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06Resignation as Member of Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
07After Recess
08Adjournment
1 member spoke
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
44 public bills, H.R. 7413- 7456; and 5 resolutions, H. Res. 1043-1047 were introduced.
Pages H2094-95
Reports Filed
Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 2294, to reauthorize the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 (H. Rept. 119-489, Part 1); and H. Res. 1042, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 2189) to modernize Federal firearms laws to account for advancements in technology and less-than-lethal weapons, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 261) to amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit requiring an authorization for the installation, continued presence, operation, maintenance, repair, or recovery of undersea fiber optic cables in a national marine sanctuary if such activities have previously been authorized by a Federal or State agency; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 3617) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act to secure the supply of critical energy resources, including critical minerals and other materials, and for other purposes; and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-490).
Pages H2093-94
Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Smith (NE) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H2043
Recess
The House recessed at 12:22 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m.
Page H2046
Recess
The House recessed at 2:04 p.m. and reconvened at 3 p.m.
Page H2046
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Beyer wherein he resigned from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Page H2082
Recess
The House recessed at 5:04 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m.
Page H2082
Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act: S. 3705, to provide for the creation of a congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States;
Pages H2046-48
$2.50 for America's 250th Act
H.R. 5616, amended, to amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins and $2.50 circulating coins;
Pages H2048-50
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins, and for other purposes.'';
Page H2050
Housing for the 21st Century Act
H.R. 6644, amended, to increase the supply of housing in America, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 390 yeas to 9 nays, Roll No. 57;
Pages H2050-74, H2082
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes.'';
Page H2082
Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act
H.R. 3682, amended, to amend the Financial Stability Act of 2010 to require the Financial Stability Oversight Council to consider alternative approaches before determining that a U.S. nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System;
Pages H2074-76
Pressure Regulatory Organizations To End Chinese Threats to Taiwan Act
H.R. 1531, amended, to direct certain financial regulators to exclude representatives of the People's Republic of China from certain banking organizations upon notice of certain threats or danger, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 395 yeas to 2 nays, Roll No. 58; and
Pages H2078-79, H2082-83
Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act
H.R. 3190, amended, to amend the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 to extend the sunset, to require a determination with respect to the imposition of sanctions on certain persons of Burma.
Pages H2080-81
Suspension: Proceedings Postponed
The House debated the following measure under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were postponed. Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act: H.R. 3390, amended, to amend the Federal Reserve Act to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to carry out a review of discount window operations and to implement improvements to such operations.
Pages H2076-78
Quorum Calls: Votes
Two yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2082 and H2083. Adjournment: The House met at 12 p.m. and adjourned at 9:01 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: 120 of 203 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 6, 2026, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 1:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible life of Michael Thomas Senate of Lovettsville, Virginia.
A marine, an engineer, a public servant, and a pillar of our community, Mike Senate believed that service did not end with one role or one chapter of life.
After serving his country as a marine during the Vietnam war, he devoted decades to strengthening the town he called home, Lovettsville. He served on the town planning commission, the town council, and even as vice mayor. He helped shape projects that will serve generations, from parks and memorials to safer streets and shared-use paths.
Others, including myself, knew him also for his work in public safety. As a firefighter, EMT instructor, and leader, Mike trained, mentored, and stood shoulder to shoulder with so many first responders--volunteer and career. He showed up, he covered shifts, he taught classes, and he made sure that when help was needed, it could arrive safely and effectively.
While I did not do my firefighting training under Mike Senate, his wife, Tracey was my EMT instructor. Mr. Speaker, you didn't have to take one of his classes to know the incredible impact Mike had. He raised the bar for instructors and trainees alike in our county, and his legacy lives on in all the people he helped and who help others.
On behalf of our community, we thank him for a lifetime of service, and we extend our deepest condolences to Tracey and the entire family and to all who were proud to serve alongside him.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce the No Funds for Forced Labor Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill to protect human rights and prevent forced labor of Uyghurs and other religious communities.
A recent annual report by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China found that authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ``maintained a system of forced labor that involved former mass internment camp detainees.''
This comes while China has targeted Uyghurs and other religious minorities, threatening detainees with physical violence, abuse, and torture.
Despite companies' due diligence, these forced labor networks can be so extensive that the World Bank's International Finance Corporation has financed companies who have inadvertently employed forced laborers in the region.
This bill addresses that risk. It allows the Treasury Secretary to instruct the U.S. director at each international financial institution to oppose provisions of any loan that would risk using forced labor. I thank all our cosponsors, and I encourage my colleagues to join us in supporting and advancing this bipartisan bill.
Mr. Speaker, as we approach tax season across the country, I am becoming increasingly concerned with the IRS's capabilities to accurately and responsibly carry out the duty they have to American taxpayers.
Americans will be relying on an agency to verify their returns and issue accurate returns that has lost over one-quarter of its staffing in the last year, with that number only growing. Every day, my office has a new constituent who reaches out wondering where their tax refund is from this past tax season, and that is only going to get worse as this new tax season begins.
One of the services available to taxpayers is the Taxpayer Advocate Services which works closely with my office to return what taxpayers are rightly owed.
While TAS advocates work hard on these cases, it is apparent that they are already both backlogged and understaffed. Additional cuts to IRS funding will only exacerbate this issue.
To properly prepare for tax season, we should be increasing resources for services such as the taxpayer advocates and making sure Americans feel like they can rely on the IRS to handle the process without delays or errors. From
Mr. Speaker, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is one of the best ways we can attract top talent to work in the Federal Government and public service. Often these employees will be making less money than in the private sector, but the loan forgiveness gives the government an advantage.
It is disappointing that we see people like public servants treated like this by making them wait years for public service loan forgiveness. This program promised student loan borrowers that after 10 years of public service, their debt would be forgiven. Yet, under this administration, PSLF processing has slowed to a crawl.
For example, the PSLF Buyback application, an essential step for many pursuing loan forgiveness, had more than 80,000 applications pending at the end of the year. Some borrowers have had their eligibility threatened due to petty political grievances.
There are consequences to this. Americans are delaying major life milestones such as purchasing a home or starting a family because they are still making payments on loans they were assured would be forgiven.
Let's be clear: The stagnation of PSLF is the direct result of the current administration's mismanagement. I call on the administration to honor its promise to the people who have dedicated their careers to public service and who have rightfully sought loan forgiveness.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the importance of the SAVE America Act, which will come to the House floor for a vote this week.
At the heart of our democracy is a very simple promise: Every eligible citizen gets one vote, and every vote counts equally. That promise is only sustainable when the public has confidence in the system.
The SAVE America Act is centered on an indisputable principle: U.S. elections are for U.S. citizens. This legislation will ensure that voter registration systems accurately reflect the law and that citizenship requirements are consistently enforced.
By requiring a photo ID in Federal elections, this congressional action will work to prevent fraud before it even starts. Supporting the SAVE America Act means promising every voter that their voice matters and that their vote will not be diluted. This action signals a long overdue step towards election integrity, which will preserve the strength and the security of our democratic system for generations to come.
Very simply, our democracy is worth protecting, and by passing and enacting the SAVE America Act, we in Congress can ensure our constituents that their vote will count.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Johnstown native, Dan Barefoot, on earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. This week, Dan will compete in the Milano Cortina Winter Games representing our Nation on the world stage.
A graduate of Richland High School and Penn State, Dan will compete in the skeleton competition, which is scheduled for Thursday, February 12.
Dan's 10-year pursuit of a spot on the Olympic team began with a Google search relating to which Olympic-style sport a novice could train for later in life. After what he describes as the singular most incredible and challenging journey of his life, Dan has reached the pinnacle of his sport.
Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District is incredibly proud to support Dan as he represents our community and our country on the Olympic stage.
Once again, I congratulate Dan and his parents, Barry and Rebecca, on this extraordinary accomplishment and best wishes for gold at the Winter Games.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Carl and Nancy Schneider.
Carl and Nancy taught music in southern Ohio for 43 years before retiring at the end of the 2025 school year, leaving an indelible mark on the arts in Ohio's Second Congressional District.
Carl served as the band director at West Union High School, the choir director at Manchester briefly, and later as music supervisor across the whole school district. Carl built West Union's marching band from the ground up, starting out with only 13 students and ultimately taking the program to the State and national level. He led musicals, ensembles, and challenged students to become the best they could be.
Having taught at several schools and across all grade levels, Nancy touched the lives of countless elementary students and gave them the skills and encouragement needed to pursue their love of music. Beyond the classroom, Nancy is an amazing musician herself, serving as the pianist for her church and previously performing at county festivals. In retirement, she is looking forward to spending time with her first grandchild and continuing to stay involved in music at schools across southern Ohio.
Teachers like Carl and Nancy Schneider represent the best America has to offer. They are the quiet heroes who made a difference in the lives of countless students. Our educators deserve the highest level of respect and should be recognized for the amazing work they do.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Carl and Nancy on their retirement, and I thank them for their service to our young people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Waverly High School marching band. The Waverly band recently had the opportunity to travel to Hawaii and play in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Day Parade. This parade is an annual event that honors veterans, survivors of the Pearl Harbor attack, and the men and women who actively serve in our incredible Armed Forces.
As part of the ceremonies, the Waverly band played on the dock of the USS Missouri, which is an Iowa-class battleship used by the Navy in the 1940s. More than 140 members of the Waverly community participated in this trip, including students, parents, and support staff.
This opportunity was particularly special because of the deep military roots in many of the band members' families. We are forever grateful for those who serve in our Armed Forces and the millions of Americans who fought in World War II to preserve our freedoms.
I thank the Waverly High School band for the great lengths they went to in order to honor our Nation's heroes.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Clermont County Chamber of Commerce. The Clermont Chamber recently earned a five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for its positive impact on the community.
Ohio's Second Congressional District has been ground zero for problems facing rural America. For too long, communities like the ones I represent have been forgotten about at the Federal level. However, thanks to the work of community organizations like the Clermont County Chamber, Ohio's Second Congressional District is making a comeback. The Clermont Chamber is an integral part of local economic development projects and supports businesses of all sizes. Their work is helping to build a community where Ohioans can achieve the American Dream.
Economic development remains one of my top priorities in Congress, and I look forward to continuing to work with the Clermont County Chamber on projects that make a difference in southern Ohio.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Clermont Chamber on their commendable achievement.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate President Robert Arrington on his recent selection to lead the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.
President Arrington succeeds President Mark Conine, who served the authority from May of 2021 until his departure during 2025. President Arrington has worked at the authority since 2014 and was previously the vice president of homeownership and public finance.
The ADFA was established by then-Governor Clinton in 1985 to promote economic growth and community development across Arkansas.
President Arrington is a former municipal securities principal with over 25 years of public finance experience and is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate President Arrington on his selection and wish him many years of faithful service to the great State of Arkansas.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the recent celebration of the 100th anniversary of Petit Jean State Park, a landmark of natural beauty and historical significance in central Arkansas.
Established in 1923 and dedicated in 1925, Petit Jean was Arkansas' first State park and helped inspire and initiate the entire Arkansas State Park System. The Civilian Conservation Corps later built many of the enduring features, including cabins, trails, and the historic Mather Lodge. For a century, families have enjoyed its scenic overlooks, hiking trails, Cedar Falls, and the landscape.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Petit Jean State Park on its centennial and its enhancement of the beauty of the Natural State. I thank the many State park rangers and related staff for all of their contributions to conservation, recreation, and enjoyment in the Natural State.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding patriotism of Arkansas' Second Congressional District, which was the highest-producing district for Arkansas National Guard enlistments in fiscal year 2025.
Our district led the State in Army National Guard recruitment, contributing 314 new soldiers, and accounted for 47 percent of all Air National Guard recruits statewide. In total, the Second District produced 351 enlistments in 2025, surpassing any other congressional district in the State.
These young men and women have chosen a path of duty, sacrifice, and leadership. Their decision to serve reflects on the strong values of central Arkansas and the deep respect our communities all hold for our Nation, its defense, and the men and women who wear the uniform.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Dr. Linda Jackson.
Last year, Dr. Jackson was honored with the Outstanding Alumna of 2025 Award from the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
This incredible woman overcame life's toughest challenges and hardships, experiencing extreme poverty at a young age. She was forced to drop out of school in the eighth grade to take care of her disabled brother.
Despite this, Mr. Speaker, she earned her associate of science and associate of arts degrees at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton in 2014 at age 33. She continued her education, earning seven more degrees after leaving UACCM, balancing her time between her studies and raising her 10 children. In 2025, she passed the State board exam for the credential of family nurse practitioner.
Dr. Jackson's story is a story of hard work, perseverance, determination, and triumph.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize my good friend Doug Zollner, dedicated advocate for the Natural State.
After three decades of being a mentor, leader, and giant in the world of conservation, Doug has decided to retire from the Nature Conservancy offices in Arkansas.
Doug's efforts and expertise in conservation have enriched our State. Doug's leadership helped drive more than $30 million in public funding to Arkansas for forest management.
He also cofounded the Fire Learning Networks, a national collaboration of fire practitioners helping 14 countries around the world. Just last year, he visited Tanzania to share fire and forest management strategies and tour Katavi National Park.
Congratulations to Doug for his dedication to conservation, to the Nature Conservancy, and to forest management practices. I wish him the very best in retirement.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize a group of young Americans whose achievement reflects the very best of our communities, our schools, and our future.
For the first time in history, the Magnolia Junior High seventh grade boys' basketball team completed a season as undefeated district champions, finishing with a perfect 10-0 record.
Ten games, ten victories, zero losses. That accomplishment alone is remarkable. However, what makes this team truly special is not just that they won, it is how they won. Game after game, these young men represented Magnolia Junior High with discipline, respect, teamwork, and integrity. They showed us what it means to compete with character.
This team averaged 61 points per game while holding opponents just to 40. That is excellence on both ends of the court--offense and defense. Perhaps, though, even more impressive, not one player fouled out all season. Not a single technical foul was issued.
That tells us something important. It tells us these students played with maturity beyond their years. They respected the officials. They respected their opponents. They respected the game. That is leadership. That is discipline. That is sportsmanship.
Those are the values we want to see in every classroom, every community, and every generation. Every championship team has leaders. This season, Mason Houston helped set the tone, averaging an outstanding 36.5 points per game. His dedication, effort, and competitive spirit lifted the entire team.
However, championships are never won by one player. They are built by teammates who trust one another, who sacrifice for one another, who hold each other accountable, and who work together toward a shared goal. That is exactly what this team did.
Today, we recognize the young men who made history: Beckett Albe, Daniel Alonso, Jayse Baker, Caleb Gooch, Donnell Hartley, Mason Houston, Brodie Kehoe, Tucker Kowalski, Carter Shephard, Evan Shepherd, and Griffin Spires. These students remind us that excellence is built on one practice, one game, and one decision at a time.
This success would not have been possible without outstanding leadership. I recognize seventh grade coaches Taylor Sowders, Tim Stewart, and Joseph Waddle, along with Head Coach Christopher May, Assistant Coach Jim Barber, Campus Athletic Coordinator Brian Venghaus, Principal David Slater, and District Athletic Director J.D. Berna.
These educators and mentors do far more than coach basketball. They teach responsibility. They teach perseverance. They teach young people how to lead. They are helping shape citizens, leaders, and future public servants.
Years from now, people may remember the undefeated record of these players. They may remember the scoring averages. They may remember the championship, but what matters most is what these players learned along the way. They learned discipline. They learned teamwork. They learned accountability. They learned how to believe in themselves and each other. Those lessons will serve these players long after the final buzzer sounds. They
Mr. Speaker, at a time when our Nation is focused on preparing the next generation for leadership, service, and success, this team stands as a powerful example of what happens when students are supported, challenged, and inspired.
They didn't just win games. They represented their school, their families, and their community with honor. They made history, and they made Magnolia proud.
Congratulations to the Magnolia Junior High seventh grade boys' basketball team, the 2025-2026 undefeated district champions. May their example continue to inspire us all.
Mr. Speaker, led by House Republicans with Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump has signed the Working Families Tax Cut Act into law. As a result, the tax code will be simplified for over 90 percent of families, turning tax season of dread into a season of historic relief.
