[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 145 (Tuesday, September 15, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING TITUSVILLE POLICE OFFICER JASON VAN ZILE

  (Mr. Haridopolos of Florida was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Titusville 
Police Officer Jason Van Zile for an extraordinary act of courage and 
selfless service.
  During a sudden and dangerous storm on the Indian River Lagoon, a 
family paddleboarding near Parrish Park was thrown into the water after 
a violent storm. Officer Van Zile was the first officer to arrive. 
Seeing that there was no time to wait, he removed his gear and entered 
the water.
  Despite dangerous conditions and a safety rope that became caught in 
submerged rocks, the officer continued to rescue all three members of 
the family, including two children.
  He is a former lifeguard, a United States Marines veteran, and his 
courage that day reflects a lifetime of service to others.
  I congratulate Officer Van Zile on being named the city of 
Titusville's Employee of the Month and thank him for his incredible 
service.


                 Celebrating Brightline's Cocoa Station

  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a major step 
forward in transportation and economic opportunity on Florida's Space 
Coast.
  Last month, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded more than $57 
million to help build the new Brightline station in Cocoa.
  For years, residents of Brevard County watched Brightline trains 
travel through the community without having a station of their own. The 
new station will now connect the Space Coast to the rest of Florida, 
providing new opportunities for tourism, business, and continued 
economic growth.
  I was proud to work alongside local and State leaders to provide the 
necessary funds to make the Brightline a reality, and I look forward to 
the day that Brightline welcomes its first passenger aboard in Cocoa.


                        Recognizing Eugene Vogt

  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Eugene Vogt, 
a distinguished veteran from Florida's Eighth Congressional District.
  Mr. Vogt served our Nation in both the United States Air Force and 
United States Coast Guard for more than two decades. Throughout his 
career, he served with the 12th Reconnaissance Squadron aboard the 
Coast Guard cutters Point Swift and Gallatin conducting patrols between 
Venezuela and Canada.
  Mr. Vogt has said that his experiences around the world taught him 
that our freedoms are only guaranteed when future generations are 
willing to participate in and protect them.
  It is my honor to recognize Eugene Vogt as Veteran of the Month and 
thank him for his decades of service to our country.


                  Recognizing Colonel Joseph Matthews

  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Colonel 
Joseph Matthews, a distinguished Army veteran from Florida's Eighth 
Congressional District.
  Colonel Matthews dedicated 27 years of his life to serving our Nation 
in the United States Army, specializing in military intelligence. His 
remarkable career took him to places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, South 
Korea, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. His service also reflects a deep 
appreciation for the freedoms he spent his career defending with pride.
  It is my honor to recognize Colonel Joseph Matthews as Veteran of the 
Month and thank him for his extraordinary service, sacrifice, and 
commitment to the United States of America.


       Celebrating Launching of Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

  Mr. HARIDOPOLOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate another 
historic achievement for America's space program and Florida's Space 
Coast.
  On August 30, I had the honor to watch firsthand the launching of the 
Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from Kennedy Space Center. Named in 
honor of NASA's first chief astronomer, Roman will travel nearly 1 
million miles from Earth and give scientists an unprecedented view of 
our universe.
  The telescope will help us better understand how the universe has 
evolved, study distant galaxies and black holes, and search for planets 
in our solar system.
  As chairman of the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, I am proud to 
represent the men and women of our Space Coast who make missions like 
this possible and ensure America continues to lead in space exploration 
because, after all, you can't be number one on Earth if you are number 
two in space.

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