What James R. Baird said, and what was done

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Keith Berry, who passed on July 5, 2026. Berry was born in Greencastle in 1945. A graduate of Greencastle High School, he spent his entire life honoring the land and livestock commended to him by the Almighty God.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 100th Anniversary of a longstanding Indiana landmark, the Indiana Beach amusement park. Founded in 1926, this rollercoaster park was originally named Ideal Beach and has so many remarkable amenities and rides throughout its history.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Boys & Girls Club of Morgan County, Indiana. The mission of the Boys & Girls Club is to empower all youth, and all of our youth, especially those who need us the most, to reach their full potential and to become caring, productive, and responsible citizens.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Depauw University's ``Growing Green and Gold Together'' initiative, which has made tremendous progress and is soon entering its final year of implementation in 2027.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the many 4-H members through the 4th District who recently reached 10 years of 4-H membership. As a 10 year 4-H member myself, this truly gives me joy to speak about. 4-H members pledge their minds, hearts, and whole person toward serving their communities.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate two State FFA officers from the Fourth District who were recently elected at the Indiana State convention. FFA is the largest U.S. career and technical student organization.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to include in the Record a letter that I provided for the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule, which will be opened by the American people 250 years from now in the year 2276, the 500th anniversary of our great Nation's founding: To the American people in the year 2276, This letter was written in 2026, upon the semiquincentennial anniversary of our nation's founding.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Steve Keown, a retiring agriculture teacher and FFA adviser who dedicated 42 years to Carroll County Junior-Senior High School. Mr. Keown received his bachelor's degree from Murray State University and a master's degree from Purdue University in curriculum and instruction.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Tippecanoe School Corporation's Extra Mile Award winner, Deb Liggett. Deb Liggett is an extremely dedicated caretaker of students who drives 170 miles every day, taking students to McCutcheon High School, Southwestern Middle School, and Klondike Schools for over 40 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ivy Tech Community College, which recently won three third-place awards in the U.S. Department of Energy's Battery Workforce Challenge. This challenge is a 3-year collegiate engineering competition where teams build an advanced battery pack for the commercial Ram ProMaster EV program.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the history, heritage, and enduring legacy of innovation that defines the great State of Indiana. During the 250th anniversary of our Nation's founding, it is vital to remember the foundational principles that have driven American progress.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 50th flight of the Indy Honor Flight. This organization hosts flights for veterans from Indianapolis to Washington, D.C., and boasts an unwavering commitment to serving veterans.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Darrel Thomas, who passed away on May 13, 2026. A proud U.S. Navy veteran, Darrel proudly served our Putnam County communities throughout his life.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Lynne S. Taylor, the Retter Distinguished Professor of Pharmacy at Purdue University, who recently received the prestigious Research Ireland St. Patrick's Day medal for 2026.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Richard McClain. Rich McClain was born and raised in Logansport, Indiana, served in the U.S. Navy from 1964 to 1968, and graduated from Purdue University in 1970.”

“Thorne. I would like to speak about the two of them today. We were in a convoy hauling supplies on the road to Khe Sanh. My unit, the 523rd Transportation Company, used 5-ton gun trucks mounted with .50 caliber machine guns in order to protect the convoys.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Dr. Jeff Mattner from Martinsville, Indiana, a devoted educator whose impact on education will be felt for years to come.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying legislation for H.R. 1346, the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which would finally allow the year-round sale of E15 fuel nationwide.”

“Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026. In my district, agriculture isn't just a part of the economy; it is the economy.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Poynter family from Putnam County for winning the Farm Family of the Year Award for 2025. The Poynters farm about 5,000 acres of soybeans and corn.”

“Mr. Speaker, on Monday, April 20, 2026, I was unable to cast my vote due to family obligations in Indiana. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 125, Passage of H.R. 1681, and YEA on Roll Call No. 126, Passage of H.R. 5200.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the extraordinary men and women of the Department of Homeland Security. At a time of complex and evolving threats, our commitment to homeland security must be unwavering.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate two Wabash College students who were honored at the North Coast Athletic Conference track and field. Quinn Sholar was named the 2026 NCAC Men's Field Athlete of the Year.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Phil Deckard, the former mayor of Martinsville, Indiana, who passed away at the end of last year. Phil dedicated 57 years of his life to public service and leadership in Morgan County and served four terms as the mayor of Martinsville.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joe Root, who has served Clinton County as a veteran service officer for 25 years and served with the Clinton County Sheriff's Office for 20 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Philip Low, a remarkable scientist and teacher from Purdue University, who worked on breakthrough studies in drug discovery and cancer research.”

“Mr. Speaker, due to a death in my family, I missed several votes the week of March 2, 2026. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 79, Previous question regarding H.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to express profound sadness on the passing of Captain Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana, and my gratitude for his service to our Nation.”