Families will pay no taxes on the first $31,500 earned. As these tax cuts are retroactive to 2025, the average refund is projected to increase by $1,000, with a total of $91 billion of additional refunds being returned to the American people this spring, allowing hardworking families to keep their own money.
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, attacking civilian utilities in Ukraine to freeze the Ukrainians to death as Stalin starved the Ukrainians to death.
As Americans endure freezing temperatures, war criminal Putin is murderously destroying the infrastructure of Ukraine, freezing Ukrainians now with the incredibly disgusting situation of no electricity, no heat, no water, betraying a pledge by war criminal Putin that he would not destroy the utilities. This is as the people of Ukraine are facing temperature of 4 degrees and freezing to death by war criminal Putin.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3705) to provide for the creation of a congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial of the United States, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Morelle) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Oklahoma.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Oklahoma?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, today I urge my colleagues to support S. 3705, the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act. This is the Senate companion to H.R. 6243, introduced by my colleagues, Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Robert Aderholt, Maria Salazar, and Dwight Evans.
This nonpartisan legislation would authorize the burial of a time capsule in the Capitol Visitor Center to mark the 250th anniversary of our Nation's independence.
This time capsule is one way that Congress will participate in the Nation's yearlong celebration of liberty and independence. Amidst our toughest challenges of the day, this legislation reminds us that we can all work together.
Under this bill, leaders from both parties will work alongside the Architect of the Capitol to compile the capsule's contents. This will include a letter from congressional leadership, books, manuscripts, relics, memorabilia, and more. I am optimistic that the contents of this capsule will reflect what makes this country great, as well as the challenges we faced during this time.
The capsule will remain sealed until July 4th, 2276, and the burial site will be marked by a plaque approved by the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.
I thank the ranking member, Mr. Morelle, for working with me on this effort.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 3705, which is, I believe, the original companion to H.R. 469. I thank my friend and fellow House administrator and fellow House appropriator Mrs. Bice for her comments and her support of this important legislation.
As I have previously noted on the floor, this bipartisan legislation would authorize the Architect of the Capitol to bury a time capsule on July 4th, 2026, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, to be opened on our Nation's 500th anniversary in the year 2276.
The items in the capsule will be determined by bipartisan, bicameral congressional leaders and include written materials relating to the anniversary, representations of notable legislative and institutional milestones, and a message from this Congress to our future colleagues in the 244th Congress. I did say last year that I hope to be there at the opening. I am not sure that is possible, but I will do everything I can.
This year's celebration of America's anniversary offers an opportunity to reflect on the resilience of the American experiment. Our Nation has faced countless tests to our strength and our unity, including a civil war, two world wars, natural disasters, and more.
Yet through each of these profound challenges, this country has endured and continues to strive toward the ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago.
During this time of deep division and heightened partisanship, this anniversary reminds us of our shared responsibility to uphold the values of liberty and equality that have defined this Nation for two- and-a-half centuries.
I, again, thank the Semiquincentennial Commission for its leadership and planning for this momentous occasion. I particularly commend my colleague, Congresswoman Watson Coleman, for her leadership in advancing the bill. I also want to recognize the service of a fellow New Yorker, former House Representative Joe Crowley, whose time and talents have made an indelible mark on the Commission's achievements.
I look forward to seeing the items chosen for the time capsule, which I may not be able to see when they are opened, but I do encourage my colleagues to support this measure. It is an important measure. It is an important part of our history and our legacy, and I look forward to its passage.
Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who is the author of the bill.
Madam Speaker, the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776, marked a turning point not just in our Nation's history but in the global pursuit of democracy and self-governance. The work remains unfinished, and each generation has been tasked with carrying it forward.
As we approach the 250th anniversary of that moment, Congress has a responsibility to reflect honestly on where we have been and what we will choose to pass on.
This legislation authorizes the Architect of the Capitol to create a time capsule to be sealed and buried in the Capitol Visitor Center where it will be unsealed on our Nation's 500th anniversary on July 4th, 2276.
While we won't be there to open it, we should be there to see what goes into it.
The capsule will include items, as has been mentioned, that capture the institutional history of Congress, significant legislative milestones, and a message from the 119th Congress to those who will serve long after we are gone.
As a cofounder and co-chair of the America250 Caucus, I am proud to see this legislation move forward as a part of our Nation's 250th anniversary. As I said, none of us will be here when this capsule is opened. That is the point. Our responsibility is to the generations who will inherit the consequences of our choices.
What we do in this Chamber every day is history. What we choose to speak up for and speak out against defines us, and it will be the legacy that we leave for every governing body that holds this space for years to come.
Madam Speaker, I want to mention, my colleague, Mr. Morelle, referenced opening the capsule in 2276, and I, too, would love to see the contents, although I do wonder if our future colleagues will look at the contents and think: Why did they put books in here? That is because it may be a little technologically behind by the time it is opened.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), who is my fellow appropriator.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the bill, S. 3705, the Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act, as led by Congresswoman and fellow commissioner on the Semiquincentennial Commission, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and also by Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
This bill, of course, makes technical changes to Representative Watson Coleman's bipartisan House-passed bill, H.R. 469, to create a congressional time capsule in commemoration of the semiquincentennial. I think it should be clearly pointed out here that this bill is truly bipartisan, and it is bicameral. It is a piece of legislation
I look forward to the final product of this legislation and look forward to seeing what will be in it. Again, this will be something that we all can agree on, and it is great to be working at a time when we can all work together and celebrate our Nation's birthday for this 250th celebration.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Madam Speaker, I think for all the reasons that have been described, this is an important part of maintaining the history of the last 250 years and making certain that we preserve this so that future generations will know how we got here and how we see the world.
I agree with Mrs. Bice that books may not be particularly relevant 250 years from now, and I suppose we should not write in cursive because people won't know what that means. But this is really important.
I think it is a reflection of the amazing American experiment, and I look forward to the bill being signed. I hope and I pray that 250 years from now we will have moved toward, in the words of Jefferson, ``a more perfect Union.''
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I could not have said it any better myself. I urge my colleagues to support S. 3705, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 3705.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5616) to amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins and $2.50 circulating coins, 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Chair, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the bill sponsored by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), my good friend, the $2.50 for America's 250th Act.
The greatest experiment in the history of the world, the United States of America, is still going stronger than ever, and 2026 marks our Nation's 250th birthday, an incredible feat as our Founders came together, found common ground, and voted to declare independence from Great Britain.
Over the past 250 years, America has embodied the shining city on the hill that John Winthrop envisioned in his famous 1630 sermon. Grounded in the ideas at the heart of the Declaration that all men are created equal and that governments derive their power not from the divine right of kings but from the consent of the people, the United States has made the world more free and more prosperous over our two-and-a-half centuries.
To celebrate our semiquincentennial, H.R. 5616 will authorize the United States Secretary of the Treasury to issue special $2.50 numismatic coins. This continues a long tradition of marking significant milestones with coins that give everyday Americans tangible reminders of these historic moments.
Mr. Aderholt and I are both old enough, Madam Speaker, to recall the bicentennial tradition of that feature of special coin or printed bill issuance and how our grandfathers instilled in us American history and a love of country.
We were not there for the first $2.50 coin authorized under the legislation that we have today because it marked the 150th anniversary of the United States a century ago.
America is the land of freedom and the beacon of hope for many around the world, something that all of us who have the privilege and honor of living here should never take for granted, and certainly no one on this House floor who has the privilege of representing our citizens takes for granted.
Every day I wake up proud to be an American, and I thank Mr. Aderholt for his contribution in celebrating 250 years of independence.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to speak on H.R. 5616, the $2.50 for America's 250th Act, sponsored by the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).
This legislation directs the Treasury Secretary to mint and issue a $2.50 collectible coin to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence later this year.
Under this bill, the Treasury would also conduct a study to evaluate minting and issuing a separate $2.50 coin for wide circulation in the United States.
For starters, I am glad this legislation now considers the cost- effectiveness of a potential $2.50 circulating coin. This is important, especially as President Trump's abrupt decision to stop production of the penny last year, without any meaningful plan, created problems that retailers, banks, and consumers are still dealing with today. This is the mess we are now forced to clean up.
Additionally, to be clear, I was deeply concerned by the language in the introduced version of this legislation, which may have been interpreted by the Treasury Secretary to allow him to select a new design for a $2.50 coin.
We are already witnessing how Secretary Bessent has exploited loopholes and ignored existing laws, resulting in the Treasury minting a $1 coin bearing Trump's image. The Treasury's decision to put Donald Trump's face, a living President, on our currency is illegal and reminiscent of a monarchy, which 250 years ago our country firmly rejected. I was happy to see that this bill makes it explicit that Trump's face cannot be on this collectible coin.
Furthermore, as we speak of the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, we would be horribly remiss not to recognize the violence taking place in this country.
Since taking office, the Trump administration has established a legacy of violence and cruelty. Trump's administration has empowered and unleashed brutal attacks against Latino, Black, and countless other communities. They have locked up children and killed innocent people without fear of consequences, and they celebrate this cruelty and unapologetically mock the victims.
Therefore, as we attempt to commemorate the founding principles of this country, we must not turn a blind eye to the very real destruction that is taking place right here, right now.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt), the author of this bill for our semiquincentennial, and the chair of the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee on Appropriations.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on the bill that, as the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee just mentioned, I was privileged to introduce. It is a bicameral, bipartisan $2.50 for America's 250th Act in partnership with Congresswoman and fellow U.S. Semiquincentennial Commissioner Bonnie Watson Coleman, as well as Commissioners Congresswoman Maria Salazar and Congressman Dwight Evans.
I thank the chair and ranking member of the Financial Services Committee for their support for this piece of legislation, as we have tried to put it together.
This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to issue a $2.50 collectible anniversary coin and a viability study for a potential circulating $2.50 coin for everyday use for every American.
The collectible coin will feature the historical design originally issued for America's 150th anniversary. This coin will memorialize and celebrate our moment in American history.
I am grateful for the partnership of my House and Senate colleagues, especially as the America 250 Caucus is now the largest congressional caucus in U.S. history, with bipartisan leadership in both Chambers.
As a founding member of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission that was tasked with preparing for our Nation's 250th anniversary celebration, it has been a privilege over the past decade to work on bipartisan legislation to honor 250 years of America's independence.
Before I go on, I must recognize what a privilege it has been to serve with my Democrat sponsor of this legislation, Bonnie Watson Coleman.
Unfortunately, she is retiring after this Congress, following an incredible trailblazing career. She will be missed and her voice will be missed in committee, this Chamber, and the entire institution. I thank her for her service to our Nation and to the America 250 Commission, in particular.
Madam Speaker, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was a turning point in the history of the United States and also the world, one that warrants national recognition.
I am honored to speak in support of a bill that recognizes this landmark moment of our collective history through a coin that links our Nation's past to its present and its future.
In particular, as someone who fondly remembers, as the chairman mentioned, the bicentennial celebration, even though we were very young at the time, these coins were issued for that occasion at that time. These coins gave parents, families, and community members the opportunity to obtain a physical keepsake to pass down for the next generation. This is exactly what this legislation would do, as well.
I know that my parents passed the circulating coin down to me, and I still have them, as well.
This legislation will also carry on the example set by the 68th Congress that celebrated our Nation's 150th anniversary by authorizing the United States Mint to commemorate the 150th anniversary of America's independence.
Beside me right here is an image of the historical design that was used back in 1926. This bill puts strict design parameters around the new $2.50 coin
As America marks its 250th anniversary this year, the coin will honor the same ideas and values that were recognized back then for the sesquicentennial in 1926.
Every citizen deserves the opportunity to acquire such a coin as a means to connect the founding principles of liberty, democracy, and self-governance. The $2.50 anniversary coin for the 250th anniversary provides an opportunity for the American people to engage with and to take personal ownership of their national heritage through a tangible and lasting tribute.
In addition to the congressionally authorized activities already planned by the Mint, this new anniversary coin will serve not only as a lasting tribute to the founding generations but to the ideals that we share with them to this very day. It also is a unifying and educational gesture on the occasion of the 250th, or the semiquincentennial, that we celebrate.
In this day and age, I can find no issue more worthy of Congress' attention than an initiative that codifies our unity and reminds us that there will always be more that unites us than divides us.
Madam Speaker, again, I thank my colleague, Bonnie Watson Coleman, for working with me on this piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to vote for this initiative and to follow in the footsteps of our predecessors in the 68th Congress in 1926 who set an example that will last for generations to come.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman), who has put a lot of work into this as she serves as the co-chair of the America 250 Caucus and serves on the Semiquincentennial Commission.
Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Waters from the great State of California for yielding.
Let me just say, I enjoyed working on this endeavor with my colleague across the aisle, Mr. Aderholt. It has been a pleasure.
Madam Speaker, in 1776, the Declaration of Independence put into writing a set of ideals that reshaped this Nation and influenced the world.
Every major anniversary since has given Americans a chance to reflect on those principles and what they require of us. The $2.50 for America's 250th Act continues a long tradition of commemorating our Nation's milestones through coinage.
This bill authorizes the Treasury to issue a circulating and collectible $2.50 coin, modeled on the design first issued for America's 150 anniversary.
That earlier coin connected Americans to their shared history through something tangible and accessible to all. This legislation does the very same as we prepare for the semiquincentennial.
As a cofounder and co-chair of the America 250 Caucus and a member of the America 250 Commission, I am so grateful for the partnership with Representative Aderholt and my House colleagues on a bipartisan basis as we prepare the Nation's celebration of America's 250 birthday, which I pray is bicameral, bipartisan, and able to be enjoyed by all the people in this country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation gives us an opportunity to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the ideals and founding principles of our country, like the rule of law and separation of powers. Individual freedom, dignity, and equality are being ruthlessly undermined today by this administration.
Mr. Speaker, I hope this Chamber's commitment to America's founding principles is not merely symbolic, somewhat like the coin, but will be represented in our commitment to protect these principles and exercise our responsibilities to democracy in the Constitution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I thank Mrs. Watson Coleman for all of the work that she has put in on America250 Caucus.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Aderholt for using this historic precedent to, again, have a numismatic memory of our semiquincentennial with this $2.50 coin. I commend him for his work, his loyalty to this country, and for his service to the people in Alabama.
Mr. Speaker, for all the reasons I explained earlier, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5616, as amended.
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 amend title 31, United States Code, to require the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue $2.50 numismatic coins, and for other purposes.''.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6644) a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
TITLE II--MODERNIZING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS
TITLE III--EXPANDING MANUFACTURED AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE
TITLE II--MODERNIZING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT AND RURAL HOUSING PROGRAMS
TITLE III--EXPANDING MANUFACTURED AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) 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 this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support today of our collaborative and bipartisan bill titled: ``Housing for the 21st Century Act.''
Americans across our Nation have faced the tough reality of out-of- control costs because of the recent spike in inflation coming out of the pandemic.
President Trump has prioritized addressing affordability, and the Financial Services Committee has been working on solutions in our Committee's area of jurisdiction.
Alongside Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Flood of our Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, and Ranking Member Cleaver of our Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, together, we have introduced the Housing for the 21st Century Act to deliver a straightforward approach to housing. This includes building more homes and removing barriers standing in the way with an eye towards driving down that marginal cost of a new unit.
Mr. Speaker, the Housing for the 21st Century Act will streamline approvals and simplify the Federal and local housing process to give rural and urban communities the tools they need to build homes faster. Importantly, our bill helps banks access stable deposit funding. It streamlines the exam process that is tailored particularly for our vital community banks. It helps promote more community banks to do what they do best, which is lend locally and support their communities.
I think it is important, Mr. Speaker, that on this House floor all of us know that without our community banks and without vigorous lending, homes don't get built. Our communities and regional banks play a key role in that housing construction ecosystem.
When there are not enough homes, prices go up. The Housing for the 21st Century Act includes real bipartisan solutions to expand supply, lower costs, and, more importantly, give our families more options.
Let's deliver this real solution and return the housing market back to working for the very people that it should serve, the very people we do serve in the people's House.
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. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, sponsored by myself and, of course, by Representatives Hill, Cleaver, and Flood.
