Elise Stefanik

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Thornberry for yielding. I want to start by thanking my subcommittee chair, Mr. Langevin, who is a wonderful colleague to work with. I also thank both of our staffs for the hard work. As the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, I would like to highlight the key themes that will ensure the U.S. retains our competitive edge in the future. First, this bill places special emphasis on basic research and the important contributions that our science and technology ecosystem, including our universities, the DOD labs, and DARPA, provide to our collective national defense, including our pandemic preparedness and response. This bill also restores a critical social science research program that has provided foundational insights into violent extremism, great power competition, and foreign information operations campaigns. In sum, this bill provides an additional $600 million for science and technology investments in critical emerging fields, including AI, autonomous systems, and biotechnology. Two years ago, I introduced legislation in the NDAA that created the National Security Commission on AI, with the purpose of accelerating and advancing the development of AI across the Federal Government. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the Commission for their work on this important issue, and I am honored that this bill included 18 of those recommendations. The adoption of these recommendations demonstrates how important AI is and how urgently it must be integrated into not only our weapons systems, but our healthcare, our predictive maintenance efforts, our humanitarian assistance missions, and our cybersecurity. Our ability to apply AI and other emerging technologies faster than our adversaries will allow us to maintain our competitive edge over Russia and China and prepare our citizens for an AI-enabled future. Secondly, this bill extends and expands the opportunities for our Special Operations Forces to partner with foreign forces, build critical relationships, and more effectively counter the malign influences of Russia and China. Furthermore, this bill also increases our investment in the programs that provide care and support for the families of our special operators that have been so critical to our counterterrorism operations over the last 19 years. Most importantly, as a proud representative of the soldiers and families of Fort Drum and 10th Mountain Division, this bill will invest in the technology and training necessary to ensure the safety and security of the men and women sent into harm's way. This bill supports our force protection and military intelligence capabilities to ensure our servicemembers have the tools they need to mitigate hostile actions while they continue their important missions abroad. As a representative of the most deployed division in the United States Army, currently serving in Afghanistan, my number one priority is force protection and the safety of the brave men and women called into action to protect our national interests. That said, I am very concerned with any amendments that would slash the defense budget, impact our force protection, or degrade our investment in new technologies. A $73 billion cut to the defense budget would cause irreparable harm to our military and our readiness and would decimate the very programs that keep our servicemembers safe. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by thanking Ranking Member Thornberry for his leadership and guidance not only this year, but his many years of truly exemplary leadership.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Jim Phillips, President and CEO of the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance, for his lifetime of service to the North Country and the Nation. Jim Phillips, a longtime business leader with experience in cross border commerce, founded the Canadian/American Border Trade Alliance (Can/Am BTA) in 1992. He recognized the need for a bi-national coalition of private and public stakeholders to advocate for the needs of the users of the U.S.-Canadian border including trade, transportation, border management and tourism. Jim Phillips has served as its President and CEO since its founding, creating an effective transcontinental and bi-national organization with engagement from twenty-seven states and all the provinces of Canada. The organization he built and leads involves a combined network of over 60,000 companies and organizations including producers, shippers, brokers, chambers of commerce, universities, bridge and tunnel operators, business and trade corridor organizations as well as economic development and government agencies. Under his many years of leadership at the Can/Am BTA, Jim Phillips became one of the most respected voices in all matters related to the U.S.-Canadian border in both countries, consistently earning the trust and partnership of Canadian and U.S. officials at all levels and over many administrations. Throughout the years, Jim Phillips has directly contributed to many border related advances including multiple infrastructure investments, the Shared Border Accord and enormous progress toward U.S.-Canadian customs and regulatory harmonization, among many others. In the 21st Congressional District, Jim Phillips was pivotal in working with the North Country Chamber of Commerce to develop the original concept of the Quebec-New York Corridor as a vehicle for bi- national collaboration, and in helping to secure more than $107 million for the new U.S. border facilities at Champlain in 2005. Jim Phillips also played a leading role in the original organization of the Northern Border Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, an important bi- partisan platform for northern border advocacy. Jim Phillips has made an indelible impact on the North Country and our relationship with Canada through his decades of experience and leadership. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank Mr. Phillips for his lifetime of service to New York and the United States.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Mr. Speaker, New York is the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis today, and I want to thank our North Country heroes on the front lines: our nurses, our doctors, our hospital personnel, EMS first responders, teachers, grocers, and truckers. The better angels of our nature are among us each and every day: volunteers coming forward, quilting groups in the Adirondacks, students using 3D printers, and mask making from Sackets Harbor to Saratoga Flag. This emergency bill needed to pass yesterday. It needed to pass last week. New Yorkers and this Nation need this relief immediately for our hospitals, healthcare heroes, and hardworking families. This country is a resilient nation, from the American Revolution to the Civil War, to the pandemic flu, to 9/11, we will overcome this. Congress needs to step up, do our job, and pass this rescue package today for New York State and the American people.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Alan Walts for his distinguished, 44-year long career in the field of broadcasting on the occasion of his retirement. Alan Walts began his broadcasting career in Watertown in 1976 and has hosted Watertown's Morning News on AM radio station, 790 WTNY, for the past ten years. Glen Curry, General Manager at Stevens Media Group, said ``Alan would arrive at the station at 4 a.m. every morning, rain or shine, through his entire decade-long tenure as the host.'' He has also been a consistent volunteer for many organizations including the Salvation Army. As host of the morning news show, Alan made himself a pillar of the Watertown community and his departure marks the end of an era. Alan Walts demonstrates the hard working, community minded nature that the North Country is known for. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank Alan for his contribution to the community and wish him well on this next chapter in his life.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Paul Dowen for receiving the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award. Paul grew up in Saratoga Springs and made his way up to the Adirondack region in 1976 to attend Adirondack Community College. Upon his graduation from Castleton State College in 1980 he returned to Glens Falls and started his accounting career with the CPA film of Silverstein and Loftus. Paul now has over thirty years of public accounting experience and is the Managing Partner of Whittemore, Dowen and Ricciardelli, LLP. Paul joined the Glens Falls Rotary Club in 1982 and has continued his membership and commitment to the organization for almost 40 years. He has also volunteered in leadership positions for a number of other community and charitable organizations. He currently serves on the boards of SUNY Adirondack Foundation, the House of Grace of the Adirondacks, the Adirondack Hockey Coalition and Christ Church United Methodist. Paul Dowen demonstrates the hard working, community minded nature that the North Country is known for. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Paul for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to his future success

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Ballston Spa Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 358 on their 100th anniversary. The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) is a nonprofit veterans service organization that traces its roots back to the Spanish-American War of 1898. Veterans returning home following the war in 1902 found themselves with little or no support from the government, even those with severe wounds and permanent disabilities. From this vacuum emerged the VFW, whose membership now stands at more than 1.6 million. The VFW made significant contributions to the establishment of the Veterans Administration and continues to advocate strongly for veterans to this day. At the local level, each post makes a positive impact on the broader community. Post 358 sponsors and contributes to many local charitable events and organizations including elementary school literacy programs, Memorial Day Parades, junior baseball leagues and the Brookside Museum. They maintain strong friendships with annual barbeques and outings for members, while supporting each other in times of need. The VFW's vision is to ensure ``veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.'' I echo this sentiment and will continue to work with all veterans' groups to realize that vision. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I want to congratulate President Karen Shea and all the members of VFW Post 358 on this milestone and thank them for their century-long tradition of service to North Country veterans.