Recognizing Sheriff Robert Rotter

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my
constituent, Sheriff Robert Rotter, who was recently confirmed by the
Senate to serve as U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Iowa.
  Sheriff Rotter joined the Iowa County Sheriff's Office in 1990 and
has dedicated more than three decades to public service. Before his
nomination, Sheriff Rotter was serving his fifth term as the Iowa
County Sheriff, earning a reputation for leadership, service, and
commitment to the people of Iowa County and Iowa.
  Throughout his career, Sheriff Rotter has remained dedicated to
keeping our communities safe. As Iowa County Sheriff, he spearheaded a
program to properly dispose of expired and unused prescription and
over-the-counter medications, preventing drugs from falling into the
wrong hands. He also initiated a countywide active shooter program that
helped train over 1,500

students, teachers, and industrial and retail employees.
  Sheriff Rotter's hard work, leadership, and commitment to protecting
others have earned him this amazing opportunity to continue serving our
State and Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Sheriff Rotter and thank him for his
dedicated service to Iowa County and Iowa.

                    Fighting for the American Dream

  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the Iowa families
who have been priced out of the American Dream.
  Across this country, the average first-time home buyer is now 40
years old, an all-time high. In contrast, I purchased my first home as
a young captain in the Army at age 22.
  Our Nation is short as many as 5.5 million homes. The share of first-
time home buyers has fallen by one-half since 2007.
  Iowa families feel this every single day. Young couples work hard,
save diligently, and still cannot afford a home in the communities they
grew up in. Rental prices have increased, as well.
  The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act changes that. It cuts the red
tape strangling home construction, so we build more homes and lower
costs for buyers and renters alike. It stops big Wall Street firms from
buying up single-family homes because Iowa homes belong to Iowa
families, not hedge funds. This is the most significant housing reform
in a generation, and it is now law.
  To every Iowan chasing their first home, help is on the way. The
American Dream is worth fighting for, and I will never stop fighting
for my constituents.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend a birthday greeting to the oldest
of seven siblings, Richard Miller.
  Happy birthday, Richard.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend birthday greetings to the
youngest of my seven siblings, MariEleanor Martino.
  Happy birthday, MariEleanor.

         ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SHOOTING OF LORENZO SALGADO ARAUJO

  (Mr. Gomez of California was recognized to address the House for 5
minutes.)
  Mr. GOMEZ. Mr. Speaker, 13 months ago, when Trump's immigration raids
began in my district, I warned exactly where this was headed. I warned
that if ICE agents were allowed to operate without accountability, the
violence would escalate. I warned that people would die.
  I didn't want to be right, but here we are. This isn't normal. This
isn't law enforcement. This is lawlessness: no due process and no
Miranda rights.
  Instead, some in Trump's ICE are acting as judge, jury, and
executioner.
  This is what happens when people who wear the badge are told that
rules don't apply to them. Over the last year, we witnessed ICE become
more violent, more reckless, and more deadly. We witnessed masked
agents jump out of unmarked vehicles. We witnessed people tackled,
beaten, and shot. We have even seen children used as bait to detain
their parents.
  What has this administration done? What have congressional
Republicans done? Not a darn thing: no accountability, no transparency,
and no consequences.
  Last week, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo left work and never came home. His
son, Ronaldo, said something every Member of this Chamber should hear:
``He did not deserve to die. He did not deserve to be reduced to a
headline of `Mexican man shot and killed by ICE.' He deserved to live a
quiet life as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a husband, a father, and a job
creator.''
  Then, yesterday, a little girl in Maine watched her father's lifeless
body being carried away by ICE.
  Think about that, Mr. Speaker: two fathers and two families are
shattered.
  In both cases, ICE wasn't even targeting the men who died. ICE claims
these men used their vehicles as weapons, but local news video tells a
different story. It shows unmarked vehicles following them. It shows
what happens before the shootings. It shows that ICE wasn't wearing
body cameras, despite its own policies.
  This administration is asking Americans not to believe our own eyes
over and over again. That is not acceptable.
  What is even more unacceptable is that my Republican colleagues have
watched this happen and responded by giving ICE billions more dollars.
  How many more families have to bury a loved one before Republicans
admit that something is deeply wrong? The truth is they know it is
wrong. They are just too afraid to say it. They are too afraid of
Donald Trump and too afraid of political consequences.

  I know, and they know, where this leads. When these raids began in
Los Angeles, I flew immediately back from Washington to conduct
oversight and protect my communities. When the Trump administration
tried to block me from inspecting ICE detention centers, I sued them
and won.
  I have trained legal observers to document ICE abuses, organized
townhalls, and introduced legislation to reclaim Trump's $175 billion
ICE slush fund and put it into housing.
  Every Representative here has a choice. They can keep writing blank
checks for fear and abuse, or they can join us in saying enough--enough
lawlessness, enough brutality, and enough deaths. We warned this
country what would happen. We warned that, without accountability,
violence would escalate. We warned that people would die.
  Now, hear this warning: If you committed a crime, if you violated the
Constitution, if you thought your badge put you above the law, you are
wrong. We are watching. The American people are watching. History is
watching. No matter who you are or the title you hold, you will be
prosecuted.
  Accountability is coming.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their
comments to the Chair.

         COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PEARLINE COMPTON

  (Mr. Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania was recognized to address the House
for 5 minutes.)
  Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life of
a very special and very amazing person, a Bucks County resident,
Pearline Compton, whose 94 years were defined by faith, family, hard
work, and a remarkable commitment to serving others.
  Born in Kelly, Louisiana, Pearline grew up with the values of
humility, perseverance, and deep devotion to those whom she loved. As a
young woman, she moved to Pennsylvania, carrying those values with her
and planting new roots in her own community.
  Though she began her life in the South, she became a proud
Pennsylvanian, building strong and unbreakable ties to her new adopted
home.
  Pearline worked for more than 33 years as a skilled press operator
for Falls Manufacturing in Fairless Hills in Bucks County,
Pennsylvania, never missing a day of work. However, Pearline's greatest
legacy was not only in what she did at work. It was how she loved and
cared for her family.
  In 1986, after the passing of her beloved niece, Eula Mae Hamilton,
Pearline opened her heart and her home to Eula's daughters, Chrissandra
and Valerie. She raised them as her own, believing that family is not
defined solely by blood, but rather by love, compassion, and
commitment. Through her quiet strength and steady presence, she gave
those girls the foundation they needed to learn, to grow, and to
thrive. That is what they did.
  Even in her retirement, Pearline did not stop serving others. She
continued to pour into her community through Children of God
Educational Services in historic Bristol Borough in Bucks County.
There, she shared her wisdom and her kindness with children and with
families, offering support and a powerful example of what it means to
live a life rooted in service. Whether through a kind word, a listening
ear, or a simple act of generosity, Pearline made sure that people felt
seen, valued, and cared for.
  Pearline inspired so many people and supported countless
organizations throughout her life, without fanfare and without
recognition. She did not seek the spotlight. She simply did what needed
to be done day after day, year after year. That quiet, consistent
faithfulness is one of the highest forms of public service, and it
speaks to her character.