Elissa Slotkin

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member of our team that worked to receive vulnerable Afghans as they arrived in Albania, Mr. Keith West. Service is ingrained in Mr. West's DNA--after college, he joined the Peace Corps, first as a volunteer in Cabo Verde teaching literature and English as a second language, and then as a recruiter tasked with inspiring the next generation to follow in his footsteps. Since commissioning as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State, he's served in our embassies in Uruguay and Nepal while also working on food security for refugees. In his current role as the Human Rights Officer at our Embassy in Tirana, Mr. West was tapped to serve as the Afghan Relocation Lead, coordinating the arrival of our group of Afghan refugees. During that critical time, he was able to leverage the immense generosity and hospitality of the Albanian people in order to save Afghan scientists, journalists, activists, former government officials and their loved ones. No small feat--he successfully brought in multiple planes from multiple places all chartered by different non-government organizations. As so many have noted, the approximately 2,200 Afghans who landed in Albania are more than evacuees--they are human lives who escape danger to life and limb. Thanks to the tireless work by Mr. West on behalf of these men, women, and children in need, they now have the possibility of looking to the future with hope. Along with the rest of the Tirana embassy team, Mr. West spent long hours alongside Ambassador Kim to ensure that everything would proceed smoothly. His attention to detail was second to none, and I am forever indebted to him for his effort. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Keith West for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For his around- the-clock effort to assist a vulnerable group of Afghans, sight unseen, and his relentless work ethic which left no stone unturned to accomplish the mission, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a member of our team who was instrumental in the safe evacuation of Afghan allies and partners alike, Mr. Nathan Ramia. Mr. Ramia lives and breathes service. Some would say it's ingrained in his DNA as a graduate of the United States Military Academy. But beyond his Army bona fides, Mr. Ramia's character stands out in his willingness to go above and beyond for a group of vulnerable refugees, sight unseen. He leveraged his network, a word used often but rarely with so much importance, to bring together individuals from all over the world to achieve a common mission. But where Nathan's leadership truly stands out is over the course of a harrowing 24 hours when our convoy of buses attempted to make it past the airport gates. On a group text chain with all the bus drivers, Mr. Ramia relayed information, calmed nerves, and succeeded in keeping our flock together when immense pressure was on them to turn back. After multiple attempts, several scares, and a few strokes of luck, our group of Afghans made it through--a testament to Mr. Ramia's poise throughout the ordeal. There is a definition of courage that comes to mind when one thinks of Mr. Ramia--grace under pressure. Undoubtedly he owes some of his courage to serving our country faithfully in uniform. But there is another, quieter source of Mr. Ramia's courage. It comes from the knowledge that his work made a difference in the lives of others. It comes from seeing the fruits of his labor in the lives still with us instead of lost to a chaotic evacuation. I--and the entire team--owe Mr. Ramia an enormous debt of gratitude for his actions and his commitment to his fellow man. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Nathan Ramia for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For his resolve throughout the 10-day gauntlet and his calm determination in the midst of chaos that ensured the safety of individuals thousands of miles away, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an essential member of our team that worked to receive vulnerable Afghans when they arrived in Albania, Lt. Col. Erol Munir. Born in Boston and commissioned at Fort Benning, Lt. Col. Munir has served our nation as an Army officer for the past 16 years. Service is ingrained in his DNA--both his grandfathers were in the military, which he credits with inspiring him to become a soldier. Through the Army, Lt. Col. Munir has seen the world. In his current role as Office of Defense Cooperation chief at our Embassy in Tirana, he was an instrumental component in coordinating the arrival of our group of Afghan refugees. Simply put, the success of our mission depended on tireless commitment and devotion to the cause. Lt. Col. Munir spent long hours alongside Ambassador Kim to ensure that everything would proceed smoothly. His meticulous attention to detail was second to none, and I am forever indebted to him for his effort. Lt. Col. Munir will tell you that his work to receive and shelter Afghan allies is simply an extension of Albanian warmth and hospitality. As a career officer, he would also tell you that it's what he's learned throughout his time in uniform, no matter the mission or the challenge, it's his job to adapt and overcome. These two traits, humility for the work and a determination to carry it out, define Lt. Col. Munir in everything he does. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Lt. Col. Erol Munir's willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For his laser- like focus in responding to requests for assistance and for his efficient advocacy to facilitate the arrival of vulnerable Afghans to safe haven, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to his dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a member of our team who was instrumental in the safe evacuation of Afghan allies and partners alike, Ms. Daniela Cooper. Service is ingrained in Ms. Cooper's DNA--she has honorably served our country as a Marine and as a Foreign Service Officer. True to her relentless grit and instinctive nature for problem-solving, she worked with a group of others to assist with the requests that were flooding in as Afghanistan started to fall. No one asked her to do this, no one tasked her to do this, but she was part of a team that knew that skills and resources needed to be combined to help vulnerable allies in their time of need. When we added Ms. Cooper to our ragtag band of individuals working to get Afghans out, it was the first time that I felt optimistic that we could find some success in the midst of a chaotic evacuation. When we got our group of buses in a caravan through the airport gates, Daniela worked through an entire night and countless obstacles to ensure that our group was able to get on a flight. Without her assistance planning the flight, our mission could not have worked out in the way that it did. Thanks to her efforts throughout a gauntlet of several days in late August, over 100 Afghans have a new lease on life and can now look towards the future with their families and feel hope. I will always believe we were fated to meet over breakfast two years ago so that we could do the work we did. