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27 public bills, H.R. 6046- 6072; 1 private bills, H.R. 6063; and 10 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 61; and H. Res. 877-885 were introduced.
Pages H4704-05
Reports Filed
Reports were filed today as follows: Committee on Energy and Commerce. Supplemental report on H.R. 1949, to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas (H. Rept. 119-269, Part 2); and H. Res. 879, providing for consideration of the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 80) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to ``National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska Integrated Activity Plan Record of Decision''; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 130) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to ``Buffalo Field Office Record of Decision and Approved Resource Management Plan Amendment''; providing for consideration of the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 131) providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management relating to ``Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program Record of Decision''; providing for consideration of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 58) denouncing the horrors of socialism; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1949) to repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3109) to require the Secretary of Energy to direct the National Petroleum Council to issue a report with respect to petrochemical refineries in the United States, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5107) to repeal the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 enacted by the District of Columbia Council; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5214) to require mandatory pretrial and post conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes and require mandatory cash bail for certain offenses that pose a threat to public safety or order in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes; and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-380).
Pages H4703-04
Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Wied to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H4671
Recess
The House recessed at 12:30 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m.
Page H4674
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Ansari wherein she resigned from the Committee on Education and Workforce.
Page H4675
Recess
The House recessed at 2:11 p.m. and reconvened at 4 p.m.
Page H4676
Recess
The House recessed at 5:28 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m.
Page H4691
Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025: S. 2392, to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans;
Pages H4676-78
Expressing condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas, honoring acts of heroism, and committing to stand with those impacted by these floods
H. Res. 782, expressing condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas, honoring acts of heroism, and committing to stand with those impacted by these floods;
Pages H4678-80
DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act
H.R. 2212, amended, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program;
Pages H4680-81
Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025
H.R. 1608, amended, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to produce a report on emerging threats and countermeasures related to vehicular terrorism, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 400 yeas to 15 nays, Roll No. 286;
Pages H4681-82, H4691-92
Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act
H.R. 2659, to ensure the security and integrity of United States critical infrastructure by establishing an interagency task force and requiring a comprehensive report on the targeting of United States critical infrastructure by People's Republic of China state-sponsored cyber actors, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 402 yeas to 8 nays, Roll No. 287;
Pages H4682-85, H4692
Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act
H.R. 5078, amended, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reauthorize the State and local cybersecurity grant program of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security;
Pages H4685-88
Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act
S. 260, to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening; and
Pages H4688-90
Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act
H.R. 2261, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the Department of Homeland Securitys oversight of certain intelligence matters.
Pages H4690-91
Disapproving the behavior of Representative Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia of Illinois
The House considered H. Res. 878, disapproving the behavior of Representative Jesus G. ``Chuy'' Garcia of Illinois. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, November 18th. Earlier, the House rejected the Clark (MA) motion to table the resolution by a yea-and-nay vote of 206 yeas to 211 nays, Roll No. 288.
Pages H4692-98
Quorum Calls: Votes
Three yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H4691-92, H4692 and H4693. Adjournment: The House met at 12 p.m. and adjourned at 8:47 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: 126 of 217 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 1:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this week, we will vote on legislation to improve our domestic energy market and to support President Trump's agenda on U.S. energy dominance.
In my home State of Pennsylvania, we have abundant natural gas reserves. We can utilize this resource that is under the feet of my constituents to provide tremendous economic benefit to our country and support the energy needs of our allies.
Unfortunately, over the last 4 years, energy policy has stalled the necessary development of pipelines and export facilities. This has hindered natural gas production and prevented us from fully realizing the benefit of this critical resource.
The United States' ample energy resources are a distinct advantage over our global competitors. We can leverage this advantage to the benefit of my constituents and the benefit of all Americans by advancing this important legislation and putting energy policy in this country back on track.
As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, I was proud to work to advance this legislation to the House floor, and I look forward to seeing it passed through Congress on the way to being signed into law by President Trump.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join in commemorating the 75th anniversary of the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
Mr. Speaker, 33 years after the VA medical center in Altoona was opened, Congress renamed the facility in honor of the former U.S. Representative James E. Van Zandt, who was the catalyst for the establishment of the VA medical center in Altoona.
Representative Van Zandt was born in Altoona, elected to 11 terms in the U.S. House, served with the United States Navy in both World War I and World War II, and was a national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars from 1934 to 1936. He retired as a rear admiral from the United States Navy Reserve in 1959.
The legacy of devoted service that distinguished the life of Representative Van Zandt remains as a source of inspiration for all.
I am proud that my longstanding ties to the Van Zandt VA Medical Center include my service as a consultant serving our veterans. On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate the James E. Van Zandt Medical Center on this important milestone and express my personal gratitude for the excellent healthcare that has been provided to the veterans there, continuing today and into the future.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor four generations of the Black family in Tyrone Township, Blair County, Pennsylvania, on the designation of their farm as a Century Farm by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture.
James Black purchased the farm in December 1920 at a cost of $28 per acre for 140 acres. He raised chickens on the farm.
Family ownership was passed down through the years to Samuel Black, who transitioned the operation from a poultry farm to a dairy farm, and then to Samuel's son Bob Black, who chose to focus on crop farming.
Today, Black's Willow Run Farm is owned by Bob Black's son, Clinton, and his wife, Jessica. Crops grown on the farm include corn, wheat, soybeans, and alfalfa.
On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I offer heartfelt congratulations to all members of the Black family on this notable recognition and express gratitude for their enduring commitment to one of Pennsylvania's most vital industries, and that is agriculture.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Krista Pontius on her selection as the recipient of the 2025 Pennsylvania Golden Owl Award.
Krista is a longtime agriculture teacher and the FFA adviser at Greenwood High School in Millerstown, Pennsylvania. With pride, Krista notes that she has devoted nearly 30 years to creating an FFA family at the high school.
The Golden Owl Award is one of the most prestigious forms of recognition in agricultural education. Presented at the Pennsylvania FFA State Convention, the award honors teachers in the State of Pennsylvania who dedicate countless hours to improving the lives of their students.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russ Redding described Krista as a natural teacher whose dedication makes a lasting impression on students in our communities.
Most certainly, Krista is a source of pride for the entire district. On behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Krista and look forward to the continuation of her education for the community.
Mr. Speaker, after months and months of President Trump insisting that his tariffs are not paid by Americans, insisting that tariffs don't drive up prices, insisting that there will be no exclusions on exemptions from his liberation day tariffs that he imposed back in April, on Friday afternoon the White House very quietly released a statement that they, in fact, are exempting and carving out tariffs for a number of goods, which were blindingly obvious were going to be costing more because we do not produce any of those goods here in this country.
Included in his order are coffee, tea, fruit juices, tropical fruits, spices, bananas, oranges, and tomatoes. Obviously, if you talk to anybody who has been in a grocery store lately, the prices for all of those products have gone up by large margins, again, in the wake of the April tariffs that were put into place.
Coffee is up 19 percent. Bananas are up 7 percent. Oranges and lettuce are up 3 and 4 percent.
Again, it was so clear to anyone who was actually connected to the real world that grocery prices were going up and that we had to take steps to carve out exemptions for the sake of American consumers, our working families, and the middle class.
It was amazing to see how the President, in October, was actually giving speeches where he said prices have come way down and that we have gotten prices way down for groceries. That is the mentality which is in that White House. Again, these were tariffs that he imposed unilaterally without consulting Congress.
The question, though, is whether it is good that again there is going to be some price relief for some of these items, which never should have been tariffed to begin with. It begs the question about the rest of the economy that is getting harmed by tariffs.
The National Association of Home Builders announced after the tariffs were announced that it would raise the average cost of a new home by $11,000 because of the fact that so many parts and pieces that go into new home construction are imported. That is just a reality in our economy.
When we talk about the cost of living and affordability, if anything is close to maybe groceries, it is the cost of housing in terms of rents and getting new construction restarted.
What about that, Mr. President? Why don't we also look at what is clearly happening in our economy right now and provide relief for the American people who are groaning under the high cost of living?
The President has to look no further than the conservative Tax Foundation, which again is a right-of-center economic think tank. Its analysis is that, by October, tariffs have raised retail prices on all goods by nearly 5 percent relative to their pretariff trend line.
Instead of solving high inflation, the Trump tariffs have continued it and, in some instances, increased it. This includes a 6 percent increase for imported goods and 4.3 percent for domestic goods because a lot of our domestic goods incorporate items that, again, are imported from overseas.
The fundamental problem here is that this President believed in his mind that he himself had the power to impose these tariffs. Let's be very clear. A tariff is a tax on imported goods. It is a tax.
I am from New England. Remember the Boston Tea Party? It was about a tariff on tea that the British Government was trying to force the American colonists to pay.
A case was argued just a couple of weeks ago before the U.S. Supreme Court, where, again, the plaintiffs powerfully stated that the President did not have the authority to impose those taxes back in April. That is an Article I, Section 9 authority in the Constitution for the Congress.
For the sake of reestablishing the checks and balances in our country and for the sake of the American economy, where issues like tariffs, which require a lot of analysis, are very complex, and require Congress to be part of that decisionmaking--in fact, we are the decisionmakers, according to the Constitution--those tariffs should be struck down. We should go back to basics, which is that when we deal with tax policy, it is the power of Congress that prevails in terms of making those kinds of decisions.
The harm that has been done to the economy, the middle class, and working families because of the Trump tariffs, which, again, were just unilaterally and indiscriminately imposed against some countries that we actually have trade surpluses with, has to be rolled back.
There was an admission on Friday by the administration that their tariff policy has failed, and it is time for Congress to stand up and do its job to rebalance our economy.
Mr. Speaker, speaking of taxes, the tax on the economy and the detriment to the economy over the Democratic shutdown over the past 6 weeks makes me delighted to be back here in Congress, doing the work of Iowa and the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a critical investment for Iowa families, the $2.78 million in community project funding I secured for the Newton YMCA childcare expansion.
This funding will allow the Y to open 50 new childcare slots, giving working parents in Jasper County the reliability and support they urgently need.
Access to childcare is not just a family issue. It is a workforce issue. When parents can't find childcare, they can't work, which hurts local businesses and the entire economy.
The Newton YMCA is a pillar of its community, and this expansion will allow it to serve more families, strengthen the workforce, and keep Newton and Jasper County growing.
I am proud to have secured this funding and will continue fighting for projects that support families and build a stronger future for Iowa's First District and Iowa.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the $2 million in community project funding I secured for Jones Regional Medical Center in Iowa to build a permanent, state-of-the-art medical simulation lab.
For the past several years, JRMC has trained nurses out of two temporary trailers. Despite those challenges, their program continues to produce highly skilled providers who are urgently needed across Iowa, especially nurses and EMTs.
This funding will create a 1,700-square-foot advanced simulation center that will allow more students to graduate each year and expand training for high-demand medical fields.
This investment strengthens Iowa's healthcare workforce, supports our rural hospitals, and ensures communities across Jones County have access to trained, qualified healthcare providers.
I am proud to have secured this funding and remain committed to strengthening healthcare access and workforce training across Iowa.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the $825,000 in community project funding I secured to restore critical healthcare access in Lee County through the Keokuk Area Hospital project.
Since Keokuk lost its hospital in 2022, residents have faced delays in emergency and specialty care. No community should be left without emergency services or forced to travel over an hour for lifesaving treatment.
This funding will help reopen emergency services and create outpatient specialty care, closing a major gap in healthcare access and restoring the safety net that Lee County deserves. The CEO of Insight said that it was pivotal in establishing these services. This is about saving lives, strengthening rural healthcare, and giving families peace of mind.
I am proud to have secured this investment and will continue working to ensure that rural Iowans receive the same quality care as any American, no matter their ZIP Code.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of Cheryl Tates Macias Hamby, a devoted public servant, community leader, and an example of what it truly means to live a life of service.
Whether working in Congress or the executive branch, she approached every challenge with integrity and the belief that public service is about improving the lives of others.
Cheryl's commitment to service extended far beyond her professional life. In Prince William County and across Virginia, Cheryl was a tireless volunteer and civic leader through her work with the Rotary Club, the Scouts, and numerous community organizations.
Cheryl also served as the chair of the Prince William County Democrats and brought people together, built bridges, and inspired others to lead with heart.
Cheryl's legacy and memory will live on through all of the lives that she touched and the communities she strengthened. My heart goes out to Cheryl's family. May she rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and legacy of J. Hamilton Lambert, a devoted public servant, a steady leader, and a Virginian who made lasting difference.
Through his many years of service, J. Lambert focused on making local government work better for the people it serves, and his service continued long after his government career.
Through his work with the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, he helped create opportunities for young people, especially those training for careers in medical fields. Thousands of students have benefited from programs that he helped to grow, giving them the skills they need to build a brighter future.
Mr. Lambert carried himself with humility, sharp insight, and a quick sense of humor. He always, always put the people around him first.
Mr. Speaker, his legacy will live on in the people who he helped; the programs that he strengthened; and the communities across Virginia, especially in Loudoun County, that are better because of his service.
Congratulating Brentsville High School Girls Flag Football Team
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Brentsville High School girls flag football team on winning the inaugural flag football championship.
This fall marked the first year for girls flag football as a club sport in Prince William County, and girls flag football is part of a growing trend. It is one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
Mr. Speaker, 12 Prince William County high school teams competed in an eight-game season and a post-season tournament.
On Saturday, the Brentsville Tigers defeated Patriot High School 15- 6, completing a perfect 11-0 season.
This victory for Brentsville High School reflects their teamwork and determination. They are really good. I actually checked out some of their highlights on YouTube. I encourage everyone to go to a game next year.
I congratulate the girls and Coach Baltimore on their undefeated season. They have made Brentsville and our entire community proud.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about a critical moment of hope and opportunity for the Syrian people.
For the past decade, Syrians have experienced civil war, mass destruction, hundreds of thousands of deaths, and millions of displacements. With the fall of the Assad regime and the transition to a new administration, today we have a window of opportunity to support the Syrian people as they seek to achieve a free and democratic future: a future defined by economic stability, a future strengthened by a robust infrastructure, a future fueled by thriving business, and a future free from repression.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support legislation that offers sanctions relief for Syria, opening the door to new investments from partners around the world. It is my hope that, together, we can turn this moment into a brighter future for the Syrian people and for Syrian Americans.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Lightridge High School marching band for being invited to march in the 2027 London parade.
