[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 9 (Tuesday, January 13, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E34]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL MICHAEL W. KNAPP FOR HIS SERVICE TO THE 
                 UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 13, 2026

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor an outstanding 
officer and strategic leader in our United States Air Force.
  Lieutenant Colonel Michael W. Knapp distinguished himself through 
exceptional professional character and dedication by serving this 
Nation in uniform. For the past two years, Lieutenant Colonel Knapp 
served admirably as the Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs for 
U.S. Transportation Command. In this role, he was the principal liaison 
for Members of Congress and the Commander of the U.S. Transportation 
Command. Here, he fostered positive relationships between the Congress 
and the command and conveyed information critical to Congressional 
oversight, policy development, and appropriations.
  Lieutenant Colonel Knapp graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy 
and serves as a senior pilot with over three thousand one hundred 
flight hours as a combat pilot for the C-17A Globemaster III and as a 
Vice Presidential pilot on C-32A aircraft. Prior to his assignment at 
U.S. Transportation Command, he served as Defense Legislative Fellow to 
Senator Tammy Duckworth, where he advised on defense, foreign 
relations, and veterans' affairs legislation.
  As Deputy Director of Congressional Affairs for U.S. Transportation 
Command, Lieutenant Colonel Knapp scheduled eighty-three office calls 
between the Commander and Members of Congress. These meetings addressed 
contested logistics and readiness concerns and fortified posture 
testimony during Senate and House Armed Services Committee hearings. He 
also organized the Deputy Commander's annual Hill engagements, 
educating nearly one hundred staffers on the Mobility Capabilities 
Study, directly influencing critical report language for aeromedical 
evacuation requirements. Finally, he developed the command's 
appropriations engagement strategy thereby protecting $2.8 million 
dollars for Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation funds for 
maritime logistics platforms.
  Of particular note for my district, Lieutenant Colonel Knapp led a 
four-day congressional staff delegation to California showcasing Ready 
Reserve Force vessels and joint mobility assets throughout the 
district, thus bolstering support for maritime equities, surface 
transportation needs, and air mobility requirements that align 
perfectly with the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee's 
priorities. This engagement provided Congress critical insights and 
directly influenced the debate for recapitalizing the Ready Reserve 
Force in the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act.
  Mr. Speaker, next month Lieutenant Colonel Knapp will assume duties 
in my district at Travis Air Force Base, California, as the Director of 
Operations of the 821st Contingency Response Squadron, where he will 
once again lead Airmen on the tactical and operational levels. It has 
been a great pleasure to work with Lieutenant Colonel Knapp during his 
time representing U.S. Transportation Commands on Capitol Hill. His 
dedication to the Nation's maritime and air mobility infrastructure, 
combined with his deep understanding of strategic mobility challenges, 
made him an invaluable partner in advancing our national defense 
transportation priorities. On behalf of our grateful Nation, it is my 
honor to recognize the selfless service and sacrifice of Lieutenant 
Colonel Knapp and his family for the past sixteen years. I wish them 
the very best as they continue their journey in our U.S. Air Force, and 
I look forward to welcoming them to California's 8th Congressional 
District.
  Together, we deliver.

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