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ms. Daniela Cooper for her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For her work ethic, which earned the profound respect and admiration of our team, and for her refusal to give up until every last person in our group was on a flight to safety, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Colleen Denny, a partner in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies and a trusted resource for them as they look ahead to the vetting process. Service is ingrained in Ms. Denny's DNA--she is a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy, where she earned her degree and was commissioned as an ensign. During her 8 years in service, she served on three different ships, including as commanding officer of a fast response cutter. Her duties spanned from search and rescues, counter- narcotics operations, to humanitarian aid missions. In 2010, when Haiti's infrastructure was leveled by a massive 7.0 earthquake, Ms. Denny was one of the first boots on the ground at the Port-au-Prince harbor, providing essential medical care, helicopter evacuations, and disaster relief to the population. Later, as a Peace Fellow with the Children's Peace Initiative in Kenya, she worked to settle differences between warring pastoralist communities. With a focus on shared activities and common purposes, Ms. Denny helped bring together children from the two sides as well as tribal leaders in order to shift how the groups saw each other from adversary to ally. Now, as regional director for Europe at Spirit of America, Colleen was instrumental in helping our group of Afghans escape grave and immediate threats from the Taliban. Despite the tragedy of fleeing their homeland, Ms. Denny provided them the support they need to now look towards the future with hope. From securing housing to providing basic supplies and tools to stay in touch with loved ones, Ms. Denny has given the same time, care, and consideration to each request. Ms. Denny is an example of our country at its best, with an attention to detail second to none. I cannot express how grateful I am to have her skills and expertise on our side. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ms. Colleen Denny for her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For being there, on the tarmac, to meet vulnerable men, women, and children when they landed in Tirana and for continuing to be there for them in the days and weeks afterward, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor one of our essential partners in supporting our Afghan allies as they await vetting and processing in Albania, Ms. Terrell Chandler. Ms. Chandler is the Director of Field Operations for Spirit of America, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support our diplomats and our men and women in uniform abroad. Through 1,442 projects in 91 countries, Spirit of America delivers on the promise of a free and better life for countless individuals who live where Americans are deployed. Before joining Spirit of America, Ms. Chandler spent over a decade as a Navy reservist supporting Marines, Green Berets, and other Navy units. In 2014, she served a combat tour in Afghanistan where she supported Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces as a member of a Cultural Support Team. While deployed, she developed a first-of-its-kind curriculum and training for a military exchange between U.S. and female partner forces in Southwest Asia, all while working to deliver humanitarian aid that supported the local population. This mission brought her in contact with Spirit of America and after exiting the service, she joined the ranks of other veterans who work at the non- profit. In her role, she's been instrumental in sourcing donations for more than 100 Afghans who were evacuated to Albania. Their harrowing journey out of danger may be over, but they still need support while they are vetted to come to the United States--a process that could take years. Ms. Chandler knows how to bring resources and efficiency to a mission and we couldn't ask for a better partner as we coordinate the short, medium and long-term plan for our allies. Ms. Chandler lives and breathes Mark Twain's words, ``broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things can't be acquired by vegetating in one corner of the earth all one's life.'' Wherever her service has taken her, she has taken the time to give back. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ms. Terrell Chandler for her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For her commitment to providing for them while they await processing and resettlement, and for her resourcefulness and grit to solve any challenge, come what may, I submit these words so they stand as a tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a dedicated career diplomat who has devoted her life to public service, Ambassador Yuri Kim. I first met Ambassador Kim years ago when we worked together on Iraq policy. Like so many others around the world who have worked alongside her, my initial thought was one of gratitude for her contributions to our team. Ambassador Kim is a thoughtful, compassionate, and committed diplomat who can masterfully leverage her deep knowledge and her magnetic charisma to the task at hand. It's no surprise that Ambassador Kim was confirmed to her position by voice vote in the U.S. Senate-- she's one of the best that our country has to offer and I'm proud to call her a friend. In August, when dire circumstances required us to scramble and reach out to potential countries that could host our group of Afghan evacuees, Ambassador Kim jumped into the breach. Our team called the embassy in Tirana and she personally returned our call--setting in motion a chain of events that led to more than 100 lives being saved. That we were able to cross paths in the way that we did is a testament to the power of relationships and how they can change the course of history. All leadership starts at the top, and our embassy staff in Tirana is a powerful example of putting country over self in order to complete a mission. They are truly learning from the best, in the same way that Ambassador Kim learned from the best as a special assistant to the late Colin Powell. There are no words to express the relief and the joy that I felt after that initial call with Ambassador Kim. I--and my entire team--are forever in her debt. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor Ambassador Yuri Kim for her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty in our effort to evacuate Afghan allies from Kabul and support them in their new life. For her efforts to marshal the resources and personnel of our Embassy in Tirana and for her quick and efficient actions that undoubtedly saved lives in their hour of greatest need, I submit these words--may they stand as a tribute to her dedicated service when the moment called for it most.