We use analytics tools to understand how people use the site. They're optional: if you decline, the site works the same, no analytics cookies are set and Google gets only a cookieless, anonymous count signal. Your votes are saved either way; the details are in the privacy policy.
09Expenditure Reports Concerning Official Foreign Travel
Daily Digest
Public Bills and Resolutions Introduced
35 public bills, H.R. 8807- 8841; and 11 resolutions, H.J. Res. 186; H. Con. Res. 101; and H. Res. 1284-1292 were introduced.
Pages H3529-32
Reports Filed
There were no reports filed today. Speaker: Read a letter from the Speaker wherein he appointed Representative McDowell to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.
Page H3457
Recess
The House recessed at 11:29 a.m. and reconvened at 12 p.m.
Page H3468
Advisory Board for the House of Representatives Child Care Center: Appointment
The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following individuals on the part of the House to the Advisory Board for the House of Representatives Child Care Center: Mr. Matthew Schlesinger of Mount Rainier, Maryland; Ms. Claudia Urrabazo-Beckelman of Washington, DC; Ms. Jo Stiles of Washington, DC; and Ms. Emily Noriega-May of Washington, DC.
Page H3471
Commission on International Religious Freedom: Appointment
The Chair announced the Speaker's appointment of the following individual on the part of the House to the Commission on International Religious Freedom for a term ending May 14, 2028: Mr. Asif Mahmood of Bradbury, California.
Page H3471
Recess
The House recessed at 3:33 p.m and reconvened at 4 p.m.
Page H3505
Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act
The House passed H.R. 6260, to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit fraud in connection with posting bail, by a recorded vote of 243 ayes to 179 noes, Roll No. 169.
Pages H3474-80, H3505-06
Rejected the Raskin motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary by a yea-and-nay vote of 210 yeas to 213 nays, Roll No. 168.
Pages H3478-80, H3505-06
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted.
Page H3474
H. Res. 1275, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to yesterday, May 13th. Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran: The House failed to agree to H. Con. Res. 75, directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran, by a yea-and-nay vote of 212 yeas to 212 nays, Roll No. 170. Consideration began yesterday, May 13th.
Pages H3506-07
Cashless Bail Reporting Act
The House passed H.R. 5625, to direct the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of each State and unit of local government that permits cashless bail, by a yea-and-nay vote of 308 yeas to 116 nays, Roll No. 171.
Pages H3471-74, H3507
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill shall be considered as adopted. H. Res. 1275, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to yesterday, May 13th.
Page H3471
Monitor Accountability Act
The House H.R. 8365, to provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, by a recorded vote of 219 ayes to 204 noes, Roll No. 173.
Pages H3480-86, H3507-09
Rejected Boyle the motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on the Judiciary by a yea-and-nay vote of 210 yeas to 213 nays, Roll No. 172.
Pages H3486, H3507-08
Pursuant to the Rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary now printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part A of H. Rept. 119-648, shall be considered as adopted. H. Res. 1275, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to yesterday, May 13th.
Page H3480
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027
The House considered H.R. 8469, making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. Consideration is expected to resume tomorrow, May 15th.
Pages H3486-H3505
Agreed to
Carter (TX) en bloc No. 1 consisting of the following amendments printed in part B of H. Rept. 119-648: Alford (No. 1) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million for readjustment and rehabilitation benefits to or on behalf of veterans and to emphasize the importance of creating a pilot program under The Survivors' and Dependents' Educational Assistance (DEA) program to such educational assistance to no less than 1,000 students who are a dependent of a veteran and prepare them to be successful in college or some other post-high school educational program; Bean (FL) (No. 2) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million to expand the use of data analytics and program integrity tools used to detect improper payments, duplicate claims, and organized fraud schemes within VA benefits and community care programs; Bean (FL) (No. 3) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General to conduct a comprehensive audit of improper payments, unused or duplicative software contracts, redundant consulting agreements, and stale unliquidated obligations across VA administrative offices, and to provide Congress with recommendations to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within 180 days; Boebert (No. 4) that redirects $2 million to the Board of Veterans Appeals to help reduce its backlog so that veteran claims can be adjudicated in a timely manner; Boebert (No. 5) that redirects $2 million to provide additional resources for medical and prosthetic research to ensure our veterans receive cutting edge medical care from the VA; Boebert (No. 6) that redirects $2 million to provide additional funding for the construction of new state-extended care facilities; Boebert (No. 7) that redirects $2 million to fund grants for the construction of veteran's cemetery programs to assist state and tribal governments in providing burial benefits for veterans in rural areas lacking a VA national cemetery; Boebert (No. 8) that redirects $2 million to the Office of the Inspector General to combat waste, fraud, and abuse; Carson (No. 9) that increases funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical and Prosthetic Research account for veteran- focused medical, prosthetic, toxic exposure, and rehabilitation research; Crow (No. 11) that increases funding for the Medical Services account by $500,000 to establish a working group focused on improving the collection and analysis of data regarding veteran on-campus suicides and attempted suicides, and reduces funding for the General Administration account by $500,000; Elfreth (No. 12) that increases and decreases funding by $86 million for the US Naval Academy's Stormwater Management System; Gonzalez (TX) (No. 13) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for the Veterans Health Administration Medical Services to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a report to Congress on: (1) which VA hospitals and clinics have had dentist positions open for more than 60 days; (2) vacancy rates for dental positions in VA medical centers and clinics which provide dental services; (3) average wait times to receive a dental appointment across VA medical centers and clinics which provide dental services; Gonzalez (TX) (No. 14) that increases and decreases funds to direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to study the feasibility and potential benefits of establishing financial literacy centers at VA medical centers and other appropriate facilities; Gonzalez (TX) (No. 15) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for the Grants for Construction of Veterans Cemeteries for the purposes of emphasizing the need for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to allow internment of Military Working Dogs in veteran cemeteries; Gonzalez (TX) (No. 16) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for the Veterans Health Administration Medical Services to require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to provide a report to Congress on: (1) the number of unfilled positions for home health aides in Texas and New Mexico; (2) which communities in the states of Texas and New Mexico have the highest concentrations of unfilled home care positions; Gottheimer (No. 17) that increases and decreases funding by $285 million for the Veterans Health Administration Medical Services account to support Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grants; Graves (No. 18) that increases and decreases funding by $63 million military construction for the Air National Guard with the intent to construct a new aircraft apron at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base, in St. Joseph, Missouri; Kiggans (VA) (No. 19) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for Navy Military Construction for the purposes of ensuring that facilities at Naval Air Stations have adequately maintained Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 705 facilities that support naval aviation, such as hangers and Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facilities, are in working order and in adequate quantity for mission readiness; Kiggans (VA) (No. 20) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for Navy Military Construction for the purposes of ensuring that facilities supporting Amphibious capabilities, including, but not limited to, piers, and dry docks are in adequate repair; Kiggans (VA) (No. 21) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for Navy Military Construction for the purposes of ensuring Quality of Life-related facilities at Naval Aviation Training Areas, including, but not limited to, bathrooms, waiting areas, and ready rooms, are in working order; Kiggans (VA) (No. 22) that increases and decreases funding by $1 million for Navy Military Construction for the purposes of ensuring that working spaces, such as office buildings, bathrooms, and other similar facilities, used by Navy civilian employees at Public Shipyards are in working order; Ogles (No. 24) that increases and decreases funding for host nation support by $1,000,000 to direct the Secretary of the Army to submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Chambers of Congress a report detailing, for each overseas installation at which host nation support funds were obligated or expended during fiscal years 2025 and 2026: (1) the total U.S. contribution to military construction costs; (2) the total host nation financial contribution to the same projects; and (3) the ratio of U.S.