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01The House met at noon and was called to order by the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Taylor).
02Designation of Speaker Pro Tempore
04After Recess
05After Recess
06Joint Resolution Presented to the President
07Adjournment
1 member spoke
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
14 public bills, H.R. 7640- 7653; and 5 resolutions, H. Res. 1070-1074 were introduced.
Pages H2257-58
Reports Filed
Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 4294, to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a pilot program with respect to the sale of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-510); H.R. 6365, to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue a right- of-way for an emergency exit on certain National Park Service land in the State of Virginia, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-511); H.R. 3340, to provide for the standardization, publication, and accessibility of data relating to public outdoor recreational use of Federal waterways, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-512); H.R. 2130, to require the Bureau of Indian Affairs to process and complete all mortgage packages associated with residential and business mortgages on Indian land by certain deadlines, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-513); and H.R. 3073, to confer jurisdiction on the State of Utah with respect to civil causes of action arising on or within the Indian lands of the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-514).
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Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Taylor to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
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Recess
The House recessed at 12:24 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m.
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Guest Chaplain
The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Rev. Jonathan Slavinskas, St. Bernard's Church of Our Lady of Providence Parish, Worcester, MA.
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Recess
The House recessed at 2:07 p.m. and reconvened at 4 p.m.
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Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Act: H.R. 390, amended, to utilize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations project of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires;
Page H2241
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To utilize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations project of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for other purposes'';
Pages H2241-42
Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act
H.R. 2600, amended, to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration;
Pages H2242-44
Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act
H.R. 3679, amended, to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop resources for small businesses in utilizing artificial intelligence; and
Pages H2244-45
Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act
H.R. 5235, amended, to amend title 41, United States Code, to prohibit minimum educational requirements for proposed contractor personnel in certain contract solicitations.
Pages H2247-48
Suspensions: Proceedings Postponed
The House debated the following measures under suspension of the rules. Further proceedings were postponed. Information Quality Assurance Act: H.R. 6329, to ensure that Federal agencies rely on the best reasonably available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical information and evidence to develop, issue or inform the public of the nature and bases of Federal agency rules and guidance; and
Pages H2245-47
Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act
S. 2503, to require all aircraft to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In, to improve aviation safety.
Pages H2248-57
Quorum Calls: Votes
There were no Yea and Nay votes, and there were no Recorded votes. There were no quorum calls. Adjournment: The House met at 12 p.m. and adjourned at 5:16 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: 72 of 110 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 highlight a development in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, with positive impacts not just for the community but for our entire Nation.
Last week, I had the privilege of participating in the opening of the expansion of the Kongsberg Defense in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The expanded Johnstown production site represents millions of dollars in investment in 20 new high-quality jobs for the area.
For more than two decades, this facility has produced critical remote weapon systems that support the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army. Since its opening, this Johnstown site has produced over 20,000 remote weapon stations and remote turrets, providing high-skilled employment opportunities in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District.
This expansion signifies a strong commitment to domestic manufacturing, while also bolstering our military readiness and capabilities. In a world of growing tensions with foreign adversaries, investments like this are essential to our national security. They are essential for maintaining that peace through strength that President Trump has promised.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the meaningful and long-overdue step toward restoring fairness and transparency in our prescription drug market by passing the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, now signed into law by President Trump.
For years, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce has ultimately led the fight to crack down on pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, whose hidden practices too often fail patients and, rather, enrich the health insurance companies in America.
These historic reforms take important first steps to hold PBMs accountable by delinking PBM compensation from the price of the drug. This legislation replaces hidden incentives with a flat-fee model.
By requiring full transparency into how PBMs operate, this will give employers and everyday Americans visibility into hidden costs and rebates before they purchase a health insurance plan.
These changes promote several things. They promote accountability. They promote protecting patient choice. They promote ensuring that hidden fees are not in the price of the patient's medicine.
This is a pro-patient reform that will ultimately lower costs at the pharmacy counter and deliver a more affordable healthcare system for all of America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Rebecca Conner-Miller on her selection for the 2026 Dr. Laura Hummell Technology Innovator of the Year Award, which is one of Pennsylvania's most prestigious honors in educational technology.
Presented annually by the Pennsylvania Educational Technology Expo and Conference, this award honors educators who elevate technology into a tool that is used for exploration and opportunity.
Rebecca is a teacher at Mifflin County High School. Through her teaching, students explore engineering design, digital fabrication, robotics, and manufacturing challenges that mirror real-world industry. Rebecca's colleagues praise her for her leadership and creativity.
Mr. Speaker, I extend congratulations to Ms. Conner-Miller on her selection for the Dr. Laura Hummell Technology Innovator of the Year Award. She is providing students the blueprint for a successful future.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael Clark for being selected as the Outstanding Agriculture Education Teacher of the Year. This is one of the highest honors for his profession.
Michael is an agriculture teacher at the Greenwood High School in Perry County, Pennsylvania.
The national award that Michael received recognizes teachers who demonstrate innovation and program development, a commitment to lifelong learning, and dedication to shaping the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of everyone in Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Michael on his selection for the national Outstanding Agriculture Education Teacher of the Year Award and express gratitude for his passionate commitment to the academic achievement of his students.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and career of the great Robert Duvall, who passed away on February 15 at the age of 95.
Many know Mr. Duvall as one of the most iconic actors and filmmakers of his generation. He is known worldwide for his unparalleled range and for bringing to life some of the greatest stories ever told, such as his haunting debut as Boo Radley in ``To Kill a Mockingbird'' and powerful portrayal of Tom Hagen in ``The Godfather.''
In our community, we know him as just a great guy and great human being, an Army veteran who served our country, and a man of quiet integrity, who preferred his Virginia farm to the glitz of Hollywood.
Robert lived by a simple rule: listen, really listen. He did that as a resident of Fauquier County, where he was known as a great neighbor and environmentalist, who supported so many causes in our community.
In Winchester, he supported a children's home, often visiting the kids with gifts, like gingerbread houses during the holidays.
As Robert once said: ``Yesterday is gone, and we can't get it back.'' While we cannot get him back, we are left with an incredible legacy that he leaves behind in our community and around the world.
Mr. Speaker, I extend my condolences to all of his family. May he rest in peace, and may his legacy in Hollywood and in our community continue to inspire.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the incredible life of Witold ``Vic'' Brick, a local veteran in Loudoun County who fought with the Allies in World War II.
Vic passed away last week at the age of 103. He was born in Warsaw in 1923, and he graduated from school in 1943.
After experiencing the worsening conditions under German occupation, Vic joined the Polish underground movement, the AK.
The AK was the primary Polish resistance of the Germans in World War II, tasked with sabotaging German military efforts. He was part of an uprising that lasted 63 days until it was captured. Vic was amazingly able to survive this and was liberated by General Patton.
Vic didn't stop his service there. After being rescued, he joined the Polish 2nd Corps, part of the British Eighth under the command of General Alexander, who served bravely until the end of the war.
It was Congress that allowed Vic and 10,000 other Polish servicemen living in England to immigrate to the United States.
Vic considered himself lucky in an unlucky situation and remained forever grateful for the opportunities he was given as an American citizen.
Vic was a valued part of our community in Loudoun County. We were proud to have him and lucky to hear his stories about all the years that he served, as well as the years after that.
Vic is survived by his children, George, Kay, and Michelle, and his nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
May Witold ``Vic'' Brick rest in peace and his bravery inspire others to do the right thing, even when the odds are against you.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in response to the recent interim rule from the Department of Veterans Affairs that would change how disability benefits are determined for our veterans.
Under this rule, disability ratings would be based not on the underlying condition, but on how a veteran presents after medication.