Our housing and homelessness crisis has reached a breaking point, as millions of Americans each night struggle to find a decent, stable, and affordable place to live. The struggle has real faces of our children's teachers, working mothers, veterans, and, of course, children from all over the country. The struggle is in our rural towns, urban areas, and suburban neighborhoods across America.
On any given night, 800,000 people are experiencing homelessness in the United States of America. Rents nationwide have soared by 47 percent, and home prices have skyrocketed 57 percent. Incomes haven't kept pace with these increases, which means housing eats up more and more of a family's paycheck.
As the lead Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, it has been my mission to fight to end this homelessness and housing crisis. The Housing for the 21st Century Act is a critical first step in that mission.
Passed in Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support, H.R. 6644 sets the stage for building and preserving more affordable homes in our neighborhood. It makes many long overdue improvements to housing programs, expands local development opportunities, and broadens access to homeownership.
H.R. 6644 also includes a dozen bipartisan provisions to help small banks like community development financial institutions, the CDFIs, and minority depository institutions, the MDIs. It helps meet the housing and other needs of our constituents.
The bill also addresses concerns from the 2023 banking crisis that will now promote a safe, sound, and competitive banking system, one that doesn't threaten our housing markets or our economy.
This package represents a historical, bipartisan agreement. I am proud that Mr. Hill and I, along with Mr. Flood and Mr. Cleaver, have been able to work together to prioritize the housing needs of millions of Americans and advance this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I also want to highlight House and committee Democrats who worked tirelessly with me on this package. H.R. 6644 includes 25 provisions that come directly from bills championed and introduced by House Democrats and another 16 provisions that House Democrats co-led.
I am excited that it includes my bill, H.R. 5077, which would allow cities to use CDBG funds toward affordable housing construction.
It also includes H.R. 6774, which would finally create a pilot program at the Federal Housing Administration to offer small-dollar mortgages.
It includes my bill, H.R. 6773, which directs cities across America to finally publish a database of their unused land so that developers may be able to bid on it and build more housing.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that it includes my bill, H.R. 4544, to encourage the formation of new banks including CDFIs and MDIs so that borrowers will have more options when they want to buy a home.
While we come today to pass this initial bill, let me be clear that much more work is needed. We can't pass this bill, call it a night, and then claim that this affordable housing and homelessness crisis is over. A significant problem warrants a significant response, which means that we need significant Federal investments to solve this crisis.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that this administration is watching today and learns something about true bipartisanship and getting things done for the American people. Our bill is the type of bipartisan work that is needed to tackle the crisis facing Americans. Among meaningless tweets, empty promises, costly tariffs, and ridiculous policies like the 50- year mortgage, while this affordability crisis rages on, Congress can act tonight to support Americans who are looking for real housing solutions.
Mr. Speaker, that is why I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, from Los Angeles, California, to the capital city of Little Rock, Arkansas, I have heard directly, Mr. Cleaver has heard directly from Kansas City, and other Members hear directly about what is wrong at HUD. We are asked about how we can improve these programs and make them work for the American people and how they can have more accountability and more effectiveness for the taxpayer dollars that are expended.
That is at the heart of the work that Mr. Cleaver and Mr. Flood have done, as I say, benefiting a big city like the Los Angeles Basin all the way to a capital city like Little Rock, Arkansas, and certainly to Lincoln, Nebraska.
I am so pleased to have the leadership of the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood), who serves as the chair in this Congress of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee. Mr. Flood has spent a lot of time working with Mr. Cleaver to do exactly that: How to make these programs more effective for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood), the author of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hill; Ranking Member Waters; and my counterpart on the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, Ranking Member Cleaver, for all of their work on this package.
This is how Congress is supposed to work. We all worked hard to bring forth a bipartisan housing bill that addresses housing affordability. The Housing for the 21st Century Act cuts costs, slashes red tape, and will increase housing supply.
There is no question that the legislation before us is a historic rewriting of our housing laws to bring our housing market into the 21st century.
According to the National Association of Realtors, the median annual existing home price in 2024 was up 69 percent relative to 1995, and that figure is adjusted for inflation. The realtors also have data showing that the median age of a first-time home buyer is 40 years old. This is an absolutely astounding figure.
Some estimates put the gap between housing supply and demand at about 3.85 million units, while other estimates show it to be 5 million units. This housing affordability challenge affects everyone, from young people saving up for their first home, to middle-class workers who are working as hard as they can to provide for their family and are just trying to make the rent.
There is no silver bullet for fixing this problem, but I think that this bill, this legislation, includes a range of meaningful housing reforms that will add to housing supply and ultimately decrease housing costs.
I will take a moment to highlight a few provisions that I think will make a difference. Section 104 and 105 of the bill works to rightsize the environmental reviews on both HUD and USDA housing projects to properly reflect their impact on the environment. This legislation ensures that these environmental reviews are properly tailored to the real impact of a project going forward, and this change will ensure that more housing projects break ground on time and on budget.
Section 201 includes reform of the HOME Investment Partnerships, the largest block grant program at HUD dedicated to building affordable housing. This bill would change HOME by slashing environmental reviews, easing labor cost burdens like the ones created by section 3 HUD requirements, and providing greater flexibility for cities and towns across the country to use HOME dollars to promote homeownership.
Section 301 makes important changes for manufactured housing. I give a special thanks to Congressman John Rose and his extremely important bill that would remove the requirement that a manufactured home be built with a chassis. That saves money. That one change is going to enable a significant growth for manufactured housing, and it will reduce the cost of manufactured homes.
Finally, title 6 of this bill adds meaningful community banking reforms to this legislation. It eases the burdens for de novo banks so that new banks can get off the ground. It tailors regulatory requirements for the smallest community banks, and it reforms the bank resolution process.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that the Housing for the 21st Century Act is a comprehensive, bipartisan housing reform package that will increase housing supply, slash government regulations that keep housing costs high, and unleash our community banking sector.
Mr. Speaker, I thank everybody who worked on this bill, especially the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver), Chairman Hill, and Ranking Member Waters.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Cleaver), who is also the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.
Mr. Cleaver, along with Mr. Flood, worked hard to reauthorize and reform HOME, which is in this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Beatty for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6644, also known as the Housing for the 21st Century Act. This legislation, introduced by Chairman Hill, Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Flood, and me, advanced out of the Financial Services Committee by an impressive 50-1 vote.
This legislation reflects input from Democrats, Republicans, and hundreds of organizations nationwide. If enacted, the Housing for the 21st Century Act would streamline regulations, expand affordable housing financing, and modernize Federal housing programs to significantly expand the Nation's housing supply. Passage of this bill would be historic not because it is extraordinary but because it is overdue.
For decades, chronic underbuilding in the United States has driven up housing costs, priced millions out of homeownership, strained household budgets, and constrained employers' abilities to attract workers.
Americans want their Representatives to act on the rising cost of living. For most American families, the monthly housing payment is their single largest expense. Representing about one-third of the Consumer Price Index, housing is also the single largest component of overall inflation.
I commend Chairman Hill, Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Flood, and
This bill may not increase spending, but it ensures that every dollar we do spend goes further. Although this legislation is significant, we must view this legislation as the beginning of a new era of accommodating the American movement of housing for all.
In the Senate, the introduction of the ROAD to Housing Act highlights growing bipartisan cooperation on housing. I look forward to negotiations with the Senate on a bicameral product that can make it to the President's desk for signature and, above all, a product that would deliver tangible results for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Cleaver for his work with Mr. Flood on this bill and his leadership in trying to find bipartisan solutions.
Mr. Speaker, I met last week with the community development folks from Little Rock, Arkansas. Kevin Howard, my friend who runs Housing and Community Development for the city of Little Rock, was in, singing the praises of this bill of how it will make their work so much more effective were the 21st century housing proposal enacted into law today.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a link to a list of over 70 organizations that support this bill being enacted: https:// financialservices.house.gov/news/documentsingle. aspx?DocumentID=411018
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), the vice chairman of our full committee, the Committee on Financial Services, for remarks on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, housing is vital in every State and in every one of our communities. As of 2025, my home State of Michigan was short more than 141,000 homes, leaving many qualified home buyers on the sidelines.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act will help increase home production, which to date has failed to keep pace with rising demand, leading to more affordability challenges for all Americans. Additionally, today's legislation rightly focuses on modernizing housing policies while increasing affordable housing and accelerating development.
``Affordability'' is the keyword here. I have a professional background in construction, housing development, and home sales. My own family has been involved for over three generations in construction. Now, my cousins have their ready-mix concrete company, and I have our aggregate businesses and home development.
I can tell you, Mr. Speaker, we have seen firsthand how government at every level, local, State, and Federal, has put up barrier after barrier to affordable housing. In fact, based on recent analysis, the average home in Michigan costs almost double to build than what the average family can afford.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act would help reduce Federal barriers to building housing by expanding the Federal and local housing systems. Now, the American people need the same level of commitment from their State and local governments, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this well-crafted, bipartisan bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which makes improvements to Federal programs that will support housing development and affordability.
This bipartisan bill will broaden access to homeownership, expedite new construction, and lay the foundation for more cost-effective housing developments across the Nation.
This legislation includes 25 housing provisions that were introduced by Democrats and 12 banking provisions that passed our committee with broad bipartisan support.
To support local lenders and access to financing, this bill includes bipartisan reforms to strengthen our community banks, credit unions, CDFIs, and MDIs.
As ranking member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions, I support the inclusion of these reforms, including the SMART Act and the Least Cost Exception Act, which I am proud to co-lead.
The banking provisions are narrowly tailored to help our small community financial institutions, to provide regulatory relief for well-managed institutions, to increase access to insured deposits, and to establish safeguards to prevent the largest too-big-to-fail banks from growing even larger during times of economic stress.
This legislation is a strong bipartisan effort to spur new housing development, improve affordability, and increase access to financing.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage a ``yes'' vote on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work of my friend from Illinois on this bill, the important work he has done both in the housing portion and on the work we have done together on nonbank designations. I appreciate his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, he mentioned the importance of community banks, from Texas to California, Arkansas, and across this country. The reason why it is so important to link housing and lowering housing cost policies, these HUD-related policies, to banking is because our banks under $10 billion, Mr. Speaker, make about 60 percent of all the home construction loans in our country.
Therefore, that is why the ranking member and I, and our committee, have chosen to come to this House floor to talk about some specific housing measures. I want to make sure that the American people know that we know that the supply of housing has to be financed. Some 60 percent of that is done by our local community banks and credit unions spread across this country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. De La Cruz), the author of section 106 in this bill.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, sponsored by Chairman Hill.
This legislation includes dozens of commonsense, bipartisan housing solutions that meet the needs of the housing crisis that everyday Americans are dealing with.
I am particularly proud to see three key provisions of mine included to update the FHA's mortgage insurance loan limits for residential multifamily construction to bring more homes on the market, ensure veterans are made aware of the VA loan products they are eligible for, and strengthen the coordination of our Federal housing agencies to maximize the impact of our current Federal housing programs.
H.R. 6644 is a critical step toward putting our housing sector back on the right footing, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act.
I certainly applaud Ranking Member Waters and Chairman Flood for working together and for the inclusiveness of this package. I am proud to have five affordable housing bills included in this overwhelmingly bipartisan package.
One of my bills makes key provisions to the HOME program at HUD to ease compliance for small properties and to recognize community land trusts as eligible HOME fund recipients.
The package also expands foreclosure mitigation counseling to delinquent borrowers and raises the public welfare investment, or PWI, cap to 20 percent to free up capital for historic investments in affordable housing and community development.
Among other community bank reforms, H.R. 6644 includes my bill to
Finally, Mr. Speaker, it includes a measure that I have long championed in Congress, a bill to codify the financial agent mentor- protege program at the Treasury to help small banks and minority deposit institutions, or MDIs, survive. We also have one AdelFi bank in my district, and I thank them for all the work that they have done with that. It will also help them survive and thrive.
Lastly, again, I thank Ranking Member Waters and Chairman Hill for their leadership on this package, and I urge my colleagues to support the package.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Rose), who has authored the very important manufactured housing provisions, which will immediately help our consumers, our families, across this country have a more affordable housing option.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, my good friend from Arkansas, for yielding me time today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Housing for the 21st Century Act.
This legislation will lower housing costs for millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of Tennessee families whom I represent.
I am proud that my bipartisan bill, the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, was included in the Housing for the 21st Century Act. My bill removes an outdated Federal chassis requirement that has stifled manufactured housing construction for decades.
When we hear the term ``manufactured home,'' many people still think ``mobile home.'' That is because Federal law has forced us to adhere to a permanent chassis requirement. Since 1974, manufactured homes have had to be built on a permanently installed steel chassis, even after the home is placed on a site, never to be moved again.
This bill will give millions of Americans a path to homeownership without going over budget. It will provide young and low-income families with the opportunity to build equity instead of being locked into rising rents year after year.
You don't have to be a trained economist to understand why home prices and rental rates have skyrocketed. Demand continues to outpace supply in our cities, suburbs, and even in many rural communities across this country.
The simple truth is that we need more homes. This bill takes meaningful steps toward making that happen. We are reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, removing financing roadblocks, and modernizing HUD programs.
Municipalities across the country have restricted or outright banned homes built on permanent steel chassis. The result has been less construction, higher costs, and fewer opportunities for working families to own where they live.
Yet, manufactured housing is one of the most effective ways to expand housing supply quickly and affordably. By removing this outdated Federal restriction, more homes will be built, and ultimately prices will come down for everyone.
The experts in the manufactured housing space tell us that allowing manufacturers to design a single-family home without a permanent chassis will bring about modern low-profile builds, multistory construction, and urban-friendly designs. It will also improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary steel, waste, and cost.
We cannot sit by while 50-year-old policies prevent folks from signing on the dotted line. Imagine if the Federal Government had mandated that every vehicle coming off of Henry Ford's assembly line had to remain permanently attached to a trailer in order to be owned. We all know that didn't happen because the trailer was a means of transportation, not a permanent feature.
Housing should work the same way. There is a reason why this bill has so much bipartisan support.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Rose certainly talked about cost savings due to the deregulatory nature of this bill, lowering costs. All of us here know that we have learned in our committee work that 25 percent of the price of a new home in America is due to regulatory costs, State, local, and Federal. So, our bill has that as a theme.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Iowa (Mr. Nunn). He has worked hard at making sure these improvements in the Housing for the 21st Century Act fully apply to housing in rural areas, not just urban areas.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Hill and the team here for a bipartisan bill that helps rural America have a successful pathway to housing in the 21st century.
My legislation includes the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, the most meaningful update to rural housing in decades.
Whether you are in Des Moines or Ottumwa, the number one expense Iowans are facing is housing. The American Dream of homeownership is starting to slip away.
In Iowa, renters spend 40 percent of their income just making sure they have a roof over their head, and the average home buyer is now in their mid-forties.
It doesn't have to be like this. This bipartisan legislation, led with my colleague Representative Cleaver, a Democrat from Missouri, makes commonsense changes to fix the housing programs that have been broken for far too long.
My bill means a young couple in Creston, Iowa, can buy their first home, and seniors in Osceola, Iowa, can stay in their communities.
This bill will help hundreds of thousands of Iowans and millions of Americans into homeownership and continued homeownership.
Let's restore the dream of homeownership for all of our country. This is a win for everyone. It is affordable. It is achievable. Let's get it done.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim), a great member of our House Financial Services Committee and a senior member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
I rise today in support in the Housing for the 21st Century Act. After years of inaction, my home State of California has earned an F in housing affordability. Under Gavin Newsom and Sacramento leadership, hardworking families are being left in the dust.
That is why I am taking action to help address this crisis for my constituents in Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties.
Earlier this Congress, I worked with President Trump to secure historic SALT relief for Californians. That relief, combined with the provisions in the Housing for the 21st Century Act, will bring the dream of homeownership closer to reality for working families in my district.
For far too long, working-class Americans have been priced out of the housing market. The Housing for the 21st Century Act confronts that problem head-on by exploring where our housing system has left these families behind.