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the Lansing Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Originally chartered with just 17 members on December 3, 1896, the organization now lists 135 women actively committed to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing a better future for our nation's children through education. Throughout its existence, the DAR ladies--as they affectionately call themselves--have supported civic works throughout the Greater Lansing area. In 2007, the Lansing DAR chapter supported WKAR in the making of the award-winning documentary, ``The War: Michigan Voices,'' a local companion to the landmark Ken Burns series. They often present flags to new American citizens and deliver copies of the Pledge of Allegiance to local schools. Service is an important common thread among the Lansing DAR ladies, with many of them serving or having served our country in the armed forces. In addition, they recognize a top cadet each year from the Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC programs at Michigan State University, as well as the local U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps. The Lansing chapter has itself been recognized for its work in the community--in 2000, it won Michigan Outstanding Chapter Regent at the state level and was awarded National Outstanding School Chair at the DAR's national meeting, the Continental Congress, in 2006. Today, after more than a century of uplifting each other and the Michiganders who call Lansing home, the Chapter continues to support community service, good citizenship, scholarship, veterans assistance, literacy, and so much more. In support of Wreaths Across America, you can consistently find Lansing Chapter members laying wreaths at veterans' graves, furthering their mission of ``Remember, Teach, and Honor.'' Madam Speaker, the Lansing Chapter of the Daughter of the American Revolution has been remembering, teaching, and honoring for 125 years. It's my great privilege today to celebrate them by submitting these words to the Congressional Record so that future generations--those in the 125 years to come--may learn about their dedicated service to others.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in the shadow of a terrible tragedy that has shaken my district and the entire State of Michigan to its core. Oxford, Michigan, is a quiet town in northern Oakland County. It is a small, close-knit community where folks know and care for each other. But just 2 days ago, in less than 5 minutes, the heart of the town was ripped out in a flurry of screams and gunfire. On Tuesday, a 15-year-old boy walked into his Oxford High School and took the lives of four of his fellow students, four young Michiganders with their entire lives ahead of them. I mentioned them in our moment of silence, but it bears repeating. Hana St. Juliana was an exuberant freshman on the volleyball and basketball team. She babysat for a friend of mine and brought joy to all who knew her. She made her high school debut on the basketball team on Monday night. Hana was 14 years old. Madisyn Baldwin was going to graduate this year, and she had already been accepted to several colleges, some with a full scholarship. She had a younger half-brother and two sisters, and her friends described her as an artist who loved to draw and read and write. Madisyn was 17. Tate Myre was a tight end and running back on the varsity football team and an honor student. Already, there is a petition with more than 80,000 signatures circulating to rename Oxford's football stadium in honor of Tate. He was 16 years old. Justin Shilling was a senior getting ready for life after high school. He was the co-captain of the school's bowling team, and he worked part time at Anita's Kitchen, a restaurant in nearby Lake Orion. Justin was 17. The loss of these four young people has ripped a hole in our community, and the trauma inflicted on their friends and classmates will never fully subside. No one has been left unscathed. The aftershocks of the senseless act of violence are being felt across the State, most clearly in the 60 school districts that have been forced to cancel school out of an abundance of caution due to copycat threats. All of us can see ourselves in the parents, students, and teachers at Oxford, but we can't begin to imagine their pain. As agonizing as the last few days have been, the place to take solace is in the incredible response of the hundreds of first responders who jumped into action to end the violence before more lives were taken. Yesterday, I visited the professionals at the Oakland County Operations Center, which was the eye of the hurricane on Tuesday, and heard firsthand accounts of heroism, bravery, and dedication under extreme stress. In the darkness of the event, the light we should try and focus on is that, in our hour of need, our first responders were trained and ready. They did not hesitate. In the span of just a few minutes, the gunman fired 30 shots, hitting 11 people. Four of them are dead. When the gunman was stopped by law enforcement inside the school, he had 18 rounds left. I shudder to think about how much more damage could have been done if those officers hadn't stopped him so quickly. The people who responded on Tuesday saved lives unequivocally. The training, speed, and efficiency of those on site made all the difference, and I want to speak directly to them for a moment. First, to the teachers who have been through so much in these last 2 years and who jumped into action when the crisis struck; to the police officers and sheriff's deputies who headed straight into the school without hesitation and who told me, ``We were going inside no matter what. We were never going to simply stage outside and wait to assess the risks to ourselves''; to all the firefighters and first responders from our area and well beyond who didn't wait for direction and simply steamed straight for Oxford; to the 911 dispatch operators who took more than 100 calls from terrified children whispering and crying from their hiding places, and the dispatch shift leaders who ran the massive logistical operation to coordinate over 300 first responders at the school; and to the doctors, nurses, EMS, and hospital staff who put emergency procedures in place and all answered the call to help, what you did saved children, and teachers, and administrators. You saved someone's child, someone's brother, someone's mom. You kept people on this Earth for their families to cherish and hold close. And every one of them will remember that day and the role you played. There are children in that school who will go on to be police officers and firefighters and doctors because of how you responded this week, and for that, we owe you so much. Madam Speaker, over the last few days, I have thought a great deal about the sacrifices we ask our kids to make and the burdens we ask them to bear. We are all so exhausted seeing fleeing students, panicked parents, and bewildered teachers. The inescapable conclusion we must draw is that we are failing our children, not just failing to keep them safe but failing to set an example. Our daily rhetoric continues to deteriorate. Threats of violence are commonplace. As someone who worked alongside the military for years, I was trained that leadership climate is set at the top. Whether you are the leader of a platoon or a small town, or simply the head of a household, the leadership style you use in your own life will be internalized by those you lead. It will become the standard. Nowhere is this more clear than with our kids. The hard truth is that violence, including gun violence, has become normal. Threatening someone online has become normal. Inciting violence and calling for violence has become normal. People do it online, in neighborhood forums, at school board meetings, at hospitals, on airplanes, and even on the steps of this