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05Resignation as Member of Committee on Small Business
06Resignation as Member of Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
07Resignation as Member of Committee on Small Business
08Resignation as Member of Committee on Foreign Affairs
09Messages From the President
10After Recess
11Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Trade Practices That Contribute to Large and Persistent Annual United States Goods Trade Deficits: Message From the President of the United...
12Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Specified Harmful Foreign Activities of the Government of the Russian Federation: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc.
13Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to South Sudan: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119-144)
14Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities: Message From the President of the United States (H. Doc. No. 119-145)
15Bills Presented to the President
16Adjournment
1 member spoke
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
22 public bills, H.R. 8070- 8091; and 4 resolutions, H. Con. Res. 80; and H. Res. 1135-1137 were introduced.
Pages H2709-11
Reports Filed
Reports were filed today as follows: H.R. 2071, to prohibit Federal funds from being made available to international financial institutions for the purposes of financing foreign shrimp farms, and for other purposes, with amendments (H. Rept. 119-571); H.R. 4171, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to provide small issuers with a micro-offering exemption free of mandated disclosures or offering filings, but subject to the antifraud provisions of the Federal securities laws, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-572); and H.R. 7127, to amend the Securities Act of 1933 to exempt off-exchange secondary trading from State regulation where such trading is with respect to securities of an issuer that makes publicly available certain current information, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 119-573).
Page H2709
Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Moore (WV) to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H2679
Recess
The House recessed at 11 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H2686
Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture: Appointment
The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following individual on the part of the House to the Commission to Study the Potential Creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture to fill the existing vacancy thereon: Mr. Anh ``Joseph'' Cao, Metairie, Louisiana.
Page H2687
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative LaLota wherein he resigned from the Committee on Small Business.
Page H2687
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Miller (OH) wherein he resigned from the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Page H2687
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Downing wherein he resigned from the Committee on Small Business.
Page H2687
Committee Resignation
Read a letter from Representative McCormick wherein he resigned from the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Pages H2687-88
Committee Elections
The House agreed to H. Res. 1135, electing Members to certain standing committees of the House of Representatives.
Page H2688
Recess
The House recessed at 1:12 p.m. and reconvened at 1:30 p.m.
Page H2696
Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026
The House passed H.R. 5103, to establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, by a yea-and-nay vote of 218 yeas to 206 noes, Roll No. 101.
Pages H2698-H2704, H2705
Rejected the McClellan motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform by a yea-and-nay vote of 207 yeas to 214 nays, Roll No. 100.
Pages H2704-05
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.
Page H2698
H. Res. 1131, the rule providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8029), the resolution (H. Res. 1128) and the bills (H.R. 5103) and (H.R. 7084) was agreed to by a recorded vote of 214 ayes to 210 noes, Roll No. 99, after the previous question was ordered by a yea-and-nay vote of 212 yeas to 210 nays, Roll No. 98.
Pages H2688-96, H2696-97
Presidential Messages
Received a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025, is to continue in effect beyond April 2, 2026--referred to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Ways and Means and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-142).
Page H2697
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation declared in Executive Order 14024 of April 15, 2021, which was expanded in scope in subsequent executive orders, is to continue in effect beyond April 15, 2026--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-143).
Pages H2697-98
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13664 of April 3, 2014, with respect to South Sudan is to continue in effect beyond April 3, 2026--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-144).
Page H2698
Read a message from the President transmitting a notification stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13694, with respect to significant malicious cyber-enabled activities, of April 1, 2015, and subsequent executive orders, is to continue in effect beyond April 1, 2026--referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed (H. Doc. 119-145).
Page H2698
Quorum Calls: Votes
Three yea-and-nay votes and one recorded vote developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2696, H2697, H2704-05, and H2705. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 4:05 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: 114 of 145 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.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to solemnly honor the life of an American hero who gave his life in service to his country.
On Thursday, March 12, 2026, while deployed as part of Operation Epic Fury, six crewmembers were killed when the U.S. Air Force KC-135 aerial refueling tanker crashed in Iraq's airspace. Two crewmembers were from our Buckeye State, and one was from my district: Captain Curtis Angst of Wilmington.
Curtis was a standout student, earning honors from both Wilmington High School, where he graduated in 2014, and at the University of Cincinnati, where he earned a degree in aerospace engineering.
Curtis had a great love for aviation, which began in his childhood. Curtis' mother, Lisa, remembers how Curtis would play with toy airplanes outside of his family's home. Curtis' father, Matt, was a private pilot and took Curtis up in the air for the first time when he was just a toddler. Lisa worked as a flight attendant for airlines, so Curtis seemed destined to take flight when he got older.
Captain Angst was only 30 years old when he made the ultimate sacrifice. During his final mission, he was serving as a pilot for the 166th Air Refueling Squadron at the 121st Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus. With a decade of service, Captain Angst had completed 880 flight hours and 67 combat hours, leaving behind a legacy of selfless service and a deep commitment to protecting our Nation.
Earlier in his career, Captain Angst had also deployed in 2015 in Operation Spartan Shield and was responsible for flying worldwide for air refueling, aeromedical services, cargo transport, and passenger operations.
Captain Angst leaves behind a loving wife, Mary. My heart goes out to her and the rest of Curtis' family as they navigate this unthinkable loss. This tragedy is a solemn reminder that freedom is not free and that we owe a debt of gratitude to Curtis and the other servicemembers who have given their lives in service to this country.
I continue to stand resolutely behind our courageous servicemembers and their families as they prove time after time that America is the land of the free because of the brave.
Captain Angst's service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. I salute Captain Angst for his courage and speak on behalf of southern Ohio when I say that he will be remembered as an American hero.
My prayers and deepest condolences will continue to be with Captain Angst and his family in the months ahead.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the community presence of Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church, a beacon of faith and service in the city of Mount Vernon, New York.
Under the spiritual leadership of the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue, Greater Centennial traces its founding to 1896, 130 years ago. Those founders' vision has been realized in today's Greater Centennial: dynamic weekly worship services, Bible study classes, weekly prayer call, Sunday school and programs for young people, Wellness Wednesday programs, and in the outreach to assist those of the community in need with food and clothing, as well as seniors in need of companionship and care.
Dr. Pogue has led Greater Centennial for over a decade, having served in the ministry previously from Harlem to Oakland, California. He holds master's and doctoral degrees in divinity studies. His service extends beyond the congregation as a chaplain for the Mount Vernon Police Department, vice chair of the Westchester County Human Rights Commission, and membership in prominent African-American organizations, including president of the United Black Clergy.
From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute the Rev. Dr. Stephen Pogue and the church that he shepherds, Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church in Mount Vernon.
Mr. Speaker, permit me to extend happy birthday wishes on April 4 to Pelham Mayor Chance Mullen, who is showing talent and leadership in the public sector, as well as in the private nonprofit world.
Chance was elected as mayor of the village of Pelham in 2019 and is serving in his fourth term. He served previously as a trustee on the village board.
Chance is the chief elected official for Pelham Village, a community of 7,000 people, with all the municipal responsibilities and headaches that come with the position of mayor: the responsibilities for police, fire, sanitation, and the like.
Through all of that, Mayor Mullen has done an exemplary job, but that is not his only job. In his professional life, Chance serves as the executive director of the Housing Action Council, a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.
Finally, Chance Mullen is an active Pelham volunteer: Cub Scouts, Little League baseball, the Picture House, Pelham Civic Association, and more.
From the floor of the House of Representatives, I wish a happy birthday to Mayor Chance Mullen and encourage him to take a break for at least one day.
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, March 18, was a day for democracy in New York State.
Voters in many of our villages went to the polls to elect leaders to serve their home communities, running the village governments that provide basic services in their area: police, fire, sanitation, recreation, snow removal, land use authority, and the like.
In Westchester's 16th Congressional District, let me salute those who have won.
In the village of Bronxville, Helen Knapp and Vanessa O'Friel were elected as trustees to the Bronxville Village Board. William Prince was elected village justice.
In the village of Elmsford, Nelson Lopez and David Signor were elected as trustees to the Elmsford Village Board.
In the village of Scarsdale, Tim Foley, Ron Schulhof, and Scott Silberfein were elected as trustees to the Scarsdale Village Board.
These elections were held without controversy or incident. There were no claims of illegal voting or stolen elections but just simply democracy at work.
I congratulate the winners and thank all who competed in their service to the communities.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Chief Judge Eric F. Melgren of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas and to recognize his distinguished service on the Federal bench.
Today, the district of Kansas unveiled Judge Melgren's official portrait and celebrated his lasting legacy after nearly two decades of active judicial service. As of September 1, 2025, Judge Melgren has assumed senior status, which he will continue to serve with the same dedication and commitment that have defined his entire career.
Judge Melgren's story is a Kansas story. Raised on a cattle and wheat farm in southwest Kansas, he is a first-generation college graduate who went on to lead as student body president of Wichita State University and later earned his law degree from Washburn University.
From private practice in Wichita to serving as United States Attorney for the district of Kansas and, ultimately, to his appointment to the Federal bench by President George W. Bush, his career reflects a life rooted in hard work, service, and leadership.
Over 18 years on the bench, including his time as Chief Judge, Judge Melgren has upheld the rule of law with integrity and a deep respect for the Constitution. He has also given back to his community, leading organizations like United Way of the Plains and Leadership Wichita, and remaining closely connected to the people and institutions that helped to shape him.
In the Big First District and across Kansas, we value those who serve with humility, lead with principle, and stay grounded in their roots. Judge Melgren embodies those values.
I thank him for his service, congratulate him on this milestone, and wish him the very best as he continues his hard work on the bench.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a proud Kansan whose work honors the legacy of American agriculture and the generations who built it.
Michael Hinton of Hutchinson has dedicated his life to preserving the history and heritage of rural America through antique tractors, but his work goes far beyond restoring old equipment. It is about telling the story of the men and women who have worked the land, provided for their families, and helped feed the world.
Through his creation of Antique Tractors Preservation Day and the launch of talkingtractors.com, Michael has built a platform that brings agricultural history to life and connects generations through a shared appreciation for hard work, innovation, and community. His efforts have earned recognition across Kansas and the Nation.
This year, Michael was inducted into the National Agricultural Hall of Fame, joining the ranks of some of the most influential figures in our Nation's agricultural history, from George Washington to John Deere. He is now one of only a handful of Kansans to receive this distinguished honor.
In the Big First District of Kansas, agriculture is not just our way of life. It is our legacy. Leaders like Michael Hinton remind us that preserving that legacy matters while we continue to build its future.
I am grateful for his work, proud to call him a fellow Kansan, and congratulate him on his well-deserved recognition.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a fierce advocate for justice and a tireless champion for gun violence prevention, Elizabeth Ramirez.
On a tragic night almost 15 years ago, Elizabeth's son, Harry Rodriguez, was fatally shot, giving his life to protect his family members when a masked assailant opened fire during his 23rd birthday celebration.
From the depths of unimaginable grief, Elizabeth transformed her pain into purpose. She cofounded Parents for Peace and Justice in Belmont Cragin, in Illinois-03, to not only advocate for stronger gun violence prevention measures but to provide essential support to families who have been impacted by gun violence.
Elizabeth provides courtroom support for families. She organizes peace walks and hosts vigils throughout communities to ensure that no family member has to navigate the profound pain of losing a loved one to violence alone.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I am proud to commend Elizabeth Ramirez for her relentless hope and for her essential work to help our communities recover from violence and loss.
I thank Elizabeth, and may her son rest in peace and power.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my constituent, Dr. Jessica Esquivel.
Jessica is a queer, Afro-Latine, particle physicist, disruptor, author, and visionary who has made it her personal mission to ensure the success of underrepresented communities in the sciences.
As one of the few Afro-Latine, queer women in the world of STEAM, Jessica embraces all facets of her identity, unapologetically existing in spaces that have historically excluded people who look like her or identify as she does.
Through her work as an associate scientist at Fermilab, her leadership as cofounder of Oyanova Enterprises, and her creation of Twitter movement #blackinphysics, she has fostered opportunities for Black and Brown leaders to thrive through culturally relevant STEAM programming, mental
Jessica's work reveals the critical intersection of science, identity, and culture, demonstrating how diverse perspectives are essential to solving the challenges of our time.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, it is my honor to commend Dr. Jessica Esquivel for blazing trails and reminding us that all is possible when we lift others as we climb.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mary Santana, a visionary whose leadership has built transformative, creative spaces that uplift our young people in Illinois-03 and beyond.
Mary is the founder and executive director at the Miracle Center, an organization that reflects her belief that community, creativity, and care have the power to change lives. The Miracle Center is a beacon for diverse youth and families, offering mentoring, coaching, training, and academic support, all grounded in the arts.
What started as a small day camp run out of her basement apartment has, over the last 30 years, grown to impact over 20,000 young people across Chicago. Mary has ensured that The Miracle Center nurtures diverse local artists, showcases BIPOC artistry, and uplifts unique perspectives. Under her leadership, The Miracle Center has grown, acquiring a dedicated building near my district office offering Latino artists a platform for performance.
On behalf of Illinois' Third Congressional District, I am proud to commend Mary Santana for bringing the power of art to our communities and establishing The Miracle Center in Illinois Three as a space where young people can explore their creative dreams and know that nothing is impossible when you dream and you have community.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mary and congratulate and commend her on this House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the nation in mourning the loss of Sergeant Benjamin N. Pennington, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 1st Space Brigade in my district at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
A Kentucky native, Benjamin had the drive to serve instilled in him from a young age. Even as a kid, he knew he wanted to be an American soldier. Here beside me is one of his drawings he made in kindergarten where he wrote: ``I love America because I want to fight for my country,'' at 5 years old. He would even spend all day outside playing Army man with his friends and with his neighbors, dreaming of the day he would be able to wear a uniform. He enjoyed watching the Military Channel and reading books about the military. Even his childhood bedroom was decorated with Army prints and military planes hanging from the ceiling.
As a teenager, Benjamin enjoyed playing sports, but he dedicated most of his time to Boy Scouts, later proving his dedication to serving by achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.
In growing up, many of his teachers recognized all the qualities of an American hero. With his determination, his compassion, and his natural charismatic demeanor, no act of service was ever too small.
In 2017, at age 18, just one month after graduating high school and his Eagle Scout ceremony, Benjamin enlisted in the United States Army as a supply unit specialist, where he quickly earned the trust of his colleagues and senior officials.
