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44 public bills, H.R. 6121- 6164; and 5 resolutions, H. Res. 892-896 were introduced.
Pages H4815-17
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Patronis to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H4773
Recess
The House recessed at 11:07 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H4780
Announcement by the Chair
The Chair announced that pursuant to section 8 of House Resolution 879, House Resolution 581 was laid on the table.
Page H4781
Privileged Resolution: Intent to Offer
Representative Mace announced her intent to offer a privileged resolution.
Pages H4794-95
Recess
The House recessed at 2:42 p.m. and reconvened at 8:15 p.m.
Page H4805
District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act of 2025
The House passed 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, by a yea-and-nay vote of 237 yeas to 179 nays, Roll No. 298.
Pages H4796-H4800, H4805-06
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.
Page H4796
H. Res. 879, the rule providing for consideration of the joint resolutions (S.J. Res. 80), (H.J. Res. 130), (H.J. Res. 131), the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 58), and the bills (H.R. 1949), (H.R. 3109), (H.R. 5107), and (H.R. 5214) was agreed to yesterday, November 18th. Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025: The House passed H.R. 5107, to repeal the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 enacted by the District of Columbia Council, by a yea-and-nay vote of 233 yeas to 190 nays, Roll No. 299.
Pages H4800-05, H4806-07
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.
Pages H4800-01
H. Res. 879, the rule providing for consideration of the joint resolutions (S.J. Res. 80), (H.J. Res. 130), (H.J. Res. 131), the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 58), and the bills (H.R. 1949), (H.R. 3109), (H.R. 5107), and (H.R. 5214) was agreed to yesterday, November 18th. Suspensions: The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act: H.R. 1327, amended, to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment of terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation with a Foreign Terrorist Organization or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization;
Pages H4782-83
Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act
H.R. 1736, amended, to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the United States posed by terrorist organizations utilizing generative artificial intelligence applications;
Pages H4783-85
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct annual assessments on threats to the United States posed by the use of generative artificial intelligence for terrorism, and for other purposes'';
Page H4785
National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025
H.R. 2259, amended, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the development of a national strategy to secure elementary and secondary schools against acts of terrorism, and ensure domestic preparedness for and the response to terrorism;
Pages H4785-86
Providing Emotional Assistance with Relief and Love Act
H.R. 3965, to establish in U.S. Customs and Border Protection a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as support dogs;
Page H4786
Tren de Aragua Border Security Threat Assessment Act
H.R. 4070, to require a homeland security border threat assessment on Tren de Aragua and associated strategic plan;
Pages H4786-88
Combatting International Drug Trafficking and Human Smuggling Partnership Act of 2025
H.R. 4071, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in foreign countries;
Pages H4788-89
Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act
H.R. 4058, to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance outreach for the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program of the Department of Homeland Security, by a \2/ 3\ yea-and-nay vote of 380 yeas to 45 nays, Roll No. 300; and
Pages H4789-90, H4807-08
Repealing certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data
H.R. 6019, to repeal certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data, by a \2/ 3\ yea-and-nay vote of 426 yeas with none voting ``nay'', Roll No. 301.
Pages H4790-94, H4808
Censuring Representative Cory Mills of Florida and removing him from the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs
The House considered H. Res. 893, censuring Representative Cory Mills of Florida and removing him from the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Representative Mills offered a motion to refer to the Committee on Ethics, which was agreed to by a yea-and- nay vote of 310 yeas to 103 nays with 12 answering ``present'', Roll No. 302.
Pages H4794-95, H4808-10
Moment of Silence
The House observed a moment of silence in honor of Tuskegee Airman George Hardy.
Page H4810
Senate Message
Message received from the Senate appears on page H4781. Quorum Calls--Votes: Five yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H4806, H4806-07, H4807, H4808, and H4809-10. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 9:59 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: 185 of 255 spoken turns were found. Turns without a time are still listed; they just can't seek.
Morning-Hour Debate
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 3, 2025, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, Islam is a culture with a patina of religion. Sharia is the law of Islam.
Sharia is dangerous. Western values form the basis for the founding of America, namely that rights come from our creator. Ours is a Christian-based culture. Sharia, on the other hand, is a culture of violence and domination, totally anathema to the concept of individual freedom.
The United States Constitution and sharia are fundamentally at odds with one another. The Constitution begins with: ``We the people.'' Sharia states: ``Allah has said.'' Followers of sharia believe Muhammad received a divine legal code that stands supreme over all man-made laws.
While Western civilization has evolved, Islam has not. Islam is stuck in the eighth century, and if they succeed at imposing their beliefs upon us, we will be dragged back into the Dark Ages.
The contrasts are stark when comparing sharia to the strides made by the United States in 250 years.
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery, but there has never been an abolition movement in Islam. The Koran and hadith even contain rules for slaves and the slave trade.
Sharia prescribes inhumane punishments viewed as normative. Stoning to death for adultery is common, as are public beatings of women, the amputation of the hand of a thief, and the execution of Christians and Jews in accordance with the Koran. Several hardline clerics have even issued fatwas for the assassination of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The Declaration of Independence states: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'' That is not so in Islam. According to sharia, the testimony of a non-Muslim is not valid against a Muslim in a court of law. A woman's testimony is equal to one-half of that of a man. Non-Muslims living in majority Islamic societies are second-class citizens with few rights and little protection under the law.
The Sixth Amendment speaks of an impartial jury, but the testimony of a non-Muslim is deemed inadmissible. In an Islamic sharia court, the only testimony allowed is that of a Muslim. That is hardly fair and impartial.
Sharia prohibits marriage between a Muslim woman and a non-Muslim man. A Muslim man may marry a Christian wife, but not vice versa. Sharia also gives the man, but not the woman, the unconditional right to divorce.
Freedom of religion is in our First Amendment, but freedom of religion in sharia means one is permitted to embrace Islam but one is never free to leave Islam. Abandoning sharia is an apostasy punishable by death.
Freedom of speech in America extends to expression not only of verbal communication but also in art, writing, the media, and action. Certain forms of expression are forbidden by sharia. Non-Muslims and moderate Muslims who openly criticize Islam, Muhammad, or the Koran face severe punishment. Remember Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed under a fatwa just for writing about Muhammad.
America was founded on a basic concept of freedom of the individual, self-governing under the rule of law. John Adams said: ``Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.''
We are witnessing the reality of Adams' wisdom in the clash of cultures as outsiders stream into our country without assimilating. A prominent Muslim attorney argued in the U.S. court: Islam is sharia; sharia is Islam. The two cannot be separated.
There are acceptable actions in sharia that are illegal in America: murder of family members who dishonor the family, child marriage, spouse abuse, to name only a few.
Our legal processes developed through centuries of Western civilization are not sufficient to confront the sharia influence spreading across America. Even legislation may not stop the encroaching danger. It will take more.
In the streets of New York City, a Muslim imam recently proclaimed: ``We will not stop until Islam enters
All who serve in this Congress swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This is a time for choosing. Either we defeat the sharia advances in America, or government of the people, by the people, and for the people may indeed perish from the Earth.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Shae Parks, a teacher in Milford, Delaware, one of just three teachers in the entire Nation to receive the American Civic Education Teacher Award.
In her classroom, Ms. Parks is teaching young minds more than just facts and dates, but the strength and power of our democracy. This honor recognizes educators who spark curiosity about the Constitution, government, and civic life.
At Milford High School, Ms. Parks is shaping the continued strength of our democracy by preparing her students to enter the world with critical skills of engagement. She describes the importance of civic education as imperative to the future of our democracy and believes ``students need to enter the world with the ability and willingness to engage in civic discourse with everyone around them, not just those they agree with,'' something this Chamber could use more of.
It is through model educators like Ms. Parks that Delaware pushes students to expand both their knowledge of and engagement with the mechanisms of government.
Milford is proud of her. Delaware is proud of her. I am proud to stand here today and lift up this dedicated educator.
Like Ms. Parks, I urge my colleagues to support civic education wherever it is happening because our democracy depends on it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of Kent and Sussex Counties' most committed neighbors, Frank ``Fresh'' Coverdale.
Fresh has been described as the ultimate ambassador for the Food Bank of Delaware, where he spent 22 years delivering food to working families throughout Delaware.
A native of Harrington, Fresh has been giving back to his community for his whole life and is a friendly face to all that he meets, a trait that has earned him an endearing reputation among his neighbors.
For over two decades, he has been out on Delaware's back roads, delivering more than meals. He is delivering dignity. In a State where one in eight of our neighbors faces food insecurity, that matters.
Fresh sees the need up close and responds the only way he knows how: with heart, with humor, and a can-do spirit.
Other than feeding his neighbors and connecting with those he serves, Fresh is famously a Philadelphia Eagles fanatic. Pulling up in his truck, people come out of their homes when they hear him because they trust him, and they look forward to the playful banter he brings along. They know that he knows their names, their stories, and their teams. They know he will make sure they leave with enough food for the week and maybe a little extra.
Fresh is the longest serving employee at the Food Bank of Delaware. He is a model for compassion, the kind that strengthens communities, especially when families are stretched thin.
Today and every day, Delaware is better because of Frank Coverdale.
I congratulate Fresh on his years of service, and of course, Go Birds.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Delaware Reading Assist, which last month was recognized on the world stage, selected as 1 of just 15 organizations worldwide honored by the Library of Congress for successful practices in literacy.
A remarkable achievement for Delaware, Reading Assist is a nonprofit built on a simple but powerful belief: Every child deserves the chance to read. Their AmeriCorps Fellows work every day in our schools, shoulder-to-shoulder with teachers, helping struggling readers build confidence, skills, and joy.
Their CEO said this recognition reflects the trust placed in them by educators, the hard work of their Fellows, and the resilience of the students themselves.
Moreover, Acting Librarian of Congress Newlen said the awardees this year had a particular focus on family and community, something Delawareans know is at the heart of our State's success.
Being 1 of only 15 honorees, alongside programs from States across the country, Kenya, and Scotland, shows that Delaware's approach is an international model.
Today, I am honored to congratulate Reading Assist for proving what is possible when we invest in our children and meet them where they are. That is how we close gaps and how we strengthen literacy and thereby strengthen communities, through investment in our children's potential.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Jack Billman, an invaluable member of our Greencastle community.
Jack has been married to his wife, Joan, for over 50 years, and they have three children and three grandchildren.
Jack and Joan Billman founded the Greencastle Defenders of Liberty in 2009, which brought in many Hoosiers and connected the people of Putnam County with their elected officials at the State and local levels to discuss current issues and solutions. Jack believes that an informed and active citizenry is very necessary to keep America free and productive.
Prior to his extensive community involvement, Jack Billman was an Army veteran, enlisting in the U.S. Army straight out of high school. He also had a career as a commercial pilot.
I am immensely grateful to Jack for his service to our country and the United States Army, as well as his service to and involvement with the community of Putnam County.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Norman Voyles, Sr., who recently passed away at the age of 87. He led a life that emphasized his love for farming and his outstanding service to his community.
Norman Voyles was a graduate of Martinsville High School in Indiana and served in the Indiana National Guard for 6 years. Norman Voyles also held many roles in local government, further underscoring his commitment to serving his country.
He served as a Morgan County commissioner, and he later took on roles on the Morgan County Soil and Water Conservation District, the Morgan County Farm Bureau Co-op, and as president of the Morgan County Farm Bureau.
Most importantly, Norman was a loving husband and father to three sons. I am praying for the comfort of his family during this difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Warren Macy, who has been a physician and an active member of the Greencastle, Indiana, community for over 50 years.
He received his bachelor's degree and completed his medical school at Indiana University before opening his own practice in Putnam County.
Last year, he received the 2024 Doc Hollywood Award at the Indiana Rural Health Association annual conference for his outstanding service and care to Hoosiers in rural communities.
Dr. Macy is also a devoted husband to his wife, Connie, and they have three children and two grandchildren.
I thank Dr. Warren Macy for his service to Greencastle and for the invaluable medical care he has provided to our community for decades.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Yuri Kubo, a graduate of Purdue University and a native Hoosier who was 1 of just 10 candidates chosen for NASA's latest astronaut class.
Yuri Kubo earned his undergraduate degree in electrical engineering in 2008
These 10 outstanding astronauts were selected from a group of approximately 8,000 other candidates. Yuri Kubo and the other nine individuals face 2 years of training before they are eligible for future planned missions to the International Space Station and the Moon. NASA is even looking at a mission to Mars.
I congratulate Yuri and the full 2025 astronaut class. They will make Purdue University, Indiana, and the country proud.
Congratulating Megan Johnson on 2026 Indiana Teacher of the Year
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Megan Johnson, a fourth grade teacher at Central Elementary School in Plainfield, Indiana, who was named the 2026 Indiana Teacher of the Year by the Indiana Department of Education.
Megan Johnson has over 18 years of experience in upper elementary classrooms and is passionate about her students having the foundational literacy skills needed to thrive through project-based learning.
According to the Indiana Secretary of Education, Megan Johnson has made it her mission to improve outcomes for her students, and she prepares her students to succeed far beyond the four walls of her classroom.
Mrs. Johnson has also completed 80 hours of professional development in the science of reading, earning the State's early literacy endorsement.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Megan Johnson on this wonderful achievement, and I thank her for all she does to educate and empower the children in Plainfield.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a World War II veteran, Korean war veteran, and my neighbor, Howard Koch.
This year, Howard turned 100 years old. I wish a happy birthday to Howard.
Howard grew up in Oakland, California, and spent his childhood traveling in the Sierra Nevada mountains to ski and to learn survival skills. They were skills that he would later use in World War II. He joined the Army's 10th Mountain Division and climbed Riva Ridge, where he attacked German troops hidden deep within Italy's mountains.
He was promoted to first lieutenant at just 20 years old.
After World War II, he returned home to California and earned his degree at UC Berkeley.
Howard Koch is a member of the Greatest Generation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 25 years of dedicated service by Maria Esperanza Castro.
Maria studied medicine in Mexico before finding her true passion and calling at the Regional Center of Orange County, where she changed the lives of many families.
She was the voice that families met as they sought support for a loved one with developmental disabilities. For 25 years, she was a guiding advocate and a trusted source of information for these families.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize one of Santa Ana's finest, Efrain Solis, who is currently performing with the New York Metropolitan Opera.
The son of Mexican immigrants, Efrain grew up learning to sing at Saddleback High School. He attended Chapman University and was the first in his family to obtain a college degree.
Efrain has performed all over the country, and Santa Ana is proud to have one of our own performing on the New York stage.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my neighbor and World War II veteran, Bill Chan.
Bill was born in China and came to the United States as a young student. At 19, he enlisted in the Navy, where he served on the USS Mississippi during World War II. According to Bill, he was the only Chinese American on that ship, the USS Mississippi.
Bill then retired to Orange County, where he still lives today. Bill, I would say, is a true example of our Greatest Generation: an immigrant willing to put his life on the line for his new country.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Rudy Cordova, a beloved member of our Santa Ana community and my good friend.
Born and raised in Santa Ana, Rudy was a proud graduate of Saddleback High School, and he was a soccer dad. He was my daughter's soccer coach.
Rudy dedicated his life to celebrating Chicano culture through art, food, and more. Under his guidance, the Santa Ana Dia de los Muertos became one of the biggest events in Orange County.
I thank Rudy for all he has done for the city of Santa Ana and for our community. We are going to miss him. Our prayers are with his family.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a journalist and a beloved anchorman who has made a significant impact in our district and the region, always striving to remain professional, balanced, unbiased, and compassionate. KETV's Rob McCartney is retiring from Nebraska's and Iowa's airwaves after 41 years.
Rob and I have many things in common in our backgrounds. He grew up as an Air Force brat, and I was in the Air Force.
Rob has a strong relationship with Offutt Air Force Base and the 55th Wing, having covered several stories there. I served at Offutt Air Force Base three times and served as the wing commander in the Fightin' 55th.
Finally, both Rob and I married the local girl and have enjoyed many years of marriage.
Before graduating with his B.A. in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Rob spent his time spinning records at KXSS-FM. After graduation, he served as the farm director and assistant sports director for NTV, followed by nearly 7 years at KOLN and KGIN TV, where he worked as an anchor and reporter.
In 1992, Rob joined KETV, working in the Lincoln bureau before relocating to Omaha in 1995. He then joined the anchor desk in the evenings and led Omaha Crime Stoppers, where he helped to bring some of the area's most wanted fugitives to justice.
In his 33 years at KETV, he has reported on the Nebraska National Guard from Bosnia, interviewed multiple U.S. Presidents and other elected and public officials, and covered two of Nebraska's national championships in football.
Over the years, Rob was dedicated to election coverage, educating voters on issues and candidates to help them make informed decisions. As host of KETV's public affairs show ``Chronicle,'' he would dig deep into the issues that mattered most to voters.
Rob was always on board for breaking news, helping viewers navigate difficult times. He covered the role that Offutt Air Force Base played on 9/11 and, 10 years later, provided an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at President Bush's visit to STRATCOM on that fateful day.
In December 2007, Rob would once again provide a stable presence to the community when a lone gunman shot and killed eight people and injured five others at Von Maur. From the first day during the afternoon, straight through until 5 a.m. the next morning, and for several days to follow, Rob helped guide the community through that tragedy.
Mr. Speaker, 6 months later, Rob was on the air once again for more than 12 hours because a line of supercell thunderstorms that had formed in southeast Nebraska turned into dozens of tornadoes. One of those turned deadly, hitting a Boy Scout camp near Little Sioux, Iowa, where 4 boys were killed and 48 people were injured.
