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55 public bills, H.R. 1588- 1642; and 3 resolutions, H.J. Res. 62; and H. Res. 166-167, were introduced.
Pages H876-79
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative LaMalfa to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H839
Recess
The House recessed at 10:42 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
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Recess
The House recessed at 1:23 p.m. and reconvened at 3:30 p.m.
Page H854
Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Directing the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol: H.R. 250, to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol;
Pages H854-55
Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act
H.R. 469, to provide for the creation of a Congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States; and
Pages H855-57
Medal of Honor Act
H.R. 695, amended, to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the rate of the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients, by a \2/3\ yea-and-may vote of 424 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 51.
Pages H857-59
Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions'': The House passed H.J. Res. 35, providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions'', by a yea-and-nay vote of 220 yeas to 206 nays with one answering ``present'', Roll No. 52.
Pages H846-53, H859-60
H. Res. 161, the rule providing for consideration of the joint resolutions (H.J. Res. 20) and (H.J. Res. 35), and the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 14) was agreed to yesterday, February 25th. Meeting Hour: Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 9 a.m. tomorrow, February 27th.
Page H860
Senate Referral
S.J. Res. 11 was held at the desk.
Page H853
Senate Message
Message received from the Senate appears on page H853. Quorum Calls Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H859 and H859-60. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 7:19 p.m.
Every speech and line is the Congressional Record's own text, read from GovInfo. Speakers are matched to members by GPO's own metadata. Referandom places each turn on the Clerk's video by matching its words: 159 of 232 spoken turns were found. Turns without a time are still listed; they just can't seek.
Morning-Hour Debate
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 3, 2025, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, last week, when the House was out of session and I was in the greatest State in the Union, Delaware, I met with a family farmer in Sussex County who continues to farm the same land that her family has farmed for more than a century. We discussed the fear and unpredictability that is plaguing farmers in Delaware and across the country right now, farmers who, since the New Deal, have been able to rely on the Federal Government as partners in their effort to produce the food that feeds our families, our neighbors, our Nation, and the world.
Agriculture is the backbone of Delaware's economy. From poultry farms to vegetable growers to grain producers, Delaware farmers feed families here at home and around the globe and contribute to an industry that supports thousands of jobs in Delaware.
Unfortunately, since taking office, the Trump administration has broken their promises to our families and breached the trust with our farmers.
In week one, this administration illegally froze funding from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, including vital resources that run through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. They have frozen programs that purchase products from Delaware farmers.
As I stand here today, the Federal Government is withholding nearly $10 million owed to Delaware farmers to improve their infrastructure and lower their energy bills.
At the heart of Delaware's agriculture industry are chickens. We have roughly 200 chickens per person in Delaware, and while Delaware doesn't have a ton of people, that is a lot of chickens.
The rising crisis of bird flu poses a massive risk to Delaware farmers. It is a real and present danger to our food supply and to the livelihoods of poultry farmers across my State and across the country.
Dangerously, this administration halted bird flu monitoring in nearly 50 countries and imposed a gag order on Federal health agencies, limiting vital communication and collaboration with farmers. If that weren't bad enough, the very people we rely on to protect our ag industry and combat the spread of bird flu have been fired from the USDA.
This chaos is only worsening the risk of disease spread and threatening a hallmark industry in Delaware.
All of this has resulted in higher costs for farmers and higher prices at grocery stores for Americans. Instead of lowering the cost of eggs, they are actively making them more expensive.
Anyone who knows a thing or two about agriculture and farming knows this: Farmers operate on thin margins. They depend on Federal partners to provide stability in a volatile market.
Right now, with a Federal funding freeze, that support is vanishing when they need it the most. How are farmers supposed to plan for the next season when the Federal Government is pulling the rug out from under them?
I don't care who you voted for in the last election. In fact, I made a commitment to serve all Delawareans--Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. My job, and the job of this great Chamber, is to serve and respect every American. That includes the farmers who feed our Nation.
I will stand here in opposition to any executive or legislative action that puts our farmers at risk because when we fail farmers, we fail all Americans.
Mr. Speaker, let's be very clear about something. Last night, the House budget resolution passed, unfortunately on a very partisan, party-line vote, but indeed it did pass.
One thing it does not do is cut Medicaid. It is right here in this document. There is no mention of cutting Medicaid or even the words ``Medicaid,''
Any claim to the contrary is actually fear-mongering, plain and simple, or I guess in my neighborhood it would be known as a lie that is being perpetuated to put fear in people and to drive anger at the majority party and have unruly townhalls because people are being fed lies.
It needs to come to a stop. We need to have an honest debate, an honest conversation, around here about how we are going to get our government back on a track that doesn't lead us to endless, massive deficits in our budget each year. We are still on track for $2 trillion, upside down, following COVID spending.
COVID is over with. We need to get back to at least pre-COVID levels of spending with an opportunity to actually balance our budget, where it might be only $700 billion, $800 billion, or $900 billion upside down.
The only way we are going to take a bite out of the national debt is to actually bring the lines together and have our budget balanced. We can do that with limited spending and a strong economy. My understanding from years ago is that if the growth of spending was only 1 percent, these two lines would meet.
We need to have a little bit of discipline around here. That is what was being sought in the budget resolution.
This budget resolution is not the final say. It actually is a roadmap for moving forward on the fiscal year `25 budget. It does not make final spending decisions. Those are still to be debated and heard in committee on TV in front of the people on C-SPAN and in the committee process that folks can attend.
It includes instructions for committees to review and adjust spending and revenue priorities, but it does not dictate specific program cuts, unlike the lies that are being spread all over in this Chamber, in committees, and in the media.
Reconciliation is indeed a standard budget process that will be taken up. The resolution instructs 11 committees to find ways to either reduce wasteful spending or invest in key priorities.
These committees have until March 27 to develop their proposals, so nothing is set in stone yet. No lies are needed. This is how budgeting has always worked. Democrats know that. Republicans know it. Unfortunately, on the other side of the aisle, they would rather scare people than be honest about this process, and indeed, honesty is very much needed in order to get a harness back on the profligate spending that has happened in this place over the last few years.
We need to have honest conversations about these programs. My good colleague, the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Schweikert), speaks about this frequently. Social Security will be on the rocks by 2031, 2032, 2033, when that trust fund actually goes empty. Are we going to do something about it, or are we going to have lies and distortions about what is actually happening with that? Do we want to fix it as much as we can ahead of time while we still have some runway to do so, or do we want to just have lies about this and not try to do anything about it?
I think we were instructed by the voters to do something about it and try to have these programs be salvaged so they aren't on the rocks in just 5, 6, or 7 years.
We need to have the allocations of taxpayer dollars that come from the hardworking taxpayers. Frequently these are called ``contributions.'' These are not contributions. They are compelled. Otherwise, people come take your stuff, and maybe you go to jail.
These tax dollars need to be respected as the work of the people. When we make these allocations, whether it is for national defense, border security, or tax relief for hardworking Americans, let's be honest about it and get it done.
This legislation is indeed focused on that and is an ongoing effort with budget reconciliation and the work of DOGE. We are hearing all this bad stuff about DOGE. It has had a few fits and starts, but doggone it, it is getting to the bottom of a lot of wasteful spending.
Each time they flip over the rocks, more cockroaches run out, and we find more things with bad contracts or spending that is not even a priority that any normal American can even think up.
In my home State of California, they are still seeking more money for that high-speed rail system that started out in 2008 for a price of $33 billion. The price has quadrupled now to $130 billion. Is that a bargain for Americans? Is that a bargain for Californians?
They have already tapped all the money they can at the local level, $9 billion of State money and about $3.5 billion of that ARRA money. Remember that shovel-ready so-called stimulus money back in 2009? They already tapped that.
They have what is called the cap-and-trade tax in California, which raises about a billion dollars per year. It is like a new currency now. It taps into the producers of carbon dioxide in the State and makes them pay a ransom to continue to produce whatever manufacturing they do.
This budget resolution is a good start, but it is not the final document. We will be working on that in the light of day in front of the people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Black History Month.
Black History Month means a lot to me, and it means a lot to my constituents in northeast Ohio.
Just in the last few days, we have been reminded of how the past and present are connected. Last week, in Cleveland, we celebrated the 90th birthday of the Reverend Dr. Otis Moss, Jr., and his wife, Edwina Moss, two local civil rights icons who have fought for justice, fairness, and opportunity for Black people in Cleveland for decades.
Sunday was also the 100th birthday of Congressman Louis Stokes, the first Black American to represent Ohio in Congress. Congressman Stokes was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus and represented northeast Ohio for 30 years. He also established a legacy of leadership that carried on to Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Marcia Fudge. They are three strong Black leaders who represented the district I now represent.
Black History Month isn't just about trailblazers, icons, and famous names. It is also about Black culture, community, and excellence, and the history and experience that binds us all. It is often a time of joy and celebration.
Black History Month feels a little different this year. President Trump and his MAGA allies have frozen funding for programs that address inequality and support equal opportunity, rolled back decades of civil rights and discrimination protections, and tried to erase Black history in our schools. He jumps at every opportunity he gets to attack Black America, using DEI as a racist dog whistle and pushing false and offensive ideas that Black Americans haven't earned or deserved their success.
Let's call this what it is: Trump's resegregation agenda.
We know what happens when prejudice prevails. Opportunity is obstructed, and red lines are drawn with Federal funds. We have seen this story before.
Yet despite the dark clouds gathering above 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Black Americans have long battled bigotry, broken barriers, and built a brighter future despite the odds.
The fight is familiar. Black history teaches us the power of resilience, resistance, and relentless struggle. That is what I owe my constituents, and that is what we owe each other.
Mr. Speaker, this weekend, unelected, unaccountable, unvetted, and unconfirmed billionaire, Elon Musk, demanded every Federal worker justify their job. He demanded five reasons they deserve to keep it.
Let's turn that around. Here are five things the world's richest man did just last week:
One, DOGE deleted the five biggest spending cuts it bragged about just last week, because nearly one-half of those savings don't exist. The receipts didn't add up.
Two, more than 20 employees resigned from DOGE, refusing to ``jeopardize Americans' sensitive data, or dismantle critical public services.''
Three, one of Musk's companies secured a lucrative FAA contract, laying bare his blatant conflicts of interest. Somehow, I doubt that one will be canceled.
Number four, he fired 6,000 veterans serving the American people.
Why? Apparently, it is because a disabled vet's salary is wasteful, but $4.5 trillion in billionaire tax breaks are necessary.
Five, he axed bird flu experts, nuclear safety officers, and IRS workers, right in the middle of tax season.
So before Elon Musk demands five justifications from a VA nurse in Cleveland, maybe he should justify his own job. Instead of asking nurses, firefighters, air traffic controllers, and Federal scientists to justify their jobs, let's ask the billionaire to justify his.
Mr. Speaker, I promise you, the American people won't need more than five reasons to fire him.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the well- deserved retirement and to honor Kurt Kreutz's lifetime of service as a law enforcement officer.
Born and raised on the northwest side of Tucson, Kurt's life had been defined by his dedication to his family, his community, and his decades-long career in law enforcement.
He began his journey in law enforcement at just 19 years old, starting as a community service officer in the Tucson Police Department in 1977. A year later, he became a commissioned officer, launching a distinguished career spanning over 45 years.
He served in various critical roles, including uniform patrol, metro narcotics, undercover, SWAT, and the DEA task force. In 1991, he was promoted to sergeant where he played a pivotal role in the department's first Bravo unit and the neighborhood crimes detective unit.
After retirement from the Tucson Police Department, Kurt transitioned to working for the Pima County attorney's office as a law enforcement investigator. His expertise and commitment made a lasting impact, particularly during his 18-year assignment to the juvenile office.
Kurt's contributions to law enforcement have been recognized with numerous awards, including the 88-CRIME TPD Officer of the Year in 1995. That same year, he was honored as Father of the Year by Tucson Lifestyle Magazine, a testament of his devotion not only to his career but also to his family.
Kurt has been married to his wife, Angie, for 40 years, and together they have built a loving family, including 3 daughters, 10 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandson.
With a lifetime dedicated to service, leadership, and family, Kurt Kreutz's legacy stands as a shining example of the American Dream.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Kurt for all he has done and all he will continue to do for our community. We wish him all the best in his retirement. God bless Kurt Kreutz.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate 100 years of the Tucson Rodeo, a cherished tradition that showcases the rich history and culture of the American West.
Better known as ``The Celebration of the Cowboys,'' ``La Fiesta de los Vaqueros,'' this iconic tradition is a testament to our community's frontier spirit and deep-rooted heritage.
From the heart-pounding bull rides to steer wrestling, barrel racing, and many, many more things, every event showcases the skill, determination, and grit that define this historic rodeo.
Last weekend, the stands were filled with families, fans, and first- time visitors alike, all coming together to celebrate a century of this rich tradition.
Mr. Speaker, whether you come for the thrill of the competition or simply to take part in this iconic event, the Tucson Rodeo has something to offer to everyone.
Here is to another century of keeping the Western spirit alive and thriving.
While we celebrate, let us also recognize and give thanks to the hardworking cowboys and cowgirls, the dedicated organizers as well, and the countless volunteers who make this event possible year after year after year. Their commitment ensures that this tradition can be enjoyed by generations to come.
I grew up enjoying it myself. My kids now enjoy it, and I am hoping that my grandkids also will enjoy it one day. It is an amazing festivity in our district and in our State. I hope it continues for many, many more years.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Samuel Leon Radford, Jr., whose contributions to our community will be felt for generations to come.
Born in Niagara Falls, New York, and raised in Buffalo, New York, Samuel dedicated his life to service, faith, and family. He attended Bennett High School before continuing his education at the University of Buffalo where he learned a strong sense of discipline and a love of knowledge.
Throughout his successful career at General Motors American Axle and Manufacturing facility in Buffalo, he took pride in a job well done. Of course, his guiding light was his family, his faith, and his community. He was baptized at Linwood Church of Christ.
Samuel was a man who led by example. He was steadfast in his values, generous in spirit, and had a heart filled with humility and kindness.
On February 16, 2025, Samuel passed away peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, faith, and love.
A devoted father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Samuel's greatest legacy is the love he poured into his family, including his wife, Lorraine Davis Radford; his five children, Samuel L. Radford III; Desiree Radford; Tracy Radford; Tana-Nile Coleman; and Shirley Radford. He was immensely blessed with 38 grandchildren and more than 100 great- grandchildren.
His legacy will endure in the hearts of his family and his community, who loved him deeply.
May Samuel's spirit continue to inspire and uplift all who had the privilege of knowing him, and may Samuel Leon Radford, Jr., rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Gerald Kaminski, Sr., a dedicated public servant, prominent leader in the business community, beloved family man, and my dear friend.
Jerry was a lifelong Cheektowaga resident and a proud veteran of the National Guard.
In 1971, Jerry founded Kaminski Refrigeration with his beloved wife, Kathy, in Buffalo, New York. In 1990 his son Jerry, Jr., and in 1993 his son Jamie joined the growing business, and it began operating under the name Kaminski & Sons.
Since then Kaminski & Sons has provided high-quality trucking equipment across western New York as a locally owned, family operated business with Jerry at the helm.
In 2011, Jerry chose to run for office and was elected to the Cheektowaga town board where he served for over a decade, most recently as deputy supervisor. He demonstrated that fun and good humor could be paired with a serious focus on delivering for our community. His mentorship of fellow board members, leadership, and commitment to his neighbors made an enduring impact on our community.
Above all else, Jerry was a devoted husband, father, and friend. He celebrated more than 50 years of marriage with his wife, Kathy, and leaves behind his sons, Jerry, Jr., and Jamie; and seven grandchildren, each of whom held a special place in his heart.
His passing is a tremendous loss, but his legacy of service and kindness will live on. My deepest condolences to his family and the Cheektowaga community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize an exemplary North Carolinian who was just confirmed by the United States Senate as the next Secretary of the Army, Dan Driscoll.
Dan grew up in Boone, North Carolina, and graduated from Watauga High School. He then went on to graduate from UNC-Chapel Hill and then Yale Law School. He has strong roots in North Carolina's Fifth District, and I am confident that many of our area's future, as well as the current leaders, will look up to him as a shining example of a salt-of-the- earth public servant who acts upon principle.
I consider myself immensely fortunate to know Dan. I can attest to this simple fact: His previous service to the Nation in the military, as well as his track record and acumen within both law and business, are essential assets that he brings with him to the helm.
He is someone we can count on to lead the Army in the right way and for the right reasons. His confirmation adds to a growing list of wins not only for President Trump but also for the entire country, and those wins are not stopping anytime soon.
I congratulate Dan on his confirmation. I, along with many, many others, are incredibly proud of him. I look forward to following his work and hearing of the strides he will make in his new position.
May God continue to bless Dan, his wonderful wife, Cassie, and their children, Daniel and Lila.
Mr. Speaker, Republicans are ramming through $4.5 trillion in tax cuts for billionaires and corporations. Look it up, Mr. Speaker. We are not making it up. So when I hear people say that is not what is happening when it is very evident, when Republicans are cutting $880 billion, specifically in a committee that works on Medicaid, where do people think it is going to come from?
For this Chamber to be able to pay for the cuts for the billionaires and powerful corporations, they are literally ripping healthcare away from millions of our families. Nearly 80 million people across the country rely on Medicaid and the children's health insurance program for access to healthcare.
Medicaid is a program that provides prenatal care for expectant mothers, vaccinations for our children, and treatments for chronic conditions. It is a program that ensures that people don't have to choose between paying for their medication and putting food on the table.
We all know our healthcare system is broken. It is inhumane. They can't do it alone.
For those who rely on Medicaid, it is not just a service, Mr. Speaker. It is the difference between life and death. Right now, the future of Medicaid is under threat. It is clear as day when Republicans cut $880 billion.
Under the budget that many of my colleagues passed last night, more than 250,000 people alone in my own district will be impacted. Mr. Speaker, 2.6 million across the State of Michigan will be impacted.
These are not just numbers. They are our neighbors, our friends, our families, and parents who have special needs children. They depend on Medicaid for treatment and medication that is life or death, for health services they simply cannot afford elsewhere because we have sick care in our country, and we haven't had the courage to take on the industry.
Among them, of course, are thousands and thousands of children. I know seniors and people with disabilities will be at the top of being directly impacted.
Medicaid, Mr. Speaker, is the primary source for long-term care in our country. Long-term care in our country depends on Medicaid funding.
In my district alone, I have 22,000 seniors above the age of 65 who rely on it. Again, many of them rely on the necessary care and services because of Medicare, to live in dignity in their later years.
Without Medicaid, our seniors could be forced to live without healthcare protections at the moment they need them the most.
Make no mistake: Republicans want to give away trillions of dollars to the richest people in the world. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to pay for it by risking the lives of children and seniors. The majority is fully aware of what the impact is in their own communities, but my Republican colleagues did it anyway because the majority is convincing themselves that it is not happening and it is not going to happen.
We will see. Remember those words when Republicans said it wasn't in there. We will see what the impact will be on our families.
Please, to all our residents across the country: Raise your voices and fight. Fight for our families. Share your stories. We must continue to demand that healthcare is a right in our country and not a privilege. We will not allow them to fund tax cuts for billionaires, who can afford healthcare, by stripping away healthcare for our most vulnerable.
Mr. Speaker, we are not an experiment for Elon Musk to play with. We are not. The Trump administration's ongoing attacks on the Federal workforce is out of control. It is chaotic. It is harmful.
Mr. Speaker, two children froze to death in the city I grew up in because they couldn't access housing resources. They kept calling. At that moment, though, we were letting go of the HUD workers who oversaw compliance of the Detroit Housing Commission.
I see that, within the Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit, 28 veteran workers, some who cleaned the surgical equipment, were fired yesterday. What happens?
Cuts to our Federal workforce have real-life impacts. Dozens of workers have just been fired, not only at the Dingell VA Medical Center, but with our HUD programs, FEMA, EPA, you name it.
This administration is sending a message that they couldn't care less about not only our veterans, but the fact that we have a right to breathe clean air and we have a right to be protected by those who abuse their power.
What the administration is doing is so incredibly harmful that they keep reversing their decisions, again creating this kind of chaos that is creating fear among our families and impacting their services.
