Congratulating Bryan Health
Floor Speech
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Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Bryan Health on being named one of America's most trustworthy companies by Newsweek.
Bryan Health is a pillar of Nebraska healthcare, notably serving Lincoln and many communities around the State with locations in 45 of our State's 93 counties. Bryan cares for over 2,100 trauma patients a year.
Their work is helping grow Nebraska by ushering in the next generation. The Bryan Family Birthplace delivered more than 3,000 babies in 2022, including 58 sets of twins and three sets of triplets.
Now they are plowing new territory in behavioral healthcare. They report they are the first medical center in the Nation to have a designated behavioral health emergency department.
Bryan Health isn't just a business. They are a key community stakeholder, giving back more than $200 million of charity care last year.
On behalf of the people of Nebraska's First Congressional District, I extend our sincere congratulations to the team at Bryan Health. I thank them, and they should keep up the great work. Columbus Community Building
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Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the City of Columbus on their new community building.
The Columbus Community Building is a $32 million project that will provide 75,000 square feet of space for housing a new Columbus Public Library, City Hall, City Council chamber, and community room.
This project, which took about 3 years, required over 150,000 hours of labor and 1 million pounds of steel.
Columbus is known as the city of power and progress, and their work over the last decade and a half is helping grow the community and setting it up for long-term success.
From their health department to the Columbus Wellness Center to their STEM program, the community is building the infrastructure they need to attract families and the workforce that employers rely on.
Since 2000, the community has grown about 15 percent as companies like BD Medical have invested millions to upgrade their operations.
Columbus, indeed, has a bright future ahead. On behalf of the people of the First Congressional District, I congratulate the City of Columbus, Nebraska, on their new community building and all their recent success. Recognizing Colonels Thompson and Howard
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Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my sincere gratitude to Colonel Kristen D. Thompson for her service as Commander of the 55th Wing headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base.
Colonel Thompson recently completed her time as commander. During that time, the 55th Wing returned flight operations to Offutt after the base's runway was rebuilt.
I thank Colonel Thompson for her work and leadership through the years.
As Colonel Thompson transitions to New York, I also give a hearty congratulations and welcome to Colonel Mark Howard, who is now taking over.
Colonel Howard comes to the 55th Wing as a 22-year veteran pilot with almost 4,000 flying hours, 700 of those in combat.
Colonel Howard also brings years of experience as the 55th Wing's deputy commander, which will serve him well as he takes on his new role.
On behalf of the First Congressional District, I extend our sincere gratitude to both Colonel Thompson and Colonel Howard for their leadership of the 55th Wing. Supporting the NDAA
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Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. The NDAA is a pillar of the House Republicans' commitment to America in building a Nation that is safe.
Our U.S. servicemembers protect our country every day, and they deserve the best quality of life. This NDAA provides a much-needed pay raise, access to healthcare, and critical oversight, all while saving American taxpayers billions of dollars and making key investments in innovative technologies and our defense industrial base.
One of the most important facets of this NDAA: its provisions to counter communist China's aggression. It builds up projection forces, increases funding for essential military construction projects, and provides more funding for innovative new technologies needed to stop the CCP.
The NDAA makes critical investments in our national defense while honoring the Fiscal Responsibility Act's spending levels.
It accomplishes this by capturing $40 billion of savings by cutting inefficient programs, obsolete weapons systems, and unnecessary Pentagon bureaucracy.
This bill also ensures that the taxpayer dollars being spent in Ukraine have proper oversight. Under our NDAA, a new inspector general will direct and coordinate an audit of all aid provided to Ukraine by the United States.
Additionally, the NDAA protects our military from weaponization by liberal activists by stopping our DOD resources from subsidizing President Biden's Green New Deal and banning the military from teaching critical race theory.
I applaud the work of the committee in preparing this year's NDAA, and I strongly urge my Republican colleagues and friends across the aisle to come together and pass this critical legislation this week.
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