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08Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Hostage-Taking and the Wrongful Detention of United States Nationals Abroad: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119-69)
09Enrolled Bill Signed
10Adjournment
1 member spoke
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
37 public bills, H.R. 4387- 4423; and 4 resolutions, H. Res. 581-584, were introduced.
Pages H3314-16
Reports Filed
Reports were filed today as follows: H. Res. 580, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4016) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3633) to provide for a system of regulation of the offer and sale of digital commodities by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1919) to amend the Federal Reserve Act to prohibit the Federal reserve banks from offering certain products or services directly to an individual, to prohibit the use of central bank digital currency for monetary policy, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (S. 1582) to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins, and for other purposes; and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules (H. Rept. 119-199); H.R. 3486, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for individuals who illegally enter and reenter the United States after being removed, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-200); H.R. 225, to require the Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to testify before the Congress annually, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-201); H.R. 2835, to raise the consolidated assets threshold under the small bank holding company policy statement, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-202); H.R. 3645, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to raise the offering amount threshold for when issuers using the crowdfunding exemption are required to file financial statements reviewed by a public accountant who is independent of the issuer, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-203); H.R. 3672, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to expand the research report exception to include reports about any issuer that undertakes a proposed offering of public securities, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-204); H.R. 3709, to amend the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 to establish a Financial Agent Mentor-Protege Program within the Department of the Treasury, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-205); and H.R. 3716, to amend the Federal Deposit Insurance Act to require reports on the use of the systemic risk authority applicable to winding up a failed insured depository institution, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-206).
Pages H3313-14
Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Moore (UT) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H3249
Recess
The House recessed at 10:50 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H3255
Congressional-Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China: Appointment
The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following Members on the part of the House to the Congressional- Executive Commission on the People's Republic of China: Representatives Suozzi and Subramanyam.
Page H3257
Moment of Silence
The House observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims of the recent flooding in Texas.
Page H3266
Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026, Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, and GENIUS Act: Rule for Consideration
The House failed to agree to H. Res. 580, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4016) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3633) to provide for a system of regulation of the offer and sale of digital commodities by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1919) to amend the Federal Reserve Act to prohibit the Federal reserve banks from offering certain products or services directly to an individual, to prohibit the use of central bank digital currency for monetary policy; providing for consideration of the bill (S. 1582) to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins; and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules, by a yea-and-nay vote of 196 yeas to 223 nays, Roll No. 195, after the previous question was ordered by a recorded vote of 211 ayes to 210 noes, Roll No. 194. Subsequently, Representative Scalise offered a motion to reconsider the vote on the resolution, on which proceedings were postponed.
Pages H3257-66, H3266-67
Suspension: Proceedings Resumed
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measure. Consideration began Monday, July 14th. Communications Security Act: H.R. 1717, to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, by a 2/3 yea-and-nay vote of 380 yeas to 33 nays, Roll No. 196.
Pages H3267-68
Recess
The House recessed at 2:36 p.m. and reconvened at 5:21 p.m.
Page H3268
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Communication
Read a letter from Chairman Graves wherein he transmitted copies of seven resolutions included in the General Services Administration's Capital Investment and Leasing Programs. The resolutions were adopted by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on July 15, 2025.
Pages H3268-H3304
Presidential Message
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency with respect to hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of United States nationals abroad declared in Executive Order 14078 of July 19, 2022, is to continue in effect beyond July 19, 2025--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-69).
Page H3305
Senate Referrals
S. 283 was held at the desk. S. 433 was held at the desk.
Page H3255
Senate Message
Message received from the Senate appears on page H3255. Quorum Calls--Votes: Two yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3265-66, H3266-67 and H3267-68. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 6:33 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: 101 of 129 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, I rise today with both deep sorrow and immense gratitude to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of my dear friend, Dr. Olga Karman, who passed away last week after a courageous battle with leukemia.
Dr. Karman was a poet, a professor, an immigrant, an activist, a mother, a grandmother, and a mentor.
She profoundly shaped my life and the lives of countless others across the globe.
Dr. Karman was born in 1940 in Havana, Cuba, where she graduated from the distinguished Ruston Academy in 1958 and attended Santo Tomas de Villanueva University.
By 1960, she left Cuba, immigrating to the United States for a better life.
After settling in rural Connecticut, she resumed her education at Connecticut College, graduating in 1966 summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.
Powered by her fierce intellect and passion, she received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship to study at Harvard University, earning her a Ph.D. in Latin American literature in 1976.
Later that same year, Dr. Karman arrived in Buffalo, where she would spend the rest of her life enriching the city's cultural, academic, and civic fabric. She taught Spanish at Nichols School, and in 1980, she joined the faculty of D'Youville University, my alma mater, where she spent the next 27 years teaching generations of students.
At D'Youville, Dr. Karman taught Spanish and helped to establish the D'Youville-Da Vinci High School partnership. Her impact as an educator was immeasurable. I was one of the many students lucky enough to sit in her classroom.
In 1997, I participated in the study abroad trip to Panama with Dr. Karman. As we visited the rainforest and met with the people of the region, she turned to me and out of the blue asked me: ``Have you ever thought about getting involved in politics?'' I said: ``I think about it every day, but I don't know how.''
She gave me a one-word answer that changed my life forever: ``volunteer.'' That moment was a true turning point for me and led me to where I am today.
That story, so simple yet so profound, speaks to who she was: a woman who saw people clearly and believed in them completely.
She believed that politics is personal, that poetry can be protest, and that identity is not a limitation but a calling. Her own life was proof.
As a lifelong author, Olga's work was widely published and deeply personal. Her memoir, ``Scatter My Ashes Over Havana,'' captured the pain of her exile and the complexity of her return to Cuba. Her poems appeared in The Nation, The New Republic, The Buffalo News, and even on public artwork throughout Buffalo's West Side where she lived and wrote until her final days.
Dr. Karman's commitment to service extended far beyond the classroom or the written word. She was relentless in her advocacy for our community and for people. She served on the Governor's Advisory Committee for Hispanic Affairs. She was a founding member of western New York's Hispanics and Friends and helped shape Hispanics United of Buffalo.
She spent her later years as a certified interpreter for the board of parole, all while continuing to write poems and short works.
We lost Dr. Olga Karman last week on July 9. She passed away just as she lived: surrounded by family. She is survived by her children, Carla and Nathaniel, and her lifelong companion and twin brother, Roberto Karman.
Olga's greatest joy in life was being a grandmother to Gregory, Woodrow, Nicholas, William, Hugh, and Mika; and a proud great- grandmother to Ayla, Penelope, Avery, and Lincoln.
She leaves behind a grateful community and countless friends, too many to name, but just to name a few: Michelle Swygert-Seay, Raul and Geno Russi, Mayor Tony Masiello, Judge Raul Figueroa, Assemblyman Sam Hoyt, and of course, her entire D'Youville University family.
Our Nation is a better place because of Dr. Olga Karman. I am forever grateful that our paths crossed. We honor
Dr. Olga Karman will be deeply missed. May she rest in peace.
``Thank you very much, my good friend. We love you'';
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Joe Jensen on a successful 50-year career serving as a 911 dispatcher. Joe started his career at the Marshall Police Department as a dispatcher and is wrapping it up with Lyon County.
His calm voice put people at ease, even during one of the scariest times of their lives.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Joe for his courage, positivity, and service throughout the years. The community will miss him, but they are grateful to him for making it a better place. May he enjoy his well- deserved retirement and the next chapter of his life. Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Joe.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Officer Sara VanLeeuwe on a successful 30-year career at the Marshall Police Force. From the time she was a teenager, Sara knew she wanted to be a police officer, starting her career as a part-time officer.
Over her 30 years, Officer VanLeeuwe has had a huge impact throughout her community and especially loved the work she did in the schools. She taught antidrug classes to hundreds of students and served for 19 years as the Marshall School resource officer.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Sara for her courage, compassion, and service. I know Marshall will miss her presence on the force. May she enjoy her well-deserved retirement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the 2025 Meeker County Farm Family of the Year: the Ahlgrens. Along with their six children and a few part-time employees, Rick and Sarah Ahlgren run the Ahlgren Dairy. The farm milks 220 cows and raises replacement heifers in Ellsworth Township.
While the farm has been in the family for generations, since Rick and Sarah purchased the operation in 2018, the family has invested in new robotic equipment, cover cropping, and a new heifer barn. The family is also active in their community, participating in educational events and even hosting a live nativity scene for the public each December.
I am proud to have a family so committed to both responsible agriculture and their community. It is because of family like theirs that our rural communities thrive.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak out against the attack on every American's right to a quality public education in this country.
Families have been promised the right to send their kids to good public schools, regardless of where they live, how much money they make, or their child's disability. However, the careless actions of Secretary McMahon and the Trump administration continue to threaten that promise.
From canceling programs dedicated to teaching children with dyslexia, autism, and other disabilities in the middle of the school year, to cutting teacher pay and illegally withholding billions of dollars meant for after-school programs, President Trump and Secretary McMahon are choosing to make it more difficult for your child to get the attention and high-quality education that they deserve at school.
They are choosing to miss deadlines and hold your tax dollars hostage, tax dollars meant specifically for our children.
This funding is typically released every year before July 1 to ensure that schools are ready to go for the school year that is about to start the next month. It represents at least 10 percent of Federal K-12 funding in every State and almost 15 percent in my home State of Georgia, almost $225 million.
These dollars appropriated by Congress are meant to improve student learning and empowerment, as well as their achievement, operate before- and after-school programs, train teachers, and help adult learners go back to finish high school.
A few weeks ago, on the evening of June 30, the Department of Education sent out the following message to States:
``Given the change in administrations, the Department is reviewing [the funding for these programs], and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year. Accordingly, the Department will not be issuing grant award notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1.''
In their own words, they knew this deadline was coming and missed it anyway. They chose to wait until the last second to notify States and schools that the funding your family relies on to educate your child for the school year that is starting in a few short weeks is not where it is supposed to be.
Instead of being in your child's classroom, your money is sitting in Washington because the Secretary of Education could not be bothered to meet a deadline that is the difference between a school having an after-school program or not. This is funding that is the difference between a child having a safe place to go while they wait for mom or dad to get off work and come get them or not.
The Trump administration's failure to release this funding on time is disrupting school and district planning, jeopardizing the education of millions of students, and forcing layoffs, program delays, and cancellations for students and their families. It is wrong, and it is completely unnecessary.
Last week, I led a letter to the administration signed by 150 Members of the House demanding that the administration follow the law and release this funding. House Democrats will continue to do everything that we can to make this right for the families who are counting on us every day.
There is no legitimate reason that any child or family in this country should have to personally deal with program closures and larger class sizes. That is what the Secretary and President are demanding of parents every single day that they fail to meet this incredibly basic responsibility.
My son, Jordan, was, unfortunately, killed in a shooting in 2012, and I miss him every single day. While my son may be gone, I will never stop being his mother. I will never stop fighting for every child who isn't getting what they truly deserve from our great country.
When I came to Congress in 2019, I promised I would never stop fighting to ensure that every kid who grows up here in the United States receives the skills necessary and stays alive long enough to live a decent life, a life that my son never got to truly fully explore or enjoy.
Time and time again, Secretary McMahon and President Trump fail to rise to the challenge, and the American people are the ones who continue to pay the price.
No more excuses. Secretary McMahon and this administration must follow the law and immediately release the funding meant for our schools, teachers, and families. It must happen.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of little Golda Eisenbach, who was tragically taken from the Monsey community in June.
Golda was the beloved 4-year-old daughter of Spring Valley Trustee Yisroel Eisenbach, a dedicated public servant from a cherished Rockland County family.
Golda's life was cut short in a tragic accident caused by a drunk driver, a painful reminder of how one reckless
My thoughts and prayers are with the Eisenbach family as they continue to mourn their precious daughter's life. Golda brought so much light and love to her family.
My prayers are also with the other victims of this senseless accident who are still recovering.
May Golda's memory be a blessing, and may her loved ones find peace in the strength of the community surrounding them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Herman S. Geist, a Westchester County legend and a true public servant.
Herman was the first-ever chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and he helped build the foundation of local government in our region for years to come.
A decorated World War II veteran, Herman came home and spent his life working to strengthen his community, from protecting our parks to supporting healthcare and preserving New York's history.
Herman led with humility, integrity, and purpose, and Westchester is better because of him.
I thank his family for sharing Herman with all of us. Herman's legacy lives on in the institutions he strengthened, the people he mentored, and the county that he helped shape.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of an extraordinary Putnam County resident, Patricia ``Patty'' Rathschmidt, who passed away this week surrounded by the family she so deeply loved.
A daughter of Yonkers, the proud child of an Irish immigrant mother and a decorated World War II veteran, Patty lived a life rooted in service. As a nurse, as a mother of 8, and as a grandmother of 12, Patty poured her heart into caring for others.
Perhaps her most lasting impact began in 2007 when her son Luke was deployed with the 82nd Airborne. Patty and her husband, Jim, founded United for the Troops, a nonprofit that has sent over 30,000 care packages to our men and women in uniform. Each one is a symbol of love, gratitude, and the warmth of home and is sealed with a kiss.
Patty's strength, compassion, and selfless spirit inspired all who knew her. I considered her a friend and will miss her dedication and commitment to our community.
May her memory always be a blessing, and may she find peace with her son Luke in Heaven.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true Hudson Valley hero, Ron Tocci, for his lifelong service to our veterans, our State, and our Nation.
A proud son of New Rochelle and a U.S. Army paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne, Ron Tocci brought the same grit and commitment to public service that he brought to the battlefield.
For 20 years, he served in the New York State Assembly, including over a decade as chair of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, where he authored more than 200 bills. Ron secured funding for State veterans' nursing homes, fought for those battling addiction, and never stopped working to uphold the dignity of our flag and those who defend it.
Ron was then commissioner of veterans affairs for the State of New York, and for 11 years, he served as director of the Westchester County Veterans Service Agency, where he fought to combat veteran homelessness and provide our veterans with the services and dignity that they deserve.
On behalf of a grateful community, I thank Ron for his decades of selfless leadership and for reminding all of us what it means to put service above self.
Ron has been a tremendous friend, supporter, and colleague, and I look forward to what the future holds for him.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Officer Robert Scisco, a school resource officer at Rehoboth Elementary, who has been named Delaware Mentor of the Month.
For the last 3 years, Officer Scisco has mentored Yanziel Rodriguez, a rising fourth grader, meeting weekly to talk, play checkers, and build a bond grounded in trust and encouragement. Before every move, Officer Scisco reminds Yanziel to stop, take a moment, and think, advice for a game of checkers and for life.
This is what public service looks like: presence, patience, and purpose.
Officer Scisco is helping build a culture of safety and connection in our schools, one relationship at a time. I thank him and the Cape Henlopen School District.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary heroism of the North Shores Beach Patrol lifeguards who, while off duty, sprang into action to save a swimmer in distress off the coast of Delaware.
On the evening of July 3, lifeguards received an alert of a distressed swimmer and immediately texted one another, racing back to the beach. Luke McDermott and five others searched beyond their patrol zone and swam over 300 yards in dangerous, choppy water to rescue a woman who had been adrift for 2 hours without a life jacket.
Their swift response, courage, and deep sense of duty saved a life, and Delaware is indebted to them.
Mr. Speaker, last week, I stood alongside Senators Coons and Blunt Rochester at the Food Bank of Delaware, joined by advocates, providers, and families, to speak out against the devastating food assistance cuts in the Republican budget. The most powerful voice that day was my constituent, Elizabeth Morales.