-to- host nation expenditure expressed as a percentage of total project cost; Ogles (No. 25) that prohibits funds made available by this Act from being used to prepare more than one environmental impact statement for the same military construction project identified by the same Department of Defense Form 1391 project number, unless required by court order; Ogles (No. 26) that prohibits funds made available under the ``Medical Community Care'' account from being used in a manner inconsistent with the existing specialty care access standards; Ogles (No. 27) that prohibits funds made available under the ``Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps'' account from being used for architectural and engineering services or construction design for administrative facilities unless such activities support operational, training, maintenance, housing, or infrastructure-related facility categories recognized under the Department of Defense Real Property Categorization System; Pappas (No. 28) that increases and decreases construction, major projects funding by $1 million for the purpose of adding report language supporting robust funding for improvements to VA direct care for New Hampshire veterans, including funding for upgrades to the VA Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire--to include a replacement facility; Pettersen (No. 30) that increases and decreases the Major Construction account by $5 million to construct a new VA clinic, with primary care and mental healthcare services, in Fremont County, Colorado, where there are 5,000 veterans, but no VA clinic; Randall (No. 31) that increases/ decreases funding by $12 million for GAO to assess transportation barriers facing veterans in rural and highly rural communities traveling long distances for specialty care appointments, including travel times, transportation availability, and impacts on access to timely care; Randall (No. 32) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million for refrigeration, food storage, food preparation, and sanitation equipment upgrades at Naval shore installation dining facilities with limited kitchen infrastructure; Randall (No. 33) that increases and decreases funding by $12 million for upgrades to aging water and wastewater infrastructure serving Naval shore installations; Randall (No. 34) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million for construction and modernization of career resource, workforce development, and employment support facilities serving military spouses on Naval installations; Randall (No. 35) that increases and decreases funding by $15 million for Child Development Center expansion projects at Naval installations experiencing childcare waitlists for servicemembers and civilian personnel; Randall (No. 36) that increases and decreases funding by $12 million for repairs and modernization of water, utility, roadway, and community infrastructure serving military family housing areas at Naval installations; Randall (No. 37) that increases/decreases funding by $1 million to expresses the sense of Congress that access to affordable and reliable childcare is critical to military family readiness, retention, and quality of life for service members and civilian personnel; Randall (No. 38) that increases and decreases funding by $20 million for electrical grid modernization, backup power generation, microgrid capabilities, and energy resilience infrastructure upgrades at the Navy's four public shipyards to support continuous maintenance, repair, and industrial operations; Randall (No. 39) that increases and decreases funding by $10 million for roadway, parking, traffic flow, and multimodal transportation improvements on and surrounding Navy public shipyards to reduce congestion and improve workforce access during peak shift changes; Randall (No. 40) that increases and decreases funding by $8 million for modernization of locker rooms, break facilities, restrooms, and workforce support spaces used by civilian shipyard workers and apprentices at Navy public shipyards; Randall (No. 41) that increases and decreases funding by $10 million for ventilation, lighting, fire suppression, and emergency response infrastructure upgrades in industrial and maintenance facilities at Navy public shipyards; Sewell (No. 46) that increases and decreases the Air National Guard Military Construction account by $15 million to demolish World War II-era facilities and construct a services training facility at Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama; Stanton (No. 47) that increases and decreases funding by $5 million for the Office of the Secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs to emphasize the importance of the service of Tribal veterans and to encourage the Secretary to consult with Tribal partners on adapting culturally significant insignia at facilities that serve Tribal veterans and to expand the hiring of culturally competent clinical staff; Stanton (No. 48) that redirects $5 million to the Office of Rural Health to fund the use of mobile clinics and targeted clinical staffing to improve access to care for Tribal veterans; and Walkinshaw (No. 51) that increases and decreases funding for Department of Veterans Affairs General Administration by $1 million to emphasize the importance of ensuring that MilConVA facilities meet indoor air quality (IAQ), ventilation, and HVAC performance standards and the need for strengthened oversight and GAO review of IAQ conditions in MilCon funded buildings;
Pages H3501-03
Correa (No. 10 printed in part B of H. Rept. 119-648) that increases and decreases funding by $45 million for the Medical and Prosthetic Research account at the Department of Veterans Affairs to emphasize the importance of the Department's research on areas benefiting veterans such as oncology, traumatic brain injury care, psychedelic therapies, and assistive devices; and
Page H3503
Mast (No. 23 printed in part B of H. Rept. 119-648) that prohibits funds appropriated to the Department of Veterans Affairs from being used to enforce provisions of VHA Directive 1315 that restrict VA providers from assisting veterans with participation in State-approved marijuana programs. H. Res. 1275, the rule providing for consideration was agreed to yesterday, May 13th.
Pages H3503-05
Senate Message
Message received from the Senate appears on page H3468. Quorum Calls Votes: Four yea-and-nay votes and two recorded votes developed during the proceedings of today and appear on pages H3505, H3505-06, H3506-07, H3507, H3507-08, and H3508-09. Adjournment: The House met at 10 a.m. and adjourned at 8:09 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: 214 of 322 spoken turns were found. Turns without a time are still listed; they just can't seek.
Morning-Hour Debate
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the order of the House of January 6, 2026, the Chair will now recognize Members from lists submitted by the majority and minority leaders for morning-hour debate.
The Chair will alternate recognition between the parties, with time equally allocated between the parties and each Member other than the majority and minority leaders and the minority whip limited to 5 minutes, but in no event shall debate continue beyond 11:50 a.m.
Mr. Speaker, DTE Energy has a monopoly in my district. It is the primary source of utilities for gas and electricity for my residents. This is why it is critical and important for me to introduce the Make DTE Pay Act. It would substantially increase monetary penalties on utilities like DTE Energy when they seek customer rate increases within two preceding or following Clean Air Act violations.
Mr. Speaker, you might ask: Why?
It is because DTE was hit with more than $100 million in penalties for violating the Clean Air Act by a Federal judge. Within the same week, they got a $240 million increase in rates, and DTE Energy customers, our residents, already know we are paying some of the highest rates in the country for some of the least reliable services, all while DTE shareholders and executives get richer. Now we know DTE has, again, been hit by this violation. They turned around and put it on the consumers.
Corporate polluters like DTE treat breaking environmental laws as just the cost of doing business. It is insulting to every single family in my district that is being poisoned by the air they breathe because of this company, and they turn around and jack up our utility bills year after year.
That is why it is critical and important that we introduce the Make DTE Pay Act. I encourage my colleagues to understand the importance of this. This legislation forces utilities like DTE to make a choice: Follow the Clean Air Act or face real financial consequences when they try to raise rates on customers whom they have already harmed.
We have to change the math. Polluting our communities must be as bad for business as it is for our health. Our families deserve clean air, reliable service, and accountability, not excuses and higher bills.
Mr. Speaker, Republicans are trying to drag this country back to a Jim Crow South where Black political power is stripped and our voices are stripped, silenced, and dismissed. This time it is not with the hoods but with maps and court rulings that do the same old work.
People might find this insulting, but it is very obvious why we need the Voting Rights Act. It is because they turned around and changed the map to dilute Black voices. With the help of the far right, extreme Supreme Court, they are dismantling voting rights across the South and targeting our Black neighbors who have bled, marched, and died for our civil rights.
The administration promised to make life more affordable. Instead, they have gutted our healthcare for millions, invested in death and destruction abroad, and used their fascist ICE army to tear apart our communities. They know these policies are not popular among the American people. That is why they are redrawing the maps. It is because it is the only way they can win.
I am from Detroit, the most beautiful, Blackest city in the country. Come there, Mr. Speaker. It is the most loving and most resilient community that you have ever met. That is where I learned to speak truth to power, even if my voice shakes.
When Black political power is attacked anywhere, then our democracy itself is under attack everywhere. We have seen all this before, Mr. Speaker, but like those who came before us, we will not be intimidated, we will not be silenced, and we will not back down.
Mr. Speaker, right now, on any given night, in the richest country on Earth, nearly 771,000 of our neighbors are unhoused. One million children experience homelessness every year. Think about that: 1 million children. This is not accidental. This is a policy choice.
Every year, Congress passes another record-breaking military budget. We always find money for war and destruction, even though the Department of War hasn't passed eight audits in a row.
Somehow, we are told, there is not enough money to house our people. This is unacceptable. We know the truth. Congress has the money, and
Housing is a human right. Our government has a responsibility to treat it that way. There will be no more excuses. We must act because our neighbors deserve a home and dignity, and we refuse to accept anything else.
Mr. Speaker, please join me in supporting the Unhoused Persons Bill of Rights resolution that lays out a real path forward, boosting affordable housing for so many of our communities, fully funding Federal housing programs, and expanding access to services for unhoused individuals. These are investments we need, and these are investments that the American people ask for.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and recognize a business in my district celebrating its 100th birthday this month.
Harris Baking Company of Rogers, Arkansas, began operations back in 1926 under the leadership of Earl A. Harris. During the Great Depression, the bakery team produced up to 250 loaves each day and sold them for a mere ten cents a loaf. Mr. Harris, grateful for his employees, made sure during that difficult time that none of those employees missed a check.
