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10House Bills and Joint Resolution Approved by the President
11Senate Bills Approved by the President
12Adjournment
1 member spoke
13Oath of Office Members, Resident Commissioner, and Delegates
14Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, or Limited Tariff Benefits
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
28 public bills, H.R. 8255- 8282; and 7 resolutions, H. Res. 1167-1173, were introduced.
Pages H2884-86
Report Filed
A report was filed today as follows: Supplemental report on H.R. 6409, to amend the Clean Air Act to clarify standards for emissions emanating from outside of the United States, and for other purposes (H. Rept. 119-594, Part 2).
Page H2884
Speaker
Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative Haridopolos to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H2837
Recess
The House recessed at 12:48 p.m. and reconvened at 2 p.m.
Page H2842
Guest Chaplain
The prayer was offered by the Guest Chaplain, Rev. John Kellogg, Christ Church Capitol Hill, Washington, DC.
Page H2843
Recess
The House recessed at 2:08 p.m. and reconvened at 3:01 p.m.
Page H2843
Member Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Gonzales, wherein he resigned as Representative for the Twenty-Third Congressional District of Texas, effective April 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.
Pages H2843-44
Member Resignation
Read a letter from Representative Swalwell, wherein he resigned as Representative for the Fourteenth Congressional District of California, effective April 14, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Page H2844
Whole Number of the House
The Chair announced to the House that, in light of the resignation of the gentleman from California, Mr. Swalwell, the whole number of the House is 431.
Page H2844
Recess
The House recessed at 5:04 p.m. and reconvened at 6:30 p.m.
Page H2874
Suspensions
The House agreed to suspend the rules and pass the following measures: Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act: H.R. 1011, to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 395 yeas to 10 nays, Roll No. 109; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3570 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney, Maryland, as the ``Edward L.
Pages H2844-46, H2874
Ramsey Olney Post Office Building''
H.R. 6310, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3570 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney, Maryland, as the ``Edward L. Ramsey Olney Post Office Building''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2407 State Route 71, Suite 1, in Spring Lake, New Jersey, as the ``James J.
Pages H2846-47
Howard Post Office''
H.R. 1431, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2407 State Route 71, Suite 1, in Spring Lake, New Jersey, as the ``James J. Howard Post Office''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1200 William Street, Room 200, in Buffalo, New York, as the ``William J.
Pages H2847-48
Donovan Post Office Building''
H.R. 1706, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1200 William Street, Room 200, in Buffalo, New York, as the ``William J. Donovan Post Office Building''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, as the ``Officer Zane T.
Pages H2848-49
Coolidge Post Office''
H.R. 3393, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, as the ``Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office'';
Page H2849
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the ``Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building''
H.R. 4635, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the ``Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa, as the ``Martin L.
Pages H2849-50
Graber Post Office''
H.R. 4707, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa, as the ``Martin L. Graber Post Office'';
Pages H2850-51
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia, as the ``Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building''
H.R. 5058, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia, as the ``Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building'';
Page H2851
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois, as the ``Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building''
H.R. 5773, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois, as the ``Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, as the ``Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr.
Pages H2851-52
Post Office Building''
H.R. 6020, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, as the ``Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr. Post Office Building'';
Pages H2852-53
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12109 New Kent Highway in New Kent, Virginia, as the ``Patricia Paige Post Office''
H.R. 6317, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12109 New Kent Highway in New Kent, Virginia, as the ``Patricia Paige Post Office'';
Page H2853
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 417 West 7th Street in Columbia, Tennessee, as the ``Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis Post Office Building''
H.R. 6808, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 417 West 7th Street in Columbia, Tennessee, as the ``Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis Post Office Building'';
Pages H2853-54
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 Highway 198 in Beaumont, Mississippi, as the ``Jeremy Malone Post Office''
H.R. 6995, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 Highway 198 in Beaumont, Mississippi, as the ``Jeremy Malone Post Office'';
Pages H2854-55
Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13355 North Lon Adams Road in Marana, Arizona, as the ``Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office''
H.R. 6247, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13355 North Lon Adams Road in Marana, Arizona, as the ``Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office''; Designating the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 South Main Street in Waupaca, Wisconsin, as the ``Master Sergeant Melvin O.
Page H2855
Handrich Post Office Building''
H.R. 5831, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 South Main Street in Waupaca, Wisconsin, as the ``Master Sergeant Melvin O. Handrich Post Office Building'';
Pages H2855-56
Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026
H.R. 7613, amended, to require certain aircraft to be equipped with collision mitigation technology, to improve helicopter route safety and separation around airports, to update air traffic control processes and procedures, to address national airspace system safety in Department of Defense activities, by a \2/3\ yea-and-nay vote of 396 yeas to 10 nays, Roll No. 110; and
Pages H2856-74, H2875-76
Agreed to amend the title so as to read
``To require certain aircraft to be equipped and operating with collision prevention technology, to improve helicopter route safety and separation around airports, to update air traffic control processes and procedures, to address national airspace system safety in Department of Defense activities, and for other purposes.''.
Pages H2875-76
Oath of Office: Fourteenth Congressional District of Georgia
Representative-elect Clay Fuller presented himself in the well of the House and was administered the Oath of Office by the Speaker. Earlier, the Clerk of the House transmitted a copy of a letter received from Mr. J. Blake Evans, Elections Director, with the Georgia Office of the Secretary of State indicating that, according to the unofficial results for the Special General Election held on April 7, 2026, the Honorable Clay Fuller was elected Representative to Congress for the Fourteenth Congressional District of Georgia.
Page H2875
Whole Number of the House
The Speaker announced to the House that, in light of the administration of the oath to the gentleman from Georgia, the whole number of the House is 432.
Page H2875
Meeting Hour
Agreed by unanimous consent that when the House adjourns today, it adjourn to meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow, April 15th.
Page H2833
Quorum Calls: Votes
Two yea-and-nay votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H2874 and H2875-76. Adjournment: The House met at 12 p.m. and adjourned at 9:22 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: 188 of 254 spoken turns were found. Turns without a time are still listed; they just can't seek.
Morning-Hour Debate
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 6, 2026, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 1:50 p.m.
Mr. Speaker, this week, Congress will have an opportunity to assert its constitutional role when we vote for the second time on a War Powers Act resolution to force President Trump to seek legal authority for his unilateral military campaign in Iran.
As a member of the Armed Services Committee and a cosponsor of this measure, I strongly urge my colleagues in the House to vote ``yes'' to reclaim our constitutional role under Article I, Section 8, as the sole branch of government with the power to decide whether our country goes to war.
On February 28, the President, without consultation with Congress and almost all of our longtime allies, ordered military strikes against Iran, taking the United States into a war now in its seventh week.
Despite the massive costs of this war and the international energy crisis it has created, to date, the President has never articulated what exactly was the imminent threat to the homeland on that date, nor has he laid out a clear, practical plan for success.
Mr. Speaker, over the last 7 weeks, the most arduous and heart- wrenching cost of this war has been borne by 13 American soldiers, who lost their lives, and their families. Hundreds of servicemembers have been injured, and hundreds of innocent civilians, some the very victims of Iran's brutal regime that President Trump said he would liberate, have been killed.
As a result of this war, our servicemembers have had their deployments in the Middle East abnormally extended, such as the sailors on the USS Gerald Ford, which today is on day 294, with no end in sight. Thousands of marines have been waiting for weeks in the Middle East aboard amphibious ships as plans for the Strait of Hormuz keep changing.
At home, the war has driven up inflation, driven down the stock market, raised interest rates, and sharply driven up energy prices.
President Trump ignored U.S. military advice that Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz where 20 percent of the world's oil and 30 percent of its fertilizer transits.
Mr. Speaker, researchers at Brown University a few days ago released a real-time, running Iran war cost tracker that calculates the increased cost of gasoline and diesel fuel since February. As of this morning, American consumers have paid $19.9 billion in added costs. If you go to the website, which is on the poster here, you can watch in real time as the meter runs.
The average price of gas at the war start was $2.98. Today it is $4.12. Diesel was $3.67, and today it is $5.65. This morning, in my district, on the way to the airport in Enfield, Connecticut, gas is $4.29, and diesel is a staggering $6.19.
Any Member of this House visiting a farm, like a dairy farm that I visited back home during the Easter break, or small businesses like homebuilders who run their equipment on diesel, has heard about the shock and hit that they are taking in terms of keeping their operations sustainable and profitable.
The entire world had high hopes that the present 2-week cease-fire would quickly pivot to a longer term deal and opening of the strait. But after negotiations fell through, the President announced that he was instituting a naval blockade of all Iranian ports with no allied support, another example that he continues to believe he is free to escalate this war without any obligation to adhere to constitutional norms.
Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear. Every legal authority indicates that under the law of the sea, this is an act of war. In testimony to the Senate on January 28, Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio himself said: ``A blockade is an act of war.''
Mr. Speaker, the one role that the Trump administration has acknowledged Congress must play is to vote on funding this war. There are reports that a request is coming to us for as much as $200 billion to pay for his initiative.
Let me be clear. This body is not and should not be a rubberstamp that
Mr. Speaker, 228 years ago, James Madison wrote the following: ``The Constitution supposes, what the history of all Governments demonstrates, that the Executive is the branch of power most interested in war and most prone to it. It has accordingly with studied care, vested the question of war in the legislature.''
On March 5, I joined 211 of my colleagues in voting ``yes'' on the War Powers Resolution, H. Con. Res. 38. This War Powers Resolution failed by a vote of 212 to 219.
This week, this body has another chance to show the American people that we are listening to them and are aware of the damage caused by this conflict and have an opportunity to rein in the unilateral actions of this President that is dangerously weakening and isolating or country.
Congress cannot wait any longer to act. I implore my colleagues to support this bipartisan resolution when it comes to the floor this week.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize Chris Ardinger of Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, for his selection as the recipient of the Spirit of Community Award.
The award honors individuals who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to improving the quality of Franklin County life, where Chris serves as the administrator of Antrim Township.
Known for his transparent leadership and reliability, Chris has made significant contributions to enhancing the quality of life in the Cumberland Valley.
Most certainly, Chris Ardinger has devoted his life to professional and volunteer community activities.
A former executive director of the Tuscarora Area Chamber of Congress, Chris was elected to the Tuscarora School District Board of Directors at the age of 19. He served 8 years, including 2 as the board president.
On behalf of the constituents throughout Franklin County and the entire 13th Congressional District, I congratulate Chris Ardinger on this prestigious award, and I thank him for his contributions to our great communities.
Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life and the career of Don Bailey, an educator, an administrator, and football coach, who passed away recently in his hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
A graduate of Forest Hills High School, Coach Bailey dedicated his entire professional life to the school district, serving as a teacher, a principal, and an administrator.
As head football coach at Forest Hills, Coach Bailey became a legend over his 45 years. His success includes 375 wins, 11 Laurel Highlands Conference championships, and 10 District 6 championships.
Over the years, Coach Bailey was honored with induction into the Pennsylvania Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame. He was also selected for the Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Football Foundation.
As we pause to remember his legacy, we also keep his wife, Diane, and all of his family in our prayers.
Please join me in honoring the life of Coach Don Bailey, who was truly a Cambria County football legend.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor former Saxton Fire Chief Mark Taylor, who stepped down from his position in November, after 40 years of dedicated service.
During the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company's recent annual banquet, Chief Taylor was presented with an award that recognizes his unwavering dedication.
Chief Taylor joined the fire company as a volunteer 50 years ago. He has been described by colleagues as a beacon of leadership to ensure the safety of his entire community.
Chief Taylor's legacy includes mentorship of countless firefighters and a strategic vision that positioned teamwork at its core.
I thank Chief Taylor for his profound impact on municipalities served by the Saxton Volunteer Fire Company and for his vital role in inspiring firefighters throughout his years of service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Richard Fertig, Jr., of Smith Transportation on selection of Professional Driver of the Year.
This award is the profession's highest honor, recognizing safety, leadership, and community impact of professional drivers.
Richard Fertig, Jr., has been driving trucks for Smith Transport for more than 20 years. Since joining Smith Transport, he has accumulated more than 2 million miles driving safely, which is a testament to his commitment to precision, to discipline, and to safety.
As a veteran, Richard's truck is wrapped in a powerful tribute to Vietnam veterans, and it has become a symbol of respect everywhere he drives.
Like many others, Mr. Fertig considers Smith Transport founder, Barry Smith, to be his role model and his mentor.
On behalf of constituents throughout Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, best wishes for continued success, continued safety, and continued achievement.
Mr. Speaker, we need to stop this administration from trying to collect private medical data on Federal employees and their families.
Recently OPM, the Office of Personnel Management, started asking Federal workers and their family members for their detailed monthly health records.
This isn't just trends or summaries. This is things like prescriptions and claims, so all this data has personally identifiable information that paints a clear picture of a person's private life and health.
Why do they want to do this? Well, we are not really sure. One story from OPM is that this is to help provide competitive, quality, affordable health plans. But OPM already has health claims data warehouses, and they haven't really explained how this would actually help with finding a competitive plan. They certainly haven't cited legal authority for why they are entitled to every Federal worker's detailed health information.
We are being asked right now to trust that this will all be secure, but they haven't really outlined how they will keep this information safe, and OPM has a really poor track record. This is the agency that leaked 21 million records in one of the largest Federal data breaches in recent history.
Last year, there were credible reports that DOGE personnel were granting sweeping access to sensitive OPM systems and data.
A Federal judge has temporarily blocked this policy of collecting Federal worker health data because it likely violates the Privacy Act, but we need to permanently stop this policy from moving forward.
Instead of going after Federal workers' personal information, I would ask the OPM to instead focus on processing the backlog of retirement claims, which has surpassed 55,000 cases. In any case, I hope my colleagues will join me in opposing what OPM is doing here.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the planned reorganization of the Forest Service, which will mean the relocation or closure of dozens of Forest Service offices.
The Forest Service is an agency many of us don't think about, but it does so much important work that impacts our lives every day. They protect national forests, wildlife diversity, and watersheds. They lead the fight against forest fire and promote fire prevention. They research forest health and manage 193 million acres of land.
We already know that these relocations and closures of Forest Service offices will be a disaster, because the first Trump administration relocated
The administration also wants to close 57 of 77 Forest Service research facilities. This will slow down or end research on wildfire prevention, logging techniques, endangered species research, and climate change response. I could keep going.
This is irresponsible, given the record temperatures we are seeing every year and the once-in-a-lifetime droughts and floods that are happening every few years.
This can't be about reducing waste, fraud, and abuse, or streamlining government, because the move itself would be incredibly costly, and the natural disasters that result from them will be far more costly than maintaining these offices.
Mr. Speaker, I urge this administration to stop these disastrous relocations of the Forest Service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize what is shaping up to be one of the most significant tax days in American history and to remind Americans to file on time and take full advantage of the relief available to them this year.
Thanks to the working families tax cuts, millions of Americans are seeking real relief, with average savings of nearly $4,000 for working- and middle-class families. This law delivers where it matters most: no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, tax relief for seniors, support for small businesses, and new investment accounts to help the next generation get ahead.
It is already making a difference. As a matter of fact, last week, when I was traveling in my district and going into a gas station convenience store, a gentleman was coming out. He looked at me and said: ``Thank you very much. I got my refund back. It is bigger than I have ever had. I am a Democrat. I won't vote for you, but I appreciate the refund.''
This isn't just about tax policy, though. It is about giving more Americans freedom to pay their bills, save for their future, pay for prescription drugs, and provide for their families.
Tax day is April 15. If you haven't filed yet, now is the time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the urgent need to strengthen rural healthcare and expand access to care for communities across Iowa and our Nation.
In too many rural areas, hospitals face workforce shortages, limited resources, and the constant threat of closure, putting patients at risk of losing care close to home. That is why the first-of-its-kind $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program is so important--an investment designed to stabilize rural hospitals, expand services, and bring back care to communities that need it most. I fought to include this program in the working families tax cuts because rural Americans deserve access to high-quality care regardless of their ZIP Code.
Iowa is already leading the way as the first State to tap into this program, receiving over $209 million to support rural hospitals. A supported workforce and modern technology are essential to outcomes and help expand access to care.
As a physician, I know that this is important to essential better health outcomes. That is why I recently convened my third rural healthcare roundtable, bringing together hospitals and our director of Medicaid to ensure this program is implemented in a way that meets the needs of patients and providers, especially in rural areas.
Expanding access to care means stronger communities, better outcomes, and ensuring that no one is left behind simply because of where they live.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the successful return of the Artemis II crew on April 10. Commander Reid Wiseman, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Pilot Victor Glover, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen completed the historic 10-day mission, traveling around the far side of the Moon and farther from Earth than any humans in history.
During their journey, they tested critical systems aboard the Orion spacecraft, paving the way for future missions that will return Americans to the lunar surface. Their safe splashdown off the coast of California marks a major milestone in American space exploration.
This mission also highlights the contributions of institutions across our country, including the University of Iowa, whose researchers have played an important role in advancing radiation monitoring and astronaut safety, building on decades of leadership in space science. I am grateful for the dedication of the scientists, engineers, and mission teams who made this achievement possible.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Artemis II crew and NASA on this extraordinary accomplishment. May we continue to lead the world in exploration and innovation. God bless the Artemis II and NASA, and God bless America.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the discharge petition to extend temporary protected status for Haiti.