Mr. Speaker, these unaccountable billionaires are coming after all of our Federal workers, and it is an important reminder that it is not just a worker, but that these are individuals. Behind every single worker is a Federal program that helps our families.
Mr. Speaker, today, Senator Mike Lee and I will reintroduce the Shielding Children's Retinas from Egregious Exposure on the Net Act, also known as the SCREEN Act.
The average age of a child's first exposure to pornography is 11 years old. Blocking and filtering software is ineffective, with nearly 80 percent of children and teens between the ages of 12 and 17 being exposed to pornography.
Not only has pornography become easier to access, but the content has descended further into violence and degradation, glamorizing assault, physical abuse, and nonconsensual acts.
As children become desensitized to depictions of sexual abuse, research indicates that adolescent users internalize and emulate these harmful behaviors.
Research reveals a list of psychological effects stemming from modern pornography on the developing brain include anxiety, addiction, low self-esteem, body-image disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity in younger ages, and increased desire among minors to engage in risky sexual behaviors.
There are 16 States that have declared youth exposure to pornography to be a serious public health issue, and
The Supreme Court is poised to rule on the Texas age verification law. Whether they apply strict scrutiny or a lower form of judicial review, it is abundantly clear that the SCREEN Act is the answer.
We must take decisive action to protect our children from the scourge of pornography. I urge the House and Senate to act swiftly in passing the SCREEN Act so that President Trump can sign it into law.
Mr. Speaker, it is both an honor and a bittersweet moment for me today as my office bids farewell to someone who has been a cornerstone of Team Bera since my first year in office in 2013.
When Kelvin Lum first walked in through the doors as an intern, no one could have predicted the tremendous impact that he would have not just on our office, but on the lives of the people who we serve.
Over his tenure, Kelvin has been instrumental in securing funding for numerous projects that have improved the lives of Sacramento County residents. From forging relationships with community partners, to working behind the scenes to ensure that Federal resources reach those who need it the most, Kelvin has played a vital role in making these projects a reality.
His leadership and dedication have left a lasting impact on our community, from strengthening our infrastructure and expanding public safety initiatives, to driving economic development that has lifted up families and businesses alike.
Kelvin has set an example for all of us of what it means to lead with integrity, to work with passion, and to always put the people who we serve at the heart of what we do.
Beyond his official duties, Kelvin is a mentor and a friend to everyone on our team and across the Halls of Congress.
While we will all miss Kelvin in our office, I know that the work he has done here will continue to have a lasting impact. His legacy is woven into every bill we have passed, every amendment we have introduced, and every constituent we have helped.
That said, Kelvin will continue to be in service of others as the director of Federal policy at Stop AAPI Hate, a nonprofit that fights discrimination against the AANHPI community. I have no doubt that he will bring the same dedication and passion to this role as he has in our office.
Perhaps Kelvin's greatest accomplishment was meeting his future wife, Nisha, in our office. It is our hope that Kelvin soon will add to the next generation of Team Bera. We wish Kelvin and Nisha the best in this next endeavor.
Please join me in thanking Kelvin for his service to our community and our great Nation as we send him off with our heartfelt thanks and appreciation.
Mr. Speaker, I am calling on Congress today to protect Medicaid benefits for American citizens.
There are a number of States that are using taxpayer dollars to provide Medicaid to those who are in our country illegally. These are public funds that could have been spent providing care for their own citizens.
Worst of all is my own State of California, which became the first State in the Nation, the only State in the Nation, to provide free Medi-Cal to every single person in our State illegally.
It was recently revealed that this is costing California taxpayers $9.5 billion this year alone. Right now, we are talking about costs over a 10-year time horizon, so let's consider what that cost will be here.
The cost is surely going to grow in terms of the year-over-year cost given, A, the rising cost of healthcare; and, B, increased enrollment. When you are the only State that is offering this most generous benefit, it entices people to come to your State. Indeed, that is why it went up 46 percent this year.
That is why, last year, the San Diego border sector had the most illegal border crossings of any border sector in the country for the first time since the 1990s.
When that $9.5 billion cost is factored in this year and the rate at which it is going to grow year over year for the next decade, we are talking about hundreds of billions of dollars that is going to go toward providing Medicaid benefits to people who are in our country illegally. These are funds that could have gone toward improving access to care for the most vulnerable Californians.
Mr. Speaker, I think this is absolutely unacceptable. For all of the Members who have been giving impassioned speeches about the importance of protecting Medicaid, joining our efforts to stop this and joining my bill, the No Medicaid for Illegal Immigrants Act, is an opportunity to do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to recognize retiring Mono County Board of Education member, Kathryn Mandichak, for her years of devoted service to the people of Mono County.
Kathryn has been a leader in the local community for over four decades, serving trustee area 1 as a board member for 11 terms.
Kathy was born in Huntington Park, California, later moving to Mono County with her husband and three children from Whittier.
In 1982, Kathy began her service on the Mono County Board of Education to fulfill her mission of providing what she described as a ``good solid education'' to the students of her community.
During her tenure as a board member, Kathy continuously advocated for the support and services of the Mono County Office of Education and Mono County Public Libraries.
With the education board also serving as the county's library authority board, Kathy worked tirelessly to support various local libraries, including her beloved Coleville Library.
In addition to her work on the Mono County Board of Education, Kathy also serves as a commissioner of the Antelope Valley Fire District. As commissioner, Kathy has personified the district's core values of professionalism, courtesy, and efficiency. She worked to provide fire- prevention services and safety education to the people of Mono County.
Kathy is known by others for her quick wit, thoughtful guidance, and for her significant contributions to the Mono County Board of Education. Her leadership and continued devotion to service have been the hallmark of her career.
It is because of people like Kathryn Mandichak that Mono County is such a great place to live, to learn, to work, and to recreate. Her dedicated efforts contributed to the overall academic success of students of the region, as well as the safety and security of the people of Mono County.
Therefore, on behalf of the United States House of Representatives, it is an honor and a privilege to acknowledge Kathryn Mandichak for her career in public service. I join the people of Mono County in wishing Kathy the very best in her retirement.
Mr. Speaker, I attended the Munich Security Conference last week where Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen correctly identified the Ukrainian war as the Russian war in Ukraine.
In maniacal, murderous efforts to resurrect the failed Soviet Union, war criminal Putin has oppressed the people of Russia, invaded Ukraine, maintained occupation of Moldovan Transnistria, invaded Ukrainian Crimea, seized South Ossetia and Abkhazia of Georgia, and rigged the Georgian Parliamentary election, which was won by the courageous Salome Zourabichvili. He virtually annexed Belarus by rigging a Presidential election won by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and then invaded Ukraine twice, where Ukraine, successfully armed with Javelin missiles by President Donald Trump, has resisted.
Desperate war criminal Putin has confirmed his failing attempt to resurrect the failed Soviet Union, threatening the Baltic Republics and even Poland.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Open borders for dictators put all Americans at risk of more 9/11 attacks imminent, as warned by the FBI. President Trump is reinstituting existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength.
Our sympathy to the family of the legendary Roberta Flack, who will always be cherished for her loving connection to the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of a true community leader in the west Dallas area, Reverend Dr. M.L. Curry.
For 44 years, Dr. Curry preached the Word of God from west Dallas and beyond North America, always living by the words of his first sermon: ``Here I Am Lord, Send Me, I'll Go.''
Throughout his years of service, he went out into our communities lifting up the lost, strengthening the faithful, and fighting for justice.
Dr. Curry was a man of deep conviction. He was a true servant, an activist, and a champion for the west Dallas community. He was one of my first friends in the west Dallas area.
He marched for the homeless and did everything he could to help make housing more secure for vulnerable families in Dallas. He was also the president of the West Dallas Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance for over 25 years, leading clergy in that area to help improve outcomes in the community.
Today, we remember a man of deep faith, deep action, and someone who was a man of love.
Dr. Curry has gone home to glory, but his legacy will live on forever. May he rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about an important milestone in my congressional career. Last week, I introduced my first bill as a Member of this body. I introduced the Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act.
For me, this is a safety concern. On the one hand, this bill helps farmers and loggers feed and fuel this country by helping them move product across the Commonwealth of Virginia directly from their farms to their processors, but the bill also increases transportation safety.
Agriculture and logging are two of the largest industries in the Commonwealth of Virginia, combining for over $120 billion in annual economic impact. However, unlike many other States, currently Virginia loggers primarily use rural roadways to transport product because of weight limitations on interstate highways.
My bill increases the maximum weight allowance from 80,000 pounds to 90,000 pounds on interstate highways in Virginia for trucks hauling certain agricultural and forest products. This will ensure a safer and more efficient transportation system while reducing congestion and fatalities on secondary roads.
I am proud that the first bill that I introduced in Congress is very important not only for my district but for the rest of the Commonwealth.
I thank Congressman Rob Wittman for supporting this legislation, and I thank the associations that advocated for this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address one issue of concern to the American people and then an incredibly important issue related to the district that I am privileged to represent back home in Brooklyn.
The American people elected us to solve problems on their behalf and to address the issues that matter, like the high cost of living, to lower housing costs, to lower grocery costs, to lower childcare costs, to lower insurance costs, and lower utility costs. America is too expensive.
We need to build an affordable economy for hardworking American taxpayers at home in Brooklyn and all across America. That is what we were elected to do, to solve problems, not to make things worse.
The Republicans have decided to proceed with a budget resolution that sets in motion the largest cut to Medicaid in American history up to, if not beyond, $880 billion in Medicaid cuts. Children will be devastated, families will be devastated, everyday Americans with disabilities will be devastated, seniors will be devastated, hospitals will be devastated, and nursing homes will be devastated.
Democrats are going to stand on the side of the American people, and that is why each and every Democrat opposed these out-of-control, harmful, potential cuts to Medicaid that were part of the Republican budget resolution.
We will continue to stand on the side of the American people to solve problems for hardworking American taxpayers to make life more affordable and to ensure that in America, Mr. Speaker, when you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family. You should be able to educate your children, purchase a home, one day retire with grace and dignity, go on vacation every now and then, and, of course, have access to high- quality affordable healthcare, not to take healthcare away from the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the 2024 Pop Warner Football National Champions for 9 and under, and to welcome them to the House Chamber. The Mo Better Jaguars straight out of Brownsville, ``Never Ran, Never Will.''
Throughout the season, the Mo Better Jaguars team displayed incredible skill, resilience, courage, intellect, and determination on the field and off.
In a year when our local NFL teams went a combined 8-26--it is rough to be a Jets and Giants fan at this moment--the Jaguars did their thing and put together a remarkable 12-0 undefeated season, not giving up a single touchdown before the Super Bowl.
During their championship run, people from all walks of life, including the owner of the iconic Junior's Restaurant came together to support the Jaguars to make sure they could travel to Florida, participate in the Pop Warner Super Bowl, and bring the trophy home to Brooklyn.
What a show they put on. Running back Ron Rollock made the play of the game with an incredible one-handed catch on fourth down to seal the victory for the Jaguars.
It was an incredible team effort.
I thank the dedicated coaches, loving parents and families, and the entire Brooklyn community for supporting these amazing young men.
I welcome the Jaguars to the House Chamber and congratulate the Mo Better Jaguars on their Super Bowl victory.
Mr. Speaker, in the budget resolution document there is no mention of Medicaid or any cuts to it or Social Security or Medicare, any of them. That is a lie that continues to be told on this floor and in the media. People shouldn't buy into it and then swamp their Member of Congress as a result of these lies and have these aggressive townhalls.
Constituents are being lied to when they say this stuff. We are going to contemplate this budget resolution in the budget reconciliation process, and that will be in front of the people so they can see.
I did want to talk about the situation in Israel a little bit and Hamas and the way they have so brutally murdered and abused people there.
It has been 500 days. It is time that we recognize Hamas for what they are because they are not wearing any ``Coexist'' stickers on themselves or the bumpers of their cars. They do not want to get along with Israel.
The goal in much of that world is to destroy Israel. This is what we are dealing with. We need to remember that as negotiations go forward and as we get the hostages back.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the Republicans' latest budget proposal, which could deny American families of the healthcare they need to survive.
In my district alone, more than 149,000 people on Medicaid are now at risk of losing their healthcare. This includes more than 84,000 kids and over 21,000 seniors. Medicaid is a lifeline for the most vulnerable Floridians.
In Palm Beach County, Medicaid has allowed Reverend Latifah Griffin to care for her 10-year-old son who suffers from pain and has severe difficulty walking. Her son has cerebral palsy and depends on a wheelchair and pediatric extended care.
In Alachua County, Medicaid has meant that Virginia, an adult with a disability, has a home health aide to care for her every single day so that she won't just survive, but so that she can thrive at home, in her environment.
These are the people who will suffer the most if these proposals move forward. I will do whatever it takes to push back and to make sure that every vulnerable American has the services that they need.
Mr. Speaker, what we are seeing right now is nothing short of a great betrayal. Donald Trump, president Elon Musk, and every single Republican in this Chamber who voted to advance the Republican budget resolution last night have been looking their constituents in the face and lying.
They want to make cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP. These are programs that millions of Americans rely on to survive.
They want to tear apart the safety net that millions of seniors, veterans, disabled folks, working people, and over 38 million children rely on.
They are willing to leave you and your families to suffer. After they voted for the bill, they clapped about it.
Why? It is because, in a few months, they want to pass massive tax cuts for billionaires and mega-corporations, and they want your children and your grandparents to pay for it. This isn't just about politics. It is an attack on everybody who has to clock in and out every day for work.
Yesterday, House Republicans wanted to forcibly remove me from a committee for calling out this administration's grift, but they don't have a single damned thing to say when it comes to protecting healthcare for children and seniors.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President and to direct their comments to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Heart Health Month.
Heart Health Month is a time to raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health and the steps that we can take to protect our hearts. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, affecting millions of Americans each year.
The good news is that many heart conditions are preventable through small everyday choices. Taking care of our hearts doesn't require drastic changes. It is about simple, constant, consistent habits: staying active, eating a balanced diet, managing stress, and keeping up with regular checkups.
Beyond personal choices, Heart Health Month is also a reminder to check in on our loved ones. Encourage family and friends to prioritize their heart health by scheduling a doctor's visit or finding ways to stay active together.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize this month as a chance to educate, motivate, and take actions because a healthy heart means a healthier, longer life for all of us.
Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures For...
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 161, I call up the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 35) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 161, the joint resolution is considered read.
The text of the joint resolution is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The joint resolution shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Griffith).
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.J. Res. 35.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 35, a resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions,'' sponsored by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger).
H.J. Res. 35 will repeal the disastrous rule by the Biden administration that punishes our small and midsize energy producers here in the United States. The so-called waste emissions charge starts at $900 per metric ton for last year's reported methane emissions. It increases to $1,200 per metric ton for 2025 emissions, and it increases one more time to $1,500 per metric ton of emissions for 2026 and the years thereafter.
There are about 9,000 small and midsize independent petroleum drillers in the United States. These mostly small operations are responsible for developing 91 percent of oil and gas wells, producing 83 percent of America's oil and 90 percent of our country's natural gas. We should be thanking them, not punishing them.
Mr. Speaker, if we do not act, American jobs and energy production will be lost. This is really, for all intents and purposes, a punitive tax on natural gas. These folks are not our enemy. They help make the fuel that we use to heat our homes, et cetera.
Mr. Speaker, I and other Republicans are not opposed to the regulation of methane. I see it as an asset that should not be wasted when it is practicably able to be captured, but there are cases where it is not practicable. However, we are opposed to bureaucratic overreach that, intended or not, will force some of these small producers out of business, making the energy supply in the United States less.
We should instead be making rules that work with industry to facilitate the progress that our country's energy producers have already made in reducing emissions.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.J. Res. 35, a resolution that will drive up energy prices in the United States. It is a radical measure that will gut one of the Inflation Reduction Act's most critical programs: the Methane Emissions Reduction Program.
With this resolution, Republicans are doubling down on their commitment to lining the pockets of their special interest corporate polluter friends at Americans' expense.
Of course, we shouldn't be surprised that the House Republicans continue to prioritize billionaires and big corporations over everyday Americans. Just last night, Republicans moved forward with a budget that includes devastating, life-altering cuts to Medicaid and food assistance for our kids, our seniors, and our veterans, all so Republicans can give tax breaks to their billionaire buddies.
Mr. Speaker, H.J. Res. 35 is just another giveaway that saddles Americans with higher energy bills, plain and simple, all to help Republicans' corporate polluter friends. What is more, repealing the Environmental Protection Agency's methane polluter fee slashes revenue for the government, meaning this bill will cost American taxpayers a whopping $7.2 billion.
This is really shameful and a massive waste of money and resources because the reality is that, without the methane polluter fee, it is cheaper for the oil and gas industry to waste valuable methane rather than install or upgrade equipment to control that pollution.
Currently, oil and gas companies waste enough natural gas from leaks, venting, and flaring to meet the energy demand of 14 million households every year. In other words, the oil and gas industry is throwing $2 billion worth of American energy down the drain every year, which Americans then have to pay for.
That wasted methane has grave consequences for our environment and for public health. Methane is an extremely dangerous greenhouse gas that accounts for nearly a third of today's global warming and is a key contributor to smog.
That is why key pollution control programs, such as the Methane Emissions Reduction Program, are so pivotal. The program includes a suite of incentives to drive down excess methane pollution, including $1.5 billion to help industry reduce methane emissions.
Mr. Speaker, at the heart of this program is the methane polluter fee, which is targeted by the resolution before us today. This fee is meant to correct the market failure that makes it cheaper for operators to waste methane rather than capture and sell it. It ensures that polluters pay for their own wasted energy and the harm that it causes, not American consumers.
It is not a tax. It is not at all. Unlike a tax, the methane polluter fee only applies to wasted methane above specific thresholds. These achievable thresholds are based on the oil and gas industry's own climate commitments and methane reduction targets. I have to stress that we worked with the industry when we were putting this together as part of the Inflation Reduction Act.
EPA then applies a fee for wasted methane that exceeds these thresholds, and the best part is that companies could avoid the fee altogether by simply not wasting methane. Members should understand that they don't even pay the fee if they don't waste the methane, and we actually have a fund to help them upgrade their equipment so that they do not waste the methane and actually improve the situation.
Many industry leaders are already meeting these thresholds that H.J. Res. 35 is trying to get rid of. Essentially, what my colleagues are seeing here is that the good actors are actually doing the right thing. They are not wasting methane anymore. Some of them have gotten help in order to upgrade their equipment, and then they don't pay any fee.
It is the bad actors, the dirtiest oil and gas companies and producers, I should say, that this helps because they don't want to have to upgrade. They don't care. They just want to pollute. That is really the unfortunate part of all of this. Instead of encouraging the good actors, we encourage the bad actors.
Mr. Speaker, addressing methane pollution can yield tremendous financial, climate, and public health benefits across the country. By incentivizing companies to capture lost revenue, the Methane Emissions Reduction Program and the methane polluter fee spur American innovation, strengthen businesses, and boost local economies.
In fact, in the 10 years between 2014 and 2024, there was an 88 percent increase in manufacturing firms in the methane mitigation industry, so this mitigation spurs industry and growth in the economy.
This sector employs thousands of Americans across the Nation with high-quality, good-paying jobs. Yet, in my opinion, this Republican resolution threatens those jobs and undermines American innovation.
It also not only blocks the EPA from implementing the program's waste emissions charge, also known as the methane polluter fee, but also prevents the EPA from ever taking similar action in the future.
Controlling methane pollution is a win-win for all Americans. It is unfortunate that my Republican colleagues are willing to throw all of this away in order to line the pockets of their corporate polluter friends, raising costs on hardworking Americans and the middle class in the process.
Make no mistake: President Trump, Elon Musk, and congressional Republicans have no intention of doing anything to lower energy bills for Americans, and H.J. Res. 35 is just the latest proof of that.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, it is a new day in America. Once again, House Republicans are standing up for hardworking Texans and Americans by rolling back another harmful rule pushed through by the Obiden administration.
Mr. Speaker, I call him ``Obiden'' because I think he is Obama's third term.
This latest scheme slaps new taxes on our energy producers, the very folks who keep our gas prices low and our economy running strong. We are not going to sit back and let the Obiden administration strangle our energy industry with unnecessary costs.