This is a huge honor. This is a really big deal, and they were actually the first to be announced as being a part of that parade of all of the high schools.
They are really good. Actually, I had a chance to hear them perform live and be there when they were awarded this honor. They even played ``Golden'' from KPop Demon Hunters. My kids listen to that on repeat, and so I appreciate them doing that.
I appreciate them representing our community so well. I congratulate Dan Adams and the entire Lightridge community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 22 of our Nation's finest veterans.
These individuals are exceptional American heroes who demonstrated selfless commitment to serving our Nation and their communities.
This is a moment to acknowledge those who have sacrificed much and devoted all to safeguarding our country. This year, Texas' Third District is saluting brave veterans who have exhibited remarkable service, leadership, integrity, and dedication. These veterans represent true role models within our community, deserving our utmost respect, acknowledgement, and honor.
The veterans from Texas' Third Congressional District receiving the 2025 Veteran Commendation Award are as follows:
Sergeant Christopher Acevedo, U.S. Army.
Captain Travis Mills, U.S. Army.
Major Gary Billings, U.S. Marine Corps.
Second Lieutenant Charles Neubecker, U.S. Army.
Master Sergeant Fernando Cruz, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps.
Senior Chief Petty Officer Vincent Riggs, U.S. Navy.
Senior Airman David Davis, U.S. Air Force.
Major Philip Shortino, U.S. Army.
Staff Sergeant David DuBay, U.S. Air Force.
Senior Airman Danny Stasik, U.S. Air Force.
Staff Sergeant Robert DuBay, U.S. Air Force.
Sergeant Willie Frank Stephenson, U.S. Army.
Master Sergeant Patrick Ervin, U.S. Air Force.
Captain Ean Sullivan, U.S. Marine Corps.
Sergeant Ayman Hatkwa, U.S. Army.
Colonel Dick Thompson, Jr., U.S. Air Force.
Sergeant Paul David Hoch, U.S. Army.
Chief Petty Officer Michael Thompson, Jr., U.S. Navy.
Petty Officer Second Class James Johnson, U.S. Navy.
Lance Corporal Frank Walker, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps.
Command Master Chief Petty Officer Robert Jordan, U.S. Navy.
Gunnery Sergeant Nick Mendoza, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps.
Mr. Speaker, I salute these 22 veterans. God bless them, and God bless America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Captain Carol Young MacGibbon, a distinguished graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1980 as part of the historic first class of female graduates, Captain MacGibbon served our Nation with distinction in leadership positions in Germany and beyond.
Following her Active-Duty service, Mrs. MacGibbon dedicated 22 years to mentoring future Army leaders, assisting over 165 candidates in earning admission to West Point. Since 2003, Captain MacGibbon has been a West Point admissions representative.
Since 2006, she served as the congressional district coordinator for Texas' Third Congressional District. In that capacity, she served as the West Point liaison officer for three successive Members of Congress, beginning with Congressman Sam Johnson from 2006 to 2018.
Mr. Speaker, recognized by peers and leaders alike, Mrs. MacGibbon received the Congressional Veteran Commendation Award from Congressman Sam Johnson in 2017 and the Ray Colvin Service Award from the West Point Society of North Texas in 2023.
Captain MacGibbon's legacy of service reaches well beyond her professional achievements. She met her late husband, Kevin Vance MacGibbon, while they were classmates at the United States Military Academy, and they married in October of 1981 after graduation.
Captain Kevin MacGibbon served as an infantry officer stationed in Germany during the Cold War from 1980 to 1985, earning his Ranger tab and Airborne wings.
Together, they raised three children, who continue the proud tradition of military service, including officers and graduates of West Point and the U.S. Air Force Academy. The Army Lacrosse Endowment stands as a testament to the enduring commitment of Carol and Kevin MacGibbon to the values of West Point and the U.S. Army.
Carol MacGibbon's dedication to West Point and to our Nation embodies the highest ideals of Duty, Honor, Country.
Therefore, I honor Captain Carol MacGibbon for her lifetime of service to the United States, to West Point, and to the countless young men and women whose lives she has helped shape.
We extend our gratitude and best wishes upon her retirement as academy liaison officer for West Point.
The enduring legacy Captain Carol MacGibbon leaves at West Point stands as a beacon for those who aspire to lead and serve, ensuring that the academy's proud tradition endures for generations to come.
May God bless Captain Carol MacGibbon. May God bless the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to say: Welcome back to the House of Representatives.
This is our first full week back after the shutdown and the 54 days of lockout that we experienced here in this Chamber, after a completely wasteful, avoidable, and painful shutdown that not only harmed families, workers, and our communities but cost our country billions of dollars. It did not result, ultimately, in the fight to end the attacks on our healthcare.
Mr. Speaker, rather than coming back this week after our shutdown, the longest shutdown in history, to address the real issues that were at the heart of this debate--lowering healthcare costs, addressing the healthcare cliff, addressing the cost of food, and addressing the cost of housing--what are we doing here this week? We are attacking our public lands and opening them up for oil and gas drilling.
This week, our colleagues across the aisle, fresh from their multiweek vacation, have come with a whole slew of special asks by special interests from the oil and gas industry.
We have H.J. Res. 130, the Congressional Review Act, to reverse a resource management plan that was developed with Tribal consultation and public benefit to open the door to coal development in an area where communities have been abundantly clear that they do not want these attacks on these public lands because of the threats it poses to climate change, public health, and to their future.
Why are they ignoring what these communities have already said? Yet, here we are voting on legislation this week that would repeal community-based strategies to protect our public lands.
All three of the CRA measures that are scheduled to be voted on this week are literally put forward to open some of our Nation's most sacred and treasured places. This includes opening protected areas in the Arctic that are not only important to protect for ecological reasons and wildlife but for cultural reasons.
These are areas that our colleagues know that Tribal communities have fought for generations to protect. These are areas that our colleagues know are sensitive. These are areas that we know during the first Trump administration, when they tried to sell them off to the lowest bidder, the oil and gas industry didn't even want to drill there.
Yet, here they are trying to reverse the protections that have been put in place to protect not only these important lands in the Arctic, but these sacred lands.
Mr. Speaker, these bills not only impact these lands but are part of a larger pattern that we see in this administration of revoking previous protections that have been put in place to respect not only the ecological importance of lands but also sacred places.
In fact, during the shutdown, Tribes in my district received notice that the administration was considering repealing the protections for Chaco Canyon.
Mr. Speaker, you should understand what Chaco Canyon is. It is a global World Heritage Site. It is a sacred site. It is a place generations of Pueblo and Dine Navajo people have come to pray.
It is a place where on a cold morning standing on top of the mesa overlooking Pueblo Bonito, you can see the ancient cities, kivas, and sacred sites not just below but that stretch out across a landscape as far as the eye can see.
It is a place where you can walk in the footsteps of people who built these structures and you understand why it is sacred. It is the ancestral homeland of the Pueblo people. It is a place today where religious leaders and community leaders continue to come for their religious practices. It is a place that we have fought to protect for generations.
Yet in the middle of the longest government shutdown, as Tribes could not even get basic programs and services to operate, could not figure out if their grants and their programs were able to continue to operate, could not get access to lands that were important to them, this administration had the gall to send a letter to our Tribes saying that they were going to revoke protections.
Mr. Speaker, I am here to say we will fight back, and we will defeat this effort.
Mr. Speaker, President Donald Trump has another historic achievement for peace and prosperity in the Middle East, reducing threats to Americans at home and abroad.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday: ``Syria has joined the U.S.- led mission to defeat Islamic State . . . after President Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met at the White House.''
This meeting was the first of a Syrian head of state to visit the White House in the 8,000-year history of Damascus.
It was promoted by Ambassador Tom Barrack, the tireless Trump envoy for Syria, and Admiral Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command.
I personally appreciate the Trump triumph as, last November, I was condemned by the Syrian dictator, Assad, as an enemy of the state weeks before he fled to Moscow.
Mr. Speaker, 8 months later, I was a guest in the Damascus office of Assad with the new President and Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump with attacks on civilians.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with pride, gratitude, and some bittersweet news.
After nearly 8 years on Team Clark, Kathryn Alexander, my communications director and senior adviser, is moving on to her next project and her next chapter.
Kathryn, affectionately known as ``KA'' to all of us, brings her incredible style, good humor, patriotism, compassion, and wicked-smart strategy to all she does.
It has been a privilege to have her in the trenches with me, from late-night press conferences to early-morning interviews. It will always be my distinct honor to call her my friend.
I thank KA. She is extraordinary. May this next chapter bring her, Mike, Nolan, and baby Jude all of the happiness and all of the bliss that they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Calvo Enterprises, Inc., as it marks 50 years of service to the people of Guam. From its beginning in 1938 with the island's first locally owned insurance agency, the Calvo family built more than just businesses. They built opportunity for our island.
Over the decades, Calvo Enterprises grew to include companies that became part of daily life, from Mid-Pacific Distributors and Pepsi bottling company, to KUAM, giving our community a strong media voice; and Pay-Less Supermarkets, helping to provide food and essentials to our families.
What we recognize today is not only business success but a commitment to Guam through civic and charitable work, including the Edward M. Calvo Cancer Foundation, which has supported families during some of their most difficult moments.
Mr. Speaker, three generations later, the Calvo family continues to lead with the same values of hard work, integrity, and service to community, helping to strengthen our island and create a future that our children can rely on.
I thank the Calvo family and every employee who contributed to this agency.
I congratulate Calvo Enterprises on 50 years of growing with Guam and for Guam. May the next 50 be just as strong.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the $2 million in community project funding I secured for Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa to build a permanent, state-of-the-art medical simulation lab.
For the past several years, JRMC has trained nurses out of two temporary trailers. Despite those challenges, their program continues to produce highly skilled providers who are urgently needed across Iowa.
This funding will create a 1,700-square-foot advanced simulation center that will allow more students to graduate each year and expand training for high-demand medical fields.
This investment strengthens Iowa's healthcare workforce, supports our rural hospitals, and ensures that communities across Jones County have access to trained, qualified providers. I am proud to have secured this funding and remain committed to strengthening healthcare access and training across Iowa.
Mr. Speaker, I wish a very happy birthday to Ambassador and Iowa's longest-serving Governor, Governor Terry Branstad. Happy birthday, Ambassador and Governor Branstad.
Resignation as Member of Committee on Education and Workforce
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the resignation is accepted.
There was no objection.
On November 17, 2025, page H4675, in the third column, the following appeared: COMMUNICATION FROM THE HONORABLE YASSAMIN ANSARI, MEMBER OF CONGRESS The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. HAMADEH of Arizona) laid before the House the following communication from the Honorable YASSAMIN ANSARI, Member of Congress: . . . YASSAMIN ANSARI, Member of Congress. ---------------
The online version has been corrected to read: RESIGNATION AS MEMBER OF COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. HAMADEH of Arizona) laid before the House the following resignation as a member of the Committee on Education and Workforce: . . . YASSAMIN ANSARI, Member of Congress. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the resignation is accepted. There was no objection. ---------------
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 2392) to increase, effective as of December 1, 2025, the rates of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of certain disabled veterans, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Takano) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2392. Each year, Congress passes the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.
The legislation ensures that VA compensation benefits for veterans and their survivors keep pace with inflation and the cost of living. Millions of veterans and their loved ones depend on these benefits to pay for daily living expenses.
This bill would help them meet that need by increasing certain VA benefits to the same percentage as the annual Social Security cost-of- living adjustment increase.
I recognize this is something we could and should have taken up sooner, and there was real concern that if the shutdown dragged on, VA might not have had the staff in place to implement the COLA on time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the sponsors of this bill, Senators Moran and Blumenthal, for their bipartisan work on this vitally important bill to ensure our veterans get their benefits. I also thank Representative Luttrell for his leadership on this issue.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support S. 2392, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that we are considering S. 2392, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025 today. I rise in strong support of the measure, and I thank Senator Moran for introducing the bill and appreciate Representatives Morgan Luttrell and Morgan McGarvey for leading the House version.
We have a uniquely solemn charge on the Veterans' Affairs Committee: to serve those who have served. It is a task I take very seriously as do my colleagues.
We continually strive to deliver on the promise to America's servicewomen and -men as they become veterans; that we will take care of you just as you have taken care of us.
Because of this, I find it disheartening when I hear conversation gaining speed about veterans not deserving the benefits provided to them or of defrauding the compensation and pension system en masse: Project 2025, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.
We have even heard this from some veterans themselves at recent congressional hearings that somehow veterans' benefits make them lazy and reward exaggeration, but I know, as does America, that this is a ridiculous notion.
I think Senator Duckworth put it perfectly when she said: ``Portraying disabled veterans as a group of takers who will happily never work again for $3,100 a month is incredibly condescending and disrespectful to these heroic Americans.''
Our veterans have sworn an oath to risk life and limb to protect our Nation. They are honorable and forthright, and they deserve whatever assistance they need post-service to live happy, healthy, productive lives. The sacrifices they make and wounds they take occur not just on the battlefield but in training and on the home front, as well.
These veterans don't just serve alone. Military families sacrifice right alongside their servicemember. Many are exposed to the same hazardous environments as those in uniform. They are left to care for that servicemember when their time is done, and they do so willingly and with courage.
Mr. Speaker, to denigrate them by suggesting the system of veterans' benefits is overgenerous is grossly insulting to me, and I am sure to Americans, as well. If anything, we know there are still a great deal of toxic exposures, locations, injuries, and illnesses that VA doesn't recognize or cover.
Too many veterans and their families are left waiting for help. If anything, we must be more generous, and that is why I am in strong support of this legislation. Raising the compensation owed to our veterans to adjust to the cost of living is a small-in-dollar amount but large-in-significance gesture to demonstrate to veterans and their families that we see them, we understand their plight, and we can and will do what we must to help them.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our veterans and their families by supporting this legislation. On the heels of Veterans Day, when we honor those who have served and sacrificed for us, I urge every American to rededicate themselves to uplifting the veterans in all communities across this country.