This petition, which I am very proud to be following the leadership of Representative Ayanna Pressley in helping her co-lead this, has secured the 218 signatures needed to force a vote.
Tomorrow's debate is a critical moment. This is about over 350,000 Haitian nationals, our neighbors, who have built their lives here and contribute to our communities every single day.
Haiti is facing a humanitarian crisis. Forcing families to return under these conditions would be dangerous and unjust.
We are seeing bipartisan support emerge in real time as Members from both parties recognize what is at stake. Tomorrow, it is important that we do the right thing, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''
Next, we must move forward and pass the discharge petition to extend temporary protected status for Venezuelan nationals, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize extraordinary women from central Florida for their work and impact on the community that I proudly represent.
Last month, our office celebrated these women at an in-district event, and I will continue that celebration here today. They are mothers, public leaders, entrepreneurs, changemakers, educators, caregivers, and innovators. They are advocates and champions for communities that are often forgotten. They fight hard, and we see them.
The first is Ericka Gomez-Tejeda, a community organizer for over 33 years in the central Florida area and a fighter for immigrant rights.
Shirley Richardson Bradley is a retired educator of 38 years, a community trailblazer, and a historian.
Roniece Weaver and Fabiola Gaines are the cofounders of Hebni Nutrition and authors of several cookbooks that have revolutionized healthy eating in our underserved communities.
Michelle Sperzel is the CBO of Harbor House of Central Florida, and her work really helps local survivors of domestic violence.
Jamilyn Salonga Bailey is the owner of Kaya and a recipient of Florida's first-ever Michelin Green Star, located in Orlando's Mills 50 district.
Ossyris Bury is a first-generation Panamanian American majoring in aerospace engineering at the University of Central Florida and a researcher and aspiring astronaut who has already
Today and every day, we celebrate their achievements and honor these empowered women who uplift and inspire others.
Madam Speaker, I recently had the opportunity to visit Merritt Island High School to highlight their outstanding work being done in astronautics and flight exploration.
The program is a 4-year program that prepares students for careers in aerospace, aviation, and engineering. It combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience, using the tools that are used in the everyday workplace.
Programs like this show that success does not just follow one path. Not every student follows the traditional 4-year degree to build a strong future. Career-focused education gives students the opportunity to graduate with the practical skills necessary to step into aerospace jobs.
On the Space Coast, where aerospace drives our economy, this program and others like it are essential. They connect students with real opportunities right in our home community. The students and educators at Merritt Island High School are building the workforce of the future. This is what education should look like--relevant, practical, and focused on results.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and service of Lieutenant Commander Mark Majcher, United States Navy, retired. He proudly served our Nation as a naval aviator. His service reflects the discipline, courage, and commitment that define the very best of our military.
Beyond his time in uniform, he remained a part of our veteran community, carrying forward the values of service and sacrifice that have guided his life.
I had the privilege of meeting Lieutenant Commander Majcher on Veterans Day last year, and it was clear he took great pride in his service and the men and women who served beside him.
I also recognize his loving wife, Fran, whose support and devotion were a constant in his life.
Today, we honor not only a veteran but a life defined by service to others and a love of country. May we never forget his contributions or the example set by this remarkable American.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the successful mission of Artemis II, a defining moment in American leadership once again in space, as these four brave astronauts traveled further than any astronauts have ever traveled before, marking our next new era in space exploration.
I also, of course, applaud our President, who has steadfastly committed to space as he has created the Space Force, and our amazing new NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, who has brought new life to NASA as we are reaching further than ever.
It confirmed the strength of American engineering, the precision of our NASA employees, and the skill of our amazing astronauts.
Artemis II is more than exploration. It supports national security, drives our economy, and creates jobs across the country, especially on Florida's Space Coast.
As we look ahead to future missions, we celebrate this achievement to reaffirm our commitment to space.
Madam Speaker, America is going back to the Moon, and we are leading the way forward.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable constituent, Rita Vastano Simas of Melbourne, Florida, as she celebrates her 100th birthday. Born on April 24, 1926, Rita's life is a testament to resilience, love, and devotion to her family and our country.
During World War II, she married the love of her life, George Simas, in Italy before coming to the United States to build a life together based on faith, hard work, and opportunity. Her husband earned multiple Purple Hearts and served our Nation with pride, as they are part of the Greatest Generation. Together, they represent a generation that sacrificed, endured, and helped shape the freedoms that we enjoy today.
Rita's life reflects the values of our Nation. Today, she celebrates 100 years. I wish Rita a happy birthday.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to share the story of Noah Joyce-Anderson from Chicopee, Massachusetts.
Noah is a Black, trans veteran who served as a specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve from 2010 to 2015. In January of this year, Noah traveled to Minneapolis to assist protesters standing up to ICE's enforcement operations as a medic.
While at a protest outside the Whipple Building on January 30, 2026, Noah and a fellow veteran were tackled to the ground. Noah was charged with obstruction of legal process, with the bail set at $500. During booking, a clerk told Noah that there were no charges, and they would likely remain in custody through the weekend.
While in custody, Noah received only one of their nine daily medications. They were placed on suicide watch, given a soiled mattress, and put in unsanitary conditions. Previously, they had been left naked for an indeterminate period of time. A veterans group posted bail a day later, and Noah was able to walk free.
Noah is still struggling with a head injury and is being treated for back pain, muscle spasms, and post-concussive symptoms. Noah is also still unsure of the status of the charges. Hennepin County has not even confirmed whether Noah will be charged with a crime.
Noah is a veteran who went to Minneapolis to help protect peaceful protesters. I commend Noah for having the courage to do what is right, and I share Noah's story to shine a light on some of the realities of this administration's cruel immigration enforcement. I also recognize the selfless actions of those who are standing up for what is right.
Despite the violence so many in our communities have experienced, they have shown up. They are doing the good and decent thing and supporting our neighbors, whether they are down the block or across the country.
I thank all veterans, including Noah, for their service and also for standing on the right side of history and honoring the oath that they took to the Constitution. As so many of them have said, Madam Speaker, there is nothing more American than standing up for your neighbors.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today as my home, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is taking a direct hit from supertyphoon Sinlaku, one of the most powerful storms on Earth this year.
Right now, families on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota are sheltering from catastrophic winds, life-threatening storm surge, and severe flooding. Homes are being damaged. Power is going out, and communications are being disrupted.
For many of us here in Washington, there is a particular kind of pain that comes with this moment. That is because while we are here doing our jobs, our hearts are back home with our families and praying that they are alive and safe.
Mr. Speaker, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands are strong. We prepare, we endure, and we rebuild. But let me be clear: Resilience should never be mistaken for self-sufficiency. We are a small, remote island community. When disasters strike, the margin for error is thin, and the need for a fast,
I want to thank President Trump for approving the emergency declaration and FEMA for mobilizing resources. Now we must act with urgency and precision. First, I call on FEMA to ensure rapid deployment of personnel and pre-positioned supplies, with a focus on restoring access to food, clean water, and emergency medical care.
Second, I urge the administration to expedite individual assistance and public assistance under the Stafford Act so families can begin recovery immediately, not weeks from now.
Third, we must prioritize the rapid restoration of power and water systems. I ask for full Federal cooperation, including support from the Department of War, to stabilize critical infrastructure as quickly as possible.
Fourth, I ask this body to be prepared to support supplemental disaster funding, if needed, because for island communities like ours, recovery costs are disproportionately high, and resources are limited.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I ask that we not lose sight of the bigger picture. Events like this highlight the vulnerability of remote U.S. communities to increasingly severe weather and the need for sustained Federal investment in resilient infrastructure, energy security, and emergency preparedness in the territories.
Mr. Speaker, right now this is about life and safety. In the coming days, it will be about recovery. In the months ahead, it must be about resilience.
But today I ask for something simple and human. I ask this body and the American people to keep the Northern Mariana Islands in your prayers. Pray for the families riding out this storm as we speak. Pray for our first responders and pray for strength as our community begins to pick up the pieces.
We are proud to be a part of this Nation. We serve this Nation, and in this moment, we are asking this Nation to stand with us.
Mr. Speaker, last week, I conducted an unannounced oversight visit to the Everglades detention camp the Trump administration and Florida's government despicably named Alligator Alcatraz.
While the employees in charge honored the legal requirement to allow me in, for the 3 hours I was there they wouldn't allow me to speak with the people they had put in cages. Because I arrived without notifying ICE, as Federal law allows, they had no time to whitewash the inhumane conditions.
I want to tell Americans the truth about what is being done in the middle of our Everglades, in our name, and on our dime. Mr. Speaker, when you walk into this facility's dormitory area, which is a series of massive tents built on top of a tarmac, all you see are cages. Inside were 32 adult men, from ages 18 to 75, all packed into each cage, eight cages per tent, with 1,500 packed in that way in total.
The cages are clearly unsanitary. It is dirty and smells like urine. Men used the toilet inside the cages with only an open-sided, pelvis- level wall a few feet from the beds with toilets that have feces remnants in them.
So whom have they put in these cages? Are they convicted criminals?
Some possibly are. Let's be clear: Convicted criminals should be deported. However, the vast majority are not that.
Do they pose an immediate public threat?
Under ICE's own risk assessments, the vast majority do not. Yet everyone there suffers, and that suffering is very intentional because cruelty is the point. Some have been held in cages for 6 months or more. Detainees report being beaten, taunted, and pepper-sprayed. Many have disappeared, without a day in court, to distant third countries where they don't speak the language.
Haitians have been dumped into Mexico. Cubans have been sent to African countries and jailed on arrival.
When I walked through, men cried out for help. An older man was sprawled on his cot, clearly ill. I am certain more are sick. I have seen reports that staff deny access to prescriptions, and several detainees have been hospitalized. They are served tiny meals marked fresh that were clearly dated 2 weeks old.
For months, ICE denied detainees' access to lawyers or family, including U.S. citizen kids. A court order finally forced them to install unmonitored phone lines for people inside to call their attorneys.
Human rights advocates alleged more violations since then. One harrowing example came just before my visit. On April 2, staff at the facility shut off phones for a full day, cutting contact to the outside world. When detainees protested, officers entered their cages and severely beat them. According to the court filing, one man was ``thrown to the ground and beaten by multiple guards. He suffered injuries to his shoulder . . . and was kicked in the head. A guard placed their knee on his neck. . . . `'
Reports say when officers pepper-sprayed everyone in cages, an ``older gentleman passed out, as he could not breathe.''
It begs the basic question: Who is in charge here?
ICE argues in court that this is a State facility, immune from Federal law, which is absurd. Immigration is a Federal responsibility.
The site is in the middle of a federally protected area on Miccosukee Tribal land under a Federal treaty.
Why is ICE hiding behind Florida?
Is it so they can try to evade accountability for depriving detained people of basic human rights?
As soon as I arrived, I was met by Florida State employees and contractors. During the tour, I asked if ICE had a permanent presence, and they said yes. Any questions I asked about the detainee population were referred to ICE. Yet ICE personnel not only refused to speak with me, they blocked me from talking to the men caged there for months, despite my having signed privacy releases for specific detainees.
Three things about this facility are crystal clear: First, while Florida taxpayers bear the costs, ICE is clearly in charge. That means this camp should fall under the same rules as any other ICE facility.
Second, it is an ecological disaster. Taxpayers spent billions to restore the Everglades, which is a critical water resource and a homeland for the Miccosukee people. Now we are spending countless tax dollars to produce heaven only knows how much pollution, because ICE never conducted an environmental assessment.
Third, this facility makes a mockery of our values.
It is an insult to the Bill of Rights, which requires due process and prohibits cruel and usual punishment for all people, not just citizens. It is a gut punch to family members who can only watch loved ones waste away inside dirty cages with no legal recourse.
We know this is wrong. We know it is un-American. That is why we must stand up. I watch with pride as my south Florida neighbors mobilize to hold vigils outside the Everglades internment camp and unite in solidarity.
For my part, I led Florida Democrats to sponsor legislation to shut this place down and guarantee every Member of Congress can conduct oversight at ICE jails, like I did, to see the truth.
Mr. Speaker, this detention camp must be shut down. Our conscience demands it, and I will not rest until the families torn apart by this stain on the State of Florida seek and obtain justice.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the 91st anniversary of a solemn day for the people of Oklahoma: Black Sunday.
While perhaps there are not many Americans who know about that consequential Sunday on April 14, 1935, I want to take a few minutes to tell you about it, Mr. Speaker, based on what my ancestors told me and the hardships that came from that day.
I still remember my grandfather, Fred Lucas, telling me and my cousins about Black Sunday. You see, Mr. Speaker, in Crawford, Oklahoma, on
My grandfather described that particular Sunday because they had just finished a multi-night hellfire and brimstone revival, and the community was very fired up about the things going on in the world and their responsibilities. Remember, this is 1935. It was tough times, but if a community could afford a bat, a ball, and at least a glove for the catcher, they could play baseball, the American pastime.
My grandfather described that afternoon. In the course of the baseball game, this giant, dark cloud appeared in the northwest sky. It rolled in, and the closer it got, literally, it was a miles-tall cold front full of nothing but dust.
Finally, someone in the crowd said: Oh, my goodness, we have not repented. We have not followed the advice, and the Lord is going to take action against us.
The entire community scattered. They may have misgauged the dust storm, but the dust was so bad that literally for the next few days, the skies were dark, the Sun was clouded, and everyone stayed in to avoid that.
Now, that dust storm did not just come across Oklahoma. It came across the entire Plains. It worked its way across North America, and it made it all the way to Washington, D.C., where ironically, that next week, the House Agriculture Committee was in meetings to discuss how to address the conservation disasters of the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.
It was so bad that it brought it to the attention of my colleagues, our predecessors here in Congress, that not just were the Great Plains suffering, but so was the rest of the country.
The House Agriculture Committee, the United States House, and the United States Senate took action. Thirteen days later, on April 27, they passed the act, and it was signed into law by the President that created the Soil Conservation Service, what we now refer to as the NRCS.
That great ecological tragedy was based on years and decades of bad decisions. In 1935, Congress chose to address that and began the process that we now think of as the NRCS, the EQIP programs, all the things to protect the soil, the water, and the air quality in this great Nation. It was an accomplishment.
Mr. Speaker, when I was sent by my neighbors to represent them in the United States Congress to serve on that very same Ag Committee, I was very focused on making sure that the mistakes that had gone back almost a century would not be repeated and that we would do better going forward. Every farm bill that we passed since I have been here, we have strengthened those provisions in the conservation title. It is why we have not had a Black Sunday again on the Great Plains of the United States.
Mr. Speaker, we have to remember the ominous things in our past, not just the good. Black Sunday was an ominous event that reflected decades of bad policy, but it started the process of correcting that.
I am proud of the conservation accomplishments we have made. I am proud that my children, my grandchildren, and I have never seen something like my grandfather, Fred Lucas, described.
Let's stay at the forefront of conservation. Let's continue to protect our water, our soil, our air; and let's move this country forward.
Mr. Speaker, House Republicans continue to enable Donald Trump's costly and disastrous war of choice against Iran, all while refusing to lift a finger to help working families as their bad policies drain Americans' wallets.
We need Republicans to act, to rein in this dangerous President and help Americans have a shot at getting ahead in Trump's economy.
This district work period, I traveled around my district to hear directly from people. I heard the same thing over and over again: Everything costs more and families are struggling. Gasoline prices have skyrocketed. Grocery bills have gone up. Cost of shoes? Up.
Let's be clear about why. It is Trump's war of choice that is costing American families, and it is his tax through tariffs on American families. Due to the war, oil prices and gas prices have jumped dramatically. When gas prices go up, everything goes up.
Jessica Hernandez is a driver who transports people with disabilities in a wheelchair-accessible van. She serves people in communities in California like Lynwood, South Gate, Long Beach, and Lakewood every single day.
However, now, because of rising costs, she works longer hours to cover the cost of getting her passengers to where they need to go while making sure she can still feed her family.
Think about that. She is working harder, longer, and still falling behind because of Trump's reckless war in Iran.
Jessica was not the only person I heard from. I also heard from a truck driver who said the rising diesel gas prices have caused the price of delivering goods to go up. It also means hiring fewer drivers.
If that is not enough, if you order your goods through Amazon, they just announced a price increase because of this reckless war of choice that Trump and Republicans support.
I also spoke to a small business owner in Carson, Monica Jordan. She is the general manager of a small family business, a restaurant. Her suppliers have raised their prices. When we met, she showed me just one of the letters she received from a vendor saying that costs had increased 13 percent, and they had to pass on at least half of the cost to her small business. The result is higher prices for her business and customers.
This story is not unique to this business. We are hearing these stories from businessowners across the country that they are experiencing higher costs, fewer customers, and some are having to close their doors.
Then there is my constituent Marysol Arellano, a single mom with two kids in San Pedro. She used to take her kids out every Sunday for a family meal, a moment to bond. Now she can't afford it. What used to be a simple family meal is now a luxury.
That is what this cost-of-living crisis looks like. It is people working longer hours. It is small businesses barely hanging on. It is families losing the moments that matter most.
Instead of addressing the rising costs, President Trump has slapped tariffs on many products that enter the United States, and that is a tax on our working families.
Trump's war with Iran is costing Americans billions. While Americans pay up to $7 for just a gallon of gas so they can drive to work or drop their kids off at school, the U.S. spends at least $2 billion of their hard-earned taxpayer dollars a day firing missiles and dropping bombs.