Elizabeth is a biochemist, a widow, and a mom from Newark. After an unexpected layoff in 2023, SNAP gave her just enough support to keep food on the table for her daughter while she got back on her feet. It wasn't a handout. It was a lifeline. Now, that lifeline is being ripped away from families like Elizabeth's.
Under this budget, Delaware will lose tens of millions of dollars in SNAP support, putting more than 37,000 families at risk. These cuts don't just stop at the grocery store. They reach into our classrooms.
Up until this budget, kids were automatically enrolled in school meal programs through SNAP, but this budget breaks that link, creating a mountain of paperwork for families and schools and putting thousands of students at risk of going hungry.
We know that a hungry child cannot learn. Nutrition fuels focus, growth, and lifelong success. These cuts don't just take away meals; they take away potential. As Elizabeth put it: This is theft, plain and simple.
It is cruelty disguised as policy. It punishes families not for failing to work, but for living through a hard season. I will not stop fighting until we restore this funding so that no one in Delaware goes hungry.
Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here in the people's House once again.
Just a week ago, when I was celebrating with friends the July Fourth holiday, watching the fireworks go off and celebrating the freedoms we enjoy, many people actually came up to me in Palm Bay.
In fact, one mom came up to me and said: How can you vote to take away my child's Medicaid? He is disabled. For about 5 minutes, I talked to her at length, talking about what this bill is versus what people are talking about, especially the media, especially those right now on my right.
To her great happiness, I think, I told her that her child would not be left behind, that this bill keeps coverage for the most vulnerable, especially our disabled. I literally pointed it out to her, by looking at pages 630 to 633 in the bill. I even told her to simply read the bill and not believe some of the statements she read in the media or the scary texts that were coming out.
A few days later, I heard back from her. She said: You were right. It is in the bill. My son will still be protected.
That was a really happy day for me because people were seeing the true story. They were moving beyond some of the bogus headlines and to the truth. We owe it to those folks who are vulnerable to take care of them. We are a just and civil society that shows compassion, especially for folks who are in need.
When you read the bill closely on pages 630 to 633, it outlines: If you are a senior in a nursing home, you are protected; if you are a child of low-income parents, you are protected; if you are a pregnant woman, you are protected. Those are important items. We made those promises to our most vulnerable.
We also sent a very clear message that if you are able-bodied, get out there and work, be a part of the American Dream, the American experience, and make sure that we are all playing on a level playing field.
We were recently at a hotel. Can you imagine if you walked into a place, you had to pay the full freight for that hotel room, and someone else who made the exact same amount of money didn't have to pay a dime because they either lied on the application or maybe they no longer did a check to verify what their income was? That is not fair.
However, the good news is that with this new bill, there are incentives to get back into the workplace. The latest numbers that came out indicate 10 million Americans are going to be going back to work. The odds are they will actually get health insurance paid for by their employer or, because they are earning more money, they can afford to do so.
That is the American Dream. It is not to be a ward of the State. It is to live the American Dream. It is to be on this Earth because God wanted us to be active members in our community, not a ward of the State. These are commonsense ideas in which jobs matter and dignity matters. That is what we did in this bill.
The other overwhelming rhetoric I kept hearing over and over is, this is somehow a big tax cut for the rich. Again, for those people who don't know, the tax rate for the wealthiest Americans did not change. I want to make sure that it echoes through the next few years, that they recognize the folks who are working and happen to be earning the most money will stay at the same exact tax rate.
What we did do is help out folks who were hardest hit the last 4 years by higher prices: grocery stores, restaurants, their rent, and of course gasoline. Those were all up 20 and 30 percent, and people were hurting. There was no tax relief in 2021 or 2022. Now, they are saying suddenly they want to give tax relief to the middle class.
They had the trifecta back in 2021 and 2022. They chose to do nothing. We stepped up and said: If you earn tips, if you earn overtime, especially if you work for a lifetime and you earn Social Security, we are going to give you a tax cut. Some of those, in fact, are retroactive. That is real money in people's pockets. We are moving this country forward.
I am happy to be a part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to back up what we talked about on the campaign trail and to have a leader in our President who is willing to put it all on the line for people who are in an unfortunate situation. That is the American Dream, and that is why I am proud to support this bill.
I can't wait until a year from now when they see some of the mistruths that were stated on this floor come to reality, that we protected the most vulnerable, stimulated and grew this economy, and really took on the status quo in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Larry Haskell, Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney, who recently announced his retirement after more than a decade of dedicated service.
Larry's career is a testament to true public service. Before serving as a prosecutor, he was a B-1 and B-52 pilot in the U.S. Air Force and a lieutenant colonel who answered the call to duty after 9/11, serving bravely in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
After retiring from the military in 2005, Larry returned to Spokane to continue his work in the prosecuting attorney's office, where he was elected in 2014 and has since dedicated himself to justice in our community.
Over the years, Larry has tackled some of the toughest cases--murder, assaults, gun crimes, gangs, witness intimidation--always with integrity and unwavering commitment to public service.
Larry once said that being elected to his office was one of the greatest honors of his life, and it is clear he poured his heart and soul into this work. He also showed wisdom and humility, knowing when it is time to pass the torch.
As Larry steps into retirement, I thank him for his courage, dedication, and service, both in uniform and in the courtroom. Spokane County and our entire region owe Larry Haskell a debt of gratitude.
I congratulate Larry on a job well done and wish him all the best in his next chapter.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart not just to speak but to mourn, to honor, and to demand that we never grow numb to the unimaginable loss suffered by those who dedicate their lives to protecting ours.
Every day, nearly 1 million volunteer and career firefighters across our country suit up, knowing they may not return home. They run toward danger when many others run away.
They give up holidays, time with their children, and nights of sleep so we can live safely.
Today, I rise to honor three of them, three men from the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department and Kootenai County Fire & Rescue who answered the call of duty and paid the price for their courage in an act of senseless and evil violence.
Mr. Speaker, Battalion Chiefs John Morrison and Frank Harwood were not only respected leaders in the fire service, they were pillars of the Coeur d'Alene community. They were proud husbands, fathers, and friends. They were the kind of men who showed up before anyone asked, who did the work no one saw, and who led not with titles but with strength and humility.
Gabe Eckert, president of Local 710, recalled his last memory with John Morrison. They were just two men on the patio, quietly drinking beers and talking about their dads.
That is who these men were, constantly striving to serve the public and the people closest to them. We lost more than firefighters. We lost role models.
Engineer David Tysdal was also critically injured in the attack. He has now endured three major surgeries. By God's grace, he is steadily recovering. If he is listening today, we encourage David to stay strong. He carries the prayers of gratitude of a nation with him.
Mr. Speaker, this violence was not just a tragedy. It was an outrage. An attack on these men was an attack on the very fabric of our community. That anyone would target them with such brutality should chill us to the bone.
The deaths of John Morrison and Frank Harwood and the injury of David Tysdal are a devastating reminder of the cost of service.
To the loved ones mourning these brave men, no words will ever be enough. May they find comfort in knowing their courage echoes far beyond Coeur d'Alene.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate 37 outstanding students in my district who accepted appointments to the Nation's military academies. They just reported last week, and these are incredibly impressive young men and women.
My district, Virginia's 10th, has an incredibly competitive process and nominates the most number of people
These young men and women were able to get through our rigorous progress by demonstrating leadership, patriotism, and a commitment to service.
We thank the students for their dedication, their courage, and their willingness to answer the call. We look forward to seeing the incredible impact they will have as future leaders of our Armed Forces.
Mr. Speaker, we keep hearing the same thing about the big, ugly bill the President signed last week. We hear we are keeping Medicaid for the people who need it and only kicking off able- bodied people. This is simply not true.
These cuts to people's benefits are a little sneaky. It is not a work requirement. It is a paperwork requirement. They want to inundate people who need Medicaid as a lifeline with paperwork that will be difficult for them to do.
These are folks with health issues, folks on Medicaid with disabilities, mothers and fathers with multiple jobs and kids, or without access to reliable broadband in a few cases.
The red tape imposed on Medicaid by this bill isn't meant to be a flaw. It is the whole point. That is why they have pushed it forward past the next election.
We have seen this before. In Arkansas and Georgia, they promised to save taxpayer money with ``work requirements.'' All they did was kick people off who actually needed it the most. Unemployment rates didn't go up. Why? Many people on Medicaid are already working.
Who is better at paperwork? Is it someone on disability who Medicaid was intended for or someone who wants to defraud the system?
Most of the waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid is actually from providers and not from the folks who need it. No, the real fraud is this paperwork requirement. We need to get rid of it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today out of deep concern for students across Virginia and the country. Right now, this administration is withholding nearly $7 billion in congressionally approved education funding.
This is money meant for public schools. These fund after-school programs, teacher training, literacy training, and more. Without warning, the administration froze them. The result has been delays and potential cuts and layoffs. School districts, including the ones that I represent, are now scrambling to fill unexpected budget gaps.
I have heard directly from educators in my district whose jobs will be on the line and whose students risk losing vital support if this funding isn't restored.
It is our students who will pay the ultimate price, but it doesn't stop there. The Department of Education has been painfully slow to respond to those seeking help.
My constituents have been waiting for months for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness that they are owed. Others have been placed on incorrect student loan payment plans and subjected to poor treatment from loan providers. They are left frustrated and financially strained.
The administration must release K-12 funding and allow the Department of Education to continue their work. Our students deserve better than this waste and red tape.
Mr. Speaker, congratulations to former Ms. Loudoun County, now Ms. Virginia, Madison Whitbeck.
Madison is a proud graduate of Riverside High School in Loudoun County where she cultivated a love for the arts. Madison will spend the year traveling to over 70 elementary schools, teaching students curriculum on making health choices relating to drugs and alcohol.
She will begin her work on the Arts for All initiative, as well, seeking to expand access to the arts for students across the Commonwealth.
Mr. Speaker, we congratulate Madison, and we look forward to seeing all the great things that she does.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a concern I have heard from many constituents about the delays and uncertainty in the visa process at U.S. Embassies, particularly in Islamabad.
Families in my district have cases stuck in administrative processing with no clear timeline. These delays are keeping families apart, creating needless anxiety and making it impossible to plan for the future.
Just last week, this administration announced the firings of 1,300 staff at the State Department. That is 1,100 civil servants and 246 Foreign Service officers.
While these cuts may not directly impact those embassy operations, they are only going to have a domino effect that is going to hurt every single embassy around the country and around the world.
At a time of heightened conflict and global uncertainty, we should invest in our diplomatic and consular capacities, not reducing them. I hope that the work in Islamabad has improved so that our constituents can be served better.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize The Waterville Hotel, a cherished institution in Waterville, Pennsylvania, as it marks two centuries of service to the Pine Creek Valley community.
In 1825, Abraham Harris founded what was then known as the Harris Hotel, strategically positioned on Route 44 overlooking Little Pine Creek.
It quickly became more than a simple roadside stop. It provided rest, refuge, and warmth for lumberjacks, hunters, fishermen, travelers, and politicians traversing our rugged Pennsylvania Wilds.
As the logging and lumber industry flourished in the 19th century, so did the hotel's significance. It hosted community meetings, business affairs, social gatherings, and even served as a way station for elected officials, becoming an integral part of the region's political and civic fabric.
Through wars, Prohibition, economic strangulation, and the decline of rail, The Waterville Hotel pressed on. Under the stewardship of generations, most notably under Jess and William Smith from 1933 to 1945, it reinvented itself, evolving along with its patrons and the purpose it served, the Pennsylvania Wilds.
Fast-forward to 2023, when local residents Jason McConnell and Vanessa Brown, whose families had roots and ownership of the adjacent country store, joined forces with longtime friend Brad Wyland to revitalize both the hotel and the restaurant.
Their vision has been rooted in pride and preservation, honoring family ties and restoring beloved menu items including a throwback menu featuring The Original Mountain Burger, a culinary emblem of community heritage.
Today, The Waterville Hotel stands as a vibrant hub, serving hearty fare from burgers and fries to vegetarian dishes, complemented by local craft beers and wines. The interior is filled with photographs spanning generations, each snapshot a testament to traditions, memories, and the moments shared.
For many, this hotel is far more than a place to eat or sleep. It is a community gathering place. It is their own Cheers, as longtime staff member Dan Collar described. It is a place where locals and visitors alike return year after year, bound by a shared experience of belonging.
The Waterville Hotel serves as a gateway to the spectacular Pine Creek Valley, the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon, and the Pine Creek Rail Trail.
From summer activities like biking, hiking, kayaking, and fishing to winter pursuits such as snowmobiling and snowshoeing, guests make the hotel their base for outdoor adventures throughout the seasons.
As we celebrate 200 years from its humble origins in 1825 to its enduring cornerstone status today, we honor not just a building but a living legacy woven into the heart of Waterville.
It has cultivated community, supported local economies, and preserved a connection across generations.
Looking ahead, under the stewardship of McConnell, Brown, and Wyland, and buoyed by devoted staff and loyal patrons, the Waterville Hotel embarks on its third century with the same spirit of resilience, innovation, and community pride that has carried it this far.
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleagues to join me in celebrating the Waterville Hotel's bicentennial, a symbol of heritage, community, and hope.
May its doors open to new chapters for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the Central Falcons softball team for their first-ever State championship title.
The heart of this historic victory was the junior left fielder Hadley Witherow, who made the catch of her life to seal the 4-1 win over King William for the class 2 State title.
The Falcons were led by Coach Timmy Wakeman and Assistant Coach Jamey Mantz, who instilled belief in players like Kristen Hockman, whose bat sparked the offense; Veronica Gordon, who delivered key hits; and Keriana Stottlemyer, who set the tone with her patience at the plate.
Serenity Burnshire and Carsyn Burton added crucial doubles, and Vanessa Gordon's sacrifice fly RBI in the bottom of the fifth created another scoring play.
While in the circle, Lexi Burkholder and Liz Bilbow combined for a stellar performance, supported by the steady glove of Emily Finks behind the plate. Together, they held off King William's powerful bats.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating this remarkable group, the Central Falcons softball team, and their unforgettable championship run.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor Christendom College, which has, once again, shown that excellence on the field can go hand in hand with achievement in the classroom.
The United States Collegiate Athletic Association named Christendom the winner of the 2025 President's Cup, recognizing the Nation's top academic-performing athletic department. I commend Director of Athletics Patrick Quest and Assistant Athletic Director Joe Dotson for their outstanding leadership.
Christendom's varsity teams posted a 3.51 GPA, with the senior student athlete class achieving a 3.61 average. A total of 45 student- athlete sophomores, juniors, and seniors earned USCAA and NCR National Academic All-American honors. The 20 senior academic all-Americans are Josie Belleville, Regina Bonvissuto, Cate Brezinsky, Jude Burkett, Sean Corcoran, Joshua Cruz, David Echaniz, John Gunthorpe, Miranda Keller, Colleen Kosten, Bridget McCaughey, Mary Noble, Mary Sabados, Lizzie Scarchilli, Andrew Snyder, Catherine Thomas, Michael Townsend, JP Tsakanikas, Christopher Usher, and Nicholas Ward, many excelling in multiple sports. Twenty-five sophomores and juniors were also recognized for their academic excellence.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Christendom on this fourth President's Cup in 6 years, which reflects a deep commitment to forming student athletes who excel both intellectually and athletically.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the Salem High School boys' lacrosse team, which made history this year by capturing their first-ever VHSL State championship.
They capped an incredible 2025 season with an 11-7 victory over Loudoun County. Along the way, they won the Region 4D championship with a 14-3 win over Jefferson Forest and claimed the Tommy Girani Cup, achieving all three of their goals.
Their journey was defined by resilience and determination. After falling short in last year's quarterfinals, they returned to defeat Broad Run 9-4 and upset three-time defending champs Atlee in a hard- fought 7-5 semifinal.