He expanded it in 1937 and upped the daily production to 1,200 loaves a day, and, in 1950, a slicing and wrapping operation was added.
Earl Harris died in 1959, but the legacy of his company ensued. With serious competition from national brands, a group of independent grocers purchased the bakery from the Harris family, the first to be owned by independent retailers in the United States.
By 1978, Harris Baking Company was producing 1 million loaves a year, and by the time it celebrated its 60th anniversary, it boasted 100 employees producing 75,000 units a day, a $250 million impact on the local economy.
Today, the company has 180 employees and distributes more than 30 million loaves annually. Deliveries occur three times a week in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Missouri. It is not just about the bottom line. Harris Baking Company routinely helps with disaster relief when our citizens are suffering a hardship.
Mr. Speaker, the book of Matthew says: ``Give us this day our daily bread.'' Harris Baking Company of Rogers, Arkansas, has been delivering this basic food staple now for 100 years.
Congratulations to this outstanding company, and here is to another century of quality service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the far too short life and legacy of Cayle Tern, a community leader, a fierce advocate for immigrant and refugee families, and a beloved son of east county and of Oregon.
Cayle came to Portland as a young child, an Iu Mien refugee from Laos, whose family spent years in a refugee camp before finding safety here.
That story became the foundation of his life's work: ensuring that other immigrant and refugee families had what his family did not, a voice in the decisions of their lives.
He brought that purpose to everything he touched. As civic engagement manager at APANO, he fought tirelessly for Asian-Pacific-American communities across Oregon. He served as president of the Iu-Mien Association of Oregon, board chair of the Asian Pacific Islander Community Coalition of Oregon, a member of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization Governance Board, and a board member of the Reynolds School District.
He helped build a school in Laos and was instrumental in founding MINTeD, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Southeast Asian youth. His commitment was steadfast, and it was genuine.
In the final chapter of his work, as ICE escalated its targeting of Laotian and Southeast Asian community members across Oregon, Cayle immersed himself in the effort to protect his neighbors.
I had the honor, just a few weeks ago, to work with Cayle, PIRC, the city of Portland, and many others to elevate the work we all need to be doing to protect our Laotian and Hmong immigrants in our community from ICE cruelty and lawlessness. He wanted his people to be informed, protected, and seen. That was Cayle.
He had a gift for bringing people together through friendship, through laughter, through shared meals and through the simple, powerful act of showing up. He made people feel welcomed and valued, and he understood that community is built through relationship as much as it is through policy.
To his wife, May, his children, and his family: Oregon grieves with you. We stand in firm support of you as you navigate this really treacherous and hard time.
Mr. Speaker, Cayle gave so much to so many, and his legacy lives on in every person he inspired to show up, to organize, and to lead with heart. His legacy calls us forward.
Mr. Speaker, inflation just jumped to its highest level in 3 years. Gas prices are at a 4-year high, with Oregonians paying an average of $5.35 a gallon. Working families are struggling. They are choosing between filling up their tank and putting food on the table. They are watching their costs go up while their paychecks stay the same.
This is the reality at home, and bringing relief to our communities must be our priority, yet the administration and Republicans are refusing to center the American people. Instead, they are allowing a reckless and unnecessary war in the Middle East to continue, driving up global oil prices, alienating our allies, and creating instability in energy markets and the world's economy.
Just yesterday, the Senate, once again, blocked legislation to stop this war. Today, the House has an opportunity to act. We will vote on a war powers resolution. At a time when Americans are asking us for relief, we should not be prolonging a war that makes their lives more expensive and less stable.
I refuse to stop talking about how hard people are working just to get by.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to prioritize caring for working families and to demand an end to the war in Iran.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Police Week, observed this year from May 10 to May 16.
Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, this week serves as a solemn tribute to the men and women in blue who lost their lives in the line of duty. Since then, support for National Police Week has grown significantly.
National Police Week is sponsored by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial fund. Its mission is to tell the story of American law enforcement, honor the fallen, and make it safer for those who serve.
This year, thousands of police officers and law enforcement supporters are gathering here in Washington, D.C., to show their public support for the men and women who wear the badge.
I encourage people visiting our Nation's Capital this week to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Here, Mr. Speaker, you can pay tribute to more than 24,000 fallen officers whose names are engraved on the memorial.
Earlier this year, we mourned Pennsylvania State Trooper Timothy O'Connor, who died during a traffic stop. Trooper O'Connor, like so many other law enforcement officers we have lost, served with dignity, honor, and courage. I pray God continues to protect and bless his family.
Every day, more than 700,000 law enforcement officers uphold the responsibility of protecting Americans and serving their local communities.
Mr. Speaker, our officers put on their uniforms each day knowing that they can be in harm's way at any moment. As a Member of Congress, I thank the Capitol Police officers who work so hard to protect the Capitol, Members of Congress, and their staff. These men and women serve with integrity and goodwill, making it possible for Representatives to serve their constituents.
Police officers across the Nation make their communities safer, and for that we are grateful.
Mr. Speaker, as we honor National Police Week, it is important to take a moment and remember the sacrifices many officers, as well as their families, have made.
May God continue to protect our police officers and their families. I thank all the officers who take the oath to serve and protect the public.
Mr. Speaker, as we commemorate National Police Week, I rise today on behalf of a grateful western New York community and a grateful nation to mourn the passing of Buffalo Police Inspector Daniel E. Redmond, whom we lost on March 4, 2026, at the age of 86.
Inspector Redmond's life was defined by service, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the City of Good Neighbors, Buffalo, New York.
Dan wore the badge for 39 years. He rose through the ranks from patrol officer to lieutenant to captain and, ultimately, to inspector, the highest civil service rank in the department.
What defined Dan most was not the title he had but the choices he made, choices that helped him earn the respect of our entire city and community.
Dan believed leadership meant standing shoulder to shoulder with the men and women doing the work. It meant being present when it mattered most. As an inspector, Dan could have taken the easy path. He could have worked steady days, avoided weekends, and spent his time behind a desk. Instead, he chose the night shifts and the hardest hours, often working the same shifts as the youngest officers under his command.
That was the kind of public servant that Dan Redmond was. That was the kind of leader he was.
Over the course of his career, he responded to some of the most difficult and tragic moments our city has ever faced. He was there in the aftermath of violence, in the chaos of crime scenes, and in the solemn heartbreak that follows unspeakable loss.
Dan served as the initial command officer at hundreds of incidents, moments that would test anyone's strength, courage, and humanity. Through it all, Dan persevered because of his spirit and his virtue.
Those who knew him best knew a kind and easygoing man who led with empathy. Dan cared deeply for his fellow officers. He made it a point to be there for them in their precincts, on the streets, and at the scenes that would stay with them long after their shifts ended.
Dan understood that policing is not just about enforcing the law. It is about connecting with the communities that you are sworn to protect.
Dan's legacy of service didn't end with him. His son, Daniel, and daughter-in-law, Lissa, both became Buffalo police detectives. His eldest grandson, John, currently serves as a Buffalo police officer. In Buffalo, the Redmond lineage is synonymous with the commitment to protect and serve, thanks to the example Dan set for his family.
Outside his uniform, Dan was a devoted husband to his wife, Margaret, for 58 years. Their partnership was built on faith, love, and resilience.
Dan was a proud father to Daniel, Mollie, and the late Peggy. He was a beloved grandfather to John, Kierra, Michael, Natalie, Mary Grace, Kyle, Kerilyn, Patrick, Lillian, and the late Margaret.
In retirement, Dan found joy in the simple things, like riding his bike through the streets of South Buffalo, reading a good book, and watching a movie with the love of his life.
Dan was a man of deep faith, a devoted member of St. Martin of Tours Church, and a steady presence in the neighborhood that shaped him.
With Dan's passing, Buffalo lost one of our strongest advocates and guardians.
On behalf of a grateful community and a grateful nation, I thank Inspector Redmond. I thank him for the nights he gave up so others could sleep safely. I thank him for the burdens he carried so others would not have to. I thank him for choosing the path of service.
Mr. Speaker, Buffalo is safer and stronger because of Dan's work. May we honor his legacy by living up to the example he set to serve with humility and lead with integrity.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael ``Gator'' Harrod, who recently eclipsed an impressive 1 million miles as a truck driver--accident-free.
Michael moved from Florida to Chillicothe, Ohio, and started his journey to a million miles just 7 years ago. One of the perks Michael shared from his experience has been seeing many of the beautiful parts of America and Canada.
