Dark Days of Slavery in America

Floor Speech

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his generous yield.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Toria Sullivan brought a deep passion for helping veterans to my committee and always provided a kind and empathetic ear to those who contacted our office seeking assistance.

She brought calm and order to a fast-moving office, where the next urgent priority was always right around the corner. She was unfailingly helpful and went above and beyond expectations as part of the committee's communications team.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Toria's service, and she will be deeply missed. Thanking Heather O'Beirne Kelly

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Dr. Heather O'Beirne Kelly brought 20 years of experience as a psychologist to her critical role with the Health Subcommittee. She spearheaded my committee's work on veterans' mental health and suicide prevention and drafted key portions of some of the most important legislation passed by the committee, including the Veterans COMPACT Act, the STRONG Veterans Act, and the VIPER Act.

Even as she grappled with incredibly difficult policy challenges, Heather was a joyful presence in our office who made every day better for her coworkers.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Heather's service, and she will be deeply missed. Thanking Esti Lamonaca

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Esti Lamonaca is an Army veteran who lives and breathes veterans advocacy and who brought deep insight and tireless passion to the committee's efforts to support women veterans.

As the lead for the Women Veterans Task Force during this Congress, Esti organized a series of important task force events. The oversight work they undertook will guide the committee's work on behalf of women veterans for years to come, and Esti's commitment to this work will continue to inspire those who worked with them.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Esti's service, and they will be deeply missed. Thanking Matt Tyrell

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Matt Tyrell came to our committee from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and his experience within that organization proved invaluable to our work. He spent months engaging with stakeholders, drafting language, and laying the careful groundwork needed to pass the Honoring our PACT Act, one of the most important pieces of legislation to come out of this Congress. Even while accomplishing such a Herculean task, he never failed to bring collegiality and good humor to his work.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Matt's service, and he will be deeply missed. Thanking Peter Tyler

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Peter Tyler is a former member of the Navy Reserve and an experienced Hill staffer who brought considerable skill and oversight experience to my committee. He led many of our efforts to make the Veterans Administration a welcoming place for all who served our Nation and to protect veterans and their families from abusive debt collection practices by improving administrative processes at the VA.

Peter's passion for good government shone through in every task he took on for the committee.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Peter's service, and he will be deeply missed. Thanking Matt Horowitz

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Matt Horowitz brought real-world experience in technology and cybersecurity to my committee's work and broadened the scope of our oversight efforts into this important, complex, and often overlooked area.

His deep knowledge, patience, and good humor also helped my committee become a model to others as Congress adjusted to the need for remote work and virtual hearings during the pandemic. He expanded the work the committee does and helped us do it better during a very challenging time.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Matt's service, and he will be deeply missed. Thanking Joel Walsh

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Mr. TAKANO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank a member of my staff on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs who will not be continuing with us into the next Congress.

Joel Walsh has been an important part of my committee's oversight and investigations team, and he brought skills to his job that he honed while working as a journalist. His professionalism, writing and investigation skills, and work ethic proved invaluable to the committee as he helped lead hearings and draft important records.

Joel's sincerity and good humor made my committee a better place to work and also made our work better.

The work of my committee, this Congress, and our government to honor and support our veterans was made better by Joel's service, and he will be deeply missed.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas for his generosity of spirit and for his collegiality.

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