For the first time since 2006, we are finally increasing the capital that financial institutions can invest in affordable housing and community development projects. There is finally the willingness to tackle this housing crisis head-on.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
H.R. 6644 represents an important first step, a strong bipartisan one, in our fight to ensure affordable, decent housing for everyone in America. It provides a critical foundation for us to end the affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
This bill would update and improve existing Federal housing programs by expanding local development opportunities and modernizing existing housing programs in communities across the country. It will also support community financial institutions to meet the housing needs in their communities.
I am pleased to advance this legislation to the floor with Ranking Member Waters, Chairman Hill, Mr. Flood, and Mr. Cleaver, and I am proud that it includes 20 housing provisions and five banking provisions championed by committee Democrats. This bill is a true testament, Mr. Speaker, to bipartisanship.
I, again, urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, first, I have to say a big thank-you to Ranking Member Waters; the ranking member of our subcommittee, Mr. Cleaver; and the tireless leadership of Mike Flood, the chair of our Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. They have collaborated for a year to bring these proposals to the House floor today.
I reiterate that the linkage of housing and community banking is two sides of the same coin that leads to a better outcome, more choice, more accessibility, more affordability, and more housing choices for the American people.
This bill also has important HUD oversight, which I think is critical to make sure those who are tenants in HUD programs have the care, oversight, and safe and sound conditions they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank the staff on both sides of the aisle for their work in putting this bill together, particularly on the majority side, Ed Skala and Maura Woosley, for their collaboration on the banking provisions with their minority colleagues and the community banking provisions.
I urge Members on both sides of the aisle to provide a ``yes'' vote for this important banking and housing 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6644, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3682) to amend the Financial Stability Act of 2010 to require the Financial Stability Oversight Council to consider alternative approaches before determining that a U.S. nonbank financial company shall be supervised by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) each will control 20 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 this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this fine bill offered by Mr. Foster and Mr. Huizenga. It is a bipartisan bill, Mr. Speaker, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act, after a decade of collaboration across four Presidential administrations that has led to this consensus on this measure.
The Financial Stability Oversight Council, FSOC, created in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, plays an important role in understanding and examining nonbanks, and that is because many nonbanks, large nonbanks, are not subject to the same regulations and supervision as traditional banks, so the Congress created this process.
Unfortunately, its own structure, as composed by political appointees, can inhibit the Council's ability to effectively critique fellow agencies or itself when monitoring potential systemic risk to financial stability by a large nonbank.
H.R. 3682 requires the FSOC to explore alternatives to designating a nonbank for enhanced supervision by the Federal Reserve. This is at the heart of the collaboration in this bill.
If a nonbank were improperly designated, it could hinder innovation and make the United States' financial system less competitive as a result.
This bill will impose rigorous procedural guardrails and enhance due diligence protections and a stronger analytic framework before a firm can be designated as a systemically important financial institution, or SIFI.
I thank, again, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) for their collaboration in producing this solid, bipartisan bill that will protect U.S. competitiveness and deliver financial stability consistent with FSOC's mission, but do that in a thoughtful, analytic way that can support a review of systemic risk.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the 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. 3682, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act of 2025, sponsored by Representative Foster.
Let me start by thanking the bill sponsor and our ranking member for our Financial Institutions Subcommittee for his leadership on these matters.
Representative Foster has helped raise the alarm regarding the financial stability threats posed by the AI boom. He has introduced additional bills that would strengthen our financial stability, including one to reverse Trump's dangerous budget and staffing cuts to the Financial Stability Oversight Council and Office of Financial Research.
Mr. Foster introduced another bill to close a regulatory gap to oversee third-party vendors used by credit unions and the GSEs. I know Republicans have some concerns with the former, but the latter bill has bipartisan support in the Senate and is timely. Given how our community financial institutions increasingly rely on these vendors, helping them access technology to compete, the least we can do is ensure that there is good oversight to address vulnerabilities like cybersecurity threats.
Turning to this bill, H.R. 3682, let's step back and remember why we have a Financial Stability Oversight Council in the first place. Congress established FSOC following the 2008 global financial crisis to close regulatory gaps and enhance oversight of large, nonbank financial firms like AIG or Lehman Brothers that can pose a threat to our financial stability.
Congress gave FSOC various tools, including the power to designate a large nonbank company as a systemically important financial institution for enhanced oversight and regulation. In Trump's first term, they severely weakened the nonbank designation process. In a letter, former Treasury Secretaries Geithner, Lew, and Yellen, along with former Fed Chair Bernanke, warned: ``These changes would make it impossible to prevent the build-up of risk in financial institutions whose failure would threaten the stability of the system as a whole.''
Biden's FSOC addressed these concerns and improved procedures for designations, while importantly ensuring there is due process and opportunities to consider alternatives to designation that might better mitigate systemic risks. They also made clear that the Council should not prioritize designation over other options.
Mr. Foster will make sure that FSOC gives a company and its primary regulators an opportunity to present alternatives to be promptly considered by the Council; otherwise, they may proceed and follow the regular procedures to designate a firm if need be.
The bill also allows FSOC to revise and waive these considerations if doing so would promote financial stability. Given all of that, Mr. Speaker, I will support H.R. 3682, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), who is the vice chairman of our full committee and the author of this important bill.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Foster, on the other side for working on this.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of Mr. Foster's legislation, the Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act, and urge its immediate adoption.
Mr. Speaker, in response to the 2008 financial crisis, Congress, under the Dodd-Frank Act, created the Financial Stability Oversight Council, known as FSOC, as the chairman was talking about, and tasked them with preventing systemic risk. It was absolutely a worthwhile and needed endeavor.
However, in the early years, the FSOC was given broad-reaching authorities to designate nonbanks as systemically important financial institutions, otherwise known as SIFIs.
During President Trump's first administration, the FSOC moved to an activities-based approach in 2019, which I think was an appropriate response in a post-MetLife court case world where the Federal Government lost because of aggressive overreach. In fact, the judge used the phrase ``excessive and capricious.''
Four years later in 2023, under former President Biden, I believe the FSOC snapped right back into using those faulty analytical frameworks for identifying and dealing with systemic risks.
Just last week, in testimony before the House Committee on Financial Services, Treasury Secretary Bessent emphasized on multiple occasions that the so-called activities-based approach would be preferred.
We agree.
Unfortunately, this back-and-forth guidance has not allowed businesses to plan for the future or make new investments.
Mr. Speaker, why does a SIFI designation actually matter? Many people watching might ask themselves that. Well, as history has taught us, it is a broad-reaching issue that can have some very negative consequences. Excessive regulatory scrutiny and additional costs can change the way nonbanks conduct business.
Mr. Speaker, we cannot continue applying banklike regulations to nonbanks that have fundamentally different business models and roles within the American economy.
The Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act, on which I am a proud co-lead with Mr. Foster, makes a critical improvement to the current law.
Before a vote to designate a financial company as a SIFI, the FSOC must first consult with the company and then its primary regulator to determine whether alternative actions that could be proposed would be sufficient or insufficient to address risks to U.S. financial stability.
Well, amazingly, Mr. Speaker, those two things didn't exist previously. There was no consultation or discussion with the companies, and there was no consultation with those regulators. That was a flaw. Importantly, the Council may not then vote on a proposed designation unless this determination is made.
Let me remind my colleagues that the SIFI designation process has been flawed from the start. First, it targeted individual companies for designation without any process or notice.
Second, it failed to evaluate whether designation would actually mitigate risks or weigh the costs and benefits to the company, its shareholders, and ultimately the financial system.
Third, the old system failed to give SIFI designees due process or an opportunity to address the perceived risk before designation. As a reminder, the MetLife case took years to settle.
Lastly, it failed to incorporate the views of the primary regulator, who typically would have better insight into a company's financial standing.
Mr. Speaker, I believe H.R. 3682 adequately addresses these concerns and improves the Council's approach to addressing financial stability risks while creating a stronger, more predictable, and more stable regulatory environment for all.
Mr. Speaker, I again thank my colleague for yielding, and I urge my colleagues to support the Financial Stability Oversight Council Improvement Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and the sponsor of this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the FSOC Improvement Act.
Following the 2008 financial crisis, Congress enacted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to protect working families, taxpayers, and the broader economy from consequences of unchecked financial risk.
Dodd-Frank created the Financial Stability Oversight Council, or FSOC, to identify risks to financial stability, promote market discipline, and respond to emerging threats to our economy.
FSOC brings together the heads of 15 financial regulatory bodies, giving it a unique, systemwide view of the American financial system. Among its authorities is the ability to designate certain nonbank financial companies as systemically important financial institutions, or SIFIs, when their activities or potential failure pose significant risk to financial stability.
Past attempts by FSOC to designate an entity as systemically important, however, have been controversial and short-lived. In 2013 and 2014, FSOC designated four nonbank firms, but those designations were later rescinded following legal challenges, corporate restructuring, and policy shifts across administrations.
Since its creation, Congress and administration officials have debated whether FSOC should focus on mitigating the specific activities that pose the greatest risk, or if FSOC should take a broader, entity- wide view of the firm's risk profile. Both activities-based and entity- based approaches can be appropriate, depending on circumstances.
As someone who was present on the Financial Services Committee during
In some cases, risks identified by FSOC may be addressed more effectively through action taken by the company itself, by FSOC, or through its primary regulator. My bipartisan bill, the FSOC Improvement Act, promotes a more consistent and transparent process for a SIFI designation by clarifying that FSOC should work with a firm and its primary regulator to attempt to mitigate the risks of specific activities before designating the company as a whole as systemically important.
Regulators are encouraged to use the full range of available tools and proceed to designation only when other forms of activity-based mitigation are found to be ineffective.
Through activity-based mitigation, FSOC will work with firms and their primary regulators to address risks more quickly and effectively, drawing on the expertise of the regulatory bodies who work most closely with the specific firms and industries.
Importantly, this legislation fully preserves FSOC's authority to take swift action in emergency situations and does not alter the authorities of FSOC's member agencies to take enforcement actions. If an emergency arises, FSOC can march in and, with a few quick votes, designate a firm.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, this bill strengthens FSOC's capability to execute its mission by improving consistency, accountability, and outcomes for our financial system.
I appreciate also Ranking Member Waters' support for this bill in committee and urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, at a time when threats to our financial stability are growing, Congress should be doing more to address these concerns, including closing oversight gaps regarding third-party vendors, advancing deposit insurance reform and, yes, holding the President accountable for all of the ways his corruption and chaos erodes trust and stability.
Again, I thank Representative Foster for his leadership on promoting financial stability. I also appreciate the way he improved this bill, which I will support, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Illinois and his collaboration with the gentleman from Michigan to tackle and bring definition to something that has been a big issue for the past decade, which is what is the proper method, style, and oversight of designating a nonbank a systemically important financial institution.
I congratulate them on their bipartisan work. For the reasons I have stated, I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3682, 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. 3390) to amend the Federal Reserve Act to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System to carry out a review of discount window operations and to implement improvements to such operations, 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) 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 for the Record on this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today in support of Ms. De La Cruz's bill, the Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act.
It is critical that our banks have the ability to have emergency liquidity in the case of a crisis or having liquidity intraday in the banking day without a stigma. These are challenges. They were challenges before the financial crisis, but it continues today.
This bill allows banks to keep credit flowing through the economy while reducing risks that a panic-induced bank run would lead to unnecessary bank failures.
The discount window has been underused and burdened by operational difficulties and stigma. We have seen that on this House floor in our economy, most recently in the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the spring of 2023, where fear of a market reaction and outdated technology delayed the use of the discount window when it was needed most.
It is critical that the Federal Reserve learn from these mistakes of the past and allow the discount window to fulfill its role as the primary tool for stabilizing the financial system in a time of stress.
Representative De La Cruz's bipartisan bill would do just that by directing the Fed to conduct a review of the discount window, submit a plan to Congress with concrete, actionable reforms, and then provide regular updates on its implementation.
For example, H.R. 3390 explicitly directs the Federal Reserve to evaluate whether extending operating hours and improving technology would make the discount window more accessible and thereby more effective. In requiring the Fed to make changes based on these findings, H.R. 3390 goes beyond a study bill and would meaningfully address deficiencies that would make the American financial system stronger and more stable.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from south Texas (Ms. De La Cruz) for her leadership on this important issue to make sure the Fed is ready and the discount window use is appropriate for the 21st century, where money now moves, Mr. Speaker, at the press of a button.
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. 3390, the Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act, sponsored by Representative De La Cruz.
It has been almost 3 years since we saw the dramatic failure of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank, representing the second, third, and fourth largest bank failures in United States history.
Silicon Valley Bank was the fastest bank run ever, with $42 billion of deposits withdrawn on a Thursday and customers trying to pull out another $100 billion the next morning when the bank failed.
Upon learning of Silicon Valley's failure, Ranking Member Waters organized Member briefings with the Treasury Secretary and banking regulators. We encouraged Biden's regulators, led by former Secretary Yellen, to use their emergency tools to mitigate the damage, which they successfully did.
We worked with our former chairman, Mr. McHenry, and launched a bipartisan investigation to conduct oversight and understand what went wrong. We received reports and supervisory documents, and hearings were also held.
Based on the lessons we learned, I and my Democratic colleagues, including Representatives Waters, Sherman, Lynch, Green, Casten, Tlaib, and Pettersen, introduced a wave of commonsense bills to promote safety, soundness, and accountability.
Since then, we have been pushing for action that is long overdue, and I am glad that Chairman Hill agreed to include several of our post- Silicon Valley Bank bills in the housing package.
We have other good reforms for community financial institutions in that packet, but another most critical issue Congress must address is the need to update our deposit insurance framework.
I appreciate that Chairman Hill recently held a hearing on Representative Waters' bill, H.R. 4551, the Employee Paycheck and Small Business Protection Act. We have had a good discussion on the pros and cons of different approaches.
After Silicon Valley Bank's failure, community banks watched small businesses move their deposits to the biggest banks to make sure that they could pay their workers in good times or bad.
There have been at least 37 bank failures since 2007, including a recent one in Oklahoma, that were too small for regulators to use emergency tools, and unlike Silicon Valley Bank's customers, small business depositors lost money through no fault of their own.
Representative Waters' bill would take the data-driven approach that Chairman Hill prefers to study and then update our deposit insurance framework to allow more business payment accounts to be insured based on that research.
This effort has strong bipartisan support, including that of the Vice President and Treasury Secretary, so I hope we can advance those reforms soon for community financial institutions, midsized banks, and small businesses and their workers.
Turning back to the bill that we are considering here, H.R. 3390, I have heard from minority deposit institutions and other community banks about various challenges that they have had in accessing Fed facilities, including the discount window in 2023.
This is a commonsense bill to ensure the Federal Reserve improves its discount window to provide emergency liquidity to banks when they need it.
I appreciate that the chairman and sponsor worked with Representative Waters and Representative Foster to include our amendments to help ensure that we learn how technology may require faster emergency liquidity deployment, as well as understanding
Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support H.R. 3390, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 3390, the Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act of 2025, which has received broad bipartisan support in the Financial Services Committee.
H.R. 3390 addresses needed improvements for the Federal Reserve's discount window operations and technology to ensure it is better equipped to serve depository institutions, including community banks, which strengthens the resiliency of our U.S. financial system.
The Federal Reserve's important role as the lender of last resort is supported by the Fed's discount window. In times when depository institutions need liquidity, they can rely on the discount window to fulfill short-term liquidity needs by pledging high-quality collateral such as U.S. Treasuries in return for cash.
Unfortunately, as we saw most recently in the 2023 bank failures, stigma remains, which can cause the discount window to be underused or banks to delay accessing it for fear of market reactions.
Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act ensures that Congress acts on the bipartisan consensus to modernize the Federal Reserve's discount window operations and reduce the stigma of accessing it.
H.R. 3390 does so by requiring the Federal Reserve to conduct a review of the discount window to identify deficiencies and develop a remediation plan. This review will identify improvements in all aspects of discount window operations, including technology, operating hours, stigma, and interaction with other providers of liquidity, including the Federal Home Loan Banks, during both normal operations and times of financial stress.