Capitol, like it is nothing at all, like it is somehow part of their freedom of speech. But it is not. Threatening other people is where our freedom of speech ends. But how are kids to understand that? How are they to rationalize the lessons they learned in kindergarten to treat others as we would like to be treated if they see adults demonstrating the opposite? That betrayal has taken hold in the roots of our communities. Not a day goes by that I don't hear about it, and our kids are watching our every move. This tragedy also makes clear that we are in desperate need of mental health support for our young people. Services and providers are scarce, and there is no way of meeting the need, especially in the wake of COVID. Our children are using violence, contemplating suicide, and generally struggling more than at any other time in our history, and we must acknowledge that and provide the resources to our communities to manage the demand. In these first 48 hours since the attack, that is where my office and so many others have been trying to engage, to find Federal money, to find State money. We need to address the mental health crisis in this country with the seriousness that it demands or be prepared to live with the consequences. In the immediate aftermath of tragedy, in these moments of intense suffering, there is often a need to understand what to do with our pain by jumping into politics and policy. I must admit, I am torn about that discussion because my community is still reeling from the crisis, and our attention has been focused on immediate crisis response. But there are some basic facts that simply can't be swept under the rug: that a deadly weapon purchased legally fell into the hands of a 15-year-old child. I come from a family of gun owners. I was trained to carry two different firearms on my person at all times during my three tours with the CIA in Iraq. But if a 15-year-old boy can get ahold of a weapon purchased by his father on a Friday and use it to terrorize and murder his classmates on a Tuesday, something in our country is horribly wrong. Whether we like it or not, Oxford will be a town that our kids read about, joining a long list of communities that have become synonymous with the greatest tragedies our country has seen: Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Santa Fe, and so many more. This is, sadly, not a new set of issues. Long before the events in Oxford, the U.S. House passed a bill requiring basic background checks for purchases of any and all guns, just like we do at Walmart now. This bill had both Democratic and Republican cosponsors. It was one of those rare instances of this body rising to the occasion with some basic common sense. We voted on this bill a few years ago in the last Congress, and we voted on it again this last March 2021. That bill is currently sitting in the U.S. Senate. It could be voted on tomorrow if there was a will to act. Please, to our colleagues in the Senate, take up this important bipartisan legislation. I am also focused on what it means to be a responsible gun owner. Michigan is full of them, including my own family. But if you are going to own a gun, you should be responsible for storing it safely and for taking basic steps to ensure that the gun doesn't end up in the hands of a child or a criminal or a dangerous person. Adults should be held accountable for how they handle their guns. This is an issue we are particularly watching in Oxford, where the Oakland County prosecutor is considering charging the parents of the shooter for their child's access to that gun. This is one of the areas we are looking at for additional legislation, and I know that a similar bill is being looked at in the Michigan legislature. In the coming days and week, more facts will emerge from this horrible tragedy and help guide our thinking on how to ensure that our children--Hana, Madisyn, Tate, and Justin--did not die in vain. To my colleagues in both parties, I look to you all, every single one of you, to join me in recognizing the pain that our community is going through and to make sure it means something. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, this has been one of the darkest and most painful weeks our State of Michigan has had in recent memory. We stand here, the Michigan delegation of Democrats and Republicans, along with honorary Michiganians, to ask Congress to recognize that pain and to ask Members here to see their own children in the pictures of those who were lost in yet another school shooting. In less than 5 minutes, the small town of Oxford, Michigan, was changed forever when a gunman opened fire on his fellow high school students. In that momentary flash, four innocent teenagers, students with their entire lives ahead of them, were taken from us in yet another senseless act of violence. Hana St. Juliana was an exuberant freshman and a volleyball and basketball player. She babysat for a friend of mine and brought joy to everyone who knew her. She made her high school debut on the basketball team on Monday night. Hana was 14 years old. Madisyn Baldwin was going to graduate this year, and she had already been accepted to several colleges, some with a full scholarship. She had a younger half-brother and two sisters, and her friends describe her as an artist who loved to draw, read, and write. Madisyn was 17. Tate Myre was a tight end and running back on the varsity football team and an honor student. There is already a petition circulating to rename Oxford's football stadium in his honor. He was 16 years old. Justin Shilling was a senior getting ready for life after high school. He was the co-captain of the school's bowling team, and he worked part-time at Anita's Kitchen, a restaurant in nearby Lake Orion. Justin was 17. Seven others were wounded, and make no mistake, every single student, parent, friend, family member, and community member in the greater area now has wounds that you can't see, the wounds that affect the head and the heart. Last night, I attended a service at a church where many Oxford families attend. The pastor spoke for many when he asked: ``Where do we go with our fears? We feel powerless to prevent this kind of tragedy. We mourn the brokenness of a culture where children kill children.'' Today I ask my colleagues from across the country to join me in a moment of silence to honor the lives of Hana, Madisyn, Tate, and Justin. I ask you for this moment to put yourself in the shoes of the families in places like Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Santa Fe, Noblesville, and now Oxford, Michigan. And I ask you to refuse to be powerless in the powerful body that is the U.S. Congress. Mr. Speaker, I ask that the House observe a moment of silence in honor of the victims of the Oxford High School tragedy.