If you have severe PTSD and take medication for it, your benefits will be evaluated not based on your underlying PTSD but based on your condition after taking the medication at the time you are being evaluated.
Remember, these medications wear off. Maybe you seem fine right now after taking your medication during your evaluation, but then the medication doesn't work later on or loses its effectiveness over time. You are still judged based on the time you were evaluated.
We are creating a system here that is destined to fail our veterans. We are even incentivizing them not to take their medication if they want to receive full benefits.
Thankfully, because of public backlash, the VA has said that it will not enforce this rule right now. However, the rule is still in place, and it can be enforced at any time.
Veterans relying on these lifesaving medications every day are still left in limbo, not only for their mental health but for their chronic pain, traumatic brain injuries, seizures, heart disease, diabetes, and all the other ailments that they have suffered as a result of their service.
These medications do not cure disabilities. They help veterans function despite them.
It makes no sense, and it is wrong for a veteran's benefits to be dependent on how well their medication is working during the time of evaluation. We must eliminate this rule once and for all.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to memorialize Lance Corporal Chukwuemeka Oforah, a marine stationed at Camp Lejeune who tragically lost his life in a recent boating accident.
While conducting operations in the Caribbean on February 7, Oforah fell overboard while on the USS Iwo Jima, prompting an extensive multibranch, 72-hour search-and-rescue effort by the Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
Despite these efforts, Oforah was later declared deceased. Despite the bravery and dedication of all those looking for him, sadly enough, his body was not found.
Oforah, an infantry rifleman, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2023, graduated from Parris Island in February 2024, and completed the School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. He was later assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment.
We mourn the loss of his life. May God give peace to his family in their time of profound grief.
At the time of his passing, he was deployed with Battalion Landing Team 3/6 and the 22nd MEU aboard the Iwo Jima.
We pray that the family feels the gratitude of a nation that will never forget their son's sacrifice.
Our servicemembers sacrifice so much in the line of duty and risk their lives to keep our country safe and free.
As the Representative of Camp Lejeune, as well as Cherry Point and New River Air Stations, I remain steadfast in my commitment to supporting our heroes in uniform and their families who stand behind them.
May we honor Lance Corporal Oforah not only with our words but with our unwavering support for those who continue to serve.
Mr. Speaker, if you want to understand the strength of a community, look at the men and women who quietly built it, not for recognition or reward, but because it was the right thing to do.
Today, I rise to honor one of those men, Joe Leeper of Fernandina Beach, Florida, who passed away at 97 after an amazing life of service.
Born in 1928, Joe was part of a generation of Americans who answered the call to serve, worked hard, raised strong families, and built communities.
In 1946, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving honorably during
After the Navy, Joe drove a Greyhound bus but sought to become a police officer in Fernandina Beach. The story goes, he approached the chief with: ``Chief, how do I become a police officer?'' The chief asked him: ``Can you start today?'' and he did.
After several years in law enforcement, Joe went on to spend 27 years at Container Corporation, starting at the scale shack and retiring as a timber accountant.
Joe's greatest legacy, Mr. Speaker, and his greatest impact is on the kids in Nassau County, Florida. He coached Little League, led championship teams, and helped establish youth football, which continues to this day, giving thousands of kids the chance to play and cheer, including me and so many other Bean boys.
Joe also served 62 years as a Shriner and delighted so many by driving in parades with his three-wheeled motorcycle and dune buggy raising money for sick children.
Mr. Speaker, Joe Leeper didn't seek recognition. He simply showed up year after year for his country, his family, and his community.
On behalf of Florida's Fourth Congressional District, I and my wife, Abby, extend our deepest condolences to the entire Leeper family and Joe Leeper fans across northeast Florida. Joe's legacy lives on in every kid who plays and cheers in programs he pioneered through decades of faithful service. May he rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a friend and dairy advocate, Arden Tewksbury, who peacefully passed away on January 30 at the age of 93.
Arden graduated from Meshoppen High School in 1950. He was an avid baseball and basketball player, despite losing his arm above the elbow in an accident at a young age. He served as a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association basketball official as well as a member of the PIAA Board of Directors.
Additionally, Arden was the longest serving volunteer school board member of the Elk Lake School District with 64 years of service.
Arden operated a dairy farm in northeastern Pennsylvania and retired in 2003. He was a well-known advocate for dairy farms across the Commonwealth and worked with many farmers for more than five decades.
Arden served on committees of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Farmers Union. He also served on the board of the Eastern Milk Producers Cooperative as well as being their president for 5 years.
Arden was a lifetime member and former grange master of South Auburn Grange 1188. The Pennsylvania State Grange honored him in 1987 as the Pennsylvania State Granger of the Year.
In 1991, Arden founded the Progressive Agriculture Organization, where he advocated for fair milk prices for small, family-owned dairy farmers. Arden was well-known around Pennsylvania's capital in Harrisburg and in our Nation's Capital.
While I was yet to serve in this Chamber, Arden worked closely with former Senator Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania's longest serving Senator, to introduce S. 1722, the Federal Milk Marketing Improvement Act of 2007. This bill would have required the Secretary of Agriculture to determine the price of all milk used for manufactured purposes, classified as Class II milk, by using the national average cost of production.
More recently, he helped to get whole milk back in schools. The passage of the bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 was a great win, and I am glad Arden was able to see this legislation signed into law.
Mr. Speaker, Arden was loved by many people across the Commonwealth and will be dearly missed. He is a role model for so many. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Lieutenant Colonel William ``Skate'' Parks, an exceptional officer in the United States Air Force, who was awarded the Silver Star Medal, one of our Nation's highest honors for valor.
In early 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Parks served as mission commander for a 21-aircraft strike package in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. He led four F-16 Fighting Falcons on a suppression of enemy air defenses mission, deliberately placing himself in range of a heavily defended air defense zone.
For more than 15 minutes, with enemy missiles exploding mere feet from his aircraft and fuel below minimum levels, Lieutenant Colonel Parks flew defensive maneuvers, coordinated emergency refueling, and prevented the likely loss of multiple aircraft.
His courage and leadership contributed to a larger operation that defended our allies and advanced United States' security interests.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in recognizing Lieutenant Colonel William Parks for his extraordinary valor and dedicated service to our Nation as a member of the United States Air Force.
Securing Funding for Sea Turtle Conservation on the Space Coast
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight a meaningful investment in conservation on Florida's Space Coast.
We recently secured $1.75 million in Federal funding for the Brevard Zoo's Sea Turtle Healing Center at Port Canaveral and in Melbourne, building upon the amazing legacy of the Bowen family and so many other families that have been generous to the zoo and our community.
This funding will expand rescue and rehabilitation efforts for injured sea turtles and strengthen research and response capabilities along our Space Coast.
Sea turtles face threats from boat strikes, fishing gear, and environmental hazards. The Healing Center provides critical medical care and returns these animals to the wild whenever possible.
I had the incredible opportunity to sit down with some of these folks who care for our sea turtles just last week. This investment reflects a commitment to responsible stewardship and local priorities.
I am proud this funding was secured to support marine life and the community that depends on healthy waterways for all.
Mr. Speaker, we all saw the exciting victory by the United States men's national ice hockey team securing a Gold Medal for the United States for the first time since the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics. Before that, the 1960 American team had won the Gold out in California. It was the first time we won it overseas, but there are still more Olympics to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an outstanding athlete from our district, Brett Bolton, as he prepares to compete in the upcoming Winter Paralympics.
Hailing from Rockledge, Florida, Brett is a member of Team USA's Sled Hockey Team, which is pursuing its fifth Gold Medal. His dedication to the sport and his commitment to excellence represents the very best in American competition.