“Mr. Speaker, on February 24, 2026, I was unable to make it to the floor for three votes. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 71, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass H.R. 6329; NAY on Roll Call No. 72, On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass S. 2503; and YEA on Roll Call No. 73, On Ordering the Previous Question.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the Pioneer High School football team. The Pioneer Panthers had an incredible season and a well-deserved visit to the 1A State Championship finals.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Gracyn Stevens from Kirklin, Indiana, who won the 13th annual National Cattlemen's Beef Association National Anthem Contest. Gracyn will sing ``The Star- Spangled Banner'' at CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Indiana High School Athletic Association 3A football State champions, the Cascade Cadets. The Cascade High School football team triumphed over Fort Wayne Luers with a 29-14 victory, securing the first football State championship in the school's history.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Gary Steinhardt from Lafayette, Indiana. Gary Steinhardt served in the U.S. Army for 30 years and is a veteran of the Vietnam and Iraq wars.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Martinsville Police Chief Rick Lang, who is retiring from the Martinsville Police Department this month after over 50 years in law enforcement.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate back-to-back Indiana High School Athletic Association's 6A State champion football team of Brownsburg Bulldogs. The Brownsburg Bulldogs faced Westfield High School once again in the State finals at Lucas Oil Stadium.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the South Putnam High School football team on winning the IHSAA 1A State championship this year. The South Putnam Eagles took on Pioneer.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jack Billman, an invaluable member of our Greencastle community. Jack has been married to his wife, Joan, for over 50 years, and they have three children and three grandchildren.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Norman Voyles, Sr., who recently passed away at the age of 87. He led a life that emphasized his love for farming and his outstanding service to his community.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Warren Macy, who has been a physician and an active member of the Greencastle, Indiana, community for over 50 years. He received his bachelor's degree and completed his medical school at Indiana University before opening his own practice in Putnam County.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Yuri Kubo, a graduate of Purdue University and a native Hoosier who was 1 of just 10 candidates chosen for NASA's latest astronaut class.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Megan Johnson, a fourth grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Plainfield, Indiana, who was named the 2026 Indiana Teacher of the Year by the Indiana Department of Education.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Bruce E. McKee, a constituent from Morgan County who served our country as a member of the United States Air Force from 1979 to 1986, including serving overseas in Korea.”

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. Mr. Speaker, on July Fourth, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act into law. This historic legislation delivered the largest tax cuts to working-and middle-class Americans in U.S. history and will revitalize rural America.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will strengthen and protect Medicaid for those who need it the most. This legislation focuses on eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse that have historically plagued this system, ensuring that resources are used efficiently and effectively.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chuck Conner who officially retired on Monday, July 14, after serving as a national agriculture leader since 1997. A Benton County native and graduate of Purdue University, Chuck Conner served as the president and CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives for over 16 years.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Kent and Isabella Chism, two outstanding Hoosiers. Kent is a fifth-generation family farmer in Indiana who focuses on growing corn and soybeans.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss how the One Big Beautiful Bill Act makes American energy dominant again by resuming leasing for domestic energy production. This includes onshore and offshore oil and gas leases as well as coal leases.”

“Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado for yielding to me. Madam Speaker, every single day, our brave men and women in blue leave their families not knowing if they will return home.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor McCutcheon High School's Mavericks Robotics team, which won the 2025 FIRST Robotics Competition World Championship. The Mavericks Robotics team competed against 3,700 teams from around the world just to clinch a spot in the world championship.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Sergeant Rodney Jenkins, a dedicated public servant who devoted over two decades to law enforcement in Montgomery County, Indiana.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Dr. Karen Plaut, the executive vice president for research at Purdue University who recently announced she will retire on June 30 of this year.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor fellow Boilermaker Dr. John Scamahorn. Dr. Scamahorn earned his degree in veterinary medicine from Purdue University in 1972 and has spent his career supporting veterinarians at the local, State, and national levels.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jinsie Bingham, a trailblazing broadcaster and lifelong Greencastle, Indiana, resident. She even graduated from DePauw University, located in Greencastle, in 1956. Her broadcasting career started when she joined the local radio station WJNZ, formerly known as WXTA, as the sales manager in 1969.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation Interagency Research Act, and I thank Congresswoman Haley Stevens for working with me on this bipartisan bill.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Arizona for this Special Order. Mr. Speaker, under the Biden administration, our borders were wide open with record numbers of illegal immigrants and deadly drugs flooding across our border.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Nick Bostic, a former pizza delivery man who saved five sisters from a burning house. Just after midnight, July 11, 2022, Bostic was driving nearby when he saw the house in flames.”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Brownsburg High School football team for winning the IHSAA 6A State championship this year. The Brownsburg Bulldogs took on Westfield High School in the State finals in Lucas Oil Stadium and emerged victorious, with a final score of 22-17.”

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor Dr. Mark Russell, who recently retired from his position as a professor of agricultural sciences education and communication at Purdue University.”