Pete Olson

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to do something Texans love to do: to brag about my home State. I am going to brag about two Texas-22 volleyball teams that made the Texas finals this past weekend. The Fulshear Chargers have played 4 short years of high school volleyball. It took them only 3 years to win the State title in class 4-A. That was last year. This year, they moved up to class 5-A. A downgrade? No. They went to the 5-A State finals, losing to undefeated Lovejoy. In 6-A, the Seven Lakes Spartans were amazing. Despite having half the team down with COVID and not being able to practice for 2\1/2\ weeks, they won the 6-A championship, the first team ever in the 101- year history of the Katy Independent School District to win the State title. Madam Speaker, 1 million neighbors in Texas-22 and Santa Clause congratulate and are darn proud of our Spartans and our Chargers. They have proved once and for all: Don't mess with Texas-22 volleyball teams. Ho, ho, ho.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, due to a family matter, I was unable to make votes on 12/16/20. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 242.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman--my ranking member, my inspiration, Chairman Greg Walden--for his kind words and the time to speak about H.R. 1426, the Timely Review of Infrastructure Act. 'Tis the season of giving. This bipartisan bill gives three gifts to America and to the world. The first gift: We ensure that the American taxpayer gets the maximum value spent for the taxpayer dollars. The second gift: This grows America's economy with high-paying, high- technology jobs. And number three: This addresses climate change by encouraging energy transportation through the safest, cleanest medium possible, pipelines above ships, trains, and trucks. H.R. 1426 is a commonsense bill. This is not new. It is modeled after Wall Street. When the market was booming in the 2000s, the private sector poached staff employees from the SEC. They threw dollar after dollar after dollar at these experts and got them to leave the public sector for the private sector. That meant that oversight was not the highest quality it had been before, and those reviews were longer and longer and longer. The same thing is happening right now in the current explosion of American energy. The agency is called FERC, as Mr. Walden mentioned, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The private-sector big guys, the Big Oil guys, have told me point-blank that they poach on FERC to get the best employees they possibly can get. They wave money at them that FERC does not have to compete. When the SEC had their problems in the 2000s, we allowed them to temporarily raise the Federal employment cap to keep these SEC experts on the job in the SEC. H.R. 1426 does that same thing, a proven remedy for FERC: 1 year, higher salaries, and then a review. Every Member in this House, Democrat or Republican, should vote for this bill because it is not just bipartisan. It is bipartisan on steroids. The lead Democrat, my good friend, Mike Doyle, is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In the NFL, that is Steelers country. I am from the suburbs of Houston. That was Houston Oilers country. Oilers fans have had a clash, a strong clash, with Steelers fans for over 40 years. And Pittsburgh fans have never apologized for a horrific, blown call that may have cost my Oilers a chance to go to their first Super Bowl. That still hurts today. My point is, if Mike and I can put that difference aside and pass this bill, everyone in this entire body should come together and pass this bill. We all should vote for H.R. 1426. I have to close by speaking about our leader, my idol, Greg Walden. Like me, Greg is retiring after this year. Like me, Greg is not dying. He is just retiring. Let me give you a few examples of Greg's guidance of this committee when he was the chairman. He empowered every Member--Democrat, Republican, from any State--to have an amendment, to have their voices heard on the committee. The best example is, I recall a bill that sunset, sunrise, sunset-- our bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. That markup went on for 27 hours because Greg Walden made sure every Member could have their amendment with a vote in that committee before it came to the House floor. Let me give you another great example of Greg Walden building a team that always wins, that is always united. I am from Texas, a Republican. When I first got here, we had 25 Members. At most times, we were together, but sometimes we split. Greg Walden has led the entire Oregon delegation GOP the whole time I have been here, and they have never, ever, ever had one defection with Greg Walden's leadership. I will close with another Houston Oilers' quote from a great coach, Bum Phillips. If Bum came down from Heaven right now and was talking about Greg Walden's record and career here in the House throughout our history, he would say: Greg Walden may not be in a class by himself, but whatever class you are in, my friend, it doesn't take long to call the roll.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to call up H.R. 8265 to extend the Paycheck Protection Program to keep millions of employees on the payroll of America's small businesses.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, COVID-19 hit Fort Bend County hard in March. Our local concert venue, the Smart Financial Centre, has not rocked since, yet Fort Bend County has rocked on. The Fort Bend Hope Clubhouse kept rocking--proof: ROCKS I received from the director, Kerry Beth Cottingham. We met Monday back home. She gave me these two rocks with a common message, #clubhouserocksTexas. They rock because they are giving people with mental conditions the skills they need to build confidence and independence. Members choose every day where they want to work: work in the kitchen, go to class, clerical work, technical work, or just outreach about the magic happening at the clubhouse. Keep rocking, Fort Bend Hope Clubhouse. Let's rock into Mental Health Awareness Week that starts next week. Mahalo.