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the retirement of a local leader and dedicated public servant who I am proud to call a friend--the outgoing Mayor of Howell, Nick Proctor. Mayor Proctor's ties to Howell stretch back to his ancestors when they first set down roots in the mid-19th century. First elected to the city council in 2013, he's served as the city's mayor for the last seven. With an agenda focused on economic vibrancy, he's been a key partner of the Howell Downtown Development Authority and the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce in the effort to revitalize Michigan Avenue. Thanks to his vision of a combination of economic development and historic preservation, Howell was honored in 2018 with the Great American Main Street Award--a national recognition for achievements in transforming the downtown district into a cultural destination. In this era of great challenges and uncertainty, it's been a comfort to know that Howell has had a calm, level-headed mayor with firsthand experience in crisis management. He's been a champion for every resident of Howell--presiding over a city council that unanimously approved the first anti-discrimination ordinance aimed at protecting LGBT and other individuals in Livingston County. Last year, when he opted not to seek another term, he reached out via email to all of the candidates--both before and after the primary-- making himself available to discuss issues confronting the city. And while some may see his comity as a bygone relic, Mayor Proctor would tell you that collegiality is integral to who he is. He's a public servant first, committed to the mission at hand. He learned this as a former official with the Department of State's Bureau of Diplomatic Security. In his role as a security attache, he traveled the world, including stops in Germany, Sri Lanka, Jordan, and Japan. Later on, he served as Head of Global Security for British American Tobacco, based out of London. Needless to say, Mayor Proctor has seen the world and brought back a unique perspective to the good folks of Howell. His ability to see things from different points of view is one of his greatest skills, and I appreciate his words as Congress has worked to pass an infrastructure bill. Last month, he was quoted as saying: ``Infrastructure has no political affiliation. We need to come together to serve the people.'' It's a message that folks in Washington would do well to heed--we were sent here to put our constituents first, just like Mayor Proctor has for the better part of a decade. I'll miss working with him-- particularly given our backgrounds in national security--but I know he's earned a relaxing retirement filled with occasional travel, a good book, and watching the latest ice hockey or college football game. Madam Speaker, on behalf of a grateful community, it's my privilege to honor Mayor Nick Proctor so that my colleagues in the People's House may know that Mayor Nick Proctor made a difference.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a team that has electrified the East Lansing community with its accomplishments both on and off the field--the 2021 Michigan State University football team. Under the leadership of Coach Mel Tucker, the Spartans' motto is ``relentless.'' The word is stamped on the back of the players' helmets and it's present in everything the players do. Since the first offseason conditioning practice, the players have had an energy drilled into them that has translated to an undefeated season with four games left to play. Today, MSU is the fifth-ranked team in the nation because of what Coach Tucker calls the ``deep water.'' Madam Speaker, the deep water is a place that you don't want to be in. The deep water is cold, dark, and disorienting. For the MSU football team, their success lies in their ability to take their opponents to the deep water--to outlast them both physically and mentally. As a result, this Spartan team has been defying the odds and the naysayers. And after last Saturday's comeback victory against the University of Michigan, it's clear that this team has what it takes to go all the way. Heisman-favorite Kenneth Walker III put on a clinic, scoring all five touchdowns and notching 191 rushing yards--101 of them in the fourth quarter alone. Quarterback Payton Thorne and wide receiver Jayden Reed, teammates who have been playing together since middle school, connected on a two-point conversion late in the game to complete a 16-point comeback. And on defense, everyone from linebacker Simeon Barrow to freshman cornerback Chuck Brantley personified the idea of ``bend, don't break'' as they came up with clutch plays time and time again. It's because of their relentless efforts, and the efforts of every member of the roster, that the Paul Bunyan trophy is staying home with the Sparty faithful. From campus to Congress, the MSU-UM rivalry is an example of how good old fashioned competition can bring out the best in us. To that end, I want to thank my dear friend Representative Dingell for being a good sport and rallying the alumni as part of our prank war last week. In closing, Madam Speaker, I include in the Record the Michigan State fight song, ``Victory for MSU''. And today, tomorrow, and forever: Go Green. On the banks of the Red Cedar, There's a school that's known to all; Its specialty is winning, And those Spartans play good ball; Spartan teams are never beaten, All through the game they fight; Fight for the only colors: Green and White. Smash right through that line of blue, Watch the points keep growing, Spartan teams are bound to win, They're fighting with a vim! Rah! Rah! Rah! Michigan is weakening, We're going to win this game, Fight! Fight! Rah! Team, Fight! Victory for MSU

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to pass my bill, the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act, so that we never again are dependent on foreign manufacturers for the supplies we need to keep Americans safe. This bipartisan bill, brought to this Chamber by eight Democrats and eight Republicans, would make sure our country never again endures what we went through in those early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when we all received those urgent calls, only to learn that our stockpile, the national stockpile, would only provide a fraction of what we needed, many pieces inside expired, some of them molding. This bill would ensure that we have a properly maintained national stockpile of medical supplies so that our doctors, nurses, and frontline workers have the personal protective equipment they need to protect themselves while helping others. Put yourself back into the mindset of April 2020: frantic calls and e-mails from essential workers begging for help. As cases of COVID surged, both in our hospitals and in our nursing homes, our frontline workers made it clear that they simply didn't have enough protective equipment to keep themselves safe. In fact, the National Institutes of Health conducted a study on why we have a shortage of protective equipment. Through that study, they found that the U.S. anticipated--we knew--that our national supply would come up short, and they estimated that we would need 3.5 billion N95 masks to protect Americans from a pandemic that affected only a third of our country. This is why we cannot move on without cleaning up our system. In 2020, every Member of this body was hearing from doctors, nurses, and first responders who were bravely battling this disease and improvised face shields and homemade solutions to protect themselves. I still think about the physician in Brighton, Michigan, who compared his job to being a soldier on the front lines, wearing only a T-shirt and a baseball cap instead of body armor and a helmet; or the nurses in Mason, Michigan, who had to share one gown, not per person, but for the entire staff on a COVID ward. In response, I