[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 198 (Tuesday, December 20, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORTING THE JOYCE/CARSON AMENDMENT TO THE KENNETH MEISEL PUBLIC 
 SERVANTS CLAIMANT FAIRNESS ACT OF 2022, SECTION 5302 OF THE NATIONAL 
                   DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT, FY2023

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                           HON. ANDRE CARSON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 20, 2022

  Mr. CARSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3050, the 
Kenneth Meisel Public Servants Claimant Fairness Act of 2022, and the 
Joyce/Carson amendment, included as Section 5305 of this year's 
National Defense Authorization Act. Our bipartisan amendment added the 
language of our bill, the Kenneth Meisel Public Servants' Claimant 
Fairness Act. This important change will increase the time, from 30 
days to 60 days, that federal employees have to provide supporting 
documentation to the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs to 
support their occupational illness, traumatic injury, or death claim. I 
am proud that this language was included in the National Defense 
Authorization Act of 2023, which has passed both the House and Senate, 
and is now awaiting President Biden's signature.
  I would like to also recognize Kenneth Meisel, for whom this bill was 
named. Kenneth Meisel was an air marshal stationed in Minneapolis. He 
unfortunately passed away too soon as a result of COVID-19. This bill 
will ensure that spouses, like Julie Meisel who are left behind, have 
ample time to complete basic forms required to obtain government 
benefits. This bill not only honors Ken, but all public servants who 
are injured in the line of duty. This bill bears the name of a hero who 
served this country for his entire adult life, and who steadfastly 
remained on watch while others sheltered at home.
  This is very important because public servants like firefighters, and 
those who work in construction and manufacturing, have a much higher 
rate of cancer than the general public, and this amendment to the 
Federal Employees Compensation Act will reduce an unnecessary burden on 
public servants to access benefits they are entitled to claim.
  Madam Speaker, I would also like to submit for the Record Mr. 
Meisel's obituary as published in the Star Tribune:
       Ever since he was 18 years old, Kenneth Meisel was driven 
     to protect and serve.
       First he was a U.S. Army paratrooper, then a police officer 
     in Oklahoma and finally a senior federal air marshal 
     stationed in Minneapolis.
       With his wife, Julie, he cared for rescue horses on a 20-
     acre ranch in Princeton, Minn., and looked forward to 
     retiring in two years and being a full-time grandpa, his 
     children said.
       But on Sept. 9, Meisel called his son Ryan of Baraboo, 
     Wis., to tell him he was having trouble breathing and was 
     going to the hospital. It was the last time they spoke. 
     Meisel died Sept. 24 of COVID-19. He was 55.
       At a memorial service this month, his daughter Amanda 
     Moldenhauer of Ramsey spoke of a man with the heart of a 
     cowboy and the soul of an Amish rancher--all within ``the 
     shell of a true American hero badass,'' she said.
       Meisel grew up in Sauk City, Wis., and entered the Army in 
     1984.
       He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, but Ryan, born while his 
     dad was in the military, suspected there were other hot 
     spots, too, given the elder Meisel also served in a NATO 
     rapid deployment force based in Italy. As a kid, Ryan would 
     point at a map and ask his dad if he'd been here or there.
       ``He'd say, `I can't tell you that,' '' Ryan said.
       Meisel later was a police officer in Shawnee, Okla., and 
     began work as a federal air marshal in Dallas in 2002. As of 
     2019, he had flown more than 5 million miles, the 
     Transportation Security Administration said.
       In 2009, Meisel transferred to the Minneapolis field office 
     and, along with Julie, fulfilled the dream of owning a ranch. 
     The couple cared not only for horses, but also for goats, 
     pigs, cats and chickens--you name it, said son Eric Lewis of 
     Elk River. But Kenneth Meisel drew the line at a capybara.
       At work, Meisel did all he could to ``stop the bad guys,'' 
     but even then was kind and soft-spoken, Ryan said. At the 
     ranch, he was a cowboy down to the Stetson hat. Just as 
     memorable were his bear hugs, his children said.
       During that last phone call, Ryan said he couldn't tell if 
     his dad was worried. But his dad did tell him he was proud of 
     him, and gave a directive: ``Take care of my grandson and my 
     daughter-in-law.''
       Other survivors include daughters Abigail Carnahan of Elk 
     River and Jacquelyn Glaros of Plymouth; brothers Mike Fleck 
     of Spooner, Wis., Kevin Meisel of Virginia Beach, Va., Kurt 
     Meisel of Reedsburg, Wis., and Karl Meisel of Colorado 
     Springs; sister Ashley Meisel of Baraboo; and five 
     grandchildren.

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