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17 public bills, H.R. 7953- 7969; and 4 resolutions, H. Res. 1118-1121 were introduced.
Pages H2550-51
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative McClintock to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H2533
Recess
The House recessed at 10:34 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H2537
Recess
The House recessed at 1:07 p.m. and reconvened at 3 p.m.
Page H2544
Suspensions: Proceedings Resumed
The House agreed to suspend the rules and agree to the following measures. Consideration began Monday, March 16th. Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026: H.R. 4294, amended, 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, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 320 yeas to 66 nays, Roll No. 88; and
Page H2545
Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
S. 3971, to extend the SBIR and STTR programs, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 345 yeas to 41 nays, Roll No. 89.
Pages H2545-46
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, and Bill to Outlaw Wounding of Official Working Animals Act: Rule for Consideration
The House agreed to H. Res. 1115, providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 556) to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 1958) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that aliens who have been convicted of defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits are inadmissible and deportable; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4638) to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable; and relating to consideration of motions to suspend the rules, by a recorded vote of 196 ayes to 193 noes, Roll No. 91, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 196 yeas to 192 nays, Roll No. 90.
Pages H2538-44, H2546-47
Quorum Calls: Votes
Three yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2545, H2545-46, H2546-47, and H2547. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 4:14 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: 53 of 77 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 11:50 a.m.
Today is a great day across the globe where we celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, and we are reminded of all that the Irish and the Irish diaspora have contributed to humanity and accomplished worldwide.
Here in the United States of America, since 1991, every President, Democrat or Republican, has issued a proclamation declaring March as Irish Heritage Month, until now. For 35 years this longstanding tradition has been honored. This President has failed to do so.
Therefore, I hereby declare on behalf of a grateful nation March 2026 as Irish Heritage Month in the United States of America.
Some may ask: What Congressman has the power to do such a thing?
The answer is easy. I am simply declaring what is inherently true, whether the President of the United States of America continues to be derelict in his duty to officially declare it such or not.
To be Irish is to know the struggle for democracy, liberty, and freedom. From the very beginning of our Nation, the Irish have ensured that these noble aims have persevered.
The American story could not have been written without the contributions made by the intrepid Irish immigrants who came to our shores in pursuit of prosperity and, in turn, made our Nation what it is today.
When George Washington went into battle against the crown forces of England, it was the Irish who stood at his side and fought for victory and independence from the oppressive British Government.
When the Civil War was fought, it was the Irish, fresh off the ships in the harbor, who joined the Union Army and battled the treasonous Confederates to end slavery and preserve the Union.
Many Irish battalions, including the Fighting 69th Irish Infantry led by Thomas Francis Meagher, bled for the soul of our blossoming Nation and proved the fighting Irish were here to stay, build, and thrive.
The Irish have been our war heroes, donning the military uniform and running into battle across the globe in service and sacrifice in every single conflict our Nation has ever seen, oftentimes, laying down their lives for the freedoms we hold dear.
Generations of Irish patriots have challenged our Nation to live up to its highest ideals. Their struggle is woven into the fabric of our democracy, and their voices ring like a clarion call to our better angels.
It was the Irish fleeing famine and oppression who worked alongside so many other new immigrants to build our country, our canals, our roads, our bridges, our railroads, our skyscrapers, our subways, and so much more.
The Irish would go on to become integral to every aspect of American society: laborers, nurses, doctors, police officers, firefighters, teachers, lawyers, civil servants, public advocates, businessowners, bankers, entertainers, and, yes, politicians who know what happens when government falls into the hands of those who callously disregard the less fortunate and discriminate based on race, creed, culture, or country of origin.
Countless Irishmen and -women have helped to make the United States what it is today, the greatest Nation in the history of the world.
Mr. Speaker, as Irish Americans, we will march on, as we always have, not just for the Irish but for everyone in this great Nation and future citizens we will never know.
God bless the Irish. God bless the United States of America. Erin go Bragh. Happy Saint Patrick's Day, and happy Irish Heritage Month.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today because the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down, and the consequences are real for the American people and for the men and women who work every day to keep our country safe.
Right now, more than 100,000 DHS employees are working without pay. TSA officers who screen passengers at our airports have now missed another paycheck. These are hardworking Americans who show up every day to do their job, protect travelers, and secure our homeland, even while Washington politics leave them without the pay they have earned.
This isn't some distant issue for Kansans. Families and travelers across the Big First depend on TSA officers every single day. From airports in Manhattan, Salina, Garden City, Dodge City, Liberal, and Hays, TSA agents are on the front lines making sure our skies are safe.
Just down the road in Wichita, the Air Capital of the World, thousands of Kansans build aircraft that carry passengers across the country and around the globe. Aviation is part of who we are in Kansas, and aviation safety is something we take very seriously.
Yet, Senate Democrats have allowed the men and women responsible for securing our airports to work without pay. As spring-break travel picks up, airports across the country are already seeing longer lines and staffing challenges because of this shutdown. These are dedicated public servants who continue showing up for work every day, even while Washington fails to send them a paycheck.
The impacts of this Democrat refusal to support DHS funding reaches far beyond airport security. FEMA training for first responders has been canceled. Cybersecurity personnel defending our networks are being furloughed while foreign adversaries continue probing our systems. Coast Guard training and maintenance have been disrupted. These are not theoretical consequences. They are happening right now.
Mr. Speaker, what makes the situation even more frustrating is that the House has already acted. House Republicans have twice passed full- year funding to keep the Department of Homeland Security fully operational. That legislation reflects a bipartisan framework negotiated by Members of both parties and deserves and ensures the Department has the resources it needs to protect the American people.
Mr. Speaker, Senate Democrats still continue to block that funding. Instead of allowing the department responsible for protecting our homeland to do its job, they are prolonging a shutdown that harms workers, weakens preparedness, and undermines public safety.
National security should never be used as a political bargaining chip. The men and women who protect our borders, screen our airports, respond to disasters, and defend our infrastructure deserve stability and support, not uncertainty and missed paychecks.
Mr. Speaker, the solution is simple. The Senate should take up the funding the House has already passed and reopen the Department of Homeland Security. The safety of the American people, including Kansans across the Big First District, depends on it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize New Castle County Councilman Penrose Hollins, who was recently awarded the Order of the First State, Delaware's highest civilian honor.
Councilman Hollins is a veteran, lifelong leader, and one of Delaware's most committed public servants, serving on the New Castle Council for the last three-and-a-half decades. During that time, I am proud to have been one of his constituents.
For 36 years, he has worked tirelessly for his neighbors, advancing affordable homeownership, expanding access to libraries and community hubs, supporting programs for youth and seniors, all while promoting workforce diversity and economic development.
Delawareans, and specifically my neighbors and me in District Four, know him as a committed voice for justice, a trailblazer, and a pillar of the greater Wilmington area. Councilman Hollins made history when he served as the first Black president pro tempore of the New Castle County Council. In every chapter of his career, he has sought to expand opportunity for those too often pushed to the margins of society.
His legacy of leadership, courage, and fierce advocacy is an inspiration to all who know him, to his constituents, and to the entire State of Delaware.
Mr. Speaker, we congratulate him on a well-deserved honor, and we thank him for his dedication and service to the First State.
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues and I often come to this Chamber to share about the work we get to do, the perspectives our neighbors share with us, and to highlight the struggles and the successes that define this work. Today, I want to uplift one of the behind-the-scenes actors who has helped me deliver for our neighbors during my first term in Congress.
I rise to bid farewell to Michaela Kurinsky-Malos, who joined my team 2 years ago, long before I ever stepped into this Chamber. She has been a critical part of my team ever since.
For the last year, Michaela has served as my deputy chief and communications director, as well as chief vibes enforcer, bringing incomparable guidance, experienced leadership, and unyielding commitment to our team.
Michaela and I first met when she came on board as my campaign manager. While, technically, I was interviewing her for that job, it really felt like she was interviewing me. It was then that I saw her political acumen up close. Michaela is one of the most decisive, incisive, and effective leaders I have ever known.