First, I thank Senator Moran and Senator Blumenthal for leading this bill in the Senate. I also thank the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, Mr. Morgan McGarvey, and Mr. Takano for joining me in co-leading the House companion of S. 2392.
As chairman of the Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, I am dedicated to serving my fellow veterans. This legislation is necessary to ensure that benefits paid to veterans, who are disabled as a result of their military service, do not lose value because of economic change outside of their control.
Without their disability compensation benefits, veterans may not be able to afford the cost-of-living increase. Many disabled veterans and their families rely on their benefits to help pay for necessities like mortgage payments and groceries.
I know there are veterans in my district currently struggling to stay healthy and make ends meet. Personal finances and being able to pay your bills are a major source of stress and anxiety for so many veterans, survivors, and their families.
Mr. Speaker, passing this cost-of-living adjustment provides them with the peace of mind they deserve and access to benefits they are owed. I know many of my House colleagues are committed to serving their veteran constituents, which is why I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy), my good friend who serves on our Economic Opportunity Subcommittee and our Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2392, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2025.
Last Tuesday, we marked Veterans Day. Like many of our colleagues, I joined the western New York community to honor those who selflessly served our country and their family members who have carried the weight of that service with unwavering strength. I was reminded of their commitment to this country and how the liberties we enjoy today were paid for in duty, courage, sacrifice, and blood.
Yet, honoring their service demands more than just a simple thank- you. It requires us to live up to our moral obligation to support their health, homes, education, families, and futures.
These principles continue to guide me as a member of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs because our veterans deserve only the best for their service. It pains me to hear stories of veterans who have to choose between having a roof over their head and putting food on the table because of the affordability crisis in this country.
The reason that is happening is clear. Current veterans' benefits are not keeping pace with the increased cost of living. That should cause alarm to every single Member of this body.
The benefits our veterans received after they served our country are not gifts or handouts. They are part of a sacred obligation to ensure that those who have defended our freedoms can live with dignity, security, and opportunity.
When veterans struggle to meet their basic needs, it is not just a personal burden. It is a national moral failure.
Ensuring that benefits keep up with the cost of living isn't just the right thing to do. It is the smart thing to do economically.
It promotes stability, reduces uncertainty, and allows veterans to remain active, contributing members of the community they helped to protect.
That is exactly why we need the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act. It will immediately make critical changes to veterans' benefits just in time for the holidays.
By adjusting the rate of these benefits to keep pace with inflation and align with annual increases from the Social Security Administration, our veterans will not have to choose between medication, housing, groceries, or utility bills.
Honoring and supporting our veterans should never be a partisan issue. It is a matter of national character. It makes good on the promise made to our military heroes when they answer the call to duty.
I will proudly be voting to support this legislation, and I urge all of my colleagues to do the same.
Let us honor veterans not only with ceremonies and speeches but with policies that uphold their well-being year-round.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this bill that ensures our veterans, including the thousands who call Guam home, receive the compensation adjustment they have earned through service and sacrifice.
Guam has one of the highest per capita veteran populations in the Nation, and these cost-of-living increases are essential for families facing high costs and limited healthcare options.
This legislation is simple, bipartisan, and just. It honors every servicemember who stood the watch, from the Indo-Pacific to every corner of the globe.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support our veterans and pass this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. Morrison), my good friend who serves on our Subcommittee on Health and our Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2392, the Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act.
This bipartisan legislation would provide a 2.8 percent cost-of- living increase for VA disability benefits, like disability compensation and clothing allowance, as well as survivor benefits, such as dependency and indemnity compensation.
Veterans and their families are entitled to and owed these benefits, and it is our responsibility in Congress to ensure that we continue to provide the utility and financial stability they deserve.
Affordability is a top concern for all of my constituents, including the veterans in my community. This adjustment is necessary to help ensure that our veterans and their families can keep pace with the cost of living.
As a cosponsor of this legislation and a member of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee, I am pleased that we are able to come together on a bipartisan basis to pass this bill that will do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I want to end by thanking the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Luttrell) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. McGarvey) for their leadership on this important bill. I also thank the chair and ranking member for their support, as well. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, once again, I encourage all of our Members to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I thank our veterans. This is the right piece of legislation and something that we need to do, and make sure we do every year, to make sure that those costs of living are covered for our veterans and their survivors.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Expressing Condolences and Support for the Victims of the July 4 Flooding in Texas, Honoring Acts of Heroism, and Committing to Stand With Those Impacted by These Floods
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 782) expressing condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas, honoring acts of heroism, and committing to stand with those impacted by these floods.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Figures) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on H. Res. 782.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this resolution also honors the brave first responders who risked their lives while rescuing over 850 souls.
It further pledges our commitment to stand in solidarity with the survivors of this unspeakable tragedy and the families who lost loved ones.
My own family has attended summer camps in the Hill Country for many generations, and my grandchildren were there only days before these tragic floods.
The July floods stole the lives of over 135 innocent people, including 37 children, some of them my own constituents in District 36.
It wreaked havoc on over 2,000 homes and businesses throughout Kerr County and inflicted $1.1 billion worth of damage on the residences across the Hill Country. Just seeing the tremendous damage in person done by this disaster was an unbelievable experience.
I am very proud of the President's response. By swiftly issuing a major disaster declaration, FEMA has been able to approve $38 million in individual assistance, as well as $31 million in public assistance.
This tragedy prompted the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, under my chairmanship, to pass the Weather Act Authorization. This legislation will improve emergency preparedness for communities nationwide and deliver vital enhancements to our forecasting capabilities, which is why it must be brought to the House floor soon.
While the Federal response has been both vigorous and robust, it is the duty of this Congress to offer solace and comfort to the people of Texas. This resolution today will do just that.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman and my good friend from Texas-- this tragedy occurred in his district--Congressman Chip Roy, for his able leadership on this bipartisan resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I, too, support H. Res. 782 to express condolences and support for the victims of the July 4 flooding in Texas and also to honor the acts of heroism and commit to stand with those impacted by the floods through the rebuilding.
The floods that tore through the Texas Hill Country were devastating beyond words. There were 135 lives lost, and many, many lives changed forever in terms of having to endure it, some of whom we had the privilege of seeing here in this House last July. Three souls are actually still missing. Families have been shattered, communities submerged, and more than 200 homes damaged. Businesses and infrastructure were crippled.
Before I go any further, I will take a moment to acknowledge a heartbreaking loss that my district felt with this that has touched the Mobile, Alabama, community deeply. We are grieving the tragic deaths of four members of the same family, the Santana family, a family of military veterans: Eddie, Sr., aged 69; Ileana, his wife, aged 66; Camille, their daughter-in-law, aged 38; and Mila Rose, just 5 years old. While visiting the Hill Country, they were caught in the floods on that tragic evening.
Only one member of that family, Eddie Santana, Jr., survived. I ask that we continue to hold him in our hearts and include his entire family in our prayers as they now face a future with unimaginable sorrow.
To all those grieving, I offer my most sincere condolences. The horror of this disaster is truly hard for any of us to comprehend. Yet, in the face of tragedy, we saw extraordinary courage. First responders across Texas, the U.S. Coast Guard, and volunteers from across the country sprang into action, risking their lives to save countless others. We are eternally grateful for their service and sacrifice.
Though the water has receded in Kerr County, the work is far from over. We must rebuild homes, restore infrastructure, and revive local businesses. However, we must also analyze our Federal
We know now, in light of the tragedy, that the highly specialized search and rescue teams were delayed by over 3 days in getting there. Members also inquired recently about why some call center contracts had lapsed in the days leading up to and following the flood, leaving some survivors' calls unanswered.
Subsequent reports have indicated that a policy at DHS is a contributing factor, a policy that required the Secretary to personally approve any expenditures over $100,000. This is something that we have to analyze, and we must make the necessary changes.
Reports have also revealed that payments for vital disaster recovery projects beyond this one, in North Carolina, have been indefinitely delayed. This is not something we can tolerate in response to this tragedy.
If we are going to rebuild the Hill Country with the urgency Texans deserve, the bottlenecks must be eliminated. Without this change, we cannot stand here and say that we are doing everything in our power to help Texas.
I am encouraged by the bipartisan efforts on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. We recently passed the FEMA Act with a 57-3 vote. This legislation would dramatically overhaul FEMA and deliver swift resources to disaster survivors. I urge House leadership to bring this bill to the floor without delay.
Before I close, I will take a moment to acknowledge that when it was brought to my knowledge that the family from Mobile, Alabama, was impacted by this flood, I, being a freshman Member of Congress, reached out to some of my Republican colleagues and asked for the number of Chip Roy. Chip Roy and I had never really had a conversation before that, but I texted him and I called him.
Chip was understandably busy, and he responded back to a text message. I said: Chip, we have got a family of five missing from my hometown.
Chip didn't ask questions. Chip just said: Send me their names and send me where they were. I did. Unfortunately, the results were what they were. However, I appreciate Chip's response. I do. I know the families impacted by this appreciate his diligence here as well.
I will close saying I support H. Res. 782 and urge my colleagues to do the same. Let's honor the victims, support the survivors, and ensure our Nation responds better and faster in the future.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Texas for his leadership on this. I thank all my colleagues from Texas for their support not just on this resolution, but throughout the ordeal back in July and since, as we continue to work through the tragedy and find the lives that have been lost.
We are still looking for several, as the gentleman from Alabama noted. I appreciate the kind words from the gentleman from Alabama. There is no time for politics when you are dealing with moments like that. I appreciated engaging with him. I wish it had been a better outcome, but I do appreciate our engagement on that to try to do what we can for the families that were impacted.
I will say a few things about this. I have never done a resolution. I generally don't like to focus on resolutions. I feel like we are here to do the business of the people. In this instance, I felt compelled to bring a resolution to the floor on behalf of the people of the Hill Country and on behalf of the families affected throughout the country, as the gentleman from Alabama noted.
It wasn't just that. It was our colleague from Georgia, Buddy Carter, who had family impacted by it. Some survived, but at least one little girl didn't. I could go through the list, but it affected many people in this Chamber. The gentlewoman from Texas, Lizzie Fletcher, who herself went to camps in the Hill Country, had constituents who were affected by it and many others. I felt compelled to bring this resolution to the floor, and I will explain why in just a minute.
I thank the leadership of so many people in response to the floods that ravaged the community in the Hill Country. It is hard to put into words exactly how bad it was. Two days after the flood, I drove down the river with one of my staffers. It looked essentially like an F5 tornado just ripped down the valley. There were 100-plus-year-old cypress trees that were just laid flat. There is so much vegetation waste that has been piled up, I think it would cover something like 100 football fields 10 feet tall. There is so much damage that was done alongside the river.
I raise that because there are so many recriminations and questions-- it is not a political thing--since the floods, but it is hard to put into words the momentous event that it was when it struck at 4 o'clock in the morning on July 4.
There are things that no doubt could be done differently. A lot of this is going to be played out over time in litigation and legislation. That is not really the story for me. That is not what I will remember. That is not what I will carry forward.
I will carry forward, and I thank personally the President of the United States; Susie Wiles; the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem; and the leadership that engaged from the Federal level to the State to the local level: Governor Abbott; the Lieutenant Governor; the head of the Texas Department of Emergency Management, Nim Kidd; the head of DPS, Freeman Martin; all of the leadership in Kerr County, Sheriff Leitha in particular; the people in the community who stepped up; all of the first responders; and the Coast Guard, as the gentleman from Alabama mentioned.
All of these are people who responded and stood up immediately and didn't point fingers. They just got together at an emergency center and figured out what to do. They came together to deliver as quick a result as you could, saved many lives in the process, and then dealt with the loss of life that came from the flood.
We will manage through this as we go forward, whether it is in Texas or here, whatever policies we change. That is what you do. That is how you learn and you make policies and you adapt.
I want to make a point about the things that we know are impacted, things that will never be the same. Those cypress trees that were 100 years old, those are not going to be the same for hundreds of years. The damage that was done to the community, the buildings that were ravaged, the little girls whose lives were lost, the people who were down there vacationing whose lives were lost, the camps that were destroyed--Camp Mystic, Camp La Junta, Heart O' the Hills--that are now either moving or having to redo their entire models and plans, none of those things are going to be the same. All of those things are now forever changed.
However, there is one thing that is enduring. I talked about it when we talked about this the week after it happened when we came back into this Chamber, and that is the cross that sits on the hill in Kerrville. It is the faith of the people of Kerrville and Kerr County, Texas, that came together under that cross to stand up for something bigger and a vision that is much greater than the tragedy that we endured.
What is actually going to endure and carry forward is a strong faith and a commitment in honor of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, the people who came together in prayer along the streets of Kerrville that comforted families, the $150 million that was raised through the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country from all over the country and heavily from Texans, the concerts that were held, the events that were carried out.
All of this stuff came together so that people could not look to point fingers--look, there are questions that will be asked--but to come together in a tragedy to stand tall and to come together in a bond about something that is greater than the loss of life but that will carry forward and endure forever. That is what I will remember about this. We are going to rebuild. We are going to continue to work.
I appreciate this resolution. It is important for the United States House of Representatives to recognize this. I urge its support and adoption, and I am
Mr. Speaker, again, I support House Resolution 728, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. Again, I express my sincere appreciation to Congressman Chip Roy for helping out my district and the citizens of my district during this critical time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, this resolution will cement unwavering support of this Congress to the brave folks from the great State of Texas. To honor the lives lost and the perseverance of the survivors, it is our duty to pass this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of H. Res. 782, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res 782.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2212) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2212.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2212, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act. This bill will improve the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis collaboration with the wider intelligence community.
As the only intelligence agency with a duty to share information with State and local law enforcement, it is imperative the Office of Intelligence and Analysis analysts have effective partnerships within the intelligence community.