When Americans are struggling, these are the wrong priorities, and Trump shows no sign of focusing on Americans first. His latest proposed budget calls for cuts to programs like energy assistance and affordable housing that would help Americans get back on their feet but asks for huge increases in military spending instead.
That tells you everything you need to know; billions for war overseas but nothing to lower costs here at home.
Mr. Speaker, the American people deserve better. They deserve leaders who are focused on bringing costs down, not driving them up. House Democrats are fighting to lower costs and make life affordable for working families.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the beautiful Pine Creek Rail Trail, which was recently named Pennsylvania's 2026 Trail of the Year by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
This 62-mile trail connects Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, and Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. Visitors hike through the scenic Pine Creek Gorge, better known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.
The Pine Creek Rail Trail was first used by the Iroquois nation and then later developed as a railroad in the 19th century. For more than 100 years, this railroad helped move tons of iron, coal, and lumber through the region. In 1989, the railroad ceased operation.
Today, the nationally recognized trail attracts more than 44,000 visitors each year and generates more than $5 million in local revenue.
Mr. Speaker, the Pine Creek Rail Trail is a shining example of the beautiful landscapes in the Commonwealth, and I thank all the volunteers and officials who work tirelessly to upkeep the trail and ensure that visitors can experience the beauty of the region.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the bipartisan ALERT Act.
Last year, 67 lives were lost in a tragic midair collision of a flight from my home State of Kansas to Washington, D.C.
Those 67 people were parents, children, and friends. Their families' lives changed in an instant. In the weeks that followed, I met with those families. I listened and made a commitment to turn their grief into action.
This bipartisan bill reflects that work. It takes commonsense steps to make our skies safer, modernizing collision avoidance technology, strengthening training, and closing dangerous communications gaps.
It also acts on the National Transportation Safety Board recommendations, turning lessons learned into real action.
We cannot bring those 67 people back, but we can honor them by preventing this from happening ever again.
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' and, after the passage of this bill, work together on a final, fully thought-out bill that ensures safety measures are efficiently implemented. The families deserve nothing less.
Mr. Speaker, the American military has liberated more countries than any other Nation in history. I have witnessed personally in Sofia, Bulgaria; Seoul, South Korea; Monrovia, Liberia; and Bogota, Colombia, the success of American liberation.
Mr. Speaker, 2026 has seen spectacular achievements with the leadership of President Donald Trump, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of Joint Chiefs Dan Caine, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The dictator of Venezuela has been arrested. Ukraine maintains sovereignty, defeating war criminal Putin; and the mass murderers of Iran are eliminated.
President Trump has unified support in Latin America and strengthened NATO defense spending, and Arab Gulf states stand with America.
As the son of a World War II Flying Tiger, I appreciate those who fought to liberate China, and I have had four sons who have served in the Middle East.
In conclusion, God bless our troops as Trump is reinstituting peace through strength, revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting and mocking Trump, with Putin providing Iran satellite targeting to murder Americans.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Operation Democracy and their Flags for Freedom program.
In my district, the hamlet of Locust Valley proudly founded Operation Democracy's sister city program in 1947, partnering with the first town, Normandy, France, liberated on D-day.
Now, Oyster Bay-East Norwich and Cold Spring Harbor, also in my district, participate in the Flags for Freedom program, as well.
Operation Democracy was founded in the wake of World War II as a humanitarian effort to rebuild war-torn cities across the globe. Since then, it has connected more than 500 communities with partner communities throughout the world, fostering diplomacy, peace, and mutual understanding.
Their Flags for Freedom program builds powerful bridges between generations. Through American Legion posts, local veterans present American flags to graduating high school seniors.
Nearly 10,000 flags have already been presented as living lessons of service, sacrifice, and citizenship.
I encourage every congressional district across the country to enter into the Flags for Freedom program. It is a simple, nonpartisan tribute to our veterans and our Nation's flag, and it is rooted in both history and gratitude.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1011) to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) and the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Tokuda) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
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 bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Pennsylvania?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1011, the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act, introduced by Representative Letlow of Louisiana.
The Emergency Conservation Program, or ECP, and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, EFRP, are two important cost-share programs available to landowners following a natural disaster.
Under ECP, landowners can receive technical and financial assistance for repairs and restoration of land adversely affected by natural disasters, including floods, hurricanes, wildfires, and droughts. Additionally, EFRP offers financial assistance to nonindustrial private forestland owners for recovery efforts following similar natural disasters.
In recent years, agricultural producers have witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by numerous disasters. The recovery efforts and associated costs have underscored the importance of these programs during times of great need for our Nation's farmers.
Over the past decade, we have seen some of the largest and most destructive wildfires on record, particularly in
Our agricultural community has also seen the devastating impacts of hurricanes in recent years. A harrowing example of this occurred in 2024, when hurricanes Helene and Milton wreaked havoc across several southeastern States. Many producers looked to ECP for help with fencing repairs, debris removal, replacement of watershed infrastructure, and land stabilization. At the same time, EFRP was utilized for hazard tree removal, reforestation, site preparation, and erosion control.
While these programs have been helpful to producers and forest landowners, some participants have reported experiencing delays in receiving payments.
To help expedite funding to those in need and get work done on the ground more quickly, this legislation would broaden eligibility for advanced payments for both ECP and EFRP and raise the cap on assistance from 25 percent of total costs to 50 percent of project costs for repairs and 75 percent for replacement.
Mr. Speaker, this is crucial for the American agriculture industry. When a natural disaster ravages valuable natural resources or dismantles critical agricultural infrastructure, landowners simply cannot afford to wait on the Federal government to finish processing paperwork before they begin the process of rebuilding. Advance payments allow us to streamline this process and improve program delivery.
Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation and encourage my colleagues to vote favorably, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1011.
Last month, back-to-back Kona Low storms brought catastrophic flooding to our islands. In the span of just a few days, our State was inundated with more than 2 trillion gallons of water. Some areas received over 36 inches of rain in a 24-hour period, far exceeding what scientists expected in a once-in-a-thousand-year storm event.
More than 200 people needed emergency rescue--some being picked up with excavators and farm equipment to be able to get away from the floods. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed. Over 100,000 people throughout our islands lost power for an extended period of time. Some of our ``seniors''; ``kupuna'' were trapped in their homes without food or electricity for days at a time.
While people and businesses across our State face a tough road toward recovery, our farmers have had an especially difficult challenge. Over the last 3 weeks, I have walked through farms and fields in my district and witnessed the devastation firsthand.
From Waialua and the North Shore through Koolauloa, Wailuku, and upcountry Maui, across Molokai, and in Kona, I saw flooded fields, washed-out topsoil, collapsed roads, culverts completely blown apart by flooding, ruined farm equipment, crops dying in the fields, and animals stuck in mud. I saw entire seasons of crops wiped out, and real questions as to when their next harvest will be still remain unanswered.
Early estimates put the damage across Hawaii's farms at nearly $70 million and counting. One in three farmers across our State was negatively impacted by the storms.
Our farmers and ranchers are resilient, tough, and proud. They will come out on the other side, but it is going to take real, sustained support to get them there. That is why this bill is so important.
This isn't the first time, sadly, that our farmers experienced such tragedy. Farmers in my specific district deal with some of the most relentless climate pressures and diverse natural disasters anywhere in this country--wildfires, hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, landslides, and floods caused by increasingly powerful Kona low storms.
Each disaster we face chips away at our ability to grow our own food in an island State where we import 80 to 90 percent of the food that we consume. In a place as remote and geographically isolated as Hawaii, food security is fragile.
As we know, food security is also our national and State security, as well. Every farm that we lose, every farmer who decides that he is just going to give up after this last disaster, makes it more difficult for us to feed ourselves.
USDA disaster assistance programs like the ones we are talking about today, ECP and the forest restoration program, play a critical role in helping our farmers not just recover but to rebuild stronger and more resilient. I am grateful to the FSA, the NRCS, and the Rural Development offices in Hawaii that are already working to enroll storm- impacted farmers and get help out the door.
Let me be clear: USDA programs also work only if they have the funding and staff to deliver them. The President's budget proposes slashing USDA by nearly 20 percent and eliminating more than a quarter of Farm Service Agency staff. I need those people in our farms and fields helping them to make it through one more disaster, one more storm. This is the wrong decision if we are looking to pass bills like this and, at the same time, slash funding and the staff that we need to get that funding out the door.
When farmers are facing millions of dollars in losses, they cannot risk delays caused by hollowed-out agencies. We need USDA to be fully resourced and ready to respond.
I also want to be honest about the long-term challenges we face, not just in Hawaii but across the country. Climate change is real, and intense storms, more destructive wildfires than we have ever seen in our lifetimes, prolonged droughts, and extreme weather events of every single kind will continue to increase in frequency and intensity.
Farmers and ranchers are on the front lines of that reality, and our Federal programs must be designed to help them meet and overcome these challenges.
The Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025 would take important steps to ensure disaster assistance programs are responsive to the needs of our producers by providing more flexible, upfront cost- sharing payments. This will help farmers and foresters to begin rebuilding immediately after a disaster rather than waiting on reimbursements they simply cannot afford upfront.
Most farmers in Hawaii are small, mom-and-pop, family operations. When a disaster hits, they don't always have the cash on hand to pay tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in recovery costs while they wait months for reimbursements from the Federal Government. That is not how their finances work. Frankly, it is not reasonable to ask them to make that kind of investment upfront for people who have lost everything.
By expanding advanced cost-share payments and extending upfront assistance for select programs, this bill would make sure our farmers can access the help that they need quickly enough to actually make a meaningful difference--not after the season is lost and the crops gone, not after they have had to walk away from most of their livelihoods, seen it washed away in a disaster, but right when they need it most.
I thank my colleague Representative Letlow for introducing this urgently needed, bipartisan legislation. I look forward to working together to strengthen USDA disaster assistance programs so that we can meet the needs of our farmers today and help them prepare for the challenges they will encounter tomorrow.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this very important bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1011, the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025.
Across this country, farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners are on the front lines of natural disasters. Whether it is hurricanes in my home State of Louisiana, wildfires in Nebraska, or severe storms across rural America,
Too often, when disaster strikes, the programs designed to help, including the Emergency Conservation Program and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, are slowed by red tape, delays, and barriers to access.
My bill, H.R. 1011, takes a commonsense approach to fixing that. This legislation ensures that producers, forest landowners, and family forestry businesses can access advance payments of up to 75 percent of recovery costs so they can begin rebuilding immediately rather than waiting months for reimbursement.
It expands the types of emergency conservation practices that qualify for assistance, recognizing that recovery goes far beyond repairing fences. It includes restoring farmland, rehabilitating conservation structures, and stabilizing land after devastating events.
It also ensures that wildfire damage can qualify for assistance when natural conditions cause fires to spread, providing fairness and certainty for landowners facing increasingly severe fire seasons.
For forest landowners and family forestry businesses, this bill provides critical flexibility to remove debris, replant trees, and restore working lands without unnecessary delay.
Mr. Speaker, timing matters. We are quickly approaching both hurricane and wildfire seasons. Communities across the country are preparing for what may come. When disaster hits, recovery cannot wait. Producers and landowners need tools that match the urgency of the moment. This bill delivers exactly that.
For a farmer whose fields have been washed out, for a rancher rebuilding miles of fencing, and for a family forestry business working to recover from a storm or wildfire damage, this legislation means faster recovery, less financial strain, and a stronger path forward.
I also recognize the bipartisan leadership behind this effort. In the Senate, I thank Senator Deb Fischer and Senator Ben Ray Lujan for leading this important legislation. Here in the House, I am grateful for the support of my colleagues, Representatives Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Don Bacon, Mike Flood, and Adrian Smith. This is what bipartisan, solutions-oriented policymaking looks like.
H.R. 1011 removes barriers, cuts through delays, and ensures that disaster assistance works when it is needed most. It strengthens the resilience of rural America because when our producers and forest landowners recover faster, our communities recover faster.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this practical, bipartisan solution and stand with the farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and family forestry businesses who feed, fuel, and sustain our Nation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I thank my colleagues for their support, specifically my colleague from Louisiana, on behalf of the farmers, ranchers, and forestry caretakers in my State. This bill is important, and I am so glad that she brought it forward.
Before we vote, I want my colleagues to see what I saw. I stood in a field where 20,000 saplings ready to be planted drowned before they ever had a chance to grow. I saw thousands of coffee trees lost, including heritage trees planted by the original owners generations ago, gone in a single storm. I saw banana fields buried in water and silt. I saw fruit contaminated and roots rotting in the ground. I saw livestock lost, mature animals and their young, newly born, swept away, with only empty pens left.
Even where crops are still standing, farmers don't know if they are safe. They are unsure of what flood waters carried into their soil and are unsure if their land will produce food again next season or the season after that.
This is not just damage. This is devastation. These are livelihoods hanging in the balance.
Farmers told me how they tried to fight back, saving seedlings by hand, rushing to harvest whatever they could before it was gone, and building up pens in the middle of the storm just to keep their animals from drowning.
These aren't just fields as we all know here. These are fields that feed families. For some, these are fields that are also their homes, and now they are asking a simple question: Can we recover?
Make no mistake, Hawaii needs help now, but farmers in every State and district are one disaster away from asking those same questions because disasters don't discriminate.
While the bill we are considering today will not make disaster- impacted producers whole overnight, it would help the Federal Government deliver support faster and give farmers and ranchers the resources they need to continue growing the food, fuel, and fiber that keeps this country running.
Our farmers are not asking for a handout. They are asking for a fair shot. That is what this bill delivers, not delayed help, not paperwork and waiting, but real support when it actually matters most. That is because disasters aren't slowing down, and neither should we.
Our farmers are doing everything that they can to hold on, making sure that we have food on our table and fuel in our tanks, clothes to wear at the end of the day, and real cotton grown here in America.
The question is whether we will meet them with the urgency they deserve. By passing this bill, we can say yes.
Mr. Speaker, I have no additional speakers, I am prepared to close, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1011.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6310) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3570 Olney Laytonsville Road in Olney, Maryland, as the ``Edward L. Ramsey Olney Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and the gentleman from Texas for his remarks.
I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6310. This is a bipartisan bill to rename the Olney Post Office after Sergeant Edward Lawrence Ramsey.
Mr. Ramsey was a true American patriot. After serving honorably for more than two decades in the U.S. Army, he brought his passionate commitment to public service to Montgomery County, Maryland, where he served as a postal clerk for 27 years, first in Glen Echo and then in the beautiful town of Olney.
Mr. Ramsey's dedication to our community and his magnificent spirit brought joy and connection to generations of families, friends, community members, and colleagues throughout his career in the Postal Service.
Many have shared with me inspiring stories of Mr. Ramsey's work in the community. He often worked on the holidays to guarantee continued stellar postal service. He would cover for colleagues who couldn't make it to work because of a storm. He regularly dropped by the post office to ensure that things were going well for his colleagues and for customers even when he, himself, wasn't on duty. When a customer could not afford postage, it was always Mr. Ramsey who always quickly covered the cost out of his own pocket. He even helped resolve special after- hours requests for many customers whom he considered his friends.
It is no surprise for me to learn that visitors to the Olney Post Office would often wait in his line, a longer line, just to visit with him and to enjoy his vibrant and warm presence.
Mr. Ramsey's kindness and his enthusiasm for his work extended to his postal colleagues who became like an extended family to him.
Mr. Ramsey was a dedicated and devoted husband to his wife of 31 years, Sharon Mosley Ramsey, and a proud father of four sons, Edward Spencer, Lance Stanton, Hunter Shane, and Marcus.
Mr. Ramsey passed away in January of 2022 following a medical emergency he experienced while on duty at the Olney Post Office. We will hold his memory in our hearts, and we hope it will be a blessing to his loved ones and family.
We are forever thankful to Mr. Ramsey for his 47 years of dedicated service to our Nation and to our community in Maryland. Renaming this post office the Edward L. Ramsey Olney Post Office Building will honor Mr. Ramsey's outstanding life and legacy, and it will be a beacon to people in our community forever.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of our colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 6310.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank the gentleman from Maryland for his remarks. I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mr. Ramsey by naming the post office in Olney, Maryland, after him, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, renaming this post office after Mr. Ramsey will ensure his service to our Nation and his community in Maryland will survive for generations.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6310.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1431) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2407 State Route 71, Suite 1, in Spring Lake, New Jersey, as the ``James J. Howard Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Spring Lake, New Jersey, for Congressman James J. Howard.
Howard served our country in the U.S. Navy before beginning a career in education, where he worked his way up from teacher to acting principal in Wall Township, New Jersey.
In 1964, Howard was elected to represent New Jersey's Third Congressional District. During his time in Congress, Congressman Howard became known for his strong advocacy for his district and the environment.
As chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, Congressman Howard championed important legislation related to highway safety and antidrunk driving.
He passed away in 1988 and is survived by his wife, Marlene, and his three daughters.
I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today also in support of H.R. 1431, introduced by the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) to name the post office in Spring Lake, New Jersey, after Mr. James Howard.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Virginia for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my bill to name the post office in Spring Lake, New Jersey, after my predecessor and mentor, Congressman Jim Howard. I thank Representative Smith and the rest of the New Jersey delegation for cosponsoring the bill.