It is absolutely time to strike down this destructive natural gas tax and protect America's energy independence.
Now, my friends on the other side of the aisle want to claim that President Biden--I will use his name--his natural gas tax won't hurt producers who are ``in compliance.'' I have a news flash for you. That is a bait and switch, Mr. Speaker.
Under the current waste emissions charge regulation, the so-called regulatory compliance exemption only applies if methane emission regulations are in place in every applicable State.
Here is the catch: Many States haven't adopted these regulations, which means producers can't even comply with these rules that don't exist.
In other words, the ``exemption'' isn't really an exemption at all. It is just another backdoor tax designed to squeeze the very industry that keeps America powered.
This isn't just bureaucratic red tape, Mr. Speaker. It is a direct attack on Texas jobs, Texas families, and energy producers that fuel our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support my colleagues in striking down this burdensome tax and standing up for the hardworking men and women of the Lone Star State and our great Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition, strong opposition, to this resolution.
For the past 5 weeks, Elon Musk and congressional Republicans have been running around calling any Federal spending debt they don't like waste. The empowerment exercise of Elon Musk is a rather interesting saga. He is a person who did not have a background check, was not confirmed or had a process of approval through the United States Senate, and is functioning through a ghost agency of government oversight of efficiency. He is now the determinant to go forward and reduce government in a way that is not utilizing the strength of inspectors general or institutional memory that can best guide the academics to do that with the greatest degree of efficiency.
When debating this resolution, H.J. Res. 35, is it appropriate to discuss superfluous matters to the matter at hand currently on the floor?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under clause 1 of rule XVII, remarks in debate must be confined to the subject under debate, in this case, the pending legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I was using that to set in context my comments because, again, waste addressed in an efficiency exercise is important, but ironically, today, we are finally on the House floor talking about an EPA rule that reduces actual, literal waste, and Republicans want to undo it.
The oil and gas industry is the largest industrial source of methane pollution. Each year, oil and gas operators emit the equivalent of $2 billion worth of wasted natural gas, and that can come via venting, perhaps flaring, and leaks. The methane polluter fee makes certain that companies are held accountable for their waste.
This is an effort to provide for efficiency for the general public because methane waste is not only exacerbating climate change, but it is also bad for Americans, especially through their energy bills.
Consumers still pay for natural gas that is wasted, but this resolution will let those polluters off the hook. It also hurts American companies that are innovating new technologies enabling leak detection and repair, creating whole new pollution reduction industries.
These new technologies are turning waste into economic value, all while protecting our environment.
I suggest that that is an exercise we should all embrace, but oil and gas industry polluters aren't willing to take meaningful mitigation actions voluntarily if it eats into their bottom lines.
It is why we have historically enacted environmental laws to make sure polluters pay for the damage that they do to the public. The methane polluter fee is the next chapter of that environmental success story by incentivizing companies to perform leak detections and repairs that provide high-quality and good-paying jobs that employ thousands of Americans across our great country.
We should be holding polluters accountable, lowering energy costs for hardworking Americans, and supporting new domestic industries, but when it comes down to a choice between reducing everyday Americans' energy bills or lining the pockets of oil and gas executives, Republicans will choose Big Oil each and every time.
Let's stop wasting methane without consequence, and let's not leave American consumers to foot the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to oppose this resolution.
Well, the problem that I have, Mr. Speaker, unless I misunderstood--yes, it would be a parliamentary inquiry. Unless I misunderstood, Mr. Griffith was criticizing Mr. Tonko because he mentioned Elon Musk in the context of this debate.
I was in the back room before this debate started and the President had his first Cabinet meeting and Elon Musk was in charge of the Cabinet meeting, talking about every topic in the Federal Government.
As you know, he has used his position with DOGE to fire people at the EPA.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has not stated a parliamentary inquiry.
My question is, could you repeat that ruling and what it was about? Was it about Elon Musk?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair had advised Members that under clause 1 of rule XVII, remarks in debate must be confined to the subject under debate, in this case, the pending legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Again, I am a little confused. If the gentleman--if Mr. Griffith's comment was about the fact that we cannot bring up Elon Musk, who is essentially in charge of so many government programs, including everything at the EPA--again, I was in the back room. He was addressing the Cabinet. No one was saying anything. He was talking about every government policy. He has fired people at the EPA. He has commented on every government policy, including EPA policy.
Again, I don't understand what the ruling was. I don't want to get into it again, but we certainly will continue to talk about Elon Musk and the negative impact of DOGE on the EPA, on methane, on everything else. That is what we are going to do.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear: I meant no offense and no criticism. As the gentleman from the other side of the aisle and from New Jersey knows, I love parliamentary procedure. One of the reasons that we have parliamentary procedures and rules of parliamentary procedures is to make the place more efficient.
We are talking about H.J. Res. 35 today. We are not talking about every other ill that anybody might think is going on. The focus today in this debate period is H.J. Res. 35.
That is my only point. I meant no criticism of Mr. Tonko or the Democrats in this matter. Just trying to get us on track with parliamentary procedure.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen), my good friend.
Mr. Speaker, it is a new day in America. I remind my friends that, just 6 years ago, we had the greatest economy in our lifetimes, and we achieved energy independence. That is what this day is about.
The days of weakness on the world stage and dependence on foreign adversaries for our energy needs are over.
I am proud to rise in support of H.J. Res. 35 to repeal the Biden administration's harmful rule establishing a natural gas tax and help the United States reclaim energy dominance.
The Biden administration had an all-out war on fossil fuel. On their way out the door, the previous administration finalized this burdensome rule to effectively collect taxes on methane emissions released from oil and gas facilities and funnel that money to their radical climate allies.
What my Democratic colleagues won't tell you is that our clean natural gas is a major reason why the U.S. has become a world leader in reducing carbon emissions.
In partnership with President Trump, House Republicans are reinstating common sense in Washington. To lower costs for American families, we must unleash our energy capabilities and utilize the reliable natural gas right under our feet, not impose these outlandish taxes on domestic producers.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge support of H.J. Res. 35.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly oppose efforts to repeal the waste emissions charge, commonly known as the methane fee, which is a commonsense measure that benefits American industry, protects consumers, and provides much-needed regulatory certainty in the energy sector.
Addressing methane emissions, especially fugitive emissions from oil and gas, is one of the most effective ways to combat the climate crisis, protect public health, and ensure America's energy sector remains globally competitive.
Methane has a global warming potential 80 times higher than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, meaning that even small leaks can erase the climate benefits of utilizing cleaner energy sources. Unfortunately, methane regulations have been caught in a cycle of constant change.
The first Trump administration repealed methane regulations from the previous administration. When President Biden took office, we led efforts to reinstate these crucial protections. Then, in 2022, House Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which not only reinstated strong methane controls but also implemented a market-driven approach to reducing waste, the methane fee.
The methane fee is not a blanket tax on energy production. I think the gentleman from Virginia suggested that this was a tax on small polluters. Actually, it is a tax only on larger emitters because it is only applied for 25,000 metric tons annually, so it is on the larger ones.
It is designed to encourage companies to capture more methane rather than venting or leaking it. The methane fee provides proof to consumers and competitors that we are serious about producing the cleanest, most efficient natural gas on the market.
Repealing the fee would hurt American industry by eliminating incentives to modernize operations and remain competitive in an international market that increasingly values low-emission energy.
Now, I am supposed to get up here and bash Big Oil, but actually, Big Oil is for the methane fee. The largest companies--ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, and Cheniere Energy--support strong methane rules. They oppose this repeal because they know reducing waste makes business sense. How is that? Because the customers for our gas around the world--Korea, South Korea, Japan, the EU--are demanding cleaner gas.
These companies know that the methane fee demonstrates that our gas is cleaner. Also, the consumer demand from those customers has led to the development of technologies to detect methane, its presence, and its concentration in a way that we can make much more efficient ways to regulate it.
A repeal would undercut responsible producers who have invested in cutting-edge methane detection and capture technologies that make them globally competitive.
Even if this CRA passes today, the problem doesn't simply disappear. My colleagues on the other side never miss a chance to point out that the natural gas revolution has contributed to our historic energy independence and cut our CO2 emissions from energy production. That is true, but even small leaks of methane wipe out that advantage from a climate perspective.
World markets and domestic politics are demanding that the industry can prove with real credibility and transparency that we fixed this methane problem. It is increasingly apparent that the viability of exporting U.S. liquefied natural gas depends on American policies to address methane pollution.
If we don't do this, we are going to have to pass bipartisan legislation to do the same thing to ensure that the industry standards provide for the cleanest, most efficient natural gas production.
Industry and ratepayers have asked us for certainty, consistency, and an assurance that America will remain a global leader in energy production and resilience. The customers want this to happen. The large producers want this to happen. I don't see why Democrats and Republicans can't agree on this.
We need long-term solutions, not more political whiplash. I urge my colleagues to stand with responsible energy producers and American consumers to reject efforts that repeal this vital provision.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strongly support H.J. Res. 35, legislation to repeal the Biden administration's waste emissions charge.
During President Biden's term in office, he and his administration waged war on our domestic energy producers, limiting their production and expanding regulations that raise prices on the American consumer.
The waste emissions charge implemented by President Biden through the failed Inflation Reduction Act does nothing but shackle our energy producers, raising costs for consumers, and forcing our allies into the hands of adversaries.
By repealing the Biden administration rule, we can deliver on the mandate that Americans voted for in November and unleash American energy production. This will allow us to support hardworking constituents and our allies abroad, by producing more affordable and cleaner energy.
By simply repealing this overreaching regulation, our Nation can step forward, fully utilizing the energy resources that are underneath the feet of my constituents.
Soon, with the help of H.J. Res. 35, we will once again be energy dominant. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 35, which will block the methane polluter fee, which is designed to control wasteful methane from the oil and gas industry.
This resolution is another attempt by Republicans to put corporate polluters ahead of hardworking American people. Much like their budget adopted last night, it is a handout for billionaires and large corporations.
Despite President Trump's promise to cut energy costs, Republicans are actively working to raise Americans' energy bills, not to mention the effect that reckless tariffs that, together with this policy, the Republicans are pushing will drive American energy bills and prices at the pump sky high.
However, I guess those high prices are worth the costs to Republicans if it means Big Oil and Gas are pleased.
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program was created to make sure that these big corporations pay for their own pollution, but I guess my colleagues on the other side of the aisle would prefer that American families cover the cost of corporate pollution.
Under this resolution, the American people will be stuck footing the bill. That is egregious. It is egregious to let the American people bear the burden of industry's pollution. It is not just a cost to their wallets, but also a cost to their health and safety.
The oil and gas sector is the single largest industrial source of methane pollution in the United States, responsible for nearly a third of our emissions. We know that this pollution of our air has powerful effects on our climate and is driving worsening natural disasters.
The devastating wildfires and hurricanes that we have seen, fueled by climate change, aren't just our children's problem. They are here today. The pollution that this methane gas produces affects our children's health today. It affects their respiratory health, among other things.
While Republicans are pushing tax breaks for billionaires and corporate polluters, they will get a pat on the back from the industry today. Democrats are thinking about the future and the world that our children and their children will inherit.
Will it be livable? Will they be able to breathe?
I urge my colleagues to put the American people and families now and in the future over polluters and vote ``no'' on H.J. Res. 35.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 35, which repeals the Biden administration's natural gas tax, a misguided policy that drives up costs, stifles investment, and weakens our energy security. This so-called waste emissions charge won't reduce methane emissions, but it will punish American producers, increase reliance on foreign energy, and make life more expensive for America's working families.
While some claim this tax does not directly impact my home State of Alaska, what is bad for American energy is bad for Alaskan energy. Alaska holds over 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and the Alaska LNG project is our best chance to bring it to market. Yet, burdensome Federal regulations discourage investment, keeping Alaska's energy potential locked away.
Meanwhile, Cook Inlet gas supplies are declining, threatening Alaskans in south central Alaska with higher heating and electricity costs. If we want long-term energy security, we must develop our resources.
Mr. Speaker, every job is an energy job because energy powers everything that we do. Supporting American energy production means creating good-paying jobs in oil and gas, construction, transportation, manufacturing, and small businesses that rely on affordable energy. The Alaska LNG project alone would generate thousands of jobs, strengthening our economy and supply chains. If we want to grow opportunity for working families, we must stand with American energy and repeal the natural gas tax.
Let's be clear: Opponents of this bill are spreading falsehoods. They claim this tax will cut emissions, but the U.S. already leads the world in methane reduction, cutting emissions intensity by 42 percent since 2015. They say this is about Big Oil, but 90 percent of U.S. natural gas comes from small and midsize producers. They claim only gas producers are affected, but the Biden administration designed this rule to also hit oil producers.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, they argue this tax protects energy security, yet it increases reliance on foreign adversaries.
If we are serious about energy security, affordability, and economic growth, we must repeal the natural gas tax. H.J. Res. 35 is a commonsense step toward a stronger energy future. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
As I mentioned, I am very much opposed to this resolution, and a big part of it is because I think it will cost the American taxpayers and the Federal Government more money.
The CBO has a preliminary cost estimate for this resolution, and it is a whopper. The CBO estimates that this resolution would cost American taxpayers $7.2 billion over the next 10 years.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record an email from CBO regarding this.
Mr. Speaker, again, $7.2 billion to have dirtier air, a more unstable climate, and waste more gas. I mean, it is really unbelievable.
Republicans have spent years getting mad about the deficit, but as we saw yesterday, the first chance they got, they plan to increase the deficit by trillions of dollars in their budget resolution to give tax breaks to billionaires.
This bill is more of the same. They are encouraging oil and gas companies to let their products go to waste to the tune of $7.2 billion rather than put them to work for American families just to line the pockets of their oil and gas allies.
I listened to the gentleman from Alaska, and we are all in favor of developing our natural resources. There was more oil and gas pumped under President Biden than any other President since I have been here. We want to develop our resources but in a way that helps Americans save dollars.
I heard Dr. Joyce on our committee talk about our allies. I mean, I have got to be honest with you. When I listen to Trump, he makes it sound like our allies are our adversaries, and our adversaries like Russia are our allies. He talks about investing in Russian resources and oil and gas.
Again, I don't know what this administration is doing. I know that what the Republicans are doing today is definitely not a good thing for the American people. It is not good for our deficit. It is going to essentially cost Americans more, and it is only going to result in more pollution. When, in fact, this is working and this methane fee is actually getting the oil and gas industry to correct this problem and recycle the methane and not waste it.
We are just trying to do what makes sense from every point of view here. The Methane Emissions Reduction Program is a win-win for everybody, and this resolution is a lose-lose for everybody, in my opinion.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding me the time here and the effort on this review.
We see that this is an eleventh hour rule put in at the end of the Biden administration, like many, that was contained in the Inflation Reduction Act, the so-called Inflation Reduction Act. That is a pretty funny name.
What we have is a situation here where there are a couple of main drivers of inflation in this country: government overspending and energy costs that have been driven so high during the Biden administration. It hasn't helped.
What we are doing, in effect, is that we are punishing the people with the reduction of methane by imposing these strict financial charges on the facilities. Due to that rewrite of the greenhouse gas reporting rule, the natural gas tax will capture many more producers than the so-called Inflation Reduction Act actually authorized. It is already being misapplied.
When you look at the whole issue, H.J. Res. 35 is important to get back to energy independence and also not drive our partners in Europe into the arms of--not yet another Russian hoax, it sounds like here today--Russian natural gas dependence.
If anybody would view the history of those areas of the world, why would they want to be dependent on Russian gas? Why would we do things to help foster that by driving up the price and lowering the availability?
Indeed, with the miracle of hydraulic fracturing, we made natural gas so incredibly available for our country to lower the cost of energy. We enjoyed that for a while until the Biden policies have put us where we are.
We have to take a step back, repeal that horrific rule made by rule, not by a discussion in Congress, but by the stroke of a pen in the Biden era. Let's repeal this. Let's put us back on energy independence that will make our economy stronger, our country stronger, and also help us be better trading partners with those around the world that can rely on cheap American gas instead of Russian gas.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to this resolution to roll back a critical component of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program.
The Oregonians I represent know that climate change poses a real and existential threat. As a mother, I understand intimately the anxiety our children are grappling with every day with the warming Earth that they are inheriting. It is my commitment to mitigating climate change, while working to adapt to it, that drives my work here.
We cannot kick this can down the road and wait to take action. As our kids are forced to grapple with this reality, I am sick and tired of Republican efforts to let Big Oil and corporate polluters off the hook.
The methane polluter fee that would be rolled back by this resolution corrects a serious market failure that makes it cheaper for polluters to waste methane than install or upgrade equipment to prevent leaks and flaring. I will vote ``no'' because I have no interest in protecting corporate polluters at the expense of a cleaner world for our children.
To the Oregonians watching, please know that I will come back to this House floor time and again to ensure our message is heard loud and clear. The climate crisis is real. It is our children who will suffer if we do not stand up to Big Oil and corporate polluters. I implore my colleagues to stand with me.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 35 which will overturn the disastrous Biden administration's natural gas tax on the hardworking American people.
During a time in which energy demand across the United States and the entire world is growing exponentially, the Federal Government should make it easier to produce ever cleaner, reliable, and affordable energy. Rather than supporting domestic energy production, the Biden administration and my friends on the other side of the aisle used the so-called Inflation Reduction Act to levy an unnecessary tax on natural gas, which ultimately fell on American people to pay, simply to try and kill the domestic natural gas industry.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what is the largest factor that has led to global emissions being reduced in recent years? It has been the increased use of American natural gas, both here in the United States and around the world. Oil and natural gas produced in the Gulf of America is 43 percent cleaner than oil and natural gas produced elsewhere around the world.
The natural gas tax won't stop the use of all natural gas. It will simply stop the use of American natural gas. This tax will make it harder for hardworking Americans to pay for their soaring energy bills and force us to utilize more natural gas and energy produced by foreign adversarial nations
A natural gas tax is a completely misguided tax on the working American people that will hurt their bottom line and benefit Vladimir Putin. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, the Biden administration has been the most antidomestic energy-producing administration and the most antimining administration in the history of this country. We are going to turn it around.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I spoke before about how the Methane Emissions Reduction Program is a win-win and how this resolution is a lose-lose. The bottom line is that curbing methane waste is an opportunity for the oil and gas industry itself. The industry really wants to waste less methane.
It is simple logic. Each molecule of methane saved is one they can sell to people. Oil and gas operators emit the equivalent of about $2 billion worth of wasted natural gas every year, and there is money to be made in that. On the other hand, repealing this program, which is what this resolution does, will cost us $7.2 billion and at the same time pollutes our air. It is a lose-lose scenario.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie), the chairman of the full Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.J. Res. 35 to repeal the Biden- Harris administration's natural gas tax. For the last 4 years, Americans witnessed firsthand the implementation of a heavyhanded, top- down regulatory agenda that put the interests of the environmental left first, leading to increased prices for families and businesses.
This resolution would overturn the rule implementing the EPA's waste emissions charge which was published following the 2024 Presidential election as part of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program established in the Inflation Reduction Act. Energy produced in the United States has some of the lowest methane emissions intensity in the world. U.S. upstream oil and gas producers have reduced their total methane emissions intensity by 42 percent since 2015.
We have our entrepreneurial spirit to thank for this success, not policies like the WEC, which are unworkable for American producers and will lead to our allies being forced to rely on gas with higher emissions coming from adversarial nations like Venezuela.
Businesses and consumers rely on the affordable and reliable natural gas underneath our feet. By putting new taxes on this baseload power, the Biden-Harris administration put the interests of their far-left base ahead of the needs of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation that will enable us to enact President Trump's energy agenda and restore American energy dominance.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I really stress that the Republicans keep talking about how this Methane Emissions Reduction Program harms the industry. Nothing could be further from the truth.
There are a whole bunch of incentives in this program to drive down excess methane pollution and remediate the effects of pollution that do occur, but the program provides over $1.5 billion to assist the industry with reducing current and legacy methane emissions, including $700 million of incentives for small producers.
The methane charge, or fee, only applies to wasted methane above specific thresholds based on the oil and gas industry's own climate commitments and methane reduction targets. We worked with the industry to put this together. They are cooperating with us. It is the opposite of the idea that somehow they are harmed. They are benefiting. They are actually making money from it.