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commend Wesley Yuen, a junior at Clements High School from my hometown of Sugar Land, who has helped us combat the spread of COVID-19 in space. This summer, Wesley was selected to attend NASA's Student Enhancement in Earth and Space Science internship for two months at the University of Texas, Austin. He was one of around 60 high school students selected from a pool of 600 applicants. Wesley and his team successfully researched how to stop the spread of coronavirus between astronauts going between Earth and the ISS using the few materials they have. This valuable work will help set the rules for safe space exploration for decades to come. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas and America, I thank Wesley for his hard work. He has a bright future ahead, and I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a special bond that developed between Missouri City, TX Police Officer Jessica Berry and a young girl, Khloe Moutra. Their friendship sparked a community initiative to collect books for officers to distribute at events and on emergency scenes. This friendship began thanks to Khloe's grandmother who introduced her to officers at the Missouri City Police Department. After the meeting, ``A Book and a Smile'' was started with Khloe's extra savings, a program designed to give books to families who couldn't get them at libraries due to the pandemic. Khloe's goal is to give 1 million books to 1 million kids--and she's well on her way with a recent donation of 1,000 children's books from Disney. Khloe's grandmother wanted her to feel safe going to the police for help when she needed it. This simple gesture blossomed into a wonderful friendship and initiated a goodwill effort to support literacy and give back to the community. This special alliance highlights the potential for goodwill during this pandemic and beyond. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I thank Khloe Moutra and the Missouri City Police Department for the inspirational work they've done for our community.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with sadness and joy; sadness because our leader at Alvin Community College, ACC, Dr. Christal Albrecht, announced she will retire as our incredible president on August 31 of next year; joyful because of the 7 amazing years she gave us as our president. She arrived as our sixth president in May of 2014. She came aboard with a great school; she leaves an even greater school. She was able to corral groups like faculty, students, donors, who sometimes have a break with the herd mentality. She put through a 5- year strategic plan with these groups. All those goals will be finished when she leaves. Her trademark is listening; asking students, What do you want to do with your life, or asking industry, What do you need from your employees? Christal met every challenge head-on. And I will close with one final challenge. Alvin's mascot is a dolphin named Blue. Our challenge, on behalf of the students, faculty, and lovers of ACC, is Christal, wear this uniform, this mascot's uniform, for a game or a day on campus before you leave. Thank you. God bless you.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, in his 9 years with us, Faris Virani used his short life to paint a masterpiece. At 6 years old, he was told he had Ewing sarcoma, a deadly, aggressive form of childhood cancer. He never complained or asked, ``Why me?'' He was thankful to God for the gift of life. When his family and friends felt down, he picked them up with his trademark line, ``Let's go with the flow.'' Faris and his mom, Asha, going with the flow. He knew his short life was going to make this world better, and that life became the force behind his Ewing Sarcoma Center at Texas Children's Hospital that bears his name. He was frustrated that every September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and its gold color were largely forgotten by the American people. He said: ``Mom, when I grow up, I will let there be gold.'' Faris, we hear you and, in unison, we say, ``Let there be gold.'' In closing, Madam Speaker, I will say, in memory of Faris, please, let there be gold. Celebrate this young man's life. God bless Faris Virani.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Clements High School choir director Janet Menzie for earning the Texas Association of School Administrators 2021 Region 4 Secondary Teacher of the Year. The fine arts play an integral role in our education system, and our teachers are the backbone. The arts also support the emotional and mental health of our children, a worthy cause especially during this global pandemic. Mrs. Menzie is a gift to her students and an exceptional example for her peers. Her dedication to empowering our youth deserves recognition and the utmost appreciation. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations, Mrs. Menzie, on this achievement. I thank her for her commitment and passion while teaching our kids the power of music.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, due to a personal matter, I was unable to attend the vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 179; NAY on Roll Call No. 180; YEA on Roll Call No. 181, and NAY on Roll Call No. 182.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Gene Frantz of Sugar Land, TX on being chosen as one of the 87 new members of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The NAE is a highly elite and notable institution that provides advice and input to the federal government in the fields of technology, engineering and overall quality of life. Members include individuals who have made revolutionary contributions to the engineering field. It is one of the highest professional honors an engineer can receive-- there are only 2,300 members out of the two million engineers and computer scientists in America's workforce. Mr. Frantz is a Professor at Rice University, my alma mater. He also co-founded Octavo Systems, a systems-in-package company where he serves as Vice President. Frantz gained recognition by his work in developing digital signal microprocessors. Frantz is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and Southern Methodist University. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I congratulate Gene Frantz on this lifetime accomplishment. He has made TX-22 very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, due to a personal matter, I was unable to make votes on Monday, July 27th. Had I been present, I would have voted ``YEA'' on Rollcall No. 167.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, over half the States in America have had a large spike in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Sadly, my own State of Texas has had one of the highest increases in the past week. There are lots of factors why. Most blame is laid upon youngsters age 18 to 30 because they know they have a small chance of dying, so they don't really care about social distancing. I spent about an hour last Thursday with three amazing Pearland High School students, twins Isaiah and Stephan Torres and Jasmine Saenz. These kids care with spider webs and bracelets of submission. On their own, they set up a nonprofit called Drive By Heroes. They dress up as Spider Man and Wonder Woman, and they have kids out of school prod their parents to drop by to see their superheroes. The price? Food supplies for victims of COVID-19. In less than 2 weeks, these three youngsters raised 1 ton of food for the Pearland Neighborhood Center. So, people of Pearland, southeast Texas, if you want to meet a real superhero, go to Facebook and find out where they are, or invite them to come to your home. Enjoy the pride of Texans being Texans.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, Sunday is a weekly day of Christian Sabbath. I must confess that last Sunday my Sabbath was not very pious. I toyed with one of the seven deadly sins; the sin of gluttony. After I went to church, I drove down Interstate 69 to Beasley, Texas, and that is where I cracked. But it wasn't my fault. It was purely the fault of Tim Sabrsula, who is the chief of the Beasley Volunteer Fire Department. At 11 a.m. they started selling huge chicken fried chicken plates at $10 a plate. The temptation of gluttony was overwhelming; I had to buy five plates. But Chief Sabrsula was not alone, Beasley Mayor Kenneth Reid joined this sinful attack. But I succumbed for a great cause, new equipment for the heroes at the Beasley Volunteer Fire Department. Chief Sabrsula asked me to close by saying, ``Y'all come next year, you'll be glad you did.''

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, the city of Stafford, Fort Bend County, the State of Texas, and all of America lost a great man Sunday: Mayor Leonard Scarcella. He was a true Texas force of nature. He listened to all, regardless of what country you came from or where you worshipped. His life was about making all human life better. Madam Speaker, for 51 years as mayor, he did just that. He helped bring Texas Instruments to Stafford in 1967, opening the door to Fort Bend to attract corporate America. Not happy with the public education in Stafford, he fought for the only city-run school board in Texas. Tired of people going to the big city of Houston for concerts and conventions, Leonard opened the Stafford Centre in 2004. He proudly governed without one penny of property tax. It was Leonard who brought the stunning 30,000-piece BAPS Hindu Temple to Stafford in 2004. Madam Speaker, to close, nearly 1 million Texans in Fort Bend County are mourning now. I join them. God bless Mayor Leonard Scarcella.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, 2020 was a big year for a young lady who lives six houses from me. Her name is Isabella Johnson, Bella, to friends. Bella had a special birthday in April. She was going to be 10 years old, but her plans for her 10th birthday changed dramatically when her school closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Now, her birthday may have only been with a few friends at her home-- Bella is okay with that--but her mom, Juli; dad, Andy; family; and friends would not let that suffice. They would not let COVID-19 mar Bella's special day. So around 5 o'clock on April 20, they started lining up on the street outside of my house. Then the signs came out, the horns started honking, and a parade of 30 cars crawled by Bella's house. Bella was full of joy, as you can see. Happy, happy, happy 10th birthday, Bella. We all love you.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate three phenomenal women in the Keeton family who graduated from school this year. After a successful 20-year career at the Johnson Space Center and raising an incredible family of four children, Jasmine Keeton graduated with her master's degree in engineering management. Coincidentally, two of her daughters also graduated from college as well. Unfortunately, like many people, their graduation celebrations were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Looking to find a way to honor her daughters' hard work, Jasmine reached out to the ``Today'' show to be included in a virtual party for 2020 graduates. Jasmine was even more surprised when they were asked to speak on-air. Jasmine's younger daughter, JoyLynn, graduated from Robert Turner College and Career High School and Alvin Community College with her associate degree. Her oldest daughter, Jadean, graduated from Prairie View A&M University with a bachelor's degree in social work. This fall, Jadean will begin pursuing her master's degree in social work at the University of Houston and JoyLynn will be continuing her education Howard University to pursue a career in journalism. Their mom, Jasmine, may pursue a doctoral degree in engineering. Education lifts people up and helps them achieve their God-given potential. American education has extended a ladder of opportunity to help people across the nation and from every generation improve their quality of life. The Keeton family grabbed hold of that ladder, and they're not done climbing yet. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, congratulations to the Keeton women for your scholastic achievements. Their drive in their educational pursuits sets an example for others to follow.