In addition, I also want to take a second to express my gratitude to the rest of my Committee on Homeland Security colleagues on both sides of the aisle as we work to advance over a dozen bipartisan pieces of legislation to the House floor this week. As chairman, I look forward to sending many more legislative priorities to the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support for H.R. 2212, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill which directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, to require all components of the Department of Homeland Security intelligence enterprise to participate in the intelligence community's Civilian Joint Duty Program.
The Civilian Joint Duty Program allows professionals across the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies to temporarily work in a different U.S. intelligence organization to broaden their skills beyond their home agencies.
Requiring the participation of all DHS intelligence offices in the program will expose the DHS intelligence workforce to best practices in the field and promote cross-organizational networks.
H.R. 2212 not only supports the professional development of the DHS intelligence workforce but fosters more information sharing and better positions DHS to identify and mitigate threats to the homeland.
Mr. Speaker, I support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 2212, the DHS Intelligence Rotational Assignment Program and Law Enforcement Support Act.
Next year, our Nation will mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As we approach this solemn milestone, it is important that we reflect on the progress we have made in preventing attacks, as well as the areas where we can continue to improve.
Countless Americans work every day across numerous agencies to keep our citizens safe from potential threats. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the intelligence community was strengthened and its ranks were bolstered. Because of their work, and the courage of our veterans and servicemembers, our Nation has been spared from similar attacks.
We thank all of those who serve our Nation, both as civilians and servicemembers, in the fight to secure our homeland.
Despite this success, we remain vigilant in the face of continuing threats against our country. That means continuing to analyze our tactics, refine our strategies, and ensure that critical information is efficiently shared between agencies.
Information silos are not unique to the intelligence community, but the need to overcome them is more acute. The consequences are far greater if there are problems that arise. The intelligence community's ability to detect and prevent attacks against our homeland depends on coordinated and efficient information flows.
We expect smooth interaction and joint maneuvers from our Nation's warfighters, and we depend upon the same thing across all components of our intelligence community.
However, this coordination can be improved. In 2017, the inspectors general of the Intelligence Community, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Justice all completed a report that noted the DHS intelligence enterprise was not as effective and as valuable as it could be. This was attributed, in part, to a lack of unity throughout the DHS intelligence enterprise.
For the intelligence community, the stakes could not be higher. Our Nation's security depends on streamlined coordination across agencies. That is why this bill ensures that the intelligence components of DHS are fully integrated within joint duty programs across the broader intelligence community. This allows intelligence analysts at DHS to sharpen their knowledge and expertise by spending time across different agencies.
These benefits are similar to what many Americans have experienced throughout private industry. As a one-time board member for the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Board and as Republican chair of the Pennsylvania House Labor and Industry
Rotational programs can take employees out of their respective bubbles, helping them see the big picture of the organization and the important roles that are played by employees in other areas.
These same principles and strategies can certainly be translated into the homeland security space, where wider knowledge and institutional connections mean stronger security. By giving DHS staff the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills from throughout the department, we give the intelligence community a leg up in the fight to protect our Nation.
It is time for Congress to codify DHS' Intelligence Rotational Assignment program and ensure that our intelligence community has the breadth of experience necessary to tackle the threats of tomorrow.
Madam Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2212, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2212, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1608) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to produce a report on emerging threats and countermeasures related to vehicular terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 1608.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1608, the Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025.
Following the vehicular terrorism incident in New Orleans on New Year's Day and as the U.S. prepares to host several major sporting events starting next year, it is more important than ever that the Department of Homeland Security take a leading role in addressing the threat of vehicular terrorism.
This legislation will require DHS to conduct a comprehensive assessment of emerging threats and potential countermeasures.
Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1608, the Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025.
In the early morning on New Year's Day this year, an assailant carried out a devastating truck attack against pedestrians in New Orleans, killing 14 victims plus the perpetrator and injuring at least 57 others.
This attack is the latest in a string of attacks using vehicles to inflict significant harm.
H.R. 1608 would enhance the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to address threats posed by vehicular terrorism.
Madam Speaker, I support the bill's advancement, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 1608, the Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025.
On New Year's Day 2025, our Nation was shaken by a horrific ISIS- inspired attack in New Orleans that took the lives of 14 innocent people and injured dozens more.
This tragedy is a stark reminder that vehicles are increasingly being weaponized as instruments of terror. H.R. 1608 directs the Department of Homeland Security to confront the growing threat of vehicle-based attacks. It mandates a comprehensive assessment of current and emerging tactics, including the potential misuse of autonomous vehicles, rideshare platforms, and connected vehicle technologies.
Further, the bill strengthens coordination between Federal, State, and local governments and the private sector to better safeguard public gatherings, critical infrastructure, and high-density urban areas.
I thank Congressman Troy Carter, who represents the community devastated by the New Year's Day attack, for his partnership and leadership on this effort.
This practical and bipartisan legislation is about honoring the lives we lost by doing everything possible to prevent and mitigate future attacks. With major events on the horizon, including America250, the FIFA World Cup, and the Los Angeles Olympics, we must ensure every necessary security measure is in place to protect the millions of visitors and attendees these events will bring.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1608.
Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers. In closing, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1608, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1608, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2659) to ensure the security and integrity of United States critical infrastructure by establishing an interagency task force and requiring a comprehensive report on the targeting of United States critical infrastructure by Peoples Republic of China state- sponsored cyber actors, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2659.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.
Following the revelations of the Typhoon actors sponsored by the People's Republic of China, the committee found that the response of the previous administration was unsatisfactory. This legislation will create an interagency task force chaired by the Director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to properly address the cybersecurity threat posed by the People's Republic of China's cyber actors.
Madam Speaker, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.
This bill establishes an interagency task force to coordinate efforts to combat cyber threats from the People's Republic of China and establishes reporting requirements to ensure Congress is informed on administration efforts.
Under the Biden administration, CISA, FBI, and other Federal agencies established valuable partnerships to address the threats posed by Chinese state-backed threat actors such as Volt Typhoon and Salt Typhoon.
This bill codifies those efforts.
Unfortunately, hundreds of cybersecurity personnel have left CISA under Trump administration pressure, severely undermining the agency's ability to defend critical infrastructure from cyber threats from the PRC and other adversaries.
I hope that passing this bill will help demonstrate to the administration the need to prioritize resources and personnel on combating serious cyber threats.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.
Earlier this year, I introduced this legislation because the United States is facing an increasingly coordinated and persistent effort by malicious cyber actors linked to the Government of the People's Republic of China, the PRC. These groups represent one of the most serious national security challenges confronting our Nation today.
Reports from Federal agencies and private-sector partners over the past several years have shown that Chinese state-sponsored cyber actors, including Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and other PRC-affiliated groups, have been targeting the systems and services that Americans rely on every single day.
In committee, there has been testimony that 98 percent of our municipalities operate under cybersecurity poverty, meaning they don't have the resources to defend themselves. These intrusions have affected communication providers, energy operators, water systems, transportation networks, and other sectors that are fundamental to public safety and economic stability.
What has become clear is that these actors are not simply trying to collect information. In many cases, they have attempted to position themselves inside sensitive systems for long periods of time, for years, in some cases, before being discovered.
Their activity indicates preparation for the possibility of major disruption during a time of crisis, including potentially over Taiwan. This is a serious strategic concern, and it demands a serious national response.
These groups often use advanced techniques that allow them to operate quietly within everyday system activity. They rely on legitimate tools and access privileges to conceal malicious behavior. This makes detection extremely difficult and allows intrusions to remain unnoticed until long after a compromise has taken place.
While Federal agencies have taken important steps to respond, the overall effort has revealed significant challenges in the way our government organizes its cybersecurity responsibilities. Multiple agencies share roles in protecting critical infrastructure, but they operate under different missions, structures, and authorities. Through fast-moving or complex incidents, these differences can slow the exchange of information and create uncertainty about responsibility and response actions.
H.R. 2659 addresses these gaps by directing the creation of a joint interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, CISA, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This task force will bring together the agencies that serve as sector risk management agencies, along with the intelligence community and other Federal partners with responsibility for critical infrastructure security.
The goal is straightforward: Federal actions must be aligned, coordinated, and based on a shared understanding of the threat environment.
The legislation also requires the task force to provide Congress with a detailed initial assessment, followed by annual reports for 5 years. These reports will offer insight into the tactics used by PRC- affiliated cyber actors, vulnerabilities across sectors, the potential impacts of disruptions during a major crisis, and any additional tools or authorities Federal agencies may need.
Classified briefings will ensure that Congress receives timely and accurate information necessary to evaluate our nationwide posture.
This bill strengthens unity and effort. It improves coordination. It increases visibility and accountability. It ensures that the United States can respond to foreign cyber aggression with preparation rather than reaction.
H.R. 2659 reflects lessons learned from real-world incidents. It elevates our national approach to cybersecurity, and it helps protect American communities from adversaries who are actively working to compromise the systems that support our way of life.
We cannot let a bureaucracy stand in the way of defending our Nation's cybersecurity. I strongly urge my colleagues to support this important legislation.
Madam Speaker, I think I would be remiss if I did not mention the ranking member of the full committee and the ranking member of the subcommittee who worked so hard on getting this bill across the finish line. I am very excited that this is a very nice bipartisan effort on something that has to get done. There is a big focus that we have to have on the People's Republic of China and what they are doing when it comes to cybersecurity.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee).
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2659, the Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act.
I thank Congressman Ogles for his leadership on this legislation and for his commitment to enhancing the security of our Nation's critical infrastructure.
In recent years, the United States has faced an alarming surge in malicious cyber activity originating from
These actors have demonstrated a level of sophistication and planning that reflects both significant resources and a deep understanding of the essential systems that keep our country functioning.
Groups associated with the PRC, including those known as Volt Typhoon, Salt Typhoon, and others, have directed their attention toward the networks that deliver power, water, communications, transportation services, and other foundational systems relied upon by millions of Americans every day.
Their operations have shown a clear pattern. They look for ways to enter sensitive environments. They work to remain there as long as possible. They study the systems they infiltrate so that their presence blends into normal activity.
This type of long-term access is particularly concerning. When an adversary establishes persistent access to critical systems, even access that appears dormant, it creates the possibility of disruption at a future date.
The United States cannot allow foreign actors to position themselves in ways that could compromise public safety, interrupt essential services, or hinder our ability to respond in times of crisis.
The scale of targeting has also continued to expand. These cyber actors are now looking across multiple sectors at once, which means that our national response must be organized in a way that can match the breadth of the threat.
Federal responsibilities for protecting critical infrastructure are distributed across several departments, and each department has specific missions and authorities. That structure often works well during normal operations, but when confronted with a fast-moving and coordinated foreign threat, it can create gaps in communication and delay collective action.
H.R. 2659 provides a clear and practical solution to this challenge. The bill directs the creation of a joint interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This task force will bring together the agencies responsible for overseeing individual sectors, the intelligence community, and other Federal partners. The purpose is to ensure that all relevant entities are sharing information, planning together, and taking action with a common understanding of the threat.
The legislation also strengthens the role of Congress by ensuring that we receive timely, comprehensive assessments of the threat landscape. These reports will help us understand sector-specific vulnerabilities, the methods used by the PRC-linked cyber actors, the potential consequences of disruption during a crisis, and the extent to which Federal agencies may need additional tools or authorities.
This ongoing visibility is vital for effective oversight and for developing policies that reflect current and emerging challenges.
H.R. 2659 is a thoughtful and necessary step toward improving the resilience of our critical infrastructure. It lays the groundwork for a more unified and prepared Federal approach. It supports the operators who manage vital systems across our country. It strengthens our national posture against a foreign adversary that has already shown its willingness to target essential American services.
I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2659. I congratulate my colleague, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Ogles) on the great work he did on this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2659.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5078) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to reauthorize the State and local cybersecurity grant program of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5078.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5078, the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act, also known as the PILLAR Act.
Madam Speaker, I first thank Congressman Ogles for his leadership in bringing forward this bipartisan bill.
Cybersecurity is often discussed in the context of national systems, but the truth is that many of the most disruptive incidents occur in our own communities.
In recent years, local governments across the country have experienced attacks that shut down city services, delayed school operations, locked police and court records, and forced jurisdictions of all sizes to spend significant funds on recovery. These events may not always make national headlines, but they have real consequences for families, businesses, and public safety.
Some of these attacks come from criminal ransomware groups, while others originate from foreign adversaries that seek to test the resilience of American communities. The Committee on Homeland Security has monitored these trends closely.
A recent cyber-threat snapshot shows that the majority of States have experienced significant cyber incidents at the local level this year, and many of those incidents targeted smaller jurisdictions that have limited staff, outdated systems, and fewer resources to defend themselves.
Finally, this bill is the product of bipartisan work. It passed through the Committee on Homeland Security with support from Members across the political spectrum. I especially thank Representatives Swalwell and Evans for their work alongside myself and Congressman Ogles to advance this important legislation. That cooperation reflects a shared recognition that cybersecurity cannot be approached through a partisan lens.
By passing the PILLAR Act, the House can reaffirm its commitment to our State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners. When our communities are more secure, our entire Nation is more secure.
I thank Congressman Ogles, again, for his leadership in bringing forward this bipartisan bill.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5078, and I reserve the balance of my time
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5078, which reauthorizes the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program until 2033.
First established 4 years ago in the bipartisan infrastructure law based on legislation authored by Representative Yvette Clarke, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has provided $1 billion in funding for State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments so that they can strengthen their cyber defenses.
Earlier this year, the Cybersecurity Subcommittee held a hearing to evaluate the program and receive testimony from the National League of Cities, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, and one of the Nation's top cybersecurity firms. Their assessment was clear: The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has worked.
From Connecticut to Kentucky to Utah, the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program has forged partnerships that have helped detect and thwart attacks, built resilience, and stretched dollars further.
From municipal services to our school systems, the services that our constituents rely on every day are more secure today than they were 4 years ago, but our work is not done. Despite the impressive progress that State and local governments have made to improve their cybersecurity posture, many jurisdictions across the country, particularly rural areas, remain unacceptably vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Every day, State and local governments must defend against cyber intrusions from transnational criminal gangs and nation-state adversaries. The Federal Government has an obligation to leverage its resources, expertise, and intelligence to defend our State and local governments from these sophisticated threats.
