Rudy Yakym III

Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act

in committee

KIDNEY Remote Monitoring Act

in committee

Honoring the life and legacy of Coach Louis Leo "Lou" Holtz.

in committee

“Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Baker Youth Club of Warsaw, Indiana, on its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1926 by East Coast banker and Rotary Club member Bramwell Baker, the club began with a simple challenge: match a $1,000 donation and a Boys Club would be born. What started with comic books and a peach basket in the upstairs of a downtown Warsaw hardware store has grown into one of Kosciusko County's most vital institutions for young people. For a century, Baker Youth Club has been guided by just four directors, each of whom grew up in the very club they would one day lead. Current Executive Director Tracy Furnivall has served for 23 years, growing the organization's budget from $90,000 to nearly $800,000. Today, the club serves up to 160 children each afternoon. with second- and third-generation families coming through its doors. Perhaps no story better captures Baker Youth Club's mission than that of Director Robert ``Coach'' Lichtenwalter, who joined the Boys Club at age 10 as an alternative to juvenile detention and went on to serve as a member, staff, and director for 77 years. That is not just dedication. That is transformation. Baker Youth Club's centennial is a testament to Warsaw and Kosciusko County, a community that has sustained this organization through the Great Depression, multiple wars, a recession, and a global pandemic, and has never stopped showing up for its kids. I congratulate Baker Youth Club on 100 years of service. ____________________”

2026-04-30 · Education

“Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate Manufacturing Technology, Inc. (MTI) of South Bend, Indiana, on its 100th anniversary. Founded in 1926 by Conrad R. Adams as a small tool and die shop, MTI has grown into a global leader in advanced friction welding technologies, serving customers that include GE, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, and NASA across six continents. From its earliest days supplying Studebaker Automotive to its current partnerships with some of the world's most critical aerospace and defense programs, MTI has consistently delivered practical engineering solutions to complex manufacturing challenges. MTI's story is also a story about family. Now in its fifth generation of Adams family leadership, the company has expanded from a single Midwest shop into a global enterprise with operations in the United States, United Kingdom, Slovakia, and India, employing over 200 people worldwide. Each generation built on the last, pioneering new technologies including Inertia, Linear, Friction Stir, and Low Force Friction Welding, while remaining guided by the values Conrad R. Adams established at the company's founding. As President and CEO Dan Adams said, ``Friction Welding is where we lead today, but our strength has always been the ability to evolve alongside our customers.'' That mindset has defined MTI for a century and will carry the company through the next 100 years. I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating the Adams family and the entire MTI team on this extraordinary milestone. Indiana is proud to call MTI home. ____________________”

2026-04-22 · Economy

“Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate an incredible woman, Mary Alice Edwards, on her 90th birthday. Mary Alice was born February 1, 1936, in Trenton, Tennessee, and moved to South Bend at just six months old. She grew up on Scott Street and later helped make history when her family became the first African American homeowners on the 1400 block of Washington Street. From the start, her life has been about courage, progress, and faith. She attended Oliver Elementary and graduated from Central High School in 1954. That same year, she got married and began raising her greatest legacy: five children, three daughters and two sons. One of her sons went on to become a respected business leader in this community, which says a lot about the values Mary Alice poured into her family. Mary Alice worked hard her whole life, from Essex Wire and Wells Electronics to more than 20 years at Curtis Products, retiring in 2016 at the age of 80. She also served as PTO secretary at Linden School, always making sure kids and families were supported. Her faith has guided everything she's done. She joined Laken Chapel Primitive Baptist Church on December 31, 1964, during a night watch service, and went on to serve as assistant clerk, then clerk. For over 30 years, she has also served as clerk of the Big Creek Primitive Baptist Association, faithfully serving churches across the region. So today, Mr. Speaker, we don't just celebrate a birthday. We celebrate 90 years of faith, hard work, leadership, and love. Mary Alice's life has shaped her family, strengthened her church, and lifted this community. We thank God for her and pray for many more healthy, joyful years ahead. Happy 90th birthday. ____________________”

2026-01-20 · Government Reform