Through the highs and lows of the campaign trail and my first year in Congress, Michaela's tireless dedication to our mission, to her team, and to public service has always remained her North Star. Her work has shaped my life and our team immensely. She will be sorely missed by me and the entirety of our office.
Mr. Speaker, I am so grateful for her partnership and for all that she has done to make this possible. I wish her all the best in her next exciting chapter. The doors of Delaware will always be open to her, to Dexter, to Bubba, and even to Todd back to the greatest State in the Union.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Albert Firth of Millsboro, who passed away on February 19 of this year.
For two decades, Mr. Firth served our country in the United States Air Force, dedicating his career to protecting our Nation abroad. After retirement from the Air Force, Mr. Firth continued his commitment to public service right here in D.C., where he joined the U.S. Capitol Police.
Mr. Firth served with the U.S. Capitol Police from the late 1980s until nearly 2000, helping safeguard this institution and the people who work here. This was no small undertaking and far from the typical retirement scene.
During the 1990s, he was entrusted with an especially important responsibility, serving on the personal security detail for then- Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Throughout his career, his work required vigilance, professionalism, and a resolute dedication that Mr. Firth carried with honor, responsibility, and pride.
Mr. Firth's legacy is a reminder that service to our country takes many forms--sometimes in uniform abroad and sometimes here at home, protecting the institutions that sustain our democracy.
Delaware is grateful for his decades of service, and our Nation is stronger because of his selfless contributions to our country. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him.
Mr. Speaker, let me recognize the talented medical research efforts ongoing to combat the scourge of cerebral palsy, an abnormal development or damage to parts of the brain during pregnancy or early in a baby's life, that controls movement, balance, and posture and has a devastating effect throughout that person's life.
There is no known cure for CP. Supportive treatments including physical
One such pioneer is Dr. Kathleen Friel, a Westchester resident who herself has battled with CP since birth. She has overcome her own case to achieve master's and doctoral degrees in physiology and neuroscience. She has also written and lectured extensively about the disease and therapies to reduce its impact--all of this personal bravery and effort while this Federal Government blindly and foolishly cuts NIH funding for the very research victims so desperately need.
Mr. Speaker, from the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute Dr. Kathleen Friel for her personal battle with CP and her lifetime commitment to ease the suffering of her fellow individuals who also deal with cerebral palsy.
Mr. Speaker, this Sunday, the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church will celebrate their 45th annual parish day, reflecting on their years of heritage and gratitude for parishioners not only from Yonkers, where the church is located, but from those who live across Westchester, the Bronx, and elsewhere in the metropolitan area.
The church dedication dates back to January 25, 1981, with the present house of worship on Morris Street, in Yonkers, established in June of 1990.
This parish has taken on a mission for youth ministry, the Junior Conference for Sunday School Children, and regional activity for youth camps from Connecticut to Pennsylvania.
The church provides its Christian charitable outreach with a community barbecue annually on Memorial Day and clothing drives and giveaways for needy in the neighborhood. Taking their cue from the great apostle St. Thomas, who went from Jesus' side to India to deliver a Christian message of faith, St. Thomas Mar Thoma has delivered a message of service and faith in this current day.
From the floor of the House of Representatives, we salute the clergy and the congregants of St. Thomas Mar Thoma Church on this, the 45th parish day.
Mr. Speaker, I extend happy birthday wishes this week to Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson as she celebrates another year of service to her Bronx neighbors and friends.
I had the pleasure of serving with Vanessa as a colleague in the New York State Assembly alongside many former assembly colleagues, Joe Morelle, Adriano Espaillat, Paul Tonko, Claudia Tenney, Nicole Malliotakis, Grace Meng, and Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Vanessa Gibson's service in that chamber, exemplary as it was, was a prelude to her subsequent tenure in the New York City Council, where she was elected in 2013 and 2017, and now her historic election as the first female and the first African American to serve as Bronx borough president in 2021, reelected in 2025.
As she celebrates her birthday this Thursday, March 19, we give her a happy birthday shout-out from the floor of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a friend and a constituent, Shane DiGiovanna.
Shane was born with EB, a rare and painful disease that makes the skin incredibly fragile. There is currently no cure. It is sometimes referred to as the worst disease you have never heard of.
Shane has bandages across most of his body. This disease, because of what happens to the skin, leads to infection, illness, and the kind of cancer he is fighting now.
Over the course of his life, Shane has had over 150 surgeries. Yet, he is one of the kindest, most spirited human beings I have ever met in my entire life. He is a remarkable person and, truly, one of the best people who I know.
Shane is brilliant. He is funny, curious, deeply empathetic, and full of joy. He graduated from college at Rice University, even though it is not something people expected of a child with EB. Yet, if you know Shane, it is not surprising. He was already reading, I think at college level, in the second grade.
Shane sends me pages of ideas and notes about history, politics, and why he believes the country can always be better. Shane has already lived longer than just about anyone with EB. He has used that time to make the world better for others, and his advocacy began when he was just a child.
After one of his first surgeries, Shane brought a stuffed animal named ``Doggie'' with him to the hospital. It made such a huge difference for him, so he created Doggie's Friends, Shane's charity at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, to provide a stuffed animal to kids who are undergoing surgery. He saw something that he knew would help, and he got it done. It is just who Shane is.
I met Shane as an advocate. I had just gotten elected to the United States Congress, and he had reached out to say that he wanted to talk about rare disease work, and he invited me over. I went to Shane's house and sat in his kitchen, and we went through all of the legislative priorities for the rare disease community.
I was all in immediately not just because the policy moved me, but Shane was so compelling, charismatic, and convincing. Since that day nearly 4 years ago, we have texted just about every day. We talk about politics, books, history, shows, life, and what else I should be doing to help families dealing with rare diseases.
Some of that work has already led to real progress. Congress reauthorized the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program. The program helps to speed up treatment development for nearly 15 million children who are living with rare diseases.
Congress also passed the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act. The law helps children to get specialized care across State lines without delays or higher costs. Of course, there is also the funding for research. Rare disease research is a good idea for some. It is life or death for these families.
That is why Congress has to step up to fund this research and make sure that the research we have funded reaches the people who will turn that research into treatment and care, to support its innovation, and to keep families healthy, which leads me to Shane's bill.
We introduced Shane's bill just last week, a bill that would require the Department of Health and Human Services to study the impact of fully covering bandages for people who are living with EB.
Believe it or not, these families have to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for their bandages, even though the bandages help to ensure that these kids, young people, are less likely to go to the hospital, less likely to get an infection, and less likely to cost more.
The bill ensures access to these supplies to improve care, reduce hospital visits, and ease the enormous financial burden that families already face. This is Shane's bill, a bill inspired by his life and the families he has spent years fighting for.
Mr. Speaker, when you meet someone like Shane--someone who is curious, compassionate, and brilliant--you want to do more and be better.
I saw Shane's impact most clearly at his celebration of life, a room filled with people from across the country who have been touched by his kindness.
He is a funny, social, and gifted person, and his legacy is the life he lived, the people who he touched, and the work we will keep fighting to do, including this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor six heroic Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives in defense of the United States.
On March 12, 2026, six American airmen were tragically killed when a KC-
Today, we remember them by name: Major John ``Alex'' Klinner, Captain Ariana Savino, Captain Seth Koval, Captain Curtis Angst, Technical Sergeant Ashley Pruitt, and Technical Sergeant Tyler Simmons.
Three of these brave airmen were members of the 99th Air Refueling Squadron, which operates in Birmingham, Alabama, in my district.
I will take a moment to talk about the lives and legacies of these three airmen.
Major Alex Klinner was 33 years old, a native of Auburn, Alabama. He entered the Air Force through the ROTC program at Auburn University in 2017.
Major Klinner deployed in 2019, 2020, 2022, and 2026, and he served as chief of the squadron's standardization and evaluation at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron since 2024. He was promoted to major in January.
A devoted husband and father, Major Klinner is survived by his wife, Libby, their 2-year-old son, and a 7-year-old set of twins.
