asset to our organization. She brought a wealth of experience and knowledge to our team and was extremely reliable. On a personal note, I have known Tracy for almost 20 years. She is loyal, smart, decent and kind. I want to thank Tracy for her friendship and her hard work in our office. I wish her continued success in all that God has planned for her family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a dedicated member of my staff, Ryan Hofmann, for his work in my office and his service to our state. Ryan has been on our team for over a year and has worked in several capacities in our Washington, D.C. office. He started as a policy intern last summer in our leadership office, the Republican Policy Committee. He was then hired as a full time staffer in February and is responsible for producing the Legislative Digest, handling tour requests, managing our internship program and advising me on a variety of policy issues. On a personal note, I admire Ryan's loyalty, intellect and work ethic. He has been a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt Ryan's future is very bright. I want to thank Ryan for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Megan Robertson, for her work in my office and her service to our state. Megan worked on our team during my first term in office, serving as Communications Director. In that role, Megan advised me on communications strategy and served as my spokesperson. She brought a wide breadth of political knowledge from her experience on campaigns, which helped us establish the framework for our communications operation. She's also a huge Bears fan and I always enjoyed talking about the NFL with her too. I would like to thank Megan for her hard work in our office. I wish her and Katie continued success in all that remains ahead for their family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, John Wilson, for his work in my office and his service to our state. John worked on our team for over two years, serving as a Staff Assistant and later as a Legislative Correspondent in my Washington, D.C. office. In this role, John was responsible for advising me on a variety of policy issues, managing our internship program, handling tour requests, and writing constituent mail. Since leaving our office, he has gone on to serve as a Legislative Assistant with Rep. Jim Banks and now works at Heritage Action for America as a Senior Legislative Assistant. On a personal note, John Wilson is my friend. I admire his loyalty, intellect and work ethic. He was a valuable member of our team, and I have no doubt his future is very bright. I want to thank John for his friendship and his hard work in our office. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for him and his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a former member of my staff, Kyle Kastings, for his work in my office and his service to our state. I've known Kyle for more than two decades and during that time, he has become a close friend and trusted adviser. Kyle has proven himself to be one of our state's top political minds. There's no doubt that I wouldn't be where I am today without Kyle's counsel and help every step of the way. On a personal note, Kyle is a talented leader and loyal friend. He has already impacted our state in extraordinary ways. But, I am certain that his biggest impact is yet to come. I want to thank Kyle for his friendship and dedication to our work. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for his family.

Mr. MESSER

Mr. MESSER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the entire 6th Congressional District of Indiana, to recognize Tyler Silveus for his contribution to our state. During my entire tenure in Congress, Tyler has been a loyal friend and wise adviser. Tyler is also a leader in Indiana's agriculture industry, serving as an executive at Silveus Insurance Group. He also served as a member of the 6th District Agriculture Advisory Committee where he met with my team regularly to discuss emerging agriculture issues. Our state is better off today because of his extraordinary leadership and service. On a personal note, Tyler is a brother in Christ. I have appreciated his prayers and encouragement over the years. I would like to thank him for his friendship and support of my work in Congress. I wish him continued success in all that God has planned for Tyler and his family.