This historic run was powered by standout performances. Jackson Jones led with 37 goals and 47 assists. Holden Custer added 45 goals and 21 assists. Parker Dallas scored 42 goals with 36 assists. Jackson Wininger contributed 24 goals and 26 assists.
On defense, Ronnie Frith, Brayden Hall, and Carson Garland combined for over 120 takeaways and 180 ground balls, while goalie Richard Hof made 125 saves. Face-off specialist Ryan Warren won nearly 70 percent of his draws. Remarkably, seven players earned first team all-State honors.
I commend Coach George Revercomb, his staff, and Athletic Director Drew Barrett. This championship reflects the spirit of Salem, a city that rallies behind its youth.
I congratulate the team, their families, and the Salem community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. This critical legislation aims to safeguard financial privacy and freedom of the American people.
A central bank digital currency may sound like innovation, but under Federal control, it becomes a powerful and dangerous tool for surveillance. This allows unelected bureaucrats to monitor and potentially restrict how Americans spend their hard-earned wages.
Recently, we have seen alarming examples of this kind of overreach, from the Chinese Communist Party using its digital currency to track and control citizens to Prime Minister Trudeau in Canada freezing the bank accounts of peaceful protesters. That kind of government power has no place in the United States.
The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act ensures the Federal Reserve cannot issue a CBDC without explicit authorization from Congress. It protects financial privacy and upholds the constitutional rights of every American.
Mr. Speaker, football fans across the Southeast will recognize that as the rallying cry for the Jacksonville Jaguars. You may wonder how many u's are in that rallying cry. The answer is: No one really knows. How about that?
Everyone knows that there is one ``a'' in that rallying cry, and that is the reason, Mr. Speaker, I want to focus on that ``a'' because, for the first time ever, Duval County schools received an A grade from the State of Florida Department of Education.
It is a big deal. It is a big deal in northeast Florida. This momentous accomplishment reflects the hard work and unwavering commitment of our students, educators, administrators, families, and parents. It reflects years of progress, innovation, and a community- wide effort to achieve educational excellence.
Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier, the school board, and the steadfast efforts of teachers and staff across the district, Duval County has not only met the State's rigorous standards, but it has surpassed them, Mr. Speaker.
To the parents who have stayed involved, to the students who rose to the challenge, and to every member of Team Duval, I thank them. Their success is a shining example of what happens when a community believes in its children and backs that belief with action.
I congratulate Duval on this well-deserved recognition. Duuuval--I can't say it enough.
Mr. Speaker, you might think of a pirate as someone who takes what isn't theirs, but in Nassau County, Florida, a Pirate is someone who earns everything they have with grit, heart, and honor.
I rise today, Mr. Speaker, as a proud Pirate, a graduate of Fernandina Beach High School, and a product of Nassau County Schools. Today, Mr. Speaker, I rise with great pride to recognize a historic achievement. Under the leadership of Superintendent Dr. Kathy Burns, the Nassau County School Board, and a tremendous support team, Nassau County Schools has been named
It is not just about grades, Mr. Speaker. It is a reflection of community vision, a commitment to excellence, and a belief in every student's potential.
I thank our teachers for sparking curiosity and building confidence. I thank our qualified administrators for their steady leadership. I thank our families and parents for their support at home and for making students do their homework. I thank the students. They are the future of Nassau County, America, and this great Nation.
With their hard work and determination, the future is bright as ever. Of course, Mr. Speaker, I will always be partial to the Pirates, but I know they are not the only champions in town. Here is to all of our 17 schools in Nassau County and all 12,000 of our incredible students.
Let's go Warriors, Hornets, Flashes, and Pirates. Their pride, passion, and pursuit of excellence make our county, our Nation, and our community much stronger.
Mr. Speaker, when people think of a strong foundation, they often think of something built on rock, not clay. However, in Clay County, Florida, we are proving them wrong. That is because here, the foundation that lasts is built on education.
Today, I rise, Mr. Speaker, to proudly recognize Clay County District Schools in northeast Florida for, once again, earning an A rating from the Department of Education.
This continued success reflects the dedication of students, educators, administrators, and families working together to achieve excellence.
Under the leadership of Superintendent David Broskie, a committed school board, and the tremendous support team, Clay County has built a culture of winning, where teachers are supported, students are challenged, and families are engaged.
I thank everyone who makes this success possible.
Clay County doesn't just aim for excellence. It delivers it.
I congratulate Clay County and Clay County Schools. Their achievement is a win that proves that excellence doesn't just come from stone. It is forged in Clay.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Norman Benjamin Schmeltzer, III, a proud son of Iowa and a remarkable American whose legacy of service and love continues to inspire.
Born in Davenport in 1949 and a graduate of Bettendorf High School, Norm never stopped representing the values of his home State. After earning a degree in criminology from California State University at Long Beach, Norm joined the U.S. Army Intelligence School, graduating first in his class. He then served as a special agent with the United States Secret Service.
Norm's passion for justice led him to Loyola University School of Law where he graduated third in his class before founding his own successful law practice.
He was a dedicated public servant, a devoted husband, and a proud father and grandfather.
Norm's journey was one of purpose and perseverance. He and his wife, Jane, both Secret Service agents, became the first two agents to marry within the agency. Being a fellow veteran and having a brother in the Secret Service, I know how challenging that is. Their 50-year love story is a testament to their shared courage and commitment.
To his family watching today, including his beloved sister Christine and his niece McKenna, who is here in the gallery today, please know that this Chamber recognizes Norm's extraordinary life and mourns his loss with you.
Norm embodied the spirit of honor, integrity, and service. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness and excellence that will not be forgotten.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair reminds Members not to refer to persons in the gallery.
Mr. Speaker, diethylstilbestrol, or DES, is a drug that was prescribed to pregnant women
As early as 1953, there was evidence it didn't work. Nevertheless, it was prescribed for decades because the FDA waited years to alert doctors that something was wrong.
Since then, we have learned DES is an endocrine disrupter that leads to rare cancers and birth defects across generations of families, including among men and women who call themselves DES sons and daughters and who are leading the charge for more awareness and a formal apology.
One of my constituents, a DES daughter herself, Caitlin McCarthy, has been a leader in this effort. She is joined today with Dr. Gwendolyn Mink, Karen Fernandes and Andrea Gardner, also leaders in this effort.
Despite years of false starts and half apologies, the FDA has still not actually said sorry for failing to warn the public in time.
Mr. Speaker, these people deserve that formal apology. Until then, Congress ought to pass my resolution, H. Res. 342, which establishes DES Awareness Week and urges the FDA to fund a follow-up study and issue an apology. An apology will not undo the damage, but it will set us on the path to making things right.
Mr. Speaker, Americans are grateful that under the leadership of President Donald Trump, America is beating inflation, leading to lower costs, higher pay, and job creation.
American families are experiencing a 7.5 percent increase in real income, more than three times the pace of last year under the Biden administration. Gas prices have fallen nearly 3 percent in May alone, and everyday costs are also down over the past month, including those for meat, poultry, and eggs.
President Trump is succeeding in creating jobs for families, increasing opportunities, and defeating inflation. These achievements reflect the goal of President Trump and the Republican-led Congress to put America First. Promises made, promises kept.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting existing laws to protect American families with peace through strength, revealing that war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump, mocking Trump, with Moscow dismissing today Trump issuing a ``theatrical ultimatum'' as Putin murders civilians in Ukraine and even in Russia.
Our sympathy on the death of National Committeeman Glenn McCall, a devoted American patriot.
Mr. Speaker, this administration's open hostility to programs involving diversity, equity, and inclusion is built on deep- seated prejudices that have no basis in constitutional principles, economic realities, or morality.
Our Constitution has been amended specifically to advance inclusion, equity, and diversity, granting freedom to Black Americans from slavery and ensuring their right to vote, and establishing the right of women and those over 18 to vote, as well--free speech, assembly, and religious practices for all.
Economic growth recognizes the buying power of all of our citizens and the rising tide that allows women, people of color, and those of every demographic to grow businesses and buy services and products that expand our economy and make us competitive in worldwide markets.
Then, there is the morality of helping others. The Good Samaritan stopping by the roadside to help a beaten stranger not of his own religion is a testament to: ``Who is my neighbor?'' It is not just the person who shares my skin color.
Policies to eliminate all DEI efforts are a vestige of the prejudiced past, not a prescription for a stronger future America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Tawanda Dickens, who is a civilian employee with the United States Capitol Police.
Ms. Dickens, as most of us call her, will be retiring in August after many years of remarkable service. Her work is often unseen, as she covers the late-night shift within the Capitol complex, but I, along with many others, agree that her work makes a real positive difference to those of us who know her.
I am so fortunate that Ms. Dickens not only helped me often, but, as she did with many, many others, she befriended me. She is someone who is a friend to many here in the people's House, and she is respected by all who know her.
I congratulate Ms. Dickens on her well-deserved retirement. May God continue to bless her and her family as she enters this new and exciting chapter of her life.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to condemn Republicans' big, ugly law, which decimates food assistance for 42 million Americans, including millions of children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
Erica from Wilson, North Carolina, had this to say about SNAP: ``As a grandmother who is having to raise my granddaughter, this program helps me. I survived three heart attacks, yet [I am] still able to make sure my granddaughter is taken care of.''
At a time when so many families are struggling to put food on the table, why would we take away a lifeline that millions of Americans rely on?
This past weekend, I visited Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, North Carolina, where I saw firsthand indispensable work to combat food insecurity in our own community.
Republicans have abandoned vulnerable, hungry people to pay for tax cuts for billionaires. It is shameful and un-American.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a major milestone in Centre County: the graduation of the 500th first responder from the Centre County Crisis Intervention Team Training Program.
Since 2011, this initiative has brought together law enforcement, EMS, corrections officers, and mental health professionals for 40 hours of specialized training.
These first responders are now better equipped to recognize mental health crises, use deescalation techniques, and connect individuals with appropriate care.
Prior to my time serving in Congress, I spent decades as a volunteer firefighter and cross-trained as an EMT. I recognize and value the commitment these individuals have to their communities and understand firsthand the vital role that they play in ensuring public health and safety.
These graduates are more than professionals. They are pillars in our community, working each day to ensure public safety with compassion and understanding.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Centre County CIT team for their dedication and congratulate all 500 graduates for their service to our community.
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, our National Archivist, our National Security Advisor, and our
The guy with four Federal jobs fired, en masse, more than 1,300 professional civil servants at the State Department, each of them doing just one job and, in general, doing it in an exemplary and excellent way. They have devoted their careers to America and America's role in the world.
Yet, Secretary, Archivist, National Security Advisor, USAID Administrator Rubio has robbed America of centuries of their expertise for no apparent reason at all. This destruction of the American role in the world comes as China is bolstering its soft power everywhere.
This is a giant blow to our national security and effectiveness in the world.
I express gratitude to the patriotic men and women at the State Department, many of them my constituents, for their decades of service, and I affirm our enduring commitment to the values they have worked so hard to advance.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and congratulate the city of Provo, Utah, for earning the top rank as America's number one best-run city.
In WalletHub's 2025 study, Provo outperformed 148 other large U.S. cities, excelling at financial stability, public services, safety, infrastructure, and education.
Mayor Michelle Kaufusi aptly noted that getting the fundamentals right is the most important part of governance, like delivering quality education, maintaining safe neighborhoods, ensuring well-maintained infrastructure, and practicing responsible fiscal stewardship.
This approach is validated by this national ranking, showing that going back to the basics leads to residents prospering, businesses flourishing, and a community thriving.
Provo's success also reflects the vital presence of my alma mater, Brigham Young University, at the heart of the community. Home to over 35,000 students and a world-class private university, BYU provides a steady flow of educated graduates, drives economic activity, and fosters a culture of excellence that enriches every neighborhood.
I am also proud to note that our district office calls Provo home, and I am grateful for the support from the local community there.
I am proud to represent the residents of Provo and to champion the excellent qualities that they have on the floor of this House.
Mr. Speaker, I honor the remarkable life of Charles Parson Gaylor, III, a distinguished district court judge, lifelong Goldsboro resident, and devoted servant.
Charlie embodied compassion in his work, striking a balance between firmness and fairness. He enforced strict rules about cell phones in his courtroom. Yet, he approached the bench with such gentleness and care. His passion for life was evident in his deep love for his family, his genuine appreciation for history, and his fascination with old cars.
For more than 15 years, I was fortunate to call Charlie my friend. His memorial service was a testament to the lives he touched. Many friends, family, and colleagues gathered at his beloved First Presbyterian Church.
For 52 years, Charlie was a steadfast partner to his wife, Rhonda.
Mayor Gaylor, his son, should always remember: Get in, get out.
Sarah and Charlie brought him great joy. I send my deepest condolences to them both.
Mr. Speaker, one of the things we did in the big, ugly bill that passed last week or the week before is that we put more money into ICE than we put into the FBI.
The United States' largest investigative function will be in ICE, not in the FBI. We put more money into chasing people who fix our roofs, take care of our yards, take care of our children, take care of our seniors, work the back section of the restaurants, and make America work. We should be putting that money into finding criminals that the FBI should be finding.
We have a crime problem. That should be first. The people committing felonies, rapes, murders, and child sexual abuse is what they said they were going to go after in the immigration fights. Yet, now they are going after statistics and records for deporting more people than any other country in the world.
It is a shame. Crime should be focused on in the FBI and not, as President Trump said today, that the FBI should be working on voter fraud, public corruption, and election fraud in the 2020 elections, and then he said thugs and criminals.
The first order is to protect us from criminals. Save America. Put our moneys where they serve the best purpose, and that is the FBI, not ICE.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4016, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3633, Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025; Providing For...
Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Scanlon), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, last night the Rules Committee met and reported a rule, House Resolution 580, providing for consideration of four measures: H.R. 1919, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, under a closed rule.
The rule provides 1 hour debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services or their respective designees and provides one motion to recommit.
Additionally, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, also known as the CLARITY Act, under a structured rule.
The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided among and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services and the Committee on Agriculture or their respective designees, provides one motion to recommit, and makes one amendment in order.
Further, the rule provides for consideration of S. 1582, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, also known as the GENIUS Act, under a closed rule.
The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Financial Services or their respective designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
The rule also provides for consideration of H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, under a structured rule. The rule provides 1 hour of debate, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees, provides for one motion to recommit, and makes 330 amendments in order.
Finally, the rule provides for same-day consideration of a measure related to rescissions this week.
Mr. Speaker, we are here today to debate a rule on four pieces of legislation, beginning with H.R. 1919, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1919 serves as a critical safeguard against the financial power and erosion of individual privacy in the United States, as it would prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency, CBDC, or using it to conduct monetary policy without explicit authorization from Congress.
I would like to pose a fundamental question to my colleagues. Should the Federal Government have the power to monitor, control, or restrict how Americans use their own hard-earned money? Further, should the Federal Government be allowed to make such sweeping decisions behind closed doors without input from the public or their elected representatives?
At its core, this bill is about ensuring the preservation of personal financial freedom. The American people have a basic right to financial privacy. They have the right to spend, save, and manage their money free from surveillance or interference.
A CBDC would explicitly threaten that right by giving the Federal Government unprecedented insight into individual transactions and the potential ability to control or limit access to personal funds.
H.R. 1919 is about one thing: stopping the government from gaining unchecked power over how Americans
The potential consequences are too significant to permit unchecked bureaucratic experimentation with tools that could fundamentally redefine the relationship between individuals and their government without clear oversight risks undermining longstanding economic principles.
Now is the time for Congress to assert its role and ensure that any future developments uphold the values of transparency, individual rights, and a market-driven economy.