By improving efficiencies in the U.S. banking system, we are ensuring homeowners, small businesses, and farmers can access capital from their financial institutions when they need it most.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in support of H.R. 3390.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Foster), who is also the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this legislation, which requires the Federal Reserve to conduct a comprehensive review of discount window operations, including its technological infrastructure, cybersecurity, communications, real-time monitoring, and oversight mechanisms across the Federal Reserve System.
In 2023, we witnessed the most significant banking turmoil since the global financial crisis. During that period, record numbers of institutions turned to the discount window, borrowing at unprecedented levels with more than $150 billion borrowed during the peak period.
The system held in large part because of the reforms and regulatory tools provided and implemented as part of the Dodd-Frank Act, but it came under stress.
I also appreciate the willingness of the legislation's sponsor to accept my amendment during the Financial Services Committee markup of this legislation. With my amendment, this bill recognizes that bank runs will now move at the speed of mobile online banking and instant communications. Soon, they will move at the speed of agentic AI.
The bank failures of 2023 showed that liquidity pressures can escalate in hours, not days, a speed that will only intensify with the rise of artificial intelligence and autonomous financial agents.
This legislation will require the Federal Reserve Board to develop a written plan to remedy deficiencies like those to be identified during the review process. This review and remediation will lead to more accessible, responsive, and secure discount window operations.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill will help ensure smaller banks can access the Federal discount window when they need it, which may be sooner rather than later, given that Trump's policies are once again raising the threat of another crisis.
Therefore, I urge Members to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from south Texas for advancing this bill. I thank the minority's consistent work to make sure that this is a bill that will substantially direct the Federal Reserve to make sure our discount window is effective and used by our financial institutions to enhance financial stability.
Mr. Speaker, I urge both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3390, 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. 1531) to direct certain financial regulators to exclude representatives of the People's Republic of China from certain banking organizations upon notice of certain threats or danger, 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) each will control 20 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 this bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Mr. Lucas' bill, the PROTECT Taiwan Act.
Mr. Speaker, China has shown no sign of slowing their aggression toward Taiwan. The Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, continues to threaten the people of Taiwan's independence by repeatedly holding military drills, increasing economic coercion, and ramping up political pressure.
Let me state clearly, Mr. Speaker, and with no equivocation, the Chinese Communist Party's obligation under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which sets out quite clearly that China cannot use military force or coercion, boycotts or embargoes to compel Taiwan to capitulate to the Communists and become One China.
The PROTECT Taiwan Act will exclude Chinese representatives from international organizations like the G20 and the Financial Stability Board if the President of the United States notifies Congress declaring any threat to Taiwan.
H.R. 1531 ensures there will be significant financial and diplomatic consequences for China to invade Taiwan. Full stop.
The U.S. must send a clear message that China's aggression toward Taiwan will not and is not tolerated, and the PROTECT Taiwan Act does just that.
I thank the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) for his work in standing up for our keen allies in the Indo-Pacific, not just Taiwan but all of our allies in northeast Asia. This is a key step in deterrence to the Communists in Beijing from invading Taiwan, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1531, the PROTECT Taiwan Act, sponsored by Representatives Lucas and Gonzalez.
China continues its provocations toward Taiwan with increasingly hostile rhetoric and actions. This includes military incursions into Taiwan's airspace and territorial waters. Thus, I agree with the sponsors of this bill that Congress must stand up for Taiwan and its people as they confront this threat.
This is especially true, given the Trump administration's naive, waffling actions regarding Taiwan's status. It is important that this body continue to stand up for our decades-long relationship as allies and trading partners.
This bill is a sensible measure to warn China that the United States is poised to act should it escalate its aggression toward Taiwan. If China chooses to do so, the United States would be required to oppose China's participation in a number of international financial organizations, including the Bank for International Settlements and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas), the chair of our Task Force on Monetary Policy, Treasury Market Resilience, and Economic Prosperity and the author of the PROTECT Taiwan Act.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 1531, the PROTECT Taiwan Act.
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, the President is required to notify Congress if China poses an immediate threat to Taiwan's security. If this notification is triggered, my bill states that it is U.S. policy to exclude Chinese representatives from key international organizations such as the G20, the Financial Stability Board, and the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.
This bill sends a clear message. If China intends to engage in conflict with Taiwan, then China should be prepared to withstand the consequences.
In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this body enacted a similar regime to demonstrate to the world that violating international order comes with swift and severe results.
We should have a proactive policy toward Beijing today. As China continues to show aggression in the South China Sea, the United States must show clear resolve that aggression will not be tolerated.
The United States' response to an invasion of Taiwan should be robust and include numerous sanctions and economic penalties. Exclusion from international bodies must be a part of that response.
If China seeks to disrupt the global order, then China cannot continue to be party to international organizations that seek to preserve that order.
China's position in multilateral economic institutions will be at risk should they engage in hostilities toward Taiwan. We simply cannot overlook the value of deterrence and preparedness.
China should understand the economic and diplomatic repercussions of threatening international financial stability and make its choices accordingly.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Texas (Mr. Gonzalez) for his work on this issue and for cosponsoring this legislation. We received unanimous support in the committee, and I hope that the body will continue that tradition today.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, we share economic security and democratic values with our friends from Taiwan. In the face of increasingly hostile words and actions from China and predictably flimsy support from the President, it is important that Congress stand strong for the Taiwanese people.
Mr. Speaker, I again urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I noted in my remarks that the only way that Taiwan and the People's Republic of China can become one is through mutual consent, not through coercion, not through embargoes, not through invasion, and not through military attack. Congressman Lucas' bill is a commonsense measure to unify American policy of economic deterrence, military preparation, peace through strength, but also diplomacy and economic deterrence.
Mr. Lucas' bill is an excellent step in that regard. I urge all Members to support it on both sides of the aisle, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1531, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3190) to amend the Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 to extend the sunset, to require a determination with respect to the imposition of sanctions on certain persons of Burma, 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 Arkansas (Mr. Hill) and the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) 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 the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arkansas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our vice chairman, Mr. Huizenga's bill, the BRAVE Burma Act. The vice chairman is also a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Burma has been plagued with an ongoing humanitarian crisis for far too long. The Burmese people have been the victims of genocide as a direct result of the military junta's use of funds that fuel these abhorrent acts.
The bill introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) addresses this crisis head-on. H.R. 3190 requires the Treasury Secretary to limit any increase in Myanmar's influence at the International Monetary Fund, or IMF, so long as it is governed by the military dictatorship.
This bill also requires the President to annually determine whether the United States should impose stronger sanctions on the Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, their economic bank, and any foreigners working in the jet fuel sector of the Burmese economy.
I commend the vice chairman for his hard work and leadership in fighting for the humanitarian rights in Burma by cutting off the source of the funding that is empowering these human rights travesties.
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. 3190, the BRAVE Burma Act, sponsored by Representative Huizenga.
In February of 2021, Burma experienced a military coup that overthrew the country's democratically elected government.
The military has carried out mass violence against civilians, including genocide, mass displacement, and other crimes against humanity. This is particularly true for the nation's Muslim ethnic minority, which bears the brunt of the illegitimate government's violent and regressive persecution.
Mr. Speaker, this bill authorizes several economic levers available to the United States. This includes potential sanctions and restricting Burma's access to support from the International Monetary Fund. These are sensible steps to demonstrate Congress' continuing support for the people of Burma.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Huizenga), the author of this important bill, the vice chairman of the Financial Services Committee, and a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for the opportunity to speak on my bill, H.R. 3190, the BRAVE Burma Act.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill and ask for its immediate consideration.
Burma is a country in profound crisis. In February of 2021, a military-led junta toppled a democratically elected government and plunged the country into civil war. These actions, coupled with the March 2025 earthquake, created a humanitarian crisis that has left tens of thousands of Burmese dead or detained, while approximately 3.6 million people, nearly 6 percent of the population, is now displaced from their homes.
In response to the calls for action from the Burmese diaspora in the United States and in my district, I introduced H.R. 3190, the BRAVE Burma Act.
As I have mentioned many times before, issues involving Burma are near and dear to my heart, as well as to those of many of my Burmese constituents and members at the Battle Creek Burma Center in southwest Michigan. It was there that I first heard the stories about their families and friends in horrific situations in Burma and the lack of mainstream media attention given to these issues.
However, we have an opportunity today to send a message. We have an opportunity today to stand with the current residents of Burma and to remind them that they have not been forgotten. The BRAVE Burma Act is intentional in its action, targeting the heart of the junta's revenues, which it uses to purchase advanced weaponry from abroad.
Specifically, this bill requires the President to impose full blocking sanctions on, first, the state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, also known as MOGE. This is the junta's single largest source of foreign revenue, reportedly generating over $1 billion annually.
Second, the bill requires sanctions on the state-owned Myanma Economic Bank, also known as the MEB, which is operated by junta cronies and processes weapons transactions that are contrary to those sanctions.
Third, the bill requires sanctions on any person operating in the jet fuel sector of the Burmese economy. The jet fuel industry in Burma is a key and important target for sanctions because it directly enables the junta's unlawful airstrikes against civilians, places of worship, villages, hospitals, IDP camps, and schools.
Depleting the government's ability to control and profit from aviation fuel imports and distribution will inhibit the junta's ability to sustain violence and commit war crimes using airpower.
Mr. Speaker, the urgency to act has never been greater. Last month, it was reported that Iran had become the sole source of jet fuel to Burma. These secret shipments had not only given Iran much-needed cash and a new market, but it allowed the Burmese military leaders to circumvent Western sanctions.
The deliveries of jet fuel have powered an expansive bombing campaign by the junta that has struck more than 1,000 civilian locations, including Christian churches.
While the military ruling class pledged open and fair elections, the sham process that took place last month should be viewed as a rigged farce and nothing more. Make no mistake, these mass atrocities will not stop until the current regime is crippled.
With the support of the Trump administration, which has continued to turn up the pressure, Congress can shape the future of Burma by leveraging sanctions and financial oversight.
The BRAVE Burma Act will strengthen U.S. efforts to disrupt authoritarian regimes, support democratic movements, and protect vulnerable populations.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Betty McCollum, my co-chair of the Congressional Burma Caucus and an original cosponsor of this particular legislation, as well as Representatives Ann Wagner and Seth Moulton, who helped to make this a truly bipartisan effort.
Mr. Speaker, let me end with this. Since the 2021 coup, nearly 3 million Burmese have been driven from their homes; more than 75,000 people have been killed; and the military has swept up more than 30,000 political prisoners into detention, silencing those who oppose them.
The Burmese military has left a trail of devastation, damaging or destroying at least 343 Christian churches and numerous other religious buildings, according to the Burma Research Institute.
The people of Burma can no longer afford for Congress to sit idly by, and the Trump administration must adopt a unified strategy for Burma, as both the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury have done. It is time for the Department of Homeland Security to come to the same conclusion. Democracy in Burma needs America's help.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bipartisan bill that will have a lasting impact.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, this bill aims to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Burma by cutting off revenue sources for the country's ruthless and illegitimate leadership. Congress must do whatever is possible to protect human rights, stand for democratic values, and object to the atrocities committed against the Burmese people.
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, 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 Michigan for his dedicated work on our committee, as well as the Committee on Foreign Affairs, in crafting economic deterrence to bad actors--certainly, the military junta in Myanmar is a bad actor--calling loudly for a strong bipartisan vote in this House on the BRAVE Burma Act, which I hope then will be promptly considered by the Senate.
This is when the legislative branch and the executive branch work best together, when we are in alignment on putting pressure against bad actors around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for his work. I urge a ``yes'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3190, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
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. 6644) a bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes, as amended, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 390, nays 9, not voting 33, as follows:
Messrs. BIGGS of Arizona, CRANE, GOSAR, and ZINKE changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Ms. SCANLON, Mr. DONALDS, Mses. OMAR, FOXX, and Mr. PERRY changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes.''.
Pressure Regulatory Organizations to End Chinese Threats to Taiwan 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. 1531) to direct certain financial regulators to exclude representatives of the People's Republic of China
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Arkansas (Mr. Hill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 395, nays 2, not voting 35, 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, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, I was absent from the floor and missed Roll Call Nos. 57 and 58. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 57, H.R. 6644--Housing for the 21st Century Act, as amended and YEA on Roll Call No. 58, H.R. 1531--PROTECT Taiwan Act, as amended.
Mr. Speaker, I was not recorded on Roll Call Nos. 57 and 58 today. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 57 and YEA on Roll Call No. 58.
Mr. Speaker, I missed the suspension votes today due to travel delays getting back to Washington, DC. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 57 and YEA on Roll Call No. 58.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the UPMC Hillman Cancer Centers in north central Pennsylvania. The UPMC Hillman Cancer Centers in Coudersport, Wellsboro, and Williamsport earned national recognition for their high-quality patient care.
The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative, also known as the QOPI Certification, is a 3-year certificate program that recognizes hospitals for their quality care and patient safety. This prestigious certificate is awarded to less than 300 outpatient oncology practices across the Nation.
To meet the high standards of the certificate, the hospital's patient care process and chemotherapy standards are evaluated.
The certification program was launched in 2010 and reinforces hospitals' dedication to quality cancer care, including treatment planning and patient monitoring.
UPMC Hillman is the only nationally recognized cancer center in western Pennsylvania. The three north central Pennsylvania cancer centers see almost 40,000 patients a year and serve communities in Potter, Lycoming, and Tioga Counties.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the doctors, nurses, and staff who work tirelessly to ensure that every patient receives the best care possible.
Mr. Speaker, I first ran for public office to make all of our
Fewer children than ever outearn their parents. The average age of a first-time home buyer is 40 years old, which is at an all-time high, and things feel too costly. Opportunity feels too scarce.
I think Americans need to start believing in young people, and that is exactly why I introduced my K-30 agenda. The legislation takes key commonsense steps to make a difference, from investing in rural schools and supporting our teachers to cutting red tape for small businesses and revitalizing rural economies.
Mr. Speaker, this isn't about politics. It is about building a foundation to empower America's next generation and showing them that we have their backs.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Coastal Area District Development Authority, CADDA, as it proudly marks its 50th anniversary.
CADDA was founded in 1976 with a modest grant from the Economic Development Administration, immediately saving critical seafood processing plants and jobs in coastal Georgia.
From those humble beginnings, CADDA has grown into a powerhouse of economic opportunity, heavily contributing to Georgia's status as the best State to do business for 12 consecutive years.
Over five decades, this nonprofit has delivered more than 1,340 small business loans, investing $526 million in coastal communities. These efforts have created and preserved more than 9,300 jobs across coastal Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina.
I thank CADDA for their steady commitment to expanding access to capital and building stronger communities.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano as he continues into the 15th year of his leadership as chief executive of Westchester's largest city and the third largest city in the State of New York, Yonkers.
Mayor Spano is the longest currently serving mayor of a major city in New York State, guiding a municipality of over 200,000 residents and running the largest police department, fire department, sanitation department, parks and recreation programs, senior citizen centers, every area of municipal services, and more.
Mike and I served side by side in the Westchester County Board of Legislators, and we worked together in the New York State Assembly.
As mayor of the largest local government, we worked closely together during my tenure as Westchester County Executive on a myriad of programs, from reducing crime to improving green spaces for all to enjoy.
Mayor Spano has shepherded the improvement of Yonkers' public education programs with higher graduation rates and new school construction. He has shepherded an economic development boom in the city, including, among other things, an expansion of the film industry, giving Yonkers the nickname of Hollywood on the Hudson. Mayor Spano has overseen the expansion of housing, both affordable and market rate, attracting new residents.
From the floor of the House of Representatives, I salute a leader who proves that government can still work and achieve for everyone when led by a true leader.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life and service of my dear friend, Sergeant Grant Ward, a respected leader within the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
Grant passed away on February 1 following a long and extremely courageous battle with cancer.
Grant was also the longtime president of the San Bernardino County Safety Employees Benefit Association. In that role, he was a tireless advocate for strengthening the relationship between our county's leaders and the first responders whom he represented.
I can unequivocally say that Grant was one of the finest public servants whom I have ever had the privilege to know. He was a true servant-leader, always putting the wants and needs of the people whom he represented above his own.