Representing our country on the world stage is an extraordinary honor, and our community is proud to see one of our own chasing that historic achievement of a Gold Medal, potentially the fifth in a row.
Hockey holds a special place in communities across our Nation as it builds upon resilience, teamwork, and character as also recognized by our women's team that also won in overtime earning the Gold Medal over the Canadians.
Brett's journey reminds us that the sport can unite us and inspire the next generation to push beyond its limits. As Team USA takes the ice in March in the Paralympics, we will be cheering on loudly for Brett Bolton and his teammates as part of Team USA.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the dedicated effort of first responders and wildlife experts who rescued a trapped manatee from a storm drain in Melbourne Beach.
Local police officers, firefighters, and wildlife officials quickly responded to the call. Working carefully and patiently, they assessed the situation, monitored the animal's condition, and coordinated a safe extraction.
This rescue highlights something special about our coastline communities. Floridians understand that protecting wildlife is part of protecting our way of life. Our waterways are home to remarkable species, and safeguarding them requires vigilance and teamwork.
Mr. Speaker, I commend the Melbourne Beach Police Department, local fire crews, and wildlife partners for their swift action. Their professionalism protected one of Florida's most cherished marine animals.
Mr. Speaker, this morning I am honored to have my dear friend, Father Jonathan Slavinskas, pastor of St. Bernard's Church of Our Lady of Providence Parish in my hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts, give today's opening prayer.
Father Jonathan, as he is known by his parishioners, is a true force of good in the Lincoln Street area. He is always a welcoming and friendly face who is known for buying pizza for the neighborhood kids or opening up the gym for pickup basketball games.
He is also the chaplain for both the Worcester Police Department and the Worcester Fire Department. He cares deeply about our immigrant community.
Day in and day out, Father Jonathan lives out his Catholic faith in big and small ways. He shows up for his community and is always there for his people, especially when they are going through rough times.
Father Jonathan has long been a cherished friend of the entire McGovern family, especially of my daughter, Molly, who sadly passed away last April. Lisa and I will forever be grateful to him.
Mr. Speaker, with a friendly smile and a touch of humor, Father Jonathan goes out of his way to make those around him welcome both in the church and in the neighborhood. We should all be inspired by his remarkable example.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate an incredible group of students at Penn State University who have helped raise money for pediatric cancer patients.
THON is a year-long fundraising effort that culminates in a 46-hour dance marathon. THON is the largest student-run philanthropy event in the world and will help to financially support almost 5,000 families with children who are battling cancer.
This weekend, students, staff, and volunteers filled the Bryce Jordan Center to raise awareness and money for the Four Diamonds Foundation. Over 700 THON participants danced for 46 hours straight.
THON was first originated in 1973 by Bill Lear as a proposed dance marathon to raise money for a good cause. Mr. Speaker, 78 students participated, and over $2,000 was raised. Over 40 years later, more than $236 million has been donated, and not a single Four Diamonds family has received a medical bill. This year, THON raised over $18 million.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the legacy that THON has established, and I am proud of the children and families who fight every day against pediatric cancer.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the people of Denmark and Greenland for their quick professional evacuation last Saturday of a U.S. submariner on board the USS Delaware 7 miles off Greenland's coast. The submariner was experiencing an acute medical problem that required immediate hospital care.
Mr. Speaker, I had the honor of representing the Connecticut submarine base where the USS Delaware and its crew are homeported. In the north Atlantic, our subs have conducted joint NATO patrols in the waters off Greenland, Iceland, and the U.K. for many decades which benefits U.S. Homeland Security. It is a team effort and Denmark's response to a U.S. sailor in distress is a powerful example of how the NATO alliance is not just based on words but rather meaningful deeds.
Mr. Speaker, for some reason, there has been deafening silence from our Commander in Chief and Navy leadership to publicly thank Denmark for its act of friendship on Saturday.
As the Representative of the USS Delaware's home port and ranking member of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, I will publicly tell the people of that nation that
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 390) to utlitize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations project of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, 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 Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) 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 to include extraneous material on H.R. 390, the bill that is now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 390, the ACERO Act, sponsored by Representatives Fong and McClellan. This important, bipartisan legislation will enhance our ability to respond to wildfires and mitigate the destruction that they cause.
Each year, wildfires burn millions of acres, threatening lives, destroying homes, and causing billions of dollars in damage. Federal agencies are increasingly turning to advanced technologies to improve wildfire detection, response, and suppression efforts.
Aerial capabilities are critical tools in combating wildfires, enabling crews to monitor fire behavior and spread, conduct suppression activities, and support ground operations. As unmanned aircraft systems continue to mature, they present new opportunities to strengthen aerial operations. Drones can map fire perimeters, assist with suppression efforts, enhance communications across large or remote areas, and even deliver equipment. In the future, some missions currently carried out by piloted helicopters may be performed by unmanned aircraft, which reduces risk to human life.
At the same time, aerial wildfire operations face significant challenges. Heavy smoke can severely limit visibility, grounding aircraft and disrupting response efforts. Rapidly changing fire behavior can complicate navigation and real-time coordination among multiple aircraft operating simultaneously. These airspace management challenges can hinder operations at the very moment decisive action is required.
NASA's Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations, or ACERO, project seeks to improve airspace management and coordination during emergency response activities. Building on prior NASA research, ACERO aims to enhance information sharing, communications, and airspace coordination while developing interoperable tools to improve situational awareness. More timely and accurate information can support safer, more effective decisionmaking and better coordination among Federal, State, and local agencies during wildfire events.
This legislation directs NASA to leverage its unique research and development expertise in aeronautics, airspace systems, and advanced technologies to further the objectives of the ACERO project in support of wildfire response.
This is a practical, forward-looking application of American innovation to protect lives, including those of our first responders. These brave men and women who risk their safety to combat wildfires deserve every available tool to bolster response capabilities and enhance operational safety.
I thank Representatives Fong and McClellan for their work to address this pressing need.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of 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. 390, the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations Act, or ACERO Act.
Destructive wildfires threaten human lives and communities around the country. Just over 1 year ago, the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires in southern California killed 31 people and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage.
In 2025, the U.S. experienced nearly 78,000 wildfires that burned more than 5 million acres. One tool we can use to prevent, mitigate, and respond to wildfires is aviation. Crewed aircraft have long been used to monitor and fight fires. Now, advanced aviation technologies and uncrewed aerial systems can advance our response to wildfires.
It is important now more than ever that crewed and uncrewed aircraft work together safely alongside ground operations. That means sharing and coordinating real-time operations information between aircraft, drone operators, and ground crews across multiple government agencies.
Here is where NASA and ACERO come in. NASA has done further research, development, and demonstration work, to use its tools and technologies for specific public safety applications, including wildfire response. The success of an initial pilot program led NASA to launch the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations project, or ACERO.
This legislation would formally codify the research and development efforts under ACERO in law. This bill directs NASA to conduct research and development activities to improve aerial responses to wildfires.
Additionally, NASA would be authorized under this bill to conduct research in areas including advanced aircraft technologies and airspace management, information sharing and real-time data exchange, and the development of an interagency coordination platform.
We need to ensure our first responders have access to the most advanced tools to respond to wildfires. This bill supports using NASA's brightest minds and cutting-edge technologies to support the safety of our communities. The ACERO Act will enable safer, more effective aerial operations for Federal, State, and local efforts on the front lines of wildfire management and response.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Fong and Ms. McClellan, for their work on this bill. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 390, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, the ACERO Act promotes the development of advanced technologies to strengthen our wildfire response efforts. NASA should leverage its unique aeronautics expertise to improve the emergency operations involving aerial assets. ACERO seeks to enhance situational awareness, coordination, and information sharing among aerial platforms, both piloted and unmanned. This bill recognizes the important work already underway and encourages NASA to continue advancing these efforts.
