ms. kaptur, for five minutes. ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, we are all watching the ferocious palipalsaid, eaton -- palisadesn and hurts fires expand -- hurst fires expand. our hearts go out today and forever to come to the thousands of displaced people, the brave, unrelenting fire and rescue crews and the public officials trying to bring order in the midst of chaos. let me share having practiced as a city and regional planner long before election to congress. i was awestruck when i visited there at the large number of homes built high on forested mountain sides with many sizable mansions at their very peaks. in fact, most recently, as ranking democrat on the house appropriations energy and water subcommittee, i was flown on an extensive tour over los angeles by a u.s. army corps helicopter to evaluate freshwater challenges in that drought-prone region. as the granddaughter of a forster, experience led me to question how such densely developed communities with housing perched on forested ascended hill sides could be evacuated in the e

ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, as the biden administration entered its final days in office, i was honored to participate in a joyous white house ceremony where the president signed the social security fairness act into law. after a 40-year struggle, congress finally righted the wrongs that harmed many public employees, including teachers, mail carriers, police officers, librarians, postal workers, locomotive personnel, nutrition personnel and so many more. finally the social security fairness act eliminates the windfall elimination pension offset. these reduced benefits for more than two million americans and over 270,000 ohioans who served our communities in a type of severe partisanship, 327 house members and 76 senators voted for this bipartisan legislation, a great example to find the big middle to benefit the american people, millions who worked and earned their way forward. mr. speaker, every single ohioan and american should now enjoy your benefits. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the spe

ms. kaptur: mr. speaker, today our nation paid tribute though life and works of president jimmy james earl carter. here in the nation's capital. the ceremony was beautiful, appropriate, uplifting and hopeful. i had the privilege of serving him during his term in the white house and i can attest to the man he was, faithful, honorable, patriotic, measured, disflipped, and pensive, with a most genial broad smile that came from growing up in a rural community of family and friends. he was selfless and true, an american patriot, graduate of the naval academy, in the top 10% of his class, a dear friend of admiral rickover, the father of our nuclear navy who selected him among the best of individuals in our nation. the president founded the department of energy and the u.s. department of education, because he wanted to help with america's future security. and i shall never forget the hope we all felt witnessing history when president carter negotiated the historic peace treaty between israel and egypt with