Responsible for making hundreds of decisions on the road every day that impact the safety of both himself and other drivers, Michael has an exceptional track record of safe driving. He is known for taking necessary precautions, following speed requirements, and vigilantly looking out for potential obstacles.
Generating nearly $906 billion in revenue in 2024, America's trucking industry powers our economy, creates 8.5 million jobs, and secures America's supply chains.
Michael is just one of the Nation's highly skilled truck drivers who we all depend on to transport valuable goods and keep our Nation's economy moving forward.
In Congress, I am a vocal advocate of this industry, ensuring that our truck drivers are fully equipped to be safe on the road. I proudly founded the first-ever Bipartisan Congressional Trucking Caucus to create a forum for lawmakers to address issues relating to the industry and policies that promote integrity, safety, and growth.
I also introduced a bill called Connor's Law, which was included in Dalilah's Law and passed through the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. My bill will ensure that all truck drivers are proficient in the English language before being granted a commercial driver's license to prevent any more Americans from being killed or injured at the hands of truck drivers who can't read road signs.
It is outstanding drivers like Michael who set the standard of excellence in our trucking industry, and I commend him on this tremendous achievement. I look forward to continuing to advocate for the needs of our amazing truck drivers in Congress.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Budder Manley of River Valley High School. Budder recently won the first State wrestling championship in River Valley history and the third State championship in the history of the school.
Budder, who is only a sophomore, dominated the tournament in the 190- pound Division III weight class by beating competitors across Ohio on the way to the State championship. He was supported along the way by southern Ohio and the River Valley community.
A special streaming party was even held for those who could not make it to the tournament in Columbus, so they could watch Budder compete.
All of southern Ohio is proud of Budder for his achievement and cannot wait to see his continued success during his junior and senior years and beyond.
Everybody ought to watch out for Budder Manley. He means business.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of outstanding Portsmouth High School athletes, including the Lady Trojans girls'
The Lady Trojans basketball team repeated as Division V State champs by beating Ottawa-Glandorf 53-48 on the back of junior Keke Woods' 26- point performance. Portsmouth's victory ended Ottawa-Glandorf's 28-game winning streak.
Additionally, Serinity Kalb and Bailey Waughtel won State championships for the second year in a row in powerlifting in each of their respective weight classes. Claiming her title, Serinity lifted a total of 730 pounds between the squat, dead lift, and bench class. Bailey lifted an impressive 930 pounds.
These girls' dedication, hard work, and skill are evident through their high achievements, and I commend them for their outstanding accomplishments.
Portsmouth High School is a force to be reckoned with. I give a heartfelt congratulations to all these stellar athletes. I know I speak for all of southern Ohio when I say we are proud of the Trojans.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Brett Kelly, owner of La Terrazza restaurant in New City, New York, who passed away peacefully at the age of 58 following a stroke.
A New Jersey native, Brett grew up in South Hackensack and earned a degree from William Paterson University in 1989. From a young age, he dreamed of owning a restaurant where people from all walks of life could gather and enjoy authentic Italian cuisine.
Through his strong work ethic, Brett built a career in the hospitality industry. In 1995, his dream became a reality when he became the proud owner of La Terrazza. There, he created not just a business but a place where people felt at home, and he often referred to his staff as his second family, a testament to the bonds he built throughout his life.
Brett will be remembered for his generosity, kindness, and remarkable ability to make everyone feel at home with his warmth and humor.
Mr. Speaker, I extend my deepest condolences to his wife, Lisa; his daughter, Savannah; and all who had the privilege of knowing him. May his memory be a blessing.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of John ``Jack'' Coyle, a devoted public servant and pillar of the New City community.
Born in Nyack, New York, Jack lived a life defined by service, commitment, and quiet leadership. After graduating from Nyack High School and Southern Methodist University, he proudly answered the call to serve his country in the United States Army, reflecting his lifelong dedication to protecting others.
Jack's commitment to public service continued throughout his time at the New City Fire Department, where he served as a volunteer for a remarkable 70 years, making him the oldest living member at the time of his passing.
Beyond his service, Jack built an impressive career in the insurance and real estate industry, building Coyle & Coyle, Inc., in his hometown, while remaining active in community committees and being an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church in New City.
Mr. Speaker, Jack was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend to all who knew him. I extend my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones. May his memory be a blessing.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Thelma Barlow, a pillar of the Somers community serving as a school crossing guard for the Somers Central School District for nearly 40 years.
A lifelong resident of Shenorock, New York, Thelma served as the commissioner of the Boy Scouts of America and was a longtime member of the church of the Good Shepherd in Granite Springs, where she also served on the Altar Guild.
Thelma was an active member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Somers Fire Department and a member of the Yorktown Grange. Her love of photography and her commitment to her community were always remembered by everyone who knew her. Last year, in recognition of her service, a pedestrian crossing near Route 202, where she
Thelma was a remarkable inspiration to her community, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Robert Gebbia from Cross River on his retirement after nearly 30 years of distinguished leadership and service to suicide prevention.
Bob has led the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, building it into the Nation's leading new suicide prevention organization. Under his leadership, AFSP expanded to more than 70 chapters nationwide and grew its annual revenue from roughly $1 million to more than $50 million, supporting critical work in research, education, advocacy, and community programs, launching annual Out of the Darkness Walks in cities nationwide, connecting millions of Americans affected by suicide to community, and raising awareness.
He has served as a founding member of the National Council for Suicide Prevention and on the executive committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, helping elevate mental health as a national priority.
Bob leaves behind a legacy marked by meaningful impact, compassion, and a steadfast dedication to the nonprofit sector.
As he enters retirement, I am grateful for his leadership and wish him nothing but the very best in the years to come.
Mr. Speaker, this Military Appreciation Month, we honor those who have worn the uniform of the United States Armed Forces and those who continue to wear it today.
We celebrate veterans and their families who carry the burden of war with them and the American servicemembers currently standing watch in dangerous and uncertain places around the world. Every day, they choose duty to their country over comfort.
I was proud to begin this Military Appreciation Month at the Top of Virginia Honor Flight sendoff, standing by the veterans whose service helped shape our Nation's history and preserve the freedoms that we enjoy today.
As we honor those who serve and have served our country this month, we also need to ensure that our veterans receive the care that they deserve. This includes mental health support for those who carry the invisible wounds of war.
That is why I was proud to announce the Susan E. Lukas 9/11 Servicemembers Fairness Act to extend PACT Act benefits to those who returned to work in the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks before it was safe.
That is why I have spoken out about cuts to the VA and threats to veterans' disability benefits. That is why I am pushing for legislation to ensure surviving spouses have the resources they need.
Military Appreciation Month is about more than just celebrating service. It is also about honoring those that still serve today, supporting veterans who sacrificed so much for this country, and making sure America keeps its promises to the people willing to risk everything to defend it.
Mr. Speaker, for years, the People's Republic of China has carried out and operated a vast network of forced labor against ethnic minorities.
More than 1 million Uyghurs, in particular, have been detained since 2017. Most have been forced to work in labor camps.
More must be done to combat this practice of forced labor. The Uyghur community in my district has told me terrible stories of family and friends in China being forced to work long, strenuous hours or face brutal punishment or torture in detention camps.
Unfortunately, many U.S. companies purchase products produced by these forced labor camps. Many Americans don't understand that our phones, clothes, and daily products could all have parts made from that forced labor without us even knowing.
That is why I am joining Representative Moran and Representative Carson in introducing the Uyghur Forced Labor Disclosure Act.
The bill is straightforward. It requires companies to review and disclose whether any of their products have been produced with Uyghur forced labor. The American people deserve to know if what they buy is a result of forced labor, and this legislation is a step towards stopping those terrible practices.
As President Trump heads to China this week to meet with President Xi Jinping, he must take this opportunity to highlight human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities during this trip.
Let's put an end to forced labor and pass this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize National Police Week.
We celebrate it by honoring the brave law enforcement officers who serve our communities across the country and the great work that organizations do to support them. That includes Federal law enforcement, like the U.S. Capitol Police who keep the entire Capitol Hill complex safe.
I especially thank the law enforcement personnel in my community, including all of our men and women who serve in our town and county sheriff's offices and police departments all across northern Virginia and Shenandoah.
We are also grateful for airport, metro, university, and State law enforcement officials who help protect our community in so many ways.
This is also a time to honor law enforcement that we have lost, officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, like Ashley Guindon, a Prince William County officer who was shot and killed on her first day 10 years ago.
