[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 147 (Tuesday, September 12, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                NATIONAL TRUCK DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize America's 3.5 
million truckers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week.
  Truckers are the unsung heroes of our supply chain. Each year they 
drive over 320 billion miles--the equivalent of nearly 13 million trips 
around the globe--to deliver 11.5 billion tons of freight.
  Every one of those miles represents a stocked store shelf, a package 
placed on a household doorstep, materials delivered to a manufacturer, 
and equipment conveyed to a construction site.
  I am proud of America's dedicated truckers, including the 66,830 
professional drivers in North Carolina. Today, 23 North Carolinians 
from the trucking industry are on Capitol Hill sharing their stories.
  Additionally, a North Carolina driver with over 2 million accident-
free miles is demonstrating a simulator to staffers and my colleagues 
to share the perspectives of truckers.
  I look forward to thanking these individuals in person for the work 
they do.


                          Bowman Middle School

  Ms. FOXX. Madam Speaker, I recently had the pleasure of visiting 
Bowman Middle School in Mitchell County to view the school's 
International Space Station, ISS, contact project.
  Thanks to the diligent work of Dan Hopson, a STEM teacher at the 
school who has a penchant for securing these kinds of opportunities, 
this project was able to come to fruition. Students were able to ask a 
variety of questions in real time via ham radio to Warren Hoburg, a 
NASA astronaut who successfully traveled to the ISS on March 3 of this 
year.
  This impressive event was one that these students will surely 
remember as they continue their educational journeys. Hopefully, some 
will be inspired to engage in careers in STEM areas.
  Congratulations to Dan Hopson, Principal extraordinaire Amber Young, 
and the dedicated staff at Bowman Middle School who made this event and 
this learning opportunity such a success.

                          ____________________