He spent much of his career stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana, and he served a tour in Korea before ultimately being stationed at Fort Carson. While there, Benjamin fell in love with the beauty of the nature and the mountains of Colorado Springs. It was there that he also found the comfort of home in church, giving his life to Christ through baptism in January of this year.
While talking to Benjamin's father, Tim, a great man, he told me that Benjamin enjoyed going to Major League Baseball games and had the goal to see a game at every MLB stadium.
Benjamin was deployed in support of Operation Epic Fury, answering the call to defend our freedoms from those who sought to harm our country. Tragically, on March 8, Benjamin was only 26 years young when he gave the ultimate sacrifice, succumbing to his injuries during an enemy attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. His sacrifice is a grave and sobering reminder of the dangers our men and women in uniform face in the Middle East and across the globe to defend our Nation and our freedoms.
During Benjamin's time in service, he earned many honors, including the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. In recognition of his true bravery and his true sacrifice, the United States Army has announced that he will be posthumously promoted to the rank of staff sergeant, an enduring testament to the courage and sacrifice to our Nation that will not be forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you join me in honoring Sergeant Pennington's noble sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, before departing the Capitol last week, I stood at this very spot with Democratic and Republican colleagues, three separate times, to honor, with moments of silence, American servicemembers who have fallen in Trump's reckless war in Iran. If congressional Republicans continue to remain silent, the only result will be more of those ceremonies and more deaths of innocents like the 168 children and teachers who were killed by a U.S. bomb.
An arrogant Hegseth dismisses all of this with a shrug as ``bad things happen.'' To Trump, he sees it as a fundraising opportunity as he solicits money using the pictures of these fallen heroes.
But for the families who lost a father, a son, or a daughter, a spouse, it means an empty seat at Thanksgiving. It means a bride walking unaccompanied down the aisle. It means an untouched pillow on the bed. It means years of grief without the good advice, the laughter, the hope, and the bear hug that will never come.
While Iran certainly has a tyrannical regime that has murdered thousands of its own citizens and in prior years was responsible for the deaths of some Americans, Iran posed no imminent or immediate threat at the time President Trump chose to suddenly abandon negotiations and launch an assault. Republicans are rubber-stamping a war that lacks any plan or any set goal. More than 200 American servicemembers have already been wounded, and Trump is certainly not dispatching more ground troops to the area for the sunshine.
We are now in week 4 of what he told us was a 4- to 5-week war. All we have to show for it is death and destruction, a depleted weapons supply, soaring gas prices, and an Iranian regime that is intact and more hardline than ever.
Israeli officials have advised that any Iranian protestors will be ``slaughtered'' by a brutal regime that is ``not cracking.'' What is much worse about this is that Trump knew. He was told by close advisers that this would be the outcome before this war began. As one said: ``It wasn't just predictable, it was predicted.''
Instead of acknowledging this complete failure, Trump continues to endanger all of us. Now, he is submitting to this Congress a bill for American taxpayers of $200 billion. Let's face it, Iran has grabbed Trump by the Hormuz, with no path out of a quagmire that could be like Iraq where we lost 4,400 servicemembers and wasted over $2 trillion.
With Trump's $200 billion bill, about 22 million Americans could have affordable access to healthcare, not just this year, but with restored tax credits for the next 7 years. Our veterans, 9 million veterans could get their VA healthcare paid for for the next 2 years. With $200 billion, we could double the National Institutes of Health budget to explore research for Alzheimer's and
We know that under Trump it is Netanyahu first and Americans second. Too weak to prevent this war by saying no to him, he continues to blindly follow strongmen. Amazingly, when Trump is told that war criminal Vladimir Putin is helping Iran target American servicemembers, he shrugs it off. He is so desperate that he has now not only lifted sanctions on Russian oil, fueling the Russian war machine to attack innocents in Ukraine, he has actually removed sanctions on Iranian oil to fund the Iranian Government and the missiles that they continue to send our way.
While Trump declares himself the ``acting president of Venezuela'' and says that he can do ``anything I want'' to Cuba, while one of his many lies contradicts the next one, he really believes that he is not just king of America, but king of the universe. Yet, it is Americans that will pay the very severe price for his gigantic ego and constant whims that embark us in danger around the globe.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, on March 21, we celebrated World Down Syndrome Day. Today, I rise to honor a program that reflects that spirit of inclusion--Washington State University's ROAR program--and to celebrate one of its newest admitted students, Cole Rodgers.
Cole has a dream shared by many young people: to go to college, study alongside great students, and cheer on the Cougs. He is energetic, kind, and passionate about serving others, and he brings a love of music, basketball, and Cougar sports wherever he goes. He hopes to study communications and government affairs, build his public-speaking skills, and explore career paths that will help him live independently.
WSU ROAR makes those dreams possible. As part of a federally- supported initiative under the model Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, otherwise known as TPSID, ROAR reflects a proven model being implemented successfully on campuses across the country.
The program provides inclusive coursework, on-campus living, hands-on internships, and real preparation for life after college, opening doors for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to learn, grow, and thrive. Just last week, ROAR received a $2.48 million Federal grant, funding I was proud to help secure.
WSU ROAR opens up doors for students like Cole and other students across campus to develop the skills and experience needed to contribute meaningfully to our communities and economy.
Mr. Speaker, as a proud member of Coug Nation, I know what it means personally to be a Cougar. Cole is a Cougar, too, and programs like WSU ROAR ensure that every student with a dream has a chance to pursue it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sergeant Mike Swim of Stevens County on his well-earned retirement after 29 years with the Stevens County Sheriff's Department.
Sergeant Swim has spent his entire life in service, from Explorers Search and Rescue at age 12, to the U.S. Navy, to nearly three decades protecting the community he loves.
His courage was tested on September 27, 2017, when a suspect fired nine rounds into his patrol vehicle at point-blank range. Miraculously, he survived. The bullet-ridden door he keeps in his garage is a powerful reminder of both the blessings and the dangers that law enforcement faces every day.
Even in retirement, Sergeant Swim will continue serving as a special deputy, assisting with crime scenes, cold cases, and emergency response.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Sergeant Swim for his extraordinary dedication and wish him the very best in his next chapter.
Congratulating Gonzaga Bulldogs and University of Idaho Vandals
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the University of Idaho Vandals, both men's and women's basketball teams, for outstanding seasons. It has been incredible to watch them bring true determination and passion to the court.
Like many young people who grew up in the Inland Northwest and on the Palouse, I followed all of our local sports teams, including the Cougs, the Zags, the Eags, the Vandals, and the Whitworth sports teams.
This year, the Zags and Vandals gave us plenty to cheer about. The Gonzaga men's team showed their relentless Bulldog spirit, powering through the season with a 31-4 record and a WCC championship. The Gonzaga women's team delivered a thrilling season of their own, finishing 24-10 and capturing their 11th WCC championship title.
I also recognize the Vandals men's team for an impressive 21-15 season that kept fans on their feet and their appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Finally, I recognize the Vandals women's team that lit up the court with a phenomenal 29-6 record, earning their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2016, capped by a huge 60-57 win over rival Montana State.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate all of these teams for an electric season and their truly remarkable performance. Go Zags. Go Vandals. All of the fans of the Inland Northwest should never forget how spoiled they are with all of our wonderful teams.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the Member from Delaware (Representative McBride) for 5 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my friend and pastor, the Reverend Dr. Gregory Knox Jones, and to congratulate him on his retirement after 22 years leading Westminster Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, Delaware.
I have had the pleasure of seeing Reverend Jones' ministry up close, as a lifelong member of Westminster where I have been witness to a community shaped by his dynamic leadership, incisive mind, eloquent sermons, and his big heart.
Since joining Westminster in 2004, Reverend Jones has led with compassion, putting his faith into action time and time again. He has tirelessly centered peace and justice in his ministry both here in the United States and around the world from Central America to the Middle East.
Throughout his ministry, he has followed the example of Christ by welcoming the stranger and building bridges with those too often cast into the shadows of society. At a time of deepening divisions, he has fostered interfaith relationships and partnerships across Delaware's Christian, Jewish, and Muslim communities.
His tireless devotion to his neighbors is matched only by his faithful counsel of our Westminster community, supporting congregants and their families through love and loss--a privilege he has delivered with exceptional care and grace. My own family and I are eternally grateful for his guidance and support through the challenges we have faced in our own lives.
While he has served as pastor to a First Lady and a U.S. Senator, Reverend Jones has been there personally and professionally for all of God's children, no matter who they are, where they come from, how they look, or whom they love. As Westminster enters its 140th year, Reverend Jones' impact is deep, and his example is profound.
I thank Reverend Jones and Camila for their remarkable stewardship of Westminster, and I wish them all the best in their next chapter.
I congratulate Greg on a well-deserved retirement.
Mr. Speaker, this week marks 16 years since the Affordable Care Act became the law of the land. And for millions of Americans,
The ACA had an ambitious but necessary goal: ensuring more Americans have access to the healthcare they need to live and thrive in our country.
Because of the ACA, more than 50 million Americans have gained health coverage. People with preexisting conditions have been protected from losing their insurance, and Medicaid expansion has helped families get the care they need.
When people have access to care, lives are saved, families are more stable, and communities are stronger.
But since its passage, the one through line of every Republican Congress has been their concerted and coordinated effort to sabotage the ACA and strip people of their healthcare.
Since this current Congress convened last January, the ACA tax credits have expired, and the majority passed the single largest cut to Medicaid in American history. They eviscerated the American healthcare system, gutting coverage and financial support that makes it possible for families to get care. They raided the healthcare of the American people to fund this President's mass deportation machine and to give massive tax breaks to his billionaire donors.
The consequence is a tax on working people, a tax on our most vulnerable neighbors.
When you force working families to pay more out of pocket for basic healthcare, that is a tax. It is a tax on getting sick and a tax on staying alive.
Families across the country have already started losing coverage, and millions more are facing skyrocketing premiums that are unsustainable.
Government should be working to make life easier for the people we serve, not making healthcare harder for them to afford.
The right to lifesaving care is a foundational right, one that makes all other rights possible. Americans will never truly be free until every single one of us can get the healthcare that we need.
So, on this anniversary, we shouldn't just celebrate the ideals of the ACA of 16 years ago, but we should also recommit ourselves to ensuring that the promise of quality, affordable healthcare becomes a reality for today's family.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Nathan Martin, a dedicated cross-country coach and substitute teacher at Jackson High School, who has earned national recognition by winning the 41st Los Angeles Marathon.
Nathan's story is one of grit, heart, and perseverance.
During the race he told himself: I can't give up. It was a simple but powerful motto that carried him to pass the international leader and cross the finish line as the champion in the final seconds of the race.
However, Nathan's impact extends far beyond his own personal achievement. As a coach and substitute teacher, he inspires young runners and students, teaching them the values of discipline, resilience, and believing in themselves.
His victory is a win for the entire Jackson community and for every student he has encouraged along the way.
I ask my colleagues to join me in congratulating Nathan on his remarkable and historic accomplishment.
Mr. Speaker, more and more I am troubled by a simple question: Will Donald Trump be the last President ever elected by a free and fair election?
That certainly seems to be the plan.
In 2024, Donald Trump said: Get out and vote, just this time. You won't have to do it again.
In 2023, he said that he would be a dictator on day one.
In 2021, after he lost, he tried to overturn the election, which led to people attacking this Chamber where we stand right now.
When Donald Trump talks about elections, he does not hide what he wants. He keeps talking about taking over elections, and his number one legislative priority is the SAVE Act. The only one thing that this bill is designed to save is Donald Trump's political future.
This bill would create a paperwork nightmare for millions of Americans. The SAVE Act requires documents that millions of citizens do not have in order to vote.
That is right. Even the new REAL ID drivers' licenses we all had to get don't meet the standard. Even military IDs wouldn't count. You will need a passport, which costs you about $160 and takes weeks to receive, or your birth certificate.
Mr. Speaker, did you know that half of the country does not have a passport, and millions more don't have access to their birth certificate?
Then there are married women who might have changed the name on their documents, and so now they don't match because they changed their name.
The SAVE Act also ends online and by-mail voter registration. Good luck registering to vote if you have a job, have a family, or live far from your county seat or board of elections.
Add it all up, and millions of American citizens will lose their right to vote.
This bill is designed to give the Stephen Millers of the world every opportunity they can to find or kick people off voting rolls.
If Congress passes the SAVE Act, it will be the first time since Jim Crow that our legislature has acted to make our democracy smaller, not larger.
Mr. Speaker, Donald Trump is many things, but a mystery he is not, nor is what he is trying to do.
Mr. Speaker, we have seen this movie before. In 2003, it was tax cuts for the wealthy and a war we were told would be quick and necessary. Trillions of dollars later, the American people were left holding the bill, and here we go again.
Did you know demand for private jets is booming after President Trump gave tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans last year? Now, the President wants $200 billion more to fund an unauthorized and unacceptable war in Iran, a war that is already jacking up costs from the gas pump to the grocery store. That is $200 billion, $200 billion.
Again, let's talk choices. Let's talk priorities.
We were told there is no money for healthcare, so Republicans gutted Medicaid and refused to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits.
We were told there was no money to help people to put food on their table, so Republicans passed their big, ugly law cutting $186 billion from nutrition programs.
We were told there was no money for education, so they cut student loan programs, and at the same time they delivered more tax breaks at the top while everyone else falls further behind.
For war, for the wealthy, suddenly there is always money. There are billions for conflict. There are billions for ICE. There are billions for billionaires. We were told there was no money to help families afford groceries, to educate our kids, or to lower healthcare costs.
These are the choices being made: higher costs for you, bigger checks for war, and more tax breaks at the top.
I ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle: This isn't really about priorities or scarcity, is it? It is about actually your priorities, and right now the priorities are upside down.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are again reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize The Oil City Derrick, which published the final print edition of The Derrick and The News-Herald on March 20.
The Derrick opened at 1871 under its prior name of the Daily Derrick by C.E. Bishop & Company. The publication covered the latest stories in Oil City.
When Edwin Drake struck oil in western Pennsylvania, The Derrick quickly became a national news outlet, and it was best known for its coverage of oil prices.
The newspaper was a key source of information for journalists like Ida Tarbell, who reported the oil wars of the 1870s.