Every year, an average of 57 police officers are killed by suspects. Far too many, at least 184 public safety officers, die by suicide each year.
As we honor and remember servicemembers we have lost, let's continue to support our commitment to law enforcement officials and their families. It takes all of us to keep them safe too.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Gene Copenhaver of southwest Virginia on his selection as president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, the Nation's oldest and largest cattle producer organization.
A fifth-generation cattleman whose family roots in Virginia date back to the 1850s, Gene has devoted his life to agriculture, service, and leadership. He is the first Virginian in the association's 128-year history to serve as its president, assuming this role on February 5.
As President of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, Gene Copenhaver represents producers nationwide, including cattlemen and women here in Virginia's Sixth Congressional District.
For over four decades, Gene balanced managing his family's cattle operation with a 38-year career as an agricultural loan officer, serving cattle producers across five East Coast States. He has held numerous leadership roles within NCBA and is past president of the Virginia Cattlemen's Association.
Despite a demanding travel schedule, he remains committed to grassroots engagement and local cattlemen's organizations, believing that strong agriculture begins at the community level.
I congratulate Gene, his wife, Jodi, and their family, and I thank him for his leadership in strengthening American agriculture and our Nation's food security.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Police Week to pay tribute to the heroes who protect and serve our communities every day. Our Nation and our streets are safer because police officers put themselves in harm's way in the service of others. Their courage, professionalism, and unwavering commitment to duty are the foundation of safe neighborhoods, strong communities, and the rule of law.
This week, we recognize the men and women who have made the ultimate
We also recognize the law enforcement officers who continue to serve with courage and dedication, knowing each day that their calling is the safety and protection of others. In the Sixth District and across the Commonwealth, our officers exemplify that spirit of service.
This is a time of reflection, unity, and gratitude as we honor the resilience, commitment, and steadfast dedication of those who wear the badge.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ms. Pam Simmons for her well-deserved retirement as director of the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Alcohol Safety Action Program, or ASAP, where she served for 38 years.
ASAP works to reduce alcohol-related accidents and fatalities through education and prevention. During her tenure, she strengthened partnerships with law enforcement, providing training and donating equipment, such as Alco-Sensors, funded entirely through ASAP fees, not through taxpayer dollars.
She also worked with local colleges, serving on the board of JMU's community coalition and established ASAP as a field placement site for psychology and health science students, helping prepare the next generation of professionals.
Pam is also proud to have served as president of the Virginia ASAP Directors' Association.
Beyond her official duties, she volunteered on the board and is president of Harrisonburg's First Night, a well-loved, family-centered, and alcohol-free New Year's Eve celebration.
Mr. Speaker, Pam Simmons is an unsung hero whose career was devoted to making our communities safer, and her services undoubtedly saved lives and strengthened the Shenandoah Valley. I thank her and wish her the very best in her next chapter of life.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize the continued celebration of the town of Mount Jackson's bicentennial, as this historic Shenandoah Valley community marks 200 years since its incorporation in 1826. This milestone is not just about celebrating the passage of time, but the incredible story of a town that transformed and refuses to stand still.
Mount Jackson is a master class in how to honor the past while building for the future. The historic 1939 Triplett School has been beautifully reimagined as the Shenandoah County Community Center, now a vibrant 30,000-square-foot hub for residents.
The Nelson Theater, a beacon of Main Street culture, is poised for its own massive renovation that will once again make it a centerpiece of community life.
Mayor Donnie Pifer highlights that the town's forward momentum is powered by its people and businesses: Holtzman Oil and Propane, Route 11 Potato Chips, and Bowman Andros Products, each contributing to the local economy and carrying Mount Jackson's name across the globe.
As town manager Olivia Hilton put it, they are the authors of the next 200 years, and it is time to make them historic. Let us all recognize the town of Mount Jackson as a shining example of Virginia's spirit--a town that honors its heritage and investments in its future.
Mr. Speaker, what should we say to angry men in robes?
What are we going to say to men in robes who are angry about the outcome of the Civil War?
What are we going to say to men in robes who are angry about Reconstruction-era amendments to our Constitution that said that anyone born in America can't have their voice or their vote suppressed, regardless of their race?
What are we going to say to men in robes who are angry that Congress finally enshrined those protections into law through the 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights Acts?
What are we going to say to men in robes who are angry that those laws gave voices to people whose voices had been suppressed since 1619?
What are we going to say to those angry men if they believe that their robes, and their robes alone, are going to scare us into silence; that it will let them force their racist and unconstitutional wills on us?
Chief Justice Roberts has said that we now live in a color-blind society, to which I would ask you all: Does your answer to those questions depend on whether that robe is white or black?
Make absolutely no mistake, the agenda of this Supreme Court and the agenda of the Klan are far too similar.
This court decided in Shelby that Congress couldn't supervise State elections that had a history of discrimination.
They decided in Calais that it is okay to design congressional districts to suppress minority voices.
They will do that all, confident that their robes are going to scare us all into silence.
I ask you again: What are we going to say to all of these angry men in robes?
Because we do have a voice in this body. We have the legislative authority to slash their jurisdiction, to take away their ability to decide what cases to hear.
We have the power to defend this coequal branch against their encroachments, to defend the Constitution, and to defend every American who yearns for a country that is better than this.
Now, some of you are no doubt going to favor silence. But the best among us in this body right now are going to lift every one of our voices and sing. We are going to sing a song that is full of the faith that all of that dark past has taught us but is rich with the hope that this present has brought us. Make no mistake, every one of us, the singers and the silent, are going to be heard.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor a true public servant, Chief Russell Roark, whose life has been defined by dedication, by integrity, and by exceptional service to the people of Union County and the entire State of South Carolina.
Chief Roark first began his career in public safety in 1962, over 64 years ago, when he joined the City of Union Fire Department. Just one year later, he joined the Union City Police Department. Through hard work, professionalism, and steady leadership, Chief Roark quickly advanced through the ranks, becoming assistant chief of police in 1975, then chief of police in 1982.
In 1983, he played a pivotal role in the merger of the Union City Police Department and the City of Union Fire Department into a single unified agency, known as the Union Public Safety Department. He became its first director, and under his leadership, the department earned South Carolina law enforcement accreditation, becoming the first law enforcement agency in Union County to achieve such a distinction and honor.
Chief Roark also made lasting improvements to the community fire service division, emphasizing advanced training and the importance of strong fire prevention efforts. Thanks to his leadership, the department earned a class 2 ISO rating, which is the Insurance Services Office, an achievement that enhanced public safety while reducing insurance costs for the residents and businesses all across Union County.
After 40 years of service, Chief Roark retired from the Union County Public Safety Department in 2003, but his commitment to serving others did not end there. He returned just 2 days later to work with the Union County Sheriff's Department, where he served as a patrol deputy and the civil process deputy.
In 2021, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster awarded Roark with the Order of the Palmetto, which is the State's highest civilian honor.
Chief Roark officially retired from law enforcement in November of last
His legacy is not confined to the number of years he has served, which is no doubt historic, but it is immortalized in the many lives that he touched, the standard that he continually set, and example that he leaves behind. Chief Roark's dedication, his faith, and his integrity have made a lasting impression on everyone in Union County and will continue to inspire future generations of public servants to follow in his footsteps.
I am proud to recognize Chief Russell Roark and thank him for his lifetime of extraordinary service and commitment to the people of Union County and to the entire State of South Carolina.
Mr. Speaker, last September, the Trump administration announced that it would roll back the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, or the GHGRP.
I led 29 of my colleagues urging the EPA to preserve the GHGRP. I also introduced a resolution to protect it from the Trump administration's attacks.
Since 2010, the GHGRP has collected and tracked greenhouse gas emissions from more than 8,000 sites, including landfills, power plants, and oil refineries. Federal agencies, State and local governments, businesses, and community-based organizations rely on this data to keep our communities and environment healthy. Rolling back the GHGRP will leave environmental justice communities unprepared to address the harmful environmental health and economic impacts of climate change.
My constituents in the San Fernando Valley have long lived in a sacrifice zone and a dumping ground for environmental pollution. This has led to more generational health problems and increased rates of asthma and other respiratory diseases than in surrounding areas.
The Trump administration is making it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe from pollution. I urge my colleagues to join me in calling for the administration to protect environmental justice communities and halt its rollback of the GHGRP.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate North Hollywood High School for placing fifth in the National Science Bowl. Led by North Hollywood teacher and coach Altair Maine, Connor Zhao, Connor Chang, Mingao Guo, Suzuko Ohshima, and Charles Huang, this team proudly represented Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley in a nationwide competition of 65 high school teams.
