Brittany Pettersen

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Melissa Kraai of Arvada, Colorado for winning the Arvada Economic Development Association's 2024 Chris Adams Community Spirit Award. Each year, this award honors an Arvada resident who defines and shapes the community's character through their work and engagement. In 2009, Ms. Kraai founded SustainAbility in Arvada, Colorado, after noticing her community lacked a center to process hard-to-recycle household goods. Taking the initiative to improve her community, she decided to open a facility that recycles items that most municipal recycling facilities are unable to process and otherwise end up in landfills, such as styrofoam, paint, and electronics. Ms. Kraai is also dedicated to creating a diverse, equitable workforce, especially for Coloradans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since SustainAbility first opened, Ms. Kraai has made it her mission to address un- and under-employment among disabled Coloradans by creating quality, meaningful jobs for her employees, a majority of whom are disabled. After successfully starting the Arvada facility, Ms. Kraai expanded operations to the nearby cities of Broomfield and Westminster, allowing thousands of more Coloradans to recycle their household products. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, it is my honor to congratulate Melissa Kraai for winning the Chris Adams Community Spirit Award and thank her for her contributions to the Arvada community.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ambrosia Williamceau, Maria Abeyta, and Charlotte Williams for earning this year's JeffCo Prosperity Partners Achievement Awards. The Achievement Awards are granted to recognize individuals of the JeffCo Prosperity Partners (JPP) Program and Head Start families who reach significant milestones in education, employment, and economic opportunity. The recipients must successfully graduate from the JPP Program, gaining skills in career development, academics, and financial literacy education. This year's Achievement Award honorees are recognized for their outstanding determination and hard work during the JPP Program. Receiving this award demonstrates dedication to personal growth, distinguishing their drive for professional development and improving their lives on a multigenerational level. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional district, it is my honor to congratulate Ambrosia, Maria, and Charlotte on their incredible accomplishments and for receiving the 2024 JeffCo Prosperity Partners Achievement Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Technician Fifth Grade Clifford Strickland of Fowler, Colorado, a fallen World War II soldier considered missing in action until December of 2023. Clifford was a U.S. Army Technician out of Charlie Company, 803rd Engineers Battalion. He was stationed in the Philippines where he was constructing vital landing strips for U.S. forces when the military of Japan attacked the islands. Clifford and his fellow soldiers bravely defended the island for several months before he was captured in April of 1942, forced into the agonizing Bataan Death March, and taken to Cabanatuan Prison Camp where he died months later. After he was buried, it took 81 years to identify Clifford's remains. In service of his country, Clifford made the ultimate sacrifice and we are eternally grateful for his courage in the line of duty. On June 29, 2024, Clifford will finally return home where he will be buried surrounded by family and loved ones in Florence, Colorado. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, it is my honor to recognize Clifford's service and sacrifice. We are thankful to have him home after all these years.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Amie Baca- Oehlert for service with the Colorado Education Association (CEA). Amie is a bold and courageous leader who served for over a decade in leadership, including six years as president of CEA. Amie made hard decisions throughout her tenure and led during unprecedented times--including the COVID-19 global pandemic. During COVID, Amie led with incredible power and grace. She formed new coalitions with healthcare and public health organizations, which was critical in supporting educators with vaccine and PPE access, important scientific knowledge about the virus, and information on how to keep themselves and their students healthy. She was also at the helm during the murder of George Floyd and spoke out publicly against racism and police brutality. Amie made it clear that educators and CEA would not sit on the sidelines in the fight for racial, social, and economic justice. Amie has committed her life and her career to improving the quality of life for people throughout Colorado. She has championed affordable housing, gun violence prevention, school funding, and mental health for educators and students. Our schools, our students, our educators, and our communities are better off thanks to Amie's leadership. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, it is my honor to thank Amie Baca-Oehlert for her tireless work and dedication to our community.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I missed the first vote in the 10:30 am vote series on the Motion Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 1316. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 283, the Motion Ordering the Previous Question on H. Res. 1316.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Randy Keller of Canon City, Colorado for his outstanding performance of duties as the Fremont County Coroner during the extraordinary circumstances during the funeral home tragedy in Penrose, Colorado. In October of 2023, the remains of nearly 200 individuals were found improperly stored at a local funeral home. This horrific and shocking crime rocked this close knit community and prompted Colorado officials to declare a state disaster. As the Coroner, Mr. Keller oversaw this crisis with incredible efficiency and compassion. Families who had worked with the funeral home during some of their most vulnerable moments were left wondering if their loved ones were cared for properly. Mr. Keller worked overtime to coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies to identify the deceased, notify their loved ones, and seek justice for the community members impacted by this tragedy. Mr. Keller's work gave closure to grieving families and helped restore trust to the people of Fremont County. On behalf of the people of Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, it is my honor to recognize Randy Keller for his commitment and service to Fremont County.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I, again, thank the chairman from North Carolina for working with me and others to bring a bipartisan bill with broad support to the House. This has been years in the making, and I congratulate him for getting it to this point. I appreciate his willingness to work with me. I also thank my team for helping me address an issue that I had concerns about. Mr. Chair, I ask for the support of my colleagues, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chair, more than 20 percent of Americans have owned or traded cryptocurrency. Despite this, the U.S. still lacks a clear regulatory structure for digital assets which is hurting American competitiveness and incentivizing some companies, unfortunately, to move overseas. While there may be disagreement about how to best establish the appropriate market regulatory structure, there is broad bipartisan agreement for preventing criminals from using cryptocurrencies for illicit purposes, such as money laundering, terrorist financing, and sanctioned evasion. My amendment would provide clarity and conformity to how the Bank Secrecy Act and regulations safeguarding our financial system from criminals are applied to digital assets. The base bill already calls for the Bank Secrecy Act to apply to digital assets; however, by amending the BSA directly and explicitly expanding