Next, Mr. Speaker, the rule also provides for the consideration of H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, otherwise known as the CLARITY Act. H.R. 3633 delivers a foundational framework that has been missing for far too long, which is clear, consistent rules for digital assets and the innovators building the future of finance.
For years, American entrepreneurs and developers in the digital asset space have been forced to navigate a regulatory maze marked by conflicting guidance, shifting definitions, and enforcement actions in place of actual rules. These inconsistent conditions have stifled domestic innovation, discouraged responsible market participation, and driven capital and talent to more favorable jurisdictions abroad.
H.R. 3633 addresses these issues directly by clarifying the legal status of digital assets and establishing well-defined regulatory responsibilities between the SEC and CFTC, creating a more predictable landscape for market participants while preserving critical investor protections and maintaining the integrity of U.S. financial markets.
This legislation reasserts the role of Congress in setting national policy for emerging financial technologies. It ensures that decisions with far-reaching economic implications are not made through regulatory overreach but through transparent and deliberative processes.
H.R. 3633 is not only sound regulatory policy but also essential economic policy. It will help preserve the United States' leadership in financial innovation, support the growth of compliant digital asset markets, and provide much-needed certainty to investors, developers, and regulators alike.
In an increasingly competitive global financial landscape, this legislation positions the United States to lead with clarity, credibility, and confidence.
Additionally, Mr. Speaker, the rule provides for consideration of S. 1582, the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act, otherwise known as the GENIUS Act.
This is not just a stablecoin bill. This is a strategic step toward modernizing the U.S. financial infrastructure for the digital age while protecting the interests of consumers, markets, and the Nation.
S. 1582 provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the issuance and oversight of payment stablecoins in the United States. It is designed to support responsible innovation, ensure consumer protection, and preserve the role of the U.S. dollar in an increasingly digitized global financial system.
Stablecoins have become an essential component of the digital asset economy, as they offer faster, lower-cost transactions and expand access to financial services. In the absence of a clear Federal framework, however, stablecoin development has outpaced regulation, leaving investors without consistent protections and businesses without clear rules of the road.
This legislation changes that by providing clear, enforceable standards for payment stablecoin issuers, creating practical regulatory pathways through both State and Federal charters and setting strong reserve and disclosure requirements to ensure these assets remain secure and trustworthy.
Critically, this bill prohibits the issuance of algorithmic stablecoins lacking sufficient collateral, guarding against destabilizing risks that could ripple through the broader financial system. Also reinforcing the primacy of the U.S. dollar, this bill ensures that dollar-backed stablecoins are subject to prudent oversight and sound risk management.
At a time when other nations are rapidly moving to define the future of digital finance, S. 1582 ensures the United States takes a prompt and necessary step forward with clarity, credibility, and confidence.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, this rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026.
H.R. 4016 provides the critical funding necessary to ensure the readiness, modernization, and global strength of the United States Armed Forces. This bill reflects Congress' enduring commitment to our national defense and to the brave men and women who dutifully and selflessly serve this country with distinction.
At a time of rising global threats from strategic competitors, like China and Russia, to unstable regimes and nonstate actors, America must remain prepared and ready. Deterrence requires strength, and strength requires sustained investment, which is exactly what this legislation delivers.
This bill funds operations, maintenance, personnel, and procurement across all branches of the military, ensuring that our servicemembers have the tools, training, and resources they need to succeed in every domain, including land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace. It provides for next-generation systems and emerging technologies, strengthens our nuclear deterrent, and supports investments in cyber capabilities to defend against 21st century threats.
Importantly, this legislation continues bipartisan efforts to improve military quality of life, including robust funding for servicemember pay increases, housing improvements, and family support programs, believing that those who sacrifice to defend this country should never have to sacrifice dignity or stability at home.
H.R. 4016 reflects a deep commitment to national security, strategic deterrence, and support for those who serve. It targets stability, honors peace through strength, and honors our constitutional duty to provide for the common defense, reinforcing global stability, and ensuring that the United States remains ready to respond to emerging threats with confidence,capability, and conviction.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to consideration of these pieces of legislation, urge passage of this rule, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the rule.
Although Bitcoin has been around for over 15 years, cryptocurrencies and related decentralized financial products have exploded in the past few years. Many Americans now own cryptocurrencies, and the industry has seen significant growth.
At the same time, our laws have not kept up with these novel crypto products, and there is wide agreement that Congress must update our laws to appropriately account for crypto assets. However, today's bills are not the answer to that problem.
The CLARITY and GENIUS Acts are bad legislation. They are industry- written bills that give the crypto industry everything it wants at the expense of retail investors, consumers, and the overall health of our financial system. These bills are products of the D.C. swamp that so many of our colleagues usually condemn.
Mr. Speaker, every time our Republican colleagues write a finance bill, it leaves us less safe and more prone to financial crisis. We saw the very real consequences of this when Silicon Valley Bank failed in 2023. That failure was the direct result of Republican legislation that exempted Silicon Valley Bank from Dodd-Frank Act regulations.
GOP proponents of that bill had argued, without evidence, that Dodd- Frank was too onerous and that big banks needed regulatory relief, but it only took a couple of years for their disastrous deregulatory agenda to lead exactly where we all knew it would, with billions of dollars of customer deposits evaporating overnight and with the Federal Government bailing out the bank's uninsured depositors.
This time, Republicans are at it again with two bills that will create a weak and ineffective regulatory regime for cryptocurrencies and stablecoins,
These bills give the crypto industry exactly what it wants. They get the illusion of a real regulatory regime and the legitimacy that would bestow. They get weak rules that can be exploited and manipulated for financial gain, and they get enforcement mechanisms that are so meager and underfunded that they won't deter bad actors.
We have seen what deregulation gets us. It got us the 2008 financial crisis. It gets us bankruptcies and bailouts, and it ultimately leaves hardworking Americans holding the bag while CEOs get golden parachutes.
It is not like we are talking about deregulating some benign financial product. Crypto stands out as a uniquely risky asset. From the invention of bitcoin until now, the primary demonstrated uses for cryptocurrencies have been speculation, fraud, and money laundering.
You can't really use crypto to buy anything. The coins themselves aren't backed by any profits, assets, or other tangible property. While we have been hearing about all the wonders of the blockchain for over a decade, shockingly few companies actually use it in a way that is essential to their business.
In practice, the main real-life-use case for crypto is money laundering. Crypto is used by Mexican cartels to launder their proceeds from drugs trafficked into the United States. Terrorist organizations fund their operations with crypto, and countries like North Korea use cryptocurrencies to avoid U.S. sanctions and fund their nuclear weapons programs.
In fact, bitcoin and Tether are the payment methods of choice for the fentanyl manufacturers in China that supply the Mexican cartels, as well as other fentanyl traffickers inside the United States. These criminal organizations rely on crypto, and the legislation under consideration today will not disrupt that illegal commerce.
The CLARITY and GENIUS Acts will not do anything to prevent crypto from being used to break our laws or fund fentanyl deaths and senior fraud. These bills do not provide any meaningful regulations to ensure that issuers and exchanges fully comply with anti-money laundering laws. Add to this that cryptocurrencies are used to facilitate billions of dollars' worth of fraud against Americans each year. This fraud comes in the form of scams, especially those targeting seniors, where fraudsters trick people into purchasing fake crypto products and then run off with the money, leaving the seniors with no recourse.
Then there is the institutional fraud, the fraud that comes from the crypto companies themselves. Here we also have a long list of examples, the most notable being the fall and bankruptcy of cryptocurrency exchange FTX, which incorporated itself in The Bahamas to avoid American regulatory scrutiny, gambled with customer funds, and ultimately left its customers penniless because of fraudulent business practices.
There is no other way around it. The CLARITY and GENIUS Acts will not stop these types of fraud from happening, and they will leave regular investors on the hook if they are victims of fraud.
The other glaring omission in these bills is they do nothing to stop the abuse of cryptocurrencies and stablecoins as tools for bribery and influence peddling. As President Trump and his allies have demonstrated on a daily basis, any politician can issue a crypto asset, own the majority of tokens, and then anyone who wants to buy that politician's attention or votes can just invest in the asset. There is no oversight or disclosure requirement. There is deniability on both sides of the transaction. Any person, any foreign country can bribe and buy politicians through cryptocurrency like this. Those who have purchased such coins have been open about their motivations for doing so.
Right before his inauguration, President Trump issued his own coin, the Trump coin, for which he is the majority owner. Millions of dollars of questionable funds, including funds from foreigners and foreign governments, have flowed into this coin, as well as his companies, Trump Media and World Liberty Financial.
All in all, it is estimated that President Trump has netted $1 billion from those crypto schemes, taking advantage of the Office of the President to enrich him and his family.
During the 2024 election, crypto companies donated millions of dollars to elect the President. After he was elected, they donated millions more to his inaugural committee. It is notable that in his first 6 months in office, Trump has dismantled all the regulators that oversee the financial and crypto industries, dropped criminal charges and investigations against various crypto companies, pardoned a crypto exchange that pleaded guilty to abetting money laundering, and pardoned the former owner of the Silk Road who was responsible for selling hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of drugs on the deep web.
Apparently, anyone who seeks to buy influence in this White House simply has to find one of the President's companies or meme coins and make a sizable investment. Emiratis and Saudis are investing in Trump's crypto assets to curry favor. People looking for pardons, dismissals, or preferential regulatory treatment are taking advantage of the Trump crypto scheme. Lawyers and lobbyists are advertising to clients that they can buy a pardon for the right price. It is easily the biggest potential corruption scandal in our Nation's Presidential history.
If there is any crypto regulation we need right now, it is a bright- line prohibition on any elected official profiting off a crypto asset.
Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, which paved the way for corporations and billionaires to spend unlimited money in our elections. Because of this ruling, anyone, for the right price, can buy their preferred outcomes in our elections and in Congress. One need look no further than Elon Musk and the crypto bills that we are considering today to see the impact of the Citizens United decision.
We all know about the millions that Musk poured into the Trump campaign and the White House access he was granted before their abrupt split recently, but the crypto industry also spent a lot of money. It spent money to make these bills happen.
Over the past few years, the crypto industry has emerged as one of the biggest and most aggressive political spenders in American politics. In the 2024 election, crypto emerged as the biggest corporate spender, accounting for nearly half of all the corporate money spent. Crypto outspent every other business lobby by tens of millions of dollars.
While the crypto industry's political spending is enormous, what really sets it apart is the brazenness with which the industry buys influence in Washington. Usually, it is hard to exactly pinpoint a direct relationship between political spending and outcomes, but crypto spending is so in your face that we can actually put a price on these bills.
All in all, the CLARITY and GENIUS Acts cost the crypto industry about $245 million, and that is a conservative figure. That is just the money spent on 2024 campaigns. If you count money spent to hire expensive lobbyists to come to Congress and ply Representatives with industry talking points, the number is even higher.
Crypto's $245 million was spent supporting candidates who backed the industry and defeating candidates who did not. Crypto got a good return on its investment. In the overwhelming majority of races that crypto principals invested in, they got their preferred candidate. Now crypto companies have been able to write their own regulations to ensure they won't face serious scrutiny or oversight, meaning that fraud and money laundering will continue unabated, and investors will be on the hook when the next crypto crisis happens.
Fifteen years after the Citizens United decision, these bills are the direct result. Crypto is a textbook example of the consequences of that decision. The question before us today is, how should cryptocurrencies be regulated? The answer we are getting is with regulations provided by the crypto industry itself.
Fifteen years later, Citizens United has been an unmitigated disaster for
Mr. Speaker, we have a political system where any company or any rich person can pay for advertisements, pay for lobbyists, donate to campaigns and PACs and super-PACs, all to buy influence and get their desired outcomes from Congress or the White House.
Time and time again, in every sector of our economy, corporations and the rich have won in Congress, in the courts, in the rulemaking process, and even in decisionmaking by enforcement agencies.
We see the consequences of Citizens United everywhere we turn. It is the reason corporations can screw over workers and consumers with no penalty.
It is why every part of the economy is monopolized by two or three companies that sell poor products and give bad service. It is why we are diving headfirst into a global climate crisis and doing nothing about it.
It is why every time someone runs for office on a platform of putting people over profits, they have to endure attacks from super-PACs supported by billionaires or business interests. Our democracy will remain imperiled so long as the mega-rich can buy influence, votes, and elections.
If anyone was unsure of the consequences posed by Citizens United in 2010, it is now clear, beyond any doubt, that the decision was an abject failure for the country. We have to overturn Citizens United, get dark money out of politics, and make sure our government is accountable to voters and not donors.
To my colleagues here in the House, we don't need to end campaign spending for Members of Congress to do the right thing. Integrity doesn't require authorizing legislation. We cannot allow big money donors to buy or bully Congress. We need to do the right thing.
Mr. Speaker, today's rule also provides for consideration of the fiscal year 2026 Defense appropriations bill. Since taking the majority in the House, Republicans have unfortunately abandoned any pretense of bipartisan compromise to promote our national security by loading every defense bill with radical, rightwing policy riders. These riders have turned what was once a rare area of bipartisan consensus into yet another partisan divide.
This time around, Republicans have loaded the national defense bill with provisions to prevent female servicemembers from accessing reproductive healthcare. They have given a green light to discrimination against LGBTQ servicemembers.
This bill does nothing to address the gross mismanagement of the Pentagon by Pete Hegseth, a man who has leaked classified intelligence, who spends more time in front of his Pentagon makeup mirror and doing press stunts than effectively managing the Armed Forces, and who has prioritized support for bigotry and weird cultural war obsessions like changing the pictures on the Pentagon's website and renaming military bases after Confederate icons.
When this bill is combined with the money spent by Republicans in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the United States is on track to spend over $1 trillion on defense. Every year, we spend more and more on defense. It is not clear that taxpayers are getting a good deal.
After years of consolidation and lax antitrust enforcement, the defense industry has ossified around five major prime contractors, each with a degree of specialization. That means only two or three companies ever compete for major contracts.
The consequences of this consolidation can be found across the defense industrial base. We don't make enough of the weapons and platforms that we need. Production for major platforms is often beset by delays and cost overruns. We spend billions on studies and research programs that don't lead anywhere. Production timelines are always being extended. Delivery times are delayed, and per-unit costs are increased.
In the face of these glaring business inefficiencies, Congress and the Pentagon always give the contractors what they ask for and ask for very little in return.
We need to replenish our weapons stockpiles. We need to quickly field next-generation military assets like the Columbia submarine and the B- 21 Raider. We need to bolster supply chains that support this production. We need to ensure that the Nation has the industrial capacity to respond to a sustained major conflict anywhere in the world.
In order for us to achieve these goals, meet our national security needs, and support our servicemembers, Congress needs to perform real oversight over the Pentagon and defense contractors.
In my time in Congress, I have supported multiple efforts to require the Pentagon to perform a clean audit with tangible enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance. In each case, these efforts haven't garnered the votes for passage because at the end of the day, this body has not been willing to hold the Pentagon and defense industry's feet to the fire.
The Pentagon has failed to complete seven audits in a row. That is seven. Until the Pentagon faces real consequences for being unable to account for the billions of taxpayer dollars it spends every year and failing to comply with congressional oversight, we will never have accountability.
At a time when our Republicans' quest to root out waste, fraud, and abuse has led them to slash funding for American's healthcare and hunger relief, it is astonishing they are willing to write yet another blank check to the Department of Defense with no questions asked, despite growing evidence of cost overruns, mismanagement, and more.