In a crowded and competitive field, the team showed their teamwork and exceptional STEM knowledge by answering complex questions about biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, energy, and math.
I congratulate Coach Maine for leading North Hollywood High School to another strong finish. Thank you for encouraging the North Hollywood High School community to become involved and interested in STEM.
North Hollywood High School's series of top finishes in the National Science Bowl is proof that the best science minds can be found in California's 29th Congressional District.
My office was happy to host the team and give them a tour of the U.S. Capitol when they were in Washington, D.C., this month. It is clear that they all have bright futures ahead.
I want to give a special shout-out to the three seniors on the team, Connor Zhao and Connor Chang, best friends since the fourth grade. They will be attending Stanford. Suzuko, who was a gold medalist in the International Biology Olympiad his sophomore year, will be attending MIT in the fall.
The future of this program, the students on the team, and the faculty who support the team is bright.
Mr. Speaker, the San Fernando Valley congratulates Sylvia Fajardo on her retirement as principal of Pacoima Charter Elementary School. After decades of service, leadership, and dedication, Sylvia is a true champion in our community.
Sylvia immigrated to the United States at the age of 13 where she quickly learned English and became a proud naturalized citizen. Sylvia believed in giving back to the country that gave her and her family new opportunities. She enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where she served 8 years before receiving an honorable discharge.
But her service to her community did not end there. Sylvia brought the same discipline, care, and determination into the classrooms of Pacoima Charter Elementary School where she uplifted students and their families. Drawing on her background in civil engineering, Sylvia built a comprehensive STEM program at Pacoima Charter, which opened doors for students of all backgrounds to explore their interests in the STEM field.
Sylvia's steady leadership was on full display when Pacoima became the target of Trump's ICE raids. Sylvia was at the forefront, protecting students, supporting families, and ensuring that none of the Pacoima community faced these challenges alone.
This is who she is as a leader and as a member of our community. It was my honor to invite her as my guest to this year's State of the Union Address.
Sylvia understands what it means to dedicate your life to serving our community and country with honor. We celebrate Sylvia's incredible career and the lasting impact that she has made in our community, and we thank her.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor Mr. John Browning, Jr., a distinguished member of the Putnam County community who shows that leadership and civic duty are a full-time job.
During his time in the United States Army, Mr. Browning learned unique skills, such as teamwork and leadership, that has led to his business success.
After earning his associate's degree at St. Johns River State College and bachelor's degree at Florida State University, Mr. Browning began running multiple businesses in Florida, including his family's ranch and the oldest restaurant in Florida, Angel's Dining Car.
He was then appointed by former President George H.W. Bush to the National Council on Surface Transportation and the White House Advance Team.
Later, Mr. Browning became the senior vice president of political affairs for the Goodman Company, headquartered in West Palm Beach. His work aims to support real estate investments that center around commerce and energy grid initiatives.
John Browning, Jr., served Florida with humility, attentiveness, and an understanding of the Florida community, and I have enjoyed working with him since I first got elected to the Florida legislature in 2016. He embodies the very best of American citizenship, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing his remarkable contributions.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and resilience of Putnam County's firefighters and first responders and the county's tremendous leadership on combating one of the county's worst wildfires in recent years.
I also thank St. Lucie County Fire District for sending their firefighters all the way up to Putnam to help extinguish our fires.
These railroad fires, which started with a spark from a passing train, have been raging for weeks now, destroying roughly 4,700 acres of land. The devastation has strained resources and forced hundreds to evacuate from their homes.
Thanks to the leadership of Putnam County's government and the tremendous hard work of our firefighters and emergency responders, the fire is now 95 percent contained as of today.
We can never ignore the dedication of our emergency responders and the sacrifice they make to our communities. It ensures our neighbors are safe and
I am grateful as well to our State and local partners for working together to contain this disaster, including to President Trump and FEMA for approving the State's request for Federal funds to help fight against the railroad fires.
I look forward to continuing to be a resource in any way that I can for the people of Putnam County back home.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the spectacular work and commitment of Carol Peters within the agricultural community of Florida's Sixth Congressional District.
Mrs. Peters is the owner of Slow Turtle Farms in beautiful Eustis, Florida. From her humble plot of land, she has transformed a dairy operation into a jewel of the Eustis community.
Carol Peters is no stranger to hard work. For years, she and her husband have faithfully stood as owners, operators, and tenants of their operation. Their farm is not just a simple pastime. It is an all- encompassing adventure that demands a level of perfection and quality. Through their efforts, Slow Turtle Farm wears the distinct badge of a USDA Grade A dairy farm.
In 2024, Carol decided to take a step back from the operation of the farm and apply her expertise to the future of my constituents in Florida's Sixth Congressional District. Investing into our future farmers and ranchers, Mrs. Peters now holds classes showing students how to raise, breed, and invest within their own livestock.
Agriculture is too often overlooked and something that we need to focus on, but she has made it a priority to keep that tradition alive. Working alongside the county Future Farmers of America and 4-H program, she has ensured the future of Florida's agriculture is in good hands.
It is my honor to represent a constituent who understands the vital role of the agriculture industry and where Florida's youth fits within this puzzle.
I also recognize a major achievement of Mrs. Peters and her students winning best in show for their prized doe goat.
Mrs. Peters serves her community with insight, attentiveness, and humility. She embodies the very best of American citizenship, and I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing her remarkable contributions.
Mr. Speaker, it is my distinct pleasure as a Member of Congress to recognize and honor the heroes of Florida's Sixth Congressional District that keep our cities, roads, and great State safe.
As we come to the end of National Police Week, it is imperative that we stand together to honor the brave men and women in blue who continue to protect our communities. Every day law enforcement officers put their lives on the line and continue to sacrifice home life and their safety for the American people.
As a Member of Congress, it is my duty to ensure that our Nation's police officers understand that I and the rest of Florida's Sixth Congressional District will always have their backs.
This week, let's take a second to remember the person behind each badge. Each officer has chosen to put their personal safety aside, swearing an oath to protect, serve, defend, and uphold the people and the laws of the United States. It is time our Nation places those who protect us at the forefront of efforts and give them the same honor they so humbly choose to serve our Nation with.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor the brave men and women, those in blue in law enforcement who put the badge on every day and make the choice to serve their communities, and to remember the officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice whose lives have been lost in the line of duty, and their families who continue to carry that sacrifice with them every single day.
In the San Joaquin Valley that I represent, our law enforcement officers are more than public servants. They are coaches. They are mentors. They are neighbors. They are parents and members of our communities that they protect.
This week, we are honored to have Sergeant Sammy Ashworth, Sergeant Roland Rendon, and Detective Chris Franks of the Fresno Police Department Honor Guard, here in Washington to represent the Central Valley and honoring fallen officers from across the country. Their presence here is a reminder of deep respect we owe to every officer who has answered the call to serve.
We have seen firsthand in Fresno what can happen when law enforcement has the tools, the technology, the training, the community, and the support they need to succeed.
Last year, Fresno saw its homicide rate fall to a 51-year all-time low. Shootings, robberies, aggravated assaults, and motor vehicles theft also declined significantly.
Fresno police recovered more than 1,500-plus crime-related firearms and achieved a homicide clearance rate above the national average, a tribute to this tremendous department.
Those results don't happen by accident. They happen because officers are doing their work every single day, 365 days a year. They happen because departments have invested in technology and recruitment and prevention and partnerships with the community to have the best personnel there and to support them.
That is why we must continue to support law enforcement with funding, resources, and training necessary to protect our community safely and effectively.
Last year, I was proud to secure $1 million for the Orange Cove City Police Department to help relocate their current department into a new facility that will strengthen public safety for the community that they serve.
In addition, we were able to obtain another $1 million for the Parlier Police Department to renovate its facilities and improve operating conditions while supporting public safety in the valley.
Public safety is bigger than policing alone. If we really want to have safer communities across our country, we must invest in prevention, as well. Prevention is worth a pound of cure.
When families can afford groceries, healthcare, childcare, and housing, when young people have access to good schools and job opportunities, and when people have pathways to succeed, communities become stronger and crime declines. That is a simple matter of fact.
Food security is national security. Economic security is public safety. Think about it in those ways. When people are left behind, when costs continue to rise, and when support systems disappear, the pressure on families and communities grows.