found myself doing anything and everything I could to secure protective equipment for Michigan: calling mask manufacturers, negotiating with companies in China, and fighting for each and every shipment. I was sending Ziplocs of 10 masks to our nursing homes individually. If a Congresswoman is negotiating in the dead of night with a Chinese middleman for masks, our supply chains have officially failed us. This searing experience shook me to my core. We can and must do better to protect Americans and to learn from our mistakes. This bill, the Strengthening America's Strategic National Stockpile Act, would ensure that if States ever need to turn to it, our stockpile will be fully supplied, maintained, and ready to go. It requires constant maintenance and inventory checks to make sure items aren't expired. We need to make the distribution process transparent. It helps States to create their own local stockpiles, and it prevents waste of taxpayer dollars by allowing the stockpile to sell excess supplies to other agencies before they expire. Perhaps most importantly, this bill incentivizes production of critical medical supplies right here at home, in the United States. Through a $500 million program, the stockpile will partner directly with American manufacturers to expand capacity and strengthen our domestic supply chains. Now, in Michigan, we get it. Before the pandemic, the mere mention of supply chains was enough to put some to sleep. But the last year and a half has changed that. The issue is now on the front page of every paper and at the heart of every key business and policy decision. From masks to microchips, the disruptions we have experienced have forced us to pull back the curtain and take a hard look at the systems we rely on in our daily lives. Michiganders have been saying this for 30 years. If you outsource our supply chains too far to China, it becomes a national security issue, and it has. Here in Congress, we have a responsibility to respond to the way this crisis has shook our communities for our first responders and our businesses. I ask my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this critical piece of legislation. Help clean up the mess that was on display last year. That is our job and our responsibility to the next crisis.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize my little town of Holly and, in particular, its commitment to its men and women who have served in uniform. I am especially proud to commemorate the Holly Area Veterans Resource Center and its dedicated members as they host a Welcome Home event tomorrow for our troops and their families. Holly's track record of service isn't limited to just one event on one day--far from it. Our village's commitment is absolute, as evidenced by the namesake of the community center where the Veterans' Resource Center holds its events: Lt. Karl Richter. As a 23-year-old officer in the Air Force, Lt. Richter became the youngest pilot to shoot down a MiG over Vietnam. He would eventually fly 198 missions--the most out of any airman at the time--and would ultimately earn the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, and Purple Heart for his valor. Lt. Richter was born and raised in Holly, and the legacy of service that he exemplified continues to live on in our community. The old oak tree in the parking lot of Holly Elementary School is ringed by dozens of yellow ribbons noting which of our hometown heroes are on active duty. Holly is also home to the Great Lakes National Cemetery, where over fifty-thousand of our nation's veterans and their family members have been laid to rest. At their military funerals, it's common to see a joint honor guard of Holly VFW and American Legion members carry on their traditions with a performance. Lastly, together with local leaders and veterans groups, my team led an effort to rename our local post office. I believe service is the greatest love letter you can send your country, and at the Holly Veterans Memorial Post Office, we will soon be able to pay tribute to that service each time we send letters of our own. In short, Holly is a place that knows its veterans. We're proud to stand with them throughout their entire careers--from that first bus that takes them to boot camp until their retirement and beyond. After all, when we send folks to fight for us, we have a responsibility to care for them and their loved ones for the rest of their lives. That said, we know that the return to civilian life can be difficult. With its Welcome Home event tomorrow, Holly honors the service and sacrifice of veterans and their families. With a parade, food trucks, and live music, we will celebrate the folks who stepped up to serve our nation. And through a commemorative pinning for any veteran who served from 1955 to 1975, we will thank them for their willingness to risk life and limb to defend our way of life. Representing Holly is one of the greatest privileges of my life. I'm proud to honor Holly, so that its legacy of service can forever be remembered.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a pioneer for civil rights in East Lansing, Dr. Robert L. Green. In 1964, Dr. Green broke barriers as the first African American to own a home in East Lansing. As he tells it, after finishing his PhD, he was a young, tenured Black professor at Michigan State University. His students in the School of Education would come to him with problems--like the fact that Black students were being turned away at the barbershop in the Union building. As soon as he heard about it, Dr. Green went to the President of MSU, John Hannah, and, together with the student, the three of them marched down to the Union and personally desegregated the barbershop. Stories like these are a dime a dozen with Dr. Green. He's been a lifelong champion for equality and he's never met a problem he couldn't solve. He worked at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)--marching for voting rights in Mississippi and bringing his boss, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to speak on campus. And yet, despite his achievements, when he and his wife, Lettie, were looking to buy a home, they would arrive at a house knowing it was available--only to be denied due to the color of their skin. Dr. Green's tenacity was clear from the start, and he wouldn't let the prejudice of the day win. It was only after President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order banning housing discrimination that Dr. Green and Lettie sued the Lansing Board of Realtors to have their chance. When they won their case, the Greens became the first couple in the Nation to use the executive order's authority to purchase a home. Visitors to that home included the highest levels of the SCLC, from Ambassador Andrew Young to Coretta Scott King. Recently, a group of civic leaders worked with the Michigan Historical Society to approve a historical marker that commemorates that groundbreaking first house. And just last month, it was announced that the elementary school that taught Dr. Green's children will soon be renamed to commemorate his lifelong commitment to communities of color. As the elected representative for East Lansing, I'm proud to recognize him today, in the People's House, so that his legacy may live on.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the desk.

