[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E679]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING GE AEROSPACE, STROTHER FIELD'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY DURING 
                      AMERICA'S SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL

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                             HON. RON ESTES

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 14, 2026

  Mr. ESTES. Mr. Speaker, on July 11, just a week after our Nation 
celebrated Independence Day, GE Aerospace, Strother Field in Cowley 
County celebrated its 75th anniversary.
  Our region has a rich aviation history, with pioneers of flight 
finding our flat plains the perfect place to reach new heights. It was 
here in the Sunflower State that a budding aviation industry grew, 
making us the Air Capital of the World. That title does not just 
represent who we were in the early 1900s, but it remains who we are 
today. The men and women of GE Aerospace, Strother Field continue the 
legacy of those early innovators, and they've been advancing aviation 
for three-quarters of a century.
  GE's presence at Strother Field is an incredible investment and 
testament to the skilled manufacturing workforce we have here in south 
central Kansas. It reflects a new element of innovation in our area 
that specializes in maintenance, repair, and overhaul for GE Aerospace 
and their military customers. Strother Field and the men and women that 
have devoted their careers here have brought a more complete 
manufacturing base to the Air Capital of the World.
  While this milestone for Strother Field's impact on aviation 
manufacturing is impressive by itself, it is even more meaningful that 
it also coincides with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the 
Declaration of Independence. Aviation has been an important part of our 
Nation's history throughout the last century, and GE Aerospace and 
Strother Field have played significant roles in our past. As we 
celebrate 250 years and look toward the next 250 years, I have full 
confidence that GE Aerospace, Strother Field will continue to be a 
critical piece of our Nation's story.
  I look forward to seeing the contributions and growth of GE 
Aerospace, Strother Field for many years to come. I encourage all 
Kansans to celebrate its 75th anniversary as we continue celebrating 
America's semiquincentennial.

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