We cannot expect law enforcement alone to carry every burden created by poverty, addiction, mental health challenges, and economic instability.
Supporting public safety means supporting both officers who work to protect our communities and the families working hard to build better lives.
Mr. Speaker, today, during National Police Week, I thank every law enforcement officer serving our communities, not only in the 21st Congressional District but throughout the country, every family that stands beside them, and every officer who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our Nation.
We honor them. We support them. We will never forget them.
Mr. Speaker, I close by saying: God bless all of those men and women who serve to protect our communities every day, 365 days of the year. They are truly the epitome of public service, and we thank all of them.
Mr. Speaker, I believe that every Member of Congress claims to have the most beautiful and wonderful district in the country, but I know it with the Fifth District of
Over the last break, I had the opportunity to do a 12-county and 12- day whistle-stop tour across my district, and I want to share with the good Members of Congress and the people of America what I learned.
Mr. Speaker, the inspiration for this trip was actually former Speaker of the House Tom Foley, who once represented the congressional district that I am now pleased to represent. Many people in eastern Washington think fondly of Tom Foley, including myself. In 1998, I received a Foley scholarship to Washington State University. I am often inspired by him, and he made whistle-stop tours.
In that spirit, I was inspired by him to make a 12-day tour across all 12 counties in my district, the largest congressional district in Washington. I had the honor of meeting with constituents at townhall meetings, county courthouses, schools, small businesses, and manufacturing facilities, to hear directly about their concerns, priorities, and ideas for the future.
The people of Washington's Fifth Congressional District spoke about many important issues, expressing support for progress in areas such as passage of the farm bill, which will benefit our farmers and ranchers, as well as continued congressional backing for the defense and aerospace industries that are vital to our region's economy and national security.
We also discussed the ongoing challenges facing our communities, including access to rural healthcare, rising gas prices, burdensome regulations, concerns surrounding trade policy, and ensuring the competitiveness of college sports.
I am so proud to serve as the voice of my constituents here in Washington, and I will continue working to advance legislation that strengthens the communities of eastern Washington.
Whether from Ione to Inchelium, from Clarkston to Colville, the wheat fields of the Palouse to the vineyards of Walla Walla, we have such a beautiful district, and it was wonderful to visit it over these last 12 days.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievements of the Colville High School Rocket Club, whose team recently qualified as a finalist in the national American Rocketry Challenge.
This team of 10 talented and dedicated students devoted months to designing, building, and launching model rockets in pursuit of excellence in science, engineering, and teamwork. Earning a place amongst the top 100 teams nationwide is an extraordinary accomplishment, especially in a competition that included more than 1,000 teams from across the country.
I am proud to welcome the Colville High School Rocket Club to Washington, D.C., this week. I met with them earlier on the Capitol steps. They truly represent the best of the future, and I can assure the American people that our future is bright as a country because of the young men and women of the Colville Rocket Club.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a Spokane institution and celebrate the 45th anniversary of The Swinging Doors Bar in Spokane, Washington.
Founded by Bob and Barb Materne on May 11, 1981, The Swinging Doors has been a go-to spot for delicious food and a warm, friendly atmosphere in Spokane for years. From the Doors mozz to Swinging Doors broasted chicken, from Barb's bacon burger to the German sausage sandwich, you can't go wrong with what you order at The Swinging Doors.
Over these past 45 years, The Swinging Doors has been more than just a restaurant. It has been a gathering place for families, friends, and neighbors. The Swinging Doors employs over 40 people. An experience with 60 televisions, it is an ideal spot to catch your favorite team on game day.
I congratulate The Swinging Doors and Bob and Barb. Everyone in Spokane knows how wonderful they are. It is wonderful to share their story with the good people of America and have them entered into the Congressional Record.
Mr. Speaker, do you know what the price of a gallon of gasoline costs today? It is too much. In Toledo, Ohio, it is $4.56. In Gainesville, Florida, it is $4.43. In Salt Lake City, Utah, it is $4.57.
That is too expensive.
Do you know what President Trump said about it? He basically said that it is tough luck. He said that he doesn't think about Americans' financial situation. His priorities make that clear.
Do you know what is a priority for Trump and Republicans? It is billions of your tax dollars to fund a fancy ballroom for Trump and his billionaire buddies, while at the same time giving ICE $70 billion to continue terrorizing our communities.
What Americans need right now is relief from higher costs. Gas is more expensive; groceries are more expensive; healthcare is more expensive, all because of choices made by Trump and Republicans.
Trump and Republicans have taxed Americans thousands of dollars a year on everyday items with their tariffs on items like phones, soup, and shoes, and cut billions of dollars in programs that would help make healthcare more accessible.
The pain that Americans felt was not enough for Trump and Republicans. As costs were already rising, Donald Trump launched us into this reckless war of choice on Iran that has skyrocketed gas prices. That pain is felt by every American.
As of Monday this week, the average price of gas was $4.52 a gallon. That is a parent deciding whether to fill the tank or buy groceries. That is a worker wondering if they can afford the commute to their job. Everywhere I go--in townhalls, community events, and neighborhood meetings--I hear the same thing: Congresswoman, prices are too high. We can't keep up. People are frustrated.
Trump promised to lower costs and end foreign wars. He lied. The American people are paying the price, and Trump says their pain is ``worth it.''
In my district, Marianna, a Wilmington resident, thinks twice before using her car. Why? She is afraid that she can't afford the price of gas. She now relies on online shopping just to get what she needs so that she doesn't have to use gas to drive to a store. Even Amazon online buying is costing consumers more because of higher fuel costs.
David, a small business owner of a local trucking company, has jumped back into driving his trucks to make ends meet because he can't afford to hire another driver.
While families are struggling, Big Oil companies are cashing in record profits, windfalls built on people struggling. If oil companies are making billions off of a crisis, then working families deserve a return for their money.
Instead of investing in solutions, the Trump administration has cut them. They have cut support for electric vehicles, cut funding for public transit, and cut funding for clean energy sources that would give people a choice. Yet, that is backward.
We need to invest in affordable, clean energy of the future so that families aren't stuck riding this roller coaster every time oil prices spike.
President Trump chose this path, and Republicans backed it. Big Oil is profiting from it. Meanwhile, the American people are left holding the bill. That is unacceptable. We need relief now, and we need to end the war to bring prices down.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the President.
Mr. Speaker, my district, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, is incredibly far from this Chamber, nearly twice as far from Washington, D.C., as Moscow, Russia.
Yet, the distance between the Northern Mariana Islands and Washington is
Tourism had not recovered. Businesses were closing. Families were leaving. Air service was shrinking. Government revenues were collapsing.
Mr. Speaker, this did not happen in a vacuum. For decades, Federal policies toward the territories, while often well-intentioned, have too often operated as barriers instead of bridges to long-term economic sufficiency.
One-size-fits-all Federal policies may work on the mainland, but they do not work for small, remote-island economies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
When transportation policies fail to account for isolation, we pay more. When healthcare systems fail to account for remoteness, people leave. When economic policies fail to account for the fact that tourism is our customer base, entire industries collapse.
When Federal systems are built around the assumption that every community has the same market access and the same economic flexibility, places like the Northern Mariana Islands are left trying to survive under rules that were never truly designed for us.
Then, Super Typhoon Sinlaku arrived.
Mr. Speaker, we are now weeks into a territory-wide recovery emergency across Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. More than 5,000 residents have already registered for FEMA individual assistance. Nearly half of surveyed households suffered major or catastrophic housing damage.
Entire islands lost power. Water systems failed. Hospitals, schools, sports, airports, and government facilities were forced into emergency operations.
While national media attention has already begun moving on, the people living this reality did not have the luxury of changing the channel because, for us, this is not a headline. This is home.
Thankfully, recovery is happening, but, Mr. Speaker, disasters do not create weaknesses out of nowhere. They expose the weakness that already exists. When a community has spent years operating at the edge, even a single storm can push entire systems toward failure.
The Indo-Pacific is often discussed through the lens of strategic competition and force projection, but national resilience in the Pacific also depends on whether American communities in the region remain economically and socially viable.
A collapsing utility system is a national security issue. A collapsing transportation system is a national security issue. The inability of American territories to sustain population, workforce, and economic activity in a strategically important region is a national security issue.
If we are serious about maintaining a durable American presence in the Indo-Pacific, then we must also be serious about the long-term viability of the American communities already living there.