Patrick C. Boyle, a prominent figure in the oil industry, bought The Derrick in 1885. Patrick helped to establish other newspapers, including the Bradford Era and the Oil and Gas Journal.
The newspaper was owned by the Boyle family for four generations. Patrick Boyle passed away in 1920, and ownership of the newspaper was passed on to his son, Edward Boyle, who served as a publisher until his death in 1938.
For more than 100 years, the Boyle family was influential in the newspaper's success. From Patrick Boyle's purchase of the outlet in 1885, the family's stewardship ensured that for 154 years The Derrick never once missed a day of publication--an incredible accomplishment.
The pages of The Derrick served as the record for the region's history. Major events included President Ulysses S. Grant's visit to the area and the Great Fire and Flood of 1892.
The Derrick didn't just witness change. It lived through it. Through every win and loss of the oil boom to the dawn of the industrial revolution to the emergence of the digital age, this newspaper adapted and prevailed.
The Derrick stood as a constant for 154 years, capturing the evolution of our community and the very way that we share the news.
Mr. Speaker, it is never easy when we see our local institutions close, especially those that have played such an important role in our communities like The Derrick has for more than a century.
My heartfelt thanks go out to the staff who have worked diligently over the years to deliver the news to the people of Pennsylvania's 15th Congressional District.
For 154 years, The Derrick has been there, and we are all grateful for that.
The Northern Nash High School Knights came out on top, claiming the 2026 North Carolina High School Athletic Association Class 6A boys' basketball State championship in a heart-pounding overtime thriller.
They edged Kings Mountain with a nail-biting score of 61-60, and we are incredibly proud to congratulate Coach Drake, the Knights, and such dedicated fans, who were there to bring home this honor for the first time since 1968.
Mr. Speaker, Wilson Prep has made history. The talented and dynamic Tiger girls' basketball team won the 1A State championship. It was their first-ever State title, as they beat Robbinsville 58-44.
To all of our athletes: Thank you for making eastern North Carolina so proud and representing our communities on and off the court with excellence.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize bipartisan legislation that I have introduced called the Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act, which has garnered widespread support from Members on both sides of the Chamber. Just this week, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus endorsed the bill.
At its core, this bill reflects a simple principle: Just as American families plan ahead for emergencies, the Federal Government must do the same.
Whether facing a natural disaster, an economic crisis, or a national security threat, Washington must understand its financial readiness to respond effectively.
For too long, the Federal Government has failed to seriously assess its ability to weather major national emergencies. Families across Virginia save for unexpected expenses and prepare for uncertainty. It is only reasonable that the government entrusted with safeguarding the Nation apply the same level of responsibility and foresight.
This bill would require the Federal Government to conduct regular stress tests and publicly report on its capacity to respond to major emergency situations, ensuring transparency and sound decisionmaking during times of crisis.
Preparedness should never be a partisan issue. By identifying risks ahead of time, we can strengthen our response and protect taxpayers from avoidable failures during moments of national urgency.
Mr. Speaker, the Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act is about responsibility and readiness. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan effort and take a meaningful step toward ensuring that our government is prepared to meet tomorrow's challenges.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of a great lady, Mildred Scott, a dear friend and a remarkable Virginian whose dedication to her community, her church, and civic life left a lasting impact across the Roanoke Valley and Virginia's Sixth Congressional District.
Mildred passed away on March 6 of this year at the age of 97, remaining as witty and spirited at the end of her life as she was throughout her nearly 100 years.
Originally from Roanoke, Mildred graduated from Jefferson High School and studied finance at Roanoke College. Mildred built a successful career in banking before continuing her service in the Roanoke County Treasurer's Office and later with the town of Vinton.
For more than four decades, she was devoted to her church family at Thrasher Memorial United Methodist Church, raising funds for missions through cooking and catering. Known across the region for her exceptional baking, she created countless cakes for weddings and community gatherings at the Vinton War Memorial.
Mildred also devoted well over 30 years to the Roanoke Valley Republican Women's Club, serving as president, vice president, and treasurer, and helping organize numerous Sixth District Republican galas and Roanoke County shrimpfests and baking those wonderful cakes for them.
Mildred Scott will be remembered as a pillar of her community whose generosity, work ethic, and joyful spirit touched countless lives.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring her life and legacy.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary young athlete whose grit, discipline, and determination exemplify the very best of our next generation.
Mr. Speaker, 15-year-old Jordyn Miller of Clarke County recently captured the 2025 NASCAR Youth Series Heavy Honda Dirt National Championship,
Jordyn's success is no accident. It is the result of years of hard work, countless hours studying her craft, and a deep family bond forged at racetracks across the country. With the guidance of her father, Jason Miller, a veteran racer himself, Jordyn learned not just how to drive fast but how to compete with focus, resilience, and humility.
In a sport defined by pressure and precision, Jordyn rose to the challenge, winning 17 races this past season. As she prepares to take the next step in her racing career, we celebrate her achievement and wish her continued success.
Mr. Speaker, Jordyn Miller reminds us that dreams, when met with effort, can turn into championships.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative in southern Arizona for receiving the 2026 Electric Cooperative Purpose Award from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Electric cooperatives are unique. They are owned by the people they serve. Every customer is a member-owner. Every member has a voice. Decisions are made locally by neighbors who understand their communities' economic realities. This creates accountability, transparency, and a relentless focus on safety, reliability, and affordability.
In 2022, when global fuel prices surged, families and small businesses across Cochise County felt the impact. Energy costs rose sharply, pressuring household and business budgets. SSVEC's board and leadership team needed to protect the very members who own the cooperative while maintaining long-term stability, and that is exactly what they did.
They responded with ingenuity and resolve, launching direct communication with members, working with its cooperative partner AEPCO to establish a fuel hedging program, and directing 100 percent of its annual operating margin to buy down more than $8 million in member fuel bank debt. That action delivered immediate bill relief.
Behind the decision were employees who stayed focused on service to their members during a period of uncertainty. Now, SSVEC is stronger and better positioned to manage future volatility. Families and businesses in southern Arizona saw how local ownership translates into local solutions.
I congratulate the board of directors, the employees, and the member- owners of Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative. I thank them for their commitment to protecting affordability and serving rural Arizona.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Salpointe High School girls' soccer team on winning the 2026 4A State Championship title.
The Lady Lancers were led by Coach Jessica Rushton, a Tucson native who graduated from Salpointe in 2008. Rushton continues her coaching career at Salpointe following time spent at Pusch Ridge Christian Academy.
Despite the loss of their beloved and longtime coach, Kelly Pierce, only a few months before the start of the season, the team gave all they had under the leadership of Coach Rushton and earned yet another State championship title.
After an intense game, Salpointe defeated Mesa High School with a score of 5-4. Senior keeper Ani Jimenez was named the 4A championship MVP after an amazing save that sealed the Lancers' victory.
I congratulate Coach Rushton, the whole team, and everyone who made this win possible. Their hard work has made their school and our entire community very proud.
The Lancers should enjoy their victory. They have earned it. Here is to another successful season and to many, many more to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Cienega High School wrestling team and its three 2026 State champions.
For the first time in Cienega history, the Bobcats have three State wrestling champions.
Daesiah Varner became Cienega's first-ever three-time State champion. Varner made history by becoming the first wrestler in the school's program to finish an entire season undefeated, going 36-0 and finishing her run with the State championship.
The other two champions, AJ Berryhill and Luke Ferguson, beat the record for the most wins in a season with a total of 50.
This championship caps off an amazing season of growth and commitment for the entire team, where each student worked day in and day out to improve their skills and strength.
I congratulate Coach Cole Hickey, the whole team, and everyone who made this win possible. Their hard work has made their school and our entire community very proud.
The bobcats should enjoy their victory. They have earned it. Here is to another successful season and to many, many more.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Phil Deckard, the former mayor of Martinsville, Indiana, who passed away at the end of last year.
Phil dedicated 57 years of his life to public service and leadership in Morgan County and served four terms as the mayor of Martinsville.
Phil also served as the voice of the Martinsville Artesians, announcing football and basketball games at Martinsville High School.
Phil Deckard also served in the United States Navy as an airman from 1958 to 1959, before serving in the United States Air Force for another 4 years. He was honorably discharged as an E4 Airman First Class.
I am grateful for Phil's service to Indiana and our Nation. Our condolences and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Joe Root, who has served Clinton County as a veteran service officer for 25 years and served with the Clinton County Sheriff's Office for 20 years.
He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1970 and eventually became a VSO in 2001 to advocate for fellow veterans and ensure our veterans receive the benefits they rightfully deserve.
Joe Root's commitment to our veterans in Indiana does not stop there. He helped establish the Clinton County War Memorial at the courthouse and has led Memorial Day veteran services and honored veterans with 100-year birthday celebrations.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Joe Root for his selfless service to our country and to our Clinton County communities as well as his tireless advocacy on behalf of our Nation's veterans.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Dr. Philip Low, a remarkable scientist and teacher from Purdue University, who worked on breakthrough studies in drug discovery and cancer research. Dr. Low recently passed away at the age of 78.
In his career, he served as Purdue University's Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. He held over 100 U.S. patents and is listed on 600 other patents and 145 invention disclosures. He received some of the highest honors that can be given by Purdue University.
Those who knew him well said ``he cared about everybody,'' and ``he spent every minute trying to do good.'' He certainly did, and his work truly helped save lives.
I offer my condolences to his family and friends during this time. Dr. Low was an outstanding Hoosier. May he rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Catherine Myers from Hendricks County, who recently achieved a historic milestone, celebrating 20 years of publishing community journalism.
Catherine Myers and her husband, Rick, started a community newspaper
They went on to acquire additional newspapers in other counties in central Indiana. Unfortunately, Rick Myers passed away from cancer in 2021. After Rick's passing, Catherine Myers dedicated herself to launching a new community paper, the Hendricks County Community CONNECT, which serves Avon, Brownsburg, Danville, and Plainfield.
Catherine Myers has dedicated her life to bringing fresh perspectives and relevant content to our central Indiana communities. I thank her for her commitment to delivering local news, and I congratulate her on 20 years in the industry.
Mr. Speaker, the Tehran regime is the leading sponsor of global terrorism, responsible for the cowardly murder of Iranians. Yet, the courage of the Iranian people continues, inspiring President Donald Trump to take action for the Iranian people to be liberated, ending 47 years of war on America and Israel.
Beginning in December, nationwide protests against the Iranian dictatorship grew as consumer prices soared with crushing inflation. The regime responded in shutting down the internet and began murdering demonstrators. More than 30,000 Iranians have been mercilessly murdered.
Fanatically, the regime continues killing its citizens as gruesomely evidenced last week, hanging 19-year-old Iranian wrestling champion, Saleh Mohammadi. Previously, beautiful Neda Agha-Soltan was shot and left to bleed to death on a street in Tehran.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump, mocking Trump. This week, he was mass murdering Ukrainian civilians in apartment buildings as exposed today by The Washington Times.
Mr. Speaker, I wish a happy Greek Independence Day, and I welcome Antonis Alexandridis, our new Ambassador from Greece and Athens to the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great pilot and an even greater human being, Mike Melvill, who passed away last week at the age of 85.
Mike was a pioneer whose courage and skill helped open the final frontier. In 2004, the world watched in awe as he piloted SpaceShipOne into space, not once, but twice. In doing so, he earned the first FAA Commercial Space Astronaut Wings and became the first person to travel into space aboard a privately-developed spacecraft.
While the world knew him as a legendary test pilot, I saw firsthand that he was also a man of deep human decency and profound kindness.
Behind every record-breaking flight was a beautiful lifelong partnership. Mike and his wife, Sally, shared a wonderfully happy marriage that began as childhood sweethearts in South Africa and carried them through the early days of Mojave past the edge of space.
Mike was as humble as he was talented. He opened up space for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, I offer my deepest condolences to Sally and the Melvill family, and I wish Mike blue skies and tailwinds.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Wes Rucker, who tragically lost his life on February 19.
Wes was an award-winning journalist covering athletics at the University of Tennessee beginning in 2000 for, I believe, The Daily Beacon at UT.
Wes began his career freelancing across East Tennessee, covering the Vols and other professional sports. In 2011, he joined ``CBS Sports'' as a senior writer and also hosted two radio shows on ESPN Radio Knoxville. Wes also hosted multiple podcasts, was a Heisman Trophy voter, an AP football and basketball poll voter, and a contributor to the AP All-American Team and All-SEC selections.
Most recently, Wes joined WBIR in August of 2025 as a guest columnist and began hosting a weekday sports show in November of 2025.
Wes' legacy will live on through Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. He was known as a wonderful guy who loved every second of his job and being with the UT family every day.
I ask that if you get a second today to please say a prayer for his wonderful wife, his young son, and his unborn
Mr. Speaker, teen hunger is an often overlooked problem, and this Congress must be doing more to help teens access the nutritious food that they need to succeed.
That starts by talking directly with them. Recently, I joined my friend, Representative Jake Auchincloss, on a visit to the Boys and Girls Club of Metro South as part of my statewide End Hunger Now tour. There, under the leadership of CEO Derek Hime, we toured the Blue Spoon Community Kitchen where meals are prepared for families in need, and we visited the freight farm, which teaches the community about healthy eating and local food.
The highlight of our visit was the time we got to spend with the teen ambassadors. They are amazing young people who shared with us how important the Boys and Girls Club is to their health and well-being.
Mr. Speaker, I urge every Member of Congress to take some time during the upcoming recess to visit with youth leaders in their communities. Learn from them about how we can improve their food security and end hunger now.
Mr. Speaker, 18 years ago at 6:08 this morning, my son Jacob Fine was born. Six years after he was born, inspired by what he dealt with as a first grader, I decided to run for office, and 12 years later, here I am today.
Members of Congress give up a lot in order to serve, but it is their families that give up even more.
Today, as Jacob turns 18, he is home in Florida, and I am here doing the people's business, but I would be remiss if I did not wish him a happy birthday and let him know of all the things that I and his mother will accomplish in our lives, nothing will be more important than having brought him and his younger brother into this world and preparing them to be the amazing adults that I know that they will both turn out to be.
So Jacob, happy birthday. I love you, and I look forward to seeing you on Friday.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as President Trump is preparing to deploy thousands of troops to the Middle East.
President Trump has no issue sending our sons and daughters overseas, putting their lives on the line for a war that no one asked for while decimating the care they receive when they come home.