He also maintained that presence for the community during the 2019 floods, reporting on their impact on Offutt Air Force Base and across the region.
One of his most memorable, award-winning stories was Omaha Police Officer Keith Thompson's yearslong effort
Rob has been recognized for his community work and professional achievements, being one of the only actively working journalists to be inducted into the Omaha Press Club Hall of Fame.
Rob's most significant award was being named a wingman in 2023 by the 55th Wing at Offutt Air Force Base, in recognition for his passion for sharing Offutt's story.
Rob's professionalism and commitment to fair and balanced journalism will be missed. He is the Walter Cronkite of Omaha.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and legacy of my dear friend, Jack Fecio, who passed away on November 2 at the age of 79.
He was a man whose faith, generosity, and deep love for our community and his Irish heritage left an indelible mark on Buffalo and beyond.
Jack was more than a friend. He was family to so many of us in Buffalo's Irish community. He embodied the best of what it means to be Irish, not just in ancestry but in spirit. He was warm, humble, and fiercely devoted to our community. Jack carried himself with the quiet strength and wry humor that is as much a part of Ireland's heart as its green hills and rocky coasts.
Buffalo's Irish community has always been built on the simple but powerful values of faith, family, and service. No one lived those values more fully than Jack. Whether he was greeting friends at the Buffalo Irish Center or lending a hand to those in need, Jack showed up with open arms and a full heart.
For decades, Jack dedicated himself to the Irish Center in the heart of south Buffalo. He believed deeply in the center's importance to the Irish and Irish Americans who call western New York home. He knew that our heritage is something we share and something that binds generations together in our community. Through his leadership, that spirit of togetherness grew stronger year after year.
Jack and his beloved wife, Maureen, extended that generosity far beyond Buffalo. As codirectors of the Belfast Summer Relief Program for over two decades, they opened their hearts and their home to children from the north of Ireland. Through their work, they welcomed over 1,800 kids to our community in western New York, giving them a chance to experience peace, friendship, and hope at a time marked by terrible conflict.
Jack and Maureen helped bridge divides with love and hospitality. That is who they were. That is what their faith taught them.
Jack's love for his family was deep and unwavering. His cherished children, John and Jennifer, and his precious granddaughters, Madeline and Maeve, should know that their father and grandfather's legacy lives on in them and the countless lives he impacted across the globe.
I thank his wife, Maureen, for so graciously sharing Jack's light with all of us.
Jack Fecio's life was one filled with service to others, including one of his greatest joys: serving as a volunteer firefighter. Countless Buffalonians, Irish Americans, and Irish citizens are better off today for having known Jack.
Today, we honor Jack for the heritage he preserved, the families he embraced, and the bridges he built. I ask my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to Jack Fecio and in holding the Fecio family in our prayers and in our hearts as they grieve a man who gave so much to us all. May we all strive to carry forward his generosity, his humility, and his unwavering commitment to others.
``May his soul be at the right hand of God''; ``Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.''
On behalf of a grateful community and nation, may Jack Fecio rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of an outstanding South Carolina family and small business whose story reflects the true American values of hard work, service, and community. George and Joanna Katergaris along with their children, Mina and Mike, are the longtime owners of the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in Fort Lawn, South Carolina.
For nearly five decades, the Wagon Wheel has been a cornerstone of the community and a gathering place for generations of families all across Chester County.
George and Joanna came to the United States from Greece in the 1970s in search of an opportunity and a better life for their family. They arrived in America with no connections, no government handouts, no safety net to rely on, and worked their way forward step by step. With them, they brought a deep respect for the values of faith, family, and hard work.
When the Katergaris family took ownership of the Wagon Wheel in 1978, the road ahead was challenging. Their restaurant was located in a location with dirt roads and one paved road. With dedication and a clear commitment to quality, they built the restaurant into a beloved local institution.
Known for its traditional southern cooking and welcoming atmosphere, the Wagon Wheel quickly became a place where neighbors, friends, and families gathered year after year. Over time, southern dishes like fried squash, fresh seasonal vegetables, and homemade dinner rolls became favorites on the menu, but it is the welcoming atmosphere and care in every detail that kept people coming back.
The Katergaris family has created an environment defined by quality, by consistency, and by genuine hospitality.
The connection between the restaurant and its community has always been strong. Over the years, customers have shown their appreciation in countless ways, just as the owners have consistently given back through service and care. This mutual respect reflects the close relationships that they have grown over generations and made the restaurant a cornerstone in this area.
Today, the Wagon Wheel continues to thrive under their daughter, Mina, and her husband, Bill Nixon, who carry on the same traditions and standards that have guided the restaurant for nearly 50 years. Their son, Mike, also remains actively involved, especially during the busiest times of the year. Together, with their dedicated staff, they have upheld a strong reputation that continues to define the Wagon Wheel Restaurant.
The story of the Wagon Wheel Restaurant is a testament of their hard work, their integrity, and their devotion to the community. It reminds us that real, lasting success is about the people that you treat well along the way.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the family of South Carolina, I thank George and Joanna and their family for their many years of service in Fort Lawn and Chester County. I pray their work continues to inspire people to lead by their strong values. They epitomize the American spirit of faith, family, and freedom.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my profound opposition to the aggressive, cruel, and dangerous immigration enforcement actions that are taking place in Oregon and across the country.
During the past few months, we have seen a dramatic increase in agents from ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Oregon, fueled by hatred and Donald Trump's inhumane, out-of-touch mass deportation agenda.
I am infuriated by story after story of extreme overreach, excessive force, and brutal tactics being used by masked ICE agents to arrest and detain Oregonians.
In Portland, ICE wrongfully separated a young, loving mom from her four little children for 4 months.
In Hillsboro, multiple unmarked SUVs circled a man in a parking lot. He was simply going to pick up groceries. In Beaverton, ICE was parked on the street, randomly scanning license plates of cars, and then checking names. They wrongfully arrested a man who would have been sent to detention had his lawyer not intervened at the very last minute.
At the ICE facility in Portland, ICE staff are lying to lawyers, pepper spraying people who are peacefully protesting, and recklessly exposing residents who live nearby, including seniors, veterans, and children to toxic fumes.
ICE detained one of my constituents, Victor Cruz, because he has the same name as someone with a criminal record. My constituent showed the ICE agents his identification. It didn't matter. He doesn't have a criminal record, nor was there a warrant for his arrest. It didn't matter. He has a valid work permit, a job, and a pending visa case. It didn't matter. He has a heart condition and a pacemaker. It didn't matter.
Victor is a well-respected member of the community with, as you can see, adorable grandchildren. He was arrested, detained, and sent to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington. Then immigration officials tried to deport him.
I visited Victor in Tacoma, where he was kept in bleak conditions and spoke about his experience and his hopes to be reunited with his family.
After almost 4 weeks of being wrongfully detained, Victor Cruz was finally released after an outpouring of support from the community, his friends, and neighbors, and with the assistance of his lawyer.
I am overjoyed, but he should never have been arrested and detained in the first place. For far too many others, they aren't as fortunate.
ICE is now moving people from the detention facility to other immigration facilities across the U.S. to block legal action. As this headline says, ICE's strategy is to ``Detain people first and ask questions later.''
Simply put, ICE is not following the law. They are part of an out-of- control Federal agency, indiscriminately kidnapping people off the streets, and sowing terror in our communities. This is not how a civilized Nation treats its people.
There are countless stories of ICE drawing their weapons and pointing them at bystanders, driving into oncoming traffic to deter bystanders from filming them. To make matters worse, now the Trump administration is demeaning and scapegoating immigrants.
The United States of America is a country of immigrants and our Nation is stronger because of its diversity, but the Trump administration's actions are actually making America more dangerous.
This isn't about safety. Nobody wants violent criminals in their neighborhoods and districts, but that is not the issue here. In fact, ICE is spending so much time targeting people based on their race or ethnicity that they aren't focused on the real criminals.
Recently, I spoke with a high school student who is terrified that his family and friends will be kidnapped. I spoke with education leaders who were in tears about the trauma they are seeing in their school districts and with students who are afraid for themselves and their families. This trauma will last for years and will affect the ability of these kids to learn and thrive in schools.
I met with Latino businessowners who have seen significant reductions in people visiting their shops and restaurants. The common thread in their interactions was the word ``terror.''
Earlier this week, high school students were here advocating for humane immigration policies. They spoke about how the Trump administration is dehumanizing immigrants and making it more difficult for people to call America home. High schoolers know this is wrong. You and I know this is wrong.
I urge my colleagues to show some empathy and understanding. Let's show some respect for civil and human rights. Work with us on humane immigration reform.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot allow these abuses of power and lawless actions to continue. We must all speak out. Let's work together to put an end to this ugly chapter in our country's history.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Admiral Wayne Justice, a dear friend and proud American.
Admiral Justice lived a life dedicated to public service not only to our Nation but to our community. Admiral Justice, a graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy and Navy War College, devoted 37 years of his life to the United States Coast Guard, roughly half in which he was in command conducting counterdrug, illegal immigrant, and search and rescue patrols.
Among his many service highlights, he spent 3 years as a military aide to Presidents Bush and Clinton, tasked with potential execution of our nuclear codes.
After retiring from the Coast Guard, Admiral Justice continued his commitment to excellence right here at home. As Port Canaveral Commissioner, he championed economic development, maritime safety, and the continued growth of Florida's greatest economic engines. His leadership helped shape the future of our region and his impact will be felt for generations to come.
Wayne Justice was far more than a leader. He was a loving husband, father, and a friend, a friend we would like to have. Florida is better because Admiral Justice lived here. Our Coast Guard is stronger because he served. Our community is more united because of the values he embodied.
Mr. Speaker, may we carry forward his legacy of service, integrity, and boundless dedication to our Nation. May his family find comfort in knowing that their father, as a husband and as a leader, his kindness will never be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize and celebrate the 15th year anniversary of the Amani Public Charter School in Mount Vernon, New York.
I grew up in Mount Vernon in an apartment one block away from what was once the Edison Technical and Vocational High School, but it was reborn in 2011 as Amani Public Charter School to advance the educational opportunities for all children, especially children of color on the south side of Mount Vernon and elsewhere.
This school serves all students grades K-8 with free breakfast and lunch. They place a strong emphasis on core subjects, notably English and math, foreign languages, enrichment classes, ELL, special ed services, music, arts, after-school, and athletics.
Amani honored four outstanding individuals at their recent gala: John Howard, Stephanie McCaine, Charles Stern, and Johnayia White. The executive director, Debra Stern, who was founder of the Friends of the Mount Vernon Public Library and president of the Mount Vernon PTA Council, leads the school as executive director with exceptional experience and vigor.
Jennifer Ciavirella is school principal, leading a talented team of professionals. We salute Amani Charter Public School on its 15th anniversary. May there be many more years to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the life of Mayo Peter Bartlett, who passed away in September at the age of 86.
Mr. Bartlett was born in 1939 in Rye, attended North Carolina Central University, graduated with a degree in accounting, and membership during college of the Alpha Kappa Chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Mr. Bartlett turned his degree into a career as a Treasury agent and as an auditor for the IRS.
Mayo Peter Bartlett was an outstanding basketball player who played in Europe and loved coaching young people in basketball. He was a jazz enthusiast with an extensive collection of LPs. He has been a good friend to many. For over 50 years, he and his wife, Ernestine ``Tina'' Conner, were parents of three children and five grandchildren.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bartlett has left us for his eternal reward, but he has left behind a legacy of love, faith, and warmth to the people of his community. We will miss him forever.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and uplift Small Business Saturday this year.
Every year, our country celebrates Small Business Saturday the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year that will be November 29, and I encourage my constituents in California's 31st District and all Americans to participate by shopping small business and supporting our local businesses.
Coming from California's 31st District, I am proud to represent a thriving and diverse community of small businesses in the San Gabriel Valley. From cafes and restaurants, to bookstores, toy shops, party supply stores, and many more, our district is fortunate to have an abundance of locally owned small businesses bringing life and community to our cities.
Mr. Speaker, as we approach Small Business Saturday and the holiday season, I encourage everyone to shop small and take some time to support your local businesses. By doing so, you are supporting your neighbors, growing your local economy, and making your community stronger.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary military servicemember now serving our public schools.
Mr. Kenneth Singleton has dedicated decades of service to our community. From serving in the U.S. Army and completing several tours, including in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia, his commitment to service earned him the Meritorious Service Award five times.
For Mr. Singleton, public service didn't end after the uniform came off, though. His second mission serving our next generation began in the Monrovia Unified School District as the director of food service.
He has been a vital part of the school district, ensuring our students have healthy, nutritious meals every day to focus and thrive on their studies.
Mr. Singleton has brought discipline, leadership, and a commitment to service to our schools in Monrovia Unified. Our community is fortunate to have a dedicated public servant like him.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Singleton for his military service and his exemplary public service to our students and schools.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding community member, veteran, and leader in California's 31st District in the city of San Dimas.
Penny Stevenson is the board president of the San Dimas H.E.R.O.E.S. Organization, whose mission is to honor all San Dimas veterans by engraving their names on a permanent monument at Freedom Park in San Dimas, California.
As a U.S. Marine veteran herself and with a family of veterans, Penny has shown incredible commitment, sacrifice, and leadership serving as president to this organization dedicated to honoring our veterans and servicemembers. This is Penny's last year serving as board president, a position she has held since 2009.
Mr. Speaker, I thank her and commend her for all the work she has done to recognize our servicemembers for the past 16 years. Just this past Veterans Day, I was honored to visit the H.E.R.O.E.S. monument at Freedom Park, and I can attest to the honor it brings to our veteran community. I, again, thank her for her leadership and tireless efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the exciting achievement of two dedicated educators in California's 31st District.
Mr. Rene Romero and Dr. Heather Povinelli were both named 2026 California Teachers of the Year.
Mr. Romero is an 11th and 12th grade international baccalaureate language and literature teacher at South Hills High School in the Covina Valley Unified School District. He has been teaching for 21 years and has developed an outstanding reputation for his creativity, compassion, and dedication to his students.
His inclusive and supportive classroom has exemplified good teaching, and he has well-earned the title of Teacher of the Year.
Dr. Heather Povinelli is a second grade teacher at Bradoaks Elementary Science Academy in the Monrovia Unified School District.
For 25 years, she has dedicated her career to teaching in elementary classrooms. Living with dwarfism, Dr. Povinelli uses her own lived experience as an opportunity to empower students and teach about disabilities, inclusion, and equity.
Not only is she an incredible teacher, but she is an inspiration and a trailblazer to students of all backgrounds.
Mr. Speaker, I thank both Mr. Romero and Dr. Povinelli for their commitment to teaching our future generations and congratulate them on these immense achievements.
Mr. Speaker, the House and now our Senate have finally acted to release the files and all the information regarding the criminal activities of Jeffrey Epstein and all who enabled, all who knew and did nothing, and all who participated in some of the worst sexual abuse and trafficking crimes our country has experienced.
This will expose the rich, the powerful, and the self-entitled who were involved in these crimes and who did it for the worst possible reason, because they thought they could.
This necessary legislation should not have been necessary because this White House, this administration, this President could have merely released these files. Instead, they withheld, dismissed, and covered up. They even had their Justice Department's two highest officials try to coerce a House Member to take their name off the discharge petition that finally triggered the approval of this legislation.
It was only because of the actions of courageous survivors coming forward, coming to the Capitol, and speaking truth to power that we are able to advance this legislation.
As a Massachusetts district attorney, I oversaw specialized sexual assault police units, specialized sexual assault prosecutors, and specialized sexual assault victim-witness assistance units. I founded a child advocacy center to treat and reduce trauma for child victims of sexual assault.
I know from this one thing. The survivors want one thing and one thing only: that no child, no young girl, will ever have to go through the trauma that they went through, a trauma so great that one survivor took her own life.
Now, a warning to this White House, this administration, and this President. Never again say these crimes did not occur. Never call them a hoax, and don't attempt to abuse and pervert what this legislation does by invoking a sham active investigation as a disingenuous excuse to withhold a complete release of the Epstein files. Don't do this because the brave survivors will not stand for it, and they will not stand alone. The majority of this House will stand with them. The majority of our Senate will stand with them. Most importantly, the American people will stand with them.
Mr. Speaker, on November 4, Louisville was rocked when a UPS cargo plane taking off from Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport bound for Honolulu, Hawaii, crashed shortly after takeoff.
Mr. Speaker, 38,000 gallons of jet fuel erupted. A normal Tuesday sunset all of a sudden turned Louisville's skies into an apocalypse. Jet-black smoke swirled overhead as fear enveloped our entire city. People were sheltered in place everywhere. Debris and ash were
Today, I want to honor those victims of the UPS plane crash.
Their names, including the crew on the plane: Captain Dana Diamond, Captain Richard Wartenberg, and First Officer Lee Truitt.
We also lost 11 people on the ground that day: Angela Anderson; Carlos Fernandez; Louisnes ``Lou'' Fedon and his 3-year-old granddaughter, Kimberly Asa, who was with him at the time; Trinadette ``Trina'' Chavez; Tony Crain; John Loucks; John Spray; Matthew Sweets; Ella Petty Whorton; and Megan Washburn.
Our prayers continue to be with all of them.
As tragic as this day was, we also saw the best in people in Louisville, and our first responders did not shy away from this. You can train for it, but you can't ever be ready for a tragedy like this. It was said of this inferno that it was hotter than anything you can imagine and raining oil, but our firefighters rushed into the scene.