At the end of the day, I want our servicemembers to have every single advantage over our adversaries. I want them to have all the tools, platforms, resources, and weapons systems we can provide. I don't want taxpayers to get a bad deal. I don't want to waste money on overpriced defense contracts that overpromise and underdeliver.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, for the Record, supporters of cryptocurrency exercised their First Amendment right last election and contributed to many candidates.
In fact, those supporters spent over $50 million in support of Democrat candidates. Supporters of cryptocurrency are not just Republicans or Democrats. These are Americans who are very eager to see us pass the most important legislation for the cryptocurrency industry in history this week.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), our Rules Committee chairwoman.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Georgia for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. The four separate measures being considered under this rule all have a singular commonality. They serve to put American interests first, where they should always be.
All of us can agree that within the global markets, and on the global stage, America must always remain competitive and stand tall. That is not sometimes. That is not occasionally. That is not part of the time. That is always.
From protecting consumer privacy to ushering in a new era of financial innovation, providing for the common defense of the Nation to strengthening the dominance of the American dollar, these pieces of legislation are as consequential as they are vital.
This is the caliber of legislation that the American people expect our Republican majority to deliver. Republicans here in the people's House continue to exceed that mark. We have done it many times before, and this week, we will do it again.
One of the four bills being considered under this rule is H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026. This legislation provides for appropriations for the DOD for the fiscal year ending on September 30, 2026.
Mr. Speaker, you know as well as I do that Congress' first solemn responsibility, one of many, is to provide for the common defense of the Nation.
In total, H.R. 4016 provides $831.5 billion and adheres to the budgetary top line put forward in the President's FY26 budget request.
Consider for a moment the provisions contained within this legislation that uphold Congress' responsibility.
Mr. Speaker, there is $189 billion for Active-Duty, Reserve, and National Guard military personnel, which is $6.6 billion above the fiscal year 2025 enacted level. There is an increase of 3.8 percent in basic pay for all military personnel beginning January 1 of next year. There are sizeable investments in research and development, procurement efforts, and operation and maintenance.
Mr. Speaker, I will vote ``yes'' on the rule and ``yes'' on the four underlying measures, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to make in order amendment No. 50 to H.R. 3633, offered by Representative Khanna, which requires the Attorney General to preserve and release any records related to Jeffrey Epstein.
I applaud my colleagues, Representative Veasey and Khanna, for their work to release the Epstein files. I strongly support these efforts and the release of the files.
Last night, at the Rules Committee, Republicans rejected an amendment that would have required the Department of Justice to release the Epstein files, multiple criminal investigations which allegedly documented trafficking of young women and girls by Jeffrey Epstein, a sex offender and financier with whom the President often socialized.
For years, the President and those in his orbit, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, alleged that prior administrations had covered up the identities of the rich and powerful people to whom Epstein had trafficked the girls and the facts surrounding his allegedly suspicious death.
They came into office pledging to seek accountability for the horrific crimes by revealing Epstein's client list and other information, but recently backtracked and refused to release any further information.
There appear to be only two explanations for this about-face. Either the Epstein files did not contain the explosive information that Trump and his allies claimed during his campaign, or this administration is the one covering up what is in the files.
Last night, all the Republicans on the Rules Committee except one voted against releasing the files.
Why would they try to prevent the truth about Epstein's abuse and those he enabled from coming out? That is anybody's guess.
With this previous question, the entire Republican Conference has the opportunity to correct that mistake. They can vote today to release the Epstein files.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material, immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey), who is the sponsor of the resolution directing the Trump administration to release the Epstein files to discuss our proposal.
Mr. Speaker, yes, the resolution was voted down by Republicans last night, so let's speak the truth because there are two Americas right now.
In their America, billionaires can buy silence, sweep crimes under the rug, and count on friends in high places to protect them. In our America, Mr. Speaker, if you break the law, you are held accountable.
In their America, wealth and power buy secrecy. In our America, justice demands sunlight and truth.
In their America, underage girls are treated like disposable property by predators who believe they will never face consequences. In our America, victims deserve justice, and the predators should face the full weight of the law.
Time and time again, this administration has chosen them--the billionaires, the elite, the people who think children are theirs to exploit--over us, the American people.
Time and time again, they have looked into the cameras and promised the American people: We will release the Epstein files.
We heard it over and over again: We will tell you the truth.
When the moment of truth comes, they slam the door shut. Why? It is because their loyalty is not to justice. It is about protecting the rich, the famous, and the powerful, no matter how monstrous their crimes are.
Meanwhile, Republicans in this Chamber are working overtime to gut healthcare for 17 million Americans, to rip food off families' tables, and to kill good-paying jobs in their so-called big, ugly bill.
When it comes to exposing the powerful predators who preyed on underage girls, suddenly, they have nothing to say. That is because they think there is one set of rules for billionaires and another for the rest of us. They think the American people will forget, that we will stop asking questions, and that we will let them keep secrets.
Let me be crystal clear: This is not about partisanship. This is about people. It is our America. No one, no matter how rich, famous, or well-connected, is above the law.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, in our America, no one is beyond accountability. We will not forget. We will not look away. We will not stop demanding the truth.
We demand the immediate release of the Epstein files--no more games, no more lies, and no more protection for predators hiding behind the rich and powerful.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues are referring to a tactic Democrats employed, yet again, to try to take control of the House of Representatives through the Rules Committee. They did so because they are desperate to stop us from passing the most important cryptocurrency legislation in the history of our country and because they are, for whatever reason, desperate to stop us from bringing forward our legislation that funds our brave military.
The Republican majority is not going to hand the keys to the House of Representatives to a caucus that, on a daily basis, impugns and denigrates the 77 million Americans who voted for President Trump.
To my friends watching at home who support bitcoin and cryptocurrency: Make no mistake. Members of Congress who vote against the rule today are voting against the most important legislation for the cryptocurrency industry in history.
I beseech my colleagues who appreciate, support, and invest in cryptocurrency to study today's vote. Do not let those who vote against us today come around during election time to ask for support as they claim to fight for this incredible industry. Judge them by their vote today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin).
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for yielding, and I congratulate him for managing his first rule on the House floor. His constituents are lucky to have him representing them in the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying legislation. This is an important week in the House as we take up legislation to fund our military and advance several key financial services bills, including efforts to establish a clear market structure for cryptocurrency and protect Americans' financial privacy by blocking a surveillance-style central bank digital currency.
Let me begin with the Defense appropriations bill. Chairman Calvert and his team have, once again, delivered a strong, thoughtful proposal that makes
I am especially proud that the rule makes in order several of my amendments, including those that highlight the importance of continued support for the advanced combat engine and innovative semiconductor production, two areas critical to our national security and future readiness.
On the financial services front, as a former member of the Financial Services Committee, I am encouraged to see Chairman Hill and Chairman Thompson leading the charge to ensure America remains a global leader in the fintech sector.
This package brings regulatory clarity to the digital asset ecosystem, promotes market innovation, and protects Americans' financial freedom and privacy by prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing a CBDC without congressional approval.
These bills are the product of years of thoughtful, collaborative work, some of which I was proud to contribute to.
These bills ensure that we remain a leader in the digital asset ecosystem and will strengthen the U.S. dollar as a global currency.
Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this rule and all of these bills.
Finally, to our friends on the other side of the aisle regarding the amendment that was offered in our Rules Committee last night that several Republicans voted against, it is a stretch on germaneness, although it was ruled germane. I do find it incredibly interesting that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle suddenly want to force this issue because it is politically expedient, even though they did not release any of it when they were in charge.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is a debate about what Congress should be considering, and my amendment would simply allow Congress to express its will with respect to the release of the Epstein files. This is something our Republican colleagues and certainly key members of the Trump administration have been talking about for years until their recent about-face.
Congress can express its will. We would like to have it put up for a vote. It doesn't block any votes on the crypto bills or the Defense Department funding.
We think that the administration should release these files. It really is a little confusing, I think, why suddenly our Republican colleagues are blocking this, but perhaps it was a mistake. At least one Republican voted with Democrats last night to release the files, so this would just give all of our colleagues the opportunity to say what they have been saying for so many years, that the Epstein files should be released.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Khanna).
Mr. Speaker, last night, the Speaker's Rules Committee voted to block my amendment that called for the full release of the Epstein files while protecting the victims' identity.
Let's just be clear. They voted to protect rich and powerful men who were abusing, assaulting, and abandoning young women. That is what this vote is about.
A nation that chooses impunity for the rich and the powerful at the expense of children is a nation that has lost its moral purpose.
You ask why did they vote this way? Let's speak plainly. It is because these rich and powerful men donate to the politicians in Washington, D.C., and play golf with the elites in Washington, D.C. They are foreign leaders who we don't want to offend. They interact with our intelligence agencies that we don't want to disobey. There is something rotten in Washington.
This is a question of whose side are you on. Are you on the side of the people? Are you on the side of America's children? Or are you on the side of the rich and powerful who have had their thumb on the scales and shafted Americans for decades?
We are going to get a vote again this afternoon. I hope people will find the courage of a Republican like Ralph Norman or a Republican like Marjorie Taylor Greene or a Republican like Thomas Massie or the many MAGA Republicans who are demanding the full release of the Epstein files. It is not a question just of Epstein. It is a question of trust in our democracy. It is a question of restoring a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, it is a question of the rebirth of a nation that stands for our children. I hope everyone in this up-or-down vote will vote to make sure that the Epstein files are released while protecting victims' identity.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I join the millions of Americans who want accountability for anyone who committed crimes with Jeffrey Epstein. But I ask you: Can you really trust the same radical leftists who presided over one of the greatest scandals in American history, a coup in Joe Biden's White House in which unelected staff actively sought the destruction of our country?
Can you really trust the same radial leftists who sought to segregate those of us who opted to make medical decisions for ourselves during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Can you really trust the same radical leftists who have spent the last decade trying and failing, trying and failing, and trying and failing to tear down President Trump, one of the greatest Presidents in American history?
Can you really trust those same people, who are trying to stop us from passing the most important cryptocurrency legislation in history and appropriations to fund our brave military today?
A vote against today's rule is a vote against cryptocurrency and our Department of Defense.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the gentleman from Georgia, for this opportunity to speak.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule for H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025 and H.R. 1919, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act. Together, these bills provide much needed clarity on digital asset regulation and ensure critical consumer protections so Americans retain their financial freedom.
Before basketball became the great sport that we know and love, it needed rules. Without structure, the game could not grow and thrive. The same is true for digital assets.
Innovation depends on clear, reliable guardrails. For too long, this space has been clouded by legal uncertainty and regulation by enforcement, leaving the industry without direction and consumers without protection.
The CLARITY Act addresses that gap. It defines the role of the SEC and CFTC, establishes clear rules of the road for responsible innovation, and protects the rights of Americans to hold and use their own digital property.
At the same time, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, which I cosponsor, defends the foundational principles of financial freedom. A government-run central bank digital currency would allow unelected bureaucrats to surveil, program, and ultimately control how Americans spend their money. This legislation protects Americans by ensuring the Fed cannot issue CBDCs to individuals.
Last year, Representative Tyler Clancy and I, in the State of Utah, passed a law banning CBDC, but we all recognize that State laws cannot pertain or prevail throughout the country. This bill allows us to establish security and protections for the American people all over our country.
When the Chinese Communist Party thinks CBDC is a good idea, I think that tells us exactly how we should vote, against CBDC.
These bills promote free market innovation, protect privacy, and ensure the next generation of finance is built on American values, not Federal overreach.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I am not sure what the gentleman from Georgia is talking about when he says that my amendment is offered as a product of radical leftists. I know that it is rare in D.C., but this amendment actually has broad bipartisan support, from the far right, from the far left, and from the middle.
We just want to release the Epstein files. That is why we have offered the amendment, and this body has the opportunity to vote on it.
I don't understand why my Republican colleagues are suddenly so adamant about throwing up procedural hurdles to have the Epstein files released.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Sherman).
Mr. Speaker, I worked hard in school, but the grade I am proudest of is getting the first F ever issued by the crypto industry.
This rule prohibits you from considering two amendments that had total support from Democrats and total rejection from Republicans in the Financial Services Committee.
The first prohibits the use of taxpayer money to buy crypto. Trump has already said he wants what he calls a strategic reserve of crypto. If you vote against this rule, you are voting to allow him to buy bitcoin or Trump coin with taxpayer money. That second amendment, also prohibited by this rule, says that taxpayer money will not be used to bail out stablecoin or other crypto assets.
We have already seen dozens of scandals since Sam Bankman-Fried, but now the industry can say we have got total power in Congress. They gave us just a patina of regulation, and if there is ever a problem with your crypto assets, we will get you bailed out.
This rule is incredibly hypocritical. It tells us that we are supposed to be for innovation and blockchain. Then it calls for the prohibition of the Fed having blockchain or any electronic use of the U.S. dollar.
The Constitution says currency is what the U.S. Congress should control, but this bill will say that the dollar must use George Washington technology while China can have a digital yuan and the crypto bros can have hidden digital money.
It is not surprising that President Trump was against crypto until he realized that he could make hundreds of millions for his campaign and billions for his family by signing up with the crypto bros.
This is crypto week. It is also tax evaders month, national drug dealers' day, and human traffickers Tuesday.
Vote ``no'' on this rule. Release the Epstein files. Don't try to distract us and say that the reason we can't protect girls in this country is because --
Mr. Speaker, don't tell us we can't release the Epstein files because you hate Joe Biden or because you hate leftists. People on the right, people in the center, and everyone who wants to protect girls in America says to release the Epstein files now.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their comments to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Moore) to speak to the most important cryptocurrency legislation in the history of our country.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Jack) for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the CLARITY Act, the GENIUS Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act.
I am a cosponsor, actually, of the CLARITY Act, which creates clear, enforceable rules for digital commodity markets and gives innovators confidence to build here in the United States of America.
Similarly, the GENIUS Act establishes a dollar-backed stablecoin, reinforcing the U.S. dollar's dominance in global financial markets.
Finally, the anti-CBDC legislation ensures that we never enact a CCP- like financial surveillance regime in this country.
Together, these bills ensure that the U.S. remains the world leader in digital asset innovation. I encourage my colleagues to support these commonsense pieces of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, digital assets are not some future concept. They are already a key part of our financial system, and Washington needs to start acting like it. Nearly one in three Americans have used them in some form, and we cannot afford to let our adversaries, especially the Chinese Communist Party, write rules for this new financial frontier as we sit on the sidelines.
That is why we are advancing these three critical pieces of legislation to make sure that America stays the world leader in financial innovation.
Under the Biden administration, America's innovators operated in a cloud of legal uncertainty, at best. Folks had to choose between dealing with outdated rules or taking their ideas overseas. The Trump administration, however, has taken a much more forward-thinking approach, and now it is Congress' turn to step up.
The CLARITY Act changes this to establish clear regulatory language that allows for the protection of consumers, while also giving innovators the certainty that they need to build and grow right here in the United States.
Stablecoins have shown real promise for faster, cheaper payments at home and abroad. They have opened access to the U.S. dollar for people who have never had that kind of financial stability before. Yet, while the private sector has raced ahead, Washington has been stuck.
The GENIUS Act fixes that. It gives stablecoin issuers a regulatory framework for strong reserves, real redemption rights, and smart risk management.
Finally, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act is about protecting liberty. It blocks the Federal Government from launching a central bank digital currency that could be used to track or control how law-abiding citizens spend their dollars.
Together, with these three bills, this is a big step forward. President Trump is making American leadership in financial tech a priority. These bills reflect that vision with clear rules, strong protections, and a real momentum to keep the dollar at the heart of global finance.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, last night in the Committee on Rules, my Democratic colleagues and I offered multiple amendments to try to improve the crypto bills.