Overall, the Methane Emissions Reduction Program recognizes the cleanest performers, holds companies responsible for their own leaks and wasted methane, drives innovation, and creates a lot of jobs. The whole idea is to get them to do the right thing. We even give them money in order to accomplish that with their equipment, and it is working. This idea that it is harmful is just nonsense.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.J. Res. 35, to nullify the EPA's rule on the waste emissions charge, also known as the natural gas tax.
With President Trump back in office, it is time to restore American energy. It is time to restore American energy dominance, which is why I am proud to lead this CRA to rescind the ill-conceived natural gas tax.
As part of his war on energy, former President Biden took radical steps to end fossil fuels during his administration, which hurt the hardworking energy producers not only in my district in the Permian Basin in Midland and Odessa but also across America.
This Congressional Review Act is a tool that Congress uses to overturn Federal agency actions, a direct example of congressional checks and balances on the executive branch and one of Congress' most important duties.
My CRA will not eliminate the program that collects this tax, but it will remove the EPA's ability to collect it. This is an essential first step in eliminating this tax, while we work to undo the underlying statute: killing the natural gas tax once and for all. It is critical to negate these punitive regulatory requirements now to ensure that the United States can reclaim its place as the world leader in energy for generations to come.
In the waning days of the Biden administration, the EPA doubled down on Biden's disastrous energy policies, imposing a burdensome and harmful tax on oil and natural gas facilities called the waste emissions charge, also like we have been discussing, the natural gas tax or the methane tax. This natural gas tax was a blatant abuse of power and the first time that the Federal Government has ever directly levied a tax on emissions, creating a duplicative layer of red tape that would devastate American energy, if continued.
The specifics of this tax started at $900 a metric ton in '24, increasing to $1,200, and then $1,500 in the subsequent years. While the statute directs the EPA to develop a formula to impose and collect a tax based on intensity, Biden's EPA did so by ignoring well- established international standards.
Actually, one of the things I have heard here today is that industry was consulted. That is false. Industry was not consulted. In a hearing, I asked a member of Biden's Department of Energy to tell me one producer they had worked with. I asked them to name one producer they had worked with, and they couldn't come up with that producer. They couldn't come up with even one until pressed. Then they said whatever producer they thought. I went back and double-checked that. They hadn't been consulted. They hadn't been talked to.
This is an important day. Taxes, like the one we are discussing, raise energy production costs. They discourage investment. They ultimately lead to higher consumer prices and costs. Not only is this a tremendous burden on both producers and consumers but this rule also completely ignores the significant progress that the United States private sector has made over the past decade or more.
U.S. emissions have decreased by 18 percent between 2005 and 2022, making the United States the world leader in reductions of emissions, while simultaneously increasing production threefold or fourfold.
Today's vote exemplifies the principles upheld in the Supreme Court's landmark Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo decision. By overturning Chevron deference precedent, the court restored the judiciary's rightful role in interpreting statutes and checking agency overreach.
This is important for all of us. What Biden's administration did for 4 straight years was to overreach, to impose burdensome regulations, and to hurt innovation, the actual innovation that was reducing emissions. They destroyed that progress.
I am very proud to lead this CRA. I am proud that it will be bipartisan. I have had multiple Democrats who have told me that they are going to vote for this because it is common sense and it actually helps all of our goals: affordable, reliable energy that also helps the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I thank the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for leading this.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the gentleman from Texas, and he described once for me his district, Midland, and the oil and gas production there.
I must stress, I actually did spend a lot of time talking to the industry when we were putting this methane emissions program together. I can speak firsthand that I spoke to the industry. The main thing they were concerned about is they did not want this program to be punitive. They said: We want to correct this problem. We don't want to waste methane, but you have to give us some sort of incentive to do this.
That is what we did. Rather than have a punitive program, we have $1.5 billion to assist industry with reducing current and legacy methane emissions. Mr. Speaker, $700 million of that is specifically set aside for small producers, which I know there are a lot of those in the district of the gentleman from Texas.
Unfortunately, much of that $700 million to help the small producers has been stalled by President Trump with his funding freeze. That harms the small producers who are counting on those critical funds.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.J. Res. 35, legislation I proudly cosponsored to stand up for North Dakota's energy producers and hardworking families who depend on affordable, reliable energy.
For my first action as a Member of Congress, I wrote to President Trump and Secretary Burgum urging them to repeal 20 unnecessary and burdensome rules that threaten affordable, reliable energy, including this rule.
The Biden administration's methane tax is a real attack on North Dakota's energy sector, and it is really a tax on every aspect of our lives. This tax was the number one concern of the energy stakeholders in my State.
This heavy-handed Federal mandate punishes small and midsize independent producers who are responsible for 90 percent of America's natural gas. It threatens jobs, raises costs for families, and jeopardizes our energy independence.
North Dakota leads the way in responsible energy production, not because of government mandates but because of innovation and technology. My State is proof that we don't have to choose between a strong economy and a clean environment. We can and do have both.
This tax will have a huge impact on our energy sectors who already produce the cleanest energy in the world. This natural gas tax threatens American energy security, and we will be forced to rely on adversaries to meet our energy needs, countries that do not have strong labor or environmental laws.
This tax hurts energy producers who are already doing it right. America is leading the way in reducing emissions.
Since 2015, upstream oil and gas producers have reduced their methane emissions by 42 percent. Our innovation and technology have allowed us to reduce emissions while raising the standard of living across this country.
American energy solutions are clean energy solutions. We should be unleashing U.S. energy production, not taxing it and not making it more expensive and creating disincentives to production.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for closing.
I just want to stress, Mr. Speaker, that the methane polluter fee corrects a market failure that currently makes it cheaper for owners and operators to waste methane instead of installing or upgrading their equipment to prevent leaks and flaring.
In other words, what we want them to do is to upgrade their equipment, prevent the leaks and the flaring. If they do that, we give them money, including a set-aside for small producers so that this happens and they don't pay the fee.
Leaked or intentionally wasted natural gas never makes its way to customers, but they are nevertheless stuck with the bill. They have to pay for that.
The Methane Emissions Reduction Program will ensure that American consumers no longer pay for wasted energy or the harm that these emissions can cause.
The bottom line is that wasted methane is bad for business. It is bad for consumers. It is bad for the climate. The problem with H.J. Res. 35 is it will allow this waste to continue unchecked.
This is a program that is working. Don't kill it with this resolution. You are going to kill jobs. You are going to kill our efforts to try to reduce methane in the environment, and you are not helping anybody in the industry.
For all these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' on H.J. Res. 35, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter of support for H.J. Res. 35 from the United States Chamber of Commerce, a letter from the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and last, but not least, a letter from the American Petroleum Institute.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
It is interesting. I heard some speakers--and everybody is just trying to talk about these issues from their viewpoint. I get it. However, I heard some speakers on the other side of the aisle say today that we are just catering to Big Oil and others.
Then I hear there were discussions with larger folks, and those are the people who are okay with it. I hear from Representatives from places like Alaska, North Dakota, and Texas whose constituents oftentimes are small mom-and-pop operations. It is hard to think of oil and natural gas that way, but that is the way it is in those regions. They say this will, in fact, hurt them and this is disastrous.
I suspect, Mr. Speaker, the reason that we have this dichotomy, this difference, is that a lot of times bigger institutions, bigger organizations, can afford to take on a new regulation. It will cost them a little bit of money. It will make the cost of production go up a little bit, but because they are large, they can spread that out over a lot of different items or a lot of different--I guess, in this case, it would be oil and gas measured in cubic feet, or whatever the measurement is these days. As a result, they can say this is a cost spread out over a large piece of the pie so it is not that big of a deal to us.
As I said in my opening, there are 9,000 small and midsize independent petroleum drillers in the United States. These, mostly small, operations are responsible for developing 91 percent of oil and gas wells, producing 83 percent of America's oil, and 90 percent of our country's natural gas.
Those are the folks who are most upset about these regulations and why we need to repeal them. We are going to break the back of those 9,000 small and midsize independent petroleum drillers who are providing us with affordable gas, affordable heat for our homes through natural gas, and affordable products made out of natural gas and petroleum.
Mr. Speaker, it is the right thing to do, and I encourage all Members, both Democrat, Republican, and any who may think of themselves as independent, to vote ``yes'' on H.J. Res. 35.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 161, the previous question is ordered on the joint resolution.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the joint resolution.
The joint resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the joint resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 250) to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, today I bring forward two bills. Our Nation faces major challenges and concerns, and this body continues to work on those. While we do that, these bills are simple and noncontroversial and do require legislative action to take effect.
I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 250 to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol.
The nonpartisan legislation will allow Congress to place a statue of Benjamin Franklin in the Capitol. The legislation will require that not later than 2 years after enactment, the Joint Committee on the Library shall enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Benjamin Franklin. It will also be required that the statue be placed in a publicly accessible permanent location no later than December 31, 2026.
Madam Speaker, I thank Representatives Houlahan and Fitzpatrick and their 72 additional cosponsors for bringing this legislation forward. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 250, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I want to begin by thanking my dear friend and colleague, the chair of the Committee on House Administration, for bringing these bills to the floor and also for his partnership and all the great cooperation that we enjoy.
I rise today in support of H.R. 250. The bipartisan legislation would direct the Joint Committee on the Library, as Mr. Steil said, to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin for placement in the Capitol to be observed by all those blessed to come and tour the United States Capitol.
As my colleague and friend, the sponsor of this bill, along with Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Chrissy Houlahan have observed-- and I am quite certain will observe once again in just a few moments-- while there are references to Benjamin Franklin across the Capitol and a statue tucked away in a back hallway, it is black when there are no lights on. There is no statue of one of the most important Founding Fathers accessible to the millions of visitors who have the privilege of touring the Capitol each year.
This legislation would change that, honoring one of the greatest minds and patriots in American history.
Benjamin Franklin was a statesman, diplomat, scientist, inventor, political philosopher, and businessman. His groundbreaking experiments pushed forward scientific understanding, his role as the first Postmaster General created the foundation of our modern mail system, and he was resolutely committed to freeing the Colonies from British rule.
He helped draft both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, and he negotiated the treaty that ended the Revolutionary War. His genius has shaped our Nation in innumerable ways, and he deserves to be prominently displayed and honored in the United States Capitol.
Madam Speaker, I look forward to working with the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a new statue of Benjamin Franklin. I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman, my friend from Wisconsin, Representative Steil, for yielding.
To my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan), this is really the product of her hard work. I was proud to partner with her and accept an invitation. If Benjamin Franklin were here today, he would give Representative Houlahan a big hug of gratitude for finally recognizing him.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in resolute support of H.R. 250, the Benjamin Franklin statue placement act. Alongside my friend and colleague from Pennsylvania, Congresswoman Houlahan, I am proud to advance this effort to enshrine one of America's most extraordinary minds and consequential patriots in the heart of our Nation's Capitol.
Madam Speaker, few figures in our history so fully embody the spirit of American ingenuity, perseverance, and democratic virtue as Benjamin Franklin. He was a statesman whose diplomacy secured our independence, a philosopher whose wisdom guided our early Republic, and an inventor whose genius advanced mankind.
More than a son of Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin was and remains a towering architect of the American experiment, a testament to what is possible when vision and virtue work in concert with one another.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of our great Nation, it is both fitting and necessary that Benjamin Franklin take his rightful place amongst the great figures enshrined in this amazing
Benjamin Franklin lived his life with a deliberate sense of purpose, beginning each day by asking: What good shall I do on this day? And ending every evening in reflection: What good have I done today?
Madam Speaker, that is not just a measure of a life well lived. It is the measure of leadership, of duty, and of a nation that strives always to be better than it was the day before. Let us take up that challenge not merely in words but in action.
Let us ensure that Benjamin Franklin's presence in these Halls serves as a constant reminder that our charge is not to serve ourselves, but to serve a greater good.
At the close of each day, may we too be able to answer that question with certainty, having served with purpose, led with integrity, and upheld the ideals that Franklin and our Founders entrusted to us.
Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Houlahan), who is my dear friend and the person who has really led this effort.
Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Morelle for yielding.
Today, I am so grateful to have the opportunity to rise and offer this bipartisan legislation, H.R. 250, the Benjamin Franklin statue placement act. It is so very important to highlight moments where we do come together here in the body, and this bipartisan, bicameral legislation is a bright moment of that kind of unity.
I am really grateful for the support and partnership of my colleagues in this effort, Representative Fitzpatrick and Senators Coons and Boozman, on the other side of the Capitol.
The Benjamin Franklin statue placement act does seek to honor Benjamin Franklin, as mentioned, a renowned author, inventor, statesman, and dare I offer, the most important Founding Father of our great Nation.
Mr. Franklin's accomplishments and inventions are numerous and infamous. Electricity, bifocals, and the lightning rod are just a couple of examples that every day still centuries later are in our lives. He is known, as was mentioned earlier, for very pithy, very profound, and witty statements, such as a stitch in time saves nine or a penny saved is a penny earned. Most memorable, perhaps, is: ``It is a republic, if you can keep it.''
Arguably, Mr. Franklin's most important accolade is that he is the only person to have signed formally all three foundational documents separating our new Nation from the British monarchy.
The Treaty of Paris, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights, together known as the Charters of Freedom, boast the signatures of some of our Nation's most revered figures. Mr. Franklin's signature is the only one that appears on all three documents, however. That is not only something worthy of note, but something, of course, to celebrate.
This is why I was shocked when I learned on my very first official tour of the Capitol Building--which was given to me by my own team member, Emma Consoli, who is the one we really should thank for this legislation--that there are no statues on the Capitol tour of Mr. Franklin. Indeed, Mr. Franklin's lone statue sits at the base of a stairwell, a dark stairwell, just off the Senate floor, out of sight of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit the Capitol.
As we approach this Nation's 250th anniversary, it really is of utmost importance to have Mr. Franklin rightly on display and immortalized for his contributions to our foundation. The Benjamin Franklin statue placement act will do just that.
While Representative Fitzpatrick and I both are both immensely proud of Pennsylvania's own Ben Franklin, we know this is not just for Pennsylvania but for our entire country. I am very grateful to the 77 Members who shared this sentiment last Congress and to our 22 evenly bipartisan original cosponsors and to the 33 Members who have already sponsored it today.
I am also very grateful for the leadership of Chairman Steil and Ranking Member Morelle who supported this bill and believed in it as it passed through the House Administration Committee unanimously in September.
This placement act, as written, directs the Joint Committee on the Library to procure and to place a statue of Mr. Franklin along the Capitol tour route, as mentioned, before 2026 ends in celebration of our 250th anniversary.
The installation of this statue in the Capitol Building will not only be an apt celebration for such an important figure in our history, but it is something that I will urge my colleagues to make sure that we vote in favor of today, so we can start that clock ticking. It is important that we take up this legislation now so that this awesome statue that has already been built and already been donated can be cast to perfection and placed ahead of 2026.
I am grateful for the support of this effort. I thank the sculptor, Zenos Frudakis, for his beautiful work already. I appreciate so much the hard work that has gone into this by all of the people who stand around me for being able to get this to the floor for consideration.
In closing, Madam Speaker, I thank the people who have spoken here on an idea whose time has more than come. I think this is the appropriate way, and particularly, as Ms. Houlahan says, in recognition of our 250th anniversary upcoming, this will be the appropriate way to honor one of our truly great founding members of the American Revolution and our country.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I would like to say, once again, I thank my colleagues, Representative Houlahan and Representative Fitzpatrick, and my long working relationship with Ranking Member Morelle for being able to bring this to the floor.
It is correctly noted that as we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, I think it is true and important that we put this statue here in the United States Capitol.
Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 250, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 250.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 469) to provide for the creation of a Congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, today, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 469, the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act.
This nonpartisan legislation would authorize a time capsule to be buried on the Capitol Grounds to mark the Nation's semiquincentennial. America is turning 250 on July 4, 2026. This time capsule represents one way that Congress will participate in the Nation's yearlong celebration of democracy and freedom.
Amongst our toughest challenges of the day, this legislation reminds us that we can all work together. The contents of the capsule will be selected by the Speaker of the House, House minority leader, and the majority and minority leaders in the United States Senate. Maybe we can even ask Speaker Johnson to include a pair of his glasses.
The capsule will remain sealed until July 2, 2276, the Nation's 500th anniversary.
The gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman) introduced H.R. 469 as a Member of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission with an additional 54 cosponsors.
The Architect of the Capitol provided technical input to the Commission and will work with the congressional leadership to implement the capsule.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have worked with Ranking Member Morelle on these efforts. I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 469, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will begin by thanking my friend and colleague, the chair of the Committee on House Administration, Chairman Steil, for his leadership, his friendship, and for helping us get this bill to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 469. This bipartisan legislation would authorize the Architect of the Capitol to bury a time capsule commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, to be opened on our Nation's 500th anniversary in the year 2276.
As my colleague and friend has indicated, the items in the capsule will be determined by bipartisan, bicameral congressional leaders. It will include written materials relating to the anniversary, representations of notable legislative and institutional milestones, and a message from this Congress to future colleagues in the 244th Congress. It seems remarkable.
The upcoming anniversary marks a powerful testament to the resilience of the American experiment. Our Nation has faced countless tests to our strength and unity, including a civil war, two world wars, natural disasters, and more. Yet, through each challenge, this country has stood and remains committed to fulfilling the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago.
As we navigate a time of deep division, partisanship, and growing threats to the values that sustain our democracy, this anniversary serves as a reminder to our shared responsibility to uphold the values of liberty and equality championed by our Founders.
I extend my thanks to the Semiquincentennial Commission for its leadership in planning for this momentous occasion, and I particularly commend my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, for her introduction of this measure.
I also acknowledge the service of a fellow New Yorker, former Representative Joseph Crowley, who has lent his time and talents to the work of the Commission, as well.
I look forward to seeing the items chosen for the time capsule, and I commend my colleagues to recommend that they support this measure.
Mr. Speaker, I note that, last year on the floor, when we passed the bill in the House, I committed to being here when the capsule is opened, so I hope we pass it this year because I am not getting any younger. It is going to be hard to hold on that long, but I am committed to doing it.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who has had the leadership to bring this bill to the floor and who will speak on the measure.
Mr. Speaker, I thank our chairman for his work on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was an essential milestone in the progress of all humanity toward a more fair, just, and democratic society. It is work that continues to this day. As we reflect upon the last 250 years of progress toward these ideals, we must impart the lessons that we have learned to future generations.
As a cofounder and co-chair of the America 250 Caucus, along with my co-chairs, Mr. Evans, Mr. Aderholt, and Ms. Salazar, it is an honor to see this legislation come forward today as just one small part of our Nation's 250th anniversary celebration.
This bill will authorize, as we have heard, the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule and have it buried on the West Lawn, to remain sealed until July 4, 2276, the Nation's 500th anniversary.
The contents will include items that represent important legislation and institutional milestones of Congress, a message from the 119th Congress to the 244th Congress, and other items that reflect our history.
No one here today will see it when it is opened, but an old Greek proverb states: ``A society grows great when the old plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.''
The body does its best work when we don't seek fame or followers, renown or retweets, but rather when we work so that distant generations of Americans for whom our names will be mere footnotes will enjoy the fruits of our work here today.
This bill passed last Congress, and I certainly look forward to its passage again today. I am honored to be able to speak to this piece of legislation today.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of our colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle), the ranking member on the Committee on House Administration, for his work.
The gentleman correctly noted that we are in challenging times as we face difficult national issues. As we reflect back in 2 years, we will have a celebration of 250 years of the greatest country in the world.
This time capsule, when viewed 250 years from now in 2276, may it be a reflection that, at the midpoint then, which will be today, we navigated these challenges that we faced with great courage and great vigor.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's work and support on both pieces of legislation today, and I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 469.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 469.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 695) to amend title 38, United States Code, to increase the rate of the special pension payable to Medal of Honor recipients, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 695, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Illinois?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 695, offered by my colleague, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Nehls). This bill would increase the rate of special monthly pension for Medal of Honor recipients and their surviving spouses.
The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest military award. It is reserved for servicemembers who have demonstrated extraordinary bravery and self-sacrifice in combat.