The first on the scene was the Okolona Fire Department, but fire departments from all over joined them: the Louisville Fire Department, the Airport Authority Fire Department, the Shively Fire Department, the Anchorage-Middletown Fire, St. Matthews Fire, Fern Creek Fire, Jeffersontown Fire, Fairdale Fire, PRP Fire, Shepherdsville Fire, Zoneton Fire, and even Fayette County, Lexington Fire, came to assist.
Our police officers also rushed to the scene: Louisville Metro P.D.; the Airport Authority P.D.; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; Audubon Park Police, who operate in the shadow of the airport daily; Middletown Police; St. Matthews Police; the University of Louisville Police; and Alcohol Beverage Control.
We also received EMS responders from Louisville Metro, Anchorage- Middletown, St. Matthews, Fern Creek, Jeffersontown, Okolona, PRP, and Bullitt County.
Among other first responders who immediately jumped into action were the Kentucky Air National Guard Fire and Emergency Services, the Kentucky Air National Guard 41st Civil Support Team, the Metropolitan Sewer District, the Louisville Metro Emergency Management System, American Synthetic Rubber Emergency Response, and the National Weather Service.
Our local and State partners also all came together. Mayor Craig Greenberg and his entire team from the Louisville Metro Government were incredible. Our Governor, Andy Beshear, and all the State emergency personnel rushed into action, including our Federal delegation, everyone.
It doesn't matter, Democrat or Republican, where you are from, everyone came together because this is what we do in Louisville, and this is what we do in Kentucky. We come together. We help people. We help our neighbors when we see they are in need.
Long after the television cameras are gone and this story fades from the daily news, our community will still be hurting, but we will still be helping each other, lifting each other up, wrapping our arms around each other, there for each other today and every day going forward. That is what we do in Louisville, and that is how we help those impacted.
Mr. Speaker, I give praise for our first responders. I give prayers and love to everyone impacted.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the life of Daniel ``Pogo'' Pogorzelski, a proud Polish-American uplifting his heritage, community, and the city that I love.
The son of Polish immigrants, Pogo's pride in his heritage and love for his community drive him to fight for a thriving, multiracial, and multicultural Chicago.
Because of his advocacy and his partnership, in Illinois, we recognize Milwaukee Avenue as the Polish Heritage Corridor to celebrate Polish culture, support a vibrant economic center, and keep communities together.
Across various roles, Pogo has demonstrated his commitment to seeing his community rise, including as executive director of Avondale's Chamber of Commerce, where he developed initiatives to attract visitors to the community and help generate revenue for local small businesses, or connecting Polish neighbors who speak English as a second language to resources that help them thrive.
Pogo is the embodiment of public service and commitment to diversity and unity.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, it is my honor to commend Daniel Pogorzelski, better known as Pogo, for his dedicated public service and advocacy, which reminds us that heritage is both a legacy and a force for change.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Carolina Carchi, an inspirational Latina who has gone above and beyond to help her ``classmates''; ``companeros de escuela'' succeed.
Raised in West Humboldt Park by immigrant parents from Mexico and Ecuador, Carolina once again demonstrated her exceptional courage and perseverance as she was battling leukemia as a child.
As a teen, Carolina once again demonstrated her leadership when her high school faced severe staffing shortages. Due to those shortages, Carolina stepped up to provide peer-to-peer education in algebra and chemistry. She designed lesson plans during free periods, printed materials at a local FedEx, and even used her own money to buy school supplies for her classmates.
In her senior year, Carolina served as a Chicago Board of Education's honorary student board member, advocating for more than 300,000 students across the district.
Carolina is now studying at Northwestern University, where she is pursuing a degree in teaching, something that she has some experience in already.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, it is my honor to commend Carolina Carchi for her perseverance and dedication to quality, culturally competent education that helps our Latino community break the glass ceilings.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of Paul Levy, a Chicagoan who cultivated unique spaces for artists and entrepreneurs to strengthen partnerships, build community, and thrive.
Paul possessed the ability to see beauty and potential in overlooked, abandoned spaces and buildings. Paul used his skills, resources, and vision to rehabilitate and revive two notable industrial buildings in Chicago, the Bridgeport Art Center on the South Side and Rockwell on the River, in Illinois' Third Congressional District.
Each stands as a notable achievement, transforming industrial space into inviting, thriving, multidisciplinary hubs for artists and entrepreneurs working across boundaries and disciplines.
Rockwell on the River in Illinois' Third Congressional District transformed what was once a century-old, vacant tannery into a space to gather, eat, and celebrate. Each building is an ecosystem of art and a bridge between Chicago's industrial history and its creative future.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, it is my privilege to submit this commendation into the record to honor the creative legacy of Paul Levy.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Paul, and may he rest in peace and power.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to voice my opposition to President Trump's announcement that the United States will resume explosive nuclear testing.
Nevada was the focal point of nuclear development during the Cold War. Over four decades, the Nevada Test Site, which is located just 100 miles north of Las Vegas, hosted over 900 nuclear
These tests were conducted to better understand the powers and effects of nuclear weapons, and the site played a major role in shaping national and international policies involving nuclear testing and nonproliferation.
The radiation, however, given off by the more than 100 atmospheric tests had devastating impacts on those downwind. The fallout caused cancer and premature deaths for thousands across the Southwest. That is why earlier this year, I introduced the PRESUME Act, which would ensure that radiation-exposed veterans who had been exposed to this radiation would receive their rightful benefits from the VA.
In addition, the 800 underground tests sometimes vented, letting out radioactive contaminants into the air and the groundwater supply. These are problems we are still dealing with today. Radioactivity levels in the water are declining over time, but elements such as plutonium and uranium are likely to pose risks for thousands of years.
You may remember in 2020, the first Trump administration called for a resumption of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site. This was in breach of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Back then, in response to that, I led the charge to the FY21 NDAA process to ensure that nuclear testing would not be resurrected in the U.S., but ``the more things change, the more they stay the same''; ``plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.''
On October 29, just this year, Trump announced that he is directing the Department of Defense to resume nuclear testing in a disastrous but not surprising policy reversal. This is because it is mentioned in Project 2025.
On page 399 of Project 2025, which is the blueprint for the Trump administration, you see a call for the rejection of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. This would not only allow nuclear testing here at home but will give the green light to countries around the world to resume and do the same.
The result would put us on a collision course of catastrophic proportions with Russia and China. It would undermine the entire arms control regime, and it would allow proliferation of these weapons into nonnuclear states. At the same time, it would, again, put the health of Nevadans in jeopardy.
In fact, we have already seen that Putin has directed his forces to prepare to resume nuclear testing. Just this week, The Washington Post reported that China is rapidly expanding and modernizing its infrastructure at the nuclear testing site in Xinjiang province.
There is no technical, national security, or political reason for the U.S. to resume nuclear testing. At the test site, we already do groundbreaking experiments and simulations with our existing stockpile to make sure our arsenal is safe, secure, and reliable. All this is done without any explosion. It is a scientific experiment called subcritical and is far more helpful to understanding how the weapon will perform than setting off an explosion in the desert.
Our leadership on arms control and nonproliferation has clearly come to an end, and the world is becoming a more dangerous place. Note: For the first time ever, the U.S. was the only country to vote ``no'' on a recent U.N. resolution supporting the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. You know, not even North Korea voted ``no'' on this provision, so what kind of signal does that send?
Amidst all this nuclear testing saber-rattling, the New START Treaty, which is the only remaining arms control agreement between the U.S. and Russia, is set to expire in just 77 days.
For these reasons, I have introduced the Renewing Efforts to Suspend Testing and Reinforce Arms Control Initiative Now, the RESTRAIN Act. This would prohibit the resumption of nuclear testing. I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this and getting this passed before we begin another arms race.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of St. Theresa Catholic School, a pillar of faith, education, and community in the heart of Coral Gables, Florida.
In 1925, the Sisters of St. Joseph opened a school with 70 students, planting the seed for one of south Florida's most distinguished Catholic schools. In 1991, the Carmelite Sisters began administering and teaching, a mission that they continue today.
For a century, St. Theresa has remained true to its calling: faith formation, academic excellence, and service in a nurturing Christ- centered environment. Over the years, the school has grown, embraced innovation, and prepared generations of students to face the future while remaining rooted in their faith.
St. Theresa continues to shine as a beacon of excellence in Catholic education, with its enduring legacy carried forward by a community that fully embodies its mission. Congratulations to St. Theresa Catholic School on a century of service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary achievements of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the third largest school district in our Nation, serving more than 335,000 students.
Under the leadership of School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas, Vice Chair Monica Colucci, and board members Roberto Alonso, Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, Mary Blanco, Danny Espino, Dr. Steve Gallon, Joseph Geller, and Luisa Santos, along with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jose Dotres, Miami-Dade has once again earned an A rating, the largest district in Florida to do so.
This success reflects the tireless work of our students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the entire workforce, and it remains a source of pride for our community.
In 2025, 99 percent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools earned school grades of A, B, or C, and the district achieved a record-breaking graduation rate of 95.2 percent.
Miami-Dade also received the prestigious 2024 Cognia School/Systems of Distinction award, and the district earned 59 Magnet Schools of Excellence Merit awards, and 32 Magnet Schools of Distinction awards.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools continue to lead the Nation with a total of 51 National Academy Foundation distinguished career academies and 3 model career academies, and numerous schools have been designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence.
For the 41st consecutive year, the district was awarded the certificate of excellence in financial reporting by the Association of School Business Officials International.
These accomplishments and the strength of Miami-Dade County Public Schools' educational programs in a safe and conducive learning environment reaffirms the district's role in preparing students to thrive in the global and technological marketplace.
I am proud to celebrate their success and the bright future they are building for the next generation of Miami-Dade County residents.
Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman David Wright, and Speaker Mike Johnson, House Republicans are working to increase American energy production. This will, in turn, make energy prices affordable and reliable, creating jobs.
Last night, we voted to pass bills which will:
Unleash nearly 19 million acres of land for oil and gas leasing, and energy infrastructure, leading to lower prices;
Overturn restrictions and ensure access to over 48 billion tons of coal, enough to meet American coal needs for the next 116 years, lowering prices and creating jobs; and
Repeal the Biden-era restrictions on oil and gas development for more than 1 million acres in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Promises made, promises kept of the all-of-the-above energy policies programs.
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, mocking Trump, mass murdering Ukrainian civilians, and sacrificing his own Russian and North Korean troops.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Sharon Loving, a remarkable leader whose more than four decades at our Longwood Gardens has helped shape one of the most treasured gardens in the world.
Sharon began at Longwood in 1982 as a part-time display gardener and, through exceptional talent and dedication, she rose to become the chief horticultural and facilities officer.
She has been the standard-bearer for Longwood's horticultural excellence, mentoring thousands of aspiring gardening professionals and elevating Longwood as a leader among public gardens worldwide.
Under her guidance, Longwood completed transformational projects, from the restoration of the main conservatory and historic indoor spaces to expansion of beautiful landscapes and, most recently, the visionary Longwood Reimagined initiative.
Sharon's leadership, creativity, and stewardship have left an indelible mark on our community, and we are deeply grateful to her.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the remarkable life of my longtime friend, my wife's lifelong best friend, and also my district director, Kathy Register, who passed away unexpectedly last month.
When I first took office in 2007, I promised the people that I would take care of home first, as Kathy did as district director, and that is exactly what we did. She is largely responsible for the citizens of the Fourth District returning me to Congress since 2007.
Kathy has been deeply appreciated by all who she served and all who she worked with. We are going to miss her so very much, but her life had been a life of service, not just to the citizens of the Fourth District but to her family. Her mother, Jennie; and her two sons, Anthony and Tito, survive her, along with her friends and colleagues in my office, both in D.C. and in Decatur, Georgia.
I thank Kathy for her friendship and tireless service. May she rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and service of Mike Doyle, a dedicated public servant from Danville, California, in my district.
Mike left his Pennsylvania hometown at just 17 to join the United States Air Force and was stationed in Germany, where he provided aid to U.S. airmen and displaced citizens after World War II.
After being reassigned to a nearby Air Force base in northern California, Mike moved to Danville in 1955, and he was elected to the town council in 1991. He played a crucial role in Danville's growth, spending 25 years serving the town on the town council, including five terms as mayor of the town of Danville.
Sadly, Mike passed away in October. He will be remembered for his outstanding leadership, honesty, and for his indelible mark that he left on our community and on this country.
Please join me in honoring Mike Doyle for his invaluable contributions to the United States of America and the community he so loved and served.
Mr. Speaker, I recently held the first meeting of my Youth Advisory Council, a group of two dozen high school students from my district who will help guide my work here in Congress.
These students spoke boldly about their fears and hopes for the future, and they made one thing clear: They are done waiting for change.
I don't blame them. Our country's policy failures have grounded our kids in uncertainty. Many feel like the American Dream is out of reach.
That is personal for me. My trajectory has been an American Dream: the first in my family to graduate from college, then become a physician, a U.S. Congresswoman, and give my children privilege and opportunity that I never knew.
I didn't do it alone. Strong public schools, a union job, affordable higher education, and affordable rent were all critical. Today's young people deserve the same opportunities that I had. That is why I created the Youth Advisory Council. That is why I will continue to go to them to help us shape our policies of the future.
What I say to them and all youth in my district: Demand a seat today. We need to support their ideas and their dreams.
Mr. Speaker, while Donald Trump gives billions of dollars to Argentina and gets rich selling cryptocurrency to criminals and foreign agents, millions of Americans are facing financial ruin from rising health insurance costs.
All across the country, Americans are getting letters like this from their insurance companies telling them how much their premiums are going up because of the failure of Republicans to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Susan, from Foster, Rhode Island, a marketing consultant, is seeing her insurance go up from $600 a month to $2,100, a 250 percent increase.
Sarah, a small business owner from Cranston, is seeing her premiums go up more than $5,000 a year. Hillary, from Providence, her family of four is going to be paying $10,600 more next year for the same insurance.
It is time for President Trump and House Republicans to wake up to what the American people are experiencing and extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits now. Stop playing games. Let's save the healthcare of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, as the only Marylander on the House Agriculture Committee and as an Idaho potato farmer's daughter, I know hard work and uncertainty can define life on a farm.
Unfortunately, America's farmers are being hit very hard by the administration's policies, including tariff policies, workforce challenges, inflammatory pressures, and cuts to the USAID and SNAP programs.
Sadly, farm bankruptcies are up 57 percent this year over last with only more to come.
In Maryland, 13,000 soybean farming families are feeling the pain. China, once 51 percent of our farmers' export market, have been turning to Argentina.
Instead of offering real relief, this administration wants to send a $40 billion payout, half funded by American tax dollars, to Argentina while our farmers face a crisis.
That is why today I am introducing H.R. 6061, the American Farmers First Act, which would block the $20 billion of taxpayer funds from going to Argentina and redirect it to our hardworking American farmers.
Mr. Speaker, our farmers and ranchers put food on our tables. They are the engines of our economy. They deserve to be put first over foreign government competitors. I urge my colleagues to join me in putting our farmers first with this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1327) to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment of terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria with an affiliation with a Foreign Terrorist Organization or a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
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. 1327.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.
This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an assessment of the threats posed to the United States by individuals in Syria affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist group.
Syria suffered under the Assad regime for decades and Assad allowed Syria to be used as a hub of terrorist activity. While the Assad regime may no longer be in place, that does not mean that those terror networks have dispersed. This bill ensures that DHS and lawmakers are fully informed regarding terrorist threats to the United States that are still present in Syria.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise also in support of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.
In December, the world watched as the Assad regime in Syria collapsed after 53 years of brutality and repression.
As President Biden stated at the time, Assad's fall ushered a ``historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria.'' However, many also warned that the potential resurgence of terrorist groups in the regions, like the Islamic State or al-Qaida, could pose a significant threat to Americans and U.S. interests in the region and the homeland.
The Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act is responsive to those warnings, and I thank my colleague Mr. Luttrell for introducing this.
It ensures that the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with intelligence community partners, will evaluate and monitor terrorist threats to the United States posed by individuals in Syria affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization or a specially designated global terrorist organization.
This is essential to ensure that the new government in Syria is growing with the United States' support and in a way that defeats terrorism on the world's stage.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to advocate for the passage of H.R. 1327, the Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act.
When the Assad regime was toppled in Syria late last year, the threat of terrorism did not disappear. It just actually shifted, adapted, and found new ways to survive.
For decades, the Assad regime gave terrorist groups a place to train, organize, and plan attacks. You don't just swipe away the leadership and make the terrorism go away. Those threats don't disappear overnight, and we would be foolish to think otherwise.
Although Syria's Government is in transition and terrorist designations against its new leadership have been lifted, we must not be naive to other terrorist threats that may still originate in the region.
This bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a threat assessment posed to the U.S. by individuals in Syria associated with foreign terrorist organizations.
As this body and this administration determine how best to engage with Syria in a post-Assad era, this threat assessment ensures that we have the information we need to make these decisions with eyes wide open. By doing so, we can better examine and mitigate emerging threats from the region.
Our mission is clear. We must protect American lives and prevent future attacks on the homeland by strengthening our counterterrorism efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Correa for his support, and I urge my colleagues to support this sensible legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to be vigilant about potential terrorist threats to the homeland. This bill ensures that the Department of Homeland Security will do just that.