Again, I thank Representatives Fong and McClellan for their bipartisan leadership.
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 Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 390, 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 utilize the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations project of NASA to improve aerial responses to wildfires, and for other purposes.''.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2600) to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, 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 Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2600, the bill that is now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2600, the ASCEND Act, sponsored by Representatives Hurd and Bonamici.
Commercial remote sensing is an increasingly important part of the growing space economy. In recent years, technological advancements and lower launch costs have enabled American companies to expand their remote sensing capabilities and to deliver innovative, high-quality satellite data at competitive prices.
Recognizing this potential, NASA established a pilot program in 2017 to assess how the agency could leverage commercial satellite data to support mission objectives.
Through this effort, NASA gained valuable experience working directly with the commercial sector. The agency evaluated available satellite data, explored how it could advance scientific research and applications, and developed acquisition approaches that allowed for appropriate government use and dissemination.
The pilot program demonstrated that commercially provided datasets can effectively complement NASA's existing capabilities. The ASCEND Act builds on that success by authorizing the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program within NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
This legislation ensures that NASA can continue to evaluate, access, and utilize cost-effective, cutting-edge commercial data to advance its scientific research and applications. At the same time, it supports the growth of the space economy and strengthens the United States leadership in space.
I thank Representatives Hurd and Bonamici for their bipartisan work to bring this bill to the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the ASCEND Act, 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 the ASCEND Act. The bill would codify the successful Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition pilot program.
The data acquired from the pilot project was shown to complement Earth observations from NASA's fleet of satellites and instruments. NASA has continued these activities as the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program.
This bill also allows us to acquire commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from vendors. The bill also includes provisions to support data publication, transparency, and reports to Congress, and to ensure the widest possible use of the data procured under the program consistent with program goals.
This bill supports both science and our commercial remote sensing industry, such as companies in my home Commonwealth of Virginia, by augmenting scientific research with additional sources of data and leveraging commercial capabilities.
I thank the bill's sponsors for their work on the ASCEND Act and encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 2600, the Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act, the ASCEND Act.
This bill builds on a model that already works. In 2017, NASA launched the Commercial Small Satellite Data Acquisition Pilot Program to test whether commercially available Earth observation data could support NASA's scientific missions. The results were clear: Participating scientists found the data reliable, valuable, and highly effective across a broad range of research applications.
The ASCEND Act takes that successful pilot and makes it permanent. It directs NASA to formally establish a commercial satellite acquisition program within the Science Mission Directorate so that the agency can routinely access cost-effective commercial data to complement its own Earth observation missions.
This is a practical approach. Instead of duplicating capabilities, NASA can leverage private-sector innovation. Through commercial licensing, researchers gain access to high-quality satellite data that supports wildfire response, agricultural monitoring, disaster preparedness, reforestation, and environmental tracking. That data translates directly into better decisionmaking on the ground.
This is a model where private investment strengthens public missions, and it supports American jobs, including in Colorado's growing commercial space sector.
The bill also includes appropriate oversight. It requires an annual report to Congress detailing the data acquired, its sources, how it is used within NASA, as well as its measurable impact. That transparency ensures accountability while allowing the program to grow.
At a time when commercial space innovation is accelerating rapidly, Congress should ensure NASA has the flexibility to use the best tools available. The ASCEND Act strengthens America's scientific leadership, supports our domestic space industry, and ensures taxpayer dollars are used efficiently.
I thank Chairman Babin for advancing my bill to the floor. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2600.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Hurd and Ms. Bonamici, for their work on this legislation. It is a great bill. I am a cosponsor myself. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2600, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, over the past two decades, the United States commercial space sector has experienced significant growth and maturity.
The Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition pilot program that NASA launched in 2017 is one example of how the agency has embraced this evolution.
By enabling the continued acquisition of commercial satellite data, the ASCEND Act will complement NASA's scientific efforts and ensure that the agency has access to the innovative capabilities being developed by America's commercial space sector. The ability to procure this data will strengthen U.S. leadership in the global space industry.
Again, I thank Representatives Hurd, Kean, and Bonamici for their work on this important legislation. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2600, 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. 3679) to require the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop resources for small businesses in utilizing artificial intelligence, 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 Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3679, the bill that is now under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be here to support H.R. 3679, the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representatives Mike Collins and Haley Stevens.
American small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it is essential that they leverage cutting-edge innovations to keep the United States at the forefront of the global economy.
As chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee, I have closely followed the accelerating growth of artificial intelligence, or AI, technologies and their wide-ranging applications across industries nationwide.
Major U.S. companies are rapidly developing their own AI technologies and investing in the resources needed to integrate AI into their operations. AI holds tremendous promise. Incorporating it into a business model is complex and requires significant expertise and capital.
As a result, many small businesses have not yet been able to fully unlock AI's potential. It is time to ensure small businesses can harness these capabilities as well, strengthening American entrepreneurship and competing with the Chinese Communist Party across every dimension of the AI race, including business innovation.
This legislation directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, to develop and share practical resources to help small businesses better understand and adopt artificial intelligence technologies.
This bill is a bipartisan effort to ensure American businesses remain competitive in the AI race and to reinforce our economic leadership globally.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representatives Collins and Stevens for their work on this very important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3679, 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 the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act. We are already seeing companies around the world use AI for customer service, cybersecurity, talent recruitment, and even content production.
While AI can bring significant benefits to companies of all sizes, small companies can't afford to take advantage of these benefits. They don't have the millions of dollars and the teams of consultants. They get left behind despite their immense potential. For the small businesses that form the backbone of our economy, navigating rapidly challenging and changing tools like AI can be overwhelming.
This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish and distribute resources on how small businesses can adopt AI tools and risk management practices. It would build on NIST's Small Business Cybersecurity Corner program to help small businesses by providing voluntary guidance on adopting AI and avoiding potential issues with the technology. This bill will help level the playing field for small companies rolling out AI.
AI should be an opportunity for every American business, not just those with the biggest budgets. As AI rapidly evolves from simple automation to agents that could interact with customers, handle sensitive data, and even make decisions, the stakes for getting it right on privacy and cybersecurity are growing. This bill will ensure that our small businesses have access to the practical resources they need to harness this technology.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to speak for consideration of H.R. 3679, the Small Business Artificial Intelligence Advancement Act.
America has seen great innovation in its 250 years, from the lightbulb to the internet and now artificial intelligence. The benefits of AI must be made available for more than big corporations. They must reach every facet of our economy.
Small businesses are the backbone of the United States economy, representing nearly 43 percent of the U.S. GDP and employing 46 percent of the workforce. These are our neighbors, our friends, and our families. They are the heart of Main Street USA.
As AI and industries advance, we must ensure that they are not left behind. Too often, small businesses lack the technical know-how or financial resources to adopt AI, which is putting them at a growing disadvantage.
That is why I introduced H.R. 3679. This bipartisan legislation directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop resources to voluntarily educate small businesses on best practices when integrating AI into their businesses.
Through this legislation, we will level the playing field. We will ensure small businesses have the ability to modernize and remain competitive against their larger counterparts. Main Street is what keeps the American spirit alive. With this bill, we will ensure that Main Street is safe for generations to come.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Collins and Ms. Stevens, for their work on this bill. I think we are all in agreement that small businesses should be able to take advantage of the immense potential of AI as well as be able to understand the risks and cybersecurity pitfalls that may come out of it.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 3679, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the time to use artificial intelligence in business is now, and we must do everything we can to support small business efforts to harness the power of this technology. The National Institute of Standards and Technology can greatly help American small businesses understand and adopt AI to strengthen American businesses and our economy. H.R. 3679 will eliminate roadblocks to and increase implementation of AI.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3679, 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. 6329) to ensure that Federal agencies rely on the best reasonably available scientific, technical, demographic, economic, and statistical information and evidence to develop, issue or inform the public of the nature and bases of Federal agency rules and guidance, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Timmons) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
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 measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6329, the Information Quality Assurance Act of 2025.