Captain Ariana Savino was 31 years old. Captain Savino was a native of Covington, Washington. She entered the Air Force through the ROTC program at Central Washington University in 2017. Captain Savino deployed in 2020 and in 2026 and had served as the chief current operations pilot at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron since 2024.
Captain Savino was passionate about serving and supporting Latin women in aviation.
A dedicated friend and sister, she is survived by her parents, siblings, and pets.
Technical Sergeant Ashley Brooke Pruitt was 34 years old and a native of Bardstown, Kentucky. She entered the Air Force in 2017, deploying overseas three times and serving as an assistant flight chief of operations at the 99th Air Refueling Squadron.
Technical Sergeant Pruitt is remembered as a selfless servant and a radiant mother by those in her community. She is survived by her husband, Gregory, 3-year-old daughter, and a stepson.
The loss of all six of these brave American patriots is devastating, and my prayers are with their families as they grieve.
I know I speak for all of us in expressing our deep sorrow and immense gratitude for their service to the United States.
On behalf of Alabama's Seventh Congressional District and a grateful nation, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the lives of six airmen who paid the ultimate price. May they rest in peace, and may we never ever forget their sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Captain Ariana Savino of Covington, Washington, who tragically lost her life in the KC-135 crash over Iraq during Operation Epic Fury.
Captain Savino was one of our Nation's heroes, someone who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country.
We celebrate and mourn all of America's heroes who lose their lives in combat operations or in training, but this loss hits especially close to home for those of us from Washington State.
While she was not based at Fairchild Air Force Base, the Fairchild Air Force Base community and all who serve the tanker mission exemplify extraordinary courage and quiet professionalism. Their work of keeping our aircraft fueled and our operations moving is essential to every mission that our Nation undertakes around the world. We are heartbroken by this tragedy.
Eastern Washington stands with Captain Savino's family, friends, and the brave airmen and -women of Fairchild. May her memory continue to shine brightly, and may her loved ones find comfort in knowing that she served with honor and deep devotion to the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Airman 1st Class Kimberlynn Blood of Fairfield, Washington, a shining example of the proud tradition of service that defines eastern Washington.
Airman Blood is the third generation of her family to serve the United States Air Force, following her great-grandfather and her grandfather. Her father also served in the United States Navy from 2003 to 2008, and several members of her family are veterans or currently serving.
Each week, when I come to the floor, I try to recognize one of the bright lights of eastern Washington, and Airman Blood is certainly one of those bright lights.
A former Civil Air Patrol member, Airman Blood graduated basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base on December 4, 2025, with honors, ranking in the top 10 percent in her class and as the only female in her squadron.
She went on to earn the prestigious Flight Chief Air Award at Sheppard Air Force Base, placing among the top 5 percent of her aircraft fuel systems class. Her first duty assignment will be at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom.
Airman Blood's achievement reflects the patriotism and dedication that run deep in eastern Washington, and her community is incredibly proud of her commitment to serve our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate National Agriculture Week.
Agriculture is the backbone of eastern Washington, the heart of our economy, our culture, and our communities. In spite of escalating production costs and other challenges, our farmers and ranchers remain dedicated to feeding our families and strengthening our Nation.
From wheat and apples to some of the finest chickpeas and lentils in the world, eastern Washington's producers help feed a hungry planet while building healthy soils and strong rural communities. Their resilience, innovation, and work ethic embody the best of the American spirit.
Mr. Speaker, I thank all of our hardworking farmers and ranchers across the Nation for all they do and wish all of America a happy National Agriculture Week.
Mr. Speaker, what does it take to change a city? Sometimes it starts with a cup of soup.
Eighty years ago, in Jacksonville, Florida, three businessmen did exactly that. They walked the streets handing out soup to men who had nowhere else to turn--no fanfare, no program, just compassion in action.
From that small act in 1946 grew the City Rescue Mission, an institution that has spent eight decades restoring hope to men, women, and families facing homelessness, addiction, hunger, and hardship.
What began as a small ministry has grown into a comprehensive network of services that provides emergency shelter, recovery programs, job training, medical care, and lifelong transformation for thousands of people in northeast Florida.
For 80 years, the mission has reminded our community of a simple truth: The strength of a city is measured not by the buildings or the economy but by how it cares for those struggling the most.
On May 7, the City Rescue Mission will celebrate--how about this, Mr. Speaker--its 80th anniversary with a dinner honoring its legacy and looking toward the future.
The real story isn't the anniversary. It is the thousands of lives changed because someone cared enough to act.
Mr. Speaker, may God continue to bless the men and women who have been a part of the mission and continue to this day to be a part of that mission. To think, Mr. Speaker, it all started with three people walking through the streets of Jacksonville, carrying nothing but soup. Sometimes the smallest acts of service create the biggest change.
Mr. Speaker, across the world today, brave men and women servicemembers are standing watch, protecting our freedoms, and defending the liberties we all hold dear.
Among them is a group of soldiers whose mission is often carried out far away from the spotlight, and they would prefer it that way. They are known as the Quiet Professionals.
They are the men and women of the United States Army Special Forces, the Green Berets. They serve in some of the most demanding environments on Earth, often behind the scenes, carrying out difficult missions that protect American interests and defend freedom for the people they probably will never meet.
This April, the northeast Florida community will gather at the Jacksonville National Cemetery to unveil a memorial honoring these extraordinary soldiers. Many Green Berets from units such as the 7th Special Forces Group, who have lived, trained, served, and now, in some cases, rest there, are among the patriots who answered our Nation's call. This monument will stand as a lasting tribute to their courage, their sacrifice, and the families who carry the burdens of service alongside them.
Mr. Speaker, the Green Berets live by a simple motto: De Oppresso Liber, To Free the Oppressed. They have never sought recognition, but now it is our honor to give it to them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Christopher Meriwether Demm as he prepares to retire later this month.
A true legend of his craft, morning talk radio will never be the same.
Chris Demm of the ``2 Guys Named Chris'' show has been a fixture on radios across my district for the better part of three decades.
To the loyal P1s who listened to him every day, he is more than just a morning show host. He is a trusted source for a solid deep cut. He is a reliable bet for a laugh. He is the Michael Jordan of rock-and-roll trivia and the king of thoughtful interview questions.
Every morning thousands of people across North Carolina start their day listening to Chris Demm: people on job sites, folks on their morning commute to the office, or kids who got their start, like me, listening with my dad in the car on the way to school.
Mr. Speaker, while we prepare for our mornings to sound a little different, I speak on behalf of thousands of listeners in saying thank you to Chris for 27 years. We all enjoyed it. I extend congratulations to Chris on his retirement. His poor back has earned it by carrying Chris Kelly for all of these years.
Mr. Speaker, a key ingredient for making America healthy is better access to cooking classes to teach people how to prepare nutritious meals.
As part of my End Hunger Now tour across Massachusetts, I joined my friend Representative Seth Moulton on a visit to the Phoenix Food Hub at Greater Lynn Senior Services. We participated in cooking classes where we learned how to make carrot muffins.
We talked with the CEO of Lynn Senior Services, Kathy Burns, and clients of the food hub who shared how important these classes are to their ability to eat nutritiously. We heard firsthand how Trump's reckless cuts to SNAP and other nutrition programs such as SNAP education, which was eliminated in the big, ugly bill, are making it even harder for them to put nutritious food on the table for their families.
Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that Republicans are taking away money for food and tools to help improve nutrition. If we want to make America healthy again and end hunger now, Congress must reverse these cuts now.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to condemn the skyrocketing wealth inequality in this country.
Over the last couple of decades, the rich have gotten richer while working families have been left behind. The very wealthiest of Americans pay an average effective tax rate of 3.4 percent. Elon Musk pays 3.3 percent. Jeff Bezos pays 1 percent. Yet, wage-earning Americans pay nearly 30 percent.
Put simply, our tax system is rigged. That is why I introduced the ROBINHOOD Act, to make these billionaires pay their fair share so that we can deliver universal childcare and Medicare for all.
These billionaires avoid paying taxes because their assets and money is in stock. They don't sell their stock. Instead, they take out loans against their stock, and they don't pay taxes on their loans.