I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1327, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1327, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was agreed to.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1736) to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct annual assessments on terrorism threats to the United States posed by terrorist organizations utilizing generative artificial intelligence applications, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1736, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act. The bill before us today requires DHS to conduct annual assessments on the use of generative AI by foreign terrorist organizations and expands information sharing to address AI- related threats.
We know that terrorist groups, including ISIS and al-Qaida, have already used generative AI in sophisticated ways, producing propaganda to spur online recruitment and radicalization efforts. This technology poses new and heightened risks to our homeland security.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, 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 H.R. 1736, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act. This bill directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct assessments on terrorism threats to the United States posed by terrorist organizations' use of generative artificial intelligence applications.
Mr. Speaker, we have all seen AI permeate our lives in both positive and negative ways. AI streamlines workflows, has made breakthroughs in the medical field, and can dramatically increase the speed at which Americans are able to do work. We have also seen the dark side of AI through biased and discriminatory algorithms and deepfake videos.
This bill recognizes the danger that AI can pose when employed by terrorists who seek to harm our homeland. It requires the Department of Homeland Security to analyze incidents where foreign terrorist organizations have used or attempted to use generative AI to spread violent extremist messaging and to recruit, radicalize, or plot attacks. This is a commonsense bill that will help the Department get ahead of terrorism threats.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1736, the Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act.
The mass adoption of artificial intelligence is the latest in a series of technological revolutions that have permeated and influenced every aspect of our lives. Today, we face a new reality: The same technologies driving innovation are now being weaponized against us by hostile actors.
Earlier this year, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence held a hearing to consider the extent to which terrorist groups are using generative AI for recruitment and radicalization. We know now, without a doubt, that terrorist organizations have already integrated generative AI into their operations.
We found that groups, including ISIS and al-Qaida, are actively training in the use of artificial intelligence and using it to produce highly convincing propaganda, making it much easier for terrorist groups to recruit, radicalize, and carry out attacks on the U.S. homeland.
My bill requires DHS to conduct annual assessments on threats to the U.S. by terrorist organizations using generative AI. It also requires greater information sharing and coordination across the intelligence community to ensure that we have the clearest possible picture of AI- related terror threats.
This is an issue that requires us to be proactive and outmaneuver any group or individual seeking to do us harm with this emerging technology. The Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act ensures that our homeland security and capabilities remain ahead of adversary tactics.
Our response cannot be reactive. We must anticipate the future of terrorist methods and be prepared before these threats materialize.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill and hope to see the Senate take similar action in the very near future. Passing this bill will equip our national security agencies with the tools they need to adapt and defend against the threats of tomorrow today.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Texas (Mr. Pfluger) for introducing this bill. It does make a ton of common sense and is something that we all agree that we must be ahead of.
I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1736, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1736, and 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, as amended, was passed.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct annual assessments on threats to the United States posed by the use of generative artificial intelligence for terrorism, and for other purposes.''.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2259) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to require the development of a national strategy to secure elementary and secondary schools against acts of terrorism, and ensure domestic preparedness for and the response to 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) 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. 2259.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2259, the National Strategy for School Security Act. Despite rising attacks against our Nation's schools, there is currently no comprehensive Federal strategy to protect schools from acts of terror.
This bill closes this dangerous gap, requiring DHS to produce a school security strategy that identifies and works to mitigate vulnerabilities. In doing so, our schools will no longer be soft targets.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bill and to protect our children. 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 H.R. 2259, a bill directing the Department of Homeland Security to develop a national strategy to help secure our elementary and secondary schools from acts of terrorism.
This bill moves us in the right direction. It acknowledges a painful truth, that the safety of our students and teachers cannot be taken for granted. It recognizes that schools need Federal support, coordination, and expertise to prepare for the threats they face, and it moves us on a bipartisan basis toward a more consistent, nationwide approach to keeping our children safe.
However, let me be clear. This is only a start. Creating a strategy is very important, but a strategy alone will not solve the problem. We owe it to every student, every educator, and every family to keep working to take meaningful, comprehensive action that matches the scale of the threats facing our communities.
I applaud my colleague Congressman Gonzales' efforts, and I encourage all my other colleagues to support H.R. 2259.
Mr. Speaker, as the founder and co- chairman of the Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus, I rise today to share a few words about my bill, the National Strategy for School Security Act.
As a father of six, I, too, share every parent and grandparent's worry when it comes to school safety. It is a sad reality that our Nation's schools have become soft targets for violence.
Across this Chamber, too many of our home districts have witnessed tragedies, including my own. In May of 2022, 19 children and two teachers were senselessly killed at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. Our children, the most vulnerable among us, sit in schools without a national plan in place to protect them from acts of terror.
This bill closes that gap. It requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to develop a strategy and place resources for securing our schools against acts of terrorism and best practices to prevent an act of violence from happening in the first place.
This bipartisan bill is a much-needed step toward safer classrooms across America.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the reality is that school shootings and acts of targeted violence continue to devastate towns and communities across this country. They leave lasting trauma in classrooms, in families, and in the hearts of children who should never have to wonder whether they are safe at school.
H.R. 2259 deserves our support. It shows that even in a deeply divided
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 2259. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, as a Representative of a school that was once subject to an act of violence, I fully support this legislation, and I thank Representative Gonzales for his introduction of H.R. 2259.
I urge my colleagues to please support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2259, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3965) to establish in U.S. Customs and Border Protection a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as support dogs, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
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. 3965.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3965, the Providing Emotional Assistance with Relief and Love Act, or the PEARL Act.
As the men and women of the United States Customs and Border Protection work under incredibly stressful conditions to protect our borders, providing a mechanism to boost their well-being will improve the mental health of our frontline officers and agents.
This legislation would enhance CBP's Support Canine Program by creating a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to serve as therapy dogs for CBP officers and agents.
I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Tony Gonzales) for his leadership on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, in my time serving on the Committee on Homeland Security, I have seen the importance of effective mental health services for the Department's workforce, and I thank Representative Gonzales for introducing this bill.
Individuals within the U.S. Customs and Border Protection work in high-stress environments, protecting our air, land, and sea borders. One way to help address the stressors that they face and support their mental health needs is by using therapy dogs.
That is why I do support this piece of legislation, which will create a pilot program to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to be trained as therapy dogs for the CBP workforce.
Not only will this bill provide additional mental health services to CBP personnel, but it will help the dogs in need of homes in our communities, certainly something everyone can support.
I know my colleagues and I are committed to improving the mental health services offered to the men and women who work on our front lines every day. I support this legislation, and I ask my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the PEARL Act.
With over 800 miles of the Texas-Mexico border, I represent the largest border district in the country. From Eagle Pass to Del Rio to the Big Bend region to El Paso, many of America's hardworking Border Patrol agents call Texas 23 home.
Protecting our Nation's border is no easy feat. It is long hours, late nights, and time away from home. The PEARL Act, named after a special canine that helped our Border Patrol agents through some tough times, gives our law enforcement one more tool to improve mental health outcomes at CBP.
In 2023, CBP launched the Support Canine Program, which aims to improve mental health resources for CBP personnel.
Here in Washington we have a saying: If you want a friend, get a dog. That is exactly what this bill is doing. My bill builds upon this goal by establishing a pilot program through the Department of Homeland Security to adopt dogs from local animal shelters to enhance the Support Canine Program.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing this legislation to support the men and women who defend our borders every day in the United States pass.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, we should do all that we can to provide the men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection with effective mental health services, and this bill is a significant step in the right direction. I speak from personal experience.
Mr. Speaker, I got my children a dog a couple of years ago after they were struggling from the aftereffects and trauma of being in Tel Aviv on October 7. It has done wonders for their mental health. I know personally how important therapy dogs can be.
The fact that this bill also helps dogs in need by getting them out of shelters and finding them good homes is something that we can and should all get behind.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3965, the PEARL Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3965.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4070) to require a homeland security border threat assessment on Tren de Aragua and associated strategic plan, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
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. 4070.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4070, the Tren de Aragua Border Security Threat Assessment Act.
Tren de Aragua, a gang formed in a Venezuelan prison, has expanded its reach throughout the United States. Designated by the Trump administration as a foreign terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua members have been responsible for kidnapping and extorting businesses throughout the United States.
This legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a border threat assessment on Tren de Aragua and develop a strategic plan to counter the threats identified in the assessment.
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill, and I am grateful to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Knott) for bringing forth this important piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, conducting an assessment is an obvious and important first step in addressing any homeland security threat we face. This bill smartly and correctly requires a homeland security border threat assessment on Tren de Aragua followed by the creation of a strategic plan based on this assessment.
Unfortunately, this bill seems to be a little too late. The administration is already bombing boats in the Caribbean that they claim to be Tren de Aragua. I hope they have already done an assessment and have a plan. They certainly have not shared anything with Congress to that effect.
Mr. Speaker, it is very important for Congress to understand the threat that is leading to this administration's actions and that justifies this administration's actions. We have simply not been given enough information about the Trump administration's assessments, justification, and strategy for blowing up numerous boats off the coast of Venezuela. Members of Congress must have this information, and that is why I support this bill.
To be clear, we should have had this information long before the administration started bombing boats that they could have chosen to interdict or stop in other ways. This bill should not be necessary, but I do thank my friend from North Carolina for introducing it and recognizing that we should have a basic understanding of any organization that we are going to take military action against.
Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to speak in favor of H.R. 4070, the Tren de Aragua Border Security Threat Assessment Act.
I thank Chairman Guest and Chairman Garbarino for their support and leadership on the Homeland Security Committee from which this bill has originated.
Before Congress, I had the privilege to work in law enforcement. I saw firsthand the horrible effects, the dangerous effects, and the lasting effects that weak borders have had on our wonderful country. Of course, there are pressures on housing, healthcare, and education wherever there are millions and millions of illegal aliens allowed to come into the country and then placed throughout our country.
Of equal, if not greater, concern to me is the rampant growth and the effects of transnational criminal organizations that have grown throughout our country. This is perhaps best seen with Tren de Aragua.
Tren de Aragua has grown its presence throughout the United States. It is growing every day and includes growth in my home State of North Carolina. My legislation would require the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a comprehensive border threat assessment to identify the criminal threats posed by TdA members, the threats that are posed to our communities, and how exactly they are so successful in growing in our communities.
With this information, law enforcement and their intelligence counterparts will be better able to deploy a unified and focused strategy on how to appropriately dismantle and remove these threats from our country.
It is past time that we return to a posture of strength to defend America and our citizens. We must clearly and effectively send a message that the
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I support Members of Congress receiving more information about the Trump administration's strategy against Tren de Aragua.
Therefore, I support this piece of legislation and urge its immediate passage. It is long overdue for the Trump administration to share the information it has with Congress that justifies its military action against alleged Tren de Aragua members.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4070. This legislation is an important first step in combating an FTO, foreign terrorist organization, that has embedded itself in our community. We see firsthand stories of the violent crimes that these organizations are associated with: robbery, kidnapping, assault, and murder.
I thank Mr. Knott for introducing this legislation. I wholeheartedly support this legislation. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to please support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4070.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4071) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in foreign countries, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 4071.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of H.R. 4071, the Combatting International Drug Trafficking and Human Smuggling Partnership Act of 2025.
Mr. Speaker, United States Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations agents play a critical role in the homeland security mission. Every day AMO agents conduct border operations to detect and disrupt human trafficking, narcotics trafficking, and to stop other dangerous and illicit contraband before it reaches our shore.
The impact of the incredible work of the men and women of CBP's Air and Marine Operations is undeniable.
In fiscal year 2025 alone, AMO enforcement actions resulted in the seizure of more than 500,000 pounds of illegal narcotics. I will say that again: One-half million pounds of potential deadly contraband were interdicted. That contraband will never make it into our communities or into the hands of our children.
However, as transnational criminal organizations continue to become more aggressive, they continue to try to extend their reach into the United States, and we must be prepared to meet this evolving threat. Strengthening international cooperation with our partners, such as those in the Western Hemisphere, is an essential first step to combating drug trafficking and human smuggling in addition to supporting other law enforcement missions.
This legislation authorizes AMO and other designated CBP personnel to continue and to expand these successful bilateral agreements by providing training, sharing information, and conducting joint operations that will increase interdictions and enhance regional security as it saves lives and it strengthens our defense and makes America safer.
By bolstering AMO's ability to work with our foreign partners, my bill will help stem the flow of illegal narcotics and ensure that criminals are intercepted before they reach our shores, and we will protect our homeland from those who seek to cause us harm.
I would like to thank Representative Pou for joining me on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge all my colleagues to support this legislation which will enhance CBP's Air and Marine Operations capability as they work to keep our Nation secure and the American people safe.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, every day, Customs and Border Protection's Air and Marine Operations uses its highly trained pilots, mariners, and surveillance operators to detect, interdict, and stop the smuggling of people and illicit drugs.
Air and Marine Operations, known as AMO, also conducts critical humanitarian missions and search and rescue operations out at sea, including after hurricanes and other natural disasters.
They work with partner countries, specifically in the Americas and the Caribbean, to save lives, train foreign law enforcement, and address threats through joint operations before they reach our borders.
Right now, AMO's authority to enter into these foreign partnerships relies on the yearly appropriations process, hindering their ability to do any long-term planning. This bill formalizes their ability to conduct operations with foreign partners and do such long-term planning. Any such agreements will still have to go through the State Department, but this change will improve AMO's ability to operate strategically and assist foreign partners quickly when needed. This can and will save lives.
Mr. Speaker, I thank AMO for their lifesaving efforts, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation offered by my colleague from Mississippi, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I support this bill as it helps Air and Marine Operations work quickly, effectively, and strategically with our foreign partners to keep our homeland safe and rescue those in need. This can be the difference between life-and-death in some cases.
I, therefore, support this bipartisan piece of legislation, Mr. Speaker, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the great work that we saw the men and women of AMO perform this year, I would like to give this body some of the statistics from FY24.
In fiscal year '24, we see that AMO's actions resulted in the arrest of 1,009 individuals; that there were 48,609 apprehensions of illegal aliens, as well as the seizure or disruption of 244,781 pounds of cocaine, 2,235 pounds of fentanyl, 3,061 pounds of methamphetamine, the seizure of 1,499 weapons, and also the seizure of $12.5 million in United States currency.
Mr. Speaker, the previous legislation that we just debated and passed the House talked about violent gangs, FTOs as they are often called. The last legislation introduced by Mr. Knott talked about Tren de Aragua, and we see that Tren de Aragua has become embedded in our communities. They are involved in violent crimes like robbery, assault, and murder. They are involved in human trafficking, and they are involved in narcotics trafficking.
So, Mr. Speaker, I believe that this legislation goes hand in hand with the previous legislation that this body just took up and passed. It is an important step as we continue to remain vigilant and as we continue to do what the American people elected us to do.
They elected us to keep them safe. They elected us to make sure that the communities in which they live are great places to live, worship, and to raise a family.
Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 4071, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4071.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4058) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance outreach for the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program of the Department of Homeland Security, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 4058.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Mississippi?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4058, the Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act, with the understanding that FEMA's preparedness grants for States, localities, urban areas, and Tribal and territorial governments are vital to strengthening the security of this great Nation.
This legislation will require FEMA to engage with and to support relevant stakeholders prior to, during, and after the awarding of such grants.
I support this effort to increase outreach, and Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that we are here today to consider my bill, H.R. 4058, the Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants Act.
This bill mandates that the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, provide ongoing outreach, engagement, education, technical assistance, and support to stakeholders before, during, and after awards for the State Homeland Security Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative, two of the Department's leading grant programs that address preventing, mitigating, and responding to acts of terrorism.
Throughout this Congress, the Committee on Homeland Security has heard a clear bipartisan message: Preparedness grants work. Time and again, first responders and homeland security professionals alike have warned us that without steady, reliable Federal investment, our Nation's readiness will suffer, and our communities will be left more vulnerable to the threats that we face. They have told us in no uncertain terms that now is not the time to pull back and now is the time to lean in.
Now is the time to strengthen these programs and ensure grantees have a meaningful voice in shaping the policies that guide their work on the ground.
My district, like so many others, relies on the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Program to strengthen emergency preparedness and enhance counterterrorism coordination. These priorities remain critical in New York City, where the memory of 9/11 serves as a constant reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism. Established in the aftermath of 9/11 to protect our communities, these grants continue to play a vital role in safeguarding our city.
That is why my bill, H.R. 4058, works to ensure stronger oversight in how these homeland security grants are managed. My bill requires FEMA to conduct annual surveys and other feedback mechanisms to gather input from stakeholders and incorporate this feedback into future grant opportunities.
Additionally, H.R. 4058 directs the Government Accountability Office to report on the effectiveness of FEMA's efforts within 2 years and mandates that FEMA submit a detailed report to Congress on stakeholder outreach and engagement.
My bill ensures that the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Program grants are responsive to local needs and truly effective in protecting our communities.
The coordination between local, State, and Federal Government is all the more important as we face increasing threats to our homeland, and this bill would help to facilitate that.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4058 and to act quickly so that these critical funds reach the communities that need them most.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, my legislation would play a crucial role in strengthening FEMA's engagement with State and local partners, ensuring that homeland security grants are responsive, transparent, and actually driven by the needs of the communities they are meant to protect.
Passage of this legislation is essential to preserving our national readiness and strengthening our security against emerging threats.
H.R. 4058 restores fairness, accountability, and effectiveness to FEMA's grant process so that every community, regardless of politics, regardless of blue or red, can count on the support it needs to prevent and respond to acts of terrorism.