He is gutting their healthcare, eliminating the positions of thousands of doctors and nurses, and making the severe staffing crises we are seeing at VA hospitals across the country even worse.
His massive cuts to healthcare in his so-called one big, beautiful bill put already strained hospitals that more than 700,000 servicemembers, their families, and veterans rely on at even greater risk of collapse.
This is not how we treat the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to defend our democracy and our freedom.
Deploying troops while destroying their benefits is a disgrace and a betrayal of our solemn duty to care for them when they come home.
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 8029, Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act; Providing for Consideration of H. RES. 1128, Expressing the Support of the House of Representatives for the Department Of...
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, last night, the Rules Committee met and produced a rule, House Resolution 1131, providing for the House's consideration of four pieces of legislation.
First, the rule provides for H.R. 8029, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
Second, the rule provides for H. Res. 1128, expressing support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security, to be considered under a closed rule. It provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Homeland Security or their respective designees.
Third, the rule provides for H.R. 7084, the Defending American Property Abroad Act to be considered under a closed rule. It also provides for 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
Last, the rule provides for consideration of H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026, under a closed rule. It provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, or their designees, and provides for one motion to recommit.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this rule and in support of the underlying legislation.
At a fundamental level, this rule addresses our core responsibilities: maintaining public safety at home, defending American interests abroad, and ensuring the continuity of essential national security operations.
The underlying bills represent a consistent theme: America First. This White House and Republicans in Congress have never wavered from that ideal.
Let me begin with the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. We are now more than 1 month into the Democrats' shutdown of one of the most critical Departments in the Federal Government, the second longest shutdown in history. The consequences are real, and they are growing.
During the State of the Union Address, President Trump challenged Members of Congress to stand if they support the principle that the first duty of American Government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens. The majority of Democrats remained seated.
Let's be clear about what the Democrat shutdown means for the American people. It means Democrats are putting the interests of illegal aliens over our own citizens, and they, unbelievably, do this again and again. It is clear their policies are wildly unpopular, with not even 66 percent support from Democratic voters. It is no wonder they want illegal aliens to count in the Census and vote.
House and Senate Democrats have voted seven times--seven times-- against funding DHS, and already the shutdown has resulted in $2.5 billion in economic losses.
Across the country, essential workers are continuing to report for duty without pay. These individuals are responsible for airport security, disaster response, cybersecurity, and a range of other missions that affect public safety. At the same time, other employees have been furloughed, delaying important work and placing additional strain on those who remain on the job.
In total, over 100,000 DHS employees, including TSA officers at our airports, Coast Guard personnel, and FEMA staff, have been directly impacted by the Democrats' shutdown. That is roughly $1 billion in unpaid wages every month, and thousands of DHS personnel who, thanks to the Democrats, have worked with no pay for 49 percent of this fiscal year.
The ripple effects extend far beyond the workforce itself. Travelers are encountering longer and longer wait times, with some airports reporting 4- to 6-hour lines to clear security. Staffing shortages are becoming more and more pronounced. Experienced personnel are leaving, including 450 TSA agents, and replacing them is neither quick nor easy.
Meanwhile, agencies tasked with responding to emergencies are being forced to scale back planning and recovery efforts. All of this is happening while uncertainty continues, with no clear resolution in sight.
The burden of the Democrats' stunt continues to fall on Federal employees and the American public. That is not how critical national security functions should be managed.
Regardless of political differences, there should be a shared understanding that maintaining the operations of agencies responsible for protecting this country is essential. That includes our border security and our ICE agents. Delays and disruptions of these functions carry real risks--risks to efficiency, to morale, and, most importantly, to safety.
It is irresponsible and easily reversed. Democrats should vote to fully fund DHS when they have the opportunity to do so for the eighth time this week.
This rule also provides for consideration of a resolution expressing support for the Department of Homeland Security, led by my good friend from Pennsylvania, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie.
Now more than ever, we need to stand with the men and women carrying out the mission of DHS. While our military is engaged abroad, Democrats have shut down the agency responsible for securing the homeland, and Americans are less safe because of it. Ending this shutdown and passing this resolution makes clear we stand with those who protect this country, not the politics that undermine them.
I turn now to the Defending American Property Abroad Act. For generations, the United States has stood for the principle based in liberty that individuals and businesses should be able to invest, operate, and compete under the protection of clear and predictable rules. Respect for private property is essential to that system. It is what allows markets to function, innovation to thrive, and economic relationships to grow. However, those principles are not always honored beyond our borders.
There have been repeated instances where American companies have seen their assets seized or undermined in ways that are inconsistent with international commitments. When that happens without consequence, it doesn't just harm a single business. It sends a signal that these agreements can be ignored. When there are no meaningful consequences, the problem grows.
Existing agreements establish expectations, but expectations alone are not enough. They must be backed by credible enforcement.
This legislation is designed to fill that gap, and I thank Representative Pfluger for his work on it. It creates a more structured and timely way for the United States to respond when American-owned property is treated unfairly abroad. It strengthens our ability to deter such actions before they happen and to respond more effectively when they do.
It also reinforces the basic idea that access to the benefits of economic engagement with the United States comes with responsibilities. If foreign actors expect to participate in our markets, then they must also respect the rules that govern fair treatment of American businesses.
Failing to respond when these standards are violated doesn't preserve stability. It undermines it. This bill represents a measured and necessary step toward protecting American interests and reinforcing the integrity of the global economic system.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I want to turn to the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act. Washington, D.C., is where Americans come to connect with their history, where visitors from around the world come to understand our values, and where we, as elected Representatives, carry out the work of the people.
Because of that, the condition and safety of our Capital matters, not just to those who live there, but to the country as a whole. Yet, for too long, too many people have experienced a different reality when they visit Washington. Concerns about public safety, disorder in public spaces, and the condition of key landmarks became more and more visible and pressing.
When we take public safety seriously and stop being soft on crime, we see results. After President Trump deployed the National Guard, crime dropped significantly. In the first 30 days alone, total crime fell by roughly 18 percent compared to the same period the year before. Violent crime dropped by nearly 50 percent. Carjackings fell by more than 80 percent.
Those trends have continued. This year, thanks to President Trump, violent crime is down more than 30 percent; robberies have been cut by more than one-half; and homicides are down sharply compared to last year. That is what happens when we support law enforcement and restore order.
Addressing these challenges requires more than temporary measures. It requires a sustained, coordinated effort that brings together relevant agencies and ensures that responsibility doesn't fall through the cracks.
That is what this bill is intended to do.
Public safety should not be a partisan issue. The majority of Americans want safer streets, cleaner public spaces, and a Capital that reflects the strength and beauty of this country, especially on her 250th birthday.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the rule and the underlying bills, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Indiana for yielding me the customary 30 minutes, and I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Oh, my God, Mr. Speaker, it is pretty unbelievable that this is what House Republicans are spending time on right now. Wow. I mean, every time I think they can't do any worse, my Republican friends always defy expectations.
People are standing in long lines at airports. Flights are delayed. Travelers are confused, and they are frustrated. TSA officers are stretched thin, exhausted, being jerked around because Republicans cannot govern responsibly even though they control everything.
Now, let me set the record straight from the outset. Democrats are ready
Just last night in the Rules Committee, two Republican Members, including the gentlewoman from Indiana, voted with Democrats on a motion to fund the TSA. I thank her for doing that, but that vote failed because Republicans voted against making it in order. Clearly, there has to be some bipartisan appetite to try to get this thing resolved.
I mean, take for instance Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the Republican who offered a deal to fund the Department outside of ICE which, by the way, already has years of funding due to the Republicans' big, ugly bill. You know the big, ugly bill, the bill that gave millionaires and billionaires tax cuts, that cut SNAP by $200 billion, that cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars. They actually snuck in more funding for ICE and CBP in that.
The Republican-manufactured crisis could have been over, but that deal was shot down by Trump who said, in Republican Senator John Kennedy's words: ``No deals with the Democrats.'' He continued: ``It would have worked. We could have had TSA paid by the end of the week, but the President said, `no deal'.''
What is wrong with him? What is going on here? Let's be clear about what happened over the past few days. The Republican President tanked a deal offered by the Republican Senate Majority Leader to get us out of this crisis. This is the worst kind of politics, and it is why people are sick and tired of this Republican Congress.
TSA agents continue to go unpaid, and FEMA and the Coast Guard continue to go without funding, all because President Trump decided to throw another temper tantrum. But Democrats are not in charge. Republicans control the House. I wish they didn't, but they do. Republicans control the Senate. I wish they didn't, but they do. Republicans control the White House. It is a disaster for America that a Republican controls the White House, but it is the reality.
If they wanted to solve this, they could solve it.
Now Trump is causing further chaos by sending ICE into airports. ICE agents are not trained to do TSA's job. Sending immigration agents into airports does not fix a staffing crisis. It makes things more chaotic, more intimidating, more ridiculous.
Passing the same DHS bill today--for a third time--is a gigantic waste of time. Now, there is a clear solution to this crisis, but it means my Republican colleagues need to stand up to Trump for once in their lives.
In addition to failing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, this rule does a whole lot of nothing when it comes to helping regular people. It includes a nonbinding resolution to say that Congress supports DHS. Boy, that is just what TSA agents want, a nonbinding resolution to say: Hi, how you doing? I mean, that will pay the bills. Give me a break.
Also included are a bill about a single port in Mexico and another bill about graffiti in D.C. I mean, are you kidding me? Are they serious when they bring this stuff to the floor? I hate to tell you, but costs are up and anxiety is up. The country is in trouble, and the President's recklessness abroad is making an already difficult economic picture even more dangerous for working families here at home.
Donald Trump has dragged this country into another stupid, illegal war in the Middle East, and there is no doubt about it, working people are going to pay the price. Gas prices are already up $1 a gallon because of this nonsense. For what? For what?
Yesterday, Trump was bragging that we ``won.'' We won what? Reuters reported at the same time that his administration was preparing to send thousands more U.S. troops into the region. I mean, that is not a strategy. That is not strength. That is a President pretending the war is over while taking steps to drag us in deeper.
Let's not forget the dishonesty here. Last Friday, Trump acted like further bombing might be held off because substantial talks were happening. Talks with whom? Iran has denied there were direct negotiations. They say talks hadn't even begun.
Once again, this administration says whatever it thinks the markets want to hear, whatever it thinks the public wants to hear, and the truth comes later, if it comes at all.
That is what is so infuriating about all of this. These guys, they don't care that regular people are hurting. They don't care that families are barely keeping their heads above water. They don't care that parents are worried about prices or that military families are worried about where their sons and daughters are being sent and why. These guys don't care that TSA officers have been left hanging while Republicans play games with basic funding.
Let me say this as clearly as I possibly can: Republicans own this. They own this. They have the power of agenda-setting. They could fix this in a nanosecond. If they put a bill on the floor today to fund TSA or FEMA or any of the law-abiding agencies, it would pass the House and it would pass the Senate. But that is not what the House leadership is doing. It is a choice, and Republicans own it.
I do want to just say one other thing, Mr. Speaker. I mean, when the gentlewoman and other Republicans talk about how much they care about our Federal workforce, I have got to tell you, it rings hollow. Where on Earth have Republicans been for the past year and a half when Donald Trump has repeatedly gone after hardworking Federal employees? Where have they been?
Trump has said Federal workers are ``destroying this country.'' He called them ``crooked'' and ``dishonest.'' Russell Vought, Trump's own Director of Management and Budget, said he wanted Federal workers ``to be traumatically affected. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains.'' That is this administration.
Where have my Republicans been defending Federal workers? These are hardworking Americans, Mr. Speaker. They help ensure that we have clean water. They help our veterans get healthcare. They help older adults access the Social Security benefits that they have earned. They help small businesses thrive. They have been treated like garbage by this administration, and nobody on the other side bothers to stand up for these Federal workers.
On day one of this administration, Trump and his DOGE goons laid out their plan to tear apart our Federal workforce. They went on a witch hunt, carrying out mass terminations across government and cruelly forcing longtime, upstanding Federal employees out of their jobs.
Republicans in this Chamber cheered that on, even though it caused harm to everyday Americans, people that they represented. Where was everybody? Where the hell were they all?
Where were my Republican colleagues--and this is rich--when Kristi Noem said she was going to get rid of FEMA, abolish FEMA? They are on the floor today saying we have got to pay our FEMA workers. Where were they when Kristi Noem was saying we should abolish the entire agency? How about when Trump abruptly fired 400 DHS employees at the beginning of 2025? Where were they all? Where have they been as Trump is tearing apart the U.S. Department of Agriculture, shuttering offices, forcing longtime staff out of their jobs to the detriment of our farmers, hungry families, and food supply?
I mean, House Republicans are supporting this nonsense, this theater that we are dealing with here today on the House floor.
Let me be clear: I want TSA workers to get their paychecks. I want FEMA fully operational. That is why I have been on record for weeks trying to reopen these agencies. That is why Democrats have continuously forced votes on reopening all of these lawful agencies and departments.
Please, don't pretend that Republicans have always been on the side of Federal workers. Trump has made their lives unbearable through the chaos he has inflicted upon them, and Republicans in this Chamber haven't done a damn thing to stop him.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve 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 such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleague that they can stop all of this pain at our airports by voting this week for our bill, the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act.
Let us remind the American people that the Democrats have voted seven times against funding TSA. Seven times they have had an opportunity to fund TSA, and seven times they have voted against funding TSA.
This causes the second longest shutdown in history. 100,000 DHS workers are going without pay, 450 TSA agents have quit, and 49 percent of the fiscal year 2026 TSA agents have worked without pay. Seven times the Democrats have voted against funding TSA. They have an eighth opportunity to fund it this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Haridopolos).
Mr. Speaker, I like that recent quote I heard on the floor just a few minutes ago: Let us not forget the dishonesty here. That is a very rich comment. I see the ranking member of the Appropriations Committee is here. They worked out a deal in order to fund DHS, not part of it but all of it, and the one part they keep leaving out is the idea about ICE.
ICE is somewhat important. Ten million people entered this country illegally and so many of them--as we have seen on the website, wow.dhs.gov, which has outlined clearly the crimes that were committed. You need ICE agents to actually go after people who committed the crime, not just of coming here, but crimes committed once here.
Many of these are violent crimes. We can go through name after name of tragedies, destroyed lives. They want to play politics with this.
