[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[House]
[Page H345]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE CAREER OF MIKE LaPLANT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Washington (Mr. Newhouse) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the service of two 
outstanding cultural leaders in Washington State.
  First, I want to thank Mr. Mike LaPlant. For years Mike has been a 
fierce champion of agriculture in Washington, serving as the president 
of the Washington State Farm Bureau since 2011. Washington State is 
home to one of the most robust and vibrant agricultural industries in 
the country. With over 300 different crops and virtually every type of 
livestock raised in our State, the hardworking men and women who make 
the industry run face challenges as diverse as they are.
  That is why it is so important that they have solid, experienced, and 
servant-minded people working to raise their voices. Not only has Mike 
been a strong advocate for the industry in Washington State and beyond, 
but he has been a valuable partner in my work on behalf of the farmers, 
ranchers, and growers in my district. He has my thanks for his years of 
leadership and my best wishes for the next chapter in his life.
  I also recently had the opportunity to meet with Mike's successor as 
Farm Bureau president, Rosella Mosby. Rosella, like Mike, will be an 
effective voice for Washington State agriculture. I look forward to a 
continued partnership with the bureau under her leadership.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all central Washingtonians, I say 
congratulations to Rosella and thank you to Mike.


               Honoring the Career of Chief Ken Hohenberg

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the career of one of 
my constituents, longtime chief of the Kennewick Police Department, Ken 
Hohenberg, and to congratulate him on concluding 40 years of service to 
his badge and to his community.
  Chief Hohenberg is the city of Kennewick's longest serving employee, 
having joined the force in 1978. Back then, Kennewick had just over 
20,000 residents. Although the town has changed a lot over the years 
and now has over 80,000 people, Chief Hohenberg's commitment to 
protecting his community has never wavered. Through good times and bad, 
economic downturns, and social unrest, Chief Hohenberg has spent the 
last four decades putting himself in harm's way for the good of his 
friends and neighbors. We owe a debt of gratitude to all men and women 
who don a badge and a uniform. Chief Hohenberg stands out as a shining 
example of what it means to serve and protect.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of central Washington, I extend 
my sincere gratitude and best wishes to Chief Hohenberg. Thank you for 
your service, Chief.


             Honoring Congressional Award Winner Cara Elzie

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate one of my 
constituents, Cara Elzie of Yakima, on earning the Congressional Award 
silver medal. Cara served her community, spending over 420 hours with 
the 4-H group called Youth Advocates for Health which engages with 
young people to teach the importance of healthy living. Cara's efforts 
helped reach over 1,500 young people in Yakima County through various 
events. She committed herself to personal development, spending more 
than 300 hours learning about journalism through her work as a 
journalist and photographer for the Yakima Herald-Republic's Unleashed 
program.
  Cara also improved her musical talents by practicing the guitar and 
piano for over 750 hours. She dedicated herself to personal fitness by 
working on her goals for more than 450 hours, with an emphasis on yoga. 
Finally, Cara completed five expeditions, traveling to new places as 
far away and diverse as Boston, Scotland, London, Spain, and Italy. In 
each location she learned about history and immersed herself in 
different cultures.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend Cara for all her hard work. I congratulate her 
on this remarkable achievement and wish her the very best of luck in 
her future endeavors. She truly represents the best of our region and 
is a source of hope for the future.


              Honoring Congressional App Challenge Winners

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 
accomplishments of three of my young constituents: Andrew Modine, Torin 
Rauch, and Tyler Iverson of the West Valley Innovation Center.
  These three students won the 2021 Central Washington Congressional 
App Challenge with their app, Beating Heart Health, which aims to 
promote teen health and wellness by offering tools to practice and 
improve mindfulness and healthy sleep habits.
  On Monday, I got to see the West Valley Skills Center where Andrew, 
Torin, and Tyler developed their winning app. I am very pleased to see 
the work going on. Cultivating robust STEM education opportunities for 
our students is critical to ensuring the United States remains a 
competitive leader in the global economy. The app challenge is one way 
we can foster a passion for STEM among our young people and help them 
become the innovators and industry leaders of tomorrow.

  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Andrew, Torin, and Tyler on their 
achievement and offer my thanks to West Valley educators for all of 
their hard work.

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