Lastly, I thank Ranking Member Thompson, Resident Commissioner Hernandez, and former Congressman and Chairman Mark Green for cosponsoring this bill. I also extend my gratitude to the Major Cities Chiefs Association and the International Association of Fire Chiefs for endorsing the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 4058, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Goldman) for his work on this piece of legislation, and I also want to recognize the support of a former colleague and the former chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, Mark Green.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 4058, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4058.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6019) to repeal certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6019, introduced by my colleague, Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia.
Before I dive into the substance of this bill, let me highlight some good news. The government is open and funded. SNAP benefits are being funded. Air traffic controllers, TSA agents, and hardworking people are getting paid.
Of course, Mr. Speaker, if the Democrats had their way, the Federal Government would still be shut down. People wouldn't be receiving their SNAP benefits. Law enforcement officials at the Federal level wouldn't be receiving payments. Air traffic controllers and TSA agents also wouldn't be paid.
The good news is, Mr. Speaker, by passage of the underlying legislation that we are going to be discussing today, the government is open and operational for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, no bill is perfect, and the bill we passed to reopen the government is just that. It had a provision that needs repair, which we need to go in and remove out from that bill. The legislation by my colleague, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, does just that.
The troubling provision grants Senators a private cause of action against the United States. If a Senator's data, either official or personal, is retrieved without their knowledge, they can sue the government. It also included a provision to allow Senators to receive a minimum of $500,000 per instance of data retrieval. That policy, in my opinion and in the opinion, I think, of all the Members of this institution, is unacceptable.
No one should be able to enrich themselves because the Federal Government wronged them--no elected official should be able to.
Without question, there are far better ways to handle this. The legislative branch should correctly address the Biden administration's weaponization of the FBI to spy on United States Senators in its operation, Arctic Frost. The abuses, Mr. Speaker, by the Biden administration are completely unacceptable, and I am committed to holding those involved accountable.
No one benefited from the failures of the Biden administration. However, that does not mean that elected officials should be financially benefiting from those failures now.
These provisions are not the right path to address the concerns, true concerns, over the separation of powers. Remember, Congress serves the American people, not the other way around.
Today, we have an opportunity to take a good bill that reopened the Federal Government and make it better by repealing the provisions that were slid into the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support H.R. 6019 to repeal this legislation. I thank my colleague, Congressman Austin Scott, for bringing this legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6019.
Last week's bill to fund the government included a provision, added quietly in the dead of night, that facilitates the transfer of millions of taxpayer dollars from the United States Treasury to the personal bank accounts of eight Republican Senators, and not just any Senators. They were Senators who may have had knowledge of or even participated in efforts to overturn the 2020 Presidential election, efforts that culminated in a violent attack on this very institution.
Since many of my Republican colleagues seem determined to forget the reality of that day, allow me to remind you that, during this attack, Capitol Police officers were maimed while protecting the lives of the very Senators now seeking to enrich themselves at the taxpayers' expense.
Officers lost eyes. They lost fingers. They suffered traumatic brain injuries and had their spinal disks smashed. One was stabbed with a metal fence stake. Another suffered a heart attack after being repeatedly tased. Some tragically lost their lives. Others were so severely injured that they could no longer continue to serve in law enforcement.
The plot to overturn the 2020 Presidential election led multiple grand juries, both State and Federal, to bring felony charges against its organizers and participants. These charges were based on actions like promoting fake elector slates, urging State officials to find votes to change the election outcome, and urging Vice President Pence to stand just a few feet from here behind that very dais and violate the United States Constitution.
According to public reports, one of the eight Republican Senators now eligible for this taxpayer-funded windfall testified before one of those grand juries. At the conclusion of the testimony, that Republican Senator reportedly embraced the prosecutor and lauded the work of the grand jurors as cathartic. That same Senator announced just yesterday that he intends to seek his payout of tens of millions of dollars from Federal taxpayers.
It should be clear to everyone here: Under no circumstances should the power entrusted to us as Members of Congress be used to line your own pockets, period, full stop. Anyone who voted for this appalling provision, including all but two House Republicans just last week, should feel ashamed of themselves.
As these Republican Senators and House Members know, phone records are among the most routine tools used in criminal investigations. They do not reveal the content of any conversations. They simply show which numbers were called, which numbers called them, and when those calls were made.
They are essentially phone bills. If these Republican Senators genuinely believe that their civil liberties were violated or if they are interested in changing the law relating to subpoenas, then they are better positioned than literally anyone on planet Earth to hold hearings, draft legislation, and debate proposed changes in the open. That is not what this is all about. This is about ensuring the law applies to every other American, just not to them.
Let me repeat that: This law applies only to them, not even Members of the House of Representatives, nor should it--not to every other American citizen; just them. This kind of self-serving, self-dealing, one-sided get-rich-quick scheme at the expense of taxpayers is why Americans are so disgusted with this Congress, and it is why I expect that many of those who supported this provision will be dismissed next November.
This lucrative carve-out masquerading as legislation isn't an isolated occurrence. It is part of a broader pattern: the weaponization of the Department of Justice and the United States Treasury to reward allies and to punish perceived enemies.
Let me briefly highlight just a few other examples.
Earlier this year, the Trump Department of Justice agreed to a $5 million settlement with an estate of a January 6 rioter who was killed while attempting to violently breach this Chamber just outside those doors. As the chief of police of the Capitol Police said at the time: ``This settlement sends a chilling message to law enforcement nationwide, especially to those with a protective mission like ours.''
According to public reporting, Department of Justice is also negotiating a settlement of up to $50 million to disgraced former General Michael Flynn over the purported wrongful prosecution, even though he confessed to the crimes for which, incredibly, he now says that he was wrongly prosecuted. You can't make this up.
Other reports indicate that President Trump is seeking $230 million from taxpayers for himself personally for prior investigations into his conduct. Let's not forget on day one of this administration when President Trump issued blanket pardons to over 1,000 criminals convicted of January 6 crimes, including members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who assaulted Capitol Police officers. Just last week, a militia member who participated in the riot was re-pardoned for a completely unrelated gun charge--pardoned twice.
What have we heard from congressional Republicans about all of this: about legalized payoffs to Republican Senators, about get-rich-quick schemes unfolding within the Federal Government, and about rewards for friends and retribution against opponents? We have heard absolutely nothing. The silence is deafening.
Last I checked, this is the United States Congress, not the Russian Duma. We do not create a protected class of elites who can siphon off public money, reward their friends, punish their political opponents, and insulate themselves from accountability. That is not what we are, or at least we weren't until last week, when nearly every single House Republican voted for this disgraceful provision of law after rejecting Democratic amendments to strip it from the bill.
My Republican colleagues had every opportunity to stop this provision from ever becoming law, but they voted for it anyway, and now they just want to turn around and say: Just kidding. We didn't mean it.
What are we doing here? Let's review the sequence of events.
Senate Republicans snuck this outrageous provision into a bill to reopen the Federal Government after months of Republicans insisting that they would only accept a clean funding bill. I can't tell you the number of times, with all due respect, that I heard Speaker Johnson say it over and over again. House Republicans went right along with this.
Now, straight-faced, worthy of an Academy Award, they want to pretend that the Senate may repeal the payoff they just made law? As we head into the fourth and, I pray, final year of this majority, I didn't think anything could shock me more. I was wrong.
The American people are sick and tired of this. They are sick and tired of watching politicians come to Washington to get rich while everyday Americans suffer through an affordability crisis that Republicans don't appear interested in confronting.
They are sick and tired of watching Republicans block a tax credit that will lower health insurance costs for millions of Americans after passing a partisan budget that will throw millions more off of Medicaid, only to turn around and create a slush fund for themselves.
I represent Rochester, New York, the city that Frederick Douglass chose to make his home and to publish The North Star. Douglass reminded us: ``The life of a nation is secure only when the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous.''
Ask yourselves: Is sneaking this self-enriching provision into what was supposedly a clean funding bill honest, truthful, or virtuous? I think we all know the answer.
In fact, I am so opposed to this corrupt provision that I actually voted against it last week. I look forward to hearing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle try to explain why they did not.
Mr. Speaker, wow. There has been a lot said in the last few minutes.
Let's be clear: Senate Democratic leadership knew about the language, as well as Senate Republican leadership. Both sides knew about this language.
Nobody in the House supported this language. This language did not go through any committee in the Senate, did not go through any committee in the House, and could never be passed and signed into law if it was discussed openly where the American citizens could actually see and understand what was happening.
We were given a choice the other day, open the government or keep the government closed.
The people on my side of the aisle, almost unanimously, voted to open the government. I am glad that we ended the chaos, Mr. Speaker. I want you to know that because if the Democrats had had their way, the chaos would be ensuing today.
There is a provision in this bill that I believe is probably the most self-centered, self-serving piece of language that I have ever seen in my time in office in any piece of legislation. For the people who are saying it is $500,000, I want the American citizens to know this: It is not $500,000. It is $500,000 per account, per occurrence.
We have one Senator, one, who maintains that this provision is good and is currently saying that he is going to sue for tens of millions of dollars. I believe my side did the right thing in voting to open up the government. There are a select few people that did the wrong thing in putting language in the bill that would make themselves individually wealthy.
All this language does is repeals that. All this does is repeals that one provision of the law that would enrich what is now down to one individual Member saying they are going to sue for tens of millions of dollars.
There is not a whole lot to debate here. I hope all of the House will vote unanimously to do it. Then I hope that, like yesterday, Senator Thune will immediately put the bill on the floor, so we can immediately get this to the President's desk and get back to doing the business of the people now that the government is open.
Mr. Speaker, I need to say, as someone who served on the House Rules Committee for 4 years, that we clearly could have put on the floor and made in order an amendment to strike this provision from the bill that had been passed by the Senate.
Most people who took social studies in elementary school understand the bill has to pass the Senate and the House before it is sent to the President. Had we had the opportunity, we would have voted on an amendment. I guarantee it would have passed this House and you would have had the full support of Democrats to strike that provision, and then we could have sent it back to the Senate.
We weren't forced to do this last week. There was an amendment made in the Rules Committee that the Rules Committee Republicans rejected, which would have made in order an amendment that would have stripped this provision from the bill.
That should have been done and could have been done. People made a conscious decision, on the other side of the aisle, not to include that amendment and make it in order. We shouldn't have to be here today trying to mop up the mess that has been created.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Walkinshaw).
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of legislation to repeal a last-minute, dead-of-night provision added to the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act that green-lights eight Republican Senators to raid the Treasury and reward themselves with millions of taxpayer dollars because they were investigated for their involvement in the 2021 insurrection.
These eight Senators provided support to President Trump's attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election. It is a brazen attempt by Republicans to further whitewash a conspiracy and a violent insurrection while lining their own pockets with taxpayer dollars.
It is a trifecta of the type of corruption that shakes Americans' faith in Congress: contempt for the rule of law, a secret backroom deal, and self-enrichment.
This Republican Senator slush fund is yet another example of the corruption that has taken hold here.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Wisconsin for his leadership here and managing this bill on the floor on behalf of my friend from Georgia, who rightfully raised this issue in the Rules Committee on which he and I both serve. We both immediately raised this issue in front of the Rules Committee and for the entire body.
There is nobody, to the best of my knowledge, in this body who supports this language that was inserted in the end of the funding bill that we passed last week. I don't know anybody. I have yet to meet one person who supports it.
Mr. Speaker, rather than my colleagues on the other side of the aisle coming together in a bipartisan agreement that we are going to, as the House, hip-check the Senate for having put a provision in there that we disagree with, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to try to make this a partisan issue when, in fact, Senate Democrats were equally involved in making sure that this provision got inserted. In fact, they were very specific about only wanting a provision if it was only focused on the Senate.
They didn't want it to be used, for example, to help J6ers or FACE Act individuals who were abused by the Department of Justice under President Biden. They didn't want it to be a more expansive private right of action. Instead, they wanted it to be narrow and narrow for the Senate.
Rather than the House being in a bipartisan agreement, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle want to make it partisan. If we are going to make it partisan, let's be very clear: The reason we were in the position that we were in last week was that we had been shut down for 43 days. Why? Because my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have literally nothing to run on.
The only thing my colleagues on the other side of the aisle can run on is
The fact of the matter is, we are going to pass this legislation within days. We are going to send it to the Senate. We are going to make clear to the Senate that they need to correct this issue because the American people rightly are with us. The House of Representatives, Republican and Democrats, are rightly checking the Senate.
There is one last really important piece to this which is the Arctic Frost investigation itself, which specifically targeted United States Senators in an egregious abuse of power. It was targeting those Senators for their information and their records. That is something that is an absolute affront to separation of powers and to our constitutional order to have the Department of Justice targeting those Senators.
Those Senators were rightly wanting to find ways to stop Jack Smith and the abuses of the Department of Justice. We in this Chamber just simply believe that if you are going to do something like that, it should apply to all Americans and not be something specific to the United States Senate.
We are correcting this now. We should pass it immediately. The Senate should take it up and pass it. Also, a little personal message to the Senate: Take this up and pass it, or you are not getting any support from this Member for any of your measures that come over to this body.
Mr. Speaker, I have enormous respect for my colleagues and particularly those that serve on the Rules Committee, but this could have been dealt with last week.
There was no reason to pass this. By the way, Democrats were fighting for tax breaks and subsidies that makes health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans who go to work every day. We couldn't do that because the Speaker and Senator Thune, the majority leader, insisted it had to be a clean CR. It had to be a clean continuing resolution with no other provisions, yet somehow this got in there.
This wasn't clean. There is nothing clean about this. By the way, last week when we were considering this, had we made the amendment in order that we seem to be considering right now, it would have passed, presumably overwhelmingly, if what I am hearing from my colleagues is true. We could have sent the bill back to the Senate. I am sorry. I know we didn't want to impose on them and their time to take this out.
By the way, what these Republican Senators are saying was such an egregious abuse is something that every American is subject to, every single one of the 340 million Americans blessed to call this country our home have to go through, except these Senators because they think it is outrageous.
By the way, if you took this to its logical conclusion, a Senator that might participate in the overthrow of the United States Government, let's just say hypothetically was coordinating to do that, could not have the Department of Justice look at their phone records. It is the same thing they can do to every other one of the 340 million Americans, but not these Senators. God, no. They can't have that if there is some reason to suggest that they might have information that the Justice Department can't do it.
By the way, that wasn't the rule back when this happened in 2022. They are doing it retroactively. They are changing the law and going back 3 years and allowing them to sue the United States taxpayers for millions and millions of dollars.
Last night, a United States Senator said he intends to sue for tens of millions of dollars under this provision.
I can't imagine anything that would cause more anxiety to American taxpayers than to see this debate and understand what happened.
Respectfully, I appreciate it, but we could have dealt with this last week. We should have dealt with this last week. We shouldn't be here.
I will support the bill, but by the way, there is no guarantee that the United States Senate is going to take this up. This may all be for show just to make people feel guilty about having voted for this or wanting to convince voters back home that they really weren't complicit in giving this extraordinary bonanza to a handful of elitists who feel somehow aggrieved by the fact that they had information that might have actually been really helpful about looking at the potential overthrow of the 2020 Presidential election.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6019.
Included in the Senate amendment to H.R. 5371 was a section providing for a private right of action for those Senators who were targeted by the Biden administration to access their cell phone data.
I support repealing this particular provision, not because I think that these Senators and others should not be able to sue the Federal Government for these acts, but because they already have the ability to do so.
The Senators, similar to any other citizen who was wrongfully targeted by the Biden administration, already have a private right of action to sue the Federal Government, including the FBI and other agencies that may have been involved, for violation of their Fourth Amendment rights and other statutory provisions that govern privacy rights and/or that limit Federal law enforcement from pursuing political witch hunts.
I guess I am just absolutely shocked by my colleague on the other side who believes that the Federal Government has the right to invade the privacy and violate the Fourth Amendment rights not only of sitting U.S. Senators but the 340 million people in this country. He apparently believes that the Federal Government has the right to access their phone data at any time, which is absolutely untrue.
My message to those individuals who were involved in violating the constitutional rights of American citizens is very simple. You are the very type of tyrants that our Founders fought against and the reason as to why they drafted the Bill of Rights. You will be exposed. You will be held accountable. You should never be allowed near the levers of power again.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 6019.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6019, a bill that I am proud to be an original cosponsor of. It would repeal the indefensible Senate payday provision that was snuck into the critical funding legislation to reopen the government last week.
With the goal of ending the suffering caused by the Schumer shutdown top of mind, I voted yes on the CR. It was the right thing to do. I hope the American people are never again used as ``leverage.''
However, what the Senate sent us contained a poison pill, a provision to give certain Senators the ability to sue the Federal Government for $500,000, or perhaps millions of dollars, for alleged illegal surveillance conducted by the Biden DOJ. I remain convinced the last administration conducted a large number of politically motivated investigations. However, the solution isn't for aggrieved lawmakers to get a payday at taxpayer expense.
As Members of Congress, the people have entrusted us to be a check on the executive branch. They didn't send us here to collect checks when the executive oversteps.
All Members of the House should take issue with Senate leadership for secretly slipping in this provision. In fact, whoever carefully crafted this scheme failed to tell their Senate colleagues. I agree with Senator John Kennedy, who said: ``Whoever put this in had an obligation to tell us about it, and they didn't.''
