[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5869]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 SAUK RAPIDS' 2016 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Minnesota (Mr. Emmer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and 
congratulate April Meyers for being named the 2016 Citizen of the Year 
in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota.
  The Sauk Rapids Citizen of the Year was created by the Sauk Rapids 
Chamber and is meant to recognize individuals who have impacted the 
community for the better.
  Meyers, who was unaware that she had even been nominated, was 
selected by a committee made up of city staff, local businesses, and 
previous Citizen of the Year recipients. Since 1992, April has been 
involved with the Great River Rotary, the Living Waters Lutheran 
Church, the Sauk Rapids School District, and she is also the director 
of housing for the Good Shepherd Community.
  Thank you, April. Thank you for your dedication to the less 
fortunate, to our children, and to the elderly. Thank you for being an 
inspiration to others. Thank you for making Sauk Rapids such a great 
city in the Sixth Congressional District. It is because of people like 
you that Minnesota is such a great place to live and raise a family.


                         A 100-Year Celebration

  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor 
one of the great families in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District, 
the Bernicks, and their business that is celebrating an incredible 100 
years of operation.
  Bernick's was founded in 1916 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, by Elizabeth 
and Charles Bernick. Originally a soda pop bottling company, Bernick's 
used to deliver their products in a horse-drawn wagon. The company has 
come a long way since then. Over the past century, this family-owned 
company has passed from generation to generation, expanding into a 
booming business with more than 650 employees. Today, Bernick's 
provides full beverage, vending, and food services to the central 
Minnesota area while maintaining its family roots in St. Cloud.
  Running a business is no small feat. Running one successfully for a 
century is something that we can all be proud of. Congratulations to 
the Bernick family for their five generations of success.
  Thank you for all you do for our community.


                      Remembering Fallen Officers

  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate National 
Police Week, a time when we remember the men and women in blue who paid 
the ultimate sacrifice in order to protect and serve our great Nation.
  The great State of Minnesota is home to many phenomenal law 
enforcement officers--men and women who put their lives on the line 
each and every day to ensure the safety and security of our 
communities. They live their lives to serve, and some tragically lose 
their lives in the line of duty. These are the true heroes.
  Just this past year, an officer named Deputy Steven Sandberg was shot 
and killed in the line of duty in St. Cloud, Minnesota. While his death 
was both senseless and tragic, today we remember the courageous way 
that he and many other fallen police officers chose to live and serve 
their communities. This week, in honoring fallen officers like Deputy 
Sandberg, we remember and we honor their service and their sacrifice.


                      Addressing the Opioid Crisis

  Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise to address a national 
epidemic: opioid addiction and abuse.
  Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate based on age, 
education, or wealth, and it even happens in small town Minnesota. 
Recently I learned firsthand that addiction knows no bounds. 
Unfortunately, like too many people today, I have seen the danger and 
the devastation caused by addiction up close and personal.
  I come from a small town in Minnesota with a population of, 
approximately, 5,000 people. We pretty much know everybody. I have had 
the great fortune to raise seven kids in this great little town, and as 
a youth hockey coach for almost 20 years, I have had the opportunity to 
work with and to get to know many of the kids in our community--kids 
who have big hopes and dreams. Unfortunately, because of the opioid and 
heroin crisis in this country, two of them left us way too soon.
  Today, nearly one person dies every 12 minutes of a drug overdose. 
This must stop. It is going to take more than government policy to 
fight this epidemic, but I am so grateful for the efforts here in 
Washington, on both sides of the aisle, to take on this epidemic. I 
just want to thank my colleagues for all of their work on this 
important issue.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their 
remarks to the Chair and not to a perceived viewing audience.

                          ____________________