The Medal of Honor special pension is intended to repay part of the debt that our Nation owes them. The Medal of Honor pension is separate from the compensation that a veteran receives when they are unable to work due to service-related disabilities.
Today, there are just 63 Medal of Honor recipients who currently receive less than $2,000 in special pension payments per month. Their stories of service, without question, should be honored and remembered and told.
However, the current pension offered does not cover the cost of travel to speak at events that inspire future generations and tell their fellow Americans about their service in defense of our freedom.
It is time we increase the Medal of Honor recipients' pension in recognition of their heroic military service and their continued service to our Nation. The bill is fully offset by using a bipartisan offset related to older veterans and pensions, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 695, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my support for H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.
To join the armed services is an act of profound selflessness. On the Veterans' Affairs Committee, we recognize the sacrifice and service of every servicemember who, in the face of uncertainty and danger, took the oath and chose to commit themselves to a higher purpose.
While every individual servicemember makes sacrifices and dedicates themselves to this path of honor, there are a select few who distinguish themselves from the rest.
The Medal of Honor cannot be won. It must be earned through extreme selflessness and bravery. We recognize this distinguished service with our Nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor.
From the first awardee to the most recent, Medal of Honor recipients have demonstrated their unwavering commitment to serve above and beyond the call of duty, even to their own death.
There have been 43 Kentuckians who were awarded the Medal of Honor. I will just talk about one, Sergeant John C. Squires, a Louisville native who went from Male High School to the United States Army and served in Italy in World War II.
It was in April of 1944, in the Italian countryside, that Squires braved automatic gunfire, artillery, and mortar
He was killed in action. He lies in rest at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery in Louisville, and a bronze statue of Squires sits atop the Kentucky Medal of Honor Memorial.
Squires is one of just 3,538 Medal of Honor recipients in our history. From all who have been awarded, for all of those who earned this honor, they do so through the acts of service that are incredible.
There is no paycheck that could repay their sacrifice and no thank- you letter that could truly convey our Nation's gratitude. We cannot ever hope to repay this debt, but we can show our fullest support for them and their surviving spouses and families by increasing their annual compensation.
The Medal of Honor Act ensures that servicemembers and their surviving spouses get an increased pension for their sacrifice, an increase that properly reflects the gravity of their service.
Currently, the payment of $1,619.34 a month is deeply inadequate. Medal of Honor recipients go above and beyond the call of duty. It is only right that we honor their sacrifice with compensation that truly reflects their extraordinary actions.
These heroes continue to serve, speaking throughout the country and inspiring our citizens in schools and beyond. They continue to carry the mantle of courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment here at home.
There is nothing we can pay them that will ever match their sacrifice, but voting for this act is a step toward recognizing their service, courage, and enduring legacy. It is about showing them not just with words but with action that they are seen and valued and that they will never ever be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 695. I urge my colleagues to do the same, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague, Chairman Bost, for yielding. First and foremost, it has been a sincere pleasure to work with the chairman and his staff to advance this important legislation to the House floor. It is an honor to stand with him today. I also extend my gratitude and thanks to my colleague, Mr. Pappas, for co-leading this bipartisan legislation with me for the last two Congresses.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in strong support of H.R. 695, the Medal of Honor Act.
The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest and most prestigious military decoration that can be awarded.
Under current law, the President may award a Medal of Honor to a member of the Armed Forces who has distinguished himself conspicuously by ``gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force; or while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party.''
Since the Medal of Honor was established by Congress in 1862, it has been awarded 3,528 times. Today, as the chairman stated, there are only 63 living Medal of Honor recipients.
Throughout my time in Congress, I have had the privilege of getting to know some of these heroes and hearing their stories firsthand. In my humble opinion, these heroes are our Nation's most sacred treasure, and it is our obligation, as Congress, to do everything in our capacity to support them and their families.
Currently, each Medal of Honor recipient receives a special pension that totals roughly $1,500 per month, or $18,000 annually. The last update to the special pension for Medal of Honor recipients was back in 2002, when Congress passed the Medal of Honor pension act.
This legislation increased the Medal of Honor recipients' special pension from $600 per month to $1,000 per month. However, since 2002, for more than 20 years, the Medal of Honor special pension has not been updated by Congress. It is long overdue that Congress acts.
My legislation would raise the Medal of Honor special pension to roughly $5,600 per month, or $67,500 annually, and is fully offset.
When I hear stories about how a Medal of Honor recipient's family requested to set up a GoFundMe to pay for surgery and extensive care, or how Medal of Honor recipients are not being reimbursed for travel expenses to speak at several military recruiting events, I knew something had to be done.
Our Medal of Honor heroes deserve better, which is exactly why this critical legislation is needed. While this bill is a small step forward, it is the very least that Congress can do to recognize and show support for these selfless, courageous heroes.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support our Medal of Honor recipients by passing this bipartisan legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Pappas), my good friend and the ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Kentucky for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Medal of Honor Act.
The Medal of Honor is our Nation's highest military decoration. It recognizes the extraordinary valor that distinguished men and women of our military demonstrated in critical moments during their service to our great Nation.
There are 63 living Medal of Honor recipients, including heroes like Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts of New Hampshire, who served two tours in Afghanistan. During his second deployment, hundreds of insurgents attacked the Army base where he was stationed. Sergeant Pitts was badly wounded by a grenade but continued to fight with a tourniquet on his leg, singlehandedly holding his outpost for 2 hours.
That battle is now known as the Battle of Wanat, one of the bloodiest battles of the war in Afghanistan. Thanks to the bravery of Sergeant Pitts, Americans were able to turn the tide in that battle and hold their position, leading Taliban fighters to withdraw from the area.
As ranking member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I am focused, with my colleagues, on how we can make good on our promises to our veterans and be worthy of their sacrifice.
It is our responsibility as Americans to ensure that all of our servicemembers, veterans, and their families have the support that they earned and deserve. One way we can do that is by ensuring that veterans are financially secure when their military service is over.
Medal of Honor awardees receive a monthly pension that has not been raised in 23 years. It is well past time to do the right thing and increase the pension for these distinguished American warriors. This bill ensures their extraordinary acts of bravery are not forgotten and that their sacrifices are valued by a grateful Nation.
I have been really glad to partner with Congressman Nehls on this bill to introduce this legislation and get it to the floor today. I thank him for his determined leadership on this issue and hope that we can get all of our colleagues on board later today with a strong vote in passing this legislation over to the Senate and seeing it signed into law.
Mr. Speaker, this is the right thing to do by our veterans and by our Medal of Honor recipients, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this 15- minute vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 695, as amended, will be followed by a 5-minute vote on:
Passage of H.J. Res. 35.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 424, nays 0, not voting 9, as follows:
Messrs. GRAVES and HUFFMAN changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Rule Submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency Relating to "Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures For...
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 35) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to ``Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions'', on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the joint resolution.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 220, nays 206, answered ``present'' 1, not voting 6, as follows:
Ms. TLAIB and Mr. VEASEY changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So the joint resolution was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, I am joined by my colleagues from Mississippi mourning the tragic loss of Mississippi's Hinds County Deputy Sheriff Martin Shields, Jr., a dedicated public servant who gave his life in the line of duty late Sunday night while responding to a domestic call.
Deputy Shields, just 37 years of age, devoted his career to protecting and serving the people of Mississippi.
Before joining the Hinds County Sheriff's Office, he served with distinction in the Jackson Police Department, Jackson State University Police Department, and the Ridgeland Police Department.
At every step, Deputy Shields wore his badge with dignity, courage, and a commitment to justice. Beyond the uniform, he was a husband, father, and friend, respected by his coworkers and his community.
Deputy Shields leaves behind a grieving wife and a 12-year-old daughter, who must now navigate life without him.
This tragic loss is a solemn reminder of the risks law enforcement officers take daily to protect us. We must continue to advocate for the resources, support, and protection needed to ensure that they can do their jobs safely.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that we now observe a moment of silence in honor of Deputy Martin Shields, Jr.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the extraordinary work delivered by Nicole Schmitt, our director of operations and scheduler, where she directed a dynamic and highly effective professional team to help recruit and supervise our congressional team.
During her tenure, Nicole executed on a number of top-tier engagements, including meetings for foreign heads of state, national travel, and managing the 2025 Presidential inauguration event for approximately 500 Iowans who came to our Nation's Capital.
Further, Nicole provided pivotal help to our team as she worked across stakeholders at the State and the Federal levels, earning our office the top 10 most bipartisan team in Congress.
Equally, Nicole helped organize a series of after-hours Capitol tours where she joined me, having to suffer through not only the history of this place but adding her own insights.
I thank Nicole very much for teaching us about the chandelier on the Titanic now in the Senate Chambers.
I also want to express our sincere gratitude for leaders like Nicole who came from Iowa to serve in our Nation's Capitol. She serves not only as an inspiration but has been an intricate part of our team.
While we are sad to lose her, we are glad the Hawkeye State gets to have a little bit more time with Nicole.
From my family to hers, I thank her for all she does for our country. I really appreciate it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist, in their own words, who was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk.
Really? We are firing the people who keep Ebola from the country?
These senseless firings have to stop. If you were fired from a Federal science agency, if your cutting-edge science research was destroyed and cut, we want to hear your story. You can share it at the website for the House Science Committee Democrats.
Mr. Speaker, I offer good news today. I rise to honor the extraordinary bravery of Judie Kent, a young woman and nurse from my district in Vero Beach, Florida.
This past week, Judie's quick thinking and courageous actions saved the life of a motorcyclist and father of five who was struck by a car on his way to work.
As she drove past the scene, Judie instinctively pulled over and used her incredible medical knowledge to administer critical aid. Her swift response stabilized his wounds, and she is credited with saving the man's leg and possibly even his life.
It is selfless acts like these that exemplify the best of our community, and I am honored to recognize Judie's heroism today.
Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to share her story, and I thank her for her amazing service and resolve.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the distinguished career of John Croman, an extraordinary member of our community and a political reporter.
John retired from his role as chief political reporter for KARE 11 after nearly 27 years of dedicated service, bringing Minnesotans reliable, informative, and timely political news.
Those who worked closely with John admired his wealth of knowledge about Minnesota politics and history and refer to him as the contact, and the context, for every story.
John was praised for his commitment to reporting on policy over fleeting trends of the moment and also for his tireless commitment for reporting the truth. He also brought joy to his colleagues and injected it into his work every single day.
We will miss his reporting and wish him well in his retirement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in Havelock, North Carolina, for being named the Marine Corps Air Station of the Year.
This is the second year in the row they have received such an award, displaying their persistent and continuous excellence.
Established in 1942, Cherry Point has grown to be the largest Marine Corps air station in the United States, occupying more than 29,000 acres of land in eastern North Carolina and controlling 9,000 square miles of airspace.
It is home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and Fleet Readiness Center East. Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point is one of the best all- weather jet bases in the world.
This prestigious award is a testament to the performance and dedication of our marines. I am grateful to our brave servicemembers and their families, who sacrifice so much to protect us and our great Nation.
It is my honor to represent Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and its proud community.
Practice, persistence, and preparation is what safeguards our Nation's freedom.
I congratulate the marines for this well-deserved recognition. May God bless all of those serving at Cherry Point and all our servicemembers across the globe.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist from California who, in their words, was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk.
They wrote:
The EPA Pathways Program creates a pathway to a career in the Federal Government for students and recent graduates. In this case, this is a student working on complex scientific issues involving PFAS, toxic chemicals that are all around us.
As the only Latino Member with a STEM background in Congress, I know how important it is to encourage our students and young professionals to pursue careers in STEM.
Firing our future STEM workforce just as they are getting started in their careers is shortsighted and irresponsible. These firings will decimate the future Federal STEM workforce that will keep American innovation competitive.
Mr. Speaker, we all know that when you are the best of all time, you belong in the hall of fame, like Dan Marino, Don Shula, and Jacksonville's own Tony Boselli.
Now there is another Floridian, Mr. Speaker, who has rightfully earned her place in the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame. I am talking about Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll.
Lieutenant Governor Carroll's journey began in the United States Navy as a jet mechanic, one of the very first African-American females to serve in that capacity.
Then, after her military service, Lieutenant Governor Carroll brought her leadership and unwavering service to the people of Florida. She was the first Black Republican female to serve in the Florida Legislature.
Then, Mr. Speaker, in 2010, she made history again by becoming the first Black woman ever in the Sunshine State to be elected statewide as Lieutenant Governor.
Her efforts to improve education and to ensure veterans receive the support they deserve has left a lasting legacy.
Her induction into the Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes her impact on the Sunshine State and our country. We are proud of her and her service.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating my friend Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll on being inducted in the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame.
Mr. Speaker, in President Trump's first term, facing a crowd of protesters, he asked our military: Can't you just shoot them? Just shoot them in the legs or something?
Thankfully, his former Secretary of Defense shot down that idea.
Today, the President seems to be choosing military leadership he believes will say yes. He is purging dedicated, capable leaders with no explanation other than removing roadblocks.
This is a blatant attempt to politicize our military, replacing loyalty to our Constitution with political loyalty to Trump.
Our Founding Fathers designed our military to be explicitly apolitical. They must be rolling in their graves today.
When I joined the Marines in 2001, I raised my right hand and swore an oath to defend the Constitution of the United States just like every other servicemember and veteran. That oath is sacred. We swear our lives, to kill and to die, if necessary, to the United States, not to the President.
The Trump administration must not be allowed to undermine that oath.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 21 Christian men who were murdered for their faith.
In 2015, ISIS dragged them onto a Libyan beach, forced them to kneel, and beheaded them on video. In that horrific moment, they did not show fear. They showed faith.
Mr. Speaker, 20 of these men were Coptic Christians from Egypt just trying to earn a living for their families. The 21st man, Matthew, who was from Ghana, wasn't even Coptic by birth. ISIS gave him a choice to walk away or die. He chose to stand with his brothers, knowing exactly what it would cost him. He knew it was better to die free than to live under tyranny.
That is faith, Mr. Speaker. That is true freedom. For 45 days, ISIS beat, starved, and tortured these men. They were offered food and money if they would just deny Christ, but they never did. Instead, as the terrorists raised their blades, their last word was the name of Jesus.
I remember my father had a Bible verse on his mirror that said if you deny me before man, I will deny you before the gates of Heaven. They did not deny their faith.
This month marks 10 years since their deaths. ISIS thought they were making a statement of fear. Instead, they showed the world what unshakeable faith looks like.
The Coptic and Catholic churches have honored these men as martyrs, as they should. Just as these men refused to abandon their faith, their faith has never abandoned them. One of the martyrs' widows said: Their blood mixed together, and as a result, we the widows are united.
These men weren't just believers. They were immovable. Their story should remind every American what real religious freedom means. May we never forget them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as the Representative of North Carolina's Fourth Congressional District, and the home of the Research Triangle Park, to share the story of a Federal scientist, in their own words, who was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk.
These aggressive and sweeping mass firings of hundreds of thousands of Federal employees will have profound and devastating consequences across the country.
Our dedicated civil servants work tirelessly each day to deliver essential services, conduct critical scientific research, and ensure the safety of our communities. They deserve better.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the exceptional service of Kansan Carl Harris, the 2024 chairman of the National Association of Home Builders.
For more than four decades, Carl has made an outsized impact on the residential construction industry and communities across Kansas through his work as cofounder and president of the Carl Harris Company and managing partner of Harris Homes.
Most recently, he completed his term as the 2024 chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, where he has been relentless in advocating for policies that strengthen the construction workforce and help make homeownership, a key tenet of the American Dream, possible.
Generous in sharing his time and talent, Carl served as president of the Wichita Area Builders Association and the Kansas Building Industry Association and in numerous roles in local governments in Newton. In addition, he has promoted workforce development initiatives and outreach to high schoolers to introduce them to opportunities in the construction trades.
It is my honor to thank Carl for his dedicated career and wish him all the best with his next step.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist, and a constituent of mine, who has witnessed the impacts of President Trump and Elon Musk's recent firings. He wrote:
Mr. Speaker, I agree with my constituent that this makes absolutely no sense. This will be a severe loss for American scientific leadership and scientific advancement at large.
We stand with our scientific community and condemn these firings.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mr. Bennet ``Ben'' Chiotti, of Roanoke, Illinois, who passed away on February 9 at the age of 93.
Ben was born in Saluzzo, Italy, in 1931, where he grew up under the oppression of the Italian Fascist regime.
One of four brothers, Ben immigrated to the United States as a teenager with little money and speaking very little English, hoping to pursue the American Dream.
After immigrating, Ben went on to serve in the United States Army during the Korean war before settling in Roanoke, Illinois, outside of Peoria, where he lived for 70 years.
Ben was an active community member and local businessowner. He started Roanoke Plumbing, Heating and Cooling in 1968, a business still run today by his family.
Ben was married to his late wife, Evelyn, of Metamora, Illinois, for nearly 50 years. Ben is survived by his older brother, Louis, who is currently 100 years old, four children, and many grandchildren.
I offer my sincere condolences to the Chiotti family and their loved ones on the loss of a great husband, father, grandfather, and veteran of our Nation.
Ben's commitment to his community will leave a lasting legacy and impact on central Illinois for years to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of a Federal scientist who was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk.
In their own words, this researcher wrote:
Bird flu cases are popping up across the country, including in my district, yet Trump is firing the public servants who are responsible for fighting the disease.
Donald Trump is not only jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Nolan Smith, Jr., and Darius Slay, Jr., the two Super Bowl champions from the Philadelphia Eagles from Georgia's First Congressional District.
Linebacker Nolan Smith's football journey began in Savannah, where he often played football at Daffin Park before joining the team at Calvary Day School.
Cornerback Darius Slay's journey also started in the First District, where he excelled on the football field at Brunswick High School.
Before becoming Super Bowl champions, both men had impressive football careers.
During his senior year at Mississippi State, Mr. Slay led the SEC with five interceptions.
Mr. Smith now joins the elite group of players who have won both a National Championship and a Super Bowl, as he was part of the University of Georgia--go Dawgs--team that won back-to-back National Championships in 2022 and 2023.
Throughout their careers, both men have exhibited an exceptional work ethic and dedication. Mr. Slay and Mr. Smith have worked very hard and played with excellence on the football field, culminating in an impressive victory against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
District One is proud to be the home of two new Super Bowl champions.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Nolan Smith, Jr., and Darius Slay, Jr., two fine young men, two Super Bowl champions, and two natives of the First Congressional District of Georgia.
Mr. Speaker, the budget resolution passed yesterday sets the stage for President Trump's one big, beautiful bill.
This bill is going to deliver dominant energy policy and border security, stopping human trafficking and the rampant drug flow that is occurring. This bill will continue the tax relief that gave us a great and strong economy. It is also providing savings to the American people by rooting out waste, abuse, and fraud.
Despite this, the media and the left want to malign this resolution, stating, for instance, that Medicaid is going to be reduced. That is absolutely not true. That is a false claim.
Let me say it from the not-so-cheap seats: No Medicaid or Medicare benefits will be reduced.
The only cuts will be to waste, abuse, fraud, and ineligibility in the system if found, which I believe 98 percent of Americans do support.
Look, we are overspending by nearly $2 trillion a year. Clearly, any business, any company, any family, any government with such a spending problem must make corrections, which is what we are doing and what President Trump said he would do upon being elected.
This resolution will help usher in the golden age in America, and I am very happy to be supportive of it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as a Ph.D. physicist in Congress, who spent most of his career in the national laboratories of the Department of Energy, to share the story of a research engineer at a national lab who was recently fired without cause by President Trump and Elon Musk.
This engineer's job was:
Mr. Speaker, our country cannot afford to lose the talent of civic- minded scientists like this.
Moreover, if Donald Trump thinks that he is going to strike a deal with Ukraine on rare earth minerals, then he is going to need real experts in our government on critical mineral extraction. We don't get that by firing them.
Mr. Speaker, President Trump has falsely suggested that Ukraine was responsible for the war with Russia and should have resolved the conflict years ago. This claim is not only unfounded, but it dangerously misrepresents the facts.
Russia is the invading nation, the aggressor, and the perpetuator of war crimes. Louisiana's own Republican Senators agree. Senator Kennedy went further, calling Russia's dictator, Vladimir Putin, a gangster with a black heart, a figure responsible for unprovoked war and atrocities on a sovereign nation.