This idea of we are wasting time--we are wasting time for one simple reason: They won't fully fund DHS, all of it. The reality is, right now, not just 10 million people have entered this country, but we are in a conflict overseas. We have seen twice in Michigan, once in Texas, and once in Virginia that the homeland is under attack, and they play politics. As a person who has been here since 1996, the rules are pretty simple. We all know them. You need 60 votes in the Senate to pass anything, and they play this game like we didn't take a history class.
As a history teacher myself, let's go back and teach history the right way instead of playing games. More importantly, let's actually fund the homeland so that we can keep our people safe because there are people in harm's way and we need ICE agents, not just playing whack-a- mole with different agencies.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I feel like my head is about to explode with all this nonsense that is being thrown out here.
Let's just state for the record that ICE has years of funding because of the big, ugly bill, tens of billions of dollars that they put in that bill, again, the bill that gave millionaires and billionaires tax cuts and that screwed over poor people by cutting SNAP by $200 billion. They cut Medicaid by a trillion dollars in that bill where they snuck in tens of billions of dollars.
The gentleman doesn't respond. He left. That is fine. I get it, but that is just the reality. I don't know what the hell he is talking about.
To the extent that maybe there was an informal agreement on how to proceed, there might have been, but that was before ICE murdered U.S. citizens, before they murdered U.S. citizens.
I am sorry that people on the other side don't think that that is outrageous or terrible or awful, but we do. We do, our constituents do, and I know your constituents do.
Mr. Speaker, if we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up H.R. 7481, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2026, sponsored by Ranking Member DeLauro, a bill which only funds law-abiding agencies under the Department of Homeland Security and not the unlawful actions of ICE and CBP.
Mr. Speaker, the entire mess at DHS is caused by one man, Donald Trump, the guy they are all afraid of, who said that he would rather leave TSA agents unpaid than negotiate with Democrats.
Democrats have repeatedly shown that we are ready to fund TSA, FEMA, the agency that Kristi Noem, Trump's head of the DHS, wanted to eliminate and Republicans didn't say anything about. But we want to fund FEMA, the Coast Guard, CISA, and all the agencies acting lawfully.
Under this administration, ICE and CBP have not made it over that bar. President Trump's ICE and CBP are out of control. According to the Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court in Minnesota, ICE has violated 96 court orders in 74 different cases in 2026 alone, likely more violations than ``some Federal agencies have violated in their entire existence.''
American citizens have been murdered. This is the root of Democratic opposition. These lawless agencies need to be reined in before they receive any further funding. Yes, that is what Republicans want. They want further funding.
Ranking Member DeLauro's bill does not defund ICE or CBP because, again, these lawless agencies sadly were given plenty of money in the big, ugly bill. Even the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole, admitted last night in the Rules Committee that ICE and CBP are ``substantially funded.''
All Democrats are saying is that we should not shower these agencies with even more money until real reforms, not BS reforms but real reforms, are put into place to protect American citizens. These are commonsense reforms.
Mr. 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?
Mr. 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.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, the bill at issue in this rule today is not a serious legislative effort. It is, once again, political theater. It is a bill that has already been brought up several times and has gone nowhere.
This would be the third time, and the third time is not a charm. If I take a look at the definition of insanity, it is doing the same thing over and over again with the same outcome. This is madness, what we are engaged in here, and, yes, a waste of time.
Unlike the bill the Republicans have put forward, I have a measure that was introduced before the shutdown that actually has a good chance of becoming law if only Republican leadership would stop blocking it from receiving a vote.
They keep saying no to paying TSA employees. Understand this: 85 percent of ICE and CBP agents are already being paid, so what is the administration doing? They are picking and choosing whom they want to pay. They are holding these other employees hostage for political gain. They view it as a political strategy. They want to continue to fund lawless and rogue agencies.
What my bill would do is fund TSA, fund FEMA, fund the Coast Guard, cybersecurity, Secret Service, and other parts of the Department of Homeland Security, on which there was broad agreement.
Mr. Speaker, I have to just say, please, spare me your concern over Federal employees. Where were my Republican colleagues when this administration proposed eliminating FEMA entirely? Not a peep. Where were they when the President proposed cutting cybersecurity by $500 million? Not a peep. Where were they when the President unilaterally eliminated the collective bargaining rights for the TSA workers? They were silent. Where were they when Kristi Noem spent $20,000 to rent a horse so she could sit on the saddle of this horse for her political ads that were sanctioned by the President
Give me a break. They care not a whit about what is happening to Federal employees. Yes, they don't have a paycheck. Maybe if we didn't have a paycheck, we would treat this differently.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, they think our constituents are going to forget that it has been 2 months removed since the murder of Alex Pretti. This administration hopes we are going to forget about the harassment, the violence, the chaos, simply because it is not much in the news anymore. Wrong.
These are our constituents, our communities. These protections are essential, but the Republican leadership is so opposed to any protection that they refuse to pay Federal workers.
If we defeat the previous question, I will offer an amendment to the rule to bring up my bill, H.R. 7481, so that Members can vote to fund the parts of DHS we all agree on without any of the controversial components we do not agree on.
I filed a discharge petition that would bring up my measure for a vote. I encourage my Republican colleagues to sign on. I know some of my Republican colleagues in the rank and file do not agree with what their leadership is doing. They hear from Federal workers, TSA agents, and constituents. They know there is no practical need to condition funding for TSA on funding for ICE. They understand we can continue to negotiate on immigration enforcement reform.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman's time has again expired.
I invite my colleagues to join me. We can fund TSA, we can pay these workers, and we can do it today. We can end the long lines at airport security. We can continue to negotiate on ICE and CBP to find common ground on reforms that the vast majority of the American people support.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they, too, can vote to fully fund DHS. They have an eighth opportunity to do that today. They have declined funding DHS seven previous times.
I remind my colleagues that there are real reforms in this bill that were negotiated with the other side: reforms including mandates for body cameras and de-escalation training for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection personnel. They are asking us to not fund ICE and to not fund CBP. That is just not something that we are going to do.
They are choosing, again and again, illegal aliens over American citizens.
I understand that they have put forward this idea that we could piecemeal funding for DHS, but we are just not going to do that. It is a critical time and public safety is a factor, but also so is protecting our American citizens from violent criminal aliens and removing them from the country after Joe Biden and the Democrats let them in with a wide-open southern border.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Edwards).
Mr. Speaker, western North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene. Families are rebuilding homes, small businesses are getting back on their feet, and our communities are repairing critical infrastructure.
A Department of Homeland Security shutdown threatens critical disaster recovery efforts in my district. Each day that the Department of Homeland Security goes unfunded, funding in the Disaster Relief Fund is drained, putting recovery efforts at risk. Once that money is gone, recovery comes to a halt, leaving families and communities waiting even longer just as they are trying to get back on their feet.
We can't let politics get in the way of disaster recovery. Every day that DHS is shut down is another day that families, schools, and roads in western North Carolina are left waiting.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues, please, fund DHS now. Let's help ensure western North Carolina communities can continue to rebuild. We simply cannot wait.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as you know, we want disaster relief more than anybody. We have been fighting for that. We have been fighting to protect FEMA.
Again, where were the Republicans when Kristi Noem and this administration were leading the effort to actually eliminate FEMA and get rid of everybody? I mean, where were you?
The gentlewoman says we need to fund unlawful agencies like ICE and CBP to protect American citizens? I mean, are you kidding me? I mean, was that real? I can't believe I heard that.
ICE has gassed schools. It has detained off-duty police officers. It shot and murdered two American citizens. I mean, that is your idea of protecting the American people?
ICE right now has more money in their bank account than most of the world's militaries spend in a year. I will say that one more time: ICE already has more money in their bank account than most of the world's militaries spend in a year. Yet, they are asking that we give them more.
The reforms that the gentlewoman talks about, give me a break. I mean, we have raised issues about masks. We believe that you ought to have judicial warrants before you break down somebody's door. We believe that ICE agents ought to identify themselves and the agencies that they are with. We don't believe you should be able to deport U.S. citizens. We want those written into the law. I don't think any of those ideas are radical.
Yet, the gentlewoman talks about reforms? I mean, come on.
Again, we have an opportunity right now to fund all of the lawful agencies. Your beloved ICE and CBP unfortunately still have tens of billions of dollars that you guys gave them in the big, ugly bill. They still have money.
We can fund everything right now, and we can support our TSA agents and FEMA, the Coast Guard, and everybody that we believe we all say we want to help. We can do that right this second, and, yet, that is not happening.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, apparently the only people the Democrats want to mandate that they not wear masks is ICE and CBP.
These are very challenging times, but the gentleman from Massachusetts said it himself: We have already funded ICE and CBP in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which makes their vote against fully funding DHS as an entire Department entirely performative. They are not standing on anything. This is political theater, and the American people are suffering from it.
Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleagues again they will have an eighth opportunity to vote in favor of funding our TSA agents, FEMA, Coast Guard, and cybersecurity. They will have an eighth opportunity to do that this week. I hope they will vote in favor of the Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act when it comes to the floor.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, the gentlewoman just admitted the sad reality that ICE and CBP have billions of dollars already. I guess it doesn't bother her that two Americans were killed and murdered or that we have seen the excesses of ICE and CBP time and time again breaking into people's homes without judicial warrants. I am sorry that the gentlewoman feels that it is somehow a radical idea to ask somebody who may detain you who they are and who they are with. I don't know why that is such a radical idea.
What we are saying is: Why do you want to give them billions of dollars more? ICE already has more money than most countries spend on their militaries in a year, and you want to give them more money?
Here is the deal. What we are doing here in the House is a joke. I mean, it is embarrassing. I am embarrassed for this House and for this institution because my friends know full well that this is not going to pass in the Senate.
They know how we get to ``yes,'' and that is to exempt ICE and CBP from this bill. Everything else gets funded. If you want Democratic votes, that is what you need to do.
Mr. Speaker, Republicans control everything. They control the House, the Senate, and the White House. I love it. They are in control of everything, and they blame everything on Democrats, on somebody else. They take no responsibility.
I am really surprised that the gentlewoman hasn't blamed Joe Biden yet in her speech, which my Republican friends always do. I think they will go back to Bill Clinton in the not-too-distant future because they always find people to blame, but they take no responsibility.
If you are in charge, you have the responsibility not only to set the agenda but also to lead. That is what the American people are asking for: some leadership, some truth, and some honesty. We are not getting any of that.
Mr. Speaker, I will talk about something different right now. I realize that I may sound like a broken record talking each week about the dysfunction of this Republican-led Congress, but, unfortunately, for you and for my colleagues across the aisle and for the American people, it just seems to be getting worse and worse as this Republican majority keeps setting one terrible precedent after another.
Mr. Speaker, this rule that we are talking about right now blocks privileged floor consideration of resolutions of inquiry for the rest of the Congress. Why? It is because they don't want Democrats to have any tools to shine the light on the corruption of this lawless administration.
I know one thing. I don't want to hear any complaining from Republicans the next time we are in charge if this privilege that they are killing today never comes back.
Last fall, Republicans gave us the longest government funding lapse in American history. This week, they have managed to give us the second longest lapse, as well. What an accomplishment.
Last year, this Republican-led Congress held the fewest votes in the first session of Congress in decades. Republicans wonder why nearly 70 percent of the American people don't trust Congress. Give me a break. This place is not working for them.
Last night, I offered a motion to add a bill, cosponsored by the gentlewoman from Indiana (Mrs. Houchin), to pay the TSA. While she supported my motion, her Republican colleagues voted that motion down. We can't even debate or vote on that on the floor today.
The gentlewoman's support of this rule, despite that embarrassment, I think, is yet another piece of evidence that rank-and-file Republicans have given up all of their power. This rule contains another four closed rules, which means no amendments can be offered, bringing their total to a new all-time record of 125 closed rules this Congress.
By the way, it is not just Democratic amendments that get rejected. It is the majority of Republican amendments that get rejected.
Mr. Speaker, that is more than 85 percent of all rules brought to the House floor: no amendments, no debate, no real democracy. In fact, Rules Committee Republicans have not allowed a single amendment to be debated on the House floor in more than 2 months, but rank-and-file Republicans keep voting for the rules that block their own amendments. I don't get that, but anyway.
Republicans have not allowed a single Democratic amendment in 3\1/2\ months, and it has been more than 6 months since the last bipartisan amendment was debated on the floor.
Let's stop pretending that this is the people's House because it is certainly not functioning like the people's House. Republicans are ruining this Chamber, turning it into a rubberstamp for whatever Donald Trump wants whenever he wants it. Their vision for this body is the Russian Duma, a legislative body in name only. That is disgraceful. That is dangerous. Frankly, it is a threat to our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record an article from MS NOW titled: ``It's already a record-setting Congress-- for all the wrong reasons.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
It's Already a Record-Setting Congress--for all the Wrong Reasons
Mr. Speaker, the final thing I am going to say before I reserve is that the amendment that Ms. DeLauro just talked about was blocked in the Rules Committee last night, as well.
I just say to my Republican colleagues that if they don't want to support a bill that funds only the lawful agencies within DHS, that is fine. They can vote ``no'' on it, but they won't even allow it to be brought up as an amendment. They won't even allow us to have a debate and to deliberate on it. They blocked it.
If they are so right on all of this, then they shouldn't be afraid to allow other points of view to be brought to the floor. That is what this place is supposed to be about. We are supposed to be a deliberative body, and my Republican colleagues are ruining that. They are ruining that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will clarify a few things. The gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern) made a claim about ICE raids in schools. Contrary to fear-mongering by the media and sanctuary politicians, ICE does not target schools or children. Media is force-feeding the public stories, causing people to be scared, but there are no raids occurring at schools and no raids targeting schools.
My colleagues across the aisle also want to decry the tolling of days for resolutions of inquiry, but when the roles were reversed, they seemed completely content with then-Speaker Pelosi's iron grip on floor procedure. For over 600 days in the 116th and 117th Congresses, resolutions of inquiry were blocked from coming to the floor by the Democratic majority.
In fact, every Democratic member of the Rules Committee voted to extend such provisions, despite protests from Republicans. While they may contend that this was during the COVID pandemic, the reality is that committees were working and operating for quite some time. We have operated this Congress without the use of resolutions of inquiry, and it has had no impact on the minority's ability to conduct oversight of the administration.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. As was done under the Democratic majority, we will utilize this tool as necessary.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I know that I have a little bit of a Massachusetts accent, and so sometimes I may be hard to understand for the gentlewoman. I didn't say that ICE agents raided schools. I said that they gassed students. They gassed schools.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a news story titled: ``Witnesses say agents arrest Minneapolis school staff, tear gas students; DHS claims no tear gas was used.''
