Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-02-24

HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE

Taxes

Context

On 2026-02-24, Representative Mike Kennedy (R-UT-3) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE" in the House. The speech addressed taxes.

Full Text

HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H2265] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE (Mr. Kennedy of Utah was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate something truly remarkable happening in Utah. It is the reconstruction of the Salt Lake Temple. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like myself, this is a sacred house of worship. For all Utahns, it is a symbol of our heritage and the pioneer spirit that built our State. Think for a moment what it took to build this temple in the first place. Impoverished settlers spent 40 years quarrying granite from the Wasatch Mountains and hauling the stone by wagon. They had almost nothing. But they had faith, and they built something meant to endure. It has endured. Over 130 years later, the temple still stands strong. This temple has stood through wars, depressions, and tremendous change. It has watched Utah grow from a pioneer settlement into a thriving State. The temple has been closed for renovation since 2019, and I know many have missed seeing this architectural masterpiece. Even this marvel of architecture requires each generation to do the work of preservation. In that same pioneer spirit, engineers and skilled artisans are fortifying it with seismic upgrades, base isolation, structural reinforcement, and steel reinforcement to keep it standing for another 130 years. I believe there is a lesson here for all of us. This year, America celebrates 250 years. Our Founders, like the Utah pioneers, built something extraordinary, not just for themselves but for us and for generations yet to come. They built this country with faith and sacrifice. They built it to last. Madam Speaker, if we want America to last another 250 years, we need to do more than celebrate. We need to renovate. We need to strengthen our foundations. We need to strengthen our foundations of individual liberty and responsibility. We need to fortify what made America great in the first place. Like those pioneers who built the temple, we must be wise stewards of what we have inherited. We must be willing to make the hard choices today. We must be willing to cut waste and restore accountability so American families can thrive. We must build not for ourselves but for those who come after us so they inherit a nation with a strong foundation and faith in the principles of freedom our Founders gave us. Madam Speaker, with the Salt Lake Temple completion expected in 2026 and a public open house planned for 2027, just next year, I extend a personal invitation to my colleagues in this Chamber to come visit and see what faith and determination can build and preserve. The open house is free. It will be next year from April to October, and all people around the world are invited. ____________________

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HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 36 (Tuesday, February 24, 2026)] [House] [Page H2265] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING SALT LAKE TEMPLE (Mr. Kennedy of Utah was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. KENNEDY of Utah. Madam Speaker, today I rise to celebrate something truly remarkable happening in Utah. It is the reconstruction of the Salt Lake Temple. For members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints like myself, this is a sacred house of worship. For all Utahns, it is a symbol of our heritage and the pioneer spirit that built our State. Think for a moment what it took to build this temple in the first place. Impoverished settlers spent 40 years quarrying granite from the Wasatch Mountains and hauling the stone by wagon. They had almost nothing. But they had faith, and they built something meant to endure. It has endured. Over 130 years later, the temple still stands strong. This temple has stood through wars, depressions, and tremendous change. It has watched Utah grow from a pioneer settlement into a thriving State. The temple has been closed for renovation since 2019, and I know many have missed seeing this architectural masterpiece. Even this marvel of architecture requires each generation to do the work of preservation. In that same pioneer spirit, engineers and skilled artisans are fortifying it with seismic upgrades, base isolation, structural reinforcement, and steel reinforcement to keep it standing for another 130 years. I believe there is a lesson here for all of us. This year, America celebrates 250 years. Our Founders, like the Utah pioneers, built something extraordinary, not just for themselves but for us and for generations yet to come. They built this country with faith and sacrifice. They built it to last. Madam Speaker, if we want America to last another 250 years, we need to do more than celebrate. We need to renovate. We need to strengthen our foundations. We need to strengthen our foundations of individual liberty and responsibility. We need to fortify what made America great in the first place. Like those pioneers who built the temple, we must be wise stewards of what we have inherited. We must be willing to make the hard choices today. We must be willing to cut waste and restore accountability so American families can thrive. We must build not for ourselves but for those who come after us so they inherit a nation with a strong foundation and faith in the principles of freedom our Founders gave us. Madam Speaker, with the Salt Lake Temple completion expected in 2026 and a public open house planned for 2027, just next year, I extend a personal invitation to my colleagues in this Chamber to come visit and see what faith and determination can build and preserve. The open house is free. It will be next year from April to October, and all people around the world are invited. ____________________