Grant was also a tireless advocate for the public service officers whom he represented. He strengthened collective bargaining within the county. He improved legal protections for officers, expanded member services, and ensured that the voices of law enforcement were heard at every level of our government.
Godspeed to my friend, Grant, who I will dearly miss.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life and legacy of Principal Terry Woolard, a dedicated leader in Essex County education for 34 years.
Terry served for decades as an educator in New Jersey. In the South Orange-Maplewood School District, he was first the director of information technology, then acting principal of the Alternative School at Montrose, and later an assistant principal at Columbia High School.
Terry was also the president of the American School Counselor Association for many years. In his most recent position, he was the principal of Hillside High School.
When he passed away in December, Mr. Woolard left a lasting legacy in each school community and organization where he served. Mr. Woolard believed deeply in the potential of every student and was known for his unwavering care for others.
We are also grateful for his contributions to the district and the impact left on the lives of New Jersey students.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a true Hudson Valley institution, Sparky's in Garnerville, New York, as it marks its 50th anniversary on February 13, 2026.
Since 1976, Sparky's has become more than a place to grab breakfast or lunch. It is a gathering place for generations of families, friends, and neighbors across Haverstraw and Rockland County. Opened by Louie and Jeannie Nicolakis, Sparky's was built on hard, long hours, and a simple but powerful idea: to create a place where everyone feels welcome. Louie and Jeannie invested everything they had into this vision, and the community has been better for it ever since.
After Louie's passing, Jeannie carried that legacy forward, devoting her life to serving her customers and giving back to the community, eventually being recognized with New York State's Empire Award in 2019 for her community contributions, one of the highest honors for a small business.
For 50 years, Sparky's has been a place where everyone is treated like family, where stories are shared over coffee, and kindness is always on the menu.
I congratulate Jeannie and everyone at Sparky's Diner on this incredible milestone and wish them many more years of success serving the Hudson Valley, and I look forward to coming
Mr. Speaker, let me celebrate a hometown institution that keeps northwest Ohio moving: the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority proudly marking 55 years of service, half a century plus 5.
Voters approved creation of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority on January 19, 1971, to connect opportunity and dignity for neighbors who depend on reliable transportation.
TARTA has linked workers to jobs, seniors to medical care, students to education, families to first ball games, family and class reunions, and everyday life. TARTA truly moves people where they need to go affordably.
TARTA has led with innovation, launching paratransit service, on- demand microtransit, Ohio's only Certified Autism Center designation, and deploying electric vehicles.
New Federal investments enabled by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allow TARTA to modernize its fleet, add zero-emission buses and charging infrastructure, strengthen safety, training, and create good- paying, local jobs.
This year, we honor the drivers, mechanics, planners, and riders who make the system thrive. May the next generation yield more affordable, safer, accessible, and better connected transportation for northwest Ohio.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible response to the fire at Lehigh Hospital-Dickson City last Wednesday night.
Thanks to the quick action of hospital staff and first responders, every patient and staff member was safely evacuated and relocated, many to nearby hospitals, including Regional Hospital of Scranton, Wilkes- Barre General, Geisinger CMC, and Geisinger Wyoming Valley.
What could have been a devastating crisis instead showed the best of northeastern Pennsylvania. First responders and hospital teams from across the region stayed calm, worked together, and made sure every patient was safe.
Our team monitored the situation from the district and our congressional office throughout the night, staying in constant contact with the White House, CMS, hospital leadership, State officials, and local responders to make sure that everyone had the support they needed.
As Lehigh Valley-Dickson City begins to recover, my office will continue working alongside hospital leadership and local partners, providing any help needed to get the facility back on its feet.
This is what NEPA does. We look out for our neighbors, and we take care of one another.
Mr. Speaker, eastern North Carolinians deserve a thriving economy where hard work is truly rewarded. Sadly, too many residents face rising costs, housing, healthcare, and everyday essentials.
However, I believe we can change this situation. By investing in local businesses, we can create good-paying jobs. Picture, if you would, a future where no one has to choose between paying their rent or mortgage and buying groceries. Imagine a future where healthcare is accessible and where our seniors can live with dignity.
No matter our political affiliations, we must come together to strengthen eastern North Carolina's economy. We must advocate for policies that support sustainable jobs and growth. It is time to reclaim our future.
Mr. Speaker, this August, Washington will hear a sound we know well in Indiana, the roar of IndyCar engines.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will bring IndyCar to our Nation's Capital as we mark 250 years of American ingenuity.
IndyCar was born in my hometown of Indianapolis. It is rooted in a tradition that goes back more than a century, built by American workers, American engineers, and American manufacturers.
IndyCar reflects who we Hoosiers are: competitive, inventive, always pushing forward. I will be honest, Washington could use a little less gridlock and a little more green flag.
This event isn't simply a race. It is a statement. America leads. America builds. America innovates.
This August, we will put that on display at 200 miles an hour right here in our Nation's Capital.
Mr. Speaker and ladies and gentlemen of the House, let's prepare to start our engines.
Mr. Speaker, if you were paying attention since we last met, more and more politicos or officials are weighing in on who should be deported to our southern border.
I want to emphasize that the American people have to stand up and say that if you are coming here illegally, you should be deported. There are some people I think are apparently for limited amnesty or no immigration laws at all and say we should only be deporting people who have broken the law. Obviously, that would mean that if the only law you have broken is coming here in the first place, probably 98 or 99 percent of the 8 million people who entered under Joe Biden would be able to stay.
I implore ICE to deport people who are here illegally. If they want to single out somebody in addition to the worst of the worst on criminal behavior, they can go after people getting public benefits, which is also illegal, and they should be removed immediately.
Mr. Speaker, in any event, we should enforce our laws.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina?
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight to join with my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to pay homage to the Black men and women of our Armed Forces whose service and sacrifices have far too often gone unrecognized and underappreciated. To make matters worse, they have often been denied their proper and well-deserved benefits as veterans who proudly served our Nation.
There has been no war or conflict in which this country has been involved that Blacks did not participate. The men and women we are honoring tonight, as we commemorate the 100th year of celebrating Black history, made memorable and consequential contributions to the greatness of this country. It should not be insulting to any red- blooded American to hear about them, read about them, and learn about them in the same manner that we learn about others whose contributions were similar, but their skin color made them more worthy.
When we hear stories of the American Revolution, we don't often hear of Crispus Attucks, a Black man who became the first casualty of the American Revolution when he was the first of five colonists shot and killed on March 5, 1770, in what became known as the Boston Massacre. His murder stirred the revolutionary fervor and America's fight for its liberation from the British.
So, why is it that all of us were taught about the Boston Tea Party but nothing about the Boston Massacre?
The life of Crispus Attucks is far less documented than his death. Crispus Attucks escaped from slavery in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1750 and spent two decades on trading ships and whaling vessels. His death continues to serve as a reminder that African Americans took an active role in the path to American independence, not a passive one.
The poet John Boyle O'Reilly celebrated Attucks as ``the first to defy, and the first to die.''
In his 1964 book, ``Why We Can't Wait,'' Martin Luther King pays homage to Attucks for his courage and defining role in the American Revolution. Why don't our textbooks?
In his 1881 autobiography ``Life and Times of Frederick Douglass,'' Douglass wrote that he ``urged every man who could enlist to get an eagle on his button, a musket on his shoulder, and the star-spangled banner over his head,'' and ``there is no power on Earth which can deny that he has earned the right to citizenship in the United States.''
Douglass believed the Civil War offered the Black soldier an opportunity to gain his stripes, but he could not convince his friend, Abraham Lincoln, to allow Blacks to serve. In August 1862, a formerly enslaved Black man from South Carolina came here to Washington and convinced Lincoln to allow Blacks to serve.
History records that 170,000 Blacks joined the Union Army, 19,000 joined the Union Navy, and 40,000 died in that war. Robert Smalls, who convinced Abraham Lincoln to allow these freedmen to serve, became a captain in that Navy, participated in 18 battles, and was the only genuine hero of the Civil War. In my not-so-humble opinion, Robert Smalls is the most consequential South Carolinian who ever lived.
In 1865, Abraham Lincoln acknowledged their value, saying: Without the military help of the Black freedmen, the war could not have been won.
In what textbook do we find that? I would say very few, if any.
World War II saw the service of many African Americans who never got their just due in or out of the military.
My father had two brothers. Both of them, William and Charlie, served in World War I. Every time I tried to engage them in conversations about their experiences in that war, they never ever would discuss that. They made it very clear to me that the treatment they got both in that war and when they came back home made them wonder what they were fighting for.
World War II was much of the same. If I were to mention tonight the Montford Point Marines, I would suspect very few, if any, in this Hall would recognize them. Well, Montford Point Marines were those Black marines who were not allowed to be trained at Camp Lejeune alongside White soldiers. They were sent to a mosquito-infested swamp in Montford Point, and that is where they served from 1942 all the way through 1949.
I am pleased that this body, in its wisdom, saw it fitting and proper to give the Congressional Gold Medal to those Montford Point Marines in such a way that I would think was offering an apology for the way they were treated while they were serving.
Now, I would mention, in speaking of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, and everybody would know about the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African-American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces, flying over 15,000 combat missions. They played a vital role in the Allied victory in World War II.
Instead of being defined by the discrimination and the doubts of those around them, they became one of the most successful pursuit squadrons in our military. They went on to embody the true meaning of Black excellence.
They left a segregated country to fight in a segregated Army and painfully returned to a country that still did not treat them with the dignity and the respect that they deserved and had earned.
They had a movie made about them, the ``Red Tails,'' but they were not given their GI Bill benefits.
On July 26, 1948, President Harry Truman signed Executive Order 9981, desegregating the Armed Forces so there would be no more Montford Point marines. Truman declared: There shall be ``equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.''
Many servicemen wrote to President Truman. Perhaps the most pivotal letter that Truman got came from Isaac Woodard, Jr., a World War II veteran who, hours after being honorably discharged from the United States Army, was dragged off a bus and beaten to near death and blinded by police in Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina.
In response to Woodard's letter, President Truman declared, and I am quoting Truman: ``When a mayor and a city marshal''--I want to repeat this: ``When a mayor and a city marshal can take a Negro sergeant off a bus in South Carolina, beat him up and put out one of his eyes, and nothing is done about it by the State authorities, something is radically wrong with the system.''
In January 2025, President Trump made the decision to stop teaching Air Force recruits about the Tuskegee Airmen in the name of banning DEI initiatives. Their heroism is not DEI. It is American history.
Sergeant Woodard deserved better treatment because of his sacrifices. President Truman decided it was time to close a chapter on one part of American history.
Other Black soldiers returning home from World War II found themselves facing the same socioeconomic and racial discrimination they had faced before going off to war. Instead of being welcomed back home with open arms, they struggled to find jobs, to get an education, and to purchase homes.
We cannot undo the injustices of our past, but we can begin to restore the possibility of full economic mobility for those whom the original GI Bill left behind. That is why I have sponsored for several years now the GI Bill restoration act that would bring us one step closer to that goal.
America can't change what happened to these Black soldiers. We can't change what happened to too many soldiers like Sergeant Woodard who went uncelebrated because our Nation judged them by the color of their skin and not the content of their character. However, we can do our best to make it right, and that begins with us passing my legislation that I co-led with Congressman Seth Moulton, the Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act.
We didn't stop with World War II. Just 2 years after Truman issued his executive order, we began to desegregate the Armed Forces. There we were in the Korean war, and we put Truman's executive order into action and was greeted with resistance.
Truman's 1948 executive order inspired many Black men to join, believing the military would provide an equality of opportunity the greater American society lacked.
It was in the Korean war that African Americans first served shoulder to shoulder with soldiers of all races and backgrounds for the first time. A message resounded throughout the Nation: If people of different races could serve as comrades in combat abroad, they could live as neighbors at home.
The quest for racial equality extended far past the barracks or on the battlefield, but that same quest for racial equality returned home with Black soldiers.
I often think about our former colleague, the late Congressman Charlie Rangel. At the age of 17, Charlie Rangel left school and joined the Army to help his mother support his family. Soon after he enlisted in 1948, he deployed to Korea for what he thought was a police action but soon realized it was a full-scale war. With a fighting spirit, he found himself in combat during the Korean war and risked his life to rescue 40 soldiers from behind enemy lines.
Returning home to Harlem, New York, Rangel was first elected to Congress in 1970 and would go on to serve
Today, America is faced with a turbulent reality as the Trump administration is still trying to purge our United States Armed Forces of Black officers, diversity, and honoring Black history.
In February 2025, President Donald Trump fired General Charles ``CQ'' Brown, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The words Trump used to justify his firing were ``woke'' and ``DEI.'' CQ Brown was the Air Force's first Black commander of the Pacific Air Forces and later the first Black Chief of Staff.
What is woke about being a commander of the Pacific Air Forces?
None of the other commanders before him were called woke. They were all called commanders.
So why was he called woke and fired?
Well, Mr. Speaker, I think you know why.
In March 2025, part of Project 2025, Arlington National Cemetery erased from its website educational materials about the history of Black servicemembers, including the Tuskegee Airmen and General Colin Powell, the first Black Joint Chiefs chairman.
Why are they erasing these people from the website and not anybody else? We know why.
Let me be clear: The White House and the so-called Department of War appear determined to undermine, discredit, and even erase the evidence of Black patriotism and Black servicemembers who have faithfully served our Nation.
Against this backdrop, we must remain vigilant against these attacks on Black servicemen and veterans, recognize their valor and sacrifice, and work diligently to offer them the promise of this country that they deserve. May Black military service, in triumph and tragedy, always serve as a powerful reminder that the stories of sacrifice and patriotism must never be erased regardless of who embodies them.
In all too many instances, Black veterans have had to fight for equal access to benefits and respect upon returning home. Black veterans have struggled and died in a dual battle: fighting abroad in defense of country and fighting at home for opportunity, change, and their rights as American citizens.
Millions of Black Americans have answered the call to serve and protect the American people from all threats, both foreign and domestic. Today, 350,000 Black men and women serve in the United States military, and there are over 2.4 million Black veterans, many of whom still are not getting the GI Bill benefits that they deserve. This body is still refusing to honor legislation that would give them what they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Beatty for joining me in this Special Order hour. I yield to her now to continue this discussion.
Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to rise today to co-anchor this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour alongside my distinguished colleague, Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina.
You see, Mr. Speaker--and to all those who are listening and watching tonight--it is not only our 100th anniversary of Black History Month, but it is just that, it is our history, as Mr. Clyburn has so aptly outlined.
For the remainder of our first hour, you will hear from us. We will speak directly to the American people on an issue of deep importance to our caucus, to the House, to the communities we represent, and to our Nation.
As we observe Black History Month, today's Special Order hour is dedicated to recognizing the contributions, achievements, and sacrifices of Black military servicemembers and veterans.
I cannot think of a better person than our leader, the woman who leads the Congressional Black Caucus, who hails from New York's Ninth District to speak on this. Tonight, we will speak a lot about legacies, Black legacies. We will speak about challenges and barriers, about how we have prevailed.
When I think about Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, I think about Black legacy. When we talk about how Black servicemen and -women stood on the shoulders, I think about our leader, Yvette Clarke, who stands on the shoulders of her constituents in Brooklyn, New York. I think about Yvette Clarke, who stands on her mother's shoulders, a pioneer and someone who understood what we need to do to preserve our Black history.
Mr. Speaker, I ask everyone to listen carefully as this powerful Black woman comes to us and presents why we are here, because she leads us as we honor Black legacy, Black founders, and we honor the legacy that she will leave. Let us listen to the stories of Black military servicepeople, stories too often overlooked or erased.
Good evening, I am Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District located in Brooklyn, New York.
I thank my colleagues--Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, a real champion for the people of Ohio, and Congressman Jim Clyburn, leadership extraordinaire--for co-anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to again commemorate the centennial of Black History Month and to reflect on the innumerable contributions to our country that Black Americans have made throughout our Nation's history.
Black History Month offers our community a time to celebrate our hidden figures and impactful heroes, including our Black veterans and servicemembers.
Today, we honor the generations of Black veterans whose courage, advocacy, sacrifice, and patriotism have moved our country and world forward.
