Honoring Thomas Ranta for His Service to Veterans and His Community

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Thomas Ranta for being named the 2026 Marquette County Veteran of the Year. I thank him for his decades of dedicated service to our Nation, our Veterans, and the Marquette County community. Tom learned the importance of helping Veterans from his father, a man who…

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Recognizing the 103rd Anniversary of the Founding of the Republic of Turkiye

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkiye and to extend my congratulations to the people of Turkiye and to Turkish Americans in Michigan and across the United States. On October 29, 1923, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk proclaimed the Republic…

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Honoring the Life and Legacy of Gordon Cornwell

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Gordon Cornwell, a respected architect, community leader, and longtime resident of Traverse City, Michigan. Through his professional work, civic involvement, and commitment to preserving the beauty of the Grand Traverse area, Gordon left a…

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Recognizing Benjamin Twiggs on Its 60th Anniversary

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Benjamin Twiggs of Traverse City, Michigan, as it celebrates its 60th anniversary, and to commend its enduring commitment to Michigan's cherry industry and the farming families who sustain it. Founded in 1966, Benjamin Twiggs has become a fixture in Traverse…

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Recognizing the 100th Birthday of Gloria Mae Gurlea

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gloria Mae Gurlea, a lifelong daughter of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, as she celebrates her 100th birthday on October 16, 2026. Gloria has spent a century living by the values of faith, family, service, and devotion to our Nation. Born in Escanaba in 1926 to…

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Honoring the Alpena Lions Club for 100 Years of Service to Northern Michigan and the World

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize the Alpena Lions Club as they celebrate 100 years of dedicated service to the community of Alpena, Michigan and the humanitarian mission of Lions International. The Alpena Lions Club's story is one of a community that has chosen, decade after decade, to…

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Honoring Goran Rannefors

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize former Swedish diplomat and business leader Goran Rannefors on the occasion of his retirement and to commend his decades of service to Sweden, the United States, and the international community. As Co-Chairs of the House Friends of Sweden Caucus, it is an…

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Honoring Sergeant First Class Gary Gladue

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant First Class Gary Gladue for his distinguished service to our Nation and his continued dedication to Veterans and the community of Menominee, Michigan. Sergeant First Class Gladue's commitment to service did not end when he left the military. Today, he…

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Honoring Michigan's West Point Graduates

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding Michiganders who recently graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and answered the call to serve our Nation as commissioned officers in the United States Army. More than 12,000 men and women applied to join the Class of…

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Honoring Louis "Louie" Krupa on Becoming a Major League Baseball Umpire

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Louis ``Louie'' Krupa of Sault Ste. Marie and Rudyard, Michigan, on achieving a lifelong dream of becoming a Major League Baseball umpire. Louie's journey to the Major Leagues was not a stroke of luck, but rather a testament to the power of perseverance,…

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Honoring Dennis Iott on His Induction into the Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dennis Iott of Kalkaska County on his induction into the Michigan Farmers Hall of Fame and to honor his more than four decades of dedication to Michigan agriculture. For 45 years, Dennis has worked to build Iott Seed Farms into one of Michigan's premier…

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Honoring the Life and Service of Army Specialist David A. Wilkey, JR.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Army Specialist David Anthony Wilkey, Jr., a native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Specialist Wilkey was born in Norway, Michigan, and grew up nearby…

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Honoring Steve Kwarciany on Being Named the 2026 Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize Retired Air Force Master Sergeant Steve Kwarciany on being named the 2026 Upper Peninsula Veteran of the Year. For more than a decade, Steve has been a steadfast leader within numerous Veteran organizations across the Upper Peninsula, dedicating countless…

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Honoring DR. Richard Bates on His Retirement from Thunder Bay Community Health Service

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize Dr. Richard Bates on his retirement from Thunder Bay Community Health Service. Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Bates has dedicated himself to improving access to quality healthcare for the people of Northern Michigan while exemplifying…

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Honoring Chief Frank Claeys on His Retirement from the Gaylord Police Department

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and recognize Chief Frank Claeys on his retirement after twenty-nine years of selfless service to the City of Gaylord Police Department. Chief Claeys began his career with the Gaylord Police Department as a Reserve Officer in 1996 before joining the department as a…

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Recognizing National Hotel Employee Day

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the countless hardworking hotel employees across Michigan's 1st Congressional District and throughout our Nation on National Hotel Employee Day. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of the hotel industry, providing the exceptional service, professionalism,…

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Honoring the 75th Anniversary of Northwestern Michigan College

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Northwestern Michigan College (NMC) as they celebrate 75 years of serving students and communities across Northern Michigan. Since opening its doors in 1951 as Michigan's first community college, NMC has provided generations of students with affordable, high-quality…

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Recognizing Commander Ryan Hawn on His Retirement from the United States Coast Guard

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Commander Ryan Hawn on his retirement from the United States Coast Guard after 20 years of dedicated service. Throughout his career, Commander Hawn has exemplified the Coast Guard's core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty and has demonstrated exceptional…

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Recognizing Master Sergeant Jesus L. Nivar, JR. on His Retirement from the United States Marine Corps

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize United States Marine Corps Master Sergeant (MSgt) Jesus L. Nivar, Jr. on his retirement after 22 years of honorable and dedicated service to our Nation. This well-deserved honor reflects the professionalism, discipline, and leadership expected of every Marine. A…

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Congratulating Elonica Tester for Winning a National Title in the 100- Meter Hurdles and High Jump

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Ms. Elonica Tester on her extraordinary achievement of capturing two national championships in track and field at the Under Armour Nationals, held May 29 through May 31 in Bradenton, Florida. Her remarkable accomplishments are a testament to the discipline,…

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Recognizing Tim Hygh's Dedicated Service to Mackinac Island

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Mr. Tim Hygh for his retirement from the Mackinac Island Convention & Visitors Bureau (MICVB). His leadership has strengthened one of Michigan's most iconic tourist destinations while supporting local businesses and preserving the Island's unique character. For…

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