the definition of financial institution in the BSA to cover digital asset entities, we are providing certainty to the regulators and the Department of Treasury in their authorities to protect our financial system. Additionally, the amendment would also require a study to assess the risk posed by centralized intermediaries based in jurisdictions that lack robust anti-money laundering enforcement. While in most cases, American digital asset companies are already complying with the applicable requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act, we also have to be thinking about the threat of foreign companies with U.S. touchpoints that are not complying with equivalent controls or reporting standards. I thank Chairman McHenry and Representative Hill for working with me on this issue, and their commitment to strengthening the anti-money laundering provisions in this bill. This amendment, combined with the underlying bill, will help provide more oversight into the digital asset market and support regulators' work to protect consumers and investors. While there is more work to be done to ensure the integrity of our digital assets market, this amendment is an important step forward and I urge my colleagues to support the adoption of the amendment and the underlying bill. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Levi Saenz for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Levi has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Levi, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Levi's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Warren Tech North and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Levi Saenz on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Giovonni Alijah Gonzales for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Giovonni has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Giovonni, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Giovonni's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Wheat Ridge High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Giovonni Alijah Gonzales on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Simon Rivas Nieto for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Simon has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Simon, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Simon's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Three Creeks K-8 and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Simon Rivas Nieto on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Victoria Dominguez Salazar for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Victoria has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Victoria, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Victoria's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Jefferson Jr./Sr. High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Victoria Dominguez Salazar on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sakura Chenhalls for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Sakura has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Sakura, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Sakura's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Three Creeks K-8 and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Sakura Chenhalls on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Luther Kozhevnikov for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Luther has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Luther, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Luther's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Wheat Ridge High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Luther Kozhevnikov on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ryann Carlson for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Ryann has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Ryann, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Ryann's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Three Creeks K-8 and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Ryann Carlson on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cait Owen for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Cait has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Cait, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Cait's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Ralston Valley High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Cait Owen on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kimberly Olivas Soto for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Kimberly has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Kimberly, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Kimberly's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Standley Lake High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Kimberly Olivas Soto on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Victoria Quine for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Victoria has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Victoria, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Victoria's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Sobesky Academy and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Victoria Quine on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jack Clouse for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Jack has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Jack, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Jack's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Standley Lake High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Jack Clouse on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jacob McCullough for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Jacob has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Jacob, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Jacob's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Standley Lake High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Jacob McCullough on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Cami Williams for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Cami has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Cami, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Cami's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Ralston Valley High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Cami Williams on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Carlee McDougal for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Carlee has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Carlee, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Carlee's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Ralston Valley High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Carlee McDougal on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Jaxon Carlson for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Jaxon has overcome many challenges along his journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Jaxon, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Jaxon's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Three Creeks K-8 and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Jaxon Carlson on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.

Ms. PETTERSEN

Ms. PETTERSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Kayla Cooley for earning the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award. Kayla has overcome many challenges along her journey to success, demonstrating perseverance at every step. Students who strive to make the most of their education, like Kayla, develop crucial skills and a work ethic that will guide them for the rest of their lives. This award is a testament to Kayla's hard work, determination, and perseverance at Ralston Valley High School and is clearly just the beginning of a bright and promising future. It is my honor to congratulate Kayla Cooley on achieving the Arvada Wheat Ridge Service Ambassadors for Youth Award.