As Representative of New Jersey's Third District for over 20 years, from 1965 to 1988, Jim Howard was a strong force in Congress. Through his work as the chairman of the Public Works and Transportation Committee, he wrote and passed legislation that genuinely saved thousands of lives: laws to tackle drunk driving, passenger safety, and the first-ever 55-mile-per-hour speed limit on Federal highways.
Jim also came up with his Howard Plan, which was the very first time mass transit and highway legislation were combined into one surface transportation bill, because he recognized that rebuilding our infrastructure wouldn't just improve people's lives, it would mean economic growth and jobs throughout the country.
For his home State, he helped secure crucial Federal funding for beach restoration, the rebuilding of the Barnegat Inlet, and the electrification of the North Jersey Coast Rail Line, all projects that New Jerseyans still benefit from to this day.
While Jim was a strong champion for revitalizing our Nation's infrastructure, he was an even stronger force for New Jersey's coastal communities and environmental protection. Through major legislation like the Superfund Act of 1986, the Groundwater Protection Act, and the Marine Plastic Pollution Research and Control Act, he never forgot that New Jersey suffered greatly from toxic waste sites, ocean dumping, or plastic pollution.
He even successfully fought back against the Presidential veto by sponsoring and passing the 1987 Clean Water Act, which helped create the Clean Water State Revolving Fund that still provides millions of dollars in funding every year for a range of water quality infrastructure projects across the country.
Now, before his passing, Jim resided in Spring Lake, New Jersey, with his wife, who still lives there. Marlene and the rest of Jim's family were critical to his success as a Congressman. His very first political campaign in 1964 was run from his kitchen table, using his family's savings of about $5,000 to run for office.
With Marlene as his campaign manager, his slogan was: ``He cares about people. It is that simple.'' It really encapsulated Jim's work and demeanor. Being a Democrat from this part of New Jersey, which was very conservative at the time, he had to listen to anyone's opinion and always sought common ground. He never stopped fighting for working- class people.
It is only right that Jim's important and lasting legacy in New Jersey and the rest of the country be recognized at his local post office. This is not being renamed. It never had a name, so it will be now named for him.
I urge all my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this bill to honor a great man and Congressman.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) for his comments, and I encourage my colleagues to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Congressman James J. Howard. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1431.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1706) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1200 William Street, Room 200, in Buffalo, New York, as the ``William J. Donovan Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Buffalo, New York, for William J. Donovan.
William Donovan dedicated his life to military service and global leadership. After earning the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary leadership under fire in World War I, Donovan was chosen to lead our Nation's effort in a centralized intelligence program during World War II. He became the founding Director of the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the modern CIA.
Donovan worked closely with America's allies, orchestrating espionage missions and assisting resistance movements in Nazi-occupied Germany. His important work contributed to the success of the war effort and the establishment of intelligence capabilities, which were instrumental to the U.S. throughout the Cold War era.
I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation, H.R. 1706, to designate the United States Post Office on William Street in Buffalo, New York, as the William J. Donovan Post Office.
This is a simple bill with a profound purpose: to honor an extraordinary American whose life of service helped shape the course of our Nation's history and the security of the free world.
In 1883, William J. Donovan was born and subsequently raised in Buffalo's Old First Ward to first-generation Irish Americans, Timothy and Anna Donovan.
Donovan attended St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, my alma mater, where he developed the leadership skills that would define the course of his life. From there, Donovan attended Niagara University before transferring to Columbia University. After earning his degree, Donovan spent 2 years at Columbia Law School, where he was a classmate of future President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Those beginnings shaped a man who would bring the values of western New York with him onto the global stage: courage, grit, and an unwavering commitment to something greater than himself.
During World War I, Donovan was tapped to lead the 165th Infantry (69th New York), known to many as the Fighting 69th Regiment. Donovan proudly took the helm of the unit that once included dozens of Irish- American soldiers from Buffalo's Old First Ward, who bravely fought for the Union during the Civil War.
As a Lieutenant Colonel, Donovan distinguished himself as a fearless leader under fire. In 1923, he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism at the Battle of Landres-et-Saint-Georges where, despite sustaining three bullet wounds, he refused to leave the battlefield until all of his men were accounted for.
It was this intrepid bravery that gave rise to the legend of Wild Bill Donovan, seizing the Nation's imagination and securing his place as an enduring American hero. Despite having already established a national reputation during World War I, some of Donovan's most consequential contributions to our Nation were still to come.
After the Great War, Donovan served as U.S. attorney for the Western District of New York, where he became well known for being a vigorous crime fighter. He later served as an Assistant Attorney General under President Calvin Coolidge.
In World War II, at a moment when the world stood on the brink of destruction, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt turned to his former classmate to build something entirely new--a centralized intelligence capability that could meet the demands of a modern global conflict.
Donovan once again answered the call to serve our country, becoming the founding Director of the Office of Strategic Services, the OSS. Under his leadership, the OSS broke new ground. It coordinated intelligence gathering, carried out covert operations, and worked hand in hand with Allied forces and resistance movements across Nazi- occupied Europe.
In recognition of his wartime heroics, Donovan was promoted to brigadier general in March 1943. By November 1944, he earned the esteemed rank of major general in the United States Army. His efforts helped turn the tide of the war and contributed directly to the Allied victory.
Donovan knew that, in a rapidly changing world, intelligence would be central to protecting our Nation and advancing our interests.
The foundation he built with the OSS became the blueprint for what we now know as the Central Intelligence Agency, positioning the United States as a global leader in national security throughout the Cold War and beyond and up through today.
For these reasons, Donovan is rightly remembered as the Father of American Intelligence, and his legacy lives on in the institutions that protect our country every single day.
William J. Donovan's legacy belongs not only to Buffalo and western New York, but to our entire Nation. This designation is a recognition that honors a true American hero, whose leadership, bravery, and foresight helped shape the world we live in today.
I thank the entirety of the New York delegation for working with me in advancing this cause, and I urge all of my colleagues to support H.R. 1706.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for William J. Donovan, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Kennedy) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 1706.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3393) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, as the ``Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and heroic sacrifice of Phoenix Police Officer Zane T. Coolidge and to urge support for my legislation, H.R. 3393, which designates the United States Postal Service facility located in Phoenix, Arizona, as the Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office.
On September 6, 2024, at just 29 years old, Officer Coolidge succumbed to his wounds after being shot in the line of duty while responding to a larceny call in Phoenix. In an instant, a devoted husband, loving father, brother, son, and uncle was taken from his family and from the community he swore to protect.
Officer Coolidge embodied the highest ideals of public service. He answered the call every day, knowing the risks. On that tragic day, he made the ultimate sacrifice so that others might be safe.
His courage, integrity, and selflessness represent the very best of the men and women who wear the badge and stand between law-abiding citizens and chaos.
Naming this post office in his honor is a small but enduring tribute, a permanent reminder to every Arizonan who walks through those doors of the bravery and devotion of Officer Zane Coolidge and all those who have given their last full measure of devotion and service to our communities. What makes it even more special and meaningful is that the building sits right across the street from Thunderbird High School, where Zane graduated in 2013.
Officer Coolidge's legacy will not be defined by the day he was taken from us but by the life he lived and the lives he protected.
May this designation ensure that his name and his sacrifice are remembered for generations to come.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3393.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3393 as well to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service at 12208 North 19th Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, as the Officer Zane T. Coolidge Post Office.
Zane Coolidge served in the Phoenix Police Department for 5 years. He was tragically shot while on duty protecting his community.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Officer Coolidge and support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming the post office for Officer Zane T. Coolidge, who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3393.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4635) designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 890 East 152nd Street in Cleveland, Ohio, as the ``Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Cleveland, Ohio, for Technical Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter.
Ms. Minter spent her formative years in Cleveland, and following her high school graduation in 1939, she moved to Washington, D.C., where she joined the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps.
During the Second World War, Alma was assigned to the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only all-Black women's unit to serve overseas.
Despite being vulnerable to daily bombings and gunshots, the Six Triple Eight battalion was able to sort through a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail destined for Allied soldiers in Europe in half the projected time.
Upon returning from the war, Technical Sergeant Minter lived a quiet life in Cleveland, Ohio, where she would often tell her children stories of her time in the Army and of the lifelong friendships made while serving our country.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I am very proud to see this legislation on the floor today, and I appreciate the support of both the ranking member and chair of the Oversight Committee.
This bill is about recognition, recognition that is a long time coming, recognition not just for one individual but an entire unit, and recognition for a group of Black women who have gone into history as the Six Triple Eight, the first and only all-Black Women's Army Corps unit to serve overseas in World War II.
Tech Sergeant Alma Gladys Minter of Cleveland, Ohio, was one of those women. My bill would rename the Collinwood neighborhood Post Office in Cleveland in her honor.
In 1945, Sergeant Minter and more than 800 women were deployed to clear a backlog of 17 million pieces of mail for American troops in Europe. That is right, 17 million pieces of mail. The Army thought it would take 6 months to deliver. They finished the job in under 90 days. Therefore, it is hard to think of anything more fitting than naming a post office after Tech Sergeant Minter. When no one else could, she delivered the mail, and she did it ahead of schedule.
Sergeant Minter's work kept servicemembers connected to home and lifted morale at a critical moment in the war, but when the Six Triple Eight came home, they didn't receive the recognition they deserved. Sadly, Sergeant Minter and so many of her colleagues passed away before that could be rectified, but it is never too late to do the right thing. Renaming the post office after Sergeant Minter is a way to say thank you, to keep the story of the Six Triple Eight alive, and to right past wrongs.
This legislation is supported by 13 members of the Ohio delegation, Republicans and Democrats, and passed the Oversight Committee unanimously.
Over the past year, my office has been honored to get to know the Minter family and to help amplify her story. Naming the post office in honor of Tech Sergeant Minter is a way to ensure her legacy and the legacy of Six Triple Eight lives on in the hearts of the community she called home.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Alma Gladys Minter, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4635.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4707) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1019 Avenue H in Fort Madison, Iowa, as the ``Martin L. Graber Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Gill for yielding me time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of my bill, H.R. 4707, a bill renaming the post office in Fort Madison, Iowa, after Martin L. Graber, a patriot who lived his entire life in the indelible service to his State, his community, and our Nation.
For 32 years, Martin Graber rose through the ranks of the Iowa Army National Guard, rising to the rank of brigadier general. Even beyond that, he and his wife, Coni, were almost the sole organizers of the Tri-State Rodeo, which happens every single year. It is a massive event in southeast Iowa. He and his wife, Coni, made sure that the rodeo was there, the horses were there, and the vendors were there. It is something that is looked forward to every August by everybody in the tristate area.
In addition to that, following his three-decade-long tenure serving our Nation in the Iowa Army National Guard, he served in the Iowa State House, working with his colleagues to better the lives of hardworking Iowans.
Every step of the way, he embodied the values we hold so dear in Iowa. Faith, family, and selfless work to his community, his State, and his Nation, things that we hold so dear, were the foundations for which Martin Graber lived.
Renaming the post office in Fort Madison in his honor is a small but everlasting gesture of appreciation for a man who spent his life serving his State and his Nation in the most decent and noble way possible, his service to our country.
As someone who had the blessing of working with Martin, I am deeply proud to be leading this effort, alongside my colleagues in the Iowa delegation and his family, to honor a man who gave everything to his community and to his country.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to strongly vote ``yes'' on this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today also in support of H.R. 4707 to honor the life of Martin L. Graber by naming the post office in Fort Madison, Iowa, after him.
Madam Speaker, I support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Brigadier General Martin L. Graber, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4707.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5058) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia, as the ``Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Sterling, Virginia, for Trevor Brown.
Trevor lost his life in the line of duty as a firefighter with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company on February 16, 2024.
Trevor was deeply committed to serving others. Trevor's deep sense of responsibility to his community was reflected in everything he did from volunteer firefighter to a dedicated youth soccer and baseball coach.
He is survived by his wife and their three young children. His community will never forget his heroism.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5058, to designate the facility of the U.S. Post Office located at 46164 Westlake Drive in Sterling, Virginia, as the Firefighter Trevor Brown Post Office Building.
I introduced this legislation to honor the life of Firefighter Trevor Brown, a volunteer firefighter at Sterling Volunteer Fire Company who lost his life in the line of duty while responding to an emergency gas leak call in 2024.
This was an incident that shook our community in Loudoun County because Firefighter Brown was beloved in our community and left a lasting impact on all who knew him. He was a great husband, a father of three, and he coached youth soccer and baseball. The kids absolutely loved him. Whether it was teaching kids about teamwork or volunteering for late-night shifts at the firehouse, Firefighter Brown always found a way to give back to the community.
It is my hope that renaming this post office to honor Firefighter Brown will keep his memory alive, inspire others, and remind us of his incredible courage, honor and sacrifice, and the sacrifice of all of our first responders. I thank Firefighter Brown's family and all of his friends who rallied around his family after his tragic death.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Trevor Brown, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5058.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5773) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois, as the ``Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Palatine, Illinois, after Bernie Bluestein.
Mr. Bluestein was an American artist, innovator, and World War II veteran. As part of the top-secret Ghost Army unit, Mr. Bluestein used his artistic skills to create fake patches, signs, and vehicle stencils to deceive Nazi forces about the strength and location of American troops.
After serving in the Army, he worked as an industrial designer, assisting leading electronics companies, such as Zenith and Sunbeam, by designing products.
Mr. Bluestein passed away on March 25, 2026, at the age of 102.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5773, introduced by my colleague from Illinois, Representative Krishnamoorthi, and I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Krishnamoorthi).
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to urge my colleagues in supporting H.R. 5773, a bill to name the Palatine, Illinois, post office in honor of Bernie Bluestein.
As one of the heroic members of the World War II American secret unit known as the Ghost Army, Bluestein helped employ inflatable tanks, fake radio signals, and sound deception to mislead Nazi forces, saving thousands of lives and helping to turn the tide in Europe.
Bernie's impact did not end with his service. He embraced being a community leader in Palatine, becoming a beloved artist, mentor, and lifelong learner. He also enriched the Harper College community for decades and inspired generations of students with his creativity, humor, and humility.
Earlier this month, unfortunately, Bernie passed away after battling cancer. He truly was a fighter until the end. Honoring him with this designation ensures that his extraordinary contributions to our Nation and our community will never be forgotten.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' and to pass this bill in honor of Bernie Bluestein.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, naming a post office after war veteran Bernie Bluestein, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5773.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6020) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, as the ``Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr. Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, which would rename a post office in Plainfield, Illinois, for Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez, Jr.
Sergeant Duenez tragically lost his life during a tactical training exercise while serving his country. He was known by his peers as a trustworthy and dedicated soldier and a natural leader, ultimately reaching the rank of staff sergeant in November 2020.
Sergeant Duenez was also a decorated soldier, receiving two Army Commendation Medals and many other achievements. Most importantly, he was a loving brother, husband, and father.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6020, introduced by my colleague from Illinois, and I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood).
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Virginia for yielding me time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 6020, to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois, as the Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr. Post Office Building.
Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez, Jr., was born on April 8, 1999, and raised in Joliet, Illinois, in my district. By the time he graduated from Joliet Central High School in 2017, he already knew that he wanted to serve his country in uniform. As soon as he finished high school, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he served his country with honor and bravery for 7 years as an M1 Abrams tank system maintainer.
Staff Sergeant Duenez' Army service included three overseas deployments: Poland in 2019, Germany in 2022, and Lithuania in 2025. He was promoted five times over the course of his Army service, ultimately reaching the rank of staff sergeant in November 2020.
During his service, he was recognized with two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Achievement Medals, one Certificate of Achievement, two Army Good Conduct Medals, and a National Defense Service Medal.
In addition to his passion for service, Staff Sergeant Duenez also loved fishing and spending time with his family.
Tragically, on March 31, 2025, Staff Sergeant Duenez and three other U.S. soldiers were killed during an Army training exercise in Lithuania.
His record of exemplary service to his country is something that my constituents can all take pride in. That is why I introduced this bill to commemorate his sacrifice and establish a lasting reminder of his legacy.
We know that Staff Sergeant Duenez will never be forgotten by his wife, Karen; his son, Jose Duenez III; his mother, Leticia; his father, Jose; his five sisters; his 18 beloved nieces and nephews; or by the countless friends and neighbors in our community who knew and loved him.
This bill will ensure that the Illinoisans who were not fortunate enough to know him in life can still come to know him in spirit through the legacy he leaves behind and the impact he has had on our community.
Staff Sergeant Duenez was an extraordinary American who served his country with strength and resilience. This bill ensures that the Plainfield, Illinois, post office will bear his name as a reminder of his contributions not only to our country but to his community and family as a father, husband, brother, and son.
I am grateful to Senator Duckworth for partnering with me on this effort and to all of my colleagues in the Illinois delegation for their support in honoring the life and legacy of Staff Sergeant Duenez.
Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Underwood) for her comments. I encourage my colleagues to support her bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, naming a post office for an honored serviceman, Staff Sergeant Duenez, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6020.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6317) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 12109 New Kent Highway in New Kent, Virginia, as the ``Patricia Paige Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of this piece of legislation to designate the New Kent Post Office in honor of a remarkable public servant, Patricia Paige.
Patricia was the very definition of a community leader, and her impact will be felt for generations.