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the passage of the 19th Amendment and the legacy of Susan B. Anthony on her 200th birthday. Susan B. Anthony was born on February 15, 1820 in Adams, Massachusetts. At the age of six, she moved with her family to Battenville, New York in Washington County. Her family were devout Quakers committed to social equality and the anti-slavery movement. She educated herself on reform issues, reading the early work of her future partner, Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Their partnership began shortly after they first met in person in 1851. In 1852 they founded the New York Women's State Temperance Society. Throughout the rest of her life, Susan B. Anthony worked tirelessly for the equality of woman and African Americans. During her lifetime, women achieved suffrage in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Idaho. Legal rights and employment opportunities had been greatly expanded in most states. In addition, colleges and universities began allowing women to enroll and by the time of her death, more than 36,000 women were attending schools throughout the U.S. Susan B. Anthony passed away in 1906 in her home in Rochester, saying of national suffrage that ``Failure is impossible.'' The 19th Amendment was ratified just 14 years later, in 1920. I was proud to honor her work by leading the Women's Suffrage Centennial Commemorative Coin Act through its passage in the House of Representatives. This bill was signed into law by President Trump on November 25, 2019. The work of Susan B. Anthony was crucial to the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment and her legacy is as strong as ever. As commemorations go on across the country, I am proud to honor her 200th birthday on behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the historic legacy of the Olympic Games in Lake Placid. This week marks the 40th Anniversary of the 1980 Winter Olympics, which featured some of the most iconic moments in Olympic history. The first Olympics held in Lake Placid took place in February of 1932. The intervening half century saw the massive upheaval of World War II and the rise of the Soviet Union. The Olympics returned to Lake Placid in the winter of 1980 and brought the tensions of the Cold War with them. It was during those games that the amateur USA Hockey Team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Hockey Team on their way to a gold medal in what was dubbed the ``Miracle on Ice.'' In addition, U.S. speed skater Eric Heiden's record-setting five gold medals helped cement the Thirteenth Olympic Winter Games as one for the ages. Building this legacy has been an ongoing effort for over a century. Since long before the 1932 games, residents of Lake Placid have been working hard to make their community a destination for winter sports athletes and enthusiasts. Lake Placid and surrounding communities have sent at least one athlete to every Winter Olympics since the first one in 1924. In order to maintain that level of success, they have worked tirelessly to host other major international and national competitions that constantly foster new generations of world class athletes. It is for that reason that Lake Placid was chosen as the host city for the 2023 World University Games, where over 2,000 athletes from all over the world will come together to compete in 79 events. To honor the 40th Anniversary of the 1980 games, throughout this week there will be dozens of events at all of the facilities celebrating athletes from the original winter games and athletes moving towards Olympic goals. On behalf of New York's 21st Congressional District, I want to congratulate the entire Lake Placid community on this important milestone. I look forward to working with local leaders to ensure the continued success of Lake Placid and its athletes.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dominic & Adi Wade for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Chamber Family Award. Dominic and Adi Wade, builders of Amsterdam's new shopping plaza, Southside Square, have created a wonderful selection of businesses near the Route 5 corridor. The Square now includes a range of small and medium size businesses that greatly benefit the surrounding area. These businesses include Pleasant Cleaners, Southside Beverage, Bourbon Street Wine and Liquor, and DomAdi's Deli. Dominic and Adi Wade established Bourbon Street and DomAdi's Deli themselves, both of which are thriving under their great leadership. The availability of adequate commercial real estate is vital to the economic wellbeing of a community, and the North Country has greatly benefited from the Wade's contributions. Dominic and Adi Wade have made a lasting positive impact on the vitality of their community, providing much needed investment to the area. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate the Wade Family for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Hanehan Family Dairy for receiving the New York State Agricultural Society's Next Generation Farmer Award. The NYS Agricultural Society honors established producers and industry newcomers who are farming in new and vibrant ways with the Next Generation Farmer Award. For NY agriculture to continue to be successful, the next generation of innovative farmers are needed to work the land, plant crops, raise livestock and feed our global population. The Hanehan family has diversified their business to remain competitive, while continuing their tradition and passing their successful business onto the next generation. Hanehan Family Dairy maintains two farms in Mount Upton and Saratoga Springs. Upon returning from service in World War II, Edward Hanehan purchased the farm next door to the one that he grew up on. Today, his descendants include his three sons, 11 grandchildren and 19 great- grandchildren. Edward's sons, Charlie, Cliff, and Dave, currently run both farms and several of their children are working their way into the family business as partners, carrying on the agricultural tradition. In addition to their core business of dairy, they also breed livestock and grow pumpkins, raising around eight acres at each farm. Agriculture is an essential component of the economy in Northern New York and Hanehan Family Dairy exemplifies the quality and diversity of North Country farms. On behalf of New York's 21st district, I would like to congratulate the entire Hanehan family for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor King Brothers