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of my amendment which would take a number of steps to address PFAS contamination--a significant issue in my home State of Michigan and across the country. These include: Requiring a national primary drinking water regulation for PFAS. Strengthening disclosure requirements for manufacturers who discharge PFAS into our environment. And mandating the DOD comply with safe incineration standards for PFAS. My amendment would also ensure that the Department of Defense medical providers have the training they need to treat the effects of PFAS exposure. This provision could literally not be more straightforward. ``The Secretary of Defense shall provide to each medical provider of the Department of Defense mandatory training with respect to the potential health effects of PFAS.'' These potential health effects of PFAS exposure are serious. It has been linked to liver and kidney damage, thyroid problems, and cancer. Unfortunately, not all medical providers are familiar with the risks associated with PFAS exposure nor the steps that should be taken for those who have been exposed. That is where my amendment comes in. With necessary training, Department of Defense doctors would be able to identify effects before they get worse and refer their patients for appropriate treatment. I am glad we are making strides elsewhere in this NDAA to expand evaluation of servicemembers for PFAS exposure. This is something I have been fighting hard for. Our servicemen and -women deserve to know if they have been exposed to high levels of these dangerous chemicals. This amendment builds on these important provisions and prevents some of the situations we have already heard about whereby DOD firefighters are evaluated for PFAS exposure but not provided any additional guidance on what future treatment they should seek or side effects they should look out for. I am particularly proud that this amendment has garnered support from both sides of the aisle--Democrat and Republican--because the health of our servicemembers should not be a partisan issue. I want to thank my colleagues, Representatives Delgado, Fitzpatrick, Posey, Mace, Leger Fernandez, Ross, Sarbanes, and my fellow Michigander, Representative Levin, for their leadership on this package of amendments. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join in supporting these commonsense amendments which will give our men and women in uniform the knowledge and the tools that they need to protect themselves. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the tenth anniversary of the Big Red Barrel Project, founded in Livingston County. On Good Friday in 2011, two local residents, Joe Carney and Terry Murray, struck up a conversation with then-Under Sheriff Mike Murphy. The three men were attending a biannual DEA drug takeback event and agreed that safe disposal of prescription drugs should happen every day--not just every two years. What began with that conversation turned into the original Big Red Barrel, a metal dropbox at the Michigan State Police Post in Brighton where folks could safely dispose of their unused medications. Today, there are more than 75 Big Red Barrels all over the state. In addition to the permanent locations, sponsors have teamed up with the drain commissioner to host several events at local recycling centers where residents can drop off needles in addition to prescription pills. In its first decade, the Big Red Barrel project has safely disposed of over 20 tons of unused medications. It's lifesaving work, because as that number grows, it means more pills out of the wrong hands and out of municipal water systems. Michiganders don't admire problems from afar--when they see something that needs fixing, they go out and do it. For ten years, the Big Red Barrel Project has been a perfect example of folks coming together for the common good. I'm proud to recognize it, and I wish this community project the best for the next 10 years to come.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the PFAS Action Act, a bill that I am proud to cosponsor and that will address a critically important issue in my district and across the country, PFAS contamination. This bill will take bold action to address PFAS contamination and it contains a number of provisions in particular that will affect our smallest communities; and I want to share those today. From the very early days when I became a Member of Congress, one of the issues that my residents were talking about more than anything else was the need to access clean water. In particular, Michiganders are concerned about increasing levels of PFAS and other toxic chemicals that we are continuing to find in our drinking water. In Michigan, water is our identity. We are the home of the Great Lakes, and protecting our water and our waters is one of the most bipartisan issues you will find in the State of Michigan. I have always believed that environmental security is homeland security, because it is about the safety and security of our kids and the preservation of our way of life in Michigan. If you can't take your grandchildren fishing in the lakes you grew up on, or can't safely hand your child a glass of water without knowing they might get a learning disability, that is a threat to your family. We have kicked the can down the road long enough when it comes to finally addressing the PFAS issue, and I am happy to stand here today to fight for a bill that will make a real difference in people's lives when it comes to clean water. Today, the House is going to vote on several amendments that I drafted and introduced and come directly from on-the-ground conversations I have had with residents in my district. Here is a story for you: In Michigan, roughly 25 percent of our households get our water from private wells, including myself and my family farm. And even though there is a great deal of public reporting on PFAS contamination in our public water sources, those of us who have private wells do not have a ton of access to best practices, information, how we test. So back in 2020, I went on a wells and waterways tour in my district and hosted an evening in Davisburg, in Oakland County, right before COVID came to us to talk directly with people who have private wells about how we can make sure that our water is protected, clean, safe, and tested. The response was overwhelming. We had 150 people on a weekday to talk about how we protect those of us on private wells. Most people do not have the resources, information, or tools they need to get their private wells tested. These questions led to a bill that I am proud to cosponsor called the Test Your Well Water Act, which ended up being included in the PFAS Action Act. It requires the EPA to set up a website with information for residents on private wells, including how to get your water tested, treatment options, and financial assistance to help homeowners afford the necessary treatment. I also wrote an amendment to the PFAS Action Act to ensure that this website also contains information about the health risks associated with PFAS. My goal was to create a resource that would be able to answer the questions I received from my constituents a little over a year ago in Davisburg. The fight to protect safe drinking water for all Michiganders actually starts usually with local advocacy from people