Put simply, this bill would tax those loans and would generate nearly $30 billion of revenue. This is the right way to tackle our wealth inequality and to make the wealthy pay their fair share.
Mr. Speaker, let me salute the excellent online news outlet, MyHometownBronxville, which has provided a bedrock of local news and information about the comings and goings of the village of Bronxville since 2007.
Under the leadership of editor and publisher Sarah Thornton Clifford and the original leadership of Marcia Lee, MyHometownBronxville provides the latest news, sports, events, and information about the Bronxville community.
The team in charge attends village meetings and events at the library, schools, houses of worship, and the business community to give a firsthand view of the people and the activities that drive the cultural and community life of Bronxville.
Editor Clifford, a graduate of Princeton and Yale with professional media experience at Time Inc. and Sports Illustrated, is ably abetted by Neely Bower, Sue DeJoy, Jeannie Murrer, and others, and we recognize the past contributions of Allaire Warner in providing the hometown connection that is sadly lacking in so many other places.
From the floor of the House of Representatives, we acknowledge the outstanding work of MyHometownBronxville and its dedicated team.
Mr. Speaker, I wasn't going to say anything during 1-minute speeches today, but I really get irritated when people stand up on this floor and tell half-truths to the American people.
One of our colleagues just talked about the fact that wealthy people pay small percentages of their income on taxes, but what he didn't say is that they pay over 50 percent of all the taxes paid in this country and that working-class people don't pay nearly as much as they do.
Mr. Speaker, don't buy the empty rhetoric of congressional Democrats. They ran on affordability in the Commonwealth of Virginia, but they just recently slapped on a regressive payroll tax that will squeeze billions of dollars out of workers' paychecks.
Congressional Democrats are on record voting against tax relief for tipped workers, Social Security recipients, working moms, and the working class, when they voted against the Working Families Tax Cut Act.
Don't listen to what they say. Watch what they do. They are lying in wait to vote for higher taxes on working families yet again if they have the opportunity, but what they don't understand is that the government doesn't have a tax flow problem. We have a spending problem.
Mr. Speaker, for those who may not follow my work closely, they may ask: What have you done for eastern North Carolina?
The answer is straightforward. Because of my work in Congress and, most importantly, my vote on key appropriations bills, I have secured 15 projects, totaling nearly $54 million.
Traveling across the region and meeting and connecting with local leaders and community members, I have seen firsthand that Federal investments are delivering real results.
In rural communities where resources are already stretched thin, investments such as a new fire truck in Williamston, a sewer infrastructure project in Sharpsburg, and a public safety project in Ahoskie are making real differences by addressing longstanding needs.
I am putting all political divisions aside to make a difference for our families. These are not Democratic or Republican issues. They are eastern North Carolina issues.
It is always good to be back home. To be clear, I come to Washington, D.C., to fight for eastern North Carolina.
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 556, Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1958, Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026; Providing for Consideration of H...
Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 1115, providing for the House's consideration of H.R. 556, H.R. 1958, and H.R. 4638.
The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 556, the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act, under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Natural Resources, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
The rule further provides for consideration of H.R. 1958, the Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026, and H.R. 4638, the Federal Working Animal Protection Act, both under closed rules. The rule provides each 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees and provides for one motion to recommit for each bill.
Additionally, when considered under suspension of the rules, the rule provides additional debate time to 1 hour of general debate for H.J. Res. 139, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
Mr. Speaker, the three measures that underpin this rule all share a singular, defining characteristic: They are in alignment with the priorities and demands of the American people.
What do the American people want, Mr. Speaker? I will tell you what they want. They want a restoration of law and order so that illegal aliens are deported, especially when they are convicted of having committed criminal acts.
Republicans are answering that demand by putting forth H.R. 1958 and H.R. 4638. These two pieces of legislation zero in on criminal aliens who have defrauded the government and criminal aliens who commit violent acts against law enforcement working animals in the line of duty.
Mr. Speaker, when I say that we back the blue, I am talking about the men and women of law enforcement and the trained animals that stand alongside them in the line of duty.
Those who choose to oppose this legislation, I can guarantee, are members of the same party that has voted to keep the Department of Homeland Security shut down and has voted in the past to defund the police. You and I both know, Mr. Speaker, which party it is that I am referring to here. It is obvious.
Americans want a Federal Government that respects consumer choice and the exercising of our freedoms, not a Federal Government that seeks to regulate every single aspect of our lives. That is why Republicans are putting forth H.R. 556, which would tear down regulations that have dictated how men and women across the Nation can hunt and fish on select pieces of land under the control of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, respectively.
These are two essential parts of life that Americans are incredibly fortunate to engage in and enjoy. I believe all should respect that, but the Federal Government, under Democratic control, has time and again viewed these activities as nothing more than a target to overregulate. Is anyone surprised by this? I don't believe so.
Now, Mr. Speaker, I will guarantee that our colleagues across the aisle won't spend their time debating this slate of bills with us today. I would be pleasantly surprised if they actually chose to do that. Instead, they will do the same thing they always do: stomp their feet, huff and puff, and yell about unrelated things until they are blue in the face. It is like muscle memory for them at this point.
Meanwhile, Republicans will be focused on the task at hand, like they always are. They stand ready to deliver, and they intend to do so, yet again, with these three pieces of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, happy St. Patrick's Day to everybody. I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina, the distinguished chairwoman of the Rules Committee, for whom I have much admiration and respect, for yielding me the customary 30 minutes.
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, what on Earth are we doing here? Yesterday, the President of the United States spent an hour at lunch talking about the Kennedy Center--you know, the place he slapped his name on before basically running it into the ground.
Today, the Congress of the United States is spending an hour debating messaging bills that totally ignore the realities of what is going on in people's everyday lives.
Does anyone on the other side of the aisle realize that the United States of America is at war right now? Does anyone in the Republican Conference want to acknowledge that costs are up, corruption is running rampant, and everyday people are getting screwed?
They promised lower costs on day one. That is what Donald Trump promised. Guess what. Gas is up, thanks to the war in Iran. Groceries are up, thanks to the tariffs. Rent is up. Childcare is up. Healthcare is up, with millions of Americans paying double and triple for their health insurance and over a million losing it altogether because of Republican inaction.
Do Republicans plan to do anything about any of that? No.
This is what they did instead. They jammed through a big, ugly bill to help billionaires. They defend Trump's tariffs that are raising costs on working people. They continue to cover up for the predators in the Epstein files. Now, they are backing another illegal war in the Middle East that is costing over a billion dollars a day in taxpayer money.
But they are not talking about any of that. They keep bringing distraction after distraction to the House floor, bills meant to waste time, divide people, and shift the blame from billionaires onto immigrants. That is their whole playbook.
Don't look over here at Epstein elites and billionaire corporations who are ripping us off, breaking the law, and getting away with it. No, no, no. Blame the immigrants. Blame trans kids. Blame Joe Biden. Blame everybody but the President and his billionaire buddies. It is getting old, and I, for one, am sick and tired of it.
This President and my friends on the other side, who are refusing to rein him in because they are all afraid of him, are burning a billion dollars a day of American taxpayer money on a war halfway around the world. That is $1 billion a day. Let me repeat that: $1 billion a day.
There is no more money to help seniors heat their homes. They say we don't have it. There is no money to help kids get healthy breakfasts in school. There is no money to restore SNAP benefits to help seniors and veterans afford groceries. There is no more money to help working families breathe easier or sleep better at night.
I am just sick and tired of this, Mr. Speaker. There is always money for war. There is always money for another tax break for multimillionaires, billionaires, and giant corporations. There is always time to debate silly bills that try to shift the blame onto immigrants and trans kids, but there is never the time or the money to address the real and pressing issues that the American people are begging Republicans to help them with.
This is an embarrassing debate. This is an embarrassing moment for this Congress. While everybody in this country is in an uproar over rising costs, people are begging us to address that issue, to lower costs, and to help make their lives easier. While that is what is on the minds of the American people, Republicans can't bring themselves to bring legislation to the floor to address those issues. It really is sad. It really is sad.