There are no other circumstances under which we would expect a State or local government to defend itself from an attack from a state actor, particularly from China, Russia, or Iran. With this essential program's authorization set to expire on January 30, enacting a long-term reauthorization will help provide stability to the program and, importantly, build a case for appropriating more funding for it.
At a time when the Trump administration has been cutting vital cybersecurity resources for State and local governments, such as the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center, it is more important than ever that Congress step up to provide more funding for State and local cybersecurity.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 5078, the Protecting Information by Local Leaders for Agency Resilience Act, known as the PILLAR Act.
This legislation is about strengthening the first line of defense in our Nation's cybersecurity. While we often focus on Federal networks and high-profile national systems, the reality is that many of the services Americans depend on every single day are run by State and local governments.
When a resident pays a utility bill online, when a police department dispatches an officer, or when a hospital connects to a county network, all of those activities rely on State and local systems that are now squarely in the sights of foreign adversaries and criminal groups.
As a former county executive in Tennessee, I saw firsthand how limited budgets, aging systems, and staffing constraints can leave local governments struggling to keep up with modern cyber threats.
Many smaller jurisdictions only operate with a handful of IT staff and, in some cases, with none at all. Yet, they are expected to defend against the same nation-state actors that target major corporations and Federal agencies. That is not a fair fight, and it is not a sustainable model for national security.
The State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program at the Department of Homeland Security was created to help close that gap by providing targeted assistance to those States, territories, and local governments so that they can assess the risk, modernize outdated systems, and build real cyber resilience.
The PILLAR Act reauthorizes and strengthens this program so that it reflects the threat environment we face today and the technological landscape that State and local partners are actually operating in.
This bill makes several important updates. It ensures that the program covers not only traditional information technology systems but also operational technology and systems that incorporate artificial intelligence. That means that we are recognizing the reality that cyber risk now extends to everything from industrial control systems at water treatment plants to connected devices at public safety networks to AI- enabled tools used by local agencies.
The bill encourages the adoption of basic but powerful best practices, such as multifactor authentication and stronger identity and access management tools across State and local networks.
It promotes continuous vulnerability assessment and monitoring so that jurisdictions can detect and mitigate threats before those threats turn into major incidents. It also emphasizes the importance of good cyber hygiene, modern configuration management, and alignment with frameworks developed by CISA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Importantly, the PILLAR Act recognizes that not all communities start from the same place. It directs outreach and support to rural areas and jurisdictions with small populations, which are often the least resourced but still operate critical services.
It encourages partnerships with academic and nonprofit organizations, including cybersecurity clinics and other technical assistance providers that can help these communities develop and implement their cyber plans. This bill also guards against the use of Federal grant dollars on technology that introduces additional risk.
It prohibits the use of funds to purchase software or hardware from foreign entities of concern when those products do not align with CISA guidance, and it directs grantees to follow secure-by-design recommendations so that public money is not spent on tools that undermine security.
We also provide more predictability around cost share requirements so that States and local governments can plan over the long term.
The legislation maintains a strong Federal commitment while encouraging jurisdictions to invest in sustaining the improvements they make.
For those that implement multifactor authentication and related protections by a certain date, the bill provides additional flexibility in the Federal cost share to reward that proactive work.
This is a bipartisan bill. I am proud to have worked closely with Chairman Garbarino and Representatives Swalwell and Evans on this critical legislation, and appreciate the support it has received from Members on both sides of the aisle.
We share the same goal, which is to help our communities defend themselves against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and to ensure continuity of essential services for the American people.
Supporting the PILLAR Act is about more than technology. It is about public trust. When a local government falls victim to ransomware and emergency services are delayed, when a school district loses student records, or when basic services are interrupted, citizens lose confidence in those institutions.
This bill helps prevent those outcomes by equipping State and local leaders with the resources and tools they need to prepare.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5078 and to stand with the State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners who are on the front lines of our cyber defense every day.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I, again, urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5078, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5078, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 260) to amend the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Act to require hygienic handling of breast milk and baby formula by security screening personnel of the Transportation Security Administration and personnel of private security companies providing security screening, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on S. 260.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 260, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act.
This legislation will require the administrator of the Transportation Security Administration to update guidance related to screening of infant feeding materials. It will make the airport experience more bearable for traveling families. I thank my Democratic colleague, Mr. Swalwell, for leading the House version of this legislation, H.R. 820, through the committee earlier this year.
Madam Speaker, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 260, the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act.
This is a straightforward bill that directs the Transportation Security Administration to update or issue guidance to adhere to hygienic standards to reduce the risk of contamination of breast milk, baby formula, juice, and purified water during TSA screening.
The bill would also require TSA to consult with nationally recognized maternal health organizations to help develop guidelines and establish hygienic screening standards for these items.
Traveling with kids is a difficult, stressful experience for many parents and caretakers, one that I expect to undertake beginning in January.
For many new moms, in particular, TSA screening has proven a particularly challenging experience as well-meaning officers enforce inconsistent and opaque screening requirements.
Far too many parents have been left wondering if their breast milk or formula is still safe to give to an infant after TSA has handled and screened it.
This bill would help enforce hygienic practices and make screening less stressful for new parents while maintaining security standards.
Madam Speaker, I thank Senator Duckworth for her leadership on this topic, as well as my colleague Congressman Swalwell, who sponsored the House companion to this bill.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act.
Air travel with children is a nightmare, and I am just talking for the nonparents who have to deal with them at an airport. For parents, it is hell. It is like an Olympic sport. It is like going through a gauntlet dragging little kids who just want to be attached to tablets or anything but the directions that you are giving to them to hopefully get them from the entrance of the airport to the plane.
Oftentimes with little kids, you have, in transit with them, a mother who is breastfeeding. Many of us have experienced going through airport security where our TSA agents, who are good natured and just doing their jobs, can really slow down, jam up, clog, and delay this experience.
For practicality's sake, the last thing you want for your kids to experience when you are trying to move them from the gate to the plane, is any interruption or delay. For traveling moms, it is humiliating to have your breast milk sorted through by TSA agents. It doesn't feel very safe to have agents open up the breast milk. Too many moms have shared with me that working moms are often traveling on their own without their kids, but they are still pumping, pumping and dumping as they would call it, and are asked by TSA agents, what are you doing with breast milk if you don't have kids with you, which is another level of shame that is brought upon the mothers because they already feel guilty that they are not with their kids.
It doesn't have to be this way.
My friend from New York (Mr. Garbarino), who has helped me shepherd this bill through the Homeland Security Committee, has given me a good snicker and a smirk over there because he probably sees me as the least likely person to bring this bill forward and he is the least likely ally that I have on the other side, but the two of us are smart enough to listen to women and families.
Madam Speaker, I will share the origin of this bill because it is a success story for anybody who believes that they can write to their legislator and see a change in the laws that govern us. I thank scientist Emily Calandrelli, a Californian whose advocacy and personal testimony brought national attention to this issue. She wrote about the exact experience I described, traveling as a working mother without her kids and being asked why she had breast milk but no children. Her experience made it clear to many parents who have faced similar challenges.
I thank Senator Duckworth for leading the charge in the Senate and sending us this bill so quickly as well as Representatives Salazar, Pettersen, and Luna for their unwavering advocacy for traveling mothers.
I also thank my former colleague, Katie Porter of Orange County, who introduced this bill in prior Congresses. It is a commonsense bill, and it is rightfully a bipartisan effort.
Compounding the chaos with the anxiety that mothers face are TSA screeners who have inadequate or confusing guidelines as to what they are supposed to do with breast milk. The Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act strengthens and streamlines TSA's screening procedures so parents can travel with dignity, confidence, and peace of mind.
It requires TSA to work with maternal health experts to create clear, science-based guidelines for screening breast milk, formula, and pumping equipment. It ensures TSA officers receive proper training so that every parent can travel with confidence that they will not be forced to discard essential nutritional products.
Again, this is not a partisan issue. It is a parenting issue. Unsanitary handling of breast milk and formula puts kids at risk. Mothers who can't pump because TSA held up their equipment can suffer painful, preventable medical complications. Every parent who has traveled with young children knows the stress, as I mentioned, that this creates.
This bill is also about accountability. It directs an independent body to audit TSA's compliance with its own policies, ensuring that violations like those experienced by Ms. Calandrelli and by countless moms who shared their stories do not continue.
Madam Speaker, families deserve better than unnecessary stress at the airport. They deserve clarity, dignity, and a safe travel system that works for them, not against them.
Passing this bill now will send it to the President's desk. I can't promise that passing this bill will make your plane get there on time or give you the upgrade you are so desperately hoping
I welcome my colleagues' support and encourage them to support this legislation by voting ``yes'' on S. 260.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I congratulate my colleague (Mr. Swalwell) on this bill. I am happy to support it. I am very pro-family and pro-parent, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 260.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 260.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2261) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the Department of Homeland Security's oversight of certain intelligence matters, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) and the gentleman from Puerto Rico (Mr. Hernandez) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2261, the Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act.
The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis has a distinct role within the intelligence community of gathering and sharing intelligence across State, local, Tribal, and territorial partners.
In recent years, the Office of Intelligence and Analysis has faced criticism for overreach in its handling of bulk data that raises privacy concerns for the sensitive information of U.S. citizens.
This legislation will mandate that all DHS intelligence products undergo comprehensive reviews to ensure compliance with constitutional protections.
Madam Speaker, I urge support, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bill H.R. 2261, the Strengthening Oversight of DHS Intelligence Act.
One of the lessons of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, was that the United States Government needed to improve coordination and information sharing between law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The 9/11 Commission found that prior to September 11, the United States Government failed to connect the dots between pieces of information it had that could have prevented the attacks of that fateful day. The Department of Homeland Security was created to fill the critical gaps identified by the 9/11 Commission.
To this day, DHS' Office of Intelligence and Analysis, or I&A, is the lone member of the intelligence community tasked with delivering homeland security information and intelligence to State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement.
Every day, our State, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers work on the front lines to keep America safe. It is critical that they receive reliable intelligence to do the best job possible.
Just as critical as keeping Americans safe is upholding their constitutional rights. My bill ensures that the information and intelligence distributed by DHS to protect our communities does not infringe upon Americans' constitutional rights. It requires that all DHS intelligence products be reviewed by the DHS chief privacy officer and the DHS officer for civil rights and civil liberties.
Additionally, my bill would require training senior DHS intelligence personnel on privacy rights, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.
Put simply, under my bill, DHS intelligence information that is shared, retained, and disseminated must be done in a manner consistent with the protection of Americans' rights.
It is a principal duty for Congress to simultaneously protect our national security and preserve our privacy and our civil rights as well as our civil liberties.
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Colorado, Congressman Gabe Evans, for his collaboration on this bipartisan bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, earlier I referenced the 9/11 Commission, which called for unifying our information-sharing systems and intelligence coordination to ensure that a 9/11-like attack would never happen again on U.S. soil. The commission also recognized, however, that we must at the same time improve oversight of those information-sharing networks to prevent overreach and civil rights and privacy abuses.
This bipartisan bill establishes oversight mechanisms and safeguards to protect the privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties of Americans in the production and dissemination of DHS intelligence.
As a personal note, I appreciate the fact that, as Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner, we are able to consider a bill of my authorship in the first year of my term, an uncommon practice, and I am grateful to this committee for considering the bill in a bipartisan manner. It is proof that, despite my inability to vote on the final passage of bills, I can be a contributing Member of Congress, submitting legislation, debating legislation in committees, and then debating it on the floor.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this commonsense, bipartisan bill, and I thank my colleagues for their support.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
As the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, preventing another 9/11 is my top priority.
Being a Member from New York, I congratulate my colleague on his authorship and sponsorship of H.R. 2261. I urge all of my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2261.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Department of Homeland Security Vehicular Terrorism Prevention and Mitigation Act of 2025
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. 1608) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to produce a report on emerging threats and countermeasures related to vehicular terrorism, and for other purposes, as amended, 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 New York (Mr. Garbarino) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
This is a 15-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 400, nays 15, not voting 18, as follows:
Messrs. GROTHMAN, BURLISON, and BURCHETT changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act
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. 2659) to ensure the security and integrity of United States critical infrastructure by establishing an interagency task force and requiring a comprehensive report on the targeting of United States critical infrastructure by Peoples Republic of China state-sponsored cyber actors, 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 New York (Mr. Garbarino) 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 402, nays 8, not voting 23, as follows:
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 absent and unable to vote.
Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 286, YEA on Roll Call No. 287, and NAY on Roll Call No. 288.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 2(a)(2) of rule IX, the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Perez) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington (Ms. Perez).
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with humility, fear, and conviction, conviction that American citizens have a right to choose their elected Representatives, fear that my convictions will be dismissed as naive, and humility that I am as liable to deceive myself about my first duties, where my strength comes from, and to whom I owe my loyalty as anyone else on this floor today.
It is clear to me that my responsibility as an elected Representative to my community is to say loudly, consistently, humbly, and with love that no one has the right to subvert the right of the people to choose their elected Representatives.
I like Chuy Garcia. I think his reasons for retiring are noble. We are not here to adjudicate the character of Chuy Garcia. I am asking the body to consider a set of facts laid before us tonight about how he chose his successor and deprived Americans the right to choose their elected Representative.
Moral accusations and bitterness are not going to move this country in a stronger direction, but we can't keep bringing these same broken tools to the urgent struggle of preserving our inheritance as a nation.
With humility, I lay out the facts.
One week before the filing deadline, Congressman Chuy Garcia filed for reelection and submitted the necessary signatures for that petition, but 3 days before the filing deadline, he also began collecting signatures for his chief of staff, who shares his last name.
Just hours before the filing deadline, Representative Garcia's chief of staff submitted the paperwork to run with at least 2,500 signatures attached to it, and Chuy Garcia's signature was the very first one listed in the petition. He had at least 3 days of work that he has publicly acknowledged where he knew that his chief was going to be running against him, and he did not communicate his intention to retire.