Historically, thousands of Federal regulations have been imposed each year as an added burden on the American public.
The Code of Federal Regulations, in which these rules are housed, spans 243 volumes that contain over 180,000 single-spaced pages. Agency guidance explaining these regulations to the public likely spans millions more pages.
If we must have rules imposed by Federal regulatory agencies, we should, at the very least, ensure that regulatory agencies rely on the best available information.
Unfortunately, agencies frequently do not rely on the best available information to create their regulations. Year after year, the Federal courts are clogged with litigation brought by regulated parties who point out that Federal agencies have acted based on flawed information.
Over the years, Congress has tried to improve this situation.
In 2000, Congress enacted the Information Quality Act, which charged the Office of Management and Budget and each Federal agency to adopt guidelines to ensure agencies relied on high-quality information.
In 2015, Congress enacted the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act, expanding on the Information Quality Act to further ensure agencies use high-quality information in their program administration.
Still, year after year, disputes arise over whether regulators are basing their decisions on the best-quality information available. Every year, courts strike down agency rules that do not rely on adequate information.
The Information Quality Assurance Act takes several major but straightforward steps to solve that problem. For the first time, it requires that the information which agencies use to form their rules and guidance be the best reasonably available information.
It also includes several additional terms to make sure agencies are finally held to that standard. This legislation will improve the quality of agency decisionmaking, improve the acceptability of new rules and guidance, and avoid the need for many disputes over agencies' use of information to go to court.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill and thank Representative Lisa McClain for her reintroduction of this important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6329. This is about improving the quality and transparency of information Federal agencies use to make rules.
The bill would require OMB to update their guidance to ensure agencies use high-quality, reliable information when creating new rules. That means the best scientific, technical, economic, or statistical information available.
Agencies would also have to make public the models, methods, and information sources they use in rulemaking. Anyone in the public can then give feedback on the information agencies use. The bill requires OMB to report any public complaints to Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Information Quality Assurance Act. This bill is common sense and restores accountability, transparency, and trust in how the Federal Government uses information to make decisions that impact the American people.
Every day, Federal agencies issue regulations that affect our workers, our small businesses, and our local communities. These decisions can carry billions of dollars of economic consequences. Yet, too often, those rules are based on incomplete data, outdated science, or information that hasn't been properly reviewed for accuracy or transparency. That is simply bad governing.
Americans deserve to know that when Washington bureaucrats act, they are using reliable, high-quality information, not assumptions, not political agendas, and not flawed data.
My bill strengthens safeguards to ensure Federal agencies rely on data that meets clear standards for objectivity, integrity, and accountability before new regulations move forward. This bill makes government work better. It ensures decisions are guided by facts, and it protects taxpayers from costly regulatory mistakes.
Businesses, job creators, and families deserve confidence that Federal rules are grounded in reality and not bureaucracy. At its core, this is about trust. It is about trust that government decisions are fair, trust that agencies are transparent, and trust that the American people come before politics.
The Information Quality Assurance Act reinforces a basic principle. Better information leads to better policy, and better policy leads to better outcomes for the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud that this effort brings accountability back into the rulemaking process, and I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill. It is a simple, commonsense measure that is sure to improve the quality of Federal rulemaking for our constituents.
In the 118th Congress, a similar version of this legislation passed the House on an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 377-4. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in support of this important 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 South Carolina (Mr. Timmons) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6329.
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. 5235) to amend title 41, United States Code, to prohibit minimum educational requirements for proposed contractor personnel in certain contract solicitations, 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 South Carolina (Mr. Timmons) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.
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 measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from South Carolina?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5235, the Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act, which reins in unnecessary degree requirements in Federal contracting.
The Federal Government relies heavily on contract employees. Many jobs in fields like IT and building construction are available through nondegree pathways such as apprenticeships and boot camps. That is why private-sector employers have pared back degree requirements for hiring in recent years.
Unfortunately, Federal solicitations sometimes include requirements mandating that individuals who perform the work hold certain education credentials. We should not prohibit those with the right technical skills from performing Federal contract work just because they lack a traditional degree.
The companies who employ them, those that offer apprenticeships and engage in skills-based hiring, should be encouraged to compete for government contracts, not be excluded from competition.
This bill helps ensure that Federal contractors are able to hire who they want to hire without additional red tape by prohibiting contract officers from stipulating education and experience requirements in contracts, unless the contracting officer can justify in writing that they are necessary to meet the needs of the agency.
I urge my colleagues to support this bill. I thank Ms. Mace, the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, for her work on this important reform.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5235. This bill makes it easier for Americans who have valuable skills and experience to be hired as contractors, even if they don't have college degrees. It gets rid of minimum education and experience requirements that don't make sense in some of these Federal contracting solicitations.
That is not to say a college education isn't valuable; but, too often, Federal agencies put unnecessary degree requirements on contractor positions. These unnecessary requirements hurt a lot of people.
More than 77 percent of Americans over 25 don't have a bachelor's degree. Many of those individuals have skills, training, and knowledge to support our agencies and serve the American people. We shouldn't block them from those opportunities.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 5235, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from South Carolina for
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of our bill, the Skills- Based Federal Contracting Act. The price of admission should not be a 4-year college degree.
At a hearing I held last Congress in the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, a witness from IBM testified that Federal contractors are rarely able to place an individual without a 4-year degree on a technology services contract, regardless of their qualifications. This problem extends beyond technology and service contracts.
Across the Federal Government, many contract solicitations include unnecessary degree requirements, mandating individuals who perform various tasks hold specific education credentials such as 4-year college degrees.
The Federal Government spends hundreds of billions of dollars outsourcing work to millions of contractors to perform the functions of government. This immense purchasing power shapes the entire labor market.
When we embed unnecessary degree requirements into Federal contracting solicitations, we are not just making a hiring decision; we are sending a signal to the entire economy that a college diploma is a prerequisite for economic opportunity.
With less than 40 percent of Americans holding a 4-year college degree, this creates a paper ceiling where talented Americans are excluded from opportunity, regardless of how qualified they may be, simply because they lack a college degree.
The Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act bill would tear through this paper ceiling by prohibiting the Federal Government from including a minimum educational requirement for proposed contractor personnel in a Federal contract solicitation, unless the contracting officer provides a written justification for why the needs of the agency cannot be met without such requirements.
Think about the immense economic value and economic opportunity created in this country by individuals who didn't finish college. These include Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, and Steve Jobs. Under onerous degree requirements, it would have been nearly impossible for any of these individuals to have been placed on a government contract.
Across the private sector, we have seen companies move to phase out or even eliminate degree requirements, recognizing a college degree does not serve as an effective proxy for competence or skills. It is far past time the Federal Government follows suit.
This bill in no way tells private companies how to hire or who to hire. Rather, it removes unnecessary Federal restrictions on their ability to hire the best qualified Americans who acquired their skills through alternative pathways.
In some cases, required education credentials are warranted. For example, we expect a doctor to have a medical degree, but only a small fraction of Federal contract work falls into these types of categories.
In the case that it does, this bill would simply require a brief justification in writing from a contracting officer before they exclude over 60 percent of American workers who do not have a 4-year degree from the chance to compete.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the lead Democratic cosponsor of this bill, Representative Krishnamoorthi, for joining me in this effort.