The consensus of many legal experts is that this provision amounts to a pay increase. To me, the provision reads like a Christmas bonus, and that is blatantly unconstitutional. It defies the 27th Amendment, which says no law can change a lawmaker's compensation until a new Congress is sworn in.
If the House legislation we are debating today does not receive a vote in the Senate, I want to make it clear that I am taking action.
Today, I have introduced H. Res. 892, a House resolution that empowers Speaker Johnson to bring this issue before the courts and challenge the so-called Senate payday provision as blatantly unconstitutional.
Importantly, because my resolution is a House resolution, it does not require the consent or cooperation of the Senate, which has shamefully shown no willingness to undo this egregious policy. The House does not have to wait for the Senate to act and watch idly while this payday stands.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support Representative Scott's legislation and to support my resolution so we can stand up for the integrity of Congress, uphold the Constitution, and restore public trust in this institution.
Mr. Speaker, this who-wants-to-be-a- millionaire provision created by U.S. Senators for themselves, and themselves alone, is outrageous. I will, of course, be voting to repeal it today.
We also need to ask how this was allowed to happen, and I have to tell you, it doesn't help that the House wasn't even here. For 6 straight weeks, House leadership decided to cancel our sessions, every oversight hearing, every markup of legislation, everything. Why? To this day, there has been no coherent rationale offered.
Throughout this time, I warned that this was not only holding back our own legislative priorities but was also making the House irrelevant in any deal to reopen the government. Of course, that is what ended up happening. The Senate never passed our CR. They negotiated their own deal. After 50 days away, the House was brought back for one fly-by vote to ratify what the Senate had come up with as our only opportunity to reopen the government.
The Senate was so thoroughly convinced of the House's irrelevance that they thought that they could literally insert a self-enrichment scheme into the legislation and get away with it. By the way, they still might get away with it because while we are passing a bill to repeal it today, that still has to pass the Senate.
We need to pass this in the House today. We need to insist that this provision be included in a must-pass bill going forward so that it cannot actually be utilized. More than that, we need to start reasserting ourselves as a House, reclaiming our authority under Article I and giving the American people the representation they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I hope today's debate was about more than simply a press release, about people trying to absolve themselves, and not just another waste of taxpayer time and money misleading the American people about the intentions of Senate Republicans.
The Senate should act on this measure. They should act on it today. Rarely in life is there a second chance to do the right thing.
I urge my colleagues here to do the right thing, and I certainly urge Members of the Senate to do the right thing, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, before we close, I just want to wrap up a few things that have been discussed today.
We were closed as a Federal Government for 43 days because Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against a clean CR and then cheered on their Democratic colleagues in the United States Senate to keep the government closed as people suffered, as individuals who were showing up to work weren't receiving payment, including law enforcement officers and Border Patrol officers. SNAP benefits weren't being paid, and that pain was getting quite real.
Finally, after 43 days, eight Democratic Senators came to the table and said we should reopen the government. Those eight voted for this bill. I didn't hear my colleagues critique those eight Democrats in the United States Senate who were involved in drafting the final legislation. In fact, my suggestion the whole time was that the Senate should have passed the clean CR the House sent to them.
If we look at the record, time after time after time, Democrats in the United States Senate refused to pass the clean CR, which would have avoided this mess in the first place.
If we are curious as to who caused this problem, I think the answer, Mr. Speaker, is quite clear. Democrats in the House of Representatives voted against the clean CR and then cheered on their Democratic colleagues in the United States Senate to keep this government closed.
As this came to the House, this provision was buried in it, but we had an obligation to reopen the Federal Government to make sure that law enforcement officers were getting paid, air traffic controllers were getting paid, and SNAP benefits were flowing once again, so we voted for it. Today is the opportunity to clean up this provision.
There are far better ways to address the abuses of the Biden administration, and those abuses do need to be addressed, just not in this mechanism.
I encourage all my colleagues in the House of Representatives to vote ``aye.'' I hope we have a unanimous vote tonight, as we pass H.R. 6019.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6019.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause 2(a)(1) of rule IX, I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House.
The form of the resolution is as follows:
Censuring Representative Cory Mills of Florida and removing him from the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Whereas prior to serving in the House of Representatives, Representative Cory Mills founded PACEM Solutions International, LLC, and PACEM Defense, LLC, and acquired AMTEC Corporation, now renamed as ALS, Inc., companies which engage in security and military contracting with the United States Government, as well as foreign nations;
Whereas in August 2024, the Office of Congressional Conduct found: From January 2023 to present, PACEM Defense/ALS has been actively contracting with the Federal Government, securing close to $1 million in Federal contracts for munitions and weapons, distributed to prisons across the country. Specifically, since January 9, 2024, 94 contracts have been awarded to entities owned by Representative Mills and went on to conclude that there is substantial reason to believe that Representative Mills may have entered into, held, or enjoyed contracts with Federal agencies while he was a Member of Congress in violation of House rules, standards of conduct, and Federal law;
Whereas in August 2024, the Office of Congressional Conduct noted: According to its website, PACEM Solutions is currently registered and/ or partnered
Whereas entities owned by Representative Mills seeking or entering into contracts to sell munitions to the United States Government as well as foreign nations while he serves as a member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Committee on Armed Services represents a clear and troubling conflict of interest;
Whereas in August 2024, the Office of Congressional Conduct further adopted and transmitted to the Committee on Ethics of the House of Representatives a report indicating that there was substantial reason to believe that Representative Cory Mills may have omitted or misrepresented required information in his financial disclosure statements, accepted excessive contributions to his campaign committee in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have derived from Representative Cory Mills' personal funds, and may have accepted through his campaign committee in-kind contributions or other contributions not lawfully made;
Whereas individuals who served in the military with Representative Cory Mills have called into question the veracity of the account of events which formed the basis of a recommendation that Representative Cory Mills receive an award of a Bronze Star, bestowed in 2021 or afterwards, for his service under enemy fire in Iraq in 2003;
Whereas in August 2024, Representative Cory Mills provided The Daytona Beach News with documents purporting to prove that he earned a Bronze Star with heroism, including a Department of the Army Form 638 recommending Representative Cory Mills for a Bronze Star, which includes a signature from then-Army Brigade Commander Arnold N. Gordon- Bray;
Whereas Retired Army Brigadier General Arnold N. Gordon-Bray has stated he did not personally write, read, or sign the Department of the Army Form 638 recommending Representative Cory Mills for a Bronze Star;
Whereas five people who served with Representative Cory Mills, including two men who were reported as having been personally saved by Representative Cory Mills at great risk to his own life as a basis for the recommendation for his Bronze Star in the Department of the Army Form 638, disputed that Representative Cory Mills was involved in their rescue or provided lifesaving care;
Whereas one private first class cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills' Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star denied that Representative Cory Mills provided him any aid and also denied that his injuries were life- threatening;
Whereas one sergeant cited as having been involved in one of the listed achievements on Representative Cory Mills' Army Form 638 recommending him for a Bronze Star called the account a fabrication and claimed that he was not involved in any claims that Cory Mills makes about me;
Whereas Representative Cory Mills' employment application to DynCorp International stated he served in the United States Army 75th Ranger Regiment and attended United States Army Sniper School, claims which are not corroborated in his military records;
Whereas on February 19, 2025, Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to resolve a private matter at Representative Cory Mills' residence, where officers were called to the 1300 block of Maryland Avenue, SW, around 1:15 p.m. for the report of an assault;
Whereas police reports obtained by NBC4 Washington confirmed that the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department was investigating Representative Cory Mills for an alleged assault of a 27-year-old woman that took place on February 19, 2025, at the residence of Representative Cory Mills;
Whereas the first police report provided to NBC4 Washington by a source and confirmed by a second source familiar with the investigation said that the 27-year-old woman accused her significant other for over a year of having grabbed her, shoved her, and pushed her out the door, and also said that the woman involved showed the officer bruises on her arm which appeared fresh;
Whereas NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department identified Representative Cory Mills as the significant other of the alleged victim of assault, which alleged victim was a 27- year-old woman who was not the wife of Representative Cory Mills, and that the alleged victim let officers hear Subject 1--now identified by MPD as Mills--instruct her to lie about the origin of her bruises. Eventually, Subject 1 made contact with the police and admitted that the situation escalated from verbal to physical, but it was severe enough to create bruising.
Whereas on February 21, 2025, The Washington Post also confirmed two D.C. police officials said that the alleged victim of assault initially told a 9/11 operator and police that she had been assaulted and that officers said she also had what seemed to be visible injuries, and that while a supervisor initially classified the offense internally as a family disturbance, police commanders later learned of the incident, reviewed the reports and body camera footage from the responding officers, and reclassified the case as a domestic violence assault;
Whereas on February 21, 2025, NBC4 Washington also reported that the Metropolitan Police Department determined that probable cause to arrest Representative Cory Mills for misdemeanor assault existed and sent an arrest warrant for Representative Cory Mills to the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia;
Whereas on July 14, 2025, a different former romantic partner of Representative Cory Mills, who was apparently in a relationship with Representative Mills from November 2021 to February 2025, reported to authorities in Florida that Representative Mills threatened to release nude images and other intimate videos of her and threatened to harm her future romantic partners in retaliation for her decision to end a relationship with Representative Mills after seeing the public reports described above concerning the alleged February 2025 physical assault;
Whereas on October 14, 2025, the Circuit Court of the Third Judicial Circuit in Columbia County, Florida, issued a Final Judgment of Injunction for Protection Against Dating Violence against Representative Cory Mills, based on a finding that his former romantic partner was a victim of dating violence or had reasonable cause to believe she was in imminent danger of becoming a victim of an act of dating violence; and
Whereas such conduct by Representative Cory Mills affects the dignity and integrity of the proceedings of the House and brings discredit upon the House: Now, therefore, be it resolved, that:
(1) Representative Cory Mills be censured;
(2) Representative Cory Mills forthwith present himself in the well of the House of Representatives for the pronouncement of censure;
(3) Representative Cory Mills be censured with a public reading of this resolution by the Speaker; and
(4) Representative Cory Mills be, and is hereby, removed from the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under rule IX, a resolution offered from the floor by a Member other than the majority leader or the minority leader as a question of the privileges of the House has immediate proceedings only at a time designated by the Chair within 2 legislative days after the resolution is properly noticed.
Pending that designation, the form of the resolution noticed by the gentlewoman from South Carolina will appear in the Record at this point.
The Chair will not, at this point, determine whether the resolution constitutes a question of privilege. That determination will be made at the time designated for consideration of the resolution.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 879, I call up 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 ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, printed in the bill, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia) each will control 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, cashless bail allows dangerous and violent criminals on our streets. For far too long, dangerous criminals have been allowed to roam the streets of Washington, D.C., posing a threat to the general public. Progressive, activist judges are currently allowed to release criminals to D.C.'s streets with only a promise that they will not reoffend and will return to court for their trial date.
The District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act would take away a judge's ability to release these violent criminals. It would require judges to hold anyone charged with a violent crime before trial, and it would impose cash bail or bail bonds on anyone charged with a range of public safety or law-and-order offenses.
This is a smart and long overdue reform that rectifies the ill- conceived policies currently enacted in the District.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this commonsense public safety bill, and I thank Representative Stefanik for her leadership on this issue and the National Fraternal Order of Police for their support.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose the legislation which is in front of us, which is another completely unacceptable attack on the District and on democratic principles.
We know that D.C. has more residents than two States. D.C. pays more Federal taxes than 26 States. D.C.'s government is accountable to the people who live here. Local leadership should be empowered to solve problems without Congress constantly interfering.
I have said many times if Donald Trump wants to run D.C., he should resign and run for Mayor. If Republicans want to get tough on crime, they should stop protecting the criminals in the Epstein files and demand transparency from Donald Trump. Let's talk about the bill in front of us today.
We know the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act is unfair and bad policy. Under this bill, if someone is charged with certain crimes, he will automatically be locked up before his trial. For other crimes, this bill would require cash bail or bond.
This will make D.C.'s local law much more strict that even Federal law. Pretrial release should be based on a judge's determination of flight risk and danger to the community. We should let trained judges and prosecutors do their jobs and consider each fact of each case.
A person shouldn't automatically be locked up based on a criminal charge before he is even proven to be guilty. We know in our system that a person is innocent until proven guilty. We know that should be true whether that person is rich or poor.
This bill will lock up more low-income people and more people who are also innocent. It will reinforce an unfair system where the rich get perks, while the poor suffer.
Democrats are fighting for a system where wealthy elites aren't above the law but where the justice system is fair for all. We are fighting for democracy.
We should let the council, the Mayor, and the District's justice system work together as they balance the public safety needs of the people. When D.C. residents don't like local policies, they can demand different policies from their elected leaders and certainly vote them out of office.
This bill is not about safety but about Congress once again interfering in local safety decisions by D.C. residents who are perfectly capable of making these decisions on their own.
We should be clear. This bill is also opposed by the Mayor, the city council, and many in the community. It is an overreach by the Republican majority to try to control the District.
Mr. Speaker, the bill is unnecessary. It undermines home rule, and it can make D.C. less safe. I urge my colleagues to oppose it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ivey).
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this legislation. As a former prosecutor here in Washington, D.C., I had a chance to use these statutes frequently with respect to the bail determination that is made in all of these criminal cases at some point or another.
My colleague talked about this being commonsense legislation, but the D.C. bill is patterned on the Federal Bail Reform Act. I note that there is no effort to amend that here or change it in the way that has been proposed in this bill.
In addition to that, roughly 40 States in the Union are patterned after the Federal Bail Reform Act, just like the D.C. bill is, but there is no effort to change those. Many of those 40 States are represented by Members on the other side who support this bill.
The main point I want to raise right now is that it appears to me that this bill, as drafted, would create a scenario that is unconstitutional. As I read it, it strikes a 5-day provision. In other words, when somebody is initially arrested, they can be held for 5 days, and so, Mr. Speaker, you can have the full-scale hearing.
The way this is drafted is it eliminates the 5 days, and it says:
I think that says that no matter what, whoever is arrested for any of these charges, there is a mandatory requirement that they be held for the entire pretrial period. That would certainly be unconstitutional.
Under Salerno, the Supreme Court case which ruled on the constitutionality of this language over 40 years ago, the Supreme Court said that there are a variety of safeguards that have been put in place: right to counsel, detention hearing, and the chance to offer opposing evidence and the like, that provides the safeguards that permit the statute to be found to be constitutional.
However, the way this bill is drafted, none of those safeguards could come into play because the initial provision as it is written makes all of those superfluous and says that no matter what, if these charges arise, then the person has to be detained for the entire pretrial period.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I would say at this point, though, that because it is unconstitutional, I urge my Republican colleagues to oppose this bill. I urge all of my colleagues to oppose this bill.
I would note that Salerno was written by Chief Justice Rehnquist, no liberal advocate, and Justice Scalia supported it, as well.
This is a provision that has key safeguards that are excluded. By the way this is drafted, it has to be revised. I oppose it even if you do the revision piece, Mr. Speaker, because I think it violates the rights of the District of Columbia to make their own determinations.
At a minimum, Mr. Speaker, please send constitutional law forward.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlemen for yielding to me.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill which amends the District of Columbia's pretrial release and detention law.
Last year, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, reaching an over-30-year low. This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.
I suspect most of my Republican colleagues do not know that D.C.'s longstanding pretrial release and detention law is substantially the same as the longstanding Federal pretrial release and detention law, or that the same well-respected Federal agency provides pretrial services for both the local and Federal trial courts in D.C.
This bill requires, in the case of certain crimes, pretrial detention based solely on a charge and financial conditions for pretrial release. However,
Neither D.C. nor Federal law requires pretrial detention or financial conditions for pretrial release, but both laws permit each. Under both D.C. and Federal law, pretrial release and detention are based on a judge's assessment of a defendant's risk of not appearing in court and danger to the community. In contrast, 18 States, the majority of which are red States, have a constitutional right to bail, meaning, except in capital cases, a defendant cannot be detained pretrial based solely on flight risk or dangerousness.
Pretrial detention is a severe restriction on the liberty of an individual who is presumed innocent. This bill requires detention for the period before trial based solely on a charge, with no adversary hearing. That is unconstitutional. The Due Process Clause of the Constitution requires an adversary hearing to detain a defendant for the period before trial.
In 1987, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Federal pretrial release and detention law. In its ruling, the Court stressed the law's procedural protections for defendants.
Chief Justice Rehnquist said:
Studies show that whether a jurisdiction requires financial conditions for pretrial release has no effect on the crime rates of that jurisdiction. Instead, even small financial conditions for pretrial release often force poor defendants to remain in jail, which can cost them their jobs and housing and leads to more convictions and longer sentences.
The over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves. If residents do not like how the D.C.'s local legislature votes, residents can vote them out of office or pass a ballot measure. That is called democracy.
If D.C. residents do not like how the Members of Congress vote on local D.C. matters, residents cannot vote them out of office. That is the antithesis of democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor, the entire D.C. Council, and the D.C. Attorney General, all of whom were elected by D.C. residents.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this undemocratic and paternalistic bill. It is long past time for Congress to pass the D.C. statehood bill. Free D.C.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5214, which erodes the self-governance of the District of Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, 2 months ago, I was a local government official not far from here, in Fairfax County. In the 6 years I spent in that role, I learned that the people best positioned to make decisions about the local policies in their local communities are local leaders after listening to that local community.
My colleagues across the aisle who are advocating for these bills, with due respect, know very little about the District of Columbia, know very little outside of perhaps their walk from their apartment in Navy Yard to this Capitol complex. They don't know the history, neighborhoods, communities, and challenges that folks in the District are facing.