I knew Patricia. She was an incredible lady, one who served both her country, her Commonwealth, and her community through those years.
After graduating from New Kent High School, she served our Nation honorably in the United States Army Reserve for 21 years, embodying the very best of service and sacrifice.
Patricia's commitment didn't end with her military service. Patricia continued to give back at home. She stepped forward in 2015 to serve on the New Kent County Board of Supervisors. Reelected by her community multiple times, she earned the trust and respect of those whom she represented through her tireless dedication and steady leadership.
When Patricia saw an issue, saw a problem, or saw a challenge, she ran to that opportunity to make sure that she worked for her community. She was fearless, and she was selfless.
During her time on the New Kent County Board of Supervisors, Ms. Paige worked tirelessly to bring people together across generations. She created new opportunities for young people by ensuring student voices were included in local government, appointing high school students to county committees for the very first time. At the same time, she championed efforts to protect seniors by helping establish the Chickahominy Triad to educate older residents about fraud and technological threats.
Patricia was a fighter in every sense of the word. As a cancer survivor, Patricia courageously battled the disease multiple times, while supporting others who were facing similar struggles. She was so brave in the face of this devastating disease that you would never have known that she was facing countless challenges in her own private life and her own personal health as you saw her out in the community serving others.
Whether Patricia was organizing events like the Relay for Life or standing beside fellow survivors, she brought strength, compassion, and dignity to every effort that she pursued.
Beyond her many accomplishments, Patricia Paige will be remembered for her character, a leader with an infectious smile, a steadfast advocate, and somebody who never ever walked away from a challenge in the community.
Patricia never saw a stranger anywhere she went. She worked across the region to accomplish big things, like the extension and expansion of Interstate 64 through New Kent County, which was a passion of hers, and she made sure that that got done.
I can tell you that when members of the legislature and members of the Regional Transportation Authority saw Patricia Paige, they knew what she was going to come and talk to them about and to make sure that her constituents had that modernized transportation system through the county--one that kept travelers safe, but also made sure that there was an economic opportunity in New Kent County based upon that main thoroughfare of Interstate 64.
Madam Speaker, I am honored to speak on behalf of this legislation today to rename the post office in New Kent County so that Patricia Paige's life and her legacy will continue to be recognized for generations to come.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6317 as well to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service at 12109 New Kent Highway in New Kent, Virginia, as the Patricia Paige Post Office.
Patricia Paige was a veteran of the U.S. Army Reserves and a longtime member of the New Kent County Board of Supervisors. She served her community for decades.
I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Patricia Paige by naming the post office in New Kent after her.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of 6317, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the bill to honor Patricia Paige, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6317.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6808) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 417 West 7th Street in Columbia, Tennessee, as the ``Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a son of Tennessee whose courage still echoes across generations, a man who represents the very best of Middle Tennessee and the very best of this country, John Harlan Willis.
Born in Columbia, Tennessee, John Harlan Willis was one of those young men who didn't wait for history to call his name. At 19, before the United States had entered World War II, he stepped forward and enlisted in the United States Navy. He became a pharmacist's mate, a corpsman attached to the Marine infantry where his duty was clear and unforgiving. When others hit the ground, he got up, and he moved forward and went straight into the fire to keep his fellow Americans alive.
On the black sands of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most brutal battles in American history, Willis stood shoulder to shoulder with Marines under relentless enemy fire. He moved forward when others were forced down, crossing open ground under artillery and mortar fire to reach the wounded. Even after he himself was struck by shrapnel, he refused evacuation. He did not step back. He went forward again.
Then came the moment that defines him. As enemy grenades began landing among his fellow Marines, Willis did something almost impossible to comprehend. He picked them up, one after another, and threw them back toward the enemy, not once, not twice, but eight times. He chose the lives of others over his own. Eight times he placed himself between death and his fellow Americans. On the ninth grenade, there was no time left. It detonated in his hand. He was 23 years old.
In that instant, John Harlan Willis gave everything he had so others might live, not because anyone ordered him to, not because anyone was watching, but because that is who he was.
He left behind a widow, Winfrey Willis, and a young son, John Harlan Willis, Jr., a family that carried forward his name and his legacy. Today, that legacy belongs not just to Columbia, not just to Tennessee, but the entire Nation.
We live in a time when words like ``courage'' and ``sacrifice'' are often used lightly. If we want to understand what those words truly mean, we should look to the men like John Harlan Willis. He reminds us that greatness is not found in titles or positions but in decisive moments when a person chooses others over themselves.
Naming the United States Post Office in Columbia in his honor is more than a symbolic act. It is a statement about who we choose to remember. It is a commitment that future generations walking into that building will see his name and ask who he was. When they learn, they will understand what the country expects of its sons and daughters.
John Harlan Willis is not just a hero of the past, he is a standard for the future.
Madam Speaker, before I close, I would ask this body for a brief moment of silence for Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis; for his widow, Winfrey Willis; and for his son, John Harlan Willis, Jr., a man who had to grow up without his father; and for all of those who gave everything so that we may stand here today free.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today also in support of H.R. 6808. I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Pharmacist's Mate First Class Willis by naming the post office in Columbia, Tennessee, after him.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming the post office for Pharmacist's Mate First Class John Harlan Willis.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6808.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6995) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 825 Highway 198 in Beaumont, Mississippi, as the ``Jeremy Malone Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my legislation to designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 825 Highway 198 in Beaumont, Mississippi, as the Jeremy Malone Post Office.
Deputy Jeremy Malone was a dedicated law enforcement officer for over 21 years of service to the people of South Mississippi. On January 4, 2024, he was tragically killed in the line of duty during a traffic stop in George County, Mississippi.
As a former law enforcement officer myself, I know the sacrifices that come from wearing a badge. Deputy Malone understood that calling, and he lived every single day serving others, protecting the community, and putting others before himself.
Jeremy Malone was more than a deputy. He was a husband, a father, and a man deeply committed to his community. He volunteered his time to help families and children in need, and he made a lasting impact on the lives of those around him.
He is survived by his wife, Hilary, and their three daughters, and our prayers remain with them.
This designation is a small but meaningful way to ensure that his service, his sacrifice, and his legacy are never forgotten. It will stand as a daily reminder of the bravery of those who serve and the price that is sometimes paid.
Deputy Malone represented the very best of law enforcement in South Mississippi.
I urge my colleagues to support this legislation and join me in honoring the life of a true American hero.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6995 as well. I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Jeremy Malone by naming the Post Office in Beaumont after him, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my House colleagues to support this bill, naming the post office for an honored community member, Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Malone.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6995.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6247) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 13355 North Lon Adams Road in Marana, Arizona, as the ``Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6247, legislation to designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 13355 North Lon Adams Road in Marana, Arizona, as the Mayor Ed Honea Memorial Post Office.
This bill honors the life, the service, and the enduring legacy of the former Marana mayor and my good friend, Mayor Ed Honea, a man whose life was defined by devotion to his community, to his country, and also to his family.
Mayor Ed unexpectedly passed away on November 22, 2024, at the age of 77, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of civic leadership that helped shape Marana from a small, rural town into one of southern Arizona's most vibrant and growing communities.
Mayor Ed's connection to Marana ran deep. He was a third-generation member of a prominent five-generation Marana family. He graduated from Marana High School in 1965 and remained deeply rooted in the community throughout his entire life.
His story is, in many ways, the story of Marana itself. I always said that he is Marana, and Marana is Mayor Ed Honea. His story is built on hard work, humility, faith, and a strong sense of duty to others.
He also answered the call to serve our Nation during the Vietnam war as a member of the United States Navy Seabees, where he developed the construction and leadership skills that would guide both his professional life and his years in civic service.
Even after his military service, he continued supporting fellow veterans as a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5990.
Ed devoted 37 years of public service in Marana, serving three terms on the town council and later serving as mayor in multiple terms.
During his leadership, he helped guide the town through major growth and infrastructure expansion while working to preserve the strong sense of identity and community that makes Marana such a special place for everyone.
This designation is especially fitting because, before retiring in 2007, Mayor Ed Honea also worked for 29 years as a contractor for the United States Postal Service in Marana, faithfully serving local residents and businesses.
It is only right that a place tied so closely to daily community life should bear the name of a man who dedicated his own life to serving that same community.
Mayor Ed's service also extended far beyond Marana through leadership roles with the Pima Association of Governments, the Regional Transportation Authority, and the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.
Mayor Ed helped improve regional transportation, strengthen cooperation among local governments, establish the Marana Food Bank, and champion public spaces and resources that brought families together and supported those in need.
Mayor Ed lived a life of humility, service, and lasting impact. I am proud to have known Mayor Ed, or Ed as we all called him, and to call him my friend.
Naming this post office in his honor is a fitting tribute to a man who gave so much to the people of Marana and the entire southern Arizona region.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6247.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 6247 and encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Mayor Honea by naming the post office in Marana, Arizona, after him. I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill naming a post office for Mayor Ed Honea. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6247.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5831) to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 306 South Main Street in Waupaca, Wisconsin, as the ``Master Sergeant Melvin O. Handrich Post Office Building''.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this matter.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this bill to rename the United States Post Office in Waupaca, Wisconsin, in honor of Master Sergeant Melvin O. Handrich, a Waupaca County native, a Medal of Honor recipient, and a hero who served our Nation in both World War II and the Korean war.
In August 1950, Master Sergeant Handrich and his company faced overwhelming enemy forces attempting to overrun their position. Despite intense and sustained fire, he voluntarily moved to an exposed forward post where he directed mortar and artillery fire for 8 hours as enemy soldiers advanced to within 50 feet of his position.
When he saw elements of his company preparing to withdraw, he crossed open, fire-swept ground to rally and reorganize his men, restoring the line and enabling them to continue the fight.
Though severely wounded, he refused evacuation and returned to his forward position to continue directing fire. He remained there until the enemy overran his post, and he was mortally wounded.
When the position was retaken, more than 70 enemy dead were found in the area he had so courageously defended.
Master Sergeant Handrich's extraordinary bravery, leadership, and self-sacrifice reflect the highest traditions of our military and of the State of Wisconsin. Naming this post office in his honor ensures that his legacy will be remembered by future generations to come.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5831. I encourage my colleagues to join me in honoring the life of Master Sergeant Handrich by naming the post office in Waupaca, Wisconsin, after him.
Madam Speaker, I urge passage of H.R. 5831, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of this bill to honor Master Sergeant Melvin Handrich. I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Gill) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5831.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7613) to require certain aircraft to be equipped with collision mitigation technology, to improve helicopter route safety and separation around airports, to update air traffic control processes and procedures, to address national airspace system safety in Department of Defense activities, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Larsen) each will control 20 minutes.
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material into the Record on H.R. 7613.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Missouri?
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, on January 29, 2025, tragedy struck just a few miles from where we stand today, when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 as it approached Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Sixty-seven people lost their lives that night, all of the passengers and all of the crew on both aircraft.
Accidents of this magnitude demand careful, deliberate, and thoughtful consideration. Aviation incidents are rarely the result of a single failure. They are usually complex, with multiple contributing factors. Therefore, it is essential that we understand all the facts before legislating.
That is why we have the National Transportation Safety Board. Their job is to conduct an independent investigation, leaving no stone unturned, establish findings, determine the probable cause and contributing factors, and issue evidence-based safety recommendations.
If we act without that complete picture, we risk misdiagnosis and Congress missing the mark. After the NTSB issued its final report on February 17, I joined Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, and Ranking Member Adam Smith to introduce the ALERT Act.
This is a bipartisan and comprehensive aviation safety reform bill. It addresses the probable cause, the contributing factors, and the NTSB's safety recommendations. In fact, the NTSB has stated that the bill that we are considering today addresses all 50 of the board's recommendations.
At its core, this legislation is about making our aviation system safer in a practical, straightforward, and meaningful way. It requires airliners to upgrade their collision avoidance technology by 2031 to a more advanced system, a system that is integrated, using ADS-B In, and that provides aural alerts with nearby traffic's clock position, relative altitude, range, and vertical tendency, and incorporates directional traffic symbols on visual displays.
For other aircraft required to have ADS-B Out, the bill requires ADS- B In-based collision prevention technology by 2031.
Further, the bill permanently closes the route being flown by the helicopter in this accident, helicopter route 4 along on the Potomac River, and updates helicopter route design requirements. This was what the NTSB identified as the root cause of this tragedy.
It also takes a hard look at the FAA's safety culture by requiring an independent audit by the Inspector General.
In addition, the legislation improves how data is collected and shared within and between the FAA and the Pentagon, so we can identify risks earlier and act on them.
We did not put this bill together in a vacuum. We worked closely with the NTSB, with stakeholders, and with the victims' families to make sure we got this right.
To those families, especially those who are here with us today: I know this has not been an easy process by any stretch of the imagination, but your strong advocacy for safety is why we continue to push for America to still remain the gold standard in aviation.
This bill now has 87 cosponsors. Both the T&I and Armed Services Committees marked up their respective titles, and each passed those titles unanimously, a strong, bipartisan signal that Congress is united and serious about strengthening aviation safety. H.R. 7613, as amended, that we are considering on the floor today combines the work of both committees.
At its core, this is about doing our job: ensuring our aviation system is as safe as it can possibly be and taking meaningful steps to help prevent a tragedy like this from ever happening again.
Madam Speaker, I urge support for the ALERT Act, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7613, the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act, or the ALERT Act, as amended, bipartisan legislation introduced by T&I Committee Chair Sam Graves, House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers, Ranking Member Adam Smith of the Armed Services Committee, and myself, as the ranking member of the T&I Committee.
This bill responds to all the probable causes of the tragic midair collision near Washington National Airport, DCA, on January 29, 2025.
On that evening, American Airlines Flight 5342 arriving to DCA from Wichita, Kansas, and an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter flying a routine training mission collided above the Potomac River, resulting in 67 tragic
To the families and loved ones of those lost in this tragedy: You certainly have my deepest condolences. What you have gone through is unimaginable, and you have my sincere gratitude for your advocacy. Your tireless efforts to effect real change and improve aviation safety have made this bill better.
I also thank the chair of the NTSB, Chair Jennifer Homendy, her investigators, and the staff for their diligent work to uncover the cause and contributing factors of this accident, as well as their valuable input as our committee developed and refined this legislation.
After the accident, the NTSB was on the scene and initiated its thorough investigation into determining the probable cause, identifying factors and findings, and issuing recommendations to the appropriate Federal agencies.
The NTSB published its final report in February that contained the probable cause of the collision, its findings, and 50 new safety recommendations directed to the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense. Today, we are considering legislation that responds to all the NTSB's safety recommendations.
The ALERT Act has been bipartisan from its inception and is the result of productive, good-faith collaboration between the T&I and Armed Services Committees and the impacted agencies. Since the D.C. midair tragedy involved both the FAA and the DOD, the solution has to involve both committees to make lasting changes.
This bill we are considering today--as I like to call it, the ALERT Act version 7.0--looks vastly different from the legislation introduced in February, version 1.0.
It incorporates feedback from the families of the victims, the NTSB, and other stakeholders who have helped make the ALERT Act a truly comprehensive safety bill that works to address all 50 NTSB safety recommendations.
The legislation contains a sense of Congress and 23 provisions requiring the FAA and the DOT to act on safety recommendations issued in the NTSB's final report.
These provisions require ADS-B In and collision prevention technology on virtually all aircraft, enhance air traffic control training and traffic management procedures, modernize ATC facilities and technology, address deficiencies in DOT and FAA's safety culture, and strengthen the safety of the national airspace system and safety in the airspace around DCA.
A key provision of the ALERT Act is its equipage requirement for collision prevention technologies, including what we call ADS-B In.
The important thing to know about ADS-B In is it is only one part of a collision prevention equation in the ALERT Act. While useful, ADS-B In must be paired with the right system in the cockpit--the right displays, the right audible alarms, the right software--to effectively increase a pilot's situational awareness.
As a result, the ALERT Act not only requires ADS-B In but also requires each aircraft to have collision prevention technology. For all mainline air carriers, this ADS-B In enabled ACAS Xa is what we call the next-generation collision avoidance system.
For everyone else who is currently required to have ADS-B Out, they will be required to have any of the ADS-B In-enabled collision prevention technologies that also meet a strict set of minimum requirements.
These ADS-B In capabilities, fed into the right collision prevention technologies, provide pilots with an unprecedented level of situational awareness and will increase the safety of the airspace across the country.
The time to act is now. House passage of the ALERT Act is the next step in delivering on Congress' safety commitment to the flying public and addressing all 50 NTSB recommendations.
Moreover, passage of the ALERT Act in the House will allow us to begin critical discussions with the Senate on a final legislative response to the DCA midair tragedy.
I urge all my colleagues to support the ALERT Act, as amended. I reserve the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the ALERT Act. This is critically needed legislation that will go a long way to improve aviation safety.
Last year's midair collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet on approach to Reagan National should have never happened.
The NTSB completed their investigation earlier this year, and their report included 13 recommendations to the Army and the Pentagon to ensure another tragedy like this doesn't happen again. Title II of the ALERT Act carries out all 13 of those recommendations.
In fact, the NTSB states that this bill not only meets their recommendations but in most cases exceeds them. For instance, the NTSB made several recommendations to the Army to improve its training and safety management system. The ALERT Act requires all military services to make these safety modifications, not just the Army.
