John J. McGuire III · TranslatePolitics.com

House of Representatives

Recognizing Jeffrey a. Katz

2026-09-02

“A man named Jeffrey Katz helps police. He started an award for them that many officers have won. He also helps their mental health. I think this man is good. I want people to know about him. I want to thank him for his work.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, we wouldn't have a country without our brave men and women in law enforcement who risk their lives to keep us safe. Today, I have the privilege of recognizing a friend, a constituent, and a former law enforcement officer, Jeffrey A. Katz, from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District, whose dedication to honoring law enforcement officers has made a profound impact across central Virginia. Jeffrey A. Katz established the Lieutenant Jan McTernan Blue Friday Honor, a recognition that has been bestowed to many Federal, State, county, and city officers for their service and sacrifice. Mr. Katz' unwavering support to the law enforcement community extends far beyond the establishment of this honor. He is also a board certified mental health coach specializing in services for first responders and holds the certified advanced peer support provider designation from the Virginia Peer Support Association. Mr. Katz is an exemplary member of the Commonwealth, and I thank him for his commitment to the law enforcement community.

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House of Representatives

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027

2026-07-21

“I am happy with this defense bill. Our military production got worse for a long time. I think it is getting better now. This bill will help businesses that make weapons. I want the government to spend more for the military. I want us to build more weapons. This bill helps businesses in my district. I think the military is very important. I want to spend more money on the military.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Chairman, I thank Chairman Rogers and Ranking Member Smith for their leadership. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of this historic National Defense Authorization Act. In the Navy, we used to say: The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war. For decades, our Defense Industrial Base was allowed to decay, but thanks to President Trump, our Secretary of War, and this Armed Services Committee, we are finally turning the ship around. This bill supercharges our industrial base and builds on last year's acquisition reforms. For Virginia's Fifth District, this bill unleashes local expertise in munitions manufacturing and next-generation nuclear power. We wouldn't have a country without our men and women in uniform. We owe them the best we have. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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House of Representatives

Legacy of American Liberty

2026-07-21

“I want to associate myself with popular founding fathers. They wrote important documents. I want you to remember them when you think of my district.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, Virginia's Fifth Congressional District began with Thomas Jefferson. He gave independence its voice as the principal author of the Declaration, then helped secure liberty again through the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom and the founding of the University of Virginia. Beside him stood James Madison, Jefferson's close collaborator and the Nation's constitutional architect. Known as the father of the Constitution, Madison helped win ratification through the Federalist Papers and then steered the Bill of Rights through Congress. James Monroe carried that Virginia legacy from soldier to statesman. A Continental Army veteran, he later helped to negotiate the Louisiana Purchase, presided over the Era of Good Feelings, and gave American diplomacy a landmark win in the Monroe Doctrine. Connecting them all is militia Captain Jack Jouett, whose overnight warning in 1781 helped Jefferson and Virginia leaders escape British capture, protecting the cause these Founders were still building.

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“I want to associate myself with popular founding fathers. They wrote important documents. I want you to remember them when you think of my district.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, Virginia's Fifth can tell one remarkable founding story through four names. Thomas Jefferson gave the Nation its words in the Declaration of Independence and served as Virginia's wartime Governor and our third President. He left this district with Monticello and the University of Virginia. James Madison gave those words structure, helping shape the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Though Montpelier now sits just outside today's Fifth, his work still lives in Charlottesville through the university he helped build and lead. James Monroe was a soldier, diplomat, Governor, and the fifth President. He gave us the Monroe Doctrine, and he carried that work forward from his Albemarle home, Highland. Jack Jouett rode through the night from Louisa to Charlottesville to warn Jefferson and save Virginia's leadership from capture. Together, these Virginians helped write, defend, and steady the American experiment.

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“I want to associate myself with popular founding fathers. The revolution happened near my district. A brave man once rode a horse. Madison beat Monroe in an election. I represent this district now. I want you to remember these stories when you think of me.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, imagine riding 40 miles through dark Virginia woods to save the American Revolution. In June 1781, militia Captain Jack Jouett did just that, galloping from Louisa County in the Fifth District to Monticello, also in the Fifth District, to warn Governor Thomas Jefferson of an impending British capture. Jouett's warning saved Jefferson and the general assembly in Charlottesville, preserving our young Nation's leadership. These heroes are deeply tied to Virginia's historic Fifth Congressional District, which still includes Albemarle and Louisa County today. In 1789, the Fifth District hosted a legendary race: James Madison, the father of the Constitution, campaigned against his friend and neighbor, James Monroe, the Revolutionary War veteran who was the father of the Monroe Doctrine. Madison won, becoming Virginia Fifth District's very first Representative. From Jack Jouett's courage to the vision of three Presidents, the legacy of American liberty was forged right here in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District.

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House of Representatives

Recognizing Noreen Turyn

2026-07-14

“I want to say something nice about a journalist. She is in my district. She won some awards. She is retiring. This makes her look good. It makes me look good.”

Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize journalistic excellence in Virginia's Fifth Congressional District. This year, news anchor Noreen Turyn will retire after 36 years at ABC 13 in Lynchburg, Virginia. Noreen began her career at WJLA, right here in Washington, D.C., followed by time at a station in Baltimore before finding her way to the Fifth District. Noreen has earned an Emmy Award, a Virginia Association of Broadcasters Award, and the Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her incredible reporting. Her dedication to seeking truth and giving a voice to the voiceless has made her a trusted newscaster and beloved community member. I congratulate Noreen on over three decades of excellence in journalism.

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