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Seven Lakes High School press staff on their hard work and dedication in completing their school yearbook amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, it would have been easy for the Seven Lakes High School press staff to stop working on their yearbook and final newspaper edition until they were certain what would happen with the rest of their school year. Yet these incredible students refused to let COVID-19 stop them. When they realized that the coronavirus would bring their school year to an early end, these students turned lemons into lemonade. Using video conferencing software to host meetings, the Seven Lakes High School press staff would regularly pitch stories and develop plans to complete their yearbook and final newspaper. Often, these students would continue working on it after the school day had ended. Thanks to their hard work and perseverance, the students of Seven Lakes High School will have a record of the memories they made during the school year with their yearbook and final newspaper edition. On behalf of the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, I would like to congratulate the press staff of Seven Lakes High School for completing their work in the face of incredible odds. The Katy community is very proud of them.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Marek Elementary School in Alvin, Texas for their work making their kindergarten class' graduation special amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Students and parents were caught off-guard by schools closing their doors for the rest of the school year in March due to the coronavirus. Many worried that their students would not experience their last days of kindergarten. However, the staff at Marek Elementary came up with a creative way to stay safe while celebrating its younger learners: a drive-by parade. The Marek Elementary staff held the parade so that the students had a fun way to say goodbye to their kindergarten year without going inside the building. Music, decorated cars and costumes filed in outside of the school to let students know the pandemic would not stop their graduation. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I thank the staff of Marek Elementary for making sure these students were able to celebrate moving onto first grade. Congratulations to the kindergarten students of Marek Elementary for finishing their kindergarten year.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, we often tell our children that, when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. When life gave Allan Hursig lemons, he made cookies and created a thriving business. After being ``unfortunately, but fortunately laid off' from his job as an oil and gas landman, Mr. Hursig turned to baking as a hobby. His elaborately decorated cookies found fame on the Internet, and he launched The Bearded Baker in 2016 to take his hobby to the next level. Mr. Hursig's sweet treats garnered so much popularity that he even competed on the Food Network's ``Christmas Cookie Challenge.'' Mr. Hursig is living proof of that creativity, artistry and perseverance are tools for success in our great nation. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, he has made our community very proud.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Houston Chronicle on being named the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors' Newsroom of the Year for the second year in a row. From the Declaration of Independence to now, freedom of the press has been at the core of the American ideal. This inalienable, undeniable right is enshrined as the First Amendment of our Constitution. A free press keeps government in check and our communities informed. The Houston Chronicle provides critical information to our community. This award reflects their commitment to a free press. Through their stellar reporting and top-notch writing, the people that make up the ranks of the Chronicle have made Houston home to the best newsroom in the entire state. On behalf of the 22nd Congressional District of Texas, congratulations to the Houston Chronicle on receiving this well-earned and deserved distinction

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize an incredible entrepreneur in Stafford, Texas that is sharing his love of fitness with our community. Christian Guzman does not view his job as simply work--to him, it's his passion. Building his ``playground'' is his American Dream, and he is passionately pursuing it. At only 27 years old, Mr. Guzman has used social media to build up his business, starting from an online-only presence to being in charge of his own physical gym. Mr. Guzman has built up an immense following, not only in TX-22 but around the world, drawing an audience of more than one million fitness enthusiasts online. Now, thanks to his hard work and entrepreneurial spirit, Mr. Guzman's business, Alphalete Gym, will be expanding into a complex of gyms that will eventually feature a hotel and restaurant. Madam Speaker, Mr. Guzman's incredible accomplishment shows that through determination, hard work and perseverance, any person can build their own ``playground'' and find success while doing it. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Guzman on his continued success.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, due to a personal matter, I was unable to make the vote series. Had I been present, I would have voted ``Nay'' on Roll Call No. 115.

Mr. OLSON

Mr. OLSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard-working and dedicated Brookwood Community citizens who have stepped up to help our hospital heroes fighting COVID-19. The Brookwood Community has been serving adults with disabilities since 1985, providing them with opportunity and the dignity that comes with work. Unfortunately, social distancing and quarantining has prevented many of them from traveling to their jobs and supporting their community. But the Brookwood citizens didn't let COVID-19 stop them from finding a way to help. Through the Brookwood Cafe, these heroes have sold ``Boxes for the Brave'' to make sure our doctors and nurses are well- fed as they treat coronavirus patients. They also have been selling to- go meals and family meals to make sure the TX-22 community is nourished as well. On behalf of the Twenty-Second Congressional District of Texas, I offer a Texas-sized thank you to these wonderful people for the important work they do and their continuing support for our doctors, nurses and healthcare community.