Since our Nation's founding, our military has relied on Black Americans to answer the call to serve. Quite frankly, it occurred prior to our founding. From the Revolutionary War and Crispus Attucks to Harriet Tubman, spy, scout, nurse, and cook for the Union Army during the Civil War. From the Tuskegee Airmen, the valiant and courageous Red Tails, to the brilliant and extraordinary Six Triple Eight, Black women and men have always been on the front lines, standing for the values that make our Nation great.
With such a storied legacy of service to our Nation, it is unfortunate that racially discriminatory practices have for too long obstructed Black veterans from equally accessing veterans benefits, like housing, education, and healthcare.
From the denial of the GI Bill benefits, effectively shutting nearly 1.2 million Black veterans out of its promise, decades of discrimination have produced profound and lasting economic consequences for Black servicemembers and their families.
Today, Black veterans account for nearly a third of our Nation's unhoused veteran population, and Black veterans are nearly two times as likely to live in poverty.
These years of discriminatory practices against our Nation's Black veterans have only been compounded by this administration's recent actions within the Department of Defense. From eliminating equitable practices that benefit our diverse military leadership to creating a hostile environment that Black veterans have warned will deter a diverse population of prospective servicemembers, to removing evidence of the historical impacts of Black servicewomen and -men, this administration is committed to further marginalizing our Nation's heroes.
It is important that we never forget the unique history and contributions of our Nation's Black veterans.
As the conscience of the Congress, the Congressional Black Caucus refuses to allow the sacrifices of these patriotic Americans, Black Americans, to go unnoticed or to be erased.
We will never be able to fully repay our veterans, given the sacrifices they have made for our country, but as Congress, it is our responsibility to make sure we do all we can to ensure that they have what they need when they return home.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus for their commitment to supporting our
Mr. Speaker, I thank very much the chair for her leadership of the Congressional Black Caucus. I thank her for allowing me to co-chair this Special Order hour with our friend, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty) because I think she has a few historical notations that all of our viewers and listeners will benefit from hearing.
Mr. Speaker, tonight, we stand here, and while we talk about the celebration of Black history and Black military men and women, we remind everyone that Black history is American history.
I am sure when Carter G. Woodson was thinking about Black history 100 years ago, I know he was not intending it to be for only 1 month, but for us to kick it off in February and continue it for the rest of the year.
Tonight, we are reminded that Black military history is not a footnote. It is foundational. From the Revolutionary War to today's All-Volunteer Force, Black servicemembers have defended this Nation with courage, discipline, and sacrifice, even when this Nation did not fully defend them in return.
Their service helped win wars. Their leadership strengthened our institutions. Their resilience expanded the promise of American democracy. As we observe Black History Month, let us commit not only to remembering this history but to protecting it, teaching it, and honoring those who continue to serve today. The strength of our military and our democracy depends on truth, inclusion, and the respect of those who have carried the burden of service.
Black Americans have served in the United States military since the Revolutionary War, with over 350,000 currently serving on Active Duty or in the Reserves, making up approximately 20 percent of enlisted personnel.
As of 2025, 21 percent of Army soldiers, Black or African American, while represented in the enlisted ranks, are underrepresented in the highest leadership levels, although 40 percent of the total Active-Duty Force consists of people of color.
You have heard about Robert Smalls becoming the first Black captain in the United States Navy during the Civil War. You have heard about Colin Powell, the first Black Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the list goes on and on.
We have heard a lot about men and women who were out there in the fight during the early years, fighting for our democracy and freedom. I was reminded when Mr. Clyburn talked about the Tuskegee Airmen that, yes, it was during World War II that First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt used her platform as a military advocate to challenge segregation and to elevate excellence in the Armed Forces. She publicly championed the Tuskegee Airmen, whose skills and discipline shattered the lies used to justify exclusion, and proved that racism, not readiness, was the real barrier. You see, they were Black, for anyone who might not know that, and by flying with one of them as her pilot, Roosevelt sent an unmistakable message that standing with Black servicemembers was an act of patriotism and putting country over hate.
That leads me to someone who lived much of her life until she died in my hometown, Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley, whom I finally called Aunt Charity. She mentored me and taught me much of what I know today. She always reminded me of barriers and challenges, but always said to move forward and go forward and do those things that will make a difference.
She was the first Black woman officer in the Women's Army Corps, commanded the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all- Black, all-female unit deployed overseas during World War II. Stationed in Europe, her battalion was tasked with clearing a massive backlog of undelivered mail, millions of letters and packages that carriers hoped servicemembers who were far from home would receive, but this wasn't an ordinary task. It was warehouses for miles and miles.
It was given to them because no one else had been able to do it, and certainly, those White officers felt that they would not be able to do it either. It was punishment. Mr. Speaker, they didn't know the power of Black women.
I thank Charity Edna Earley and all those who served with her and their families because they completed the mission not only on time but in record time, delivering those messages from parents, children, friends, and loved ones and restoring morale in the midst of war.
Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley was the commanding officer of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. They were honored just recently here in Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal for her extraordinary work during World War II service.
I am so proud that I could be there that day to witness her family, her two children, Judith and Stanley, as we stood together while she and others were honored.
Mr. Speaker, the statistics are long and strong about what we have done. I thank Mr. Clyburn for being our historian, for reminding us that, from the earliest days of this Nation, Black Americans have stepped forward to serve even while enslaved, segregated, and denied basic rights.
During the American Revolution, Black patriots fought in the Continental Army. Just this summer, as our Nation marked the birthday of the United States Army, we also lifted up Black heroes too often left out of history, men like Mr. Clyburn mentioned: Salem Poor, Peter Salem, James Armistead Lafayette, who served in the Continental Army where it all began.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn for allowing me to share a small part in this. We could go on and on, but certainly I would be remiss if I didn't mention that, during the Civil War, Black service and leadership continued, including the extraordinary contributions of Harriet Tubman.
Tubman served as a nurse, an intelligence operative, and a scout. She was part of a movement, part of an Army, providing crucial information on Confederate movements in supply lines. In 1863, she planned and guided the ferry raid, destroying Confederate supplies and freeing more than 700 enslaved people, becoming the first American woman to lead a military operation.
Mr. Speaker, her leadership saved lives, weakened the Confederacy, and reshaped the meaning of military service. I thank Mr. Clyburn for allowing me to share that part.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to mention a little bit of history here that I think is very meaningful and helps to make the point that I really want to make tonight.
I attended public and private schools in South Carolina, grade schools, before going off to South Carolina State, now University. When I came to Congress, South Carolina State had given or produced more African-American general officers than all the military service academies combined. It was that one little school in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Today, if my memory serves, they have produced 23 general officers.
That school was founded in 1896 as what we call an 1890 land-grant school. When the land-grant schools were first put into production, it was 1862. In fact, the land-grant bill was signed by Abraham Lincoln. Of course, these institutions in the south, like Clemson University in South Carolina, did not allow African Americans to serve.
If you look at the legislation that created the Morrill Land Grant Act, which I have studied, it says that it is to teach agriculture and mechanics. We see in a lot of these schools A&M--in fact, I spent last Friday on the campus of Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida A&M University stands for agricultural and mechanical.
In that law, there is another M that very seldom gets recognized. The Morrill Land Grant Act lists this as part of the training these institutions should undertake; military. It is in the law. Some of these schools, like South Carolina State, have taken that seriously.
Over the years, other land-grant schools like Tuskegee University-- now
I like to mention Daniel ``Chappie'' James because I remember, as a kid in those schools I was attending in South Carolina, I would hear all this stuff and read this stuff about Jimmy Doolittle. I read up on Jimmy Doolittle. He was an outstanding military person, but his resume does not touch the resume of Daniel ``Chappie'' James, who became the first African-American four-star general in the Air Force.
Chappie James fought in both the Korean war and the Vietnam war. In both those wars, he flew 160 missions and is credited with having shot down 26 enemy planes.
Where in these textbooks do we hear any discussion of Chappie James? I have never been able to understand what it is about folks who feel that to give one person credit for having done what they did takes something away from another person's contributions.
We all believe in this great country. There isn't a need for it to be made great. It is already great. We have all got to learn how to work together so that everybody can benefit from the greatness of this country.
It doesn't take anything away from a child sitting in a class with my grandchildren, learning about the contributions, learning about Chappie James. How can that be an insult? There is no insult to my children to learn about Jimmy Doolittle. Why is it an insult to learn about Chappie James?
Why is it okay for everybody to enjoy the baseball skills of Jackie Robinson? It is all right to put his contributions to sports in books. Before Jackie Robinson ever set foot on Ebbets Field, he was in the military. He served honorably in the United States military, and that has been recognized by our military institutions.
Why would this administration take Jackie Robinson's military records out of our archives? It is okay for him to be a baseball player. It is okay for him to entertain but not okay for us to recognize him for his military skills. I don't quite understand that.
I don't understand why it is that we let all these contributions of entertainers be celebrated; but when it comes to academia, when it comes to the military, it all becomes wokeness. I have yet to hear one person apply that term to sports people and entertainers. That, to me, tells it all.
Mr. Speaker, I think that as we pause to recognize not just the 100th anniversary of the Black history celebration--I want to say something about that, too. I really get a little nervous when I hear people misrepresent the history of this.
In 1915 and 1916, Carter G. Woodson started trying to get our country to recognize what he called Black History Week. He finally got the country in, I think, 1926 to recognize it. It became Black History Week.
When I was a student, that is when we celebrated it. I want the Record to be clear because I want our history to be what it is, not what somebody says it is.
Carter G. Woodson was offered the opportunity to designate the week when we should celebrate Black history. It was Carter G. Woodson who decided that it should be in February.
Mr. Speaker, the reason he picked the week that he did is because he wanted to embrace the birthdays of two people: February 12, the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, and February 14, the birthday of Frederick Douglass. That is why it was done.
Thanks to the visionary leadership of President Gerald Ford--maybe Gerald Ford was a woke President. It was Gerald Ford who decided that we should have Black History Month. He made that decision. Was Gerald Ford a woke President? I think he was an enlightened President, a mature thinker.
I would hope that we would all get to the place in our society where we are mature enough to step outside of our comfort zone sometime, mature enough to recognize the contributions of others, mature enough to have in our textbooks the contributions of people who we call geniuses.
It was okay for us to learn about the lightbulb, but we don't see anyone learn everything about the lightbulb. In fact, that bulb couldn't work until Lewis Latimer's filament was put into it. It was Lewis Latimer's filament--Lewis Latimer, the son of former slaves, who collaborated with Thomas Edison. Edison's bulb, Lewis Latimer's filament makes it work.
Thomas Edison was mature enough to step outside of his comfort zone and sit down with the son of former slaves, Lewis Latimer, and get his filament to put into his lightbulb, and Lewis Latimer was mature enough to collaborate with Thomas Edison.
I would hope that all of us in this body can be mature enough to recognize everybody's contributions and not be insulted by what may be the contributions of one as opposed to another.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mrs. Beatty for joining me in this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much time is remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from South Carolina has 4 minutes remaining.
I thank Mr. Clyburn for not only giving us information about Blacks serving in the military, but also reminding us of our rich history and how everyone benefits. Thus, Black history is American history.
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear that America cannot move forward by erasing the people who propelled it forward. Currently, this administration is looking to erase the impact of women and Black Americans from our military. From brutal attacks on Black history to Secretary Hegseth's attempt to remove women from combat roles, the message is clear.
Clearly, President Trump does not value the contributions of Black Americans or women in our Nation's military, but still, they rise. Still, we rise because we understand that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere. Today, that legacy lives on through the more than 350,000 Black Americans currently serving in uniform and the more than 2 million Black Americans who are veterans. They served with that same courage, that same resilience, and that same excellence as those who came before them.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn for reminding us about being woke because the opposite is being asleep, and I am sure we don't want anyone to not be woke when they are fighting for our freedom, when they are fighting for our justice.
As we move forward, Mr. Speaker, in this Congress, I ask that we remember the things that we shared and that we move forward with an open mind and a mind of the words that we so frequently say: ``Freedom and justice for all.''
Mr. Speaker, I am going to close with something a bit more general because I have been wrestling with this for the better part of the last 4 or 5 years.
It is Martin Luther King, Jr.'s letter from the Birmingham City Jail. King, when he wrote that letter, said something that I will leave us with tonight.
King was told that the officials in Birmingham wanted him to leave Birmingham because they said that he was a disruptive force and that they thought that his cause was right, but his timing was wrong.
King wrote this to those people who wrote him the letter. He said: ``Time is never right. Time is never wrong. Time is always what we make it.''
Then he concluded that he was coming to the belief that the people of ill will in our society were making a much better use of time than the people of good will.
Then he closed saying that we are going to be made to repent not just for the vitriolic words and actions of bad people but for the appalling silence of good people.
There is a lot going on in our country today for which we need to speak up about. If we remain silent, we are going to be made to repent, and we may see that democracy is no longer with us.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the subject of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida?
Mr. Speaker, today, we rise to discuss the important issue of home affordability.
As you just saw on this floor, we passed, with bipartisan support, led by our chairman of the Committee on Financial Services, French Hill, from the great State of Arkansas, a bill, with a 390-9 vote, to promote the idea of home affordability, the ultimate American Dream. Sadly, as we have recognized over the last few years, that dream has become further and further away for too many Americans.
Starting today, we are moving in the right direction so that we might reduce those barriers to affordability and simply rely on the great economic mission of increasing supply to reduce the cost.
Our first speaker tonight is from the State of Kentucky and serves on our Committee on Financial Services.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Barr).
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Housing for the 21st Century Act, a bill that advances exactly what Americans voted for: fewer bureaucrats, more builders, lower costs, and real results.
Right now, families across America are still recovering from Biden- era inflation, sky-high interest rates, and a Washington regulatory state that makes it harder and more expensive to build a home.
The radical left's answer is always more government, more mandates, more red tape. Well, that is how we got into this mess. Republicans have a better answer: Build more homes, faster, better, and cheaper.
The solution to inflation, the solution to higher costs, is always more supply. The reason we have affordability challenges in housing, Mr. Speaker, is because we have an inventory shortage. Republicans are offering solutions to provide more housing stock to lower the costs for the American people and deliver on that American Dream of homeownership.
This bill cuts through the regulatory choke hold that Washington has imposed on housing. It streamlines permitting, modernizes outdated Federal programs, and gets the Federal Government out of the way so builders can do what they do best: build.
It empowers local communities, not central planners in Washington, D.C. It supports community banks. It focuses on supply-side solutions, not failed subsidies that only drive prices higher.
Under President Donald Trump, we proved that when we cut regulations, unleash private investments, and trust American workers, the economy grows and families thrive. This bill applies that same America First, progrowth approach to housing.
Instead of telling Americans how to live, this legislation helps them own a home, raise a family, and build wealth, the foundation of the American Dream.
Mr. Speaker, I love the fact that this legislation focuses on overregulation of manufactured housing, an outstanding solution for many low- and moderate-income individuals who just can't get there in terms of a downpayment or just can't get there in terms of the monthly payment. Manufactured housing, especially in rural America, is a great solution for a lower downpayment and a lower monthly payment.
Burdensome HUD regulations have been an impediment to unleashing more manufactured housing stock for Americans. This bill provides a solution to that, eliminating ridiculous regulations that really impede manufactured housing.
Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions, I will spend my time here tonight highlighting the section of the bill that provides regulatory relief for community banks.
To drive down costs, we need to make it easier for those community- based lenders to originate residential construction loans and development loans to address the shortage of inventory. More supply means lower costs, and more provision of capital into the real economy from community financial institutions that know the borrower, that have a relationship with that builder, the more supply of housing stock to help lower the cost.
Inflation and high prices are always a function of a supply-demand mismatch. If we can help incentivize more capital formation and lending to the builders, the entrepreneurs who provide additional housing for Americans, especially in that one to four residential construction zone, the better in terms of affordability for Americans.
According to the FDIC, approximately 60 percent of one- to four- family residential construction and development loans were held by banks with assets under $10 billion. Those are the community banks. Lowering the regulatory costs on those institutions in particular is critical to increasing the supply of housing.