It was Russia's invasion that shattered Ukraine's peace, beginning with the invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014 and through the full-scale invasion that began just over 3 years ago. Russian forces are committing horrific and documented war crimes against Ukrainian soldiers and innocent civilians. Senator Cassidy called it out for what it was: A war of aggression initiated by Putin, not Ukraine.
Senator Kennedy also rightly emphasized that negotiating with Russia without Ukraine at the table is problematic. Republicans are saying this. They are speaking up because they recognize that these are lies and that we should stand firm in our support and push back against communism and against the hate of Russia and support Ukraine.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the brave men and women who have given their lives in service to our country.
I had the privilege of sitting down with Kathy Moore, a Gold Star mother whose son, Ryan Russell, was killed on March 5, 2007. Kathy shared her stories about Ryan's service and why she continues to advocate for the Honor and Remember flag. She spoke about his eagerness to serve as a medic despite his initial fear of blood.
Kathy also shared the thing she missed the most about Ryan: seeing his smile, a simple gesture that brightened her day.
Here was a mother from eastern North Carolina whose child was killed in Iraq by an IED, the most devastating thing that could happen to a parent. Despite her grief, Kathy has become a powerful advocate for the Honor and Remember flag.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to pass this vital legislation and for America to honor and remember our fallen heroes like Ryan.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist in Oregon who was recently fired by Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
In Oregon, we experience seasons with drought and wildfires, and lives depend on accurate research of water sources. Mr. Speaker, 60 to 70 percent of usable water in both Oregon and Washington comes from mountain snowmelt, which is a critical water source in the West. It is vital to farmers, forests, and every community I represent.
The scientist was with the Department of Agriculture's Oregon Snow Survey.
Here is what he said:
Mr. Speaker, these reckless firings are not just devastating to dedicated scientists who have chosen to work in public service, they also endanger Oregonians and people across the country.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Maryland scientist and constituent from Maryland who was fired by Elon Musk and the Trump administration. I am honored to share this story on the floor of the U.S. House today.
This person was a general engineer and market analyst for the Department of Energy and, in fact, was responsible for analyzing emergency and emerging technologies and determined their best paths to the commercial market, including increasing energy affordability, reliability, and resilience for the American people nationwide.
These efforts were maximized by working in close partnership with the national labs, other offices within the Department of Energy, and private industry. It was a dream job for this person and one that drove innovation, collaboration, and good-paying jobs for the American people. However, now this invaluable work is gone, and it is being jeopardized.
I am deeply concerned about how these widespread and indiscriminate layoffs could jeopardize our U.S. competitiveness and even our national security.
As a former deputy secretary at a Commerce agency, I well knew the process that was laid out methodically for termination. However, we will face severe setbacks without the support of Federal funding or the institutional knowledge of the subject matter experts leading these efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal worker, an FAA scientist, who DOGE and the administration fired. This person's job was to create and maintain flight maps that air traffic controllers and pilots could use to navigate airspace. Without these maps, ``pilots would quite literally be flying blind.''
Yet the Trump administration says they didn't fire anyone at FAA working in critical safety positions. However, it is pretty obvious that the scientists who make the maps pilots use to fly are critical to aviation safety.
Moreover, aviation safety has become a big issue lately, with recent close calls and crashes, including one in my home State of Virginia.
Mr. Speaker, how do we expect Americans to feel safe if we are firing the very scientists who keep us safe?
These cuts aren't going to save much money. These dollars are a drop in the bucket, but they will cost lives.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my profound disappointment in the House budget resolution and the severe potential harm it will cause to those who rely on Medicaid benefits in northwest Indiana.
In Indiana's First Congressional District alone, it is a fact that the overwhelming majority of Medicaid funding goes directly to senior healthcare, individuals with disabilities, children, and senior long- term care.
Indiana is also one of the few trigger States in our Nation, which means that Medicaid benefits will immediately cease for a large percentage of our residents should the Federal proportion of assistance fall below 90 percent.
I am a staunch supporter of creating efficiencies and eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse. However, Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: Should this legislative initiative be finalized, not only will benefits be denied to those in need, but private health insurance costs will skyrocket as hospitals seek to recoup that increased uncompensated care from emergency room visits.
I will continue to speak out against and oppose all legislation that takes real benefits from our seniors, the disabled, and our children to pay for corporate welfare programs.
Mr. Speaker, America once liberated France from the Nazi regime, freed Kuwait from the grip of Saddam Hussein, and defended South Korea against North Korean aggression. However, this apparently is a new MAGA America, siding with the evil aggressor and blaming the victim.
Ronald Reagan called Russia the evil empire, but Donald Trump knows better. George H.W. Bush called Russia part of the axis of evil, but Donald Trump knows better. Our U.S. vote in the U.N. supports the aggressor, Russia; not the victim, an independent Ukraine.
Under President Trump, we are losing our moral standing in world affairs. Our enemies are watching. They are making alliances while we toss aside allies like Canada and Europe to satisfy the inconceivable love this President has for Vladimir Putin.
Putin poisons his critics. That is who our new best friend is.
I am new to this Chamber, but hear me, Mr. Speaker: Consequences will be tragic for those who love freedom worldwide if we don't return to true American foundational principles: freedom and democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to share the story of a Federal scientist in his own words who was fired by President Trump and Elon Musk:
This scientist overseeing scientific progress of grants that fund cancer research was fired, and the very grants have been frozen.
The University of Houston in my district has had countless grants frozen leading to uncertainty and confusion about the future of the research.
According to the National Cancer Institute, over 40 percent of Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Firing cancer scientists and freezing cancer research is shortsighted and irresponsible.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
Mr. Speaker, it is hard to say where to start, but perhaps I will simply augment what we just heard from my Democratic colleagues, who gave example after example of the crazy, uncoordinated attack on Americans that we are now seeing from the current administration.
As we hear those stories of the reality of the programs that are not moving forward, the reversal of critical programs to protect individuals and their healthcare, to protect individuals in their daily lives as they travel, to protect Americans now and in the future as we address the issues of climate change and the enormous challenges, much more will be said about that in the days ahead. It definitely should be.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to deal with a positive message. It is a positive message that compares how Democrats would address the challenges of our time versus what our President and his DOGE minions are doing and what our Republican colleagues here in the House are attempting to do with their budget reconciliation proposal and soon their individual tax and other policies.
I rise today as House Republicans are moving forward with their budget scheme that literally betrays the working men and women of America, all because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to put forward and carry forward the 2017 tax program that the majority rammed through this House without a single hearing. It was a program that created trillions and trillions of dollars of deficit and did little to enhance the American economy.
We see the Trump trifecta in action. Trump and Musk, with the backing of timid Republicans, have traumatized Federal employees. Republicans have purged the military of competent, experienced leaders and have usurped congressional, constitutional power of the purse and power of the law by dissolving programs, such as USAID, which is authorized by law; the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau; and many, many other government agencies.
Mr. Speaker, instead of reclaiming the constitutional power of Congress, our Republican colleagues are now pushing forward their budget that will make working families sicker, less healthy, and hungry, all the while giving $3.5 trillion in lower taxes and tax breaks to their billionaire donor friends and corporations. In the process, it will skyrocket the national deficit and apparently betray their own long-held view that deficit financing was bad.
Mr. Speaker, the Democrats have a different version. It is based on what Franklin Roosevelt said many years ago: ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.''
It is our intention to create a level playing field upon which every American can advance and prosper. Republicans are doing neither of these. Worse yet, the majority will provide nothing for those who have little and give everything to those who already have so very, very much.
The Roosevelt test is once again before us, and Republicans are failing at that test. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle intend to cut Medicare while making healthcare for the Americans more expensive.
My Republican colleagues intend to cut student loan relief programs. They intend to cut Pell grants that are crucial for keeping not only students in schools but schools open all across communities of America, particularly low-income communities.
Republicans will make our children go hungry by slashing school lunch programs and even school breakfast programs. The majority will cut SNAP programs, a lifesaving program that feeds millions of Americans and provides support to farmers.
My colleagues will make our roads less safe by cutting critical infrastructure. Republicans will cut services that maintain our national forests and our national parks, as we heard. Firefighters are being laid off or not even being hired for the summer fire season.
In our national parks, who will be there? Apparently my colleagues on the other side of the aisle don't care much for those people who are necessary for providing the summer programs in our national parks.
My Republican colleagues will give $3.5 trillion in tax breaks to the superwealthy and to very large corporations, who often pay no taxes at all. In all of this, the majority will add trillions to our national debt.
Democrats have a different vision. It is a vision rooted in fairness and rooted in the words of Franklin Roosevelt. We believe that every American deserves a good quality of life, a shot at success, a vision of a level playing field on which they can prosper and have the support to rise as far as they could and as far as they would want.
We are here today to highlight our vision and to show the American people that there is a disconnect between what the Republicans want and are actually doing and what American families really need.
Here are some of those policies that the congressional Democrats would bring to the floor if we had four more Members in our Caucus:
Democrats will support working families. The first thing we will do to support working families is to expand the child tax credit.
Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro's American Family Act will cut child poverty in half and provide critical relief for middle-class and low- income families by providing a $6,000 refundable tax credit to help families with the high cost of a child's first year of life.
Democrats will lower the cost of goods and services for Americans. If we
Democrats will build and expand on the $35 insulin cap, which incidentally is a price cap that Trump removed. The skyrocketing price of this lifesaving drug for every American must be reinstituted, and it must be expanded.
Democrats will expand the $2,000 out-of-pocket prescription drug cap for all Americans, and Democrats will lower housing costs by expanding the affordable housing programs, the low-income housing tax credit, and strengthening access to housing using a bill that I have introduced called the HOME Act, which will increase housing availability. Democrats will raise workers' salaries and wages.
The third provision that we would include in our budget is the PRO Act. The PRO Act protects the right for working men and women to organize, ensuring that workers have the power to negotiate for fair wages and benefits.
As a Member of the Labor Caucus, I know the importance of collective bargaining and protecting unions. Collective bargaining is the fairest possible way for workers to earn the money that they deserve for the work that they have performed.
We will also push forward the Raise the Wage Act to gradually bring the Federal minimum wage in line with the economic reality of American workers.
Mr. Speaker, Democrats will also defend Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. We will do this with legislation such as Representative John Larson's Social Security 2100 Act, which will increase benefits while ensuring that the superwealthy pay their fair share and secure this critical program for future generations.
The House Republican budget scheme, endorsed by our President and designed to help the superwealthy and their billionaire buddies like Elon Musk, will cut Social Security benefits and Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
In my district alone, the Republican proposal will gut Medicaid for 250,000 of my constituents. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle will also go after Social Security benefits for those in need. In my district, 89,163 children will lose their healthcare based upon the budget proposal that the Republicans are pursuing.
Republicans will also cut $1 trillion out of Medicaid, and that will gut healthcare services for millions of seniors, for pregnant women, and for children with disabilities.
Mr. Speaker, the Democrats will defend our borders, and we will do this with wise legislation and comprehensive reform.
Unfortunately, last year, a congressional bipartisan proposal in the Senate to pass historic immigration reform was killed by the current President, who was not then in office. He called upon the Republicans to stop, not to proceed, and my Republican colleagues didn't. That left us with the current crisis.
We have a proposal. Congresswoman Linda Sanchez' U.S. Citizenship Act will modernize our immigration laws, strengthen our economy, and provide for a responsible approach to border management, family reunification, and for the necessary workers that we need.
We will do better, and we will deliver actual results that solve problems, not create additional problems.
Democrats will pay for all of this by making sure that we have a fair, equitable tax system in which the superwealthy and the billionaires will pay their fair share. We will not go down the path that our Republican friends intend to go, and that is to extend the 2017 tax cut law that actually provided more than 85 percent of the trillions of dollars of benefits of lower taxes that go to the superwealthy and the billionaire class.
We are not going to go that direction. The superwealthy and the billionaires should not have a continuation of that tax cut.
We will also take a look at the cut to corporate taxes that was in that legislation. A tax rate of 28 percent was on the docket for many years until 2017. Even today, if we were to go back to that, it is much lower than it was prior to that time.
We will not raise taxes on any family earning less than $400,000. We will restore the long-term capital gains rate to 28 percent, which is actually lower than the previous rates.
We have much work ahead of us, and we intend to see that it gets done.
Let me be clear, as you heard from my colleagues here earlier, the work that the DOGE boys and women are doing is a break-it policy that Elon Musk has brought to the government. He has no business being in government. He has no authority, or does he?
In the morning, we hear from the White House that he has no authority. In the afternoon, we hear that he does. Either way, what he is doing is dead wrong.
We know from the past that there is waste, fraud, and abuse out there, and we know how to do it. It has been done in a wise, thoughtful way. We tried understanding what that organization's purpose was and then looked for ways to make it more efficient and effective.
I did this myself when I was Deputy Secretary in the Clinton administration at the Department of the Interior. We were told by the President and the Vice President that it was time for reform, and we set about to do it.
In the Department of the Interior alone, we had just over 100,000 employees at the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and others. We looked at those programs and said that it can be done better.
The end result was that we reduced employment by 10,000, a 10 percent reduction. We made the Department more efficient and more effective. That is the way it can be done. That is the way it should be done. Wholesale reductions and firings, as you heard from my colleagues early on, make no sense at all.
The contrast between what we Democrats have done and will do is clear. We know the Republicans are set off on a course to further enrich those who have much and to go exactly the opposite direction of what Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, that it is not our goal to enrich those who have much, but rather to provide for those who have little.
We will create a level playing field upon which every American will have an opportunity to rise and thrive to whatever level they want with a solid education program, a solid economy, and an opportunity to join with others to raise their future.
It is our moment to push back and to stand up for working families. We will put people over politics, and this is our moment to build an economy that works for everyone, not just for a few.
Mr. Speaker, joining me today in this discussion are several members of our Democratic Caucus.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from California (Mr. Tran), a new member of our Caucus from Orange County who understands these issues and will now share with us his thoughts.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to announce that the first bill I will introduce as a Member of Congress is the Protect Veteran Jobs Act. The men and women who serve our country deserve our unwavering support, not broken promises.
The indiscriminate firing of veterans by the Trump administration and Elon Musk's DOGE dishonors the unwavering commitment that these public servants have dedicated to our country. These heroes stepped up for us, and now, we must stand up for them.
This issue is deeply personal to me. I am the son of Vietnamese refugees who fled war and persecution in search of safety and a better life in America. This country welcomed them and gave me the chance to succeed.
I joined the Army out of sense of duty to my country because I wanted to give back to the country that gave me so much. I wanted to protect the very principles of freedom, justice, and decency that we hold dear.
I don't see those values in the actions by the Trump administration. I see only division, fear, and cruelty.
I have a duty as a Congressman, as a veteran, and as a proud American to stand up for those who made the highest commitment to us. It is my honor
This isn't about politics. This is about basic decency.
Veterans make up 30 percent of the Federal workplace, and when they are unjustly removed, it impacts all of us. From delays in healthcare and disability claims to staffing shortages at the VA, the consequences are dire.
Mr. Speaker, veterans have our backs, and we must have theirs. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this important bill. Veterans gave everything for us. It is time we give back to them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Tran very much for bringing the message to the House about what the current administration is doing to harm veterans. I also thank him for his service, both in the military and in his work in Orange County. I also appreciate him for bringing to this floor and to this House his experience and this legislation. Hopefully, the majority will see the wisdom of it and make it law.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Johnson), and I am looking forward to her thoughts.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from California (Mr. Garamendi) for hosting this Special Order hour on this very important topic.
Last night, 217 Republicans voted to gut Texas Medicaid, raise costs, and take away healthcare from over 100,000 of my constituents, including over 80,000 children and over 12,000 seniors just in my district.
I love my State. There are so many great things about Texas, but unfortunately, we are number one in some of the worst ways.
Texas leads the Nation in the number of people without health insurance--for children and adults. We lead the Nation in maternal mortality, having the highest number of mothers die during childbirth. We lead the Nation in infant mortality.
Over 4.8 million Texans currently rely on Medicaid, over 16 percent of our State. These are not just statistics to gloss over, but they are children, moms, seniors, and our loved ones in nursing homes.
The Republican-endorsed cuts will exacerbate Texas' healthcare crisis, creating irresponsible, political-based policy instead of collaborating for real solutions.
In addition to the loss of healthcare access, many of those still with coverage will see their costs skyrocket.
Under the Republican budget they voted for just last night, the average premium for 103,000 people who receive coverage under the Affordable Care Act in my district will increase by 69 percent. Let me say that again. Their premiums will increase by 69 percent because of what the Republicans have done in this budget.
Many families would face even steeper consequences. In Texas-32, a 60-year-old couple with a household income of $85,000 would see their health insurance premiums increase by $13,000 a year. That is a 181 percent increase in just 1 year. Families cannot afford that.
Mr. Speaker, I am all for cutting waste and finding fraud and abuse, but taking away healthcare and making it unaffordable for the people of Texas is not the way to do it.
Texas Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security programs must be protected. They represent our commitment to the American people that their government will be there to help them when they are at their most vulnerable.
The fact is that these cuts will mean life-altering changes for families across America and will lead to nursing homes being closed, doctors refusing to care for patients, healthcare claims being denied, and more debt and increased costs on the backs of families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
I will ask this question to my Republican colleagues: Are you ready to take in your aging parents to care for them when your local nursing homes close? Are you ready to move your dining room table out and bring in a hospital bed because there is not a long-term care facility to take care of them?
We have already lost 27 rural hospitals in Texas because of a lack of adequate Medicaid funding. It takes some people in our State 3 to 4 hours just to get to a cardiologist after they have a heart attack--and do you know what? They are dead.
This has real consequences for people when we don't have adequate healthcare. This should not be a partisan issue. It doesn't matter if you are a Republican or Democrat. When your mom is sick, you want them to have healthcare. When your baby breaks their arm, you want them to have healthcare. This is a universal human issue, and it is irresponsible what the Republicans have done in this budget.
I am proud to stand with my Democratic colleagues as we fight against these devastating cuts, and I encourage my Republican colleagues to join us because their constituents want healthcare, too. Everyone does.
Mr. Speaker, I am committed to finding ways to improve healthcare and make it more reliable and affordable. That is what Texas families want. That is what the American people want.
Sure. I am Julie Johnson. I represent Texas-32. I am from Dallas, Texas.
It is an urban district with a lot of suburban areas. We have access to great hospital care there. However, we still have healthcare deserts. We have people who can't afford health insurance at the current skyrocketing prices that they are. We have very high housing costs. We have people with very high student loan debt.
If you are a 32-year-old trying to live the American Dream and trying to buy your first house or afford your student loan, you can't do it all.
Do you know what the minimum wage is in Texas? $7.75 an hour. You are trying to do the best you can. You are working at the grocery store, doing things that make our economy run, working in retail, but you are making $7.75 an hour.
You can't afford health insurance that costs you $24,000 a year when you don't even make that, and that is the problem with where we are.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to be here. I appreciate the opportunity from my colleague from California (Mr. Garamendi).
I rise today to join my Democratic colleagues in voicing our unwavering commitment to protecting the vital programs that Americans rely on, prioritizing the working families that I represent over millionaires and billionaires.
Last night, I stood with every single Democrat in this House to vote against a devastating budget advanced by House Republicans to enrich the ultrawealthy at the expense of our working families.
I grew up in a working-class family. I am the first and only person still to have gone to college and graduated in my family. A union job offered me the opportunity at 16 to pay my way with rent and food costs in the city of Seattle, and then to go to college. There is absolutely no way that anyone in my district can do that with a part-time job at an entry-level grocery store position.
House Republicans' plan is to pay for $4.5 trillion, with a t, in tax giveaways for the Elon Musks of the world to gut the programs that allow Oregonians to afford healthcare, put food on the table, and keep a roof over their heads.
As a physician, I know that access to healthcare is literally a matter of life and death. I am terrified about what it means for my district, where 200,000 people are at risk of losing their healthcare. Many of them are children, disabled members of our community, and our seniors. They will have to go without Medicaid services.