Again, I think that my friends are going to realize come the midterm elections that people have had enough of this. But really people can't wait until the next election. People need us to address these concerns now.
This is an embarrassing debate, I urge a ``no'' vote, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Massachusetts for his kind comments. I send them back to him and wish him a happy St. Patrick's Day. I appreciate him making my prediction in my opening remarks come true.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. McDowell).
Mr. Speaker, from the massive fraud uncovered in Minnesota to schemes across this country, criminal networks are targeting American programs and treating taxpayers like an ATM.
These are hard-earned American tax dollars. These are the earned benefits of our seniors. These are young families' grocery budgets.
My colleague across the aisle has said that we don't have money for these programs. We don't have money for these programs because you let fraudsters take all of it.
Yet, we are watching criminal aliens exploit our neighbors and the programs meant to help our communities, draining billions from the American people.
Every dollar stolen by a foreign fraudster is a dollar that is taken from an American family who actually needs these programs and their hard-earned money where it belongs, with them.
The Deporting Fraudsters Act puts the American taxpayer back in the driver's seat. This bill makes non-U.S. citizens who steal from Federal programs deportable. It is crazy that that wasn't already the case. It makes sure that far-left prosecutors do not sidestep Federal law by dragging out a case to avoid a conviction.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation is really just common sense. If you come here to scam the American people, you will be held accountable, and you will go home.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am just going to respond to the gentlewoman because she wants me to address some of the underlying bills. One of them, H.R. 4638, is the so-called BOWOW Act of 2025. We are debating something and saying that it should be illegal when it already is illegal. It is kind of redundant.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a noncitizen who is convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude is subject to removal. In 2018, the Board of Immigration Appeals found that the crime of animal fighting is a crime involving moral turpitude because there is a clear intent to harm an animal.
Let me read to you how this bill we are talking about came to be. On June 24, 2025, canine detective and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Beagle Brigadier Freddie and his handler were inspecting baggage from Cairo, Egypt. Beagle Brigadier Freddie's job is to sniff out prohibited agriculture products at the border that could threaten vital agricultural industries.
Beagle Brigadier Freddie alerted to one of the suitcases being transported by Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, an Egyptian national. As Beagle Brigadier Freddie continued his investigation, his handler began questioning Mr. Marie who abruptly and violently kicked the canine detective. The kick was of such force that it launched Beagle Brigadier Freddie, a 25-pound beagle, off the ground. After examination by a veterinarian, it was determined that Beagle Brigadier Freddie suffered contusions on his right ribs following the attack.
Mr. Marie was taken into custody and charged with harming animals used in law enforcement under the law. He pleaded guilty. He was ordered to pay Freddie's vet bill, and he was deported back to Egypt. That is the law.
What the hell are we doing here? I mean, we are repeating what was already in the law.
I guess the difference would be if the bill that the gentlewoman is advocating actually became law, then Mr. Marie would escape any kind of financial responsibility of paying Freddie's vet bill. I don't think we want that. But this was a deportable act, and this gentleman was deported.
When I say that this is a distraction, this is what I am talking about. Again, we are spending a billion dollars a day, my friends, on this war in Iran, and nobody knows what the hell is going on.
Gas prices are through the roof. The cost of everything is going up. We are here on the floor basically trying to bring bills that restate current law?
I would even say that in this case it weakens current law.
I have got to tell you, Mr. Speaker, I think things are screwed up around here when our focus is on the stuff that we are bringing to the floor today and not on trying to lower the costs for the American people.
Life is hard. I don't know whether my friends go home and talk to their constituents or do townhalls or do town meetings, but if they do, they are hearing what I am hearing: Life is too damn expensive.
People want us to address the high costs, and we are not doing that. We are not doing that, and Republicans refuse to bring legislation to the floor to address that issue. Instead, we do this.
Mr. Speaker, I am a huge animal rights advocate, and so I want people who abuse animals to be deported. I don't have any problem with that, but that is the law. We are bringing this to the floor, and we are not doing a damn thing about addressing the high costs that Americans are facing each and every day. Something is wrong with this place.
Mr. Speaker, I am a huge animal rights lover too, and I have a dog I say that owns me.
My colleague just talked about one example that worked out well, but we know lots and lots of examples where these things don't work out well, and that is why we need this legislation. It is because acts of cruelty toward animals who are working often fall between the cracks.
My colleague also just said that no one will see any benefits from the Working Families Tax Cut, yet thanks to this important legislation, Americans could receive nearly a $4,000-tax refund this year. The average take-home pay boost is $10,900, and the average tax cut for middle-income Americans is 15 percent.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Taylor).
Madam Speaker, I thank Chairwoman Foxx for yielding the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this rule which provides consideration of my bill, the Deporting Fraudsters Act.
A few weeks ago during the State of the Union Address, Democrats confirmed to the American people who they really are and whom they really work for. When President Trump asked Congress to stand and reaffirm the fundamental principle that the first duty of the American Government is to protect American citizens and not illegal aliens, every single Democrat remained seated, every single one.
Now, Madam Speaker, with this bill, we have the chance to see who will stand with criminal illegal aliens and against the American people.
This bill should be common sense: Any person who defrauds the United States or steals money from Americans who need it most should not be able to walk freely in this country.
This seeks to fix the numerous examples of criminal aliens stealing Social Security benefits or cloning SNAP cards and not facing any immigration consequences. It is time for that to change.
This bill in front of us, the Deporting Fraudsters Act, will make it explicitly clear, Madam Speaker, that if you are not a citizen and you are defrauding law-abiding Americans, then you should be deported.
Again, it should be common sense. It is a privilege to live in this country, and our laws should reflect that.
To the American people: You should remember this vote. You should remember that those who vote against this bill are voting to support illegal alien fraudsters over the American people.
To the elderly couple who has paid into Social Security their entire life, or to the working mother who is just trying to get by for her children but needs some assistance, this should be an eye-opening vote.
That is because this vote provides a binary choice: Either they support the American people and their benefits, or they support illegal alien fraudsters.
Madam Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Let me read for my colleagues a statement from the national director of the National Economic Council, Mr. Hassett, who works for President Trump.
This is his quote: ``If the war were to be extended, it wouldn't really disrupt the U.S. economy very much at all. It would hurt consumers, and we'd have to think about what we'd have to do about that, but that's really the last of our concerns right now.''
This is from Trump's top economic adviser. This is a direct quote from him.
He says that hurting consumers is the last of our concerns right now.
This guy should be fired. This is outrageous. We all should be worried about consumers. Those are our constituents. When prices are going up, people cannot make ends meet. They can't afford their rent, they can't afford their healthcare, and they can't afford their groceries.
Madam Speaker, they can't afford a damn thing, and this is what Trump's top economic adviser says: The consumers are really the last of our concerns right now?
Does anything outrage my Republican colleagues?
Can anybody in the Trump administration say anything that might give them pause and that might cause them concern?
This is outrageous. Three out of four Americans say that groceries are so expensive that they have been forced to cut down on other spending.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article from Fortune titled: ``Three in four Americans say groceries are so expensive they've been forced to cut down on other spending.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Three In Four Americans Say Groceries Are So Expensive They've Been
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert in the Record an article from CBS8 titled: ``National average gas prices now nearly 90 cents higher than one month ago.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
Madam Speaker, I hate to tell my Republican friends this, but here is a news flash: The American people are struggling. They are desperately looking for us to take action to make their lives easier, to help them be able to afford groceries, to be able to afford gas prices, and to be able to afford to support their families.
While we are spending $1 billion a day on a reckless and illegal war in Iran and the President with no end in sight has money for that, my friends on the other side can't bring themselves to bring legislation to the floor that will address the high cost of living.
Madam Speaker, when you have people in the administration saying that consumers are the last of their concerns, I mean like, I am just like every time I think this administration can't say something that will shock me even more, they do. This is one of the more outrageous comments coming from one of the President's top advisers.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I will point out to my colleague that, yes, gas jumped in the last month, but it is still a lot less expensive than it was under President Biden.