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Massachusetts?
There was no objection.
Witnesses say agents arrest Minneapolis school staff, tear gas
Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, this is what it comes down to: The American people need help, and this Republican majority has nothing to offer them.
People are worried about affording groceries. They are worried about gas prices. They are worried about what this war means for their family budgets, their jobs, their kids, and their future.
Military families are worried about their loved ones being sent into danger with no clear mission and no clear plan.
TSA officers have been forced to live with uncertainty while doing one of the toughest jobs in public service. Even Republican Senator John Kennedy admitted on FOX News that we could have TSA paid by the end of the week, but President Donald Trump has said no deal.
Instead of fixing problems, Republicans waste time. They recycle the same old bills. They posture. They distract. They try to change the subject, and, yes, cruelty is part of it, too. When people are hurting, and leaders see the pain and still choose chaos and still choose stunts like this, still choose political games over actually helping anybody, that is not just incompetence. It is callousness, and it is cruelty.
One day, Trump says one thing. The next day, his administration does the opposite--more troops, more escalation, more confusion--and regular people are left to absorb the consequences.
They do not care that this war could send the cost of living even higher. They don't care that supply chains are getting hit. They don't care that their farmers are getting screwed over. They do not care that working families are one more price spike away from disaster. The American people want to stop being jerked around.
The reality is that Republicans do not care. If they cared, we would be debating bills to lower costs; we would be demanding answers about this war; we would make sure that we paid people who keep this country safe; and they would be acting with urgency and seriousness.
That is not what we are getting. Instead, we are getting a Republican majority that is deeply incompetent, deeply unserious, and far too comfortable with making ordinary people pay the price for its failures.
The American people deserve better, and I think I understand why Republicans are working overtime to make it harder for people to vote before November. I understand the SAVE Act because the State legislative district that includes Mar-a-Lago flipped blue last night.
The American people are sick of this. They are not going to put up with this.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on the previous question and on this rule. I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I note that the Department of Homeland Security is composed of several agencies, not just TSA, not just FEMA, not just the Coast Guard, and not just ICE and CBP.
When my colleagues on the left are defunding or not funding, refusing to fund the Department of Homeland Security, they are refusing to fund the agency in its entirety, which includes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency protecting our critical infrastructure from cyber and physical threats, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, and the Federal Protective Service to protect our Federal buildings and our employees.
Those are just some of the things under the Department of Homeland Security. Yes, Mr. Speaker, it is true, we don't want to partially fund the Department of Homeland Security. We want to fully fund every part of it. That is why we are not going to do this in piecemeal. The people who are working at the Department of Homeland Security, whether they are working for ICE to try to rid this country of criminal illegal aliens, or they are working for TSA to protect our airports, or they are engaging in protections for the cybersecurity of our homeland, they deserve to be paid for their work.
I hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle will again, this week, have the opportunity to vote an eighth time to fully fund DHS, and I hope they will join us on behalf of all of the Federal workers that work under that agency.
Mr. Speaker, these four bills that we are going to consider in the rule have a common thread. They protect Americans at home and abroad. They stand behind the personnel who keep this country safe. They enforce agreements we have made and defend the values we have built. They reflect a simple principle: the United States Government exists to serve the American people.
I look forward to moving these bills out of the House this week, and I ask my colleagues to join me in voting ``yes'' on the previous question and ``yes'' on the rule.
The material previously referred to by Mr. McGovern is as follows:
Providing for Consideration of H.R. 8029, Pay Our Homeland Defenders Act; Providing for Consideration of H. RES. 1128, Expressing the Support of the House of Representatives for the Department Of...
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. 1131) providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8029) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the resolution (H. Res. 1128) expressing the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 5103) to establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 7084) to amend title 46, United States Code, with respect to the types of vessels that may enter or operate in navigable waters of the United States or transfer cargo in any port or place under the jurisdiction of the United States, and for other purposes; and for other purposes, 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.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 212, nays 210, not voting 10, as follows:
Mrs. DINGELL and Ms. VELAZQUEZ changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
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, pursuant to House Resolution 1131, I call up the bill (H.R. 5103) to establish a program to Beautify the District of Columbia and establish the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1131, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, printed in the bill, is adopted, and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Virginia (Mr. McGuire) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Walkinshaw) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. McGuire).
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Virginia?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I support the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2025, which codifies core components of President Trump's Executive Order No. 14252 titled: ``Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful.''
Our Nation's Capital is a direct reflection of our great country and should be a symbol of pride for the American people and a safe and beautiful location for all who reside and visit. Violent crime in Washington, D.C., has been far too high for far too long.
The Oversight and Government Reform Committee's investigation into D.C. crime has shown that lawlessness and violence on D.C.'s streets are not an inevitability. It is a policy choice.
Specifically, we show that D.C. leadership pressured and, at times, directed police commanders to manipulate crime data in order to maintain the appearance of low crime in the Nation's Capital.
You have to ask yourself: Why would the Democratic D.C. Council do that? They sought to deceive the American people because their misguided policies hurt American citizens.
Unfortunately, years of soft-on-crime policies have turned Washington, D.C., into a city with high crime rates, rampant homelessness, and graffiti on historic buildings and monuments. Symbols of our great Nation, such as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the World War II Memorial, have all been vandalized and defaced over the years.
President Trump and congressional Republicans are tackling crime in Washington, D.C., head-on.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5103 establishes the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission, made up of key Federal law enforcement and other Federal partners, to focus on ensuring the safety of District residents and visitors through full enforcement of Federal and local laws in the District.
The commission will develop recommendations on how to prioritize the safety of the District's residents and visitors. This bill also requires the development and implementation of a D.C. beautification plan.
Key Federal and local leaders will be tasked--I will repeat that one. Key Federal and local leaders will be tasked with coordinating the cleanliness of the District's facilities, infrastructure, and parks. These leaders will also work to restore Federal public monuments, statues, markers, and similar properties that have been defaced.
Every day, my constituents from Virginia's Fifth Congressional District visit D.C. for work, travel, and my office coordinates tours for them. My constituents, as well as all who work or live in or travel to D.C., should feel safe while walking down the street.
Today, congressional Republicans will again show that we are the party
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the so-called Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act. This is yet another example of the majority wasting our time here, dictating local decisions in D.C., instead of doing our jobs focusing on the real issues affecting the American people.
As we speak, President Trump has us engaged in an unconstitutional, reckless war with Iran. Gas prices are at $4 a gallon. TSA lines are approaching 4 hours. Republicans have stripped healthcare from millions of Americans while giving big tax cuts to billionaires. Masked Federal agents have killed Americans on our streets.
So what legislation do Republicans bring to the floor today? Legislation to bring down the high costs that American families are struggling with? No. Legislation to address the healthcare crisis and the fact that in our own Commonwealth of Virginia, nine rural hospitals are at risk of closing? No. This is a bill to further the President's seeming desire to make himself the king of the District of Columbia.
In this Congress, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has spent a lot of time meddling in local D.C. matters and none holding the Trump administration accountable for corruption, its coverup of the Epstein files, and for the failure to deliver the lower costs that the President promised.
If President Trump wants to run the District of Columbia, he should resign from the Presidency and run for Mayor. I think there is an opening.
If congressional Republicans want to micromanage the District of Columbia, they should resign from Congress and run for the D.C. Council.
Let's talk specifically about the bill in front of us on which it is important to note the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has not held a single hearing. The bill creates a Federal commission to oversee the District of Columbia, with mass deportation as its first priority. The commission is required to develop policies to ``direct the maximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including policies to encourage the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens.''
It is to redirect law enforcement. Redirect law enforcement from the worst of the worst and, presumably, toward detaining more hardworking folks and children on top of the thousands of children that this administration has detained.
At the same time, the commission is required to support efforts to speed up and lower the costs of concealed carry permits in D.C., increasing the risk of gun violence.
My friend, the gentleman from Virginia, talked about crime in the District of Columbia. It is true that violent crime across this country spiked during President Trump's first term, but the good news is that it is way down in D.C. today. In fact, violent crime is at a 40-year low. Now, one crime is one crime too many, but it is at a 40-year low in the District of Columbia today. In fact, dozens of cities in red States, represented by my friends on the other side of the aisle, have higher violent crime rates than the District of Columbia.
The bill also requires the Secretary of the Interior to ``develop a program to beautify the District of Columbia.''
As a former member of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I know a little bit about efforts to improve quality of life within local communities in partnership with those communities, and that is not what this bill does. The so-called beautification project is not intended to improve the lives of the 700,000 people who call D.C. home. It is an instruction to the Secretary of the Interior and the commission to transform D.C. into Mar-a-Lago on the Potomac for President Trump's benefit.
If my friends on the other side were serious about making D.C. safer and more beautiful, they wouldn't have blocked the District from spending its own tax revenue last year. They blocked the use of $1 billion in local D.C. funds, funds that could have gone towards locally-directed efforts that would have made D.C. safer and more beautiful for its residents.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this legislation and instead support efforts that respect local officials here in D.C. and across the country who work to make our communities safer and more beautiful.
D.C. residents are among the only Americans who have all the responsibilities of citizenship in this country but don't enjoy all the benefits. If Republicans want to legislate on D.C. matters, let's pass D.C. statehood and give them all the benefits of citizenship.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, there was a great debate in 1790 with Hamilton, Jefferson, and Madison. Many here may remember the play ``Hamilton.'' At the end of the day, they came up with the idea of having Washington, D.C. At the time, they wanted the seat of Federal Government to be in Pennsylvania or in New York. What that would have done is that would have given us a superstate where all of the money and all of the priorities would have gone.
Maryland ceded a little bit of land, Virginia ceded a little bit of land, and we came up with Washington, D.C.
Under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, we are Congress, and we, by the Constitution, have complete authority over Washington, D.C. It is not a State, because if it was, it would be a superstate, which would have all of the money and all of the power for the country, and it would take away voices from the other States.
Now, as I have been in Congress for 14 months, I have been around the District of Columbia talking with law enforcement and people that have lived here for years. In just 14 months and into the first year of President Trump's term, I have a lot of anecdotes.
I ran into a young woman, who went into a Subway, and a homeless woman said: Let me get the door for you. So the homeless woman opened the door. As she walked in, this woman punched her in the back of the head, nearly knocked her out. When she came to, that woman that knocked her out went to jail. She got a phone call just a few hours later from a detective saying: Hey, we put that woman back on the street, but don't worry, she is not going to harm anyone.
It seems like the policies coming out of the D.C. Council indicate to the American citizens visiting and living here that police are bad, criminals are good, and nobody cares about the victim. They have made a mockery of the criminal justice system.
Again, that authority is Congress, and this bill codifies that.
My bill codifies many elements of President Trump's successful executive order until 2029, ensuring there isn't a backslide into lawlessness in the city.
I had a young woman come up to me and say: I walk my dog at 8 p.m. I didn't understand what that meant. What she then said is: 2 years ago, I would not walk my dog in the dark. That is just in 14 months, and we need to codify that.
This bill is not partisan. It is common sense. Whether you are Democrat, Republican, Independent, we are all Americans, and I think we all want to live, work, and raise our family in peace. It should be nonpartisan. Wanting our Nation's Capital to be safe and beautiful, again, is not political. It is in the best interests of all who travel to and call D.C. their home.
When people come to Washington, D.C., they are not just visiting a city. They are visiting our Nation's Capital, the greatest country with the greatest people in the history of Earth. We may not be perfect, but we have lifted more people out of poverty, given more people freedom, and given more people opportunity than any country on Earth. Even in our worst days, everyone around the world wants to come to America because of our freedom.
What they see in The National Mall, the memorials, in our parks, and transit quarters shapes their pride and our shared heritage. If those spaces aren't clean, safe, and cared for, we all feel it--residents, commuters, small businesses, and millions of visitors who power D.C.'s local economy. When people visit D.C., they should feel safe
One young staffer told me that she takes an Uber if she has to walk more than two blocks, but in the last 14 months she now walks 20 minutes to work. So, we are making progress, and we need to codify that.
Mr. Speaker, I hear my friends on the other side often talking about the constitutional authority that this Congress has to legislate with respect to the District of Columbia, and I would make two points.
One, I think the question isn't can we. The question is should we. Should we substitute our judgment based on the anecdotes we might have heard for the judgment of the District of Columbia's elected representatives who are connected to their communities each and every day and if they aren't responsive to those communities can be unelected by those communities.
I would submit that they are in a better position than us to determine the policies for the District of Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia (Ms. Norton), an elected Representative of the District of Columbia.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose this bill. I include in the Record letters opposing this bill from the District of Columbia Mayor and every member of the D.C. Council.
Mr. Speaker, D.C. is a world-class city, yet this bill seeks to codify and encourage President Trump's efforts to control and transform D.C., as well as to demonize D.C. and its 700,000 residents, the majority of whom are Black and Brown. President Trump already has called for the repeal of D.C. home rule, federalized the D.C. police department, deployed troops and masked Federal agents on D.C.'s streets, terrorized immigrants in D.C., demolished the East Wing of the White House, removed the nonprofit managing the public golf courses in D.C., and announced the closure of the Kennedy Center. This bill will only embolden him.
This bill would establish in the executive branch the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Commission. The commission's responsibilities include increasing civil immigration enforcement in D.C., deploying more Federal law enforcement officers in D.C., and increasing the number of people carrying guns in D.C.
The commission's top priority is to increase civil immigration enforcement in D.C. Specifically, the commission is required to ensure the ``maximum enforcement of Federal immigration law within the District of Columbia, including policies to encourage the redirection of available Federal, State, or local law enforcement resources to apprehend and deport illegal aliens,'' and to monitor D.C.'s ``compliance with the enforcement of Federal immigration law.'' The commission is also
However, D.C. does not want masked Federal agents terrorizing communities, separating families, and destroying the community trust needed for effective local policing or more guns on the streets.
This bill would also require the Secretary of the Interior to ``develop a program to beautify'' D.C., even though D.C. is already one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
This Congress, Republicans have filed over 100 bills, amendments, and riders to repeal, amend, or block D.C. from carrying out local laws and policies. The House has already passed 10 of those bills.
