HONORING THE LIFE OF MICHAEL THOMAS SENATE

On 2026-02-09, Representative Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA-10) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF MICHAEL THOMAS SENATE" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, foreign policy.

HONORING THE LIFE OF MICHAEL THOMAS SENATE

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 27 (Monday, February 9, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2043-H2044] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF MICHAEL THOMAS SENATE (Mr. Subramanyam of Virginia was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible life of Michael Thomas Senate of Lovettsville, Virginia. A marine, an engineer, a public servant, and a pillar of our community, Mike Senate believed that service did not end with one role or one chapter of life. After serving his country as a marine during the Vietnam war, he devoted decades to strengthening the town he called home, Lovettsville. He served on the town planning commission, the town council, and even as vice mayor. He helped shape projects that will serve generations, from parks and memorials to safer streets and shared-use paths. Others, including myself, knew him also for his work in public safety. As a firefighter, EMT instructor, and leader, Mike trained, mentored, and stood shoulder to shoulder with so many first responders--volunteer and career. He showed up, he covered shifts, he taught classes, and he made sure that when help was needed, it could arrive safely and effectively. While I did not do my firefighting training under Mike Senate, his wife, Tracey was my EMT instructor. Mr. Speaker, you didn't have to take one of his classes to know the incredible impact Mike had. He raised the bar for instructors and trainees alike in our county, and his legacy lives on in all the people he helped and who help others. On behalf of our community, we thank him for a lifetime of service, and we extend our deepest condolences to Tracey and the entire family and to all who were proud to serve alongside him. Preventing Forced Labor in China Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce the No Funds for Forced Labor Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to protect human rights and prevent forced labor of Uyghurs and other religious communities. A recent annual report by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China found that authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ``maintained a system of forced labor that involved former mass internment camp detainees.'' This comes while China has targeted Uyghurs and other religious minorities, threatening detainees with physical violence, abuse, and torture. Despite companies' due diligence, these forced labor networks can be so extensive that the World Bank's International Finance Corporation has financed companies who have inadvertently employed forced laborers in the region. This bill addresses that risk. It allows the Treasury Secretary to instruct the U.S. director at each international financial institution to oppose provisions of any loan that would risk using forced labor. I thank all our cosponsors, and I encourage my colleagues to join us in supporting and advancing this bipartisan bill. Tax Season Concerns Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, as we approach tax season across the country, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the IRS's capabilities to accurately and responsibly carry out the duty they have to American taxpayers. Americans will be relying on an agency to verify their returns and issue accurate returns that has lost over one-quarter of its staffing in the last year, with that number only growing. Every day, my office has a new constituent who reaches out wondering where their tax refund is from this past tax season, and that is only going to get worse as this new tax season begins. One of the services available to taxpayers is the Taxpayer Advocate Services which works closely with my office to return what taxpayers are rightly owed. While TAS advocates work hard on these cases, it is apparent that they are already both backlogged and understaffed. Additional cuts to IRS funding will only exacerbate this issue. To properly prepare for tax season, we should be increasing resources for services such as the taxpayer advocates and making sure Americans feel like they can rely on the IRS to handle the process without delays or errors. From [[Page H2044]] what my office has seen, this is not the case, and it must change right now. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is one of the best ways we can attract top talent to work in the Federal Government and public service. Often these employees will be making less money than in the private sector, but the loan forgiveness gives the government an advantage. It is disappointing that we see people like public servants treated like this by making them wait years for public service loan forgiveness. This program promised student loan borrowers that after 10 years of public service, their debt would be forgiven. Yet, under this administration, PSLF processing has slowed to a crawl. For example, the PSLF Buyback application, an essential step for many pursuing loan forgiveness, had more than 80,000 applications pending at the end of the year. Some borrowers have had their eligibility threatened due to petty political grievances. There are consequences to this. Americans are delaying major life milestones such as purchasing a home or starting a family because they are still making payments on loans they were assured would be forgiven. Let's be clear: The stagnation of PSLF is the direct result of the current administration's mismanagement. I call on the administration to honor its promise to the people who have dedicated their careers to public service and who have rightfully sought loan forgiveness. ____________________