Thankfully, under President Trump, gas prices were cut almost in half. The number one role of the Federal Government, Madam Speaker, as we all know on our side of the aisle, is defense of this Nation.
Madam Speaker, the need for legislation like H.R. 1958 is not hypothetical. Fraud is a serious crime, and it is essential we ensure foreign national fraudsters cannot continue to exploit the American taxpayers.
While my colleagues will argue that there is no fraud currently, here are just a few recent examples: ``A 3-year-old girl's Social Security number had been used for `two credit cards and two auto loans, with an outstanding balance of more than $25,000.''
The second example is: ``Fraud by illegal immigrants destroying children's
These are because illegal aliens are stealing Social Security numbers and using them.
In 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi announced the prosecution of 119 illegal aliens for crimes, including ``misusing Social Security numbers of American citizens.''
I have the sources for all of these, Madam Speaker.
In June 2020, the Justice Department announced that an illegal alien from Guatemala was sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment for ``[using] another person's Social Security number to get a job and for tax purposes.''
In October 2023, an illegal alien who was arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol near Hidalgo, Texas, in September 2022 and then released by the Biden administration, pleaded guilty to illegal use of a Social Security number.
In November 2025, The New York Times highlighted the case of Daniel Kluver, a Minnesota man whose identity was stolen by a Guatemalan illegal alien with a criminal history and multiple deportations. Because of the identity theft, Kluver lost thousands of dollars through garnished wages and increased taxes. He spent years unsuccessfully trying to untangle the mystery of his stolen identity.
The stories go on and on, Madam Speaker, so there is a real reason for this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I just want to say the gentlewoman is doing exactly what I predicted she would do: blaming immigrants so that people who are watching this debate don't focus in on the fact that prices are going through the roof and everything is more expensive than ever.
She said that Trump is doing better than Biden in terms of gas prices. Well, when Biden left office, the average gallon of gas was $3.11. It is now close to $3.80. It is creeping up to nearly $4. I mean, that is just the reality. People can google that. Don't take my word for it. You can google it.
The other fact is that, if I remember correctly, Donald Trump said that when he became President, he and Republicans would lower costs on day one and everything would go down. What a crock. Everything has gone up. Everything has skyrocketed. Gas, rent, the price of food-- everything has gone way up.
I am going to read this again because I can't get this out of my head that somebody in this administration would say this out loud. Again, this is what the chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Kevin Hassett, said: If the war ``were to be extended, it wouldn't really disrupt the U.S. economy very much at all. It would hurt consumers, and we would have to think about . . . what we would have to do about that, but that is really the last of our concerns right now. . . .''
This is one of the President's top economic advisers telling the American consumer: The hell with you. You don't matter. You are at the bottom of our list.
That tells you everything you need to know.
I heard the gentlewoman's 1-minute speech before we got into this debate, when she kind of defended the tax cuts for the rich and basically said that we have a spending problem in this country.
Okay, we have a spending problem. We are spending a billion dollars a day on a reckless, illegal war in Iran, and nobody on the other side seems to give a damn about that. We don't have money to help make sure that we can lower energy costs for senior citizens. We don't have money to make sure our kids get nutritious breakfasts and lunches in schools. We don't have money for anything, for childcare, eldercare, our veterans, or our healthcare in general.
We are told we don't have the money, but no debate and no concern about a billion dollars a day on Iran? Come on. I mean, enough is enough.
The focus of Congress, the focus of government, should be about helping people, not screwing them over, not hurting them. The focus of our government should not be about enriching the rich, protecting the Epstein class, the people who are well-off and well-connected and who have tons of money.
The focus ought to be on how to lift up working families in this country. That is what Democrats have been fighting for. That is what we stand for. There is a difference here.
Again, going back to Kevin Hassett, his comment today. He says the quiet part out loud. The consumers, according to him, are the last of our concerns right now.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
First, let me say, we know what the role of the Federal Government is. It is outlined in the Constitution of the United States. Many of the things that my colleague wants us to be involved in--and we have been involved in--are the things that have caused us to have a $38 trillion debt at the Federal level, and so doing everything that we can to reduce fraud is really very important.
Let me say, if we have people who are here legally, as Americans have done for Americans, we will do for them. But those who come here illegally--and the term is illegal alien--then we do not have any truck with them. We want them to obey the law, just like we want everybody else to obey the law.
If they commit fraud, then we want them gone, out of this country. They shouldn't be here to begin with because they come in illegally.
If we want to address the high cost of living in this country, we must confront fraud. We must confront fraud. Democrats should be joining us, not opposing the commonsense effort.
Let's talk about the rhetoric from our colleagues on our record of fiscal soundness this Congress and the Democrats' record of spending addiction. We just finished the FY26 appropriations package--of course, minus the funding for Homeland Security. We saved nearly $14 billion compared to last year's appropriated levels. Let's not forget that comes on the heels of cutting $9 billion of waste and fraud through a rescissions package just months earlier, and that came on the heels of cutting $1.4 trillion of waste, fraud, and abuse through Republicans' reconciliation effort.
Democrats are lying in wait to vote for higher taxes on working families yet again if they have the opportunity. What they don't understand is that the government doesn't have a tax flow problem. We have a fundamental spending problem in Washington. Again, that spending is not on what the Federal Government should be spending it on, which is the defense of this Nation, but is on spending on things that are not outlined in the Constitution for us to be doing.
When Democrats had full control of the levers of power and passed their reconciliation packages, they expanded the Federal Government with an unprecedented $11 trillion in spending. Yes, Madam Speaker, I said $11 trillion in additional spending, $6 trillion of which has been added to the national debt.
There is simply no comparison between what Republicans have accomplished this Congress and the Democrats' spending addiction. We have lowered the deficit. We have cut trillions in waste. We have secured tax relief for working families. Democrats opposed us on every front.
Guess what. Our deficit is finally being addressed. The Federal Government's cumulative deficit for fiscal year 2026 at the end of November was 19 percent lower than the year prior under Biden.
Be it by reconciliation, rescission, or through the regular-order annual appropriations process, this Congress is cutting spending, driving down inflation, and returning money to taxpayers.
Madam Speaker, that is really the fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans. We believe that the public should hold on to as much of its money as possible, not turn that money over to bureaucrats to spend.
Don't buy the empty rhetoric of congressional Democrats. They ran on affordability in the Commonwealth of
Congressional Democrats are on record voting against tax relief for tipped workers, Social Security recipients, working moms, and the working class when they voted against the Working Families Tax Cut Act.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I am almost at a loss for words. I don't even know how to respond to that. That gets like five Pinocchios. I don't know what the gentlewoman is talking about. She talked about the debt and reducing the debt. My friend, who I respect and enjoy working with, voted for a reconciliation bill that added nearly $5 trillion to the debt.
Let me say that one more time: It added nearly $5 trillion to the debt. Most of that additional cost to the debt were in the form of tax cuts for multimillionaires and billionaires.
She talks about the Republicans trying to cut fraud, waste, and abuse. They cut programs like SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, to help senior citizens and veterans and low-income families be able to put food on the table, a benefit, by the way, that is on average about $2 per person per meal. That is what SNAP is.
They cut money for child nutrition programs. They cut money for school nutrition programs. They cut money for environmental protection, for infrastructure. I go right down the list, economic development for our farmers, everything.
They had Elon Musk come in with DOGE, and they claim they saved all this money. Guess what. All of the cuts that they made, by the way, I think we are going to pay for down the road because they are going to add costs in a whole bunch of other ways. All of that so-called savings has just been eliminated by what has been spent on the war in Iran, a billion dollars a day. We are at $22, $23 billion already on that war.
We are not anywhere near done. They tell you that we can't deal with the fact that we have so many senior citizens in this country who can't afford to put food on the table. We can't do anything about that. Then they say nothing about the billion dollars a day on an illegal and reckless war in Iran.
For the record, I will include the CBO score, that is the Congressional Budget Office, on their reconciliation bill in the Record because I want the Record to reflect that what I am saying here is backed up by facts. This is a nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Both Democrats and Republicans rely on the CBO for scores on how much things are going to cost.