He did not communicate his intention to retire. You don't get to have your cake and eat it, too. If you are not going to run, you don't get to choose your successor no matter how noble the work you have done beforehand.
The day after the filing deadline, once it was clear that there would be no Democratic alternative to his chief in a D+17 seat, he announced his retirement.
It is easy to get caught up in the culture of D.C., of political complacency, or believing that your opponents are so broken that the ends justify the means, but you cannot win the right to represent people through subversion. All you do is engender distrust in the government and apathy in the citizens of this great country.
We don't have to say that a thing is perfect to say that it is worth fighting for. In fact, we can't truly fight for a thing if we don't acknowledge its shortcomings.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H. Res. 878. While I respect the sponsor of this resolution and appreciate very much her work on behalf of her constituents in southwest Washington, I cannot support this measure.
My friend and classmate from the 116th Congress, Representative Chuy Garcia, embodies the highest ideals of the American Dream.
Born in Mexico, Representative Garcia moved to the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago in the 1960s and never left. After earning his citizenship in 1977, Representative Garcia graduated from college and began his career in public service with a community-based housing initiative.
Since his time as a member of the Chicago City Council, the Illinois State Senate, and Cook County Board of Commissioners, Congressman Chuy Garcia has served his community, the Congress, and our country with great distinction.
As it relates to the matter under consideration, in nearly every election he has been a candidate, Representative Garcia has faced opposition in both primary and general elections. Representative Garcia has proven himself unafraid to campaign. He has sought other offices and come up short.
During the filing period in Illinois, any qualified citizen and any qualified resident of the State could have filed to challenge Representative Garcia. In fact, Representative Garcia won a competitive primary just last cycle.
Throughout his career in public service, Chuy Garcia has demonstrated a broad and deep respect for his constituents. This includes his fierce advocacy for Chicago's immigrant communities, teachers, public employees, and the economically striving and struggling among us.
Representative Garcia is a dedicated public servant, and his record of accomplishment is worthy of celebration.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we are not here to adjudicate the character or quality of work of what has gone before in the career of Representative Garcia. That is not the question at hand.
No good work means that you are able to end your career with impunity in choosing your successor. This is not who we are as a country. People bled and died for the right to elect their own Representative.
To say that you can, at the last moment, submit at least 2,500 signatures, when your name is at the top of the list--and to the question of legality, this is not a question of whether or not what he did was legal. This body does not adjudicate State election law. That is not what we are trying to do here.
We do not choose the rules in Illinois' elections. We cannot imagine every illegal thing, every amoral thing, and make it illegal. Legality is smaller than morality, and the question at hand is: Do we condone a subversion of an election because it is playing by the rules?
Mr. Speaker, I once again remind the Members that any one of the citizens of this district could have filed petitions. In fact, Mr. Garcia has faced primaries before and general elections before.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Garcia), my very good friend.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here, believe it or not, with a grateful heart. Over the last several days, many of my colleagues have reached out with kindness and understanding. I appreciate their concern for me and their desire to keep our Caucus united.
I wasn't expecting to stand here to debate my retirement, but before any of us are Members of Congress, we are husbands, we are grandfathers, we are sons, we are mothers, and we are sisters. We are regular people, but life reminds us that our jobs come second to the people waiting for us at home.
After nearly 40 years of public service, I decided not to seek a fifth term, and I am proud to have served with integrity and respect.
I turn 70 next spring, and I decided that it was time to dedicate more of my time to the people who have sacrificed the most so that I could serve: my wife of almost 50 years, my children, my grandchildren, and the family that steadied me through victories and through heartbreak.
When my daughter, Rosa, passed away in 2023 and left us four beautiful young children, it shook our entire world. Overnight, our house became a home for those kids. We did what every family does: We stepped up. We held them close, and we gave them love and stability.
Despite dealing with multiple sclerosis, my wife, Evelyn, carried the heaviest load as their day-to-day caregiver. Because of my wife, I was able to keep meeting the responsibilities of my job here and in the district.
I filed to run for Congress because this work is more important than ever, and I wanted to deliver for my community and to be part, hopefully, of a new House majority next year.
I followed the rules of Illinois and its election law. When the ballot was open for anyone to file--as they had over the past 6 years and the four times that I stood for election--and contrary to claims that were made earlier today, I did not circulate any petitions that I was accused of circulating. I only circulated when I filed on the first day.
As I looked ahead, I had to be honest about what the next term would demand and what my family needed. I saw the big picture: supporting my wife as we manage her illness, taking better care of my own health, and being present for the grandson that we just adopted 2 weeks ago. It was a tough decision, but I made that choice as any husband, father, and grandfather would make at that moment. I stood by my family values, as we ask others to do.
Every one of us knows the pressures that come with serving here, but I hope that none of my colleagues ever face the circumstances that my family has faced in the last 3 years.
Meanwhile, my district and my community are under assault by our own government, and I ask my colleagues to listen. Members may have seen the reports, but pictures don't convey the screams of families being separated, U.S. citizens being arrested without cause, and the indiscriminate gassing of innocent families, including a 1-year-old just a week ago.
Families in my district are living with fear and trauma that no one should have to endure in our country.
Last week, we returned after 54 days with the House shuttered, including a 43-day shutdown. We returned hoping for Democratic unity. Therefore, I was shocked to be called out in a resolution on the House floor.
I think you would agree with me that voters don't want these arguments in Congress. The voters want us to be working to help them afford healthcare, rent, and childcare.
Mr. Speaker, none of us wants to spend the next year trading divisive disapproval resolutions.
The Speaker pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Our voters do not want this either. We should not be distracted by political ploys when our constituents want us to stay focused and to deliver for them.
I am going to finish my term with the same love and commitment that I brought to my first day of Congress here. When I arrived in this country as
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, true love persists in a confidence, not in your supremacy in making a choice for your voters, but in your service and humility that they have the right to choose. When we start making choices for people without their consent, we have walked away from the fundamentals of democracy.
I feel deeply for the sacrifice that it has taken him to serve his community. That does not legitimatize the way in which he left his seat and choosing a successor and refusing to be forthright with his constituents.
Mr. Speaker, to the question of primary challenges, in both the 2020 and the 2022 election, as I have seen in reporting, Chuy Garcia carried 100 percent of the primary. That does not sound like a whole lot of a primary challenge when you are carrying 100 percent of the votes in the primary. That doesn't mean that he was not chosen in that, but you can't walk away from a commitment to allowing voters a choice and a clarity on what you are going to be doing.
Mr. Speaker, since 2019, I have been proud to call the gentleman from Illinois both a colleague and a trusted friend.
During the build back better negotiations, we stood shoulder to shoulder to defend immigrant communities when it mattered the most. That is who Chuy Garcia is. He leads with conviction, courage, and integrity, even when he stands alone.
Chuy Garcia came up during the era of the late and great Harold Washington in Chicago who took down the political machine. It was Chuy Garcia who stood next to our other colleague, Luis Gutierrez, when his home was firebombed by two young men. His home was firebombed, and Chuy Garcia was the person standing next to former Congressman Luis Gutierrez.
An immigrant from Mexico and the son of a bracero, Chuy Garcia has spent 45 years as an organizer, public servant, and a coalition builder who never loses sight of the people he serves. He has been a steadfast champion for dignity, equity, and justice across Chicago.
He stepped out of this race for one reason and one reason only: his family. We often hear in these hallowed Halls of Congress the words ``family values,'' and it is often used with hypocrisy. Here we have a person that is really standing up for his grandchild.
The Speaker pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Here we have someone who is standing up for his grandchild, for his ill wife, for his community. He is standing up for family values, and yet he has to stand here and defend himself. His decision to step down is very personal and his decades of service speak for themselves.
We are grateful for his unwavering commitment to public service. At a moment where some are working overtime to protect the wealthy and gut healthcare for working families, we should stand together united to defend affordable healthcare. That is the issue that we should be talking about here tonight.
We should be standing together to talk about how we are going to lift the least among us and make it easier for them. That is what we should be talking about here tonight.
Nearly 20 million people are at risk of losing coverage and that should be our priority. Chuy, myself, and Luis Correa, we call ourselves the three amigos because we have so much in common, although I am from New York, he is from Illinois, and Luis is from California.
The word ``amigo'' means friend. It has been lost in the journey. The meaning of that word has been lost, and I may add maybe mutilated, but I am here to call Chuy tonight ``my great friend''; ``mi gran amigo.''
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my colleague, Congressman Chuy Garcia, who is my seatmate on the Judiciary Committee.
Chuy is someone who is always looking out for the working people of this country. Chuy is always the one in committee who is thinking: How is this going to affect the people back home in my neighborhood.
For 45 years, this man has worked relentlessly for the communities that he serves. His steadfast dedication to community has been on full display this year in the midst of the barbaric assaults that they have endured in Chicago. As Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino has indiscriminately launched chemical agents in residential neighborhoods and kidnapped people off the streets, the people of Illinois' Fourth District have had a strong champion in Chuy Garcia, standing alongside them every step of the way to demand justice.
That is how he fights for not just everyone in his district but for people across this country. He is a man of principle and a man of morals, and it is so disheartening to see his name dragged through the mud today.
When Federal agents kidnapped staffers of a local elected official off the streets, Chuy and his team were there demanding their release. He goes where he needs to go to stand up for his people. Isn't that what we all want from our elected officials?
Now, I acknowledge that yes, indeed, our democracy is corrupted and rigged against working people, but it is not because of Chuy Garcia.
Chuy has fought for working people his entire life, and he has been fearless in voting to stand up to mega corporations that are screwing us over and the big banks that don't give a damn about us.
I urge my colleagues to keep all of these things in mind.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
I want my colleagues to think about the totality of this man's life and what he has done in service not just to Illinois but to the people of this country. I urge my colleagues to keep this in mind.
This is not a game. It is a man's life. Please consider that as we think about this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is certainly not a game. This is certainly not a short strategy. It is long work to remain committed to the primacy of Americans' right to choose their elected representatives. Nothing validates the choice to subvert an election, not the trespasses of an administration, not the long and noble work of a public servant, not the valid and unknowable bitterness of a family's suffering, not fidelity to identity politics. Nothing validates subverting an election.
We are not here to adjudicate, as I have said, the measure of Chuy Garcia's work or his character. The question is: Do you have the right to choose your successor?
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of Chuy Garcia and against this resolution. I am, in fact, appalled at the hubris behind all of this.
If this is not a question of legality, if this is not a question of State law, then what is it a question of?
I was in Chicago with Congressman Chuy Garcia when hearings were held about the inhumane and barbaric
This is a man who is a legend. He is a legend to his district, and he is a legend in this Congress. I don't understand why we are having to debate him. This is character assassination.
My question is this: Is this the most significant subversion that has happened this year? We have an administration that is starving poor children. We have an administration that is involved in unauthorized strikes in countries around the globe. We are in the midst of fighting for survivors by getting the Epstein files released. We are in the fight of our lives to make sure that Americans can afford the healthcare that they deserve. That is what we should be debating. Those are issues that are far more pressing and critical to Americans.
I was home in my district this weekend. Not one person asked me about Chuy Garcia, not one person in my district or in my State. We have to worry about our own districts. Isn't that what people say, ``What is happening in your district?'' Worry about your own district.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
I am going to have to say this Democratic intraparty fighting is not what any of us want, and it is not what the American people deserve. I would hope that we would get back to focusing on the issues that are most critical. If any of us have an issue with what is going on in somebody else's district, we should have the decency and respect to go to them and ask them about what is going on in their district before we do all of this kind of character assassination on this House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, there is a famous saying in Baptist circles: ``If you don't kill your sin, your sin will kill you.'' Nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, but there are natural consequences, and the consequences of subverting an election and choosing your successor are a slide toward a very ugly future for our country.
There is an argument that has been made that they don't know about it so it is not wrong. That is not true. That is not true. We know about it. We know about it, and that can place on us an accountability, not just when it is politically convenient to condemn someone but when it is in your own family. That is the point.
That is the point, that when there is a spade, you call it a spade, whether it hurts or not. You have to have confidence that Americans will make the choice for themselves. That is the whole point of this experiment in democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my friend and colleague, Congressman Garcia.
Over the past 3-plus years, I have had the pleasure of working with Chuy Garcia. I have known him to be a dedicated public servant committed to serving his community and his country. Day in and day out, he has shown up for his constituents and for the American people.
I contrast this with Speaker Johnson, who, for the last month and a half, kept the House out of session, stopped this body from working on behalf of the people who sent us here, and manufactured a healthcare crisis.
We just ended the Republicans' government shutdown, and this is our first order of business? We need to get back to work to address the issues impacting the American people. We should be united in addressing the Republicans' looming healthcare crisis and the rising cost of living.
This debate does nothing to lower costs for people in Oregon or across this country. This is a debate that should be held by Congressman Garcia's constituents, not by Members of Congress who do not represent them.
We have more important work to do than to express displeasure at a Member of Congress who has spent his entire life serving the people of Illinois and people across this country.
Now, please, let's get back to the real work on behalf of the American people. I urge my colleagues to reject this reprimand.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The point is well made that Americans are suffering. A nonpayment of utility bills, people having their cars repossessed, people losing their businesses, people going without meals, that is in my community, and that is real. We do not dutifully serve the long work of building a self-determining country by turning our constituents into petitioners who would only demand free things from us, a relief from this pressure of the consolidation of corporate power. No, we also have to stand before them with honor, confidence, and respect in their ability to choose their elected representatives for themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I am so proud to stand here today to talk about one of the most important leaders in the city of Chicago for many, many years, helping person after person, making sure that his community and our communities have been safe, to stand up and fight for the people of the city of Chicago, a city that my colleague does not really understand the kind of faith that they have in Chuy Garcia all of these years.
For someone who doesn't know about the city of Chicago and the role that he has played and to find some outside idea that he has somehow cheated the city of Chicago or the people of the city of Chicago--are you kidding?
There has not been one single person that has stood up in Chicago and said that there should be some sort of punishment for our great friend. I mean, he has been there every day of the year helping people, every day of the most recent years helping people because we know that people have been in Chicago trying to take away people's lives, taking them out of the country, people who are fine, wonderful people in the city of Chicago.