The ALERT Act also addresses concerns raised by the Department of War with the bill as it passed the Senate. The bill before us ensures our bombers, fighters, and other classified aircraft can continue to execute their critical national security missions without revealing their location to our enemies.
We ultimately got a product that improves aviation safety without undermining our national security. This is a strong bipartisan bill that passed the Armed Services Committee by a vote of 53-0.
I thank the NTSB and the Pentagon for working with us throughout this process. I also thank Chairman Graves and Ranking Members Larsen and Smith, as well as our staff on both committees for their hard work.
Finally, I express my deepest condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this terrible accident. I thank the PAT 25 and the Flight 5342 families for their tireless efforts to ensure a tragedy like this never occurs again.
Madam Speaker, I thank Chairman Graves, my friend Ranking Member Larsen, and the wonderful staff for their leadership and their partnership, which has allowed our committee to mark up our bill, the ALERT Act, and bring it to the floor today.
The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee worked together in a bipartisan way with our Armed Services Committee colleagues to collaborate and produce a comprehensive bill that addresses and implements all of NTSB's 50 recommendations in the DCA collision report, not just a few.
The terrible midair collision at DCA on January 29 last year still haunts all of us. I also want to take a moment to recognize the family members who lost their loved ones. I continue to mourn the loss of the 67 people who died that day, including Asra Hussain from Carmel, Indiana.
Family members have turned their pain into great power and advocacy, and they have helped us to keep working on a bill that is comprehensive and will make long overdue changes to improve safety.
Today's bill will save lives, and it addresses all of NTSB's recommendations to fix problems that have been ignored for far too long. It requires ADS-B In and collision prevention technology with a hard deadline. It enhances air traffic control training and procedures, including time-on position limits. It modernizes ATC facilities and technology. It addresses deficiencies in the safety cultures at DOT, FAA, and DOD. It strengthens the traffic management and safety of the national airspace and the DCA area, including assessing volume, aircraft arrival rates, and regular review of helicopter routes in the area.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join us in passing this remarkable bill that we have all worked so hard to improve and to bring to a vote. I would also like to thank the Subcommittee on Aviation staff, both Democratic and Republican, for their
Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman and the ranking member, as well.
I rise today in support of the ALERT Act, the bill before us today. This bill will strengthen aviation safety and includes key provisions from several of my bills focused on the ADS-B signaling system, technology that could have prevented the deadly collision between the commercial airline flight and a military helicopter over the Potomac River last January, which claimed the lives of 67 individuals.
This tragedy was a breakdown across multiple different systems. For example, the commercial aircraft was transmitting ADS-B Out, signaling their position to other aircraft, but it lacked ADS-B In, the ability to see what was going on around them. The helicopter, the Army Black Hawk, had ADS-B In but was not transmitting ADS-B Out to alert others of their position. The American Airlines flight had TCAS, the collision avoidance system that sends an alert to pilots in the cockpit, but the helicopter did not.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Madam Speaker, I am grateful to Chairman Graves and Chairman Rogers, as well as the entire Armed Services Committee and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for addressing these gaps, including provisions from my Safety in Shared Skies Act, Military ADS-B Out Loophole Act, and Next-Gen Collision Avoidance Assistance Act.
We are making real progress with these provisions today to improve safety and accountability across the airspace. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, and we give our prayers to the families.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the ALERT Act, and I thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Air Line Pilots Association, International, the Association of Flight Attendants, Jennifer Homendy and the NTSB staff, T&I members, and mostly the families who put such passion and advocacy into getting this bill right.
It was not easy, but it is so very important that we made progress to align the bill with the NTSB's recommendation. Again, I just acknowledge that without the family members advocating on behalf of the loved ones they lost on January 29, we wouldn't be here today.
They should not have to keep coming back into this room. They should not have to listen to Member after Member say what everyone knows, that this was preventable.
The NTSB found that the ADS-B In system could have provided up to 59 seconds of warning. That is what makes it so hard to hear that the Board has been ambiguous about this. It has been recommending this kind of requirement for years, 17 times since 2006.
The requirements here should be clear: ensure all aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out carry ADS-B In with cockpit display of traffic information, and ensure that happens on a firm, enforceable timeline without any carve-outs. We should write that into law and not leave it to some later process, delay, or direction.
Members on both sides of the aisle recognize we have a duty to all Americans to put aside our differences and keep them safe. That means the House and Senate need to work together to enact the strongest possible safety requirements. This bill is an important step, and I want to acknowledge how hard everyone worked to get here. Again, it wasn't easy, and everyone worked to get us to where we are.
Madam Speaker, we owe it to every victim, every family, and the American people to finish that work so these families don't have to keep coming back.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the ALERT Act. The collision last year at DCA was a terrible tragedy, and like most aviation tragedies, it was 100 percent preventable.
The NTSB earlier this year released a comprehensive report analyzing the accident. What it discovered, like most aviation accidents, is that there was a whole chain of events that occurred. Any one of those links could have been interrupted and prevented the accident.
The NTSB made a number of different recommendations on what can be done to improve the situation, and this bill implements those recommendations. This is far beyond just the paths that helicopters and aircraft take, which need to be separated. It goes to things like the staffing of air traffic control towers, the technology behind collision avoidance systems, military training routes and the ways that those are communicated, and a host of different things that, implemented together, will ensure that these types of accidents do not happen in the future.
Madam Speaker, I am so proud to be a cosponsor of this bill. I thank my friend and fellow pilot, Chairman Graves, for his tireless advocacy in seeing this through to fruition. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7613, the ALERT Act. I thank the committees of jurisdiction for their tireless work on this bill and for adopting significant feedback from the stakeholders, including the families of Flight 5342 and the National Transportation Safety Board.
I extend a personal thank-you to Ranking Member Larsen for his collaboration and support. He and his team have been wonderful to work with through a difficult process.
This bill provides a meaningful and comprehensive response to last year's January 29 collision at the National Airport, which tragically took 67 lives. We must do everything we can to keep this tragedy from happening again.
This bill would implement all 50 recommendations from the NTSB's final report on the collision. It would reevaluate the arrival rate at National Airport, which is too high. It would establish a time-based flow management system to make our air traffic controllers' workload more manageable.
This bill would reevaluate our air traffic control tower facility level to hopefully bring more resources and staffing to the tower.
This bill would improve our helicopter route charts and aims to put guardrails on military helicopter flights in this very congested region.
This bill is an incredible step forward for National Airport, for our region, and for our country, and I hope to see it passed this evening.
However, the ALERT Act is not perfect. It includes ADS-B carve-outs for some general aviation aircraft, and there are still concerns about military helicopter flights in this region not being adequately addressed.
The families of Flight 5342 still have legitimate concerns and put out a statement today on their hopes for improvements to the bill in the Senate before it becomes law, which I support.
I am disappointed to see the ROTOR Act, which had strong ADS-B requirements, fail on the House floor earlier this year.
Madam Speaker, our goal is to adopt the strongest aviation requirements possible. I firmly believe that the ALERT Act accomplishes much of this goal, but that we can and should make this bill stronger.
I look forward to voting in support of the ALERT Act today, as I did with the ROTOR Act earlier this year, with the understanding that more work is needed.
Madam Speaker, as this bill advances, I urge my colleagues in the committees of jurisdiction to make improvements, to close any loopholes, and to prioritize safety for all over the convenience of a few. I thank the committee leaders for their work on this bill.
Madam Speaker, I rise today encouraged by the progress
I appreciate the hard work we did as a committee to get this bill to the floor today. After what I anticipate will be a strong bipartisan passage on the floor this evening, we must continue working with our Senate counterparts to create a final package.
This is an opportunity that we cannot afford to miss because it is not just about policy being at stake. It is people's lives.
I strongly believe that any final bill we send to the President's desk must include requirements for ADS-B In. As a pilot myself, I rely on ADS-B every time I fly. It helps me see traffic, avoid conflicts, and, frankly, helps keep me alive.
ADS-B provides real-time situational awareness, giving pilots visual and audible alerts about nearby aircraft and their position, speed, direction, and altitude. That early warning allows pilots to take action and prevent a collision. This is not new technology. It is widely available and already being used to train the next generation of pilots.
Madam Speaker, we also have to remember why we are here today. The families across the country, including those impacted by Flight 5342 and the tragedy, are counting on us to do everything we can to prevent something like this from ever happening again. We owe it to them and to the American people to pass a bill that delivers the highest level of safety possible while flying.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the ALERT Act as well. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bill.
A big reason why we are here is that, on January 29, 2025, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 collided in midair outside of DCA. Sixty-seven lives were lost, many of them parents and children from my community in Virginia.
After the crash, many of us said that we would do all we can do to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again. The ALERT Act is part of the solution.
The bill addresses all 50 of the safety recommendations by the NTSB following their investigation into this crash. We need to address them all because it wasn't just one issue that led to this tragedy. It was a combination of systemic problems that made our national airspace unsafe.
I want to stress that there is more work to do. First, we must ensure there are no delays in implementing collision-prevention technology for every type of aircraft. We must also ensure that exemptions from new safety equipment requirements are granted only when absolutely necessary.
Finally, the ROTOR Act is a part of the solution, too. It passed the Senate resoundingly and has the support of families, and it even went through this body, where the majority supported it.
We must restore trust in our airspace and make sure nothing like this ever happens again.
Madam Speaker, I really want to thank the families and loved ones of Flight 5342. Without their advocacy and persistence, neither the ALERT Act nor the ROTOR Act would have made it this far. I look forward to continuing our work with them.
Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member as well as the committee for all of their hard work on this bill. I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the ALERT Act, which I am proud to cosponsor.
For Kansans, this bill is deeply personal.
On January 29, 2025, the world stood in disbelief as we watched tragedy unfold over the Potomac River in the collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 out of Wichita and the U.S. Army helicopter. Kansans will never forget the lives lost, the families forever changed, or the grief felt across Wichita and communities across our State.
What happened on that day demands a serious and thoughtful response from Congress to ensure that this tragedy is never repeated. We owe it to the families and to every American who steps onto a plane to make sure our national airspace is as safe as it possibly can be.
That is exactly why we must pass the ALERT Act.
This is the most significant, comprehensive reform to aviation safety in years. It reflects serious, bipartisan work to strengthen our aviation system, improve accountability, and ensure safety remains the top priority in our airspace, which is demonstrated by the fact that the legislation passed out of both the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Armed Services Committee unanimously.
The ALERT Act addresses all 50 safety recommendations from the NTSB and takes meaningful steps to improve transparency, coordination, training, and oversight. It strengthens pilot and air traffic control awareness through modern technology, requires advanced collision avoidance systems on aircrafts, improves helicopter route safety, and enhances air traffic control procedures.
Meaningful, lasting improvements to the safety of our airspace require Congress to work closely with victims' families, the aviation industry, and the administration, and the ALERT Act does just that. Congress must enact solutions to address the root causes that stand the test of time.
Kansas is home to the Air Capital of the World, and aviation is not just part of our economy. It is part of who we are. We will never forget what happened on January 29, and I am committed to ensuring that it will never happen again.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, we must do everything that we can to prevent another midair collision and to improve aviation safety. That is why I support H.R. 7613, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, in closing, I thank Ranking Member Larsen, Chairman Rogers, and Ranking Member Smith for their work on this critical piece of aviation safety legislation.
I also thank the staff on both the T&I and Armed Services Committees that worked tirelessly on this bill to make sure that we got it right. Specifically, I thank my front office staff, T&I Majority Staff Director Nick Christensen; Deputy Staff Director Abby Wenk; General Counsel Meghan Holland, as well as my subcommittee staff, former Aviation Subcommittee Staff Director Julie Devine, who has departed Congress after a decade of service; and Joseph Schmoll, Will Moore, and Archie Miller.
We needed to get this right. The American people and the flying public count on us to ensure that the National Airspace System, or the NAS, is the safest system in the world. I am proud to say that NTSB has confirmed that the ALERT Act, as amended, addresses all 50 recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board.
On the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, aviation safety remains our highest priority, and this bill upholds that commitment. We will continue to work with our colleagues in the Senate and ensure that we are sending a comprehensive safety bill to the President, and anything short of that would be a disservice to the flying public. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to come together and support this critical piece of safety legislation.
Madam Speaker, I urge support of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7613, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act of 2025
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1011) to amend the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 to remove barriers to agricultural producers in accessing funds to carry out emergency measures under the emergency conservation program, and for other purposes on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 395, nays 10, not voting 26, as follows:
Messrs. NORMAN, GROTHMAN, and BURCHETT changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Mr. Speaker, as dean of Georgia's congressional delegation, I would like to extend a heartfelt welcome to the Honorable Clay Fuller.
Welcome, Clay.
Our delegation is diverse, and we are passionate about how we best represent the great State of Georgia. However, most of all, something I am very proud of is that we still find a way to work together across the aisle, even as we have our diverse interests, particularly when subjects impact the people of the great State of Georgia, wherever they might live, to make our State continue to be the best State in America to do business.
As co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Military Family Caucus, I appreciate Mr. Fuller's background as an airman and air guardsman, and the tireless contributions of his family to help him get to where he is today. Congratulations, Kate, and your two beautiful children.
Clay, I know that you will be a champion for rural Georgia, a passion that we can share in common. I look forward to the opportunities ahead to collaborate.
On a personal note, I am happy to see another Emory University alumnus and a practicing attorney join the ranks of public service in Congress from the great State of Georgia.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Austin Scott), my dear friend and colleague from the Eighth Congressional District, my neighbor, the senior and longest serving Republican in the Georgia delegation.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Bishop for yielding. I will be brief before Mr. Fuller has his 10 words.
He is a district attorney from north Georgia. He has done an exceptionally good job there. He is still a JAG officer in the Georgia National Guard, and he brings a lot of valuable insight and experience to the House of Representatives. Let's hope we use it.
I am glad to introduce you to the newest member of the Georgia delegation of the United States Congress, Mr. Clay Fuller, and his family.
Mr. FULLER. Mr. Speaker, I was actually told it was 5 words, not 10.
First off, I just want to say thank you to God. But for His grace, I wouldn't be here today. I want to say thank you to my wife, Kate, and my two children, Tallulah and Callum, here. I hope I am going to make you proud each and every day here.
I want to also say thank you to the friends and family who traveled all the way here to be with me today. I hope I make you proud.
To the hardworking people of Georgia 14 who elected me, you have sent a warrior to Congress, and I can't wait to fight for you each and every day.
To my Democratic colleagues, I look forward to working with each and every one of you.
Mr. Speaker, I am ready to get to work here. God bless you all.
Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency Act of 2026
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7613) to require certain aircraft to be equipped with collision mitigation technology, to improve helicopter route safety and separation around airports, to update air traffic control processes and procedures, to address national airspace system safety in Department of Defense activities, and for other purposes, as amended, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 396, nays 10, not voting 25, as follows:
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
On April 14, 2026, page H2876, in the first column, the following appeared: bill was passed.
The online version has been corrected to read: bill, as amended, was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require certain aircraft to be equipped and operating with collision prevention technology, to improve helicopter route safety and separation around airports, to update air traffic control processes and procedures, to address national airspace system safety in Department of Defense activities, and for other purposes.''.
Mr. Speaker, I missed the two suspension votes today due to travel delays returning to Washington, DC. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 109 and YEA on Roll Call No. 110.
Mr. Speaker, I was unable to vote today due to an urgent commitment in my Congressional district. Had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 109 and YEA on Roll Call No. 110.
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the exemplary programs for senior citizens offered by the village of Rye Brook.
Based at the Posillipo Center on Garibaldi Place, the Rye Brook seniors enjoy a wide and varied program that involves luncheons for nutritious purposes and companionship with a host of different programs: arts and crafts, games, special trips, and a schedule of special events for holidays like Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter.
The senior coordinator who also serves as the deputy village clerk, Liz Rotfeld, is ably assisted by Angie Storino.
Free transportation is provided for seniors who no longer are able to drive and still want to attend these events.
These programs have garnered support all across the village government, by Mayor Jason Klein, the village board, the outstanding village administrator, Chris Bradbury, and the assistance of this community.
From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, we salute the Rye Brook Senior Program and the village of Rye Brook for their service to the senior residents of their community.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor and remember the life of former New Jersey assemblyman and pillar of the New Jersey community, Alberto Coutinho, better know as Al Coutinho.
Born in my hometown of Newark, Mr. Coutinho was first elected as the 29th district assemblyman in 1997 at 27 years old. He was young, but he was already a central figure of New Jersey's Portuguese community.
He did so much good for so many. He was a public servant who fought for prison re-entry reforms, job creation, and expanding our parks. To many, he is remembered as a key organizer of the Portugal Day Festival.
When he wasn't serving the city in his legislative capacity, he was serving his community as a local soccer team coach. His love for the game also motivated his role as chairman and cofounder of the Ironbound Soccer Club, which is one of the many initiatives he led to promote amateur and semiprofessional soccer so our kids could grow in team building and work ethic.
I was heartbroken to hear of his passing in a car accident last month. My community was heartbroken too. I am praying for the Coutinho family and that our community carries his legacy by leading with passion and heart.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to object as our House returns after an unconstitutional, 2-week, forced recess.
Rather than exercise his constitutional Article I duties, Speaker Johnson fell in step with warmongering hotheads in the executive branch. He failed to honor his constitutional oath and uphold the U.S. Constitution and Congress' defined powers in Article I. He gaveled the House out at a most profound moment in world and American history.