We offered amendments to prevent the President and his closest relatives from profiting off of crypto while he is in office. We offered amendments to protect investors and consumers and allow the kind of government oversight that is needed to protect our economy.
All of these amendments were rejected by committee Republicans.
Last night, as we discussed the Defense spending bill, we also pressed Republicans on how military families will be impacted by the Medicaid cuts in Republicans' big, ugly bill.
About 850,000 military families on TRICARE also receive healthcare through Medicaid, particularly children with special needs. Those families may now see their health benefits cut or taken away as a result of the big, ugly bill. That issue was not addressed in the Defense spending bill.
Our Republican colleagues didn't want to hear it, and I doubt we will be able to prevent them from proceeding with this misguided crypto legislation today.
Yet, I will say this: If these bills become law, we can predict many more crypto scandals and crises and money laundering. A lot of people will lose a lot of money, and no one will face accountability for taking advantage of retail investors. I hope that day doesn't come, but it is bills like this that will determine the future of our financial system.
Do we want a system that promotes speculation, bubbles, Ponzi schemes, and frauds or one that promotes investment in innovative and productive businesses that grow the real economy in ways that benefit all Americans?
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the PQ and rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this week, the House has the ability to advance four pieces of legislation under this rule:
H.R. 1919, the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act prohibits the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency, CBDC, that undermines Americans' rights to financial privacy.
H.R. 3633, the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025, also known as the CLARITY Act, establishes clear, functional requirements for digital asset market participants, prioritizing consumer protection while fostering innovation.
S. 1582, the GENIUS Act provides a clear regulatory framework for the issuance of payment stablecoins in the U.S.
H.R. 4016, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2026, provides critical resources to strengthen military readiness, support servicemembers and their families, invest in next-generation defense capabilities, and ensure that the United States can meet global threats with confidence and resolve.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of three key pieces of legislation regarding cryptocurrency and our financial markets.
The GENIUS Act, the CLARITY Act, and the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act are all critical bills that will help make America the crypto capital of the world. These bills provide simplified rules of the road for the crypto industry, which so desperately needs these provisions to flourish. Specifically, they create federal standards for stablecoins, provide clear definitions for different digital assets, and prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing its central bank digital currency.
We are in another arms race with our adversaries over cryptocurrency and blockchain dominance, like China and Russia. These are historic pieces of legislation that will make America the crypto capital of the world, which is a priority of President Trump and his administration.
The United States must remain the world's leader in innovation. Under President Trump's leadership, we are finally on track for regulatory clarity, market protection, and innovation without fear of government overreach.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support these bills.
The material previously referred to by Ms. Scanlon is as follows:
An Amendment to H. Res. 580 Offered by Ms. Scanlon of Pennsylvania
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, the Chair will reduce to 5 minutes the minimum time for any electronic vote on the question of adoption of the resolution and the motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1717.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 211, nays 210, not voting 11, as follows:
Ms. BROWNLEY, Messrs. HORSFORD, OLSZEWSKI, Ms. PINGREE, Messrs. SUBRAMANYAM, PAPPAS, Ms. SCHOLTEN, and Mr. SUOZZI changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Messrs. HAMADEH of Arizona, HUIZENGA, and Mrs. LUNA changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the previous question was ordered.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today mourning the loss of life in the State of Texas that touched profoundly everybody across this great country and so many people who are visiting this part of Texas.
Obviously, we have been struck by the loss of life, particularly for those young girls associated with Camp Mystic.
It has been grueling. It was a rough week.
There has been a lot of destruction, and a lot of beautiful parts of our State have been destroyed, but we will rebuild.
Here is the thing that I want to say. When people talk about destruction, what will not be destroyed is the spirit of the people of Texas; the spirit of the people that those camps represent; the spirit of the little girls who are already talking about wanting to go back; the spirit of the people associated with Dick Eastland, the camp director of Camp Mystic who gave his life trying to save those little girls; the spirit of Jane Ragsdale, who lost her life saving five little girls--her guitar was found down the Guadalupe River just yesterday; and the spirit of all the little girls who were riding in the bus as they left Camp Mystic, singing hymns and expressing their faith. They were looking at the destruction that they couldn't possibly comprehend as they left that camp, but they were still putting their faith in their Lord and their Savior.
If there is anything we can take out of this, it is that sense of community, that sense of pride that we have in knowing that we will rebuild and that we will come together, and that sense that we know the power of the cross that stands on the hills over the city of Kerrville, the power of the faith of the people of Texas, and the power of the faith of the people of this Nation who have responded. Millions of dollars have come into the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, $30 million last week, and I think that number is rising.
I thank all the members here in this delegation. Most of them have reached out to me personally.
To my friends and colleagues in this delegation: It is not just Kerr County. It is the State of Texas. Many of my colleagues have been affected across the State, but I thank them for their prayers and their well-wishes.
Just know, Mr. Speaker, that their spirit endures. I cannot tell you how proud I am of the people of Texas, the people of Kerr County, Texas, and the first responders who are today back in the floodwaters, resuming the search for the missing. There are still over 100 missing in that part of our State.
Mr. Speaker, I ask for a moment of silence.
The SPEAKER. The Chair asks all those present in the Chamber, as well as Members and staff throughout the Capitol, to please join us in a moment of silence.
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 4016, Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3633, Digital Asset Market Clarity Act of 2025; Providing For...
The SPEAKER. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on adoption of the resolution (H. Res. 580) providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4016) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3633), to provide for a system of regulation of the offer and sale of digital commodities by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1919) to amend the Federal Reserve Act to prohibit the Federal reserve banks from offering certain products or services directly to an individual, to prohibit the use of central bank digital currency for monetary policy, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (S. 1582) to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins, and for other purposes; and waiving a requirement of clause 6(a) of rule XIII with respect to consideration of certain resolutions reported from the Committee on Rules, on which the ayes prevailed by voice vote.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. A recorded vote has been demanded.
A recorded vote was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 196, noes 223, not voting 13, as follows:
So the resolution was not agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
On page H3267, July 15, 2025, in the first column, the following appeared: The result of the vote was announced as above recorded. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
The online version has been corrected to read: The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1717) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and for other purposes, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 380, nays 33, not voting 19, as follows:
Mrs. McCLAIN DELANEY changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 194, YEA on Roll Call No. 195, and YEA on Roll Call No. 196.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and celebrate the life of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts, who was an intern in my office.
Eric's life was tragically cut short by a senseless act of violence in our Nation's Capital. Eric was an innocent bystander who was gunned down as he walked down the street less than one mile from the White House.
I offer my prayers and condolences to Eric's family, friends, and loved ones.
Eric was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst who came to Washington to participate in our government. He was a kind and friendly presence in my office, greeting everyone who came through the door with a smile.
The loss of Eric will be felt for a long time. We will never forget his presence and kindness in my office. Those he met in his short time in my office will not forget him either.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym was a dedicated, thoughtful, and kind person who loved our country, and he gave his life in service to others. I thank him for his service and for the impact he made on our lives. May he rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Neal).
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Estes) in paying tribute to Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts, who tragically lost his life here in Washington.
Eric was a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts, a proud graduate of Granby Public Schools, and a young man of great promise. He came to Capitol Hill eager to learn, contribute, and serve the people and this great institution, only motivated by idealism and a commitment to public service. Through his determination and intellect, he accomplished all of that.
Those who were close to Eric speak of his thoughtfulness, curiosity, and noteworthy commitment to learning about his government. He loved archery, fishing, and the great outdoors, but surely it will be his character that is remembered most.
To his parents, Tamara and Robert; his siblings, Angela and Jeremy; and all who loved him, including his best buddy Hunter, our deepest condolences on behalf of the United States of America. May his memory be a blessing for all of us.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today for the 28th time to call on the Trump administration to restore lifesaving food aid for malnourished children. I see some of my friends and colleagues are here who perhaps haven't heard this before. I will set aside my prepared remarks.
This is Plumpy'Nut. It is a peanut paste that is used to treat children with malnutrition whose organs are no longer able to process food because they are starving.
Prior to January, the United States of America saved the lives of millions of children by shipping this peanut paste that is manufactured here in the United States to children around the world. That program was halted when funding for USAID was stopped by the Trump administration.
However, the Trump administration has said repeatedly that they intend to restore funding for this program. Marco Rubio said it. Elon Musk said it when he was still running DOGE. They have still yet to do it.
There are thousands of boxes of this product sitting in warehouses in Georgia and in Rhode Island. All that we need is for someone in the administration to sign a piece of paper to get the shipments going again. Every day that we do not is a day that children are starving.
We are not asking the administration to change their policy. We are just asking them to deliver on their stated policy. We are asking them to restore the shipments and to save lives.
Mr. Speaker, with the budget reconciliation package now signed into law, we are finally taking real steps to fix our forests. This is something we have needed for many years in California and all over the West.
The law directs the Forest Service to increase timber sales by 250 million board feet each year and the Bureau of Land Management by another 20 million.
My colleagues might wonder: Wow, 250 million sounds like a lot. It would
Therefore, we will get many more million-acre wildfires and smoke plumes coming all the way to the East Coast, as came for my district in what was known as the Dixie fire just a few years ago.
We will get more and more dead trees coming out of the forest. We will get more logs heading to our local mills. Why is the U.S. the number one importer of wood products when we are burning it in our own Western States? There will be less fields sitting there, waiting to burn if we take this stuff out of the forest.
It is very important in northern California, and in the Western States it is very important. We have lived through these devastating wildfires time and time again, and we are getting really tired of it.
Better forest management isn't an option. It is a necessity. This is the people's lands and the people's asset. If the Federal Government isn't going to take care of it, we need to find more partners to do it otherwise.
This requires long-term contracts, giving the industry more continuity. They will know that if they invest tens of millions of dollars building a mill, they will be able to pay for that mill over the years by having a continuous flow of timber to them.
It is important for our small towns and for the jobs that used to be in them and for the businesses that are now boarded up because of the issues of crime and domestic abuse when people don't have work. They need that work. They need those jobs. We need that for our economy. Make it in the USA.
Mr. Speaker, earlier today here on the House floor, I rose to lead the Texas delegation, my friends, and this entire body in a moment of silence for all of those who have been affected by the floods in Texas, particularly those that were affected in the district in which I am proud to represent in central Texas.
It has always been an honor, as I often say out on the campaign trail, to represent the best part of the best State in the best country in the history of the world. That particular part of the State is, as one of my staffers describe it, Heaven on Earth. At least that is how many of us have viewed it historically.
For now a century, it is the reason why there have been multiple camps for children along this beautiful part of the Texas Hill Country, the centerpiece of which is the Guadalupe River.
Those people who live along it cherish it. Those people who go there for camp cherish it. We have been experiencing the tragedy and the loss of life that now so many across the country have associated with it.
I will turn time over to my colleagues because I have certainly been able to express a lot of my views about this. I want to say just a couple of things in kicking this off.
I view things through the lens of the stories of heroism, the stories of courage, the lives that were saved, the people that were airlifted, the Coast Guard that responded, the sheriffs and the local law enforcement that showed up, the first responders that helped, the State that was on the scene, the camp counselors who showed up, the camp directors who gave their lives, all of the people who showed up and the spirit and the strong faith of a community bonded together by faith that now endures.
That, to me, is the enduring legacy. I tend to look through that lens. From those of us who understand Texas best, I don't think we should miss this moment for the people of this Nation to understand how horrific this truly was.
When I went on the scene--and several of us were there quickly for a variety of reasons, which we will all hear about in a minute. When I went on the scene on the night of July 4 and then again on the 5th and the 6th, and then driving out to go look at the damage and meet with my constituents and meet with people affected, it looked like an F5 tornado had just rolled down the river.
Mr. Speaker, 100-year-old trees were leveled and flattened. Houses were totally destroyed and lifted off the foundation. There was debris. Pickup trucks were fully buried with a little part of them sticking out of the ground.
Of course, as we have been talking about, there is the extraordinary loss of life. We are now at well over 100 individuals who are now deceased that are officially known in Kerr County, but many more are expected. There are well over 100 individuals who are missing.
Of course, now somewhat of note for the entire country are these wonderful little girls associated with Camp Mystic. My children are 15 and 14. They are a rising sophomore and freshman. Many of their schoolmates and many of their friends go to Camp Mystic or go to Camp La Junta or one of the other wonderful camps up and down this area and this part of Texas.
It is hard to put into words how much this is a part of the fabric of our community in central Texas but really particularly the entire State of Texas and even nationwide.
Many of our colleagues were impacted by this. We have colleagues from Georgia and other colleagues across the entire Nation. I had colleagues from Alabama reach out because they had constituents who were lost. It is a wonderful vacation spot that was obviously turned on its head.
The extraordinary impact is going to be felt for a long time, and we are going to have to rebuild. We will have to take the time and the energy necessary to do it. It is, as I believe, the spirit of the entire community that will endure.
As I said earlier--and I will talk about more of this later--it is for me the enduring image of those little girls leaving the camp, singing hymns, while they surveyed the damage.
It is the people who showed up with crosses and the people who showed up in prayer groups. It is the people who showed up from churches.
They are the Samaritans and first volunteers who showed up within days to clean out mud and the people who have rallied around this community.
They are the people across this country who have done so through faith and belief and the power of what these little girls represent and the charm bracelets that they wear. These bracelets were made by the local jewelry store, James Avery, which is a part of the rich history and tradition.
I could go on, but my colleague from West Texas has personal experience with this because his family has been associated with these camps for generations. I am going to let my friend, Mr. Pfluger, fill in a little bit of the personal nature of this. I look forward to hearing from the remainder of my colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Pfluger).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I want to say that he has done a great job of representing in a very tough time. It is easy to lead when times are good. When times are tough, we see character. Mr. Roy has done a very nice job, an extraordinary job, in leading in a very challenging situation.
It is with a heavy heart that I rise today to honor all of the lives that were lost during this devastating and tragic series of floods that swept through central and west Texas last week and to recognize the bravery and the selflessness of the heroes who stepped up when they were needed most. I will start by honoring the memory of the 11 lives that were lost from my district.
They were: Officer Bailey Martin, Bobby Martin, Amanda Martin; and Jayda Floyd from Odessa. Lost from Midland were Michelle and Cody Crossland; and Joel, Kyndall, and Tasha Ramos; Tanya Burwick from Blackwell, who worked in San Angelo for many years; and Steve Edwards from San Angelo.
These lives were lost far too soon, selfless individuals, leaders, officers in the police force, and people whom we
I sent my young girls to Camp Mystic for a couple of reasons. Number one is because, for young women, this was a place where they didn't have access to the digital world. They had access to relationships. They were taught about faith. They were placed in cabins with other young girls where they learned how to develop friendships. They learned things like horseback riding, archery, swimming, and camp craft.
My girls are fourth-generation campers at Camp Mystic. I learned about this when I was a kid and went to many closing ceremonies as a young child, watching my sister and her friends. Now, I have had the opportunity to watch my own girls for the last 10 years attend this camp.
I want to say that my wife, Camille, and I are eternally grateful that we are reunited with my two daughters who were present at the camp during this tragedy. While we rejoice their safety, and I will be forever grateful to God for sparing their lives, we are mourning and deeply grieving the many families who are having to say good-bye to their loved ones and to their daughters up and down the river, campers who were there for the Fourth of July to celebrate our Nation's independence and to celebrate being with families.
It is just unimaginable the grief. It is unimaginable the heartbreak, especially those young kids and those young girls specifically at Camp Mystic.
I want to honor Dick Eastland, who was the owner of Camp Mystic. He was a man whom I have known my entire life, a man who gave his life trying to save campers at Camp Mystic.
