Recognizing A'shellarien Addison

Floor Speech

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Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Lieutenant Colonel Chaplain Reverend Dr. A'Shellarien Addison on her recent promotion at the Delaware Army National Guard.

Earlier this month, I was honored to attend her promotion ceremony and celebrate her historic role as the first woman to hold this rank at the Delaware National Guard, and I was moved hearing about her commitment to her fellow National Guardsmen.

Before her time at the Delaware National Guard, she served as the first woman chaplain at the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, Virginia. Her devotion to spiritual empowerment and trauma-informed healing has made her an indispensable leader to Delaware's Army National Guard.

I look forward to seeing the work that she will continue to do in shaping the spiritual lives of those around her.

Well done, Lieutenant Colonel Addison. Closing of GrassRoots

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Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the closing of GrassRoots, a gift shop in Newark, Delaware, after 50 years in business.

What started as a small shop on Newark's Main Street grew into a Delaware institution, with locations across our State from Wilmington to Hockessin to Rehoboth Beach, but its heart always stayed in Newark.

GrassRoots weathered changing times. It survived recessions, and it adapted as retail shifted online. Through it all, it remained a constant presence, helping to define the character of downtown Newark for a generation.

Marilyn Dickey, who cofounded GrassRoots in 1975, poured more than half of her life into the store. GrassRoots wasn't just a business. It was part of the rhythm of Newark, a reminder that local businesses create connections and build community.

As GrassRoots closes this chapter and Marilyn begins a well-earned retirement, Delaware wishes her all the best and thanks her for her years of community service and creativity. Recognizing Dreams of Faith

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Ms. McBRIDE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the voices of my Delaware constituents, Dwain and Karen Johnson, who turned the unimaginable loss of their daughter, Faith Deanna Johnson, into lifesaving advocacy through their organization, Dreams of Faith.

Faith was just 26 years old when she died from ovarian cancer. For years, her symptoms were dismissed or misdiagnosed until it was too late. Faith's ovarian cancer cut her life far too short. Before she passed, Faith made one request of her parents: Make sure this doesn't happen to someone else.

In Delaware, we listened. When I served in the State Senate, I was proud to help pass House Bill 15, the Faith Deanna Johnson Act, which requires individual health insurance plans to cover annual ovarian cancer screenings for women at risk and expand monitoring for survivors.

That law is already saving lives because it treats women's medical needs seriously and acts before it is too late. Here is why this matters: Ovarian cancer is often caught too late, but when detected early, survival rates dramatically increase. Early detection isn't just good medical practice; it is the difference between life and death.

Today, I carry the Johnsons' story with me to Congress. Their advocacy reminds us that policy is personal and that too often families are failed not just by delayed diagnosis but by the very system tasked with caring for our health. It is one that too often puts barriers between people and the care that they need.

We owe it to Faith and families across this country to keep pushing for early detection, meaningful insurance coverage, and a healthcare system that truly puts patients first.

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