This bill does exactly that. It lowers the regulatory burden on those community financial institutions that provide the bulk of these construction loans. This is the bill that the Committee on Financial Services passed, and we passed it with bipartisan support because the problem is obvious: We don't have enough housing, and Washington is making it worse. The solution is also obvious: Stop standing in the way.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation rejects the left's obsession with central planning and embraces free enterprise, local control, and common sense. It puts builders back to work and expands housing supply, and it helps bring costs down for hardworking Americans.
That is why I urge my colleagues to support Housing for the 21st Century Act, deliver real America First solutions for the people we serve, and enhance regulatory tailoring for those community financial institutions--cutting red tape; streamlining bank exams and outdated thresholds so well-run banks can focus on lending, not paperwork; expanding community and rural banks' access to stable deposits so that they can lend locally and support small businesses and households; supporting rural banks; encouraging new bank formation; and providing regulators flexibility to handle failures without hurting local access to banking.
Mr. Speaker, I especially thank Chairman Hill for including in this legislation a version of my bill, the Promoting New Bank Formation Act, which allows for a phase-in of capital requirements for new banks to make it easier for de novo charters. We have seen a dearth and a decline in de novo charters. The more community-based lenders, the better. The more community banks that are formed in this country, the more competition and choice, the more access to capital for those construction and development loans. That means lower home prices, more homes, and more access to the American Dream of homeownership for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I thank all of my colleagues--most of my colleagues for supporting this bill tonight, the Housing for the 21st Century Act.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Barr for mentioning higher construction costs, more regulatory delays, outdated zoning laws, and, of course, the desperate need for more community banks in the process.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Stutzman), a fellow member of the Committee on Financial Services.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Congressman Haridopolos, for organizing this evening's event.
I am proud to say that this body just passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act in a strong bipartisan manner. Owning a home is the American Dream. It is one of the best investments any person can possibly make here in America.
At a time when too many American families are struggling to afford a
Indiana remains one of the most affordable States for homeownership in the country, but I know the dream of owning a home is still out of reach for many Hoosiers. Every day, I hear from families that work hard, save their money, and still cannot find a place to call their own. Unfortunately, this is true not just for families in my district, but for the families across the country, as well.
House Republicans have heard these concerns and responded with legislation that will directly help more Americans achieve the dream of homeownership.
Instead of throwing more taxpayer dollars at ineffective government programs, we are restoring housing affordability by getting government out of the way.
Included in this package are many commonsense, bipartisan reforms. Among them is my Streamlining Rural Housing Act. I thank Chairman Hill for including it in this package.
Today, rural housing projects in Indiana and across the country that rely on both HUD and USDA programs must undergo two separate environmental reviews. This duplicative process drives up costs for developers, delays construction, and discourages the very investment we need to expand affordable rural housing.
My bill requires HUD and USDA to establish a joint environmental review process so that these projects no longer face redundant oversight. The result is simple: fewer delays, lower costs, and more homes built for working families across the country.
This package also delivers several other important housing reforms. One such reform led by my colleague on the Committee on Financial Services from Tennessee, Mr. Rose, removes the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes. This simple fix will reduce unnecessary costs and help families move into new homes more quickly on day one.
The package further modernizes longstanding programs so that Federal housing tools better match our current market realities. It provides local communities with greater flexibility to invest in housing solutions tailored to meet their needs and encourages private investments to expand supply where it is needed the most.
Mr. Speaker, this is what a Republican Congress and President Trump were elected to do, and we are delivering results for the American people. We are cutting red tape, and we are restoring the American Dream of homeownership.
I am proud to have supported the Housing for the 21st Century Act, and I look forward to its swift consideration in the Senate.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Stutzman for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, as discussed, one of the major issues which caused the housing affordability crisis in America is simply the fact of the last 4 years at least 10 million people have come into this country illegally, and it has caused the reality that when you have too much demand and not enough supply, prices go up.
We are pleased that we are meeting that demand and we are doing it in a commonsense way by reducing those barriers to entry, whether it be through banks, duplicate regulations, or the zoning laws that simply don't work. This is good work by our chairman of the Committee on Financial Services. Chairman Hill and Chairman Flood of the Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance have really made a difference.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague and friend from Florida, Mr. Haridopolos, for organizing this Special Order.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Housing for the 21st Century Act. I support this because it is good policy, and I support it because my constituents want me to support this. But I also support it because my children and grandchildren deserve better than what we are currently delivering.
For example, I have a family member who has gone to medical school. This individual has taken out enormous amounts of debt to achieve that significant opportunity to become a doctor and currently is in that practice.
At the same time this individual has taken on the burden of a home mortgage, which in the State that this individual resides in is costing up to $500,000 for that individual to just buy a home and take on a mortgage. When added to the medical school debt, this individual in their early thirties is subject to a million dollars of debt.
In the State of Utah where I am from, the median home price is more than $500,000. In other States that many people are moving to you are looking at three to $500,000 just to buy a starter home.
These costs are unacceptable. They are multifactorial in how they have been driven, as well. The reality behind this--I am a doctor and most people around here know that in order to cure cancer there is not just one simple answer. When it comes to the unaffordability associated with housing costs, there is not just one answer there.
That is why I am so proud to support and have voted in favor of the Housing for the 21st Century Act. I call on my friends in the Senate to pass this along as well.
I thank Chairman French Hill for his leadership in confronting the housing affordability crisis with practical and progrowth reforms.
I also appreciate President Trump's leadership and his focus on making the American Dream attainable again for hardworking families.
President Trump is not serving for his own benefit. He is serving because he believes in the future of the United States of America. As we look to America 250 and the next 250 years of America's success, we need to focus on policies that are going to fulfill the American Dream, which homeownership is integral to.
The American Dream is getting more and more out of reach as housing costs continue to climb. While demand soars, the country remains stalled by a 5\1/2\ million unit shortfall.
Between the red tape of regulatory delays and the rigid constraints of zoning, the path to affordable living is being made more difficult to navigate, and it is American families who are paying the price.
As one of the fastest growing States in the Nation, this is a harsh reality for Utahns. We face one of the most expensive housing markets in the Nation, and too many families are being priced out of the American Dream.
The truth is simple. When the government makes it slow, expensive, and unpredictable to build houses, the costs get passed along to families.
This bill attacks that problem by reducing regulatory costs and delays that make housing more expensive in the first place.
It encourages zoning reform the right way. It respects local control and gives communities tools and flexibility to expand housing supply, rather than forcing one-size-fits-all mandates from Washington.
It expands opportunities for rural housing developments by ensuring rural communities aren't left behind and directing real attention and resources to rural housing needs. It strengthens accountability at HUD by demanding more transparency and more meaningful oversight, so taxpayers get results not bureaucracy.
Making the American Dream attainable requires us to make housing affordable again, and I appreciate President Trump and Chairman Hill for leading on reforms that prioritize supply, affordability, and accountability.
I thank my friend and colleague, Mr. Haridopolos, for organizing this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, as we address these issues that you saw from the poster board, illegal immigration has a true cost, whether it be increasing demand, let alone the vital services that are strained under that increased number of people in a very short period of time.
I yield to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Downing), who also serves on the Financial Services Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Haridopolos) for arranging this Special Order hour.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act.
Americans across the country are feeling the squeeze of a very real housing crisis. The National Association of Realtors estimates that the average first-time home buyer was 40 years old in the year 2025.
In my home State of Montana, the estimates show the median home price of a home exceeds $500,000. The internet and social media are filled with testimonies critiquing sky-high housing prices like Bozeman where starter homes can exceed $1 million.
For once, both sides of the aisle agree. The root cause of this crisis lies in the supply side. Put simply, we do not have enough homes to meet the demand.
So what should we do?
Throwing money at a problem rarely fixes it. What Americans deserve are concrete, commonsense regulatory reforms that make it easier to build more homes. The Housing for the 21st Century Act achieves this by removing unnecessary regulatory barriers, modernizing HUD programs, and enhancing community banking operations to expand lending for buyers and builders alike.
What is more, our bill accomplishes this with no new permanent programs and no new spending. We are simply getting the government out of the way.
I could not be more enthusiastic to endorse this legislation. I thank Chairman Hill and Chairman Flood for their hard work in getting it to the floor today where it passed on a bipartisan basis by a vote of 390- 9.
Looking forward, I believe we have the opportunity to make even more progress on housing by addressing reforms to the Build America Buy America Act, or BABA, and reauthorizing the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, or NAHASDA.
Don't let the name fool you. BABA may sound patriotic, but mandating BABA compliance for HUD-funded projects hamstrings builders by dictating how they source materials, driving up the cost of construction, and increasing the time to market.
We also cannot afford to forget about our Tribal communities. Montana is home to 12 distinct Tribal Nations, and NAHASDA reauthorization and modernization would be a game changer for them.
NAHASDA is a lifeline for Indian Country, and its authorization lapsed after fiscal year 2013. This law consolidated and authorized Indian housing programs, which provide Tribes greater autonomy when using Federal resources for housing projects on Tribal lands.
Mr. Speaker, homeownership is a cornerstone of the American Dream. Families should not have to wait decades before buying their first house. Kids should grow up playing in the living room of their childhood home, not a rental.
Sadly, what was once a reality is fast becoming just that, a dream. The American people are looking to Congress for a solution. Let's give them one by getting this bill to President Trump's desk as soon as possible.
Mr. Speaker, I thought the gentleman's words were spot on, simply getting the government out of the way. This is not about spending. This is about common sense and releasing the idea of the American free market system. It really shows the support this bill has by again a 390-9 vote. There is a great level of support for this bipartisan effort. We are simply increasing supply in order to reduce costs.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Crank).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend, Mr. Haridopolos from Florida, for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the pursuit of the American Dream, the dream of one day owning a home, is quickly becoming increasingly unattainable for so many Americans, thanks in part, to costly regulations and market factors.
With housing prices surging, evidence shows that we have a supply problem, but let's look more into why this might be.
In my home State of Colorado, regulations account for 39 percent of the cost of building a new home. Thirty-nine percent of the cost is government imposed regulation. For those who might be wondering what that means, that means if you pay $5, $2 of that, Mr. Speaker, is just because of regulation. That is what is causing the problem.
Government should exist to provide order and protection for its citizens. It shouldn't be there with overbearing mandates that make life more difficult and expensive, especially for something as fundamental as property and homeownership.
One of the contributing factors to these regulatory costs is the agenda informed energy codes that States like Colorado are mandating. They ignore science, and they even push aside stakeholders, the builders, the people who actually build the homes and make this American Dream. They push them aside in the creation process. Unelected bureaucrats have mandated these energy codes blinded in their pursuit of climate change altering results.
Instead, I argue these codes should promote affordability, and they should decrease the regulatory burden on our homebuilders instead of increasing that burden.
Simply put, it is impossible to achieve a more affordable home building atmosphere while adding regulations to the books instead of removing them.
Mr. Speaker, it really is that simple. To incentivize States to roll back these mandates, I introduced the Freeing Residential Affordable Markets From Excess Regulations, or FRAMER Act. This piece of legislation would require States to reimburse homebuilders for the cost difference between State mandated energy codes and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's minimum standard for homes built within Federal Opportunity Zones.
Stakeholders in my district, builders and citizens who want to reach the American Dream, tell me that the cost of energy code mandates totals in the thousands in added costs. In some cases tens of thousands of dollars are added to the cost for a home.
It is long overdue that States change their ways. If we want to make housing more affordable, then we have to make it cheaper for homebuilders to do what they want to do, build.
The only way we can do this is to get the government out of the way and remove these costly regulations that are only increasing the cost of housing across America to help every American realize the American Dream.
Removing that regulation is part of what the Housing for the 21st Century Act does. It cuts red tape, and it makes a difference for average Americans.
I am very proud to have supported this piece of legislation. I do hope that the Senate will take this up and get it over to the President so that he can sign it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Florida for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida for yielding, and I thank Chairman Hill and members of the Financial Services Committee who helped bring this legislation, the Housing for the 21st Century, to the House floor and helped get it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
Throughout our Nation, the American people are experiencing a housing crisis that has been years in the making.
From 2020 to 2024, the cost of a home soared 37 percent. Over that same period, rents increased 24 percent. Many communities, including those that I represent in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, have seen even sharper increases. In Allentown, home prices have increased 63 percent in the past 5 years while rents have risen 44 percent. Working families who were already squeezed by the worst inflation in decades have been stretched to the limit by these increases, dashing their hopes and derailing their plans.
For millions of hardworking Americans, especially young people, renting has become a painful burden, and homeownership has become a near impossibility. Apartments in cities should not be reserved only for those who can afford luxury units. They should be accessible to all working Americans who
For millions of Americans striving to afford the American Dream: We hear you, and we see you.
That is why this Financial Services Committee, led by Chairman Hill, has brought this legislation to the floor. It is why the administration and President Trump are speaking out about changes to our housing situation right here in the United States.
Congress is now working in a bipartisan way to resolve this issue and bring back housing affordability. In 2025, as a part of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, we passed what has been called the largest expansion ever of affordable housing tax credits. Our reforms to the low-income housing tax credit are predicted to create 1.2 million additional affordable housing units over the next decade, helping millions more Americans access the high-quality affordable housing they deserve. We have also passed legislation like the SPEED Act, clearing away bureaucratic obstacles that are slowing down construction and driving up costs.
Today, the Housing for the 21st Century Act will help us take an additional step forward.
This bipartisan legislation tackles some of the biggest challenges driving today's housing shortage, cutting red tape, streamlining Federal processes, and using public policy to support housing production rather than slow it down. By enabling jurisdictions to adopt ready-to-use, pre-approved home designs, it helps builders focus on building instead of navigating unnecessary bureaucracy. By modernizing key HUD programs and coordinating outdated review processes, it ensures the department supports construction and opportunity rather than standing in the way. By expanding flexible financing tools for community and neighborhood lenders, it empowers them to do what they do best: serve local communities and help power America's housing comeback.
We know that solving the housing crisis requires a lot of changes for our State and local government partners, but we in the Federal Government have a role to play as well, one where we can help facilitate these changes as opposed to more bureaucracy or rules that stand in the way of American talent and ingenuity. By embracing these reforms, we can help grow the housing supply, expand opportunity, and unlock the American Dream for millions of Americans.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the good words of Mr. Mackenzie and putting in perspective what folks in Pennsylvania face every day because of the rising housing costs through the years.
As I get ready to close, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank, first of all, again Chairman Hill. I have the pleasure of being in that committee, and it is so exciting to see a chairman who brings everyone together in a bipartisan fashion to pass commonsense legislation.
What has been highlighted throughout the day today is the fact that it is not about spending more money, it is about reducing the regulatory burden that has caused prices to rise so rapidly as Congressman Crank brought up in the State of Colorado.
Let's not forget again why we are facing this crisis. One is illegal immigration. Ten million people are increasing the demand when there is not enough supply. We are literally 5.5 million units short.
Secondly, let's not forget that when the Biden administration began, interest rates were 2.7 percent. It got as high as 7.8 percent. To understand that number and put it in perspective, in the community that I live in, that means you are paying $1,200 more a month in interest payments, going from under 3 percent to almost 8 percent because of Big Government spending programs that simply failed in the Biden economy.
Finally, as has been highlighted by Mr. Mackenzie and others tonight, the regulatory burden on the Federal, State, and local levels were so duplicative that you had costs rising dramatically.
This bill tackles each of those issues. We are tackling illegal immigration. We are tackling the interest rate issue, which is finally coming down. Finally, the regulatory burden will be reduced so that we will liberate folks once again from this high regulation, Big Government debacle.
Mr. Speaker, I thank each of the speakers tonight: Congressman Barr from Kentucky, Congressman Stutzman from Indiana, Congressman Kennedy from Utah, Congressman Downing from Montana, and Congressman Crank from Colorado, along with Congressman Mackenzie from Pennsylvania for lending their comments tonight, as well as our Speaker tonight, who encourages us every step of the way.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity tonight. This is so important that for once we are showing that Washington can work. We rarely see in a substantive bill like this a 390-9 vote. We can come together when good ideas are shared. I am just so proud of the work done by the Financial Services Committee and the staff which is with us tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 1 minute p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