Skills-based hiring has been a rare area of widespread bipartisan and nonpartisan support in Congress. The Skills-Based Federal Contracting Act passed out of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on an enormously bipartisan basis by a vote of 44-0.
Together, we can provide all Americans, regardless of whether they studied classic literature in ivory towers, with economic opportunity and the chance to work on behalf of their fellow citizens serving our country.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this commonsense, nonpartisan bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues and the patrons for their work on this bill. I urge colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 5235, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly support this bill. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, which puts merit back into Federal contracts.
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 South Carolina (Mr. Timmons) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5235, 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 (S. 2503) to require all aircraft to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In, to improve aviation safety, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen) 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 in the Record on S. 2503.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, aviation has been in my blood for my entire life, and it continues to be something that I love very much.
In the middle of my family farm in Tarkio, Missouri, is the Gould Peterson Municipal Airport, which is named after my uncle. Growing up, when my brother and I weren't doing chores on the farm, we would do anything we could at the airport just to mooch a ride. That love of aviation and being a professional pilot has never left me.
When I came to Congress in 2001, I joined the Transportation Committee to work on these issues, and it has been extremely rewarding. Being a pilot has provided me with an invaluable insight into these issues.
Throughout the years, I have worked on several pieces of legislation that addressed safety gaps following unimaginable tragedies. Every aviation accident typically has multiple contributing factors. Too often, I have seen Congress act prematurely and in a way that fails to address multilayered causes of accidents in a comprehensive and consensus-driven manner, in some instances to the detriment of fostering sound safety policy that prevents unintended consequences.
That is why I have long believed that the best way to honor victims of aviation accidents is for Congress to wait until the NTSB completes its investigation so that Congress first has all the facts.
On January 29, 2025, an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight while on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The fatal collision claimed the lives of all 67 passengers and crew in both aircraft.
The NTSB, along with their Federal partners and law enforcement agencies, jumped into action that cold January night. Over the last year, the NTSB carried out one of the most impressive and comprehensive investigations that I have seen, and I thank the NTSB for their dedicated work over the past year.
The NTSB officially concluded its investigation and issued its final report last week, including numerous findings, the probable cause, and 50 recommendations to ensure that this doesn't occur again.
It is my deeply rooted respect for the NTSB's investigations and processes that has led me to believe that S. 2503 does not sufficiently or properly address the findings and recommendations of the Board.
That is why, last Friday, I joined together with Transportation Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Armed Services Committee Chairman Rogers, and Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Smith to introduce the ALERT Act.
The ALERT Act is a comprehensive package of improvements that addresses all 50 safety recommendations issued by the NTSB. Unlike the bill before us today, the ALERT Act tackles all the identified root causes that led to this deadly crash.
Unfortunately, the ROTOR Act, or this piece of legislation, touches on only two of the NTSB's 50 recommendations and provides an overly prescriptive approach to mandating a specific technology, which is still largely under development, in a manner that can prove burdensome to some operators and create burdens to its adoption.
Mr. Speaker, I remind my colleagues that we have been down this road before. We have been in this position before. Congress mandated the exact technology prescribed in the ROTOR Act in 2012. Due to the lack of maturity of the technology and scalable applications that can benefit a broad range of operators, the mandate proved to be so unworkable that the body had to repeal that mandate in 2018.
Sadly, many of the considerations that led Congress to repeal that mandate still exist today. Don't just take my word for it. Listen to the words of an NTSB Board member, who said in their final report: ``While we laud ADS-B systems as an emerging technology in commercial fixed-wing and rotorcraft aviation that could have prevented this accident, it is still exactly that, an emerging technology. There are still technological barriers to implementing ADS-B In into the 5,500 commercial aircraft that are in the skies at any given moment.''
Mr. Speaker, let me be extremely clear. As a pilot myself, I unequivocally support the adoption of safety enhancement technologies, and I want to get this right. Ultimately, any successful directive or mandate from Congress will be calculated, scalable, and future-proof, not a blanket mandate that limits the aviation community to one technology. We tried this before, and it failed, leading to no tangible safety benefit.
Mr. Speaker, my greatest fear is that passage of this legislation today in its current form will unintentionally lead to an operational crisis in 2031 and force future Congresses to have the same debate on the need to repeal another unworkable government mandate.
It is that concern that informed the approach that we took in the bipartisan ALERT Act. By implementing a performance-based and technology-agnostic approach, aircraft would be able to be equipped with the appropriate collision mitigation system, thereby enhancing awareness for all.
Mr. Speaker, while I rise in opposition to this bill, I know that all Members of this body across the Capitol have a shared priority, and that is commitment to aviation safety. It was that shared priority that brought us together last Congress to pass the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which was a landmark piece of legislation that is improving aviation safety and providing benefits to the flying public.
Here in the House, we will continue our legislative effort around the bipartisan ALERT Act to ensure that all NTSB recommendations are addressed, and that is coming.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, last month marked the 1-year anniversary of the D.C. midair collision where a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 near Washington National Airport, or DCA, tragically claiming all 67 lives aboard both aircraft.
It was the first mass-casualty commercial plane accident in the United
This devastating accident is a stark reminder that we have to remain vigilant in our pursuit of aviation safety. More can always be done to make air travel safer. We owe it to the victims, to their families, and to the flying public to leave no stone unturned and to learn every lesson we can.
I thank the friends and families of the victims. Their presence keeps loved ones' memories alive, and their advocacy reminds us to focus on this unwavering pursuit of improving aviation safety.
After the D.C. accident, the National Transportation Safety Board started its thorough investigation. Like every accident, the House waited for the NTSB's final report and recommendations. Now, we do that deliberately to give the agency's investigators the room to pursue every lead and vet every theory, especially when it comes to complex accidents.
This patience proved to be prudent. For instance, the hypothesis that ADS-B In coupled with the right interface could have given more warning was in fact correct.
However, some of the NTSB's initial theories about ADS-B Out usage were ultimately not included as part of the probable cause.
Allowing NTSB investigators to pull on threads and test their theories is important, and it is why the House did not rush an investigation but instead allowed for the final conclusions from the entire Board.
When it comes to the ROTOR Act, I appreciate the urgency to act on the safety gaps in our aviation system. Although I disagree with the ROTOR Act's approach and have concerns about how it executes, both the ROTOR Act and the ALERT Act--the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services' response to the D.C. accident--seek to respond to this tragedy in their own ways.
While I know some have attempted to pit the bills against each other, suggesting there could only be one right bill to respond to the tragedy, we all do want the same thing. As the chair of the full committee said, we want to make our skies safer.
The ROTOR Act responded first before the NTSB's investigation was complete. As a result, it only addresses a few of NTSB's final 50 recommendations. All of the NTSB's recommendations are important and deserve to be considered by Congress and implemented by the respective Federal agencies. Bypassing the House's regular order and forcing the ROTOR Act through this typically deliberative process doesn't get us to this goal.
That brings me to the ALERT Act, the comprehensive bipartisan House response to the NTSB's recommendations on the D.C. midair collision. Chair Graves of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Chair Rogers of the Committee on Armed Services, Ranking Member Smith, and I introduced this bill.
The ALERT Act was bipartisan from its inception and emerged from productive and good-faith collaboration between the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on Armed Services.
It also builds on the ROTOR Act's momentum and tackles many of the issues the ROTOR Act does not address. For instance, the ROTOR Act's ADS-B In mandate doesn't apply to military aircraft since the FAA Administration equipage requirements don't apply to military aircraft. The ALERT Act does.
The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure purposely partnered with the House Committee on Armed Services to make sure that both the FAA and the Department of Defense have strong ADS-B requirements. The D.C. midair tragedy involved both the FAA and the DOD. Consequently, the solution needs to involve both of the committees.