While my colleagues espouse the virtues of self-governance, they simultaneously advocate for bills like this that strip self-governance from 700,000 Americans.
In 1973, Congress passed the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to grant the inhabitants of the District powers of local self-government. This bill is just one of many in this House that erodes those powers to help President Trump consolidate power over our Nation's Capital.
Meanwhile, the American people are confronting crisis after crisis that demands action from this Congress. Our national economy is struggling under President Trump's leadership. Tariffs are driving up prices. Looming healthcare cuts are about to result in skyrocketing premiums for Americans across the Nation.
In the midst of this, how does the majority choose to spend its time? It is spending its time by meddling in D.C.'s local affairs and further disenfranchising 700,000 taxpaying Americans.
I strongly oppose this bill and encourage my colleagues to vote ``no.''
Mr. Speaker, just to respond to our new colleague here who hasn't worked in Congress very long, this bill passed constitutional muster with the House Legislative Counsel, CRS, and various outside stakeholders. None of our Democrat colleagues brought up these concerns during the markup.
Let me say this. For those of us who have worked here in Washington, D.C., for a decade, we are very aware of the crime, the repeat offenders, and the juvenile crime rates in Washington, D.C., so we are taking action to try to make our Capital City a safer place. That is why I strongly support this bill.
To my colleagues across the aisle, I appreciate the debate, but I have to say I thought we were going to try to fix healthcare, to address costs, try to fix the economy, and get the country back on track. Isn't that what the promise at the end of the shutdown was when we came back into session?
Yet, here we are, 1 week after the end of the shutdown, after a truly harrowing several days dealing with the Epstein petition, and what are you guys putting on the floor to eat up precious floor time as we are headed into the holidays? We are debating bills to micromanage D.C. affairs, bills to open public land and Tribal sacred sites to oil and gas drilling, and a ridiculous political resolution that I heard your own Members last night on the floor talking about. They called it stupid
After 54 days of the House of Representatives being shut down, all you guys really seem to have time to do is run bills like this?
What I find particularly offensive is that in a week that we should be working to address the healthcare crisis in a bipartisan manner, you are trying to pass bills today that would undo local police reforms that our Nation's Capital put into place after George Floyd's murder to ensure that the people of this city are safe and that the justice system is fair for them.
If it is not clear, I am a hard ``no'' on these bills, not just because I believe they represent congressional overreach and abuse of power, but because they will harm the people of our Nation's Capital.
Also, and I think this is where the conversation needs to be had, if we actually want to address public safety and help communities across this country that elected us to do this work, we need to be addressing real solutions. We need to be addressing the addiction crisis; investing in behavioral health and addiction recovery programs; investing in diversion and community-based programs that help people who are hurting and living on the edge get back on their feet; investing in our children and pipelines for young people to have lives that they can only dream of; fixing a broken system that makes it difficult for people who are living on the edge to survive; raising wages; lowering the costs of housing, food, energy, and healthcare; and, yes, fixing the broken healthcare system that you all said you were going to come back to address.
These are the systems that are broken and that are hurting our people, especially in New Mexico. It is not just the cost of healthcare that is going up, but our hospitals, clinics, and providers who are struggling to make sure that they can stay afloat, especially after the big, ugly bill gutted and promised to take $1.5 trillion out of the public healthcare system.
It is why I have been working to champion bipartisan healthcare and health solutions, like bills to invest in urban, rural, and Tribal healthcare; to invest congressional funds into building clinics; to sponsor legislation to address the fentanyl crisis; to recruit and train more nurses and healthcare professionals; to recruit more counselors to fix the Medicaid and Medicare system; to expand telehealth and broadband; and, yes, to finally put this country on a track to universal healthcare.
I believe that healthcare is a human right. I believe that access to food, water, shelter, and safety is a human right. I believe that justice, freedom, and access to the criminal justice system are human rights. I believe that basic dignity is a human right. That is why I implore my colleagues to stop with these divisive political tactics every day and these bills attacking our communities and focus on the issues that matter and that the American people are asking us to do. That is why we were elected.
Real lives are on the line, so let's get back to work on real issues. Stop attacking Washington, D.C. Stop attacking our public lands. Stop attacking the basic dignity and human decency of our communities.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their comments to the Chair and not to individuals.
Mr. Speaker, I remind the gentlewoman that we believe on this side of the aisle that lowering the crime rate is a big issue. It is a priority for the American people.
The gentlewoman from New Mexico mentioned the government shutdown. I would like to remind the gentlewoman from New Mexico that she voted to shut the government down. Then, she had an opportunity 43 days later to reopen the government, and she voted against reopening the government. That is something that I think she must have mistakenly omitted from her remarks.
Again, we support every measure that can be done to reduce crime and to get criminals that have committed crimes and keep them in jail. They deserve due process, but we can't continue this trend in these cities, especially the Capital City, of letting violent criminals out back on the streets.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I, once again, urge our colleagues to oppose this bill. D.C. has a right and its residents have a right to govern themselves and elect mayors and council members that choose to pass laws to support the District. Congress should not be undermining local laws.
Mr. Speaker, Republicans want to make it easier to lock up poor defendants pretrial, undermining the fundamental American principle of innocent until proven guilty, all while stripping 700,000 residents of self-rule. Congress should not dictate local judicial policy.
Mr. Speaker, we should oppose these bills, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5214 will ensure that violent offenders remain off of the streets of D.C. while awaiting their trial and that those charged with public safety or order offenses will face further deterrence from committing such crimes through the reinstatement of required cash bail and bail bonds.
Overall, D.C. residents, workers, and visitors to our Nation's Capital should feel safe, and it remains the constitutional duty of Congress to reform Washington, D.C.'s laws when necessary to do so.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation to bring law and order to D.C. by ensuring that dangerous criminals will not re-offend before their trial date.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 879, I call up the bill (H.R. 5107) to repeal the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022 enacted by the District of Columbia Council, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, printed in the bill, is adopted, and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Garcia) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support the CLEAN DC Act, which repeals the majority of D.C.'s so-called Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Act of 2022.
By repealing this antipolice law, we will make our Nation's Capital safer. We will also restore the integrity of and faith in the law enforcement of the District of Columbia.
For instance, this law stripped law enforcement officers of many tools needed to execute their duties safely and without fear of retribution, as well as limited their options in situations of life or death.
It also created new opportunities for antipolice activists to harass law enforcement officers and added many undue burdens and requirements to officers in the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
In 2023, both the House and Senate sought to nullify this law by passing a joint resolution of disapproval. Unfortunately, this resolution was vetoed by then-President Biden.
The CLEAN DC Act would largely repeal D.C.'s antipolice law and ensure that law enforcement officers have the tools to keep visitors and residents safe. D.C. law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line every day for our community, must have the capabilities to do their jobs as they are trained to do.
By addressing the retention and recruitment crisis gripping D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department, Congress can do its part in helping to boost the number of crime fighters this city desperately needs to keep violent criminals off of the streets.
I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde) for leading this effort in this Congress, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I stand tonight to strongly oppose this bill, which repeals commonsense criminal justice reforms that were passed by D.C.'s elected representatives in the wake of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Mr. Speaker, we know that cities and communities all over the country passed similar reforms to increase trust, accountability, and safety. In D.C., these measures increased accountability for bad apples with independent civilian oversight, clean disciplinary process, and mandatory reporting for overuse of force incidents.
It prohibited the hiring of officers with prior misconduct, and it prohibited choke holds. They improved training for officers. The Mayor, the D.C. City Council, and the community all worked together to pass a series of reforms and laws, work they were proud of. They empower the chief of police to lead the police department and do it the right way.
This bill repeals all of that. It would damage the trust between D.C. police and the communities they protect and serve.
We know communities are safer when residents feel safe calling on 911 and when they feel safe working with the police. We know policies like de-escalation, expanding body-worn cameras, and improving safety should not move backwards.
This bill is opposed by D.C. residents. It is opposed by the Mayor of D.C. It is opposed by the D.C. City Council, and it is opposed by D.C.'s Member of Congress. This is part of my Republican colleagues' continued obsession with acting as a super city council for the District of Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, D.C., again, has more residents than two States. D.C. taxpayers pay Federal taxes. D.C., as a whole, contributes more Federal taxes than 26 other States. D.C.'s government should be allowed to govern themselves, to hold local leaders accountable, to elect their own leadership, and to solve problems without Congress consistently interfering.
We should always continue to support D.C. and their ability to govern themselves. Congress should focus on national issues and let the residents of D.C. and their local representatives govern the District.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 5107, the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act, or affectionately known as the CLEAN DC Act for short because that is what it is intended to do, and that is to clean up the city of Washington, D.C.
My legislation, co-led with Senator Ted Cruz, repeals the antipolice provisions of the D.C. City Council's so-called Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022. If there is one thing that act doesn't do, it is create more justice. It creates injustice.
The CLEAN DC Act is essential to restoring public safety in our Nation's Capital. For far too long, Washington, D.C., a city meant to embody freedom and prosperity, has been overwhelmed by violent crime. As millions of people visit D.C. every year, it is imperative that our Nation's Capital is safe for all residents and visitors. Yet, in recent years, this simply has not been the case.
In 2024, D.C.'s homicide rate exceeded 27 homicides per 100,000 residents, higher than that of any State and nearly three times that of Islamabad, Pakistan, and 18 times that of communist-run Havana, Cuba. That same year, the city recorded nearly 30,000 crimes, including thousands of violent offenses, robberies, and car thefts.
So far in 2025, D.C. has already seen over 2,200 violent crimes and more than 120 homicides, including the tragic killing of a 21-year-old Capitol Hill intern. That was an incredible tragedy. Of course, any homicide is an incredible tragedy, but that one really was.
Despite these alarming trends, the radical D.C. Council has chosen to undermine the very department responsible for protecting the city. Its antipolice law strips the Metropolitan Police Department officers of due process protections. It weakens collective bargaining. It restricts the use of nonlethal tools during civil unrest and has fueled a devastating staffing collapse.
Since the law took effect under emergency authority in 2020, the Metropolitan Police Department has lost over 2,000 officers, leaving the department critically understaffed and unable to adequately respond to this crisis.
One of my neighbors here where I reside in D.C. had a terrible, violent incident that happened to her with her child. When the incident was over, she had lost her pocketbook. She had lost her phone. When they called the MPD to come take a police report, the response was: You will have to come down to the station because unless you are actually hurt yourself, we don't have the officers to go out and actually go to you. You have to come to us. That is just not right. That is an example of a completely understaffed police department.
Thankfully, in August, President Trump initiated a Federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department and deployed the National Guard to confront this massive crime crisis. Since then, violent crime has dropped by 30 percent. Even D.C.'s Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser has acknowledged fewer homicides and a sharp decline in carjackings since President Trump's intervention.
Repealing the antipolice policies enacted by the procriminal D.C. Council will further strengthen President Trump's efforts and restore common sense to law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
Last Congress in the 118th, I led a joint resolution of disapproval alongside then-Senator JD Vance, now Vice President JD Vance, to repeal this same misguided D.C. Council law. The resolution passed both the House and the Senate with bipartisan majorities, yet President Joe Biden foolishly vetoed our commonsense measure, underscoring just how little the previous administration cared about the American people's safety and law enforcement officers' well-being.
Thankfully, we now have new leadership in the White House, strong, forceful, America-first leadership, and I look forward to sending this commonsense legislation to President Trump's desk to restore law and order in our Nation's Capital and support our brave men and women in blue. Public safety should not be a partisan issue. It is just plain common sense.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 5107 so we can codify the progress we have made under the Trump administration and transform D.C. from a crime-ridden capital into a safe, free, and thriving city.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill, which repeals the police accountability and transparency law that the District of Columbia enacted in 2023.
Last year, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, reaching an over 30-year low. This year, violent crime in D.C. is down 28 percent compared to the same period last year.
D.C.'s Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act, among other things, gave the police chief more authority to discipline officers for serious misconduct and crimes; strengthened civilian oversight of the police department; improved public access to body-worn camera video; and imposed limitations on the purchase of military weapons and the use of force. D.C. police chiefs have requested more authority to discipline officers for at least 25 years before enactment of this law. This bill would take away this authority from the police chief.
The difficulty D.C. has had recruiting and retaining police officers is not unique. It is a nationwide issue that predates the police accountability and transparency laws enacted across the country after the murder of George Floyd. In 2019, before the murder of George Floyd, the International Association of Chiefs of Police conducted a survey that found ``The challenge of recruiting law enforcement is widespread and affects agencies of all types, sizes, and locations across the United States.''
``The difficulty of recruiting law enforcement officers and employees is not due to one particular cause. Rather, multiple social, political, and economic forces are all simultaneously at play.''
In 1973, Congress passed the D.C. Home Rule Act, which established locally elected chief executive officer and legislature. The purpose of the Home Rule Act is to ``grant to inhabitants of the District of Columbia powers of local government'' and ``relieve Congress of the burden of legislating upon essentially local District matters,'' yet the House today is denying D.C. residents local self-government and spending its time on local D.C. matters.
Mr. Speaker, I remind my Republican colleagues what Republican President Richard Nixon said when he signed the Home Rule Act: ``One of the major goals of this administration is to place responsibility for local functions under local control and to provide local governments with the authority and resources they need to serve their communities effectively. The measure I sign today represents a significant step in achieving this goal in the city of Washington. It will give the people of the District of Columbia the right to elect their own city officials and to govern themselves in local affairs.
``As the Nation approaches the 200th anniversary of its founding, it is particularly appropriate to assure those persons who live in our Capital City rights and privileges which have long been enjoyed by most of their countrymen.''
The over 700,000 D.C. residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown, are capable and worthy of governing themselves.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record letters opposing this bill from the D.C. Mayor, from the D.C. Council, and the D.C. Attorney General, all of whom were elected by D.C. residents.
Mr. Speaker, D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying Federal taxes, serving on juries, and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress.
The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.
I include in the Record a letter from leading constitutional scholars explaining why the D.C. statehood bill is constitutional.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Again, I strongly oppose this bill. As a reminder, it would eliminate commonsense criminal justice reforms that have been widely implemented by State and local governments across the country.
Local officials here in D.C. passed these laws. The voters made these decisions, and D.C. should have a right to govern itself.
This bill undermines trust between police and the community they serve and makes us all less safe.
It is undemocratic. It could very well make D.C. not just less safe but also lose trust between its elected government and the people. When the people come together and pass laws, Congress should not overturn those.
Mr. Speaker, again, I urge opposition, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, Congress has a constitutional duty to ensure the District of Columbia is safe and secure. I urge my colleagues to support this critical police reform bill that has the strong support of the National Fraternal Order of Police.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 879, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of the bill (H.R. 5214) to require mandatory pretrial and post conviction detention for crimes of violence and dangerous crimes and require mandatory
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 237, nays 179, not voting 17, as follows:
Messrs. LARSON of Connecticut, NORCROSS, and Mrs. BEATTY, changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote because I was in a legislative meeting which ran over. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 298.
Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act of 2025
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on passage 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, 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 passage of the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 233, nays 190, not voting 10, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Enhancing Stakeholder Support and Outreach for Preparedness Grants 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. 4058) to amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance outreach for the Urban Area Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Grant Program of the Department of Homeland Security, 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 Mississippi (Mr. Guest) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 380, nays 45, not voting 8, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
Ms. SIMON changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Repeal of Senate Notification Requirements Relating to Legal Process on Disclosures of Senate Data
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. 6019) to repeal certain provisions relating to notification to Senate offices regarding legal process on disclosure of Senate data, 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 Wisconsin (Mr. Steil) 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 426, nays 0, not voting 7, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
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. 298, YEA on Roll Call No. 299, YEA on Roll Call No. 300, and YEA on Roll Call No. 301.
Mr. Speaker, I think that it is very clear that the actual committee of jurisdiction is, in fact, the Ethics Committee, and cooperating with them is my top priority.
I believe that all the accusations and false things that are being said will be proven to be absolutely false in many ways. I have the evidence and receipts, and I look forward to working with them.
I rise in support of my motion to refer this resolution to the Committee on Ethics and encourage a ``yea'' vote on this motion.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time and move the previous question on the motion.
The previous question was ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to refer.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise with the Alabama delegation, including one of our U.S. Senators and many others here on the House floor, to pay respect to the end of an era. One of the most improbable, inspiring, and truly remarkable chapters in American history quietly closed during our most recent break.
Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy, a veteran of Vietnam, Korea, and World War II, passed away.
This is not a name most of us know in isolation, but we all know the story of the Black men who were trained as pilots on airfields in the backwoods of Macon County, Alabama, who would go on to become what the world knows today as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy was the last surviving Tuskegee Airman who flew combat missions in World War II. He was born in Philadelphia at a time when the military was not integrated, but by the age of 19, he was flying combat missions over the skies of Europe, defending and liberating rights and freedoms abroad that we all know that he did not enjoy even back at home.
Despite that, Lieutenant Colonel Hardy kept the mission first, front and center. With the other Tuskegee Airmen, they exceeded expectations, and they left behind a spectacular record of service and accomplishment. Though these men took off as the unlikeliest of American heroes, they landed as what is possibly the greatest, most well-known, most well-decorated fighting force in this Nation's history.
As a young man now that has the privilege to represent Tuskegee, it is my honor, my obligation, and my duty to stand on this House floor and acknowledge the life and the legacy of Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy and the Tuskegee Airmen and all of those who have served this Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to my colleague from Alabama (Mr. Palmer).
Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate that we acknowledge the passing of the last of the Tuskegee Airmen. I will share a little bit about them.
They trained on Moton Field and on Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, and later formed units like the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. They were under the command of Colonel Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., who was born right here in Washington, D.C.
When the pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their P-47s red, the nickname ``Red Tails'' was coined. The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of their P-51s.
Some of the bomber crews who flew some of the most dangerous missions during World War II called them the ``Red Tail Angels.''
In combat during the war, they flew over 15,000 sorties, escorting bombers and engaging enemy fighters.
They received numerous accolades for their service, including 3 Distinguished Unit Citations, 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars, 744 Air Medals, at least 60 Purple Hearts, and one Silver Star.
Colonel Davis went on to become the first African-American brigadier general in the United States Air Force.
It is totally appropriate that we recognize the incredible accomplishments, with all of the opposition that they faced, that the Tuskegee Airmen achieved in the defense of our liberty.
The SPEAKER. The Chair asks all those present in the Chamber, as well as Members and staff throughout the Capitol, to please rise for a moment of silence.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Ellie Sheehan, drum major of the Penn State Blue Band this season.
This is a historic milestone because Ellie is the first woman to hold the position in the Blue Band's 126-year history.
Ellie hails from Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania, and is pursuing a degree in marketing with a minor in digital media trends and analytics. She brings years of experience within the Blue Band, most recently as a leader of the piccolos. The Blue Band's drum major leads the band through warm-ups and performances.
Since 1977, it has been a tradition for the drum major to do a front flip as the band enters the field at home football games. Ellie continues this tradition.
As any visitor to Beaver Stadium can attest, the Blue Band plays a central role in Penn State's game day and represents the highest level of tradition, excellence, and pride.
Mr. Speaker, as a graduate of Penn State, I am proud to congratulate Ellie Sheehan for being a fantastic Blue Band drum major.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to share the story of my constituent, Marwan Marouf.
Marwan has lived in the United States for more than 40 years. He is a devoted father of U.S. citizens, a respected community leader, and he has no criminal history. He suffers from a life-threatening heart condition and has fully complied with every requirement of our immigration system, submitting every application on time, providing extensive documentation, and cooperating completely with USCIS.
Yet, 2 months ago, after dropping his 15-year-old son off at school, Marwan was detained by ICE. This is a man who founded the largest Boy Scout troop in north Texas, who delivered food and supplies to families across our community during the pandemic, and who is recognized by the city of Richardson for his outstanding service to our community.
Tomorrow, Marwan faces a proceeding where he will face removal. I have repeatedly requested humanitarian parole on his behalf, and those requests have gone unanswered.
Mr. Speaker, Marwan is exactly the kind of person humanitarian parole was created for: a dedicated public servant, husband, and father. I urge DHS to grant him humanitarian parole.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the life and legacy of a Green Bay local legend, WFRV chief meteorologist Tom Mahoney, who recently passed away at the age of 75.
Tom first appeared on local news in northeast Wisconsin in 1972 and quickly became a trusted presence in households across our region. For more than 30 years at WFRV until his retirement in 2013, he guided families through blizzards, thunderstorms, and sunny skies with humor, kindness, and a genuine passion for meteorology. He shared that passion with the next generation by visiting schools throughout northeastern Wisconsin, inspiring countless young people.
Beyond the weather desk, Tom was also a man of deep faith. As a Catholic deacon, he visited the sick, led funerals, and often left the studio after the 6:30 newscast to conduct wake services just to come back in time for the 10 o'clock broadcast.
Mr. Speaker, as the Representative from northeastern Wisconsin and as a lifelong resident of the area, I thank Tom Mahoney for his lifetime of service to northeastern Wisconsin and for always being a trusted voice for families in our community. His wife, Sue, their children, and grandchildren are in my prayers during this time. Tom's impact on our community will live on in the memories of those he guided through countless storms and sunny days.
Mr. Speaker, on October 2, 2018, a man, a journalist, a father, a fiance was lured into the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkiye. He went to get documents so he could marry his fiancee. He never came out. He was murdered in that building. His name was Jamal Khashoggi. He was a writer for The Washington Post, and his murder was an attack on the free press.
A month later, our own CIA under Trump concluded that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, MBS, had ordered Khashoggi's killing and dismemberment. The U.N. came to the same conclusion. MBS ordered the murder.
Despite that, yesterday, President Trump welcomed MBS to the White House with fanfare and pomp and circumstance. Trump said Khashoggi was controversial. ``Whether you liked him or didn't like him, things happen.''
Mr. Speaker, there is only one way to look at this and that is moral rot: dangerous, chilling moral rot.
Mr. Speaker, Charles ``Chic'' Richardson, a World War II veteran who served this country as a U.S. Air Force B-17 bomber crewman, went to be with the Lord earlier this month.
I am truly blessed to have known a man who went through so much to protect our country, flying over Europe, and even willingly marching straight into combat with such red, white, and blue courage.
Chic lived to be 102 years old. In that long life, he accomplished so much: raising a family, working in the automotive industry, and even writing a book about World War II called ``35 Missions to Hell and Back.''
Chic was a prime example of a true American who loved his country so much that he was willing to dedicate much of his life to protecting it. It was such an honor to know this patriot, who was willing to put his life on the line to fight for his country. I pray we all have even an ounce of the bravery and the love for this country that Chic had.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the achievements of Reverend William E. Norman, Sr., celebrating his 30th year of pastoral service to the congregants of SolidRock Christian Center of Yonkers, New York.
Reverend Norman has led the church in spiritual matters, Sunday worship services, and weekly Bible study classes, in person and online.
His service to the larger community extends to his efforts to meet the needs of the poor and the hungry, young people and seniors, the homeless, and those in need of mental health services.
Pastor Norman serves the city of Yonkers as director of Veteran Services, commissioner for the city's Human Rights Commission, as a member of the Yonkers Auxiliary Police, and as a police chaplain for the Yonkers Police Department.
He has served with distinction as a United States Marine for 4 years on Active Duty and 2 years in the Reserves. A native of North Carolina with roots in Brooklyn, Pastor Norman is a longtime Yonkers resident and leader. With his wife, Reverend Tamara Norman and four children, including Councilwoman Deana Norman, he has charted a vision for future community development that would serve all, combining housing, childcare, recreation, social services, and worship.
Mr. Speaker, we salute Reverend William Norman for his years of service in spiritual and secular realms, all that benefits the people of the city of Yonkers.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary achievement in high school athletics.
Benedictine College Preparatory School, located within Goochland County, has made program history by capturing its third consecutive VISAA Division I State Championship, defeating Trinity Episcopal 20-0.
From the first snap, the Cadets showed they came ready to compete. Benedictine set the tone, demonstrating exceptional determination, discipline, and heart.
JoJo Johnson led the charge with an impressive 85-yard touchdown run, followed by key contributions from quarterback Kaiden Kohler and VMI commit Landon Snyder, giving the Cadets a commanding 20-0 lead at halftime.
Defensively, the Cadets were nothing short of dominant, ultimately leading to their championship win. Benedictine forced five turnovers, including a critical interception by Malachi Mingo that helped seal the shutout.
I am honored today to recognize the student-athletes, coaches, families, and the entire Benedictine community for their remarkable accomplishment and for the pride that they have brought to Virginia's Fifth Congressional District and the entire Commonwealth.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to give a huge thank-you to all of the food pantries, food banks, and nonprofits that helped so many families during this past shutdown, and really all year, with food insecurity. They have been giving out hundreds of thousands of meals, very rarely ever turning away anyone.
The ones in my community include ones like Dulles South Food Pantry, Haymarket Regional Food Pantry, Mobile Hope, Northern Virginia Food Rescue, Creating Foundations for Hope, House of Mercy Food Pantry, and, of course, Loudoun Hunger Relief. They did so much: fresh produce, sweet treats, pantry essentials, and even Thanksgiving meals coming up next week.
Some saw up to a 500 percent increase in new families asking for food, and this is still going to be a big issue. We saw the SNAP cuts over the summer. All of them told me that that is going to be a big issue.
We need to continue to address food insecurity in America, and I thank those organizations for stepping up when we needed them most.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize First Lieutenant Duncan DeMarsh, a proud lifelong resident of Volusia County and an outstanding young leader who will soon deploy for 1 year to the Middle East with the Florida Army National Guard in service to our Nation.
First Lieutenant DeMarsh has distinguished himself through his public service as the legislative aide to my friend, State Representative Tramont, where he worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of Florida. He was also elected vice chairman of the Volusia Republican Party, where he helped secure important victories in the most recent election.
As he prepares for his deployment, I express my deep gratitude not only to Duncan, but also to his new bride, Savanna DeMarsh, and the rest of their family, who share in the sacrifice that military life demands. Their strength and support make his service possible.
We in Congress and the American people are indebted to the brave men and women who stand watch on our behalf. I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing First Lieutenant Duncan DeMarsh a safe mission and a swift return home.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Maui County councilmember Tasha Kama, a mother to all, a warm hand, a hug when you needed it most, a voice for the voiceless, and a champion for everyone she served.
Tasha was a fierce advocate for affordable housing, a tireless defender of Native Hawaiian rights, and steadfast for our ``children''; ``keiki'' and our ``elders''; ``kupuna.'' More than any title or position, she carried a quiet strength and a deep faith that grounded our entire community. She showed up for people, not for recognition, but because she believed every person deserved dignity, respect, and aloha.
Hawaii, and the world, needs more Tashas. With her now watching from above, we must try to live and lead with the same courage, compassion, and unwavering aloha that defined her life.
To the Kama ``family''; ``o'hana'' and all those whose lives she shaped, we offer our deepest condolences. May her legacy continue to guide us forward.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Esther Omoyiwola, a graduate student at Georgia Southern University.
She was awarded the 2025 Amateur Radio Digital Communication Scholarship, an example of her academic achievement, resilience, and determination.
Her determination was shaped by the strength and community she found in Georgia Southern after leaving her home country of Nigeria.
After arriving, she immersed herself in research, focused on power converters and machine learning applications.
With countless hours of research and lab work, Esther didn't hold back on the scholarship application. She plans to use the scholarship money to purchase tools and resources to support her research, as well as to cover some school expenses.
Now, her focus is towards helping the next generation of women engineers and young girls like her who face uncertainty in the next chapter of their life. She wants to pay it forward, as it was a path she didn't take alone.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor a lifetime of service of one of my constituents, Colonel William Woodard Butler, the 2025 Veteran of the Year for Virginia's Fourth Congressional District.
With over 38 years of service between Active Duty and the Reserves, Colonel Butler has devoted his military career and beyond to improving the lives of our servicemembers, advancing medical research, and giving back to his community.
Colonel Butler completed two overseas deployments, one to Okinawa and another to Qatar. He has over 980 hours of flight time, of which 65 are in combat.
He then rounded out his military career as a professor of aerospace medicine at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
In addition to this, he now serves as an active member of his community, as a trustee for the John Randolph Foundation, and as a member of the city of Hopewell's planning commission.
He helped establish a permanently endowed scholarship for Chesterfield, Hopewell, and Prince George students pursuing a medical career.
I thank Colonel Butler for his service to our Nation and admire all he has done to improve the lives of those in our community, Commonwealth, and country. I am honored to name him the 2025 Veteran of the Year for Virginia's Fourth Congressional District.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Family Caregivers Month and to honor the more than 63 million Americans who selflessly care for their loved ones. That includes more than 1.5 million Virginians who step up every single day for their parents, spouses, and family members.
As a Navy veteran, a nurse practitioner, and someone who has seen firsthand the challenges families face, I know just how essential these caregivers are to our long-term care system.
Far too often caregivers shoulder enormous emotional, physical, and financial burdens without adequate help.
That is why Congress must work together to advance commonsense, bipartisan solutions, like the Credit for Caring Act, increased respite care funding, and expand workplace flexibility. These are practical steps that will give caregivers the support they desperately need.
When caregivers thrive, families thrive. This month, and every month, let's honor their sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I thank all the caregivers out there. They are appreciated.
Mr. Speaker, I am here to talk about two incidents that shame me as a Member of this House and as an American citizen.
Today, President Trump signed the Epstein documents release bill. Lots of women were up here who were victims of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual felonies, and they celebrated when the House passed it and the Senate passed it, but it is clear today that classified documents therein will not be released and documents that might relate to an ongoing investigation which President Trump authorized going after Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, and others on the Democratic side which are false and improper investigations where Ms. Bondi said there was nothing there, will not allow for material to be disclosed.
The Senate said the House shouldn't get involved with the $500,000 that each Senator should get for simply having a phone call noted--not listened to, not documented, but noted. It is $500,000 for nine Senators.
That money should go to the Epstein victims. Truth spoken. Justice should be required.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of my alma mater, Brigham Young University.
Since its founding in 1875, BYU has stood firm as a fundamental institution of learning and innovation in the State of Utah.
Throughout its history, the university's programs, students, athletes, professors, and alumni have made great contributions to a variety of fields, including the advancement of technology, physical and social sciences, sports, business, law, and many other areas of significance. BYU continues to grow and evolve as they plan to open a medical school soon.
The university, which also includes campuses in Hawaii and Idaho, is renowned globally. Further living up to its motto, ``The world is our campus,'' the BYU Pathways Worldwide program served over 74,000 students in over 180 countries in 2024.
Above all, I appreciate BYU's focus on instilling its motto, ``Enter to learn, go forth to serve.'' I am grateful for the BYU education I received in undergraduate and law school and am proud to represent BYU and the Provo community in Congress.
Congratulations to BYU and President Shane Reese on 150 years of innovation. I am excited to see how BYU will continue to grow and forgive me for that parking ticket when I was a student so many years ago.
Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind everybody across the country where their food comes from. A whole bunch of it comes from California.
Look at these crops here, 100 percent: pistachios, almonds, plums, prunes, olives, nectarines, kiwifruit, honeydew, garlic, celery, artichokes come from California. Shelled walnuts come from California. Tomatoes come from California, along with 96 percent of mandarins.
If we don't have the water to grow these crops in California, if we don't have the support from the government now regulating us out of business, it is not going to come from there anymore. If it doesn't come from there, it is going to have to come from a foreign country because nobody else in the country can grow these crops quite the way we can in California.
They can do a pretty good job in some other places, but this is where it happens, so we need the support of the Federal Government to continue to build the water supply at Sites Reservoir, Shasta Dam raise in northern California, as well as hold on to our water supply and not have it all frittered out to the Pacific Ocean in pursuit of a non- scientific pursuit of water for fish.
Mr. Speaker, Chaco Canyon is sacred, the ancestral homeland, and a living landscape and home to the Pueblo and Dine people. It is a World Heritage Site and a landscape of ancient ruins, kivas, and sacred lands as far as the eye can see, which is why I stand here tonight in solidarity with Tribal leaders from across New Mexico to say protect Chaco Canyon, protect it from the attacks of a Trump administration that is trying to open these lands once again to oil and gas drilling.
Can you imagine, one of our most sacred sites, which Secretary Haaland protected in 2023, which the New Mexico delegation is trying to permanently withdraw, a place the Pueblo leaders say holds the footprints of their ancestors and countless generations; Navajo leaders who say that it is deeply embedded in our way of life, the living community, and our very culture.
However, this administration has forged ahead to open these lands to the irreparable desecration of drilling on this sacred site.
I call on the administration and the American people to join us in this fight to protect Chaco Canyon.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia?
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate First Baptist Church of Savannah on their 225th anniversary.
Since 1800, this church has stood as a cornerstone of faith, service, and resilience in our community. From its beginnings on Franklin Square to the historic sanctuary on Chippewa Square, First Baptist Church has been a beacon of steadfast devotion and is recognized as the oldest surviving house of worship in Savannah.
Through its leadership and dedicated members, this church has shaped not only life in Savannah but also Baptist life across Georgia and our Nation. It has nurtured faith, advanced education through its connection to Mercer University, and embraced the spirit of service.
Between its open-door policy during the Civil War to its recent pipe organ concert series, First Baptist Church has continually worked to build community and welcome all in their congregation. We celebrate them for both a remarkable history and a vibrant legacy of hope for the future.
Holding a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California and a master's degree from Harvard University, Ms. Spies has consistently exemplified her dedication to innovation.
NASA's astronaut candidate class is among the most competitive programs in the world, drawing thousands of applicants from across the Nation. A former Marine Corps attack helicopter pilot and engineer at Gulfstream, Ms. Spies stood out for her extraordinary record of service and expertise.
Her selection continues our State's proud tradition of producing pioneers in science and technology and will inspire young people across Georgia to dream big and pursue careers in STEM.
As she begins training for future missions, we are honored that Katherine Spies will continue to uphold Georgia's legacy of innovation and service to our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Frank Garner, chairman of the Liberty County Republican Party, who recently passed away.
Frank was more than a dedicated leader. He was a proud military veteran and a man of deep faith and conviction. His commitment to his community and to our country was reflected in everything he did. Whether it was placing campaign signs, knocking on doors, or lending a helping hand to a neighbor, Frank led by example and inspired others through his actions.
He worked tirelessly to strengthen the Republican Party in Liberty County and across Georgia, reminding us that real leadership begins with service and humility. His legacy will live on through the many lives he touched and the example he set for those who followed.
We extend our deepest condolences to Frank's family, friends, and the Liberty County community. His life embodied patriotism, dedication, and service to others.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 59 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, November 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