The Eastland family for years has poured their lives into young women, building these young women and these young ladies to be women of faith, to be women of character, to be citizens of this great Nation, and to raise families in a way that we would see the character and the strength of their faith.
Dick Eastland and the entire Eastland family are like many other families throughout this country who run camps. Whether they are Boy Scout camps, Girl Scout camps, YMCA camps, summer camps, or church camps, it doesn't matter. These camps are important to our Nation. In ways that sometimes parents can't always do, these camps represent a place where these kids can come to learn how to be better citizens, better friends, and better community members. They are important.
Camp Mystic was important. The image that I will never forget in my mind as I walked the camp just 2 days after this tragedy is where my young daughter stood getting away from the flood that was rising very rapidly, and where she had her head bowed, praying for safety. They were singing songs, knowing that there was a really tragic event unfolding in front of them. They were praying for their friends and for their safety.
My middle daughter said that this was a family. Everybody knew everybody, and this family is deeply grieving right now.
I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for our Nation and that it serves as a wake-up call for us to congratulate and celebrate the countless heroes, some of whom gave their lives. We will never know their stories.
We celebrate the fact that we live in a country where we can freely worship and where we can stand firm on our faith. Camp Mystic was a place like other places throughout this country that taught that to these young, innocent souls. It taught them to lean on their faith and taught them to lean on their friends, their relationships, and their families. It taught them the core values of what this great country affords.
I hope that this serves as a wake-up call for all of us to get back to that foundation, that we can take a lesson from this tragedy and build on it in a way that we do good and honor the memory of almost 130 people now, and rising, those that tragically lost their lives.
We won't ever forget. This green ribbon serves as a reminder here today.
Again, I thank my friend here, Chip Roy, for representing during this hard time and for calling this hour to recognize that memory.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from west Texas. I appreciate his sharing with the country and with all of us and our colleagues the testimony of his little girls and his family and their connection to Camp Mystic. He has been an extraordinary representative of Camp Mystic and those camps and has shown great leadership himself as we are all looking forward to finding ways to make sure that these camps rebuild.
Mr. Speaker, before I recognize the next speaker from Texas, Coach Roger Williams, I want to note that our colleague, Buddy Carter, is in Dallas as we speak at the funeral of a little girl in his family. Buddy Carter represents Georgia down there in Savannah. His grandniece is being buried in Dallas-Fort Worth, and he is there with his family now. To show how far-reaching this was and how many people it touched, Buddy's granddaughter was also at Camp Mystic but survived. This is touching almost everybody in this Chamber in one way or another.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), who is my esteemed coach and friend.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Texas flooding victims.
On July Fourth, what should have been a day of celebration turned into a day of tragedy as catastrophic flooding struck central Texas, devastating our communities and claiming far too many innocent lives.
My prayers remain with the victims, their families, and those affected by this heartbreaking disaster. As emergency crews continue recovery operations, I remain committed to supporting our fellow Texans in any way I can.
In the face of immense devastation, we have also witnessed our neighbors stepping up to help one another, showing the Nation the true spirit of Texas and what it means to be a part of a great community.
I extend my deepest gratitude to President Trump, the brave first responders, State and local officials, and the countless volunteers who are working tirelessly to bring relief and hope as we navigate this unimaginable loss, and I again say thank you to Chip for his leadership.
While there is a long road ahead, I know Texans will continue to be on the lookout for one another and recover together.
On a personal note, my 4-year-old granddaughter called today and wanted to know if it was okay if she prayed for the little girls and could she make bracelets for the victims' parents. All she had was a rope with a string to do it with.
Mr. Speaker, what happened in Kerr County was not a typical flood. We know floods in Houston. We know worst-case scenarios, and this is one of them.
More than 6 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. In some areas, the Guadalupe River surged over 30 feet in just 45 minutes, and we lost dozens of lives, including 27 at Camp Mystic. Children and counselors were caught while they were sleeping.
Entire communities were hit before sunrise with not enough time to react, but in the face of devastation, Texans rose up. Local responders acted immediately, some without any sleep and without any backup.
In one case, Petty Officer Scott Ruskan saved 165 people.
Dick Eastland, owner of Camp Mystic, gave his life saving his campers. He was found shielding them. Emma Foltz bravely led her bunkmates to safety. Julian Ryan sacrificed himself for his fiancee and children.
There are so many more stories of heroism. These are just a few, but it is good to know that there are still heroes in America. You never know if you are going to be one until the time comes. These are unmistakably Texan stories of courage and sacrifice.
I am proud of the Trump administration declaring a disaster within 48 hours, making sure that FEMA and the Coast Guard mobilized quickly and help was on the ground fast.
This is a rare and devastating event, but it will stay with us. We will mourn, but we will never forget.
We pray that we can prove worthy of those we have lost and prove worthy in our own lives of those heroes and those survivors.
I can't help but think of what I saw just a few days ago. Thousands of people lined the streets in my district in Kingwood as they brought back the Wilson family. Shiloh Wilson, a 12-year-old boy, was out there for a rodeo competition. He and his parents were all lost. Now they can rest together because of the volunteers and the first responders that got them back home. What an amazing sight to see, thousands of people back home lining the streets awaiting their arrival.
These people will never be forgotten. I am proud to stand here with my colleagues today to make sure that doesn't happen.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Roy and Mr. Pfluger for those personal memories. I thank Morgan Luttrell, our Texas colleague, who has been in the river recovering bodies.
When I look at the Texas flag, I see more than a symbol. I see a legacy: a legacy of grit, resilience, and people who never fail to rally when faced with adversity.
The devastating floods that swept through Mr. Roy's district brought unimaginable loss. Homes were destroyed. Families were torn apart. Entire communities were forever changed.
In the midst of destruction, Texans are still standing tall. We remain strong, as we always have, even in the face of overwhelming hardship.
My wife, Tracy, my team, and I continue to pray for the victims and the families affected by this tragedy.
As Christians, we are called to be there for one another. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reminds us: ``Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.''
In the wake of this disaster, our Texas communities embodied those verses. Neighbors helped neighbors, strangers became friends, legislators became volunteers, local businesses donated millions to support recovery, and ordinary Texans became extraordinary heroes.
More than 12,000 volunteers have flocked to Kerr County to help with search and recovery efforts. Together, we lift one another up.
Texans have always exhibited an undeniable gift and a deep-rooted spirit of resilience. In the face of tragedy, we do not break. We build. We rally. We rise.
As we begin the painful process of moving forward, let us never forget the lives that were lost, their families, their stories, and their names.
I pray that when their sorrows begin to ebb, that cherished memories will begin to offer comfort, that all of us will remain mindful of the fragility of life and the strength found in the unity forged by the bonds of grief.
May the peace that passes all understanding be felt by those whose hearts are broken, and may all Texans find hope in the unwavering spirit that binds us together.
Finally, let us remember that the Lone Star State is not only defined by its wide open spaces and rugged land but by its people and by the guiding spirit and will of our creator.
We will rebuild, we will recover, and we will remain Texas tough.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and appreciate his kind remarks.
I am going to ask Judge Carter from my neighboring district just north of Austin to come deliver a few remarks. His district has also been directly impacted by flooding, and I am sure he will have something to say about that.
Right before he begins, I do want to reiterate something that I believe Mr. Self referred to and maybe Mr. Crenshaw. That is our colleagues who have stepped up, guys like our friend Morgan Luttrell, who has not been in front of cameras. He has not been doing anything other than his training to do diving and looking for bodies in the river. Morgan is doing the hard work and joining in and stepping up. I believe his brother is with him and other great patriots who have joined that effort. There have been people from all over the country who have joined that effort.
Our friend, Mr. Clay Higgins from Louisiana, came over. He engaged as a former sheriff who has training that was on point. We have had a lot of folks from our community step up to try to help, and I am deeply grateful.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).
Mr. Speaker, I agree with everything my friend said. Mr. Luttrell is an amazing guy.
I rise today with a heavy heart on behalf of the people of Texas, the 31st District, and the Hill Country of Texas, the most beautiful part of our State.
Over the last 12 days, Texans have witnessed horrific tragedies, incredible acts of bravery, and the unwavering spirit of our State.
In my district, we lost eight souls and one remains unaccounted for. These people were friends, neighbors, mothers, and fathers. My deepest condolences go out to the families mourning these unimaginable losses.
This tragedy has made its mark on every corner of our State, but especially Kerr County. More than 130 people were lost--I understand it is lower than that now--but still more than 100 lost their lives and over 160 people remain unaccounted for. My heart goes out to every family that will never be the same.
It is hard to imagine dropping your kid off at camp, feeling comfortable about going home, and getting the news of something like this disaster. I have four children and seven grandchildren, and it is just unimaginable to me.
In the face of this disaster, Texans have shown the world exactly who we are: strong, faithful, and steadfast in our belief that we can take care of each other.
We have seen first responders bravely rescue hundreds of Texans, and we have seen them bear the weight of recovery efforts. We have seen volunteers band together to support those who lost everything.
The road ahead will be long, but I want Texans to hear that you are not alone. We mourn together, we will rebuild together, and we will carry each other forward because that is what we do as the people of Texas.
May God bless each and every one of you and comfort you in your loss.
For those heroes among us and for this great State of Texas, blessings and grateful thanks.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Judge Carter for his leadership and for representing his district so well and looking out for those impacted by the storms and the floods in his own area. I deeply appreciate his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, next is a colleague of mine who is deeply familiar with storms and flooding because he represents the southeast part of the State of Texas, although that is a different kind of flooding typically.
I want to personally offer my thanks and gratitude to my friend, Brian Babin. All of my colleagues have stepped up and called and offered support and help. In particular, I would say my friend, Mr. Babin, and his team have been there picking up phone calls from our office, helping out, doing whatever is needed, and offering guidance. They have experienced this kind of thing a little more often than we have, but we are deeply grateful.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).
Mr. Speaker, it is an anguishing thing to have to come up here and talk about some of our friends and colleagues who have gone through this. Chip has done a wonderful job here with this Fourth of July.
My family and I dropped off four grandsons and a granddaughter back in May at Camp Mystic and at Camp Stewart for Boys. My history with this area goes way back, 60 years or better.
I served as a counselor at Camp Stewart under Uncle Bill James, who sold that camp later on to the Ragsdale family. Kathy Ragsdale and I have been talking on the phone recently, and what a loss she sustained. She lost her daughter, Jane.
Mr. Speaker, spending a couple of days out there in that beautiful country, probably the most beautiful in the entire State of Texas, with the crystal-clear, green Guadalupe River canopied by 100-plus-foot Cyprus trees, some of them 10 feet in diameter, it is just unbelievable beauty, tranquility, and peacefulness. To think that, within a span of less than 1 hour, that thing came up 30-plus feet and became a raging, raging torrent--a demon, if you will--wiping out wonderful, wonderful families, children, and turning that place into a devastating desert.
I thank the first responders, our President, our Governor, Chip Roy, and a number of my colleagues for their help. I am the chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. NASA itself offered aircraft and imaging technology to come out and help in the search and rescue efforts.
Quite frankly, it touched lives. My district is literally probably 250 miles away from this one, but I have to mention names. My district lost Aiden Heartfield, Joyce Badon, Ella Cahill, the whole family of John and Julia Burgess and their two little boys, Mary Grace Baker from Beaumont, and Reese Manchaca. So many others were touched by this in a way that we will never ever forget.
Yet, Texas is tough. As Chip said, we are no strangers in my district to disasters. I have been in office now going on my fifth term. I think we have probably had seven disaster declarations in my district because of tornadoes, floods, and hurricanes, as well.
We have a Texas spirit. It is unbreakable. Quite frankly, we are going to rise above this. We want to let these families that are out there know that they are in our prayers. We are going to do what it takes to make this place whole again, keep these camps going, and keep this wonderful tradition that we have. The cultural, patriotic--you name it--the Christian environment of these camps are going to have to be sustained, and they will.
Mr. Speaker, I just say before I close how much we appreciate all of the people who absolutely sacrificed. My own son was out there the last 2 or 3 days with his chain saw. He brought his 10-year-old son out there. People were coming and stepping forward. We heard about the Luttrells; our colleague, Morgan Luttrell. They are out there finding some of these victims.
This thing is turning out to be much bigger than we had thought. At first, we thought maybe there would be a couple of dozen people lost here, but we are looking at close to 300. By the time it is all done, I am just not sure how disastrous this thing is going to be.
Yet, Lord, we want to thank You for Your blessings, Your love, Your mercy, and we are going to rise above this because we are Texans. We pull together, and we keep our faith in our Heavenly Father.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his steadfast leadership and friendship.
Thank you, brother. I appreciate you.
Mr. Speaker, I am going to invite another friend of mine, no stranger to floods, from the southeast part of the State, my friend, Randy Weber.
As the gentleman is coming up to the microphone, I point out the extent to which this delegation, I know, is grateful for the leadership of our Governor, Governor Abbott; the head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, Nim Kidd; the countless individuals and public servants affiliated with the Department of Public Safety and its head, Freeman Martin; the folks who are associated with the Sheriff's Department in Kerr County and throughout the region, the other areas affected by floods. I can't name everybody.
The city manager in Kerrville has done a fantastic job. We have just had so much fantastic leadership of people in the State of Texas stepping up and, as Brian said, so many volunteers from across the State. We continue to. We want to be very clear. All of this is current and present. The search continues. It continues today. They are engaged right now, and we are deeply appreciative for it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber), my good friend.
Mr. Speaker, our hearts are breaking across the Lone Star State, especially for our dear friend and colleague, Congressman Chip Roy, and his beautiful district as they recover from unimaginable devastation caused by those Fourth of July floods.
In the dead of night, the Guadalupe River surged more than 20 feet in just 45 minutes. Think about that--20 feet. Families were forced to fight for their lives. Homes were overtaken. Children at summer camps ran for safety. It was the worst-case scenario and one that was unfolding in total darkness.
Mr. Speaker, down on the Gulf Coast, we are no strangers to disasters, as Chip mentioned. We know hurricanes. We have weathered our fair share of storms, but this--this was something else. It was sudden, swift, and heartbreaking. This was the very center of Texas, the very part of the heart of the center of Texas, and Texans across the Nation felt it.
Many knew someone who was impacted. We have all seen the images, Mr. Speaker. We have heard the stories. The pain is real. The loss is deep. Yet, through it all, our God is still great. Even in the midst of destruction, the light of faith and courage shone through and still shines through.
Children gathered were heard singing hymns. Neighbors rescued neighbors, Mr. Speaker. Total strangers became heroes.
Our first responders and our great Coast Guard saved countless lives. Everyday Texans are stepping up, Mr. Speaker, helping with cleanup and recovery, giving comfort where it was needed the most.
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, we also mourn the lives lost. From my district, five precious souls along with the countless, as was said, maybe up to 300. District 14 lost five precious souls: Mary Grace Baker, attending Camp Mystic, whose young life was so tragically cut short; Ella Cahill; Joyce Catherine Badon; and Aiden Heartfield, all from Beaumont, my district, celebrating Independence Day together; and Brad Perry, a volunteer firefighter from League City who, together with his wife, was swept away in his RV by the floodwaters.
His wife, Tina, was miraculously rescued after clinging to a tree for 5 hours.
These were the mothers, the fathers, the daughters, the sons, and friends. Their loss is felt deeply not just in our hometowns and their hometowns but across Texas and beyond.
We do thank Governor Abbott and President Trump for coming and supporting and making a way and making sure that we had every resource that we needed.
Mr. Speaker, it has been said here that Texans are tough. We rally, we rebuild, and more than anything, we pray. We pray for Congressman Chip Roy's district. We pray for every grieving family. We pray for healing, for strength, and for the peace that only God Almighty can bring.