This is crazy that we are having this debate, all the while the cost of living for every person in this country, who is not a multimillionaire or billionaire who is not part of the Epstein class, is going through the roof.
By the way, when you talk about taxes on people, what my friend didn't mention was the tariffs. That is a tax on every American. That is a tax on every American. We are now told that these tariffs are costing the average citizen of this country an additional $1,700 per person per year. I don't know who is asking for this stuff, but it is certainly not the people that I talk to.
Madam Speaker, I am going to urge that we defeat the previous question. If we do, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 7481, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2026, sponsored by Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, a bill which only funds law-abiding agencies under the Department of Homeland Security and not the unlawful actions of ICE and CBP.
Madam Speaker, House Republicans are trying to use President Trump's illegal war in Iran as pretext to force Congress to fund ICE and CBP without any reforms, even though these agencies are harassing, detaining, beating, and killing American citizens. This is a cheap trick to score political points, and we are not buying it. I don't think anybody in the country is buying it.
You can't make this up. The President's own National Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, who Trump himself appointed and basically every single Republican in the Senate voted to confirm this guy, resigned this morning stating that he cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran and that ``Iran posed no imminent threat to our Nation.''
Also, Republicans already funded ICE and CBP in their big, ugly bill so why are they holding up funding for TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA? Republicans should allow a vote to fund the law-abiding components of DHS while negotiations on critical reforms to ICE and CBP continue.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record, along with any extraneous material immediately prior to the vote on the previous question.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
Madam Speaker, to discuss our proposal, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee and the sponsor of this bill.
Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
Madam Speaker, last Friday, workers across the Department of Homeland Security missed a full paycheck. Reports have shown that a number of TSA agents have had to find new jobs or to take up additional work to make ends meet while their pay is frozen.
This is wrong. No Democrat wants this, but my Republican colleagues want it. Republicans insist on conditioning funding for TSA workers on more money for ICE. ICE is a lawless and reckless agency, which is terrorizing our community, masked and armed and marauding and roving through our communities nationwide.
The Republicans will only agree to pay TSA officers, FEMA employees, cybersecurity experts, and Coast Guard servicemembers if we also provide another $28 billion for ICE and CBP on top of the $140 billion that they already have from the big, beautiful bill.
If we defeat the previous question, I will move to bring up my bill, which will fully fund TSA workers. It will fully fund FEMA, including the Disaster Relief Fund. It will fully fund the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and our cybersecurity efforts. In short, it will fund everything except ICE and CBP. I am tired of the crocodile tears on the other side of the aisle talking about TSA workers and cybersecurity and the Coast Guard.
They have a chance to fund these efforts so that people can get paid. They refuse to do it. The Republican leadership blocks this bill. Their approach is all or nothing. It is not enough for them if we fund the vast majority of Homeland Security, if we pay workers who follow the law, people who keep us safe, who do not harass us, do not detain us, do not beat us up, do not abuse our constituents at whim, or kill American citizens.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
No, they will not support any measure unless it gives ICE and CBP more money without any of the protections our communities need and the American people demand. If Republicans allow my measure to come to a vote, we could end the impasse today. Hardworking Americans will get paid. Have the courage to stand up and do it. I encourage them to do so.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, this is not a serious proposal.
Madam Speaker, it is really rich. Now, it is the fault of Republicans that the Department of Homeland Security is not funded. It is just too rich.
Crime is down in this country because we have shut down our border and denied people coming in illegally.
Madam Speaker, we need to fund all of Homeland Security so that we can keep the border closed. Obviously, our colleagues want to open the border again just like President Biden did. There were people waiting at the border when President Biden was elected
By the way, Madam Speaker, it was the Bipartisan Policy Center that said that the 19 percent reduction in deficit had occurred.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, nobody disagrees that we should have a secure border. That is not the debate.
Where there is disagreement and, quite frankly, where there is outrage is when we have a Federal agency that goes into our communities and kills American citizens. This is not at the border but in our heartland. That is where we believe there is a line that has been crossed. We are outraged over that.
I am sorry that my friends on the other side are not. They control the House. They control the Senate. They control the White House. They are in charge. If they want our votes, we are not going to vote to continue to fund agencies and departments within agencies that are rogue, where there is no accountability and where there is no transparency. We are not going to do that.
We support TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA. We will vote to support them, but don't ask us to fund agencies that do harm to our constituents.
By the way, is there any end to what my Republican colleagues want for CBP and for ICE? They have got money in the big, ugly bill for them, billions and billions of dollars for them. I don't understand what the deal is.
In any event, for whatever reason, they have a problem with TSA. They have a problem with FEMA. They have a problem with the Coast Guard. I don't understand why. We don't. We support them.
Madam Speaker, the pattern here is obvious. It is broken promises, higher costs, more war, more hate, alternative facts, and unbelievable corruption. That is what is happening in this country right now because of Republican leadership.
Republicans said they would fight for ordinary people. Instead, they helped billionaires. They said they would keep us out of war. Instead, they dragged us into another one. Madam Speaker, 13 American troops are dead. Over 140 are wounded. Our Nation is, once again, sending $1 billion a day over to the Middle East on another reckless, illegal war of choice.
They said they would tell the truth. Instead, they protect the Epstein elites and peddle distraction after distraction after distraction, hoping it will all go away.
At the center of it all is a President so hollow, so unwell, and so morally lost that he is fundraising off of dead American troops. I can't believe I am saying that sentence out loud.
The President of the United States went to a dignified transfer of remains ceremony. He refused to take off his ball cap. Then he took a photo of himself standing behind an American servicemember in a casket coming home from war in the Middle East. He slapped it on a fundraising email, asking people to donate money to his campaign. Let me say that again.
The President used a dead American servicemember as a photo op for his campaign fundraising. When he was asked about it yesterday, he said he saw nothing wrong with that.
Can anyone imagine if Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, or Joe Biden had done that? My Republican colleagues' heads would explode. That is what happened after Joe Biden checked his watch during one of these ceremonies. Yet, there was not a word after this disrespectful President dishonored our troops in the most outrageous way by using them as a prop for his own personal benefit.
I challenge any Republican, any single one, to come down here and defend this. Come down here and explain to their constituents why the leader of their party is fundraising off of dead American servicemembers.
I think it is one of the most disrespectful, inappropriate, awful things I have ever, ever seen in all my time in Congress. I doubt a single Republican will have the guts to say it was wrong.
The American people deserve a hell of a lot better than this chaos and cruelty. They deserve better than this President. They deserve better than this Republican majority. They deserve elected officials who care about them and who want to fight to lower the cost of living, who want to make their lives better and easier and more manageable. That is not what is happening here.
With all that is going on--$1 billion a day on a reckless illegal war in Iran, gas prices creeping up to nearly $4 a gallon, and the price of groceries going up because of these stupid tariffs that my friends don't want to deal with--I can go on and on and on about how the Republican policies are making life more miserable for average Americans. With all that is going on, they can't be bothered to come down here.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on this rule, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, our colleagues across the aisle said that they want to keep the border closed. If they are serious about keeping the border closed and safe, then how are they going to do it without funding border patrol and they don't want to fund border patrol?
Mr. Speaker, our colleagues across the aisle have spent their time during this debate drawing caricatures, weaving a tapestry of tangential statements, and engaging in theatrics. This is unserious behavior, Mr. Speaker.
Might I remind them we are here debating substantive legislation that aligns with the priorities of the American people. Our colleagues across the aisle are welcome to join us in supporting them, standing for law and order, and returning freedom and choice back to the custody of the American people where they belong.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.
The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:
Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 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, as amended, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Wittman) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 320, nays 66, not voting 45, as follows:
Messrs. FALLON, SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, BALDERSON, SMUCKER, DONALDS, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, and Mr. LUTTRELL changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (S. 3971) to extend the SBIR and STTR programs, and for other purposes, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Van Duyne) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 345, nays 41, not voting 45, as follows:
Mr. GROTHMAN changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 556, Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act; Providing for Consideration of H.R. 1958, Deporting Fraudsters Act of 2026; Providing for Consideration of H...