in our districts who are directly impacted by that PFAS contamination. This includes people like Stacy Taylor. Stacy is a resident of my town of Holly, Michigan, and she gets her water directly from a well on her property. When she and her husband started experiencing serious health effects, she suspected there may be PFAS in her water supply. Stacy conducted intense research on her well and Holly's history, digging through old documents, deeds, and maps to figure out where the problem may lie. When she presented her findings to our office--and she was diligent about coming to find me everywhere I was in the district-- we reached out to the State agency that is responsible for testing our water sources in Michigan, and it turns out Stacy was right. There was PFAS in her water supply--in our water supply. But discovering the contamination isn't the end of the story. We have to make sure that our towns and cities can clean up these chemicals and provide their residents with clean water, even our smallest communities. Because of Stacy's dogged advocacy and countless other local folks across my district, one of my amendments to the PFAS Action Act will beef up assistance to local and community governments that would otherwise really struggle to pay for PFAS cleanup. The cost can often be prohibitive. The stories my constituents have shared have helped shape this bill to be more effective and impactful. In the richest and most powerful country on Earth, we have to have the ability to provide clean water to our citizens. We have to be able to lead healthy lives, and that certainly includes guaranteeing a clean water supply. Madam Speaker, I am proud to support the PFAS Action Act, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to do the same.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support the CISA Cyber Exercise Act, a bipartisan bill to strengthen our preparation for cyber threats, which I introduced following the ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline. Last month, I happened to have the Secretary of Agriculture, Mr. Vilsack join me in Ingham County in my district to talk to farmers about protecting family farms, a very important topic in a rural community like mine. And when we went to open Q and A what I think shocked everybody was that the first man to stand up, the first farmer that stood up in his John Deere hat and his overalls wanted to know about cybersecurity. That was the first thing on his mind. I never imagined that, as a Member of Congress, I would find myself standing in a barn talking with local farmers about ransomware, cyberattacks, and how we are going to protect ourselves but, in fact, I have been having that conversation over and over again in my community. And that is because the last few months have made clear to all Americans that cybersecurity is not just a tech issue, it has gone mainstream. It is at the very heart of protecting our critical infrastructure, energy, food, water, and healthcare that drives our daily lives, and it affects every single one of us. That is why just a week after a ransomware attack struck the world's largest meat processor, these Ingham County farmers wanted to know how cyberattacks would affect their family farms, their livelihood. What would happen if we were struck by ransomware in Michigan? Who could they turn to to call for help? And above all, what is our government doing to protect citizens who are on the front lines of this threat? I introduced the CISA Cyber Exercise Act to help answer exactly those questions. This bill will make sure that our government is preparing for the full range of cyber threats and that we are giving our communities and businesses the tools they need to be secure and resilient. It strengthens CISA, which is literally America's 911 call for cybersecurity, by formally establishing a National Cyber Exercise Program to test our Nation's response plans for major cyberattacks. It also directs CISA to build and expand a set of model cyber exercises that can be used by our State and local governments. By passing this legislation today, we are helping to ensure our Nation and our communities are protected.

Ms. SLOTKIN

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Reed for those heartfelt words. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Phillips), another member of the Problem Solvers Caucus.

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to join several of my colleagues tonight to recognize our former colleague, Mr. Paul Mitchell. Paul was recently diagnosed with cancer, and so many of us wanted to send our well-wishes that we decided the best way we could do it was from the well of the House, a place that Paul Mitchell loved and spent so much of his time. Paul represented Michigan's 10th District in our State's thumb from 2017 until his retirement just this year. In that time, he proved himself to be the kind of principled, practical leader that Michigan is known for. Paul knew that the path to good government runs through reaching across the aisle. The proof is in his record. Paul was intentional about ensuring key legislation be introduced in a bipartisan fashion, and the folks he drew to his legislation ran the gamut of the political spectrum. Paul was an advocate for students, for investing in innovation, and for economic development. Whether you were on the left or the right, Paul worked with you to get things done. These days, some might call that behavior an independent, being a maverick. But to us, that was just Paul. When he announced his retirement in July 2019 in order to spend more time with his family, we, of course, wished him all the best. But I also felt a twinge of sadness in losing a funny, charming, and humble servant leader. He charted his own course in Congress as both a legislator and a friend. His presence is deeply missed in this Chamber. Earlier this month, we received the news that Paul had been diagnosed with renal cancer. Weeks before, he had had emergency surgery to remove a mass and a blood clot that had moved to his heart. His doctors at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital estimated a 10 percent chance of survival, but true to form, Paul pulled through. I am happy to announce that last night Paul went home to his family in Dryden. He has a long road of recovery ahead of him, one that will require things like physical therapy and immunotherapy, but Paul is approaching his recovery with a typical can-do approach. We want to send him all of our love and all of our strength for recovery, those of us who spent so much time with him. Here assembled, we have members of the Michigan delegation and members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, two groups that spent a ton of time with Paul Mitchell. Mr. Speaker, it is, therefore, my privilege to turn the floor over to some of those friends to recognize him in the place that we know he loved so much. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Levin).

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this Special Order.

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. Spanberger).

Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, in honor of Mr. Mitchell, we will now start going Democrat-Republican, Democrat-Republican to demonstrate our bipartisanship. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Meijer).