Now, don't get me wrong, it does not say anywhere in that budget resolution
In the days leading up to this vote, I received heart-wrenching call after heart-wrenching call from constituents desperate for an answer as to why the Trump-Musk administration is pursuing this agenda of cruel chaos and how they will survive it.
To each of those Oregonians who called, please know that no matter the odds, I will use every tool at my disposal, with my colleagues, to expose this great betrayal for what it is. I will stop at nothing to safeguard the programs that my constituents rely on, and I will call on my Republican colleagues to have courage in this moment of great need for their communities as well.
I am a pulmonologist, meaning I take care of people with lung disease, and a critical care physician, caring for people who are on life support in our intensive care units.
Your experience is going to be invaluable as we work through this very difficult period of time. I thank you for bringing the message to the floor and to the American people. It is very, very important that they understand the depth and the trauma that the proposed budget will create and the alternative that you put forward. Thank you very much for joining us.
I now welcome to the floor the gentlewoman from California, Laura Friedman. I happen to know where she is from, so I won't ask her, although she should certainly tell all of us about her district and her vision. I yield to the gentlewoman.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Garamendi for organizing this Special Order this evening.
I am Laura Friedman, and I represent the 30th Congressional District in Los Angeles, a district that has really undergone a terrible tragedy with fires, for which we are very much hoping for the kind of support from the Federal Government that so many other regions have received unconditionally after natural disasters.
Last night, I stood on this House floor, united with every single House Democrat, to stand in opposition to the Republicans' slash-and- burn budget scheme that will take critical programs away from hardworking Americans that so many of us rely on, particularly in these difficult times.
Now, was this done by the Republicans out of a sense of fiscal responsibility?
Well, I have got to say no. It is not fiscally responsible to take money away from Americans just to provide a $4.5 trillion tax break to the richest 1 percent of this country and to large corporations who weren't even asking for a tax break.
Let's be clear: This slash-and-burn budget is an attack on families, seniors, veterans, and children. It is a direct attack on Medicaid, meaning that fewer families will have access to affordable healthcare at a time when healthcare access is so out of reach for Americans.
It is an attack on SNAP food benefits, leaving millions struggling to put food on the table.
It is an attack on Head Start, robbing children of the most critical early education opportunities, opportunities that will lift young people out of poverty.
It is even an attack on the tax credit and on many other programs that help our young people afford a higher education. That will make it harder for the next generation to afford college. It will also have the effect of stifling innovation, weakening Americans' ability to lead by staying on the cutting edge of technology.
Now, in California we very much value our public education system. We have Silicon Valley, the entertainment industry, and huge biotech industries. Those are all fueled by the education that our UC system and our private colleges provide. However, because of this budget, so many young people who today are able to achieve that education and power our economy in California, which powers the United States' economy, just leaves us with a brain drain that will keep us from being competitive with other nations.
Why is this happening?
It is just to pad the pockets of the wealthiest Americans, the same people who don't need another handout. Trump's tax proposals will give the richest 1 percent an average tax break of more than $300,000. Think about that, $300,000.
What do Californians and Americans across the Nation get in return? What do ordinary people get?
They get higher costs. They get worse services as we lay off public employees. Those are the same people who answer the phone if you need to help a veteran get services or help yourself get Social Security or need to access Medicaid. The people who answer those phones are being laid off. That will make lives harder for our families.
In fact, on average, families making less than $157,000 a year are going to see their taxes increase by more than $1,500. That is higher taxes on more than 265 million Americans. Instead of making life more affordable, this is going to make it harder for people to get by.
For all the talking that Republicans do about cutting the deficit, with more than $4.5 trillion in tax breaks for the ultrawealthy, this is an upside-down approach that will still manage to increase and blow up the debt by almost $3 trillion. That is not responsible governing. That is not fiscal responsibility. It is slashing critical programs, raising taxes on the majority of Americans, and handing out checks to the top 1 percent. It is a betrayal of the American people.
I am now, and I will always be, a big fat ``hell no'' on this slash- and-burn Republican budget. Democrats stand united against raising costs on American families, and I will continue to fight for an economy that puts hardworking families first and that will invest in the kind of educational opportunities that will truly make our Nation great.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Ms. Friedman. I would like to yield to the gentlewoman for a short colloquy.
You raised the issue of education. If our goal is, as I said earlier with the Roosevelt quote, that our task is to do for those who have little, it really begins with education. If we have a good, solid education program, then people will have the ability to get on a level playing field and to move to wherever they may want to go in terms of their quality of life, as well as whatever income they might achieve.
You were talking earlier about the education cuts. If you would like to expand on that, perhaps the two of us or you alone can bring to this floor the devastating cuts that are being discussed with the termination of the Department of Education.
Absolutely. I am a mom, and I have an 11-year-old. One of the most important things to me is to make sure that my daughter has access to the highest quality education possible so that she can achieve as much as she is capable of.
That starts right at kindergarten and goes all the way up to wherever she wants to go, whether that is through high school, into a trade school or to higher education. All of us want to know that if our child can get into a college that we can afford to send them there.
So many Americans worry, can I pay for my child's education? So many people in my district and other districts worry whether or not their child is getting a quality education at their public schools.
I was at a school this week that has Head Start, where a majority of their children are taking advantage of Head Start because they are low income. In fact, at the particular school in my district that I toured, they also educate children with disabilities, children who are blind or have autism. Head Start is what supports a lot of that.
The Department of Education is tasked with making sure that we have an equitable distribution of resources around the country, and if a child is facing any kind of discrimination in their school, if they are not able to access Head Start, if they are not able to access programs because of their disability, the Department of Education is there to make sure that they get what they deserve, what their taxpaying parents are paying for. Without that, there is no guarantee that this money gets to these young children.
That is right. I have spoken to a lot of our universities that have seen either the programs that they use to deliver scholarships to children who couldn't otherwise go to college be frozen and certainly threatened by this budget.
In addition, one of the great benefits of our universities is the research that they do. This is research that powers our economy, that gives us the next generation of inventors, and gives us the inventions which have led to the internet, which have led to a lot of what we do with the space program, which leads to advancements in clean energy. All of those are being piloted through our universities. They have seen their funding frozen, absolutely frozen.
Even though a Federal judge told the Trump administration that that was illegal and those payments have started again, they are unsure whether that money is going to continue. Clearly, the administration's goal is to end the funding for that kind of R&D that is done at every university, which is part of our kids' education and part of the production of the United States of America. These are the things that we are proud of coming out of our national labs and coming out of our universities.
The benefits are for education, but they are also to power our economy through the inventions that the American mind has been able to create.
Why would we stop that? Why would we stop the very engine of our advancement in the world, the thing that makes us the number one Nation on Earth? Why would we want to cut the funding off for that? It doesn't make any sense.
People who are undergoing programs right now that have seen some funding coming back can't even reach the NIH, who administers these grants, because of a gag order from this administration. There are so many threats through this budget and through this administration, to college, to your kids' ability to access higher education, and to the very institutions that make up our collegiate system in the United States.
Thank you so much for bringing that to all of our attention.
Earlier today, I met with the chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, and we discussed much of what you just brought to our attention.
The research that has been undertaken at UC Berkeley has in the previous year, 2024, created 1,618 new small businesses directly as a result of the research and the effort that the university is making to nurture these startup businesses. These are the businesses of the future that are using the research, which you very correctly brought to our attention, that is being cut.
That research has led to innovation, new technologies, and new solutions. Perhaps you would like to expand on that.
Yes. Besides being a mom, I am a breast cancer survivor. After I was diagnosed, I found out that one of the treatments that has been a revolution in terms of saving the lives of women suffering from breast cancer was developed, I believe, at UCLA.
So many of our medical advancements come through the R&D that is done at our universities. That is funding that right now is frozen and funding that is under direct threat.
For those of us who care about the health and well-being of our families, it is not just about Medicaid, even though that is important. It is also about the treatments of the future that have already shown so much progress not only for the United States to be able to sell treatments around the world, but to cure diseases like cancer, to treat heart disease, to help with longevity.
Those come through our universities as well, through partnerships that they have with private industry. We are talking a huge section of our economy that not only drives us in terms of jobs and making life more affordable, but literally keeps us alive. That is all right now on the chopping block in the Republican budget.
Mr. Speaker, it is very--when you get down into the details here, the research programs, some are stopped. Some will not be refunded and will not go forward. It appears as though the proposal that the administration or the policy that they are pursuing is to limit the money that the university uses to build the facilities and to provide the equipment.
I believe 15 percent--it is about a 50 percent cut from the current funding. The result of that would seem to be, well, certainly that isn't direct; but it is. It is the foundation upon which that research is being used by multiple researchers. It is the hospitals and it is the laboratories.
I would draw the attention of the House to beware of this proposal that is actually being implemented now to reduce the total research money that is available for the foundation upon which the individual researchers carry out their research.
The bottom line of this is that America's progress really comes in five different ways. This has been something I have been working on for many years.
First, it is the best education system in the world, as the gentlewoman put forward in her comments, it is absolutely fundamental. If you get a good education, you have a chance. If our society has well-educated children, then there will be advancements.
Secondly, research is tomorrow's economy. We have seen this through the years. It has certainly been one of the critical elements of California's success in building the fourth or fifth biggest economy in the world.
Thirdly, infrastructure--infrastructure comes in many ways. It is the facilities that the researchers use at the universities. It is the roads, the streets, the sewer systems, and the like.
I suspect that in the Republican budget proposal there will be reductions in critical research, particularly in the research but also in the infrastructure. It is particularly in that portion of the infrastructure that allows us to deal with the critical issue of climate change which brings me to that issue and the infrastructure needed to address that. That is electrical systems, grid systems, and the like.
We also need to make sure that in this process we not only pay attention to those elements but we also pay attention to the international situation that is out there. We compete internationally.
The solution that the President is proposing is that we are going to protect ourselves with tariffs. If we are interested in keeping the cost to individuals down, then don't go to tariffs. There is a need for balance here, and tariffs have a role. No doubt about it. The use of tariffs being proposed by the President will raise costs and will not enhance because the other elements that we need--a well-educated society, infrastructure, and access to research--will not be available.
We have a complex situation out in front of us. I thank the gentlewoman so very much for joining us today and for bringing to all of us the issues that she is concerned with in her district and with her family. I thank my colleague so much for joining us.
We are now near the end of this Special Order hour. I notice that my Republican colleagues have hopefully been listening carefully and have learned and would not continue to pursue policies that are detrimental to the progress of our Nation. I would also hope that they would keep in mind Franklin Delano Roosevelt's words: ``The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.''
I would add to that, that we create a level playing field and that we pursue policies that create that level playing field, that provide access to education, and that provide the necessary support for families who are in need. We can do better.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Moore) is recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the majority leader.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah?
Mr. Speaker, last Monday marked a somber milestone. It was 500 days since the horrific attacks on October 7, 2022, when Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists launched the most harrowing assault on Israel and the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
We witnessed an unprecedented act of violence that shocked the world 500 days ago. We will never forget the 1,200 innocent lives Hamas murdered and the 240 civilians they took hostage that day, as well as those affected in the months following the October 7 attacks.
My House Republican colleagues and I are grateful to President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu for securing the recent ceasefire agreement which has led to Hamas releasing American and Israeli hostages. As we remember this day, we are more motivated than ever to stand with Israel and the Jewish people. I am grateful to my colleagues for joining me this evening to discuss this solemn anniversary.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).
Mr. Speaker, I thank and very much appreciate Republican Vice Chairman Blake Moore of Utah for holding this Special Order hour.
Last Monday, February 17 marked 500 days since the heinous attack in Israel where drug-induced Iranian puppet Hamas launched the most cowardly, murderous assault against Israel and the Jewish community since the Holocaust. The world will not forget the mass slaughter of 1,200 innocent lives by Hamas and the 240 civilians taken hostage, including Americans.
It is a remarkable achievement that under the leadership of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that a ceasefire agreement was reached and led to the release of many hostages, though many remain.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has been successful in eliminating the leadership of Hamas and Hezbollah. He will face the nuclear threat of Tehran.
Americans will continue to reaffirm our unwavering support for Israel and the right of its citizens and Jewish people to live in peace. With the leadership of President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Americans will not stop until we bring home every hostage and achieve victory over the Iranian regime and its puppets.
The people of Iran can be inspired by the courageous patriots of Syria who liberated Damascus on December 8. Additionally, the new government in Beirut is positive for the people of Lebanon.
With the courageous patriots such as Ahmed Albasheer in Iraq, the people of Iraq will free themselves from Iranian domination for independence, achieving stability with prosperity.
Dictators around the world are losing in the war of dictators with rule of gun invading democracies with rule of law. War criminal Putin is failing in Ukraine with Ukrainians inspired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In Georgia, the legitimate president, Salome Zourabichvili, is respected worldwide.
In Belarus, the legitimate president of Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, has been warmly welcomed at the Munich Security Conference, supporting freedom for the people of Belarus.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Open borders for dictators put all Americans at risk of more 9/11 attacks imminent as warned by the FBI. Trump is reinstituting existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Moore for leading this opportunity to cover important subjects that we are working on in the House in D.C. and in tandem with the excellent effort coming out of the Trump administration. It is a more positive outlook we have had lately. With the economy moving in the right direction, it gives people more freedom.
The foreign relations are going to improve. I think it is important that we have strong relations. I think NATO is extremely important and that we support and remain part of NATO. I am encouraged to see that NATO countries under President Trump are moving to step up a little bit more and take some more of their own responsibility for their defense. It shouldn't all be on the burden of taxpayers of America, but indeed with more and more of that self-starting, I would say. We are seeing that talked about in Germany a little bit more right now.
It is always important that we maintain the NATO alliance and that the United States remain part of that, as well as our relationship with Israel. It is such an excellent partnership that we have with them; how we are able to work together in tandem as two different nations with the technology that has been developed.
They do amazing things in concert with our knowledge and our technology in this country, for example, on agriculture water-saving technology. They have to irrigate in a desert. In my home State of California, we have a rather arid climate, but we do have a very plentiful water supply. It comes from the Sierras in the north and the east. Israel has shown the way on how to make water go much farther with their drip irrigation systems. It comes from working together on these technologies, as well as defense systems.
That is important. Israel puts so much effort into defending itself, and America has worked in tandem with that to develop missile defense systems that are helpful for us. They are helpful with our other allies around the world and Israel, as well; them with the Iron Dome, ours with the Patriot, and newer technology that has come since then.
When we consider Israel, they have really been under the gun ever since they were reconstituted back in the late 1940s. No sooner were they were put in place and set up shop than the neighboring countries immediately attacked them. For the Israeli people, it is really an existential situation. They are constantly under threat.
To hear what they are trying to do and the way they advocate for constant peace and coexistence--I mentioned that a little bit earlier today--Israel would like to get along, and they have many folks of Arab descent that live within their country.
When I have been able to listen to different seminars on that, those folks are asked would they like to move out of Israel if they feel like they are an Arab in Israel and may or may not be having a good go of it. They said that, no, they like it there. They want to stay there. We see that cooperation within on people that have that understanding.
Marking recently the 500 days since the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7, when an Iranian-backed group inflicted an incredible amount of damage, death, destruction, and terror on a group of people that were just peacefully enjoying the day, for the next 500 days we have hardly gotten much cooperation. More recently, we have been able to negotiate hostage releases; but they still have more.
Hamas, that terror regime in Gaza that has been there and set up shop not long after the whole Gaza Strip was deeded over basically--and Israel withdrew in good faith, land for peace back then. What is the reward for that? Before the ink is even dry on agreements, the mortar rounds are being set up and launched indiscriminately into Israel.
What are they supposed to do? Are they supposed to just let that happen?
How do we negotiate with that? They are doing the best they can. They are doing their best to keep peace. They are doing their best to be a good neighbor. That doesn't seem to be rewarded in that part of the world.
I think it is perfectly appropriate and I think in a way our duty as an ally to people with a lot of kinship with us that we remain strong as a support of Israel and ultimately eradicate Hamas from what they are doing there. I don't know what the overall long-term solution is going to be in Gaza. What they have going now is not working.
As long as they want to continue to inflict that kind of damage as a bad neighbor, then Israel is going to have to take steps to defend itself. When it does, it does so surgically. It isn't indiscriminately bombing out areas there. I know there have been many, many casualties. We get that.
When Hamas is using their people in Gaza, their own neighbors as human shields, and expecting Israel to not make a move where the terrorism or the rocket attacks are emanating from, what are they supposed to do? Hamas is the one that is evil, using their own people, their own neighbors, their own kind as human shields. Somehow the rest of the world wants to blame Israel for what is going on there. It is nonsense.
As these 500 days have passed and we remember the 1,200 innocent lives lost, taken, butchered, and at the time the 240 hostages that were taken, we must stand strong with them.
I appreciate what President Trump has been able to set up, in just a month, to send a signal there that the United States is going to stand strong with Israel and that Prime Minister Netanyahu recognizes that and will do everything he can to find a solution to forge that peace amongst that and still be strong for his nation and for his people that is essential for its continued existence.
It is an existential threat every day. I have toured the country and met with folks more toward the southern part of Israel. They live on a 15-second alert status basically. They have to be ready at any time to be able to find shelter within 15 seconds in certain sectors of more southern Israel for what might come in as a rocket attack upon them. What a way to live.
On the other hand, it seems they take it in stride. It is amazing. They are amazing, resilient people, time and time again. All they want to do is get along, to peacefully coexist.
I made this comment a little bit earlier, but I don't see the ``Coexist'' stickers on the back of the military vehicles or automobiles that are in the Gaza area or the Hamas vehicles. They aren't interested in coexisting. They ultimately have to be defeated and moved out of there, because this is not going to work long term. You can't deal with unreasonable people who want to eradicate who you are, so I don't blame Israel.
Of note here in Congress, we were able to accomplish an important budget resolution just last night. It is amazing the rhetoric that flies out of here about what we are trying to do.
Government needs to be accountable, much more accountable than it has been. Since the COVID era, when spending went up dramatically, and we are dealing with $2 trillion deficits--how do we even say that so easily and add that number every year to our national debt? We are fortunate interest rates aren't worse off, because the management of that debt, the servicing of that, the interest on that, would consume the rest of our budget if it got too much more out of control.
What we are trying to do and what the Trump administration is trying to do by identifying the fraud, the needless spending that is happening with these organizations, should be commended.
In our budget resolution last night, as this leads us toward the budget reconciliation process, that indeed is trying to find things that will more streamline and clean up our budgeting process. That is a good, honest, earnest effort here.
Hearing the rhetoric flying around on the other side of the aisle or coming out from the media that they are going to make draconian cuts to Medicaid, nowhere in that document is there even mention of Medicaid or certainly cuts to it or some of the other programs that people have come to depend on.
That is going to be an ongoing discussion in the budget reconciliation process of where are we going to find these reductions. If DOGE can keep doing its work without being unfairly criticized for the effort being made, then we are going to find more and more. We are finding billions already, finding bogus contracts, things that the average American is not interested in having their money--$40 million here, $15 million there, billions on certain things. That is not in the American people's interest because they have their own difficult time.
There was a lot of discussion about the price of eggs. When the Biden administration caused an overreaction to bird flu, 160 million chickens had to be eradicated in this country. Yeah, it is going to have an effect on the price of eggs and poultry and other things. When the government does things, there is a cause and there is an effect.
I am hoping with this budget being resolved here and moving forward with the reconciliation conversation--again, it is going to be on national TV in a committee process, open hearings, as these numbers are wrestled with.
It isn't easy. If we can just reset back to pre-COVID spending, with perhaps an adjustment for inflation since then. However, the inflation we need to be adjusting to is something more normalized, like in the first Trump era, instead of the dramatic inflation caused by the Biden policies on energy and massive spending, such as the Infrastructure Act--which, hey, there is some good infrastructure in there, but there is a lot of spending that really isn't infrastructure. On top of that, the American Rescue Plan and then, ultimately, the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which was another trillion-dollar spending spree of pet programs and green projects that the Democrats seem to love.
Maybe we can salvage a bit of that money and channel it into good things. That is some of the effort here, but a lot of that needs to be limited and cut off longer term. That is the effort that needs to be made here.
I keep coming back to my home State's high-speed rail project. There was an additional $4 billion dumped on top of that right at the end of the Biden administration. That is where these eleventh hour pronouncements and executive actions really need scrutiny.