Dairy for receiving the New York State Agricultural Society's Business of the Year Award. For over 17 years, the NYS Agricultural Society has presented Business of the Year honors to both a producer and an agribusiness, recognizing the quality, leadership and innovation they demonstrate that enhances the integrity of the industry. King's Ransom Farm, located in Schuylerville has been in operation for over 100 years. Jan and Jeff King's grandparents had been in the creamery business through the 1960s and in 2010, the family decided to return to their roots, establishing King Brothers Dairy. They began bottling and delivering milk from their own 1,000-cow herd to customers in their community and throughout the Hudson Valley. In 2019, they launched a retail store, selling over 34 flavors of ice cream and local products sourced from the area. When I visited the King Brothers Dairy in 2018 with USDA Secretary Perdue, I was impressed with their dedication to producing wholesome dairy products and providing excellent customer service. Their popularity within the community and their commitment to quality warrant this recent award. Agriculture is an essential component of the economy in Northern New York and King Brothers Dairy exemplifies the quality and diversity of North Country farms. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate the entire King Family for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Glove Cities Veterinary Hospital for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Thomas B. Constantino Entrepreneurial Award. Glove Cities Veterinary Hospital, led by Dr. Mark Will, has built a strong reputation thanks to its kind and professional staff and their commitment to offering high standards of care. The practice was established in 1939 by Dr. Mark ``Doc'' Crandall in Gloversville and now employs eight licensed veterinary technicians and two client service representatives. Glove Cities Veterinary Hospital is highly involved in the community, conducting an annual Shelter Supply Drive to support the local shelter pets. The practice's mission is ``to promote responsible pet ownership, to communicate compassionately as we educate our clients, and to nurture a longer, more comfortable, and better quality of life for our patients.'' Glove Cities Veterinary Hospital is a staple of the Gloversville community and on behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank and congratulate Dr. Mark Will and his team for this well- deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Crystal Grove Diamond Mine & Campground for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Barbara V. Spraker Tourism Partner Award. Crystal Grove Diamond Mine & Campground offers visitors a unique and memorable North Country camping experience. In the mines, visitors can personally sift and dig for Herkimer Diamonds, which are only found throughout Herkimer County and the Mohawk Valley. These diamonds are precious to collectors worldwide and recognized for their unique properties and beauty. The grounds also attract campers, who are drawn to the spacious and quiet upstate setting, which is dotted with hardwood trees and traversed by the bubbling Timmerman Creek. Billie Jo and Joel Davis are on-site managers for both the Crystal Grove campsite and mines. The couple was asked to manage the property by their dear friend, owner Marion ``Bessie'' Bartlett, who passed away in January of 2018. The site is now owned by Bartlett's children, Christopher Evans and Madigan Evans Rollins. Crystal Grove Diamond Mine & Campground showcases the natural beauty and treasures of the North Country for all to see. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Billie Jo Davis, Joel Davis, Christopher Evans, Madigan Evans Rollins and their entire team for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Dexter Criss for his work with the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir and the life of his son, Dalton Criss. Dr. Dexter Criss is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Music Director at SUNY Plattsburgh. He has been involved with the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir since 2001. The choir actively performs on campus, in the community, and throughout the region. They average 25 appearances each year in settings including colleges, campus events, K- 12 schools, churches, memorial services, weddings, and other community events. For many years, Dr. Criss has led the choir during the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day events. Sadly, Dr. Criss is not leading the choir in remembrance of Dr. King this year. Dr. Criss' wife Barbara and his son Dalton were involved in a serious car accident. On August 20th, Dalton tragically passed away from his injuries at just 18 years old, while Barbara remained in critical condition in Burlington. Dalton had just graduated from Peru High School and was planning on beginning his first semester at SUNY Plattsburgh the very next week. Dalton was an accomplished football player and wrestler for Peru High School, winning the Section VII title in the 285-pound class his junior and senior years. He also took after his father in his musical ability, playing drums and bass for the Faith Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church of Glens Falls. Dr. Criss' absence is a further reminder of this tragedy that has rocked the Plattsburgh community. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank Dr. Criss for his amazing work and honor the life of his son, Dalton. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the Dollar General Distribution Center in Amsterdam for receiving the FMS Workforce Development Business of the Year Award for Montgomery County. The Dollar General Distribution Center has a new state-of-the-art and highly efficient facility that was built to support their growing network in New York and throughout the northeast. Dollar General has garnered a great reputation for their commitment to the community and producing quality products that promote a cleaner environment. Strong partnerships are key to developing a great workforce, and Dollar General has worked closely with the Amsterdam Career Center to recruit and interview prospective employees. Additionally, they have held successful hiring events that have attracted hundreds of job seekers from the surrounding community. Dollar General has made significant contributions to community organizations in the North Country, including $5,000 to the Workforce Career Center and a donation to the United Way in Amsterdam to help support their mission. The commitment Dollar General has made to the community and workforce is significant and on behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to thank and congratulate Elijah Braemer and the entire staff for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor CG Roxane LLC for receiving the FMS Workforce Development Business of the Year award for Fulton County. Since 2013, CG Roxane LLC has been bottling and shipping Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water in a state-of-the-art facility located in Johnstown, NY. In addition to the Johnstown plant, CG Roxane owns and operates eight other water bottling plants in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, and California. Last year CG Roxane became the first U.S. beverage company to open a plant dedicated to manufacturing bottles from recycled materials, specifically recycled polyethylene terephthalate. CG Roxane's new bottles will soon be made entirely of this recycled material; closing the sustainability loop. CG Roxane is also dedicated to hiring local. Their Northeast Regional Human Resources Manager, Amy McCray, has been working with the Workforce Career Center staff in placing job seekers. Amy posts her facility's job openings with the centers and has actively attended both recruitments and job fairs. CG Roxane demonstrates the commitment to sustainability and community mindedness that the North Country prides itself in. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate the entire CG Roxane LLC team for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Century Linen & Uniform for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Centennial Business Award. Century Linen & Uniform is a legacy company headquartered in Fulton County since 1915. The company was founded in Gloversville as Robison & Smith, and the name was changed in 2015 to mark a new era for the ``next 100 years'' of the company. Today, the company has over 400 employees operating out of three locations, including a brand-new facility in Fulton County. They serve a range of customers, including acute healthcare facilities, surgery centers, nursing homes, assisted living centers, doctors' offices and other businesses throughout New York State and western Massachusetts. Their weekly laundry output, now at 500,000 pounds, is expected to rise to over one million pounds in the future. CEO Richard Smith attributes the success of Century Linen ``to hard work, consistency with our business philosophy, focusing on our core values and having a properly trained and educated workforce.'' Century Linen and Uniform has been providing jobs and investment to our communities for 105 years. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Richard Smith and the entire Century Linen & Uniform for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Townsend Leather for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Edward L. Wilkinson Industry of the Year Award. Townsend Leather Co., Inc. in Johnstown has been offering high- quality leather products to its customers for the past 50 years. This third-generation-business, founded in 1969 by Albert ``Red'' Kucel, along with his wife Dorothy and their children, now employs more than 160 partners. They maintain 128,000 square feet of manufacturing space in three buildings on Townsend Avenue, complemented by the recent opening of a 62,000 square foot building on Grove Street. Known by many as ``The Stitch,'' this new space is located in a refurbished 1900s knitting mill. Townsend Leather Co. offers a wide range of residential, hospitality/hotel and corporate applications including jet interiors, as well as for luxury motor coaches, show cars and yachts in more than 1,000 colors, textures, and qualities. Townsend Leather Co. is an industry leader and reflects the best qualities of the business community in the North Country. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate the entire Townsend Leather team for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Ruggiero Realty LLC for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Small Business Award. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and I am proud of the strong small business community in the North Country. Lana Ruggiero, owner of Ruggiero Realty LLC, is a Fulton County native and lifelong resident of Gloversville. Lana holds numerous real estate designations, is a notary public, and has been honored numerous times; including as a top producing agent and REALTOR of the year in Fulton County. She is very active in the community and in various business organizations, currently serving as a member of the Fulton-Montgomery County Regional Chamber of Commerce, President of the Gloversville Women's Alumni Club, and on the board of the Parkhurst Field Foundation. She previously served as treasurer of the Fulton County Board of REALTORS. Heading into her sixteenth year as a REALTOR, Lana attributes her success to her desire to serve her clients as if they were part of her own family. Lana's deep knowledge and passion for the community has led to her continued success. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Lana and the Ruggiero Realty LLC for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Creek's Edge Elk Farm & Crum Creek CSA for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Agricultural Business of the Year Award. Creek's Edge Elk Farm & Crum Creek CSA is a collaboration between two local family farms that seek to offer the broader community a wide selection of locally-raised, high-quality, healthy meats. The farms, owned by husband and wife team Israel and Stacy Handy of Handy Hills Farm; and Susan Keith of Creek's Edge, work together to market their products to customers throughout Montgomery and Fulton counties, as well as the Little Falls, Cooperstown and Cherry Valley areas. They have made significant investments in their farms and work tirelessly to ensure that their customers have high confidence in their products. Creek's Edge Elk Farm & Crum Creek CSA takes pride being able to provide the community with meats from healthy, well-cared for animals because as they say, ``not everyone is able to raise a steer or pig in their backyard.'' Agriculture is an essential component of the economy in Northern New York and Creek's Edge Elk Farm & Crum Creek CSA exemplify the best of North Country agriculture. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Susan Keith, Israel Handy, and Stacy Handy for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to their future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Kelly Montanye for receiving the Fulton Montgomery Regional Chamber of Commerce Young Professional of the Year Award. Kelly Montanye, a Mayfield resident, is Manager of Community Outreach & Volunteer Services at Mountain Valley Hospice in Gloversville. Over the course of a year, Ms. Montanye successfully rebuilt the volunteer program, achieving a five-fold increase in membership. As Manager, Kelly orchestrates the details of each public event, managing the communications and marketing for the organization. She is also an active volunteer in the community, where she has served as a mentor to students at HFM PTECH, developed an annual fundraising campaign for the NYS Children's Foundation, acted as a Relay for Life captain, and served as a Fulton County Habitat for Humanity Board Member. Kelly Montanye demonstrates the hard working, community minded nature that the North Country is known for. On behalf of New York's 21st District, I would like to congratulate Kelly for this well-deserved recognition. I look forward to her future success.

Ms. STEFANIK

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, today, we honor International Holocaust Remembrance Day and commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Today, an Auschwitz survivor from my district, Vladimir Munk from Plattsburgh, returned to Auschwitz after surviving the atrocities there. We remember the Holocaust, the 6 million Jewish victims, and the many others who experienced the very worst of humanity, knowing that it is our duty to tell their stories and speak their names so that such depravity never again touches mankind. Sadly, the hate and anti-Semitism that fueled the horrors of the Holocaust has not been extinguished from all corners of the globe or driven out of every heart. In recent months, we have seen a startling rise in anti-Semitism and vicious high-profile attacks on Jewish life across the country, tearing at the very fabric of our society. It has been little over a year since the massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, which was the deadliest attack on Jewish life in our Nation's history. Just last month, a Beverly Hills synagogue was vandalized, a machete- wielding assailant terrorized a Hanukkah celebration in my home State of New York, and a gunman targeted a kosher grocery store in Jersey City. As we condemn these horrific acts, we must also ensure that our children understand the dangers of rising anti-Semitism and that they recognize its history. Yet, as the number of living Holocaust survivors and eyewitnesses continues to decline, studies show that the Holocaust is fading from public memory. By educating students about the horrors of the Holocaust, we can take proactive measures to reject the hate and bigotry that is fueling this dangerous trend. I am proud to be leading H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, with my colleague from New York, Carolyn Maloney, as this legislation could not come at a more crucial time. Our bipartisan bill, which has nearly 300 cosponsors in the House, will provide teachers throughout the country with the resources and training they need to teach our children the important lessons of the Holocaust and the consequences of intolerance and hate. It will amplify the important work being done by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, leveraging a combination of public and private funds to develop and disseminate high-quality Holocaust education resources, which can then be adopted by our local schools and included in their curriculum. This bill has the support of more than 1,800 Holocaust survivors from 38 States, nearly every State with living Holocaust survivors, as well as 350 organizations from all across the country. Its consideration today is the result of passionate advocacy from its supporters and the bipartisan efforts from the Education and Labor Committee. Madam Speaker, I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 943, the Never Again Education Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce).

Ms. STEFANIK. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Ohio an additional 1 minute.