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on ordering the previous question on the resolution (H. Res. 1115) providing for consideration of the bill H.R. 556, to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture from prohibiting the use of lead ammunition or tackle on certain Federal land or water under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill H.R. 1958, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify that aliens who have been convicted of defrauding the United States Government or the unlawful receipt of public benefits are inadmissible and deportable; and providing consideration for the bill H.R. 4638, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that an alien who has been convicted of harming animals used in law enforcement is inadmissible and deportable, and for other purposes; and relating to consideration of motions to suspend the rules on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on ordering the previous question.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 196, nays 192, not voting 44, as follows:
So the previous question was ordered.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today, joined by my colleagues from the Pennsylvania delegation, to honor the life and the service of Corporal Timothy O'Connor, Jr., a Pennsylvania State trooper and a proud member of our Chester County community.
Corporal O'Connor wore the uniform of the Pennsylvania State Police for 15 years, serving the people of our Commonwealth. He was part of the brotherhood and sisterhood of troopers who run toward danger so that others can live in safety.
Two weekends ago, while conducting a traffic stop in the line of duty, Corporal O'Connor was tragically shot and killed.
Today we stand here together to honor his courage, his sacrifice, and his service. We hold his wife, Casey, their young daughter, and the entire Pennsylvania State Police family in our hearts.
Mr. Speaker, please do join us for a moment of silence to honor the life of Corporal Timothy O'Connor.
Mr. Speaker, as dean of the Virginia congressional delegation and Representative of Norfolk, Virginia, we are gathered here
On Thursday, as students and faculty gathered for their classes, just like every other day, tragedy struck Old Dominion's campus when a gunman opened fire on Constant Hall, targeting an ROTC class.
The gunman took the life of Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah and injured two others before he was stopped by a brave group of students. Brandon Shah graduated from ODU in 2007 and returned a few years ago to oversee the Army ROTC Monarch Battalion.
As we reflect on his extraordinary life of service, our hearts are with his family and loved ones, as well as the two injured students, and we pray for their swift recovery.
Our hearts are also with the entire Old Dominion community. Today, we are all Monarch strong.
Mr. Speaker, let us take a moment of silence to mourn the loss and honor the life and service of Lieutenant Colonel Shah and demonstrate support for the entire Old Dominion University community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate Wyoming Highway Patrol Administrator Colonel Tim Cameron on his retirement after nearly five decades of serving in law enforcement.
Administrator Cameron capped his dedicated tenure in public service with 3 years at the helm of the force, keeping Wyoming's highways safe.
The high-elevation freeways of Wyoming are unlike many in the rest of the lower 48. Our windswept State has the least amount of people but the highest rate of deadly truck accidents.
Our unique challenges require the kind of unique leadership that has long defined the character of the Cowboy State. Wyoming's first responders are true public heroes who work around the clock to keep our drivers safe.
Administrator Cameron is now part of that proud legacy as a watchman on the road. We appreciate his service and wish him well in retirement.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to call out this body's betrayal of the American people.
The same week we learned that the Trump administration spent more than $11.3 billion on the first 6 days of the war in Iran alone, a survey found that one in three Americans are skipping meals, rationing medications, and delaying buying a home or having children because of the cost of healthcare in this country.
The United States of America is the richest country in the world. These are not decisions people should have to make, but they are the decisions people are being forced to make because the unchecked party in power is prioritizing spending billions of dollars on dropping bombs in foreign wars that no one asked for instead of doing anything to make life better or more affordable here at home.
In the richest country in the history of the world, Mr. Speaker, you should be able to afford to eat, to have kids, to have housing, and to get healthcare.
The people deserve a Congress who will fight for them.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the founding of my alma mater, Calvin University.
Today's Calvin University began in 1876 as a small theological school for seven students, and it grew into a Christian liberal arts institution, becoming a 4-year college in 1920 as its academic programs expanded beyond ministry training.
Calvin first welcomed my father, Gerald, in 1939, and when his education was interrupted by World War II and an injury he sustained in a B-24 crash, he then graduated in 1950. Calvin was there for him and many of those returning vets like him.
Now Calvin is not just my alma mater, it is my family's alma mater. My wife went there. I have a son who is currently attending there as well, and it is the place that has shaped our minds. It has deepened our faith, and it has instilled a lifelong commitment to serving God and our community.
Calvin upholds dedication to its neighbor and excellence in education. We have been well-equipped with the tools we need to succeed.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the 150th anniversary of my alma mater, Calvin University.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a mentor and a true friend, Oregon State Senator Avel Gordly.
Senator Gordly, the first Black woman to serve in the chamber, brought a presence that was regal and distinctive. I knew I was standing on the shoulders of a giant because she was not only a mentor to me but a true friend. It was an absolute privilege getting to know her over the last 10 years.
Sadly, her tenure as an elected Black Oregonian was so rare that when she came to the chamber of the house floor in the State legislature, many people thought that she was a relative of mine rather than the esteemed public servant that she was.
She had dedicated and delivered so much to Oregon. It is because of women like Senator Gordly that I am standing here today. I will miss her phone calls, her inspirational texts, and, most of all, her high expectations of me.
Her legacy will continue to inspire generations of women like me to lead, serve, and break barriers.
Mr. Speaker, a few days ago, the Defense Production Act was invoked to restart production along the Sable pipeline off the California coast.
While I am absolutely understanding of the dire need for more supply and production for California's citizens, I do share some of the concerns that have been raised by California officials about the impact that this could have on our coast, on tourism, and the risks that it can impose from an environmental perspective.
I would, however, urge our State lawmakers and Governor not merely to complain about this action but to take concrete steps that can be taken right now to increase production and lower prices in California by easing regulations and by relaxing restrictions on our fuel mix.
Right now Californians are paying over 50 cents more per gallon than people are in Hawaii, which is an island State. We can lower the price of gas, and we can protect our coast at the same time.
Mr. Speaker, as people everywhere celebrate St. Patrick's Day, I rise to honor the life and legacy of John J. Carney, an Irish- American son of northern Ohio. His vision, heart, and integrity helped shape the future of his beloved Cleveland.
John was a devoted family man and a real estate developer, but really he was so much more. He was a father for his community. He was a builder, a steward of civic renewal, and a tireless champion for the city he loved so deeply.
Through his decades of service from the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority to Playhouse Square and the Downtown Cleveland Alliance, John believed in Cleveland's promise and gave his life to helping it rise.
He brought people together with warmth, humility, and that ever- present Irish sparkle in his eye. Whether hiking in the Alps, collecting rare books, or laughing with his grandchildren, John reminded us all to live fully and give generously.
Ohio is stronger, more vibrant, and more hopeful because John Carney walked among us. May his memory be a blessing, and may the Sun shine warmly upon his face.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate a proud North Dakotan, Britta Curl-Salemme, and the entire USA women's hockey team on their thrilling overtime victory against our neighbors to the north.
North Dakotans know Britta well. She represents the very best of our State: hard work, grit, and team spirit. From the rinks of North Dakota to the world stage, she has carried those values with pride.
Britta's dedication and leadership helped deliver a gold medal moment our country is still celebrating.
I recognize the people who helped make this moment possible: her parents, Bill and Gretchen, and her siblings who have supported her every step of the way. North Dakota could not be more proud of Britta. We know she is gold through and through.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to express profound sadness on the passing of Captain Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana, and my gratitude for his service to our Nation. Captain Koval died during a refueling accident while supporting Operation Epic Fury.
Captain Koval was a KC-135R Stratotanker instructor pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron. He enlisted as a machinist in the Indiana Air National Guard in 2006 and graduated in 2011 from Purdue with a bachelor's degree. He joined the Ohio National Guard in 2017 and was commissioned on November 9, 2018.
He eventually became advanced trained as an instructor pilot. He deployed multiple times over the past 12 years, including in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Spartan Shield, and Epic Fury. Captain Koval ultimately accumulated over 400 hours of flight in combat.
Captain Koval was married for 19 years and was the father of a young son.
I thank Captain Koval for his selfless service. My prayers are with his family.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 4 o'clock and 14 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