I say: Shame on you for deciding that this is the issue that you, who have no idea about the role that Chuy Garcia has played in the city of Chicago and continues to play in the city of Chicago, will take on. This should be diminished right now.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their comments to the Chair.
Mr. Speaker, there are claims that this is not the work that we were sent here to do. Then what gives us the right to be here if not being sent here? There is a premise here. We have to be endowed with trust, and that has to be reciprocal with our voters.
I would argue that there is a very loud demand, a fervent, clear call by Americans right now for accountability and transparency, and it is not just about the Epstein files. It is all of it. They want us to stop this fight and be honest, deliberate, and respectful, to humbly serve.
That is what real leadership is. It is humility and service, not choosing for them what would be best for them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong defense of the great character of a loving friend, father, husband, and brother, Congressman Chuy Garcia.
My friends, there are moments in the Nation's history when a single life stands up and declares without arrogance and without apology that freedom must mean something for everybody or it means nothing at all.
Congressman Chuy Garcia is such a man. He is, in every profound and dangerous sense, a freedom fighter. Not in the fashion of myth or marble, but the kind born of neighborhoods where
Chuy Garcia's life is stitched together with the same thread that carried our greatest fighters forward, the belief that one does not have to accept the world as it is, but he glimpses into what the world ought to be. That is leadership.
Leadership is not a performance. It is not a posture. It is a way of standing with the vulnerable, a way of insisting that compassion is not weakness, that justice is not a luxury, and that democracy is not a spectator sport but a lifelong calling.
Beside me is a picture that warmed my heart from childhood. This is Congressman Chuy Garcia then campaigning with the great Harold Washington, the former Congressman from the First Congressional District.
Chuy brought the African American and Mexican communities together. There was a time--before the word Hispanic was created--we knew Chuy as a Mexican American. Chuy walked hand in hand with us in Chicago. In 1997, while he was the State senator serving alongside then Senator Barack Obama, Chuy Garcia was the chair of the Black Caucus of the Illinois State Senate.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
He has walked arm in arm with the African- American community, not as a visitor, not as a distant ally, but as a brother in the same long struggle for liberation. He understands that the battles of the South Side echo the battles of Little Village, that the pain of displacement, disenfranchisement, and dismissal does not respect ethnic boundaries, and that our triumphs, when we dare to claim them together, can shake the foundation of this Nation. He has marched with us, organized with us, fought alongside us because he knows that our destinies are intertwined.
Today, let us honor the courage of a man who has refused to be cowed, refused to bow to power, or be silenced by cynicism; a man who reminds us that to lead is not simply to occupy an office but to carry a people; a man who teaches us that loyalty to the truth, to the community, to the least among us is the highest form of patriotism.
Let Chuy Garcia's examples lead us out of our complacency and to a greater level of integrity and to a higher calling. Let this unyielding spirit remind us that America becomes America only when ordinary people dare to demand the extraordinary.
Mr. Speaker, I want to start by clarifying something that was said on the Record. The sponsor of the resolution is stating that Chuy Garcia has won his primaries with 100 percent of the vote. All you have to do is go to the board of elections or BallotReady and recognize that in 2024, in his last election, his opponent got 30 percent of the vote. I want to make sure that facts matter here, and when there is misinformation, I wanted to clarify that.
Let me go ahead and say at a moment when so many Members of Congress have conceded their power to Donald Trump, voting rights are on the line, super-PACs continue to buy congressional seats, and the representation of Black and Brown working families is threatened, this resolution is nothing more than a cheap political stunt pulled from the playbook of some of my Republican colleagues.
Do you want proof? Some of the ones that have been suppressing the most votes have been clapping every time she speaks. It is a do-nothing resolution that targets a leader who has been holding the line in defense of democracy, someone who is not beholden to super-PACs, like foreign lobbies or Big Oil, like the American Petroleum Institute. He is someone who has voted against bills like the SAVE Act, which endangers the voting rights of women in our country. He is someone who voted against the Laken Riley Act, which allows the persecution and racial profiling of Latinos by ICE agents. He is someone who voted against the recent Republican continuing resolution, which did not protect affordable healthcare and provided a slush fund for Senators investigated for their role in the insurrection.
Chuy Garcia has stood his ground for working families and our democracy in moments when others have not, including the sponsor of this resolution of disapproval, who has opened the doors to authoritarianism by the way she votes.
You don't have to agree with how the events of his decision to step down unfolded to recognize that this resolution is misguided and disingenuous.
Disapproving of his actions while you allow big money in politics, outside spending in elections, and rampant corruption to go unchallenged or uninterrupted is the height of hypocrisy.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, while we need to hold each other to high standards--we do--we also need to reform a system that too often makes it nearly impossible to ensure working people like Chuy Garcia, like me, and so many others here, are well represented in the face of moneyed interests set on their destruction.
I invite you today to vote ``no'' on this performative, bad- intentioned resolution, and join me in getting dark money out of politics, protecting and expanding voting rights in America, and fighting for authentic representation of all our communities. Vote ``no.''
Mr. Speaker, while there are many ways to litigate many of the votes, the question at hand is: What gives my colleague the right to represent a community? It is the choice of his voters. Nothing gives him the right to choose his successor.
We cannot walk down this path. When we stand and say that everything around us is bad, it risks us conforming to that wrongness and orienting our policy around it.
This is a false choice to say that I can either attack here or I can attack here. We can pursue wherever we disagree. We also have to call a spade a spade, and that is what this is about. This is about accountability.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier in the debate, I deeply respect the sponsor of this resolution. We are fellow appropriators, and I observe firsthand the energy and commitment she brings to serving the people of southwest Washington.
This resolution is wrong. It shouldn't be before us. The House has so much work we need to do. We need to address the affordability crisis in America, save healthcare, and fight the cost of the actual corruption happening on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue. Let's get back to work.
I commend my dear friend, Representative Garcia, for his long and distinguished tenure in public life and as a devoted public servant. I wish him and his family the very best as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this ill-conceived resolution, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, we are not called to do anything more than walk with humility, to love justice, and to work diligently. Chuy has worked diligently. Nothing in that legitimizes the choice to choose a successor or to support gathering over 2,500 signatures. It does not legitimize waiting for days when he knew that he was not going to run for reelection and ensuring that his chief of staff would be his successor.
That is not the path our country can stand on. A country that refuses to acknowledge wrongdoing when it happens has got bad things in store for it. I humbly ask my colleagues to support this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is ordered.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on adoption of the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the noes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on that last debate for a second. We are in danger in this country. One of the ways we are in danger is that there are certain politicians who are becoming more and more prominent and who have a contempt for the average American.
Sadly, I have seen this happen more and more over time in the Democratic Party. We have seen it in their higher offices where Kamala Harris was handpicked by the billionaires. We saw it where everybody else had to clear the decks for Joe Biden to become President after these offices were determined and nominees were determined for many years in primaries. The same thing happened in Wisconsin in a U.S. Senate seat.
We now see it happening in Congress where a sitting U.S. Congressman handpicks his successor. Of all successors, he picks a staffer. There is such contempt for the average people. I am sure these are people who have worked for years in the Democratic Party or years in various, different local elections. They are being shoved aside so that an insider can grab the slot.
Mr. Speaker, in any event, I thank my colleague from Washington for bringing this forward.
Mr. Speaker, how do we know if this President is working for us? He is working for us if we make over $4 million and are about to pocket a new tax cut of $300,000.
He is working for us if we attend Great Gatsby parties at his club or plan to sip cocktails in his new White House ballroom.
He is working for us if we bankroll his crypto schemes or pony up for Presidential pardons.
He is working for us if we are wealthy, well-connected, and don't want the Epstein files to see the light of day.
Mr. Speaker, if we are struggling to afford rent or groceries, if premiums are breaking our budget, he is not working for us. No, he is driving up our costs by imposing reckless tariffs and cutting SNAP, Medicaid, and ACA subsidies. This President works for the wealthy, and working people are paying the price.
Mr. Speaker, today the announcement from the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers is a very long overdue course correction. This has to do with the definition of the Waters of the United States, which had been defined most recently in the Biden administration and Obama administration to have Federal regulators claim jurisdiction over mud puddles and temporary ponds that are dry within a few hours after a rainstorm.
Mr. Speaker, they want to control everything, and this happens on private land. With the reversal of this decision, the farmers, ranchers, and landowners don't have to worry about Federal regulators coming in and jumping on them for a temporary mud puddle after rain.
The Supreme Court made clear in the decision of Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency that was never what Congress intended. No, it was not. This new proposal finally moves us back to a commonsense reading of the actual law. It reins in Federal overreach, and it restores the rights of States and private landowners. Importantly, it keeps clean water protections in place.
By narrowing the jurisdictions of the waters that truly meet the standard and by removing ditches, groundwater, or other things that really shouldn't be in there, the EPA is bringing clarity and predictability back to those who work the land every day.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the EPA and Army Corps for this course correction.
Mr. Speaker, many in eastern North Carolina and throughout the Nation who purchased healthcare through the ACA marketplace are deeply worried about rising premiums.
As open enrollment is underway, constituents remain uncertain and are in a holding pattern, waiting to see if Congress will fix it. Many are experiencing emotional distress, including a mother who even broke down in tears. Some are considering changing their coverage or foregoing it altogether. Some are considering taking on multiple jobs or even tapping into lines of home equity to fill the gap if Congress fails to act.
I have signed on to a discharge petition, calling to extend ACA premium tax credits. I have also signed on to a bipartisan letter to Senators in support of a real solution.
Mr. Speaker, we owe it to the people of eastern North Carolina and our Nation. Members of Congress who have health insurance should not deny coverage to hardworking families.
Mr. Speaker, the United States has one of the highest preterm birth rates in the world, which is a leading cause of infant mortality.
Today, the March of Dimes released its 2025 report card on the state of maternal and infant health. The United States received a D-plus for preterm birthrate for the fourth consecutive year in a row.
In 2024, 380,000 babies were born prematurely. That is 10.4 percent of all babies born. The worst rates are in the southern region of the United States.
These statistics are personal for me. My daughter was born 9 weeks early when my placenta ruptured. We both nearly died. She spent the next 6 weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit. We were among the lucky ones. Far too many mothers and babies don't have that same outcome.
Mr. Speaker, today I join Representatives Jennifer Kiggans and Robin Kelly to introduce a bipartisan resolution to designate November 2025 as Prematurity Awareness Month, and I join my colleagues to do more to prevent preterm births.
Mr. Speaker, the healthcare system that we have today doesn't work for anyone except if you are an insurance company. I hear it from Vermonters all the time: Our healthcare system is on the brink, and every choice Republicans make leads us further into collapse.
Republicans have no plan for healthcare, and they never have. For the last 15 years, all they have done is try to repeal, defund, deauthorize, and dismantle the Affordable Care Act with no alternative ever presented.
Americans are so tired of hearing about a concept of a plan or volumes of ideas.
Mr. Speaker, I will tell you the plan: Medicare for all. I will tell you the vision. It is that every American has access to affordable healthcare, to good jobs, to good schools, to clean air and water, housing they can actually afford, safer communities, and a functioning democracy. That is the vision.
I want the American people to know that Democrats are not giving up on healthcare. We are going to continue to fight.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to salute the work of Barry Hoffman, founder and artistic director of the Symphony of Westchester, which began in 1984.
Barry has blended together 50 outstanding music professionals to perform classical music works for adoring audiences. There are four concerts held each year at Iona University in New Rochelle, each drawing 350 attendees to experience the orchestral brilliance of the works of Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, Dvorak, and other great composers.
In addition, the symphony organization hosts an annual jazz institute, a young artists concerto competition for students of all ages, an apprenticeship with New Rochelle High School musicians, and so much more.
Barry and his army of woodwinds, brass, percussion, and strings have delighted and educated our area for over 40 years with many more years ahead.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Barry Hoffman for his contribution to Westchester and the Bronx, and for the quality of our lives made more vibrant by music.
Mr. Speaker, I had a community meeting this weekend and met with some folks in Memphis. The issues that they were most interested in were immigration, ICE. They were very concerned about the people from ICE with masks on their faces mistreating people. They were dragging them out of cars, stomping on their heads, and arresting them.
We have seen oftentimes they have done that to American citizens, and they did it in error.
They were also concerned about the immigrants who were taken out of our community who do so much good in our community.
I am writing a letter to Kristi Noem and reminding her that she said they were going to get the worst of the worst: the murderers, the rapists, and the sexual offenders.
She is not doing that. They have decided they are going to get anybody who is in the country improperly, and that is wrong.
I will write the Trump administration and ask them to take ICE out of Memphis. It shouldn't be part of this surge they have to help us with our crime problem.
Hispanic immigrants are not part of our crime problem. If they were, he would go after one or two of them and not so many.
Get to the business of taking care of Memphis and not eliminating and deporting people who help our society and our community.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Virginia?
Mr. Speaker, it is with great honor that I rise today to anchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.
Sometimes the voices of people and businesses impacted by congressional action or inaction get lost in the back-and-forth of the floor and the media.
For months, Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have focused on amplifying the stories of our constituents, and tonight we do the same, amplifying the stories of people whether they are small business owners, they are employees, they are self-employed, farmers, or others, who could find themselves unable to afford healthcare without an extension of the enhanced premium tax credit.
We know that there is a healthcare crisis looming in this country. We know that every American is one illness or accident away from economic devastation. That is the point of health insurance, to make sure that when they need care, they can access it without going bankrupt.
While the healthcare system isn't perfect, the point of the Affordable Care Act was to ensure more people had access to insurance through Medicaid expansion, through employer provided healthcare, and through the Affordable Care Act exchanges. It is called Marketplace Virginia in my State.
The more people have insurance, the more we know when they need care they can get it and not go bankrupt. More importantly, they can get primary care and preventative care so that when they get sick--because they will--they don't show up in the hospital when it is too late or more expensive to treat. Also, when more people show up in those hospitals uninsured, they will get care, and the cost of that care goes to everybody else.