The U.S. Constitution is clear. Article I, Section 8 says that Congress shall have the power to declare war. It does not say may have power. It says: ``The Congress shall have power.''
Speaker Johnson ignored this provision.
Speaker Johnson also has allowed the executive branch to draw down billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars without consent of Congress.
Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 states: ``No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law.''
Without a vote by Congress to authorize the war and appropriations spent, the Speaker is in violation of the Constitution to which he swore an oath.
Mr. Speaker, what the American people are witnessing is unconstitutional and unprecedented in the history of our Nation. I object.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Anita Nanez Martinez, a trailblazer whose leadership and dedication transformed the Dallas community and inspired Mexican-American generations.
Born in 1925 and raised in Little Mexico, Anita Martinez demonstrated a passion for service from a very early age, leading grassroots efforts in her community as a teenager. Over the course of over six decades, she remained committed to uplifting others and strengthening her community.
She founded the Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklorico to instill pride and confidence in Hispanic youth through cultural education and the performing arts. Through this work, she empowered generations to embrace their heritage and pursue educational success, earning recognition at every level.
In 1969 Ms. Martinez made history as the first Hispanic elected to the Dallas City Council and the first Hispanic woman elected to the city council of a major U.S. city. Her leadership brought meaningful change to underserved communities and advanced equity across Dallas.
Today I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Anita Nanez Martinez for her extraordinary contributions. Her legacy of leadership, cultural pride, and everything that she has done inspire all of us.
Mr. Speaker, the energy was extremely high at the annual U.S. Coast Guard marathon with around 2,000 dedicated runners and chair athletes in Elizabeth City. The streets were filled with excitement and determination.
It was an honor to celebrate the vital bond between our U.S. Coast Guard and the Elizabeth City community, recognizing the sacrifices of our Active Duty personnel, resilient civilians, dedicated volunteers, and the incredible Coast Guard Foundation.
Before ringing the bell, we paid special tribute to the selfless service of individuals like Petty Officer Tyler Jaggers who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
I extend my deepest gratitude to the commandant for ensuring this year's marathon took place. It was so uplifting, and it provided everyone in the community with the boost we all needed and strengthened our sense of unity.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the newest addition to Team Amo, Fay Elliot Sodaro. Fay was born on May 13 and is a congressional baby through and through.
She was welcomed by her parents, Dylan and Paige. Dylan serves as my Chief of Staff, and Paige serves as Ranking Member Bobby Scott's legislative director.
Least to say, we anticipate she will soon surpass us all in knowledge of how Congress works.
Fay is named after her great-grandmother and her great-grandfather. She is keeping her parents busy, and we can't wait for her to make an appearance on the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Dylan and Paige, and I welcome Fay to Team Amo.
Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the Speaker for allowing the Congressional Black Caucus to use this first Special Order hour to commemorate the life and legacy of my mentor, my leader, and my friend, the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
I was a student with humble beginnings. There were nine siblings. My dad passed when I was 5 years old, so I was raised by a single parent. Given my circumstances, I was a young man caught between hope and expectations. I had hope to do a lot of things, but my expectations were not high.
I first had a chance to hear Reverend Jackson speak in 1978, some 48 years ago. I was a sophomore at McKinley Senior High School. All the kids in East Baton Rouge Parish were shuttled by bus to the Baton Rouge River Center to hear Reverend Jesse Jackson.
After listening to Reverend Jackson's ``I Am Somebody'' speech, I connected the reality that I really was somebody. I didn't just have to hope to be, I could expect to be.
Reverend Jackson's impact on my life at that time gave me hope and the audacity to believe. I believed that I was somebody. He made me dream beyond my circumstances. He changed what I thought and what was possible, and it was at that time that I came out of my shell.
The next year, I became president of the Key Club, and then vice president of my senior class, all because of the ``I Am Somebody'' speech that impacted my life.
After my time at McKinley, I went on to attend Southern University, where I continued to chase dreams. I went on to become the freshman class president, and then student body president in 1984, all because of the impact of Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson.
Forty-two years ago, my student body vice president, Michael Hurst, who was from Chicago, called me one day and said: The Reverend Jesse Jackson is coming to town, would you like me to introduce you to him?
Obviously, I said: Yes, of course. Meeting the man who had made such an impression on me as a kid was extremely important. This was the same man that I saw speak as a 10th grader, who inspired me to believe that I was somebody. Now, I had an opportunity to meet him and talk to him one on one.
That is when he made me his college coordinator, in 1984, for his Presidential campaign. I remember we were traveling the country. We were in Michigan, registering people to vote, and I got discouraged.
I said to Reverend Jackson: These voters are just apathetic. He said: Cleo, there is no such thing as an apathetic voter. They are only uninspired, and it is our job to inspire every last one of them.
That showed me that he wanted to see the best in everybody, and I chose to follow him because he was a light of hope.
When I first thought about running for public office, the first political figure I talked to was Reverend Jesse Jackson. I know a lot of folk in Baton Rouge, but I wanted to talk to someone about the idea of a 24-year-old running for the Louisiana State senate, and I called Reverend Jackson. I thought the answer would have been: Start at city council or start at the school board. No, Jesse Jackson said: If you don't run, you can't win, and I did.
Reverend Jackson ran for President again in 1988, 38 years ago. He called me, and he told me: I want you to serve as a youth coordinator for my 1988 campaign. I was traveling the country with him, campaigning for him. ``Keep hope alive'' was our slogan.
Right before the Democratic National Convention, out of the blue, I got a call from his campaign manager, Ron Brown. He called me and said: Reverend Jackson wants you to speak on no first use of nuclear weapons at the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta. He put me on the national stage, a very young man. As a young elected official, I believed in him.
In 1993, 33 years ago, I was elected to Congress. I was just 29 years of age. Once again, Reverend Jackson was there, supporting me every single step of the way, encouraging me, making me believe that I was capable. It wasn't just me. He inspired young leaders across America. As a result of his 1984 race and 1988 race for President, he inspired all of us, specifically a group of young leaders right here in this Congress. I remember.
In 1994, Patrick Kennedy, at age 27, was elected to this Congress. I also had
Upon being reelected to Congress in 2025, I have had the opportunity to serve with one other Jackson, and that is Reverend Jackson's son as well, and that is Jonathan Jackson. Jesse Jackson has inspired us all.
Every time I ran for office, Reverend Jackson was there. Every office I have ever been elected to, he was there to support me. Without his early inspiration and guidance, I wouldn't be here on this floor speaking to you tonight.
There is not a single individual in this world, outside of my mother, who had more of an impact on my life than the man we are here to celebrate tonight. I thank him, and I thank you for gathering as we commemorate his wonderful life and his legacy.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Wisconsin (Ms. Moore).
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I just want to rise today to thank my colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus for organizing this Special Order hour and for honoring the life and legacy of the late, great Reverend Jackson, Sr., a man who truly taught us all how to keep hope alive.
Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr., is not only a friend to the Congressional Black Caucus, but he was a friend of all of ours individually and collectively.
He had a very humble birth, born to a single mother, and started his political life by being arrested for protesting around not being admitted to a segregated library and became one of the storied Greenville Eight in that protest.
Of course, you will hear from others tonight about his association with the late, great Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. You will hear about his leadership at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, his founding of Rainbow PUSH, his negotiating the release of American hostages in various parts of the world, his running for the President of United States, both in 1984 and 1988.
I lived 90 miles from Chicago, and so I know the Reverend Jackson who would just show up at random, unknown people's grandmother's funeral. I knew the Reverend Jackson, who showed up in Milwaukee long before I was elected to anything, as I stand here in Congress today.
As I looked through all of my photographs, I saw pictures of Reverend Jackson in Milwaukee, working with local leadership and the NAACP around open housing in Milwaukee.
As I looked through those photos, I saw pictures of me as a State representative, a newly elected member to the Wisconsin Assembly as our city went through the horror of Jeffrey Dahmer, a serial murderer who killed Black men in our community, and Reverend Jackson was there hugging family members of those victims, praying with them and offering them his clergy support.
As I looked through my pictures, I saw photos of Reverend Jackson coming to help us get out the vote, continuously, year after year, in our very purple State. I saw with my own eyes the Reverend Jackson comforting a victim of police brutality, the murder of Dontre Hamilton, and coming there to support us in the protest and to comfort the mother of this victim. An unarmed Black man, lying on a park bench, was found dead at the hands of a policeman.
One of the most remarkable things that I was able to experience was when he went to Kenosha, Wisconsin. Do you all remember Kyle Rittenhouse? Do you all remember how Kyle Rittenhouse was being lifted up as some sort of hero by White vigilantes, even some of those White vigilantes who are here serving as public figures in Washington, D.C.? I won't mention any names, Mr. Speaker.
Reverend Jackson was sitting there, plotting and planning with the clergy in Kenosha, with community-based organizations, to form an alternative activity: to provide COVID tests to people; to organize a festive atmosphere with balloons for the children and food vendors, all in response to the counter-programming that was intended to rile up the Black community.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., I got a chance to just witness, up close and personal, the behind-the-scenes brilliance. I had seen the upfront brilliance, but this was the behind-the-scenes brilliance that I was able to see.
Reverend Jackson implored us to believe in the mantra that ``I am somebody'' and urged us to keep hope alive.
Let me just say in closing, Mr. Speaker, that Reverend Jackson probably understood better than any of us that the mission is enduring and that no one life could be the be-all.
He has passed the baton now. He is the one who carried it with dignity and strength, with determination and doggedness.
I want to close with the Scripture from the Apostle Paul in II Timothy 4:7. As he saw the end of his life approaching, and carried on by the Holy Spirit, he wrote these words: I have fought the good fight; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.
Reverend Jackson, Jesse, you have fought the good fight; you finished the race; and you kept the faith.
Mr. Speaker, may we all carry forth this legacy, and may we continue to keep hope alive, not just in word but in action, for the healing of our very troubled but beloved Nation at this time.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Fields for anchoring this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour dedicated to extolling the virtues of the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
Today, I rise to honor a giant of American history, Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. He was a man whose life was a testament to courage, conviction, and an unshakable faith in justice.
Reverend Jackson did not merely witness history. He made history. He shaped history. He stood in the trenches of the civil rights movement, marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and devoted his life to expanding opportunity for those too often pushed to the margins of this Nation.
For so many of us, Reverend Jackson was more than that leader. He was a trailblazer. He showed generations of Black elected officials, activists, clergy, and public servants that our voices, our communities, and our fight for justice matter.
Yes, I am somebody. His life and work helped make the very spaces we now occupy possible. Because of his leadership, sacrifice, and moral clarity, many of us found the courage to step forward in service to mankind. His impact was not only national and international; his impact was deeply personal.
He was a handsome man, the embodiment of youth with a great big, full afro and mutton-chop sideburns, wearing a dashiki proudly, and courageously proclaiming: ``I am somebody.''
He challenged us to believe that we are somebody, that our people are worthy, and that progress requires both faith and action. He challenged us to keep hope alive. That message has shaped lives, careers, and callings across this country, including my own.
Reverend Jesse Jackson leaves behind more than a legacy. He leaves behind a charge to keep marching, keep speaking, keep organizing, and keep believing in the promise of America, even when America falls short.
Mr. Speaker, may we honor him not only with our words, but with our work. Our hearts remain with his loved ones, including our colleague Congressman Jonathan Jackson.
May he rest in peace, and may his legacy live on forever in every person he inspired. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive. Thank you, Jesse.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a giant of the civil rights movement, Reverend Jesse Jackson. He is a man who understood that the success of any individual or community is
From walking alongside Dr. King to his time in public service and the enduring legacy of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Reverend Jackson showed us that racial justice and economic justice are inseparable and that true equality requires both.
He believed that hope is not a sentiment but a call to action. He knew that the work of building a more just and inclusive America is never finished.
As a college student, I remember watching his `88 convention speech and being moved by seeing an image of someone who looked like me on the highest stage, saying that the feeling of this Nation could be compelled by action and driven by hope.
That message to keep hope alive is why I am standing here right now. The feeling of hope, which also happens to be the motto of the great State of Rhode Island, is something that has been the center of my service, and I am so honored to be recognizing someone who inspired it.
Now it is on us to carry forward his legacy, to ensure that the Rainbow Coalition can continue, and that we keep the promise of America for every child no matter their race, their ZIP Code, or where their family is from.
Mr. Speaker, I am so honored that I get to serve with a big part of Reverend Jackson's legacy, his son, Jonathan, my dear colleague.
Reverend Jackson, you are deeply missed. Your mission lives on, however, in each one of us, and we will carry it forward with courage, with justice, and yes, of course, hope. Rest in power.
Mr. Speaker, tonight, I will begin by talking about what it meant to be Black in America before Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr.
The message this country sent to Black children, whether they grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, or in St. Louis was simple: You are not enough. Not enough to lead. Not enough to run. Certainly not enough to win.
Jesse Jackson spent his entire life dismantling that lie.
That message didn't start with any one person. It was written into the founding documents of this country. It survived the Civil War. It survived Reconstruction. By the time the civil rights movement had finally forced America to live up to its own words on paper--the right to vote, the right to sit anywhere in this country, the right to walk through the front door--there was still something left untouched. It was something deeper, the belief, planted in generation after generation of Black children, that the rooms behind those doors weren't really meant for them.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., walked into that breach, and he didn't just march. He ran.
In 1984, kids across this country--I was one of them--were watching a Black man on television, not appealing to anyone's conscience, not asking for inclusion, but running for President of the United States, winning delegates, walking into that convention floor, and demanding to be taken seriously.
Jesse Jackson, Sr., understood something that a lot of people still haven't caught up to: The vote and the dollar have to move together. You cannot march your way to dignity if the political system keeps finding new ways to lock you out. He didn't wait for the party to make room. He built the room for himself, ran twice for the highest office in the land, and forced a reckoning with whom this democracy was actually supposed to serve.
You cannot draw a straight line to Barack Obama, to Kamala Harris, or even to me without acknowledging the impact and legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson.
We are standing in this Chamber today because of that work, every single one of us.
The question he leaves us with isn't: How do we remember him? It is whether we are still building what he started. Because the work, as any of us in this room can plainly see, is not finished.
Mr. Speaker, I will conclude with this: ``But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.''
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Fields for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a freedom fighter, a legend in this country, my Omega brother, the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
He was an icon who marched with Dr. King, who helped lead the Poor People's Campaign for economic justice, and to end an unjust war. He was an icon who ran for President and changed what this country believed was possible. He registered millions of voters who had never seen themselves in this democracy that we also hold dear.
He built the Rainbow PUSH Coalition to prove that our differences are our strength. Black, Brown, White, indigenous, immigrant, he believed we rise together or we do not rise at all.
Reverend Jackson was a truth teller, and the ills that he spoke to still demand an answer today.
Courts still to this day strike down voting laws that target Black Americans with what one Federal court called ``almost surgical precision.'' Black women still to this day die in childbirth at rates that shame this Nation. The racial wealth gap still to this day robs entire communities of the opportunity that the late Reverend Jackson fought his entire life to deliver.
Those battles are not behind us. They are right here. They are in this Chamber. They are in our districts. They are in the choices that we make every single day that we serve. We carry Reverend Jackson's legacy forward by engaging in those battles, by being a voice for those who have been made to feel like they are voiceless.
We are going to be all right, but not by accident and not without work. Reverend Jackson did that work for six decades. Now it is on us.
Rest in peace, Brother Jackson. It is the honor of my life to follow in your footsteps of fighting every single day alongside your son, my colleague, Jonathan Jackson. Rest in peace, brother.
Mr. Speaker, the very Reverend Jesse Jackson Presidential candidate and civil rights leader was not only my close friend and confidant, he was my longtime political ally and mentor.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, Sr., was my idol and spiritual and political leader. He was a brilliant, gifted, and courageous civil rights leader who inspired millions. He registered millions to vote and challenged and changed the Democratic Party.
Just a little bit about his background. I want you to know that Reverend Jackson at 30 years old was one of the youngest followers of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Reverend Jackson spent his life continuing to protect and save the gains that were made during the civil rights movement.
Now, I became a dedicated and committed follower of Jesse Jackson. I worked with Reverend Jackson in both the 1984 and the 1988 Presidential campaigns. I was a top adviser on the national campaign and was appointed by Reverend Jackson to chair and lead the California campaign.
Mr. Speaker, I hear a lot said about Reverend Jackson. Most people knew him from television, radio, and his public speeches, but I was a close-up witness to Reverend Jackson's brilliant campaign strategies and developments.
He used his voice and his organizing skills to create the beautiful Rainbow
Jesse Jackson went into areas in rural America where those who did not know him hated him and thought, for some reason, that he could be of no use to them. Once he got into those communities and started to work with the rural farmers, many of them were having their farms foreclosed on at that time, and Reverend Jackson learned a lot about how to talk with bankers about loan modifications so that those farmers could stay in business. Even today, there are farmers and their families who remember what Reverend Jackson did for them in these rural communities. It was an amazing kind of development and association that he made.
He was responsible for cracking open the doors of America's corporate community and those in Silicon Valley. Reverend Jackson was also an international ambassador for peace. He used his tremendous influence to champion human rights.