D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying Federal taxes, serving on juries, and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self- government and voting representation in Congress. The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood.
Congress has the authority to admit D.C. as a State. The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, would reduce the size of the Federal district from 68 square miles to 2 square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and The National Mall. The residential and commercial areas of D.C. would be a new State.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on H.R. 5103.
Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a letter opposing this bill from Brady United Against Gun Violence.
Mr. Speaker, reckless D.C. Council policies have caused citizens from all over the United States and in D.C. to be robbed, raped, and murdered. They are reckless. They are not getting the job done, which is why we need to do this bill.
In the Oversight Committee we pointed that out. Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia Chief Pamela Smith actually resigned immediately following the release of the Oversight Committee's report. Why would they cover up these crimes? It is to trick the American people so they don't understand how bad their policies are.
In 2023, there were 274 homicides in D.C., a 20-year high.
In 2024, D.C. had the fourth highest homicide rate in the country.
While these crime statistics are troubling on their own, they significantly understate the level of crime in the D.C. area.
Last year, an investigation into D.C.'s crime statistics by the Oversight Committee revealed that D.C. leadership pressured and at times manipulated crime statistics to maintain the appearance of low crime in our Nation's Capital. This pressure demoralized the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department making the city less safe.
President Trump's crackdown on violent crime in D.C. last year resulted in a significant drop in crime and increased arrests.
My bill, H.R. 5103, facilitates the deployment of more robust Federal law enforcement presence in D.C. in coordination with local law enforcement, providing vital support to ensure that both Federal and local laws are being followed to keep D.C. safe.
Now, sanctuary cities are sanctuaries for criminals. If you are a criminal, would you rather go to a city where local and Federal police authorities cooperate, communicate, and work as a team, or would you rather go to one where they don't work as a team? They have not been working as a team in D.C., and it is causing people to die.
That is unacceptable.
On the concealed carry permit aspect of the bill, D.C. has some of the most complicated and strict gun laws in the country.
Law-abiding residents who wish to protect themselves and their loved ones are forced to wait 4 months on average for a concealed carry permit appointment. This is unacceptable and, frankly, infringes on their Second Amendment rights, which are enshrined in our founding documents.
Criminals don't care about the law.
My bill establishes the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission which will collaborate with appropriate local government entities to speed up and reduce the cost of D.C.'s concealed carry permit process.
Criminals do not care about the law. You can create whatever law you want and try to get guns out of D.C. The criminals do not care. They are always going to get a gun, and you are making law-abiding citizens helpless victims.
The only people who are affected by D.C.'s complicated process are law-abiding residents. Streamlining concealed carry permits will decrease crime by allowing law-abiding citizens to better protect themselves and their families.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
With respect to the concealed carry permit and streamlining the process, one of the aspects of the District's process that does take a little bit of time is the requirement for range training. I suspect that what the gentleman means when he says he wants to streamline the process for concealed carry permits in D.C. is he wants folks to have a concealed carry permit without completing range training. I know some people have that philosophy. I don't think that would make the District of Columbia safer.
With respect to the crime data manipulation, as the gentleman noted, last year the Republicans on the Oversight Committee investigated alleged crime data manipulation in D.C. By the way, it is the same crime data that today they and President Trump celebrate as he claims to have eliminated violent crime in the District of Columbia.
The investigation backfired on my Republican friends almost as soon as it began, thanks in large part to the testimony of every one of the eight current and former D.C. police commanders who sat down for transcribed interviews. That investigation proved, I think, not what they hoped it would prove.
The evidence was that President Trump was not telling the truth and is not telling the truth about crime in D.C. to justify his federalization of the D.C. police and deployment of troops on D.C. streets. It undermined Republican attacks on home rule by showing that D.C. was successfully reducing crime before the Federal intervention.
Every single one of those commanders testified that D.C. was experiencing a sustained decrease in crime over 2 years, well before President Trump's administration. Commander after commander testified that the data recording this trend wasn't manipulated. In fact, it was the very data they were using every day to help successfully drive down crime.
With respect to the argument that President Trump has made D.C. safer, in 2024, the year before President Trump began his second term, violent crime in D.C. was down 35 percent, a 30-year low. In 2025, it was down 29 percent, which is smaller than 35 percent, so the reduction in crime slowed down after President Trump's intervention.
As I noted before, homicides in D.C. and across the country did spike during President Trump's first term, but they have been falling for years, and the reduction in homicides in D.C. began before President Trump's second term.
We heard some anecdotes that the gentleman has heard from his staff and others. According to a poll conducted by The Washington Post, 80 percent of D.C. residents opposed President Trump's federalization of the D.C. police department and the deployment of the National Guard and Federal law enforcement in D.C. They disagree with the majority's view that President Trump and Federal troops have made D.C. safer.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act of 2026.
For this reason, and at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee.
If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would stop unethical donations for Federal Government projects to alter any public property, building, or fixture at the White House, the Naval Observatory, or other public property locations primarily used by the President and the Vice President.
During the longest shutdown in our Nation's history, the Trump administration clearly showed the American people where its priorities lay and began demolishing the 123-year-old East Wing to build a gilded ballroom similar to that of his private billionaires' club at Mar-a- Lago.
Not only does the demolition undermine historical preservation without a public review process, but it also constitutes another ethical violation by the administration, as private donors fund the construction without input from the National Park Service.
This bill is just one in a series of the majority's and this administration's misguided priorities, whereby their answer to solving our immigration problems is advancing policies that would subject the District and cities across the Nation to a brutal and indiscriminate crackdown on immigrant communities.
While stating that he would go after ``the worst of the worst,'' the President has, instead, targeted families, permanent residents, refugees, students, and asylum seekers. Instead of taking actions that make us safer, the administration has opted for showy displays of force, all to jack up his detention and deportation numbers.
The Trump administration, in its relentless drive to use ICE and Customs and Border Patrol as an instrument of cruelty toward immigrant communities, has abandoned the Department of Homeland Security's core mission of keeping the homeland safe.
Hundreds of intelligence officers with DHS' intelligence office have been directed to focus on immigration enforcement, resulting in fewer intelligence briefs reaching local officials and police departments.
At a time when the President has dragged us into his war of choice with Iran, which puts our servicemembers in harm's way with no clear long-term strategy, we absolutely cannot afford to leave ourselves so vulnerable to attack.
With gas prices now on the rise and the cost of groceries, rent, and utilities skyrocketing for millions, we are left to question why this administration would rather pursue vanity projects and its campaign of terror than deliver on the promises it made to the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Virginia?
Mr. Speaker, crime statistics coming from the other side, obviously, I can't see them being reliable, especially as a member of the Oversight Committee. We talked about the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. Chief Pamela Smith resigned immediately following the release of the Oversight Committee report, where they had a clear coverup on crimes to make it look like D.C. crime is not accurate.
Since President Trump's Federal enforcement action, the D.C. crime, especially violent crimes, has truly drastically decreased. Carjackings have dropped 87 percent. This is proof that increased Federal and local cooperation is essential to reducing crime in D.C.
Again, if you are a criminal, Mr. Speaker, you would rather go to a city where they don't cooperate, communicate, and work as a team. We are ensuring that they cooperate, communicate, and work as a team, and they will be less attracted to D.C.
Mayor Bowser herself stated that she appreciated the surge of Federal law enforcement officers as it enhanced the Metropolitan Police Department's law enforcement efforts. In contrast, the D.C. Council has proven time and time again that they prioritize dangerous criminals over the law-abiding residents of D.C. and the thousands of tourists who visit our Nation's Capital every day.
My bill will ensure coordination between Federal and local law enforcement continues, providing local police the additional Federal resources and personnel they need to combat crime in the District.
Again, on the concealed carry permit, nowhere in the United States do you have to wait 4 months, Mr. Speaker. That is an infringement on our Second Amendment, for whatever excuse they have.
Thankfully, not only is President Trump making America great again, he is making Washington, D.C., great again.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, $4 a gallon gas, 4-hour waits at TSA lines, millions of Americans losing their healthcare, rural hospitals set to close, and tariffs driving up costs for hardworking American families. Those are the challenges that our constituents across the country are facing. Those are the challenges that we here as Members of Congress are supposed to address, yet we are meddling in the District of Columbia's affairs.
Let's do our job in this Congress and work together to bring down costs for the American people. Let the Mayor of the District of Columbia and the District council do their jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I hope that my colleagues, my friends on the other side, will consider the priority of the safety of American citizens in D.C. and the rest of the country, and keep the city that represents our great Nation safe and beautiful.
Under Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, Congress has a constitutional duty to ensure the District of Columbia is safe, secure, and beautiful.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H.R. 5103. As a proud cosponsor of H.R. 5103, I stand with Representative McGuire and my Republican colleagues to deliver on President Trump's vision for our Nation's capital. This bill codifies Executive Order 14252 and turns words into law to make Washington, D.C., safe, clean, and beautiful once again.
The bill creates the bipartisan ``District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Commission,'' comprising federal law enforcement leaders from DHS, the FBI, ATF, the U.S. Marshals, and the U.S. Attorneys for D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. This commission will work directly with D.C. officials to crack down on crime, enforce federal immigration law, and support the Metropolitan Police Department. American taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize lawlessness in the seat of our government.
This legislation also directs the Department of the Interior to launch a comprehensive beautification program to clean up monuments, memorials, parks, sidewalks, highways, and public spaces. Our capital should reflect American pride and history, not graffiti and decay.
Both the Commission and the beautification program sunset on January 2, 2029, ensuring focused action and regular congressional oversight through required progress reports. This is targeted, time-limited leadership, not another permanent bureaucracy.
As the seat of our federal government and a symbol to the world, Washington, D.C., must be safe for tourists, workers, residents, and Members of Congress alike. Crime, filth, and disrespect for our monuments undermine national morale and our global image. H.R. 5103 fixes that.
I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5103 today. Let's show the American people that we are delivering on law and order and restoring the beauty and dignity of our Nation's capital.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1131, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members will record their votes by electronic device. Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XX, this vote on the motion to recommit will be followed by a 5-minute vote on the passage of the bill, if ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 207, nays 214, not voting 11, as follows:
Messrs. EZELL, PATRONIS, ELLZEY, ROGERS of Alabama, COLLINS, LOUDERMILK, Mses. FOXX, De La CRUZ, Messrs. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida, and FEENSTRA changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Ms. MATSUI, Messrs. PAPPAS, and JOHNSON of Georgia changed their vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, for 60 years, the mission of the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited has been focused on protecting, conserving, and restoring local cold-water resources.
The Allegheny Mountain Chapter has been critical in ensuring Pennsylvanians can enjoy the Commonwealth's waterways and natural resources.
For more than half a century, volunteers and community members have helped to tackle issues impacting the waterways. Over the years, the group has partnered with Penn State, the National Guard, and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to reduce damage on the region's waterways and the ecosystems found therein.
While the group focuses on completing projects, the chapter has spent many years educating younger generations. Members of the chapter initiated an environmental day at the DuBois Area Middle School and Punxsutawney Area Elementary.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Allegheny Mountain Chapter of Trout Unlimited for their dedication to preserving our natural resources. Their efforts are critical in allowing us to enjoy the natural beauty of the Commonwealth. I congratulate them on celebrating 60 years.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and congratulate the outstanding artistic talent of Deborah Loeb Bohren, a resident of Greenburgh, who has established her artistic vision through the photographer's lens.
Deb worked for many years in corporate life in strategic communications, marketing, and public affairs. She even did a stint as district office
She has opined that ``the essence of photography is the art and science of painting with light.'' She uses a camera as an artist would use a paint brush--a transformation. While she has exhibited her work across the globe, here at home locally sites such as the Upstream Gallery in Hastings-on-Hudson have exhibited her works.
She shares her talent in photography as a guest presenter at camera clubs throughout the country and teaches a range of photographic courses.
Mr. Speaker, from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I salute the masterful photography and talent of Deborah Loeb Bohren.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a trailblazer who has given a lifetime of service to the people of Georgia, representative Edna Jackson.
Born in Savannah in 1944, Edna began her journey in the civil rights movement at just 9 years old, marching with the NAACP Youth Council for justice and equality across the South.
She graduated from Savannah State University, earning degrees in sociology and political science education, then dedicated decades to public service as a social worker, director of alumni affairs, and a steady leader in Savannah city government.
She served three terms as an alderman-at-large and two as mayor pro tem before making history in 2012 as Savannah's first African-American female mayor. In 2021, she won the statehouse district 165 seat, where she fought tirelessly for her community.
Now, as my friend bids farewell after many years under the Gold Dome, we thank her for a lifetime of leadership rooted in courage and commitment to progress. May her next chapter be filled with the same grace and purpose that defined her remarkable career.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for over a month, and my Republican colleagues refuse to fix it.
Thousands of dedicated public servants like TSA agents keep us safe in the air and on the ground, and they are working without pay. These workers are showing up every single day to protect our airports, respond to emergencies, and keep our communities safe.
Now, my colleagues and I have put forth solutions to reopen and fund the government, while calling for ICE reform. Yet, my Republican colleagues won't come to the table to negotiate. I believe they are choosing political leverage over public safety, and they are choosing political games over Americans.
While I believe they keep pointing fingers, these workers and their families are left wondering how they will pay their bills, and travelers are left dealing with unnecessary delays.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for Republicans to stop playing games and start showing up for the safety and security of the American people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the life of Sheridan Gorman of Yorktown Heights, New York, who was tragically murdered at just 18 years old.
Sheridan was a proud member of the Yorktown community and a freshman at Loyola University Chicago, studying business. Her life was stolen in a senseless act of violence at the hands of an illegal immigrant, leaving her family, her friends, and the entire Yorktown community at a complete loss.
A 2025 graduate of Yorktown High School, she was an athlete and young mentor, known for her warm kindness and limitless compassion. Sheridan inspired those around her, competing in field hockey, lacrosse, and bowling, and giving back by coaching young athletes through the Yorktown Athletic Club.
Sheridan was a lot like the Northern Lights she went out to find with her friends on the early morning of March 19--the kind of light that shows up quietly, bringing a bit of color to what is otherwise darkness. We are lucky to witness it for the short time it is visible in the night sky.
Doina and I extend our deepest condolences to her parents, Jessica and Thomas; her sister, Madelon; the entire Gorman family; and all who loved her. May her memory be a blessing, and may she rest in eternal peace.