May we, Mr. Speaker, as leaders never forget our duty to stand beside them not just in words but in actions. I will end, Mr. Speaker, by saying God bless Texas, and may God bless the families walking through this storm.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend Randy Weber for his leadership and his kind words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to Nathaniel Moran, who represents a good number of my family in east Texas and is just one of the great lights in our delegation, a good man and friend with whom I am very proud to serve.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor and to remember those whose lives were lost and who were impacted by the catastrophic floods that struck central Texas in the early morning hours of July Fourth, when children and families were abruptly awakened by the terrifying sounds of water rushing into their campsites and homes, overtaking them in a matter of minutes. It was an unthinkable tragedy. One that has scarred, no doubt, the sorrowful soul of so many in Texas and beyond.
As we have come to understand, many of those who were lost were simply children enjoying their time at summer camp, children not unlike my two children, who went to summer camp this year. It is a place meant for joy and laughter and for friendship and lasting memories, but instead brought destruction.
Mr. Speaker, 132 precious lives have been lost to date, and with so many more individuals still unaccounted for. The physical and emotional destruction has been overwhelming. Lives have been lost, homes and businesses have been washed away, lifelong belongings destroyed, and an entire community, State, and Nation are left in anguish and in shock.
Mr. Speaker, we are heartbroken for the families who lost precious family members. No words can fill the void that these loved ones left in their homes and in their communities. We pray for peace, for comfort, for healing, and for understanding during the long and hard road of grief ahead. We acknowledge, though, that in our humanness we may never fully understand why such tragedies happen, but in that same moment, we acknowledge fully that we serve a great God above who does.
I will also take time to extend my deepest gratitude to the courageous first responders as well as our local and State officials who acted swiftly and selflessly in the face of this devastation to save so many other lives. Their dedication and bravery saved countless lives in the face of this devastation. Equally inspiring were the countless Good Samaritans, ordinary citizens who became heroes, risking their own lives to help both friends and strangers in need.
Texans are remarkable. As has been said today, in the midst of tragedy, we will see and we do see and we have seen the immense character of the people of Texas, particularly the people of central Texas.
In the days and weeks ahead, we pledge to stand in prayer and in sorrow and solidarity with the families who have lost their loved ones and the people of central Texas, particularly those in Kerr County that have been so intently affected by this devastating flood.
Mr. Speaker, our prayer today is for hope and for peace for all of those in the difficult days ahead. I am privileged to be able to stand here alongside so many great men and women of character that serve our delegation in the State of Texas.
I thank Mr. Roy for his leadership during this time of devastation and tragedy in his district and to say we stand with those families. We ask for God's blessings and peace on each one of them. May God bless them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from east Texas for his remarks.
Mr. Speaker, while I wait for my friend Mr. Gill to come up to the microphone, I do want to note--because there has been so much unnecessary politicization of all this and finger pointing. I will have more to say about that in a minute, but I just will be very clear that on Friday, July Fourth, I called the President to tell him what was happening in the district that I represent, that I am proud to represent, the flooding and it was terrible, because we were going to have a bill signing that day. The President could not have been more gracious. He could not have offered more in terms of his willingness to act quickly. I called that same day over to the Secretary's office, Secretary Noem, and she got back to me within 15 minutes offering us anything we needed. She had folks on the ground. She moved quickly to get the Army Corps of Engineers activated, moved quickly to get fixed- wing aircraft mobilized--this is all prior to a disaster declaration-- and then had the boots on the ground ready to go when the disaster declaration was ready.
There is a lot of stuff flying around, so let's be very clear. In a nonpolitical statement, but just the reality of what has happened, this administration was on the ground in the district that I represent helping people. I think that should be noted. I think that the record should be clear. The people that I represent are deeply grateful for it and are deeply proud to acknowledge it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to Brandon Gill, who represents the district in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area and just a little North of that. I deeply appreciate his service as a freshman member of the delegation and his strong words of encouragement throughout this.
Mr. Speaker, the Texas Hill Country is well-known as one of the most beautiful regions in the State and it just witnessed one of the most horrific disasters in our State's history.
I saw it last week myself when we went down to Kerrville, and you could see homes gone and roads shattered and families broken. I met first responders who pulled neighbors from waters that just destroyed lives.
I heard the stories like that of Jeff Ramsey and his wife, Tanya, two constituents from Texas-26. They were Texans, and they were parents trapped in their camper at Hill Country Campground as the flood swallowed everything around them.
In those final moments, Jeff picked up his phone and he said good-bye to his kids. ``Hey, buddy, I love you so much. I think this is it for us. Tell Rache-y I love her.''
Mr. Speaker, what do you say to that? What do you say to a son who lost his father or to a daughter who only has her father's final words? What we are going to say is that we will never forget them. That we will honor every life lost, including Jeff, Tanya, and every other life taken by those unforgiving waters. We will honor and remember the young girls and staff at Camp Mystic and the vacationing families enjoying their Independence Day weekend.
This flood stole lives and stories and futures and Texans. Today, we mourn them and we honor them and we will remember them. We will carry their names and their stories, but we also thank the first responders who jumped into this mess in dangerous conditions and who are still working to clean up the flood.
I think, in particular, of our colleague Congressman Morgan Luttrell, who is out working right now, as well as Mr. Roy who has been working around the clock for his district over the past 2 weeks.
Mr. Speaker, God bless Kerrville, God bless Texas, and God bless the U.S.
Mr. Speaker, I deeply appreciate and thank Brandon for his kind words and remarks, his presence and that of the entire delegation.
There were a number of other of my colleagues who wanted to be here this evening, but they couldn't make it because they had other obligations. We don't always get to control the timing of the House floor. I thank those individuals for their support during this whole time.
I want to conclude with a few thoughts. I gave way earlier to make sure that all of my colleagues had a chance to speak.
I want to give some flavor to what we have experienced, particularly in Kerrville and in the Hill Country and that part of our great State, over the last 10 days or so.
Remember that, on July Fourth in Kerrville, there is an area in the center of town, a park where thousands of people go every year to listen to music, to Texas country music, typically. Robert Earl Keen is a local artist from Kerrville who plays every year, typically.
My children, my family, my wife and I, we have been going there every year for the better part of a decade. You will sit down there on the river and canoe and tube up and down the river while you are waiting for the concert. Then, the concert is at night with fireworks down there at the park.
It is often attended by the people who are coming down to camp on the Guadalupe, just a little west of Kerrville, in the area that has now become more known, for people across the country, in Hunt, Texas, where these kids' camps are located.
There are about 18 or 20 camps right there on the water and 40 camps or so in that general area for kids in the summer. Many of these camps have been there for decades, some as long as a century.
Camp Mystic is one of those that would celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. That is an all-girls camp, as my colleagues have noted. My colleague August Pfluger's daughters were there last week. It is an all-girls Christian camp.
Camp La Junta, right down the river, is also a Christ-centered camp. That is an all-boys camp. It had massive damage, massive flooding. Fortunately, they had no loss of life.
There are multiple camps. I can go through it. I am going to leave some out if I keep going up and down the river.
People ask why. People ask these questions of me and say: Why are these camps, all of these houses, all of these campgrounds so close to the river? Well, because the river is awesome. I mean, why are there houses on the beach? Because people like to be on the beach.
This is not something that should be that surprising, and it shouldn't be something that we shift away from. It is a great blessing that the Lord has given us this part of the country that you can go to and experience and live with these clear waters and the limestone that is cut through there after thousands of years. This whole area was an area where the Comanches were known to collect, in that part of the country, and also take part and enjoy those particularly beautiful waters and springs.
It draws people from all over the country, and that is why these camps are there.
I noted earlier on the floor, when we had the moment of silence, the extent to which faith is the central part of everything we are experiencing. It is the reason these camps, for the most part, exist. It is the reason for the spirit that we have seen coming out of Kerrville, as so many people mourn and so many people across the country are taken by the stories of these little girls.
Fredericksburg is also an awesome town, just down the river from Luckenbach, from the famous country song.
The fact is, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, when you come into Kerrville and are coming in on Highway 16, coming down from Fredericksburg, you come in on 16 into Kerrville. Up on the hill as you enter, Mr. Speaker, there is a giant cross, and there is a garden there. It is filled with a bunch of the important symbols of our Christian faith, not just the cross, but other things. It was all done by an artist named Max Greiner, and he has done a fantastic job laying it out. It gets hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
This cross sits up on the hill over Kerrville. I noticed, and I said this in an interview this weekend, that there were numerous crosses just showing up throughout the town. There was an interview one of the reporters was doing on the river, and there were three crosses sitting on the bank of the river.
I was driving down the highway, Highway 39, which goes from Kerrville out west through Ingram and then Hunt and out by where these camps are. I went out to Camp La Junta after the President came in. It was my, I think, third or fourth journey over the last 10 days.
I noticed the changes from the days I first went over there, when the floods had just occurred, all the damage, debris, and cars, and just absolute devastation that destroyed houses, the roofs. The flood lines were 30 feet up in these tall cypress trees. You couldn't even believe it.
There were trees stuck in the tops of trees. There was metal roofing that was up in the tops of these trees. There was a dumpster wrapped around a tree.
When I was down in Kerrville, the stage from the Fourth of July setup was wrapped around trees probably 500 yards down from where the stage had been set. This is a massive, heavy stage on a truck bed. That was where the President got his briefing. Mr. Speaker, if you saw the pictures, that is where the President was located. That was a stage, that rubble that was there.
There was a massive dumpster wrapped around trees, a heavy metal dumpster, just shredded like aluminum foil. That was the force of this water.
Somebody told me that it was 1.6 million gallons of water per second rushing through this corridor. That is what we were dealing with.
Going back to the cross, Samaritan's Purse showed up on the ground immediately. It is a great organization headed by Franklin Graham out of North Carolina. They show up to deal with disasters all across the country and all around the world. Here they are in my own backyard, not something I had necessarily anticipated.
This organization is there cleaning out mud from the Lowe family's house. They are a fantastic family, and I had known them. We went and visited. I can't say that I participated in the clean-out. I intend to do that when we get out of this session in August.
We were going around and looking at the damage. They were explaining and walking through it for the average viewer out there asking how this could happen. They looked down and saw the flooding waters, but they were way down. They woke up at 1 in the morning to some alerts. They kept listening and watching the water come up. Then, they realized they had to move.
By the time they realized they were going to move, it moved from 15 feet below the level up to the level of their house in a matter of minutes. It just came rushing in. They were able to get out just before and get up to high ground.
Another family friend of mine whose kids were there--there were about 30 of them. There were several families, parents, and kids from my kids' school. They were all on a piece of property with three houses. Same thing--they woke up at 3-something in the morning. The river was way down a good 15 or 20 feet below the house. They were watching the water rush and go: Well, maybe we ought to think about moving.
They started moving people out of the three houses on the piece of property, these rental properties. They were sitting there and cleaned out the first house, got the kids ready. By the time they did that over 15 or 20 minutes, thinking they had hours, the water was already up to the house.
They moved to the second house, and the water was up to their knees. The third house, the water was up to their waist. They had to get up and ride the storm out for 3 hours on top of another house, 30 people, including kids.
They were fortunate to survive, and they are okay. All seven of their cars are down the river. The remaining of their houses are down the river.
When I went to the Lowe's house, they were explaining it to me. They are great people of faith. Next to their house was a foundation, all that was left of a home. There were several of those in a row.
There was one man sitting out in a chair by that foundation. That man, I was told, was the father of a 20-year-old boy who he had lost. He was trying to find him, trying to find his body.
They had found three girls who had been there in their vacation home. The dad wasn't there. He was back home in Houston.
I walked over. I saw the man and offered him my condolences and listened to his story. This was maybe 4 days after it happened. He walked me through how, at 4 in the morning, the son had called him and explained that it was a bad spot. The water had already engulfed the house. It had come up so quickly. He was walking through it and trying to figure out how to get out. The son was trying to get the three girls out of the house.
He is talking to his dad and then hands the phone off to one of the girls. The son is trying to get the other girls out of the house and get through the water. About that time, a very large cypress tree-- huge; I saw the remnants of it still there--came through, hit them and the house, and took it out.
The one girl who was left on the phone saw it and basically said to the young man's dad: ``Tell my parents I love them.'' That was the last thing she said and the last thing he heard.
There are dozens of these stories. People act like something should have been done differently. Maybe it should have. Maybe there can be better systems. We will go through all that, and we will figure it out. That is what we do as people. We don't point fingers.
I will close with this, going back to the cross, going back to the spirit of the people of Kerrville and of the Hill Country who showed up, the first responders who have shown up, the people of the State, the Governor, the Texas Department of Emergency Management, all the prayer warriors, all the churches, and the now $30 million to $40 million of contributions that have poured in and millions more, all the people showing up, bringing food--every single food vendor called my phone. Thousands of people said: What can I do to help? Morgan Luttrell used his training, along with his brother and others, to go into the water to try to find people.
Important are the stories of these camp directors and camp counselors who did everything they could to save lives. Dick Eastland lost his life trying to save those little girls.
I spent time with his daughter, Mary Liz, over the last week. I met Mary Liz in a church, Trinity Baptist Church, in Kerrville on Saturday night, the day after July Fourth, on July 5. I didn't know Mary Liz. Mary Liz asked me for my number. I gave it to her. We started talking, and I realized that she was Dick's daughter-in-law.
Mary Liz was there in the church with all of the families who still hadn't found their little girls. Mary Liz wasn't running away from it, as the director of the camp, or one of the remaining directors of the camp after Dick had passed away. Mary Liz was there.
Mary Liz has been constantly on the phone with all of these families, trying to find everything they can. We have now found every one of those little girls except for one, and they are not going to rest until they find her. They are not going to rest until they find the other 100 who are still missing.
This is the message that comes out of this: The power of community, the power of faith, the power of the cross that brings people together, the enduring legacy of the little girls singing the hymns as they left Camp Mystic looking at the damage.
The people who will now know the power of Christ because of these little girls' stories, the stories of the charm bracelets, the stories of the James Avery jewelry store, the stories of a century-long tradition where children come together to learn the power of the gospel, to spread the gospel, and to learn that there is more to life than these things. There is more to life than the temporary things of life as opposed to friendship and as opposed to being one with what God gave us. That is what these camps are about.
My staff, I learned, worked at Camp Mystic. The young man who is sitting down here next to me right now worked as a cook in the back of Camp Mystic 4 years ago. He told me that Dick Eastland was like a grandfather figure to him, that Dick Eastland helped teach him how to fish, fly fish, and the basics of life.
That is what every person affiliated with these camps has told me, that is what Dick Eastland and all these other camp directors, like Jane Ragsdale, did. I said earlier that Jane gave her life to save several little girls before she lost hers. I ran into her pastor just randomly on the side of the river. He walked me through her story. It is extraordinary. You heard some of my colleagues talking about it.
The fact of the matter is that is what is touching everybody about this because this spirit is unique, and it transcends, and it will be the enduring story of all of this.
These camps are going to be rebuilt. They are going to reopen. I said on the radio I would send my kids there next summer because that is what we should do. These camps, these things, these people, this community are more important than fear. Because those of us who have faith in the Lord Almighty and have faith in the Lord's son Jesus Christ, we don't fear earthly loss because the thing that transcends that is our faith in our Lord and Savior and the need to spread that message, and for people to know that.
I am so deeply and profoundly grateful for all of the outpouring of support from this Chamber, from my Texas colleagues joining me here on the floor. I am deeply appreciative for all the people who have been risking their lives to help others, to save others, to find these bodies, to find closure for the families.
We are going to continue to do that. We are going to continue to heal. It is just the beginning.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 6 o'clock and 33 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
