[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 124 (Monday, July 21, 2025)]
[House]
[Page H3480]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ALPENA COMMUNITY COLLEGE REMOTELY 
                         OPERATED VEHICLE TEAM

  (Mr. Bergman of Michigan was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. BERGMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary 
achievements of the Alpena Community College which is remotely operated 
and located in Alpena, Michigan, in the lower peninsula on the Sunrise 
Coast. The college's team is known as the Aquajacks. It is a great 
name, and it tells us right there what they are about.
  The Alpena Community College remotely operated vehicle team, the 
Aquajacks, proudly represented Michigan's First Congressional District 
at the 2025 Marine Advanced Technology Education ROV World Championship 
hosted in Alpena, Michigan.
  I will digress for just a couple of seconds here on what this team 
actually accomplished. For those who don't know the geography of 
Michigan, as I put my hands up, to those looking at me, this hand is 
the upper peninsula of Michigan. This hand is the lower peninsula of 
Michigan. Alpena is located right down here in the lower peninsula on 
the shores of Lake Huron.
  Michigan's First District, which I am blessed to represent, 
encompasses 48.1 percent of the landmass of Michigan and more 
freshwater and deepwater shoreline than any other district in the 
United States. The only singular district that has a larger big water 
shoreline is Alaska, but that is all saltwater. That is the difference. 
We catch different kinds of fish in those two different kinds of 
waters.
  What we have in Michigan surrounding the lower peninsula and capping 
the northern border of the upper peninsula before it transitions into 
Canada is some of the world's, if not the world's, finest, freshest, 
deepest, and clearest water that is available on the face of the Earth.
  We use it for good. We fish in it. We farm in it. We experiment in 
it. We advance our country and also other countries in the world 
through research and development, especially when it comes to 
underwater activities, whether it is mapping the bottom of the ocean or 
looking at cables and pipelines that go from continent to continent. 
All of that education and training on the front end is what is 
happening at Alpena Community College in my district.
  We see all the smiles and happy faces of the team here. They were 
excited by not only competing but also winning such a prestigious 
award. These talented students, who both live and study in northern 
Michigan, showcased remarkable ingenuity, teamwork, and technical 
skills. They earned an impressive third-place finish against nearly 80 
teams from 22 States and 18 countries.
  After months of design and testing, their ROV successfully completed 
complex tasks, while the team impressed judges with their professional 
presentations and real-time strategic thinking.
  Their performance is a testament to Alpena Community College's 
commitment to hands-on STEM education. I commend their mentor, David 
Cummins, and their entire faculty for fostering such excellence.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I recognize the Alpena 
Community College Aquajacks. These students not only represent the 
future of my district but also highlight the critical role that skilled 
innovators play in strengthening our Nation's infrastructure and 
advancing our national security.

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