I worked with him in the Free South Africa movement, where he helped free Nelson Mandela and bring an end to apartheid in South Africa. We had a wonderful experience of attending the inauguration when Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa.
Of course, Reverend Jackson helped to secure the release of U.S. hostages all around the world. The one that stands out to me is when he went to Syria and negotiated the release of U.S. Navy Lieutenant Robert Goodman, Jr.
Reverend Jackson was an extraordinary human being and a true human rights advocate. I can recall when we went to public housing projects. In Los Angeles, he was at Nickerson Gardens housing projects, where the gangbangers and others met him for the first time.
When he went to Nickerson Gardens, they were not believers. They didn't know an awful lot, and so they challenged him to stay overnight in public housing at Nickerson Gardens, and he did.
Right now, when you go to Nickerson Gardens, some of those older members who remembered him from when he came to Nickerson Gardens will point to the unit where Reverend Jackson slept in Nickerson Gardens housing project, but that is not enough.
You saw Congressman Cleo Fields here tonight. I want you to know that when Katrina happened, Reverend Jackson organized me and some others. We went to New Orleans, where Cleo Fields rented a bus.
We got on that bus, and we traveled all over New Orleans. Why did we do that? It was because there were people who had been left on rooftops with no way to get down, and some of them were helped down by Reverend Jackson, Cleo Fields, and myself. Many of them had been dropped along the wayside, hoping that somebody would come and pick them up.
I can recall when we went to the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, where there were people who were sitting there who had been dropped off because they had been helped to get off of a roof, but no one could help them any further. We put them in that bus, and we rode through all of New Orleans, particularly in the areas around Alexandria and other cities in the Louisiana area.
We took them to State houses. We took them to rescue places. We took them to wherever we could find a place for them to sleep.
Reverend Jackson was a huge political individual at that time, recognized all over the world for his advocacy for the least of these, helping to get people to understand that everybody was special and that everybody was important. He taught that message through his brilliant way of connecting: ``I am somebody.'' He made little young boys and girls, who really didn't think they were somebody, think, now that they met Reverend Jesse Jackson, that they were somebody.
I want you to know that his humanitarianism was the likes of which I have never seen before. He truly cared about people. The Reverend Jesse Jackson was a religious man, and he prayed before meetings. He prayed after meetings. Even though, at the time that I started working with him, I did not know a lot about the power of prayer, but I learned that being on the road with him and how he cared about everybody, how he cared about the young and the old and the veterans and the imprisoned, on and on and on.
He was truly an unusual human being, married to an unusual woman. His wife was not only, in her own right, a civil rights activist and leader, but she supported him in every way that she possibly could. The two of them raised five brilliant children, one of which who served in this House. That was Jesse Jackson, Jr. Today, we have the brilliant, young Jonathan Jackson who is serving.
They come with the spirit of their daddy. I lived with the spirit of Reverend Jesse Jackson. It is in me, and so you can call it whatever you want to call it. You can call it progressive. You can call it liberal. You can call it whatever you want. In the final analysis, it is Reverend Jesse Jackson who changed so many lives, who helped people to understand that they did not stand alone, that he was there for them, speaking for them.
Whether he was talking to kings and queens, or he was talking to the man on the block, we could count on Reverend Jesse Jackson. In the final analysis, Reverend Jackson more than earned his place in history. Rightfully so, his work will never be forgotten and will be taught in communities all over the world in places low and high, in our schools and universities.
I will live the rest of my life with the memories that I will cherish for the time, the effort, and the phenomenal work that I experienced with the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Jr., Presidential candidate and civil rights leader.
I am thankful for the opportunity to be here this evening, and I yield to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Kelly).
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of the late Reverend Jesse Jackson.
Reverend Jackson, as you know, is a global civil rights leader and a moral voice for our Nation. I am proud to have called the reverend a friend, a supporter, and most of all, my constituent.
No matter where the fight for justice took him, Reverend Jackson always returned home to the south side of Chicago. From being a leader alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to a two-time Presidential candidate, Reverend Jackson was already a giant in civil rights. He never forgot to leave the door open for Black people and, frankly, any people following in his footsteps.
In 2002, when I was challenging a tenure incumbent to become a State legislator, the first time I ever ran, Reverend Jackson supported me. He was a hero, a behemoth of a freedom fighter, and he decided to support a newbie, an underdog, someone who was counted out, like me.
Time and time again, Reverend Jackson showed his support. He was large on the global stage, but he never forgot us Southsiders. He founded Rainbow PUSH, which continues to empower countless people across Illinois and in my district, the Second District.
Reverend Jackson was a renowned world leader, but he never forgot how to be a friend. Over 2 years ago, when my husband died, he, even though he was not in good health, came to my husband's funeral. He also came to the burial. It meant the world to me, and I will never ever forget his kindness.
In turn, I so appreciate that his family allowed me to be at his bedside to visit him at the hospital 6 to 8 weeks before he died.
Even though Reverend Jackson is gone, his legacy is not. I stand on his shoulders alongside my colleagues who continue his fight for equality, justice, and freedom. We do have to remember that we are somebody and to keep hope alive.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay homage to the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
On Tuesday, February 14, 2026, I joined the Nation in mourning the passing of one of the most quintessential civil rights leaders: the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr.
Our relationship began as students at rival high schools in South Carolina--he at Sterling in Greenville and me at Mather Academy in Camden. Our schools played football and basketball against each other. Jesse was a star quarterback at Sterling, and I was a prolific benchwarmer at Mather Academy, but the rivalry was there and real. He could play, and I could yell.
That relationship was extended and intensified when he enrolled at North Carolina A&T, an 1890 Land Grant HBCU in Greensboro, North Carolina. I was already attending South Carolina State, the 1890 HBCU in our home State.
There was and still is an intense rivalry between those two iconic institutions. Then, independent of each other, we both pledged and became members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. It was in that brotherhood and during our political activism, although not always in the same camp, that we developed a love and respect that lasted throughout the ages.
His mother, Helen, was one of my biggest political boosters and a valued friend. Jesse and I had a genuine friendship, in large measure because our mothers willed it to be. During my political visits to Greenville and the Piedmont area, his mother, Helen, and her good friend, Lottie Gibson, would make sure I had as much sustenance as their southern fried chicken could provide.
I shall never forget the night I kicked off my campaign for South Carolina's Secretary of State in Georgetown, every bit of a 4-hour drive from Greenville. Just as that rally began, I looked up, and who was walking through the door of that church? Helen Jackson and Lottie Gibson. They had driven all the way from Greenville down to Georgetown to help me in that effort.
I lost that race. As one can imagine, with that loss, came some anxieties about the future. As fate would have it, I was destined to serve here in Congress and eventually with two of Helen's grandsons: Jesse, Jr., and Jonathan, Jesse's sons. Today, some of our children have become friends. Ours was a friendship that spanned four generations.
Jesse was a son of Greenville, born to a mother who was just 16 years old at the time of his birth. His grandmother raised him until he was 13 when he then was adopted by his stepfather, Charles Jackson.
Jesse began his activism in the summer of 1960, as a student seeking to desegregate the Greenville Public Library. Jesse recounted how painful it was to not be allowed access to the books in that library. After being denied that privilege, Jesse vowed to return that summer to advocate for the library's desegregation. He became a leader in the sit-in movement.
Jesse led seven Black high school students into the Whites-only Greenville Public Library. They were arrested for sitting down in that library and became known as the Greenville Eight.
Interestingly, around that same time, I became one of the leaders of a sit-in in Orangeburg, and some referred to us as the Orangeburg Seven.
It was interesting how all of this happened during that time. There was the Greensboro Four up in North Carolina and the Friendship Nine in Rock Hill. I don't know why they gave us those kind of monikers, but we wore them with pride.
The Greenville Eight ultimately won the right to have access to that library. Today, the Greenville Public Library serves all people, and that episode launched what would become for Jesse a life of civil rights and political activism.
He became director of Operation Breadbasket and the founder of the venerable Rainbow PUSH Coalition, an intergenerational movement to uplift the voiceless and downtrodden.
His passion to bring together people of all colors and creeds is a testament to his vision of unity and oneness, as proclaimed by our Nation's motto: ``E Pluribus Unum''; ``out of many, one.''
Operation PUSH became renowned for using direct action, selective buying, and creative negotiations to encourage major corporations to be more inclusive, hire more Black executives, and support and contract with Black-owned businesses and corporations.
The Rainbow PUSH Coalition was and still is about dignity, fairness, justice, and hope. Jesse worked to make the greatness of this country accessible and affordable for all.
Jesse's historic Presidential runs in 1984 and 1988 were reflective of his strong will, guiding faith, and belief in possibilities. Those two Presidential campaigns came up short, but that didn't stop him.
Because of Jesse's efforts, an end was brought to the winner-take-all distribution of delegates, a creative device comparable to those that were prevalent post-Reconstruction.
Where is the fairness when the candidate who gets 51 percent of the votes receives 100 percent of the delegates?
Despite what may be said to the contrary, it is a fact that this change allowed underdogs and nonwealthy candidates to compete, increased voter diversity, and paved the way for future candidates.
Were it not for the proportional voting in our primaries made possible because of Jesse's efforts, Barack Obama would not have received our party's nomination and would not have been elected our 44th President of these United States of America. Jesse's efforts were not in vain.
A life lived defying odds, Reverend Jackson showed us that if we remain focused, work hard, and unite in our purpose, we can continue bending the arc of the moral universe toward justice and continue our pursuit of a more perfect Union.
Operation Breadbasket, anti-apartheid activism, voter registration, and corporate diversity were among just a few of his initiatives that advanced opportunity and equality for Black Americans.
It should not be lost on any of us that the impact that Jesse had on the Nation and the world was great. His visionary leadership is his legacy, and his orations continue to inspire all of us as we continue our pursuit of justice and equality.
In 3 months, we will be celebrating the 250th anniversary of this country's existence. I quote from Thomas Paine's famous writing, ``The American Crisis,'' published in 1776, during the American Revolution.
Paine wrote: ``These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.''
Jesse Louis Jackson was not a summer soldier. He was not a sunshine patriot. He stood with the times. Because of his efforts, many of us can stand where we stand today.
Jesse endured setbacks, losses, and the scrutiny of those who did not believe in him. But still, Jesse taught us to renew our faith in what is possible.
My favorite Old Testament Scripture is Micah 6:8: For he has shown thee, O man, that which is required--to do justly, be merciful, and walk humbly.
In the late 1970s and 1980s, when this country grew weary of justice, it was Jesse who led us to keep walking humbly and maintaining hope. Jesse believed and internalized the admonition found in James 2, ``Faith without works is dead.''
Jesse's voice calls on each of us to keep that faith as enunciated in Hebrews 11:1: ``Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.''
Jesse understood that we must find the strength to fight for a more perfect Union and find the compassion to make it universal.
On March 2, 2026, the late Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson returned home to South Carolina to lie in state in the South Carolina State Capitol. I had the
Jesse's efforts in the place he called home never wavered. In 2015, he came home to advocate for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from the South Carolina State House grounds after nine Black worshippers were killed at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston by a young white supremacist who worshipped that flag and wanted his act to start a ``race war,'' his quote.
Jesse became the second Black person to lie in state in our State's Capitol. The first was his and my friend, the late pastor and State Senator Clementa Pinckney, who was one of those Emanuel 9.
I am pleased to be here this evening and to be part of this Congressional Black Caucus Special Order. I thank my good friend for allowing me to be here. Cleo is my classmate from 1993. I thank him for allowing me to be here.
I close by thanking Jesse's family for what they mean to me and my family. It is an emotional connection not easy to explain.
In his 1984 Rainbow Coalition speech, Jesse said: ``No matter how difficult the days and dark the nights, there is a brighter side somewhere. In Angola; Mozambique; Nicaragua; El Salvador; South Africa; Greenville, South Carolina; and Harlem, there is a brighter side.''
The impact of his enduring legacy will resonate for years to come. May he take his rightful place among those who have shaped this Nation's course and pushed us further toward a more perfect Union.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green).
And still I rise, Mr. Speaker. And I rise tonight to thank the Honorable Jim Clyburn for that fantastic recitation that he accorded us. It was a walk down memory lane.
I also am honored to be in the presence of the Honorable Jonathan Jackson, and I thank him for his presence and the many things that he and his family have contributed to the growth of our Nation.
I would also like to thank Cleo Fields who gave birth to the notion that we should have such an event tonight. All of these persons, and many more, have made this possible.
While I will be terse and laconic, pithy and concise, I will assure you, Mr. Speaker, that I won't say all that I would like to say. I do want to remind people of the thing that caused Reverend Jackson to be set apart from his contemporaries.
Yes, he was a brilliant man, and his ability to speak in sound bites was just remarkable. Yes, he had the ability to organize and mobilize huge numbers of people.
But the thing that really caused him to be someone very special, an exemplar, was the fact that he had courage. It was courage. It took the courage that he learned as he sat with Dr. King and understood the civil rights movement from genesis to revelation. He understood what the movement was all about, and, as such, he understood that the movement had to metamorphose from civil rights to silver rights.
He, quite frankly, was the person who pushed the movement from not just taking care of people who needed housing, who needed a living wage, and people who needed healthcare. All of these issues he still embraced, but he also brought in a new element, and that element to the equation was the silver rights movement.
He knew that we had not been treated fairly when it came to integrating the various places that we would want to rest and dine. He knew that, but he also knew something else, that we had to integrate more than people and more than places.
He knew that we had to integrate the money. That is where the silver rights movement--the silver rights movement had its genesis with him.
I want to say more, Mr. Speaker, but the Honorable Yvette Clarke waits, and I have the good sense to know when to yield to the better person.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn for according me this opportunity. I don't know what Congress would be without Jim Clyburn. It wouldn't be the same. He is the C in Congress, Clyburn.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina for his leadership and for yielding time to me.
I also thank Congressman Cleo Fields, who was an anchor of this evening's Congressional Black Caucus Special Order hour.
I am Representative Yvette D. Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, proudly representing New York's Ninth Congressional District.
I rise tonight with my colleagues of the Congressional Black Caucus to honor the enduring legacy of the late Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
Today, we reaffirm our deep gratitude for his extraordinary contributions to American democracy and global human rights. For more than one-half century, Reverend Jackson stood on the front lines of the movement for justice, equality, and human dignity.
From marching alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the civil rights movement to building institutions that empowered millions, his life's work helped move our Nation closer to its founding ideals.
Through the founding of Operation PUSH and later the Rainbow Coalition, he built one of the most influential social justice movements in modern American history.
In 1984, Reverend Jackson broke barriers, running for the Democratic Presidential nomination and becoming the first African American to run and win in statewide primaries and caucuses, garnering over 3 million votes.
Through his historic Presidential campaigns and decades of organizing, Reverend Jackson helped break open doors for Black political power in this Nation, expanding the electorate, building multiracial coalitions, and paving the way for a new generation of Black elected leaders.
Many of us serving in Congress today walk paths that Reverend Jackson helped clear. He challenged America to live up to its highest ideals, pushed leaders to act with courage, and reminded the Nation that democracy works best when it works for everyone.
The Congressional Black Caucus honors his extraordinary contributions to this Nation and to humanity. His life stands as a testament to faith in action, courage in the face of adversity, and an unshakeable belief in the power of people coming together to build a more just society.
At a time when the powers that be seek to take our community backward, Reverend Jackson's leadership, moral clarity, and dedication to justice will be greatly missed.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Clyburn and Brother Fields for the opportunity, and I thank the young man here who has Jesse Jackson's DNA in him, the Honorable Jonathan Jackson.
Mr. Speaker, I stand here today as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. I am only here because of a man by the name of Jesse Jackson, Jr., who in 1984 was running for President. I had recently gotten out of law school, and I had not really been involved in a whole lot of politics at that time. However, there was a campaign. He came into New York, and he met with a group of people there. I happened to be there.
He wanted young people involved in his campaign, and I was given the opportunity to get involved in his campaign and bring him to a little place in New York called Far Rockaway, New York, where people who had never voted before came out to see him. Particularly young people were inspired and were getting informed on the communities in which they lived to make a difference and making themselves feel proud.
I will never forget at that rally there were a lot of young people. He used his
He then talked about unity. He said: Black, Brown, Red, Yellow, or White, we are all precious in God's sight. If your mind can conceive it, you can achieve it.
I looked at the young people who were in that audience, and he had them all standing up. Some of them in Far Rockaway had never been to Manhattan in New York, just some 12 miles away, you could see the New York skyline. He inspired these young people, and for days thereafter, they were telling everybody: ``I am somebody.''
This is a man that knew how to bring out the best in everyone and bring us all together, teaching us how to make this land a better place, making the sacrifices to make America America.
Jesse Louis Jackson was a man that when we look at American history, what the cameras of history have recorded, and how so many people then turned out in the city of New York, for example, because David Norman Dinkins would have never been the mayor, the first Black mayor in the city of New York if it wasn't for 1984 and 1988 and the spirit of Jesse Jackson.
I close by just saying this: I thank God for the opportunity to have lived in the life and times and have Jesse Jackson then come and endorse my first candidacy for the United States House of Representatives. He was one of the very first when there was no one else because he never forgot me working with him in 1984. I thank the Lord for this opportunity to speak and give tribute to one of the greatest men that this planet has ever seen.
Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.
The motion was agreed to; accordingly (at 9 o'clock and 22 minutes p.m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 10 a.m.