Through that partnership, the ALERT Act is truly comprehensive. It works to address all 50 recommendations.
Now, the excellent work of the NTSB investigators provided a thorough report that identified many--not just one--goals which Congress has to now pursue. The ALERT Act is the necessary response and narrowly focuses on the NTSB recommendations. Each provision can be tied to one or more of the NTSB recommendations and corresponding findings.
To the critics of the ALERT Act, I just say that legislating is a collaborative process. A bill is introduced as a draft until it is passed, and until then, all feedback is welcome.
Upon introduction, we immediately requested that the NTSB and FAA provide feedback, and we have solicited stakeholder input from many folks to ensure that we get the ALERT Act's swift implementation. We are still getting feedback. The ALERT Act works to address all of the NTSB recommendations. These recommendations deserve full consideration by Congress.
In the meantime, the ROTOR Act and the vote before us this week address just a small percentage of these recommendations.
Now, the NTSB has nearly 200 outstanding aviation recommendations, dating back to the year 2000. If the ROTOR Act passes as is, all we are doing is adding 45 or more recommendations to this long list that Congress has already not acted on.
If the Speaker can, in fact, promise the Senate that the Senate gets a vote on their bill--that only partially addresses the tragedy--then I certainly hope the Office of the Speaker can promise a floor vote on the one bipartisan joint committee House bill that comprehensively addresses all of the issues.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his leadership on this important issue.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this bill.
The bill before us today is a flawed response to last year's tragic midair collision at Reagan National. First and foremost, this bill will undermine our national security.
The Department of War just released the following statement regarding the bill: ``As currently drafted, enactment [of this bil] would create significant unresolved budgetary burdens and operational security risks affecting national defense activities.''
Let's talk about those operational security risks. The ROTOR Act requires ADS-B, which is a beacon signal, In and Out to be transmitted on all aircraft in the national airspace, including Department of War aircraft performing sensitive missions.
ADS-B systems transmit information on the location, speed, and direction of aircraft over unencrypted, open channels. Websites like FlightAware then post that information for all the world to see.
Since 2018, certain military aircraft have been exempt from broadcasting that information pursuant to a memorandum of agreement between the FAA and the Pentagon. The ROTOR Act overrides that MOA with the FAA rulemaking. The FAA, not the Pentagon or our military commanders, will have the final say on which military aircraft must be equipped with ADS-B and when it must be turned on. That is unacceptable.
Requiring our fighters, bombers, and highly classified assets to regularly broadcast their location puts our men and women in uniform at risk by exposing operational planning, aircraft details, and patterns of life to our adversaries.
Now, we can all agree that certain military aircraft should be equipped with and transmit the ADS-B signal, especially in congested civilian airspace. Fortunately, the current MOU already provides for that. At this time, nearly all Army helicopters flying in congested airspace are equipped with ADS-B Out and have been instructed to transmit.
The problem is the ROTOR Act goes much further than these aircraft, undermining the operational security of our fighters, bombers, and aircraft on classified missions. For obvious reasons, we do not want our enemies to know where our bombers or fighters are or where they are headed.
Beyond the serious national security impacts of the ROTOR Act, the bill fails to address nearly 90 percent of the recommendations made by the NTSB.
Over 40 critical air safety recommendations are left out of this bill. This includes important recommendations for the Department of War, such as increased coordination between the military and the FAA on aircraft safety matters, better safety management systems and reporting for military aircraft, and enhanced training for military pilots operating in congested airspace.
All of these flaws can be easily fixed if the committees of jurisdiction in the House are afforded the opportunity to follow regular order and consider an alternative bill.
I have joined Chairman Graves and Ranking Members Larsen and Smith to introduce the bipartisan ALERT Act that will fix the flaws of the ROTOR Act, but our legislation goes much farther than the ROTOR Act to improve aviation safety by addressing all 50 of the NTSB recommendations. It will also ensure our military can continue to carry out sensitive operations that are crucial to our defense and to our Nation.
The Department of War is requesting these changes be made before the ROTOR Act is signed into law. If we defeat this bill, we can have the ALERT Act on the floor the very next day. We can reconcile the differences with the Senate and get the bill to the President the next week.
The House of Representatives should not send a bill to the President that has no input from the House, especially a bill this impactful to our national security.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to oppose the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 2503, the ROTOR Act.
Last year's January 29 midair collision at Reagan National Airport tragically took 67 lives, but it was preventable. It is our duty to do everything we can to keep this tragedy from ever happening again.
This bill would implement a central recommendation from the NTSB's final report on the collision: a requirement to use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast technology, ADS-B Out and In.
NTSB has recommended an ADS-B In requirement 17 times before.
NTSB's final report said that the ADS-B In would have alerted the flight crew 59 seconds before the collision and the helicopter crew 48 seconds before.
ADS-B In would have given those pilots a fighting chance to avoid the disaster. It is high time that ADS-B Out and In are required in our Nation's busiest airspaces like the national capital region.
Passing the ROTOR Act is the strongest first step we can take for ensuring a safer airspace for the flying public today to improve aviation safety and prevent a future crash at DCA.
I thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Ranking Member Smith, and Chairman Rogers for the comprehensive draft legislation they released last week addressing the systemic causes of the January 2025 collision.
Their ALERT Act of 2026 improves important must-pass provisions. We need to reevaluate the arrival rate at National Airport. We need to improve our helicopter route charts. We need to limit military helicopter flights in our region. But Congress must pass the ROTOR Act this week to mandate that pilots have access to ADS-B In and Out as soon as possible.
Then we must immediately work to advance the ALERT Act of 2026 while reconciling any differences in a way that maximizes aviation safety to ensure that all of the recommendations of the NTSB can be adopted.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the families of flight 5342 who have been a driving force for the ROTOR Act and for aviation safety reform. These families have been advocates, experts, and champions all in the face of tremendous loss. It has been an honor to work with them.
Passing the ROTOR Act is the first and strongest step that Congress must take to immediately give pilots another key tool to prevent collisions and begin saving lives now.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the ROTOR Act and soon the ALERT Act of 2026.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak on the legislation before us, the ROTOR Act.
The ROTOR Act seeks to fulfill a longstanding recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board to require ADS-B In technology on aircraft operating in our national airspace system. That recommendation reflects years of accident investigation and careful analysis.
But we must also recognize that this bill does not alone close the book on aviation safety. The NTSB recently released its final report on the DCA midair collision, which contains 50 safety recommendations. There is much more work to be done to address them comprehensively and thoughtfully.
We must also be cognizant of the feasibility of implementing the ROTOR Act for all national airspace system users. Safety mandates must be achievable in the real world. Small aircraft operators and regional jet operators could face significant challenges integrating new equipment, particularly if the Federal Aviation Administration were to insist on a fully integrated control panel solution. Costs, downtime, and certification hurdles are not abstract concerns. They are real burdens for operators working on tight margins.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, flexibility will be crucial to ensure that all operators can be equipped with available situational awareness tools, including portable technologies and electronic flight bag solutions. I believe this will achieve the broadest implementation and the greatest safety benefits in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
The ROTOR Act isn't perfect. No bill ever is. But I remain committed to working with my colleagues to strengthen aviation safety without placing unnecessary burdens on those we depend on to keep America flying.
Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of Spencer and Christine Lane of Barrington, Rhode Island, whose lives were tragically taken on January 29, 2025, in the midair collision that claimed 67 lives.
I have spoken with Doug Lane and other families who are mourning their family members who passed away in this tragic incident. They shared the pain that their families carry from this heartbreaking event.
For years, there were warnings. Since 2008, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended requiring technology to help pilots detect nearby aircraft in real time and avoid collisions.