Mr. Speaker, there is no clear end in sight as Democrats and Republicans struggle to find common ground, leaving TSA workers and their families in distress.
Airport delays are rising, and TSA employees are expected to show up for work without pay. Some have called in sick, while others have left their positions entirely.
I commend those who continue to show up to serve communities across our Nation, despite the length of the line they face. Frustration is building among the hardworking people of eastern North Carolina who are rightfully demanding reasonable oversight of law enforcement and to pay our TSA workers.
We must put aside all political differences and prioritize putting people first.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a very special milestone in South Carolina's Fourth Congressional District, the 150th anniversary of Greer.
Founded in 1876 along a railroad line connecting Greenville and Spartanburg, Greer began as a small depot town built on opportunity and hard work. Over the years, it has grown into a thriving community and a key driver of economic growth in the upstate.
Today, Greer is home to hardworking families, small businesses, and world-class industry. But what truly defines this city is its people, neighbors, who take pride in where they live and invest in its future every day.
The yearlong Greer150 celebration is a chance to honor that history, bring the community together, and look ahead to what comes next.
As the Congressman representing this great city and home to our district office, I am proud to celebrate Greer's legacy and its bright future.
To the people of Greer, I congratulate them on 150 years. The best is yet to come.
Mr. Speaker, everyone in New Hampshire is talking about the cost of living and skyrocketing gas prices as a result of the war in Iran.
Higher gas prices are forcing families and small businesses to make difficult decisions. The average cost of a gallon of gas in America is now $3.98, a 35 percent price jump in just under 30 days.
That is simply unsustainable for the people of my district who are already
Granite Staters are taking it on the chin, and it is time to get something done to help.
That is why I introduced the Gas Prices Relief Act of 2026 with Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona to suspend the Federal gas tax through September and provide Americans with lower costs at the pump.
This bill maintains funding for our roads and bridges and holds the oil and gas companies accountable if they fail to pass along the savings to consumers.
These soaring prices mean that every school drop-off, every trip to the doctor or drive to work takes a bigger bite out of a family's budget.
I urge Congress to take up this legislation and provide Americans with the lower costs they deserve.
Mr. Speaker, in northwest Ohio and across our Heartland, farmers are hurting. After 2 years of record drought, a year of reckless Trump tariffs, their export markets are drying up abroad.
Now comes the war in Iran.
One-third of the world's fertilizer supplies pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Its cost just rose.
Mr. Speaker, 25 percent of the world's oil supply passes through this narrow channel off the Iranian coast. Much like oil, fertilizer is traded on a global market, and a disruption on either side of the globe impacts Ohio farmers, producers, and growers.
This comes at the worst time as planting season is upon us. Our agriculture sector is teetering on the brink. Hello. Family farms hang in the balance. For many, this is a make-or-break year.
On top of skyrocketing fertilizer costs, the national average for diesel just hit a record $5.37 per gallon.
If costs don't stabilize soon, the Heartland is in for a reckoning. We don't want one. We don't want one. Is the White House--hello, are you paying attention?
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to recognize Jada Haines as Ohio's 13th Congressional District's Champion of the Week.
Jada grew up on the west side of Akron, and as a student-athlete, she began her basketball journey with Ladies First Akron.
She then went on to a successful career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School and continued playing at the University of Northwestern Ohio and the University of Indianapolis.
Through it all, she credits Ladies First Akron with helping instill in her the love for the game.
Today, she has returned home to coach with Ladies First Akron, mentoring the next generation of young women student-athletes. She recently helped organize the organization's first Life After Sports Summit, connecting students with local universities for project-based learning opportunities.
Now in its 16th year, Ladies First Akron serves girls in grades three through eight across the greater Akron area. It is not just about basketball, it is about mentorship, life skills, and preparing young women for success beyond the court.
Jada's leadership reflects the spirit of our community and is a shining example of why our community is known as the birthplace of champions.
Jada is not only a champion in her own right, but she is helping train the next generation.
Again, I thank Jada for giving back to our community and commend her on being named Champion of the Week.
No matter how Republicans try to spin it, the SAVE Act is voter suppression. This isn't about election security, Mr. Speaker. It is about election takeover.
President Trump and Republicans know that their policies are deeply unpopular with the American people.
So what are they doing? They are trying to rig the elections. They want to force Americans to produce a passport or birth certificate just to register to vote.
They know full well that only about half of Americans have a passport. They know it costs money. They know it takes time. That is the point.
They want to make it harder for many of our neighbors to be able to vote. Nearly 70 million married women do not have a birth certificate matching their legal name.
This bill is a direct attack on our right to vote, and Republicans don't want people like us voting. It would also increase purges of registered voters who literally are getting kicked off of these lists who are legally allowed to vote, and we must stop it.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Utah?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of a really good friend, Steve Stamson, who was a devoted public servant and a veteran whose record left a lasting mark on Shelby County in west Tennessee.
Steve passed away just a few weeks ago on March 11 surrounded by his family in Florida.
Steve Stamson was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and he lived a life grounded in faith and commitment to others.
Steve served in the United States Marine Corps during Vietnam. He was a rifleman. Steve's time in uniform shaped his character in lasting ways and informed how he approached the rest of his life.
I do want to note that during his military service, Steve received the Meritorious Mast, recognizing performance and leadership that went above and beyond. This distinction reflected the character and the standard that he held himself to each and every day.
When he came home, Steve continued to serve his community. He worked for International Harvester before starting a long and distinguished career in Shelby County government.
He served in the Shelby County Court Clerk's Office. He served in the Juvenile Court Clerk's Office and in the General Sessions Court Clerk's Office. In 2002, the people of Shelby County elected him to be the juvenile court clerk, to which he was reelected in 2006, and he served until 2010.
I think about Steve's time in public service, and if you had a dictionary, Mr. Speaker, and looked up the term ``public servant,'' there would be a photo of Steve Stamson right there in the dictionary. He went and did whatever he could for anybody, and it didn't matter who they were or what side of town they lived on.
I will note that Steve's career in public service did not end after his time as juvenile court clerk.
Following his retirement, if you will, Mr. Speaker, Steve was appointed as an election commissioner for Shelby County, and he served as chairman of the Shelby County Election Commission.
On all sides of the aisle, Steve was widely respected for his dedication to election integrity and the responsibility that comes with the right to vote.
Steve also gave his time to civic and community organizations, including the Boy Scouts of America, the Scottish Rites, and the Al Chymia Shriners. He was active in his political life in the local and State Republican Party.
I want to note that Steve took on roles that carried significant responsibility, and he always led with a steady hand. I think about Steve, that he made time for others and was always willing to step up when it was needed.
This morning, I talked to our mutual friend, Joy Touliatos. Joy Touliatos succeeded Steve as the juvenile court clerk of Shelby County. She was a longtime friend of Steve and his wife, Debbie, who was also a longtime public servant in Shelby County. When I asked Joy her thoughts about Steve, I wrote them down word for word. She said: ``If you knew Steve, you knew his door was always open; his handshake was sincere; and his word actually meant something.''
Beyond his work, Steve was absolutely devoted to his family. I have a photo of Steve and his wife, Debbie. They shared 45 years of marriage, and Debbie was his equal partner and his best friend. Steve was a proud father to Chris and to Clay, and I know he was a proud grandfather to Keelie and to Hunter.
Mr. Speaker, I do want to say that Roberta and I are deeply saddened by Steve's passing, but we are thinking about Debbie. We remember all the good times, how full of life and how much Steve gave to everybody he cared about and to the entire Memphis and Shelby County community.
Steve's warmth and his generosity will be greatly missed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Tennessee for his remarks. I appreciate his friendship and working on all of our issues on the committee together.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Medal of Honor Day and the American heroes who have earned our highest military decoration.
Over 40 million Americans have served in the U.S. Armed Forces since the Civil War, but fewer than 4,000 have been awarded the Medal of Honor. This award not only commemorates the bravery of those who earned it but also honors their humanity, patriotism, and sacrifice for the United States and her people.
Although each Medal of Honor recipient earns their medal through different acts of heroism, they all have one thing in common: They never sought heroism, yet they embodied it through their risk, sacrifice, and actions to protect others.
I would like to honor a few recipients from my home State of Utah.
Petty Officer George Edward Wahlen was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 5, 1945. Despite being repeatedly wounded during the battle of Iwo Jima, Petty Officer Wahlen refused evacuation and continued risking his life to rescue and treat comrades under intense enemy fire.
Private Jose Valdez was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1946. Private Valdez held his ground against overwhelming German forces, engaging enemies at close range and singlehandedly covering his patrol's retreat under intense fire, facing more than 200 enemy soldiers.
Lieutenant Brian Miles Thacker, whom we are lucky to still have with us today, was awarded the Medal of Honor on October 15, 1973. During a fierce assault at a fire base in the Vietnam war, Lieutenant Thacker directed airstrikes and artillery from a dangerously exposed position for hours, organized the withdrawal, and remained behind alone to provide covering fire. Although wounded and unable to escape from the area himself, he successfully eluded the enemy forces for 8 days until friendly forces regained control of the fire base.
I think President Harry S. Truman put it best: ``We do not go to war for gain or for territory; we go to war for principles, and we produce young men like these. . . . I would rather have that medal . . . than to be President of the United States.''
One of the first initiatives I worked on when I came to Congress 6 years ago was to authorize a National Medal of Honor Monument here in Washington, D.C. That bill passed Congress and was signed into law in December 2021.
The next and final step is to pass the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act to authorize the monument's permanent place on The National Mall. This bill was one of the first bills that passed the House in the 119th Congress, and it passed by a vote of 414-0.
I am grateful to my friend from Texas (Mr. Veasey) for working on both of these bills with me.
It is time for the Senate to do their job and join the House in coming together in a bipartisan way to provide these heroes and these heroes' families with the monument on our National Mall that they have earned.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Senator Justice for his tireless work to move this bill through the Senate process, and I urge the Senate to come together on National Medal of Honor Day, pass the Hershel ``Woody'' Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act, and move it one step closer to the President's desk.
Mr. Speaker, I thank America's Medal of Honor recipients for their patriotism and for setting an example, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of legendary coach and lifelong educator Brigadier General Fred Williams Shaver, who passed away on February 24, 2026, at 91.
Fred was born in Garden City, Alabama, where he later attended the University of North Alabama. For 7 years, he served as head football coach at Southeast Bulloch High School, where they coined his lifelong nickname as Coach Shaver.
As coach, he led the Bulloch Yellow Jackets to consecutive Georgia State titles in 1972 and 1973. Coach Shaver later transitioned to the Bulloch County Board of Education, where he became assistant superintendent, spending a total of 35 years with the Georgia school systems.
Outside of school, he served 34 years in the Georgia National Guard as a field artillery officer, obtaining the rank of brigadier general.
While his professional success was immense, Coach Shaver was most known for his caring spirit, leadership, guidance, and sense of humor.
His remarkable character will make his memory unforgettable.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Agnes Marie Patrick West, who peacefully passed away at the age of 89.
Mrs. West was a woman of deep faith, kindness, and strength. She was born in Dooly, Georgia, and later moved to Savannah, where she attended Commercial High School and built a life centered on family and community.
For over 60 years, she was a faithful member of Calvary Baptist Temple, where she taught Sunday school and formed lasting friendships. Her church was an important part of her life, and she touched many people through her service and devotion.
Mrs. West was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great- grandmother. She shared 73 years of marriage with her husband, Pat West.
Mrs. West leaves behind a strong and loving family, and a legacy of faith, compassion, and dedication. Her impact on the Savannah community will not be forgotten. We honor her life and the example she set for others.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the legacy of service that Freddie Powell Sims has left during her time representing Georgia's 12th District.
Senator Sims announced on Monday that she is resigning. Elected in 2008, she has served in the State legislature on various committees, including leadership roles on the Education and Youth Committee and the Interstate Cooperation Committee.
Before her time under the gold dome, she was a lifelong educator, retiring as a middle-school principal. It was during this time that she married her husband, Norman Sims, who she cites as the reason for her resignation, as he is very ill.
I respect Senator Sims' decision and share her sentiment that family comes first. Her impact on Georgia will not be forgotten, and I am confident her commitment to service will continue in other ways. I had the honor and privilege of serving with Senator Sims in the Georgia State Senate.
My thoughts and prayers are with Senator Sims and her husband as they go through this most difficult time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Asa High, director of golf course and grounds at Frederica Golf Club on St. Simons Island for his appointment as vice chairman of the board of trustees for the Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation.
Since joining the Foundation in March of 2020, Asa has been a tireless leader, serving as chairman of both the research and finance committees as well as secretary and treasurer.
His elevation to vice chairman is a well-earned recognition of his dedication, expertise, and the deep respect he commands among Georgia's golf course superintendents.
The Georgia Golf Environmental Foundation plays a vital role in our State, funding cutting-edge turfgrass research, promoting environmental stewardship, and providing education that keeps our golf courses sustainable and world class.
Asa's continued service ensures Frederica Golf Club stays at the forefront of innovation and responsible land management.
I commend Asa High on his distinguished appointment and wish him every success as vice chairman. I congratulate Asa. Georgia's golf community is better because of his leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Chris Crawford for his outstanding service on Capitol Hill, having been here for 20 years and counting.
Chris has been my chief of staff for 12 of those years. He has truly been a blessing to me, my family, and our office. Chris currently serves as my chief of staff, leading my office and its efforts to serve the people of Georgia's First District ever since we took office in 2015.
He is a senior Stennis fellow, where his commitment to organizational effectiveness and steady leadership was honored with the Chief of Staff of the Year award.
Chris is a native of rural northeast Georgia, having grown up on the coast of Tybee Island. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Chris is a rabid Dawgs fan and is rarely seen without his own French bulldog Luigi, who regularly makes his rounds through the halls of Rayburn and in my office, I might add.
It is without a doubt that I say he has made a positive impact on me, my office, and the State of Georgia, as well as those who have had the privilege of working with him here in D.C.
I commend Chris for his service, and I wish him continued success. Chris is with us today with a number of his friends. He also served with my predecessor, Jack Kingston. He was a lot younger back then; I can tell you that.
Chris has truly been a blessing, as I say, to all those who have been around him. He has led our office and done an outstanding job. I commend him for 20 years of service. That is not an easy task here at this Capitol, but certainly something that we should all be appreciative of and certainly something he should be proud of.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 4 o'clock and 5 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 10 a.m. for morning-hour debate.