I am glad we have the Congressional Review Act to look at those, some onerous regulations on last-minute spending, on monuments that are all around the country, with massive amounts of acres declared under the Biden administration as national monuments and areas that are not going to be available.
For example, one ocean monument that was set here that is about 625 million acres. How big is that area? Let us do the math on that. Basically it boils down to a million--it really boils down to, in easy numbers, a 1,000-mile square. That is how much those acres add up to, 625 million. That is basically a no-go zone for doing normal things like certain types of fishing, or if there is an area that is rich in oil, being able to take advantage of that and do offshore drilling that would be helpful to our economy.
We know how to do it right. Yet, when there is a massive declaration by the President, just by the stroke of a pen, under abuse of the Antiquities Act, it puts us in a hard way, a difficult way to be energy independent and sustain our own needs as a country when these willy- nilly declarations just keep happening.
Thankfully, that has come to an end, and we can review some of these things and say: Is this really what is effective under the Antiquities Act for our country, for the landscape we have, and for the resources that are available?
I am hoping for good things, and I think good things will happen. We need the American public to have faith and see what has been happening so far with the DOGE process. What we would
Government run amuck becomes abusive. Your rights are limited and your property rights abused, as we see so much of in the West where people are being sued for a 150-year-old fence and charged criminally for a fence line that has been undefined, for example. This is in South Dakota. The Forest Service is going after them for that when it was unsettled. They hadn't even done a survey on it to see if there was something right or wrong with that particular fence line. Property rights are being trampled and people are being intimidated by their government in this sense.
Let's reset on this and put government back in a position where it is accountable directly to those who are elected, who are accountable directly to the people. We will be much better off with that. It is moving in a good direction, I certainly believe, as we have more accountability for the spending. Where is it going? Is it something that is effective? Is it a good value for the American people?
That is why I am happy with the DOGE process. There are some imperfections in it. We will figure that out. We will hammer that out.
The budget reconciliation process will be underway very soon and, hopefully, will be successful. This is something that Republicans have stood for for a long time, the accountability to the American people, accountability for how their tax dollars are being used, and accountability for those working in the government and who are supposed to be showing up and providing a service. Government jobs are not supposed to be a jobs program. They are there to deliver a service to the people that give us the charge to bring them aboard and start these agencies.
Somehow, they think it is supposed to be 100 percent job security. That isn't available anywhere else in the country in the private sector, especially when overactive government and overactive regulators can sweep away your right to farm, to mine, to ranch, to have a business or have it taken away by eminent domain, such as we have seen on the Point Reyes National Seashore, where 12 ranching families there, dairy and beef ranchers, have had that swept away from them after they finally relented back in the early sixties to sell the land, because the government came and bullied them off of it. Now they are kicking them off all the way, if that is allowed to stand. I hope we can put a stop to that, because that is not right and that is not the American way of doing things.
There is a lot of energy to do the right things for the American people coming from the administration and from this House. Hopefully, the Senate can take up what we send over there and have success on that. It is really about, again, resetting and making government accountable to the people and doing what is best for them, not what is best for the expansion of the government and the furthering of the little fiefdoms that go on in it.
Mr. Speaker, I am really grateful for the opportunity here. I am grateful that our House was able to pass the budget resolution and continue the process. It is going to be one I think we can ultimately be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California, and I always appreciate his participation.
I thank the rest of my colleagues for being here tonight and taking time to speak on the horrific assault against our ally and the Jewish community.
On October 7, 2022, the world was shocked at the atrocities carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel and the Jewish community. Nearly 3,000 Hamas fighters crossed into Israel by land, air, and sea, killing around 1,200 people and taking more than 250 Israeli and foreign hostages.
October 7 will forever be a turning point in history.
As we reflect on the events of that day and the 500 days that have followed, it is imperative that we also recognize the broader implications of this attack.
It was not just an assault on Israel. It was an attack on the American vision for a safe and secure Middle East, which was led, perpetuated, and financed by the Iranian regime.
The Hamas perpetrators not only set out to destroy the very existence of the State of Israel, but they sought something larger. They wanted to prevent a seismic shift in the region from taking place. I am, of course, referring to the early success of the Abraham Accords, negotiated by the first Trump administration, and the long-term goal of a Saudi-Israel peace and normalization agreement.
Iran and its terrorist proxy groups, like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, could not bear to see Israel accepted by its neighbors or folded into the community of nations where it rightly belongs. Instead, they chose to commit unspeakable acts of violence, rape, terror, and slaughter.
As we mark 500 days since the October 7 attack, we must also look at the ongoing suffering of those affected by this violence. There are countless families and individuals living with the scars of that day. It is our duty to honor their memory and ensure that attacks like this never happen again.
We must remain vigilant against the threats posed by extremist groups and continue to champion freedom and democracy around the world. We must also work to strengthen the Abraham Accords, push hard for Saudi- Israeli normalization, and ensure that Iran's plan to destabilize the Middle East fails. We have a plan. We have a vision for success in the region and now is not the time to take our foot off the gas pedal.
House Republicans will remain steadfast in maintaining a strong relationship with Israel to continue to ensure that freedom and democracy endure.
Highlighting Notable Black Leaders From Michigan's Third Congressional District
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Scholten) for 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I welcome my friends, family, and constituents back home in west Michigan to my Special Order hour honoring notable Black west Michiganders and the impact they have made on our wonderful community.
Black History Month is not just about reflecting on the past. It is also about acknowledging the incredible individuals who have shaped our communities and continue to inspire future generations.
Black history is woven into the very fabric of America, and it is our duty to honor it, not just in February but every single day of the year.
As the Representative of Michigan's Third Congressional District, I am privileged to highlight some of the remarkable Black leaders, educators, athletes, activists, and artists who have left their mark on west Michigan. Their stories are ones of perseverance, excellence, and resilience in the face of adversity. They remind us that history is not just something written in textbooks, but it is alive in the people who have worked tirelessly to break barriers and uplift their communities. I want to first tell you about Lyman Parks first.
Lyman Parks, Grand Rapids Mayor: After moving to Grand Rapids to serve as a pastor of the First Community AME Church in 1968, he was elected as the first Black commissioner in the city's history.
Lyman Parks holds a special place in our history as the first and only Black mayor of Grand Rapids. His leadership throughout the 1970s marked a turning point for the city, proving that Black leaders could and should have a seat at the table in shaping the future of our communities.
In 2003, Parks was awarded the GIANT Among Giants Award, an annual award presented by the city of Grand Rapids since 1983 to recognize exceptional contributions by African Americans to the greater Grand Rapids community.
Rillastine Wilkins, City Council: At age 18 and with $3 in her pocket, Wilkins made her way to Muskegon, where she had an aunt. She became active in the civil rights movement and attended school board meetings and Muskegon Heights City Council meetings.
Rillastine Wilkins shattered glass ceilings, becoming the first female city
In 1999, she was elected as the city's first Black female mayor. Her leadership spanned decades, influencing local government and paving the way for future Black women in politics throughout west Michigan.
Hattie Beverly, Teacher Extraordinaire: In 1899, Hattie became the first African-American woman to teach in Grand Rapids Public Schools, a feat that did not come without struggle.
Despite her remarkable academic achievements, she faced resistance from those who believed a Black woman should not teach White children. Yet, she persevered, and we are so much better because she did.
Though her teaching career was tragically cut short when she passed away at the tender age of 30, Beverly's impact resonated beyond her lifetime. Her legacy of determination and excellence paved the way for future Black educators, ensuring the doors she opened would remain open for others to walk through.
Jimmy Carter, Basketball: No, not that Jimmy Carter, but still, he looms large in west Michigan as a basketball phenom and a name truly synonymous with basketball excellence in Grand Rapids.
Jimmy Carter dedicated his life to shaping young athletes. From his high school days at South High School to coaching and mentoring multiple children and young athletes at various schools, Carter's influence in the sports world has been profound.
Carter's contributions extend far beyond the court, as well, proving that mentorship and investing in young athletes can transform lives. He was recently inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame, and that solidifies his place in history.
Helen Claytor, Activist: Helen Claytor's work with the Young Women's Christian Association extends far beyond Grand Rapids. She was the first Black woman to serve as president of the national YWCA board of directors. Under her leadership, the organization embraced the fight against racism, making racial justice a core tenet of its mission.
Her work reminds us that institutions have a responsibility to be antiracist and that leadership must reflect the values of equity and justice.
Today, her legacy stands tall in Grand Rapids, both figuratively and literally, with her statue near GRCC's campus.
Dr. Patricia Pulliam, Publisher: As an educator, Dr. Pulliam worked tirelessly to uplift students in Grand Rapids, serving as an adviser, mentor, and leader in higher education.
Beyond the classroom, she became a publisher and, later, owner of The Grand Rapids Times, ensuring that the stories of Black residents were not just heard but celebrated. She also cofounded the GIANT Awards, an annual ceremony recognizing Black excellence in our community.
Her contributions continue to inspire. While the media has often ignored or misrepresented Black voices, thanks to leaders like Dr. Pulliam, those voices are amplified and preserved.
Dr. John Butler, Boxing Champion: In 1953, Dr. Butler became the first Grand Rapids boxer to win a National Golden Gloves title, an accomplishment that cemented his legacy in the sport.
Dr. Butler was not just a fighter in the ring. He was also a fighter for education and equality.
Growing up in Mississippi, he faced the harsh realities of poverty and racism. His mother, determined to give her family a better future, moved them to Grand Rapids, where Dr. Butler found his passion for boxing.
Through the mentorship of his trainer, he not only honed his athletic abilities but also understood the importance of education. That discipline led him to earn a Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
Dr. Butler dedicated his career to the Grand Rapids school system, serving as a teacher and assistant principal and eventually training city employees in public service. He provided guidance to young Black students who faced adversity, making an impact far beyond the classroom.
Today, his legacy is forever etched in the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame, a testament to his dedication to both sports and education.
Paul Collins, Artist: Paul Collins has spent his life using his artistic talents to tell the stories of those often overlooked.
Born in Muskegon and raised in Grand Rapids, Collins was drawn to art from a young age. Despite initial discouragement, he pursued his passion, eventually traveling to West Africa to immerse himself in his cultural roots.
Collins' work has been displayed worldwide, from exhibitions in Africa to murals honoring historical figures in the United States.
He was the first Black artist to paint a sitting President when he painted President Gerald R. Ford.
His contributions to the art world also include designing the Martin Luther King Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize Medal and the Challenger 7 space shuttle logo.
As we celebrate Black History Month, let us remember that these stories are not just relics of the past, but they are living legacies that continue to shape our community.
It is our duty to ensure that these trailblazers live on, that we continue the fight for equality, and that we uplift and support Black voices in our community.
It is our duty to ensure that we continue to tell these stories.
Black history is American history, and it is a history that deserves to be honored not just in February but every single day. These achievements are proof that progress is possible, but only if we remain committed to justice, inclusion, the power of education, and advocacy. I am proud to continue to carry on their legacy through this Special Order hour today.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 3, 2025, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal) for 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. A number of members are going to come to provide testimony tonight about what we perceive is a betrayal of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle of the American people with the recently passed budget resolution that really is going to provide tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans in exchange for cuts in vital, essential programs for working- and middle-class families.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand here with my colleagues from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to call out the partisan Republican budget resolution that passed last night for what it is. It is a rip- off of the American people. Their budget proposes reckless spending to support billionaires and make everyday Americans foot the bill.
It cuts over $1 trillion, including $880 billion from Medicaid, in order to partially pay for trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthiest people.
These tax cuts would not go to help everyday Americans. Instead, they would go to the richest 1 percent.
Apart from that, it also increases the deficit and the national debt to the tune of $4 trillion.
What happened to fiscal responsibility?
This is a betrayal of the American working middle-class families. There are 80 million people in this country who rely on Medicaid. In my district alone, over 236,000 people on Medicaid are at risk of losing their healthcare. This includes nearly 100,000 children and 24,000 seniors.
Not only that, but the budget resolution would also go after the Affordable
This budget resolution does nothing to deliver on the current needs of the American people. As inflation continues to grow and threats of trade wars persist, the cost of necessities like groceries, childcare, and housing will continue to increase putting a greater burden on American families.
Their budget resolution also earmarks $200 billion to supercharge mass deportations that go beyond violent criminals.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, under this plan, we can expect even higher prices for food and goods, and it further worsens our workforce shortages. The reality is that undocumented workers make up 14 percent of construction workers and roughly 42 percent of our agricultural workforce.
Mr. Speaker, instead of helping everyday Americans, the cuts would go to the richest 1 percent. This is a terrible circumstance.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), who is my good friend and chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Mr. Speaker, today the Congressional Hispanic Caucus comes to the floor united as one unit against this Republican budget resolution that slashes at least 1 trillion--that is right, 1 trillion with a capital T--dollars from Medicaid and other essential programs to the American people, to working-class families, to seniors, and to children, threatening 80 million individuals.
This is a matter of life and death, Mr. Speaker. It is a matter of life and death for our communities. At the very least, 20 million Latinos, about one-third of our folks, rely on Medicaid. More than one- half of the Latinos on Medicaid are children. They depend on it.
Many of them are Hispanic, and they will now have to face a precarious situation where they may get an asthma attack at school and maybe that school-based clinic is not open for those critical first minutes of aid.
Many of them are diabetics, and they rely heavily on insulin, and they may not have the Medicaid coverage for insulin to save their lives.
So this is a matter of life and death, Mr. Speaker. This is not just a regular bill that we do in this august body to feel good or to maybe take care of a specific issue in a particular State. This is a matter of life and death.
You have Latinos with renal problems, and cardiovascular problems. High blood pressure is at epidemic levels in the Latino community. This bill, again, presents a situation of life or death for many constituents across the country and the ones whom I represent in New York's 13th Congressional District, where over 500,000 residents of that district rely on Medicaid and over 100,000 rely on Medicare. So over 600,000 of the 780,000 people I represent are either on Medicaid or Medicare. This bill presents a clear and present threat to their health and to their lives.
In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, Republicans also seek to cut $230 billion in nutritional programs like SNAP and food stamps. That is right. Food stamps are being cut that currently aid 10 million Latinos, including 5 million kids. These nutritional programs are essential to their health and growth. So we are here pushing back on the cuts to food stamps.
In my district, Mr. Speaker, there are over 200,000 households that rely on food stamps. If we multiply that by an average of three people per household, we can do the math, and we can see that it will devastate that community. This budget proposal by Republicans seeks to cut, again, $230 billion in nutritional programs.
The $200 billion in this budget also seeks to supercharge Trump's massive deportation plan which will decimate the agricultural workforce by 16 percent and lead to increased food prices. Mr. Speaker, you can expect food prices at the cash register in the supermarket to go dramatically up. This is egregious.
We are united in opposition to this betrayal, the Republican budget betrayal. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus stands at once and together in opposition to this Republican budget betrayal.
CHC is committed to protecting Dreamers. Those are young people on average that have been in our Nation for over 20 years. They are nurses and teachers. They are bus drivers. They are members of the Armed Forces. They own their own small businesses, they own their own homes, and yet we cannot regularize their status. We support Dreamers.
We are in support of farmworkers. They have to pick the crops and the fruits that come to our dinner table, and many of them are staying home in fear of being deported. Mr. Speaker, you can expect food prices to go up.
Of course, we are in support of keeping families together. A family that is divided, when a mom or a dad is split from his or her children, that family is a weak family. They become vulnerable, and that translates into a weak nation and a vulnerable nation.
So CHC, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, is in support of Dreamers, farmworkers, and keeping families together.
Latinos voted in favor of lowering costs and increasing wages. The budget passed last night only gives billionaires tax cuts and funds indiscriminate raids in our city, all paid for by working-class families.
Again, Mr. Speaker, CHC stands with our community and rejects the Republican budget betrayal.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Espaillat for his remarks.
Before I yield to our next speaker, I wanted to reiterate: Make no mistake, under this plan we can expect even higher prices for food and goods, and it further worsens our workforce shortages.
The reality is that undocumented workers make up 14 percent of construction workers and roughly 42 percent of our agricultural workforce.
Farmworkers help feed our Nation and allow grocery stores to stay stocked with affordable fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, this reality is not what my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to admit.
On Monday I offered an amendment to the budget resolution so we can move forward the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act to provide farmworkers with legal status so they can continue to work on our farms in this country.
Not only is this the right thing to do, but providing farmworkers with legal status helps provide stability and keeps our stores stocked with affordable groceries and domestically grown food, also helping American growers.
Instead, the Rules Committee blocked my amendment, and not a single amendment was made in order. We need to do better than this and deliver on lowering costs for the American people.
I call on my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reconsider this reckless plan that would benefit billionaires at the expense of everyday Americans.
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time is remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from California has 16 minutes remaining.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman, Mr. Carbajal, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I come before you today to tell a very personal family story that motivated my interest to serve my community here in Congress and that continues to motivate me to think about the impacts on families all across my district and all across the country.
When I was 7 years old, my sister, Olivia, was born with microcephaly. What that means is that her brain was small, and the doctors didn't know why. They didn't know if she would live, how long she would live, and what her life would look like.
I grew up in a family of public servants, a bipartisan family, a biracial family, and my dad, who was a civilian employee for the Department of Defense, had pretty good government employee insurance, but that insurance wouldn't have covered all of the surgeries, specialists, and the equipment that Olivia needed to thrive.
However, gratefully for our family, the Washington State legislature in 1993 voted to expand Medicaid. Washington was one of the first States in the country to lead that charge. For us
For me, I learned that government could be a safety net for families like mine. So for the last 6 years in the Washington State legislature I worked hard to expand healthcare access for folks all across the State and all across my big rural district where hospitals are already struggling because Medicaid reimbursement rates are low, where small clinics and independent providers are shuttering their doors because they cannot afford to stay open.
So, Mr. Speaker, if you have a family with a disabled kid like my sister and you live in Neah Bay in the farthest northwest corner of the lower 48 States, then you have to drive hours and sometimes wait for a ferry that could be 2 hours delayed in order to get to a specialist in Seattle to get your kid lifesaving care.
What will happen if this budget resolution becomes reality and if $1 trillion is cut from Medicare programs is that we will see potentially per-capita caps. What that means is that we will decide how much the lives of children like my sister are worth. How much will we be willing to pay for the equipment and the specialists and the surgery to keep medically fragile kids alive?
It will mean that folks without disabilities, seniors and low-income children, and folks with private insurance will struggle to afford healthcare in communities like mine and communities across the country.
We are facing a real crisis in our healthcare sector already. We should not be adding to it by cutting $1 trillion from poor people and people with disabilities, from children, and from seniors who are often dual eligible for Medicare and Medicaid who are able to live in dignity until the end of their days because of this important program. It will keep long-term care programs open if we are able to maintain Medicaid funding.
I am scared. I am scared for my constituents. I am scared for my neighbors. I am scared for the healthcare providers who are just trying to do their jobs. I am also scared for the impact that we will see for years into the future if this budget resolution becomes law, if we deliver trillions of dollars of cuts for families who depend on Medicaid.
Mr. Speaker, we stood here tonight to warn the American people of these massive cuts in vital programs like the Medicaid program, SNAP, and the Food Stamp program, which provides nutritional assistance to our families, as the Republican majority perpetrates a scam to provide the very wealthiest of Americans a $4.5 trillion tax cut at the expense of the health of the American people by cutting Medicaid.
Medicaid is a vital program for Americans all over the United States. It is not just urban areas, but rural areas and suburban areas from the North, the South, the East, and the West of the country.
Americans will be dramatically impacted by these cuts. This is not a Republican cut or a Democratic cut. It will impact people across the aisle. Republican Members have many constituents who are on Medicaid and Medicare and who receive SNAP benefits. Yet, the savings will go to the fat-cat executives and shareholders, the wealthiest in America.
Mr. Speaker, we are asking for the American people to be alert of the Republican budget betrayal, that it is a life-or-death matter and puts their lives in danger by denying them the basic healthcare benefits that they are entitled to.
Mr. Speaker, we stand here as one, members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, to say ``no'' to this plan and to tell the American people that they are not alone and that we are with them in good times and in bad times.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 7 o'clock and 19 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, February 27, 2025, at 9 a.m.