Tonight, Mr. Speaker, you will hear stories of people who purchased their insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange who, because of the enhanced premium tax credits, can actually afford their premiums. Without those tax credits, many of them--we have heard time and time again--will be forced to choose: Do I buy that healthcare plan, or do I feed my family?
Do I pay for that healthcare plan, or do I pay my mortgage or my rent?
Do I buy that healthcare plan, or do I pay my utility bills?
For too many Americans, the cost of everything is too high. Unfortunately, many are being forced to forgo health insurance and gamble and hope that they won't get sick. They will, and we will all pay the price for it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Alabama (Ms. Sewell).
Just like the rest of America, we in Alabama are facing a health crisis caused by the Republican Party. Thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress, more than 58,000 of my constituents in Alabama's Seventh Congressional District will see their health insurance premiums skyrocket next year.
One of my constituents is a 63-year-old gentleman from Wilcox County, Alabama, in the rural part of my district. This gentleman works for the Wilcox County Water and Sewer District. Just like his coworkers, he receives health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Currently, his premiums cost $188.29 per month. After receiving his rate letter last month, he learned that his monthly premium would increase by 700 percent to more than $1,500.
That is right, thanks to President Trump and Republicans in Congress, this gentleman will need to pay $1,300 more per month to keep the same healthcare plan.
Mr. Speaker, this is simply outrageous. The people I represent cannot afford these ridiculous Republican price hikes.
Throughout the government shutdown, and well before, Democrats have been sounding the alarm. We have been demanding that Republicans work with us to lower the cost of healthcare and address the crisis that they have caused.
What did they do instead? They shut down the government and held food assistance hostage from the most vulnerable Americans.
Make no mistake, the consequences of inaction will be dire. If Republicans
Those who cannot pay with their wallets will pay with their lives.
Mr. Speaker, there is still time to act. We must extend the healthcare tax credits, and we must do so now.
I thank my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus for this Special Order hour where we can tell the stories of our constituents.
This gentleman in Wilcox County, Alabama, who pays $188 today will have to pay $1,500 next year. It is simply unacceptable, and we must do something about it.
I am grateful to my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus for always standing up for the most vulnerable in our community, and I thank this gentleman from Wilcox County for sharing his rate letter, for showing us that, in fact, a 700 percent increase is simply unacceptable. It is outrageous. He will have to choose between affording healthcare insurance and simply affording his rent. It is unacceptable.
We in the Congressional Black Caucus, we in the Democratic Caucus, will continue to fight for the Affordable Care Act tax credits to be extended.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for leading tonight's Special Order hour. I thank my colleagues in the CBC for standing up for this fight.
The fight to protect healthcare is another reminder of why I am so proud to be part of the Congressional Black Caucus. The members I serve with are truly the conscience of the Congress.
Since January 20, 2025, we have not given 1 inch to this cruel, callous, chaotic, and corrupt White House. The truth is, the communities we represent, including my hometown of Cleveland, cannot afford Trump's agenda. Working people cannot afford Trump's agenda, and Black America cannot afford Trump's agenda.
There is an expression: When America catches a cold, Black America gets the flu. I would argue it is more like COVID before the vaccine.
We can't afford the tariffs. We can't afford the bailouts. We can't afford the tax giveaways to the Mar-a-Lago guest list. We can't afford the largest cuts to Medicaid and to the Affordable Care Act in this Nation's history.
Let's be clear about what is happening. We are living through a reverse Robin Hood story in America.
It hasn't always been this way. Because of the work of President Obama, President Biden, and Democrats in Congress, the Black uninsured rate fell to historic lows last year. That is right. We went from 20 percent of Black Americans being uninsured to just 10 percent.
It is not just Black Americans or people living in cities who have benefited. In fact, some of the Whitest and most rural parts of America rely on the Affordable Care Act the most, including a lot of farmers in my State of Ohio.
There were a lot of gaps in the old system. There were a lot of holes in the safety net. If Trump has his way, there are going to be a lot more holes in the net and a lot more people without healthcare-- millions more, to be exact.
Mr. Speaker, 38,000 people in my district are facing huge healthcare cost increases because of Trump's ACA cuts. The average cost increase is $700 per person per year. A lot of families will have to pay thousands more. Their voices should be heard, and we are uplifting their voices.
Here is what Talia from Cleveland shared with my office: ``I logged into healthcare.gov to renew my plan for next year, and my monthly premium multiplied by a factor of four. It is currently set to be four times as much for health insurance as it was this year. I didn't go ahead and enroll yet because I am hoping Congress gets their heads in the game to do what is right. I am not making any more money this year than I did last year. My income is the same. Rent is going to increase. Gas is increasing. Groceries are increasing. Utility bills are increasing--and now my healthcare, too. It is becoming impossible to survive in this country.''
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with Talia. To my colleagues across the aisle, I implore you to stop protecting the powerful. Stop serving the wealthy. Start listening to the people.
Truly, it is time for Congress to get their heads in the game. I thank Talia for sharing her story, and I want to assure her we will not give up on this fight.
It is time we work together to cancel the cuts, lower the costs, and protect healthcare for all Americans.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Virginia for anchoring us in the Congressional Black Caucus' Special Order hour, ``Stories from Home: The human costs of expiring healthcare tax credits.''
Tonight, we have already heard from my colleagues, and we speak for everyday Americans, families, seniors, young adults, and workers who now face the devastating reality that their healthcare premiums are about to double--in some cases, triple and quadruple--when critical tax credits expire at year's end.
In New York's Ninth Congressional District, this crisis is not theoretical. It is happening to the single mother in Flatbush, Brooklyn, who finally had been able to afford her son's asthma medication. It is happening to the retired home health aide in Brownsville stretching every dollar just to stay covered.
It is happening to the young entrepreneur in Crown Heights who took a chance on starting a business because these credits made health insurance reachable and reliable.
For years, these tax credits which were extended during the pandemic have been a stabilizing force for families across Brooklyn, New York. They helped to protect our communities, kept our small businesses afloat, and ensured that our neighbors could see a doctor without sacrificing their rent payments, groceries, or the lifesaving medications that many, many rely on.
Yet, because of a prolonged and entirely avoidable Trump-Republican government shutdown and because Republicans refused to negotiate, the expiration of these credits will hit working families the hardest. In a city where the cost of living is already sky high, premium spikes will push many in New York's Ninth District to the brink of losing coverage altogether.
House Democrats stood united for more than 40 days to prevent this outcome. We fought to shield families from exactly this kind of financial ruin and healthcare shock. Once again, our Republican colleagues across the aisle chose politics over people, and Brooklyn, New York, like other districts across the Nation, will feel that pain most acutely.
Mr. Speaker, tonight, the Congressional Black Caucus has done what it has always done: We center the people. We will bring forward the stories from home, stories from New York's Ninth District and every district represented by the CBC. We will make sure that this Chamber hears their names, sees and feels their struggle, and understands the real-world consequences of inaction, because this is not just a policy.
This is about whether families in Brooklyn, New York, can afford their medications; whether seniors can age with dignity; whether our healthcare infrastructure can withstand the shock of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, using the emergency room as primary care; and whether our children can grow up healthy and secure.
The CBC is leading the fight for the extension of these critical tax credits and for the health, well-being, and humanity of every person who we represent.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that these stories this evening drive it home.
Mr. Speaker, Speaker Johnson has called the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits a boondoggle, but let me tell you what those tax credits have meant for millions of Americans.
Over 80 percent of the tax credit goes to help working people in States that
Who are these folks? They are not the 29-year-old sitting in his mother's basement playing video games. They are restaurateurs, beauticians, landscapers, mediators, chiropractors, funeral directors, farmers, ranchers, freelancers, contractors, and gig workers, and now they are stuck.
As open enrollment began and they opened their mail, they found that their premiums, in some cases, doubled; in some cases, tripled. I heard from a local restaurateur in my district, Lester Johnson. He and his wife own Mama J's, a beloved restaurant in the Jackson Ward neighborhood of Richmond, which was once known as the Harlem of the South.
The Johnsons rely on ObamaCare, or the Affordable Care Act, for themselves and their 8-year-old daughter. They pay $700 a month, and Lester has estimated that, if the subsidies expire, his bill will go up to $1,400 a month. He has about 40 employees, and they would see premium hikes, as well. Lester says: It is a lot of money for people. I think everyone is feeling the anxiety.
He is worried about his family and the families of those 40 employees.
I heard from Bron Hansboro, the owner of The Flower Guy Bron, a Richmond small business:
We have been looking at this coming down the pike for a few months, and I have had to be proactive, and I have had to consider what it looks like for my business if these credits are removed, and what it looks like is taking increased risk and finding money that doesn't exist to make sure that we can supplement and offset the cost of my sole employee's expenses.
His sole employee is Ronni Moss, who said: I found fulfillment in my part-time work as a floral and event designer with Bron. In 2021, I left my corporate job for full-time employment. It was an important move for me to work in a dream career while contributing to the success of this small business. At reasonable rates, I have purchased health insurance on the marketplace, and the benefits that they have offered at my corporate job while they allowed me to give birth to my handsome son, it is the marketplace that has proved more valuable to me. Now, with the increased insurance on top of the increase in groceries and other living expenses, I am not sure how my family is going to manage it.
We have heard from farmers across the district who are already struggling, particularly soy farmers. In my district in Virginia, we have some of the largest number of soy farmers in the Commonwealth. They are already struggling under the tariffs and as a result they can't sell their crops.
One of my farmers said to me: Basically, unless you are a beef cattle farmer, you are already a volunteer right now, and now we have to figure out not only how we feed our families but how we pay for our health insurance because we purchase under the marketplace.
Why is it so important that people are insured? I was in the Virginia Legislature when we expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. The reason we did it is because we had rural hospitals that were about to close. We had so many people who were not getting preventative care, and it was leading an already bad maternal health crisis to get worse. It was leading an already bad infant mortality crisis to get worse. It was leading a preterm birth crisis to get worse.
By getting people connected to a medical home, paid for by insurance--in that case, Medicaid, or later when we created a State- based exchange--through the exchange, they could get preventative screenings that could identify cancer while it was still treatable. Pregnant women would be healthy when they got pregnant and not have to deal with hypertension and other chronic diseases that lead to a high maternal mortality rate.
We saw health outcomes improve. We saw hospitals, which were on the verge of closing because of the high number of uninsured, overcome that risk.
During the summer recess, I visited a dental clinic in far southwest Virginia in Abingdon. Before that dental clinic opened, communities in southwest Virginia waited a full year for a dental clinic that was part of a larger healthcare clinic to come where they could get basic dental care, such as dentures and other types of dental care.
When this clinic opened, 80 percent of their patients are Medicaid recipients. Twenty percent are uninsured.
Now thanks to the pending Medicaid cuts, they don't know what they are going to do. They are worried about the uninsured in that community who are covered by Medicaid and now that community is also worried about those that are insured through the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Speaker, because without your health insurance, you don't know what you are going to do when, in the blink of an eye, your child is injured.
I know that fear. When my son was about 3 years old, in the blink of an eye, he burned his hand. I happened to be in a rural area as part of a conference. We went to the local hospital. They didn't have a burn clinic. This was on a Saturday. They said you can drive back to Richmond and on Wednesday there is a burn clinic and they can take your son, or we can see if we can get him admitted to UVA Hospital or VCU Hospital, both of which were hours away, but we can see if he can get admitted right now. I said: We are going to see if he can get admitted right now.
Between the ambulance ride, a week in the hospital, and the treatment, because I had employer-provided healthcare, I still had to pay $1,000 out of pocket. The total bill was $15,000. This was 12 years ago. Think about what that bill would be today.
I was fortunate. Because I had employer-provided health insurance, I only had to pay $1,000, but I think about how many people don't have that and Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act is their only option.
Right now they are worried about whether that option is going to be available. What does that mean for the people that I represent? In Virginia, about 350,000 people benefit from the enhanced premium tax credits.
For a family of four that earn just under $130,000 a year, they will see their premium go up 43 percent, to $4,675.
For a family of four who earn $64,000 a year, their premium will go up 20 percent, $2,571 more that they have to pay for insurance. For a 60-year-old couple earning $82,000 a year, they will see their premium go up 174 percent. Their premium will go up $11,968.
Most of the families I talk to don't know where they are going to find that money. They don't know if they are going to be able to pay that premium. They do know one thing, guaranteed, they are going to need healthcare. They don't know if they are going to be able to pay for it. We will continue to raise these stories because too many people are depending on Congress to act. Their lives literally depend on it.
Hopefully before December 31, we will find the political will to extend these tax credits. If we don't, we better come up with a solution to ensure that Americans all across this country can access the care they need when they need it. If we don't, how are we going to look them in the eye and say we served their needs?
I worry about that. I worry about that mother who wakes up one morning, bleeding, 9 weeks away from her due date who goes to the hospital and isn't sure how she is going to pay that bill, if she makes it.
I worry about that mother whose child has to stay in the NICU for 6 weeks who doesn't know how she is going to pay that bill. I worry about that mother who has to figure out how am I going to get my child the developmental care that she needs to ensure she meets her milestones because all that costs money that she probably doesn't have, and that mother could have been me.
I was fortunate that I had insurance, and while I worried about whether my daughter or I would make it, I didn't have to worry about how I would pay for it. There are too many Americans who go to bed at night wondering, is that lingering cough something that I need to go to a doctor for today? Can I afford it, or do I wait until I can't breathe and I am in the emergency room?
That is what is at stake. It is not a game about will Democrats or Republicans win. It is a question about
The Congressional Black Caucus will stand up every single day and fight not just for our constituents but for every single American whether you live in an urban core, a rural holler, a suburban cul-de- sac, no matter where you were born, although we know--let me clarify that if you are not a citizen, you are not eligible for the ACA. Let's just put that to bed for a minute.
No matter where you were born, where you live, the color of your skin, how you worship, you can get the care you need when you need it and know you won't go bankrupt.
That is all people are asking for right now, and we are going to fight to make sure that every single American can go to bed at night not having to worry about the answer to that question.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for your attention tonight. I ask you to come together to find a solution to this crisis.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 8 o'clock and 47 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