The ROTOR Act finally acts on that recommendation by requiring technology to help avoid collisions, aligning military and civilian safety standards, strengthening coordination and closing dangerous gaps in our aviation system. We must act now to make our skies safer.
For the Lane family, for the 67 lives lost and their families, for every passenger and crew member in our skies, I urge a ``yes'' vote.
Mr. Speaker, the ROTOR Act is an urgent piece of legislation that implements proven technology to help pilots see the real-time location of other aircraft. Had it been law, it would have prevented the needless loss of 67 lives in last January's DCA crash.
In the past 15 years, there have been an average of at least one near miss per month at DCA. Since 2008, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended 18 times that all aircraft install ADS-B equipment that allows pilots to see and be seen when flying in busy airspace.
NTSB Chair Hormendy testified if the ROTOR Act had been the law last
The ROTOR Act's ADS-B requirement is neither expensive nor burdensome. General aviation can meet the requirement with a receiver like this one that costs about $400, roughly the cost of a routine oil change for most planes.
American Airlines has installed ADS-B for about $50,000 per plane with only 1 to 2 days of downtime.
ROTOR's ADS-B requirement applies only to our Nation's busiest airspace, not to pilots flying in rural America. The families of flight 5342 are here today to support the ROTOR Act so that what they needlessly suffered will never happen again.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the ROTOR Act.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud to be a cosponsor of the ROTOR Act. I thank the sponsor as well.
On January 29, 2025, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 collided midair outside of DCA, and 67 lives were lost.
Among the victims were families from my community in northern Virginia. We lost children, parents, and members of the ice-skating community. These folks had their whole lives ahead of them. It is a tragedy that has had a profound and lasting impact on our community and our Nation.
This week, the families of the victims are here on Capitol Hill, and I got to speak with them today. They have one message for us: Pass the ROTOR Act.
The ROTOR Act addresses the glaring holes in aviation safety around DCA that allowed this completely preventable accident to happen. It does so by requiring military and civilian aircraft in busy airspace to broadcast and receive real-time traffic information.
Having been more than a year since the collision, it is time for there to be real accountability and change. We must ensure that nothing like this ever happens again, and people don't fear flying.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 67 lives that we lost on January 29, 2025. After months of investigative work, the NTSB uncovered systemic failures that culminated in the fateful midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger aircraft.
The flight originated from my hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Our community was shocked by the tragedy, and I am heartbroken that several Kansans were among the victims. No family should ever have to endure that heartbreak.
It is imperative that we work in Congress to ensure tragedies like this never happen again and that our skies are the safest in the world. We must build back the layers of safety that failed that night.
I am grateful for the work of the NTSB and the Senate, and I realize there is always more that can and should be done to enhance aviation safety. I look forward to continuing this important work that honors their lives and makes our skies safer. Flying in the United States is the safest of anywhere in the world, but we must continue to identify and implement ways to make it safer.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to the ROTOR Act.
This bill is a well-intentioned response to the horrific airline accident last year at DCA. In the months since the accident, it has become clear that the accident would have been prevented had the helicopter that was involved in the collision been broadcasting its position and its speed through the ADS-B Out system.
This bill would indeed fix that. However, this bill imposes a costly mandate that every aircraft within the system implement a technology called ADS-B In.
Mr. Speaker, most of the aircraft that would be affected by this bill, those with a takeoff weight of over 12,500 pounds, already have superior technology for collision avoidance called TCAS II.
Mr. Speaker, this is technology that works at all airports. At most of the general aviation airports in my district, ADS-B Out will not work near the ground, Mr. Speaker, because you have to be receiving air traffic control signals for it to work. TCAS II works at all of those airports.
Moreover, since the ROTOR Act was introduced months ago before the NTSB report was released, it does not implement many of the recommendations in that report.
Chairman Graves has a far superior bill called the ALERT Act that addresses all 50 of those recommendations.
Mr. Speaker, I urge us to reject the ROTOR Act today and to quickly pass the ALERT Act, conference those changes with the Senate, and get it on the President's desk for signature.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to speak on the ROTOR Act and on the ALERT Act. I really appreciate the bipartisan work and joint committee work done here in the U.S. House to produce the ALERT Act, the comprehensive response to the tragic DCA air crash.
I look forward to continue working with the T&I Committee and the House Armed Services Committee to bring that bill into markup in committees and onto the floor as soon as possible if we are allowed to.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I have to ask the question: Why are we here?
With something this important, with something that has so much consequence, why hasn't the House been given any opportunity to be a part of this bill?
You have to ask the question, Mr. Speaker: Why are we running this on suspension where it can't be amended or it can't be made better? It makes absolutely no sense that with something this important that the House doesn't have any input whatsoever. I can't stress enough just how wrong that is.
As I noted before, I live and breathe aviation.
I have seen what happens when aviation goes wrong. I have lost several very close friends to accidents over the years, most recently at the Wings Over Dallas midair collision that occurred in 2022.
Throughout my congressional career, I have always believed in fostering sound policy with a carefully deliberative and consensus- driven approach. That approach is critical to getting the safety outcomes that we all desire.
Aviation policy is enormously complex and deserves the full deliberation of Congress to ensure that we get it right. It certainly deserves some House input into the legislation.
I am extremely disappointed that the House has been denied any opportunity to express its will on such a consequential piece of legislation. I am going to say it again: There has been no House input. I fear this will set a terrible precedent that the will of the House and the expertise of our committees will not be allowed an opportunity for meaningful input.
For these reasons and the reasons I stated previously, I will, regretfully, be voting against this legislation. I cannot say this enough: This is not a vote against safety. I continue to pray for the victims and their families, and I understand that they are motivated to prevent anyone else from having to experience what they are going through.
I simply want to get this right, and I believe that we can absolutely do that by allowing the House and Senate to work together to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak about the terrible midair collision at DCA on January 29, 2025. I continue to mourn the loss of 67 people who died because of this tragedy, including Asra Hussain, from Carmel, Indiana. The House needs to pass a comprehensive, bipartisan solution that will implement all 50 of the NTSB's recommendations, and which provides a holistic framework for meaningful, system-wide safety improvements.
I commend my Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman and Ranking Member, Sam Graves and Rick Larsen. They worked tirelessly to produce a bill that will implement all 50 safely recommendations from the NTSB, which just released their final report on January 29th. As the Ranking Member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I'm proud to join them as an original cosponsor of the ALERT Act, with our colleagues from the Armed Services Committee, Chairman Mike Rogers and Ranking Member Adam Smith, and many other colleagues.
Mr. Speaker, the House needs to follow regular order. Today's bill was added to the suspension calendar over the concerns of the Chairs and Ranking Members of the Committees of Jurisdiction. This bill has been mysteriously held and stuck at the desk since December--without being referred to the Transportation Committee or the Armed Services Committees for consideration, markup, and amendments. Yet, as soon as our two committees introduced a comprehensive safety bill, the Speaker green lights the other chamber's bill to fly off the desk and bypass our committees. That's not regular order, and it's not right. Our carefully crafted joint Transportation and Armed Services bill should not be railroaded out of floor consideration because of some backroom deal. Under regular order, our Committee should be able to bring our House bill, the ALERT Act, to the House floor before a Senate bill is pushed ahead of us. Especially when it's an incomplete bill.
Unlike the ALERT Act, which implements every one of NTSB's safety recommendations, the ROTOR Act addresses just seven of the 50 recommendations. While the ROTOR Act is a good first step, it doesn't fix the massive systemic problems that resulted in a crash that was 100 percent preventable. Safety is too important to break the rules and ignore regular order. I urge the Speaker to refer this bill to our Committee for consideration and markup.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2503.
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 that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 5 o'clock and 16 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