In the coming weeks, I will be working with my colleagues, Federal agencies, and the administration on proposals aimed at addressing the underlying vulnerabilities this disaster has exposed because we cannot simply rebuild to what existed before. We must build systems that are stronger, more flexible, and actually designed to give communities like ours a chance to survive and grow.
Mr. Speaker, at the beginning, I mentioned that the Northern Mariana Islands live a day ahead of the rest of the country. Sometimes, it also feels like communities like mine experience America's future first.
What happens when infrastructure ages beyond sustainability? What happens when economic systems become too fragile to absorb disruption? What happens when communities lose the flexibility to respond to their own realities because the systems governing them have become too distant and too rigid?
In the Northern Mariana Islands, those pressures arrive earlier and more visibly because we are small, remote, and heavily dependent on decisions that are made here, but the lesson is not unique to the Pacific. A country as large and diverse as the United States cannot remain strong if every community is treated as though it faces the same conditions, the same constraints, and the same path forward.
Recovery is not only about debris removal and emergency response. It is about whether American communities still have a future once the cameras leave and the attention moves on. For the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands that question is immediate. It is urgent, and it deserves the attention of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, in March, I testified in front of the Appropriations Committee in support of the $600 million appropriations funding request for the Veterans State Home Grant. This is a program that funds the Roseburg State Veterans' Home.
The Appropriations Committee came back with $171 million request instead. That is a $104 million cut from the 2026 enacted amount and an insult to those who served our country and who have earned the right to live out the rest of their lives in dignity.
There is a huge backlog of projects that need funding from the VA State Home Grant, including the Roseburg State Veterans' Home, totaling over $1 billion--$1 billion. That is less than we spend in day on the war in Iran.
Veterans in my district have been advocating for this home since 2011. Oregon has done its part. The State first set aside matching funds for this project in 2011 when Representative Cliff Bentz and I served in the State legislature and again in 2024.
Unfortunately, the Federal Government has not held up its end of the bargain, and the need is clear. My district is home to more veterans than any other district in Oregon, and many live in rural communities with limited access to long-term care options.
The Roseburg State Veterans' Home would house more than 150 veterans and be a model for community-based care. Our veterans have waited long enough to receive the care they deserve. The Federal Government needs to step up and ensure these projects, like the Roseburg State Veterans' Home, can finally move forward.
This isn't just about Roseburg, Oregon, but throughout this country we should all be united in ensuring our veterans, who put their lives on the line to protect and serve our country, get the benefits that they earned and deserve.
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to congratulate the Eugene Emergency Physicians for their hard-fought and won contract with PeaceHealth, the only level 2 trauma hospital between Corvallis, Oregon, and Crescent City, California.
Now, for those who don't know, the PeaceHealth hospital leadership decided to replace our local emergency physician group, 41 medical professionals who live in our community and who have served our emergency medical needs with distinction for 35 years, with a management-run, venture capital-funded medical group out of Georgia.
Fortunately, Oregon passed a law restricting corporate ownership and the Corporate Practice of Medicine law that restricts MSOs from owning, controlling, or directing medical decisionmaking for professional medical entities.
It prevents MSOs from using a friendly physician amendment to circumvent ownership laws, and it voids noncompete, nondisclosure, and nondisparagement for medical professionals.
Now, if this law were not in place, then our community would have been left a lot less safe and less able to respond to a natural disaster or large emergency medical need before the July 4 weekend, which is traditionally the highest E.R. usage period in the year, and before what everyone agrees will be a devastating wildfire season.
We won this battle in Oregon. However, there is no national law that prohibits the corporate ownership and
We can and should fix that, and it shouldn't be partisan. We should all agree that large insurance companies, hedge funds, and venture capital firms should not be able to buy up healthcare systems, driving up costs while limiting service to everyone but their shareholders.
That is why I have introduced the people over profits bill to prevent squeezing every bit of profit out of a medical care system at the expense of our constituents when they are at their most vulnerable. We need this law so we can have more wins like the one I am so proud Eugene Emergency Physicians won last week. We need that all across this great country. It is the right thing to do, and I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting this very, very important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legacy of William P. Bass, a pioneer who helped found America's space program.
After serving in World War II, Mr. Bass continued his service as a civilian leader in the United States Air Force.
In 1950, he came to Florida to help establish the Eastern Test Range, building the infrastructure that would launch the American space race and its ultimate success.
As the highest ranking civilian manager at the Eastern Test Range, he oversaw operations that supported the Gemini and the Apollo missions between the Air Force and NASA and led an organization of tens of thousands of men and women in the missile and space operations program.
At a time when Brevard County was largely undeveloped, his leadership helped transform it into the birthplace of American exploration.
His legacy of that work is clear. It helped put Americans on the Moon and secure our Nation's leadership in space.
Today, we honor William P. Bass for his service, his vision, and his lasting impact for the space coast.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Andrew L. Miles, a proud veteran from Florida's Space Coast and our Veteran of the Month.
Technical Sergeant Miles served our Nation honorably for 23 years in the United States Air Force, dedicating his life to our country and our military.
In fact, while overseas in Madrid, he met his wife, Angeles, and they shared a life together. His distinguished service earned him the Air Force Commendation Medal with Oakleaf Cluster, Outstanding Unit Award, and the Good Conduct Medal, reflecting a career marked by professionalism and dedication.
Mr. Miles also reminds us of this civic truth: that democracy depends on participation. So today, we thank Andrew L. Miles for his service to our Nation, his example of patriotism, and continued commitment to our community.
Mr. Speaker, we not only live on the Space Coast, but we live on the beach. So today, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the bravery and quick action of the lifeguards on Florida's Space Coast.
Recently, a Brevard County Ocean Rescue team led that fight to take on these dangerous waters. In a moment where every second matters, they acted without hesitation, demonstrating skill, courage, and deep commitment to protecting others.
In 1 day they rescued 15 different individuals as they faced strong rip currents and hazardous conditions on our beaches.
These lifeguards are often the first line of defense between safety and tragedy. Their work requires vigilance, training, and the willingness to put others first.
Their actions serve as a reminder of the importance of respecting the ocean and always providing safety guidance.
We thank the entire Brevard County Ocean Rescue team for their dedication and saving lives each and every day.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the outstanding achievement of Eastern Florida State College men's golf team on the Space Coast. In fact, I used to teach at Eastern Florida and am especially proud of their incredible work.
The team is currently ranked eighth in the Nation, and they are moving up due to their hard work, discipline, and commitment to excellence.
This recognition reflects not only the talent they have on the golf course, but of course, their performance in the classroom, as well.
Eastern Florida continues to produce student-athletes who represent our region with pride and integrity.
We congratulate the team on this achievement and wish them continued success this season.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible work being done by our Brevard County public schools.
At the Boeing Destination Moon Awards Ceremony, more than 500 students were recognized for competing in a yearlong STEM design challenge to look at real-world lunar missions.
These students developed solutions using coding, robotics, and engineering and got hands-on experience that prepares them for a career in aerospace and amazing new technologies. These students applied their talents to these challenges and led by example.
I was proud to be at this event most recently, and it just shows that Brevard County schools are not only putting students first, but they are putting the future in the hands of these students, so they can decide that ultimate civil right, which is a great education.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the L&H Industrial team on receiving the 2026 Wyoming Small Business Person of the Year Award. Mike Wandler, Jason Percifield, Dustin Roush, and Gage Wandler accepted the award after their Gillette company manufactured critical material to propel mankind's return to the Moon.
L&H built and installed more than 1,300 components for the historic Artemis II mission, the first human flight to lunar orbit in more than 50 years.
The Gillette team also rebuilt 16 transmissions and engineered an enhanced flame detector system to protect the launch pad from over 9 million pounds of thrust.
Their work manufacturing America's next manifest destiny pays homage to our history and our commitment to exploration from the Cowboy State.
They make us proud of our frontier heritage.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the team at L&H Industrial and thank them for enabling humanity's next voyage.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an extraordinary Wyoming educator whose retirement marks the end of an era for the Casper College ag department.
Heath Hornecker's relationship with Casper College began many years ago when the Douglas graduate followed his passion and his talent to judge livestock for Casper. It was there that he met his teammate and future wife, Jaime, and it is the program he joined as a member of the faculty in 2004.
He spent more than two decades changing the lives of his students and colleagues with an unwavering commitment to the next generation of Wyoming agriculturalists and imparting nuggets of wisdom to the many individuals he mentored.
He served many roles at Casper College, receiving nearly every single honor offered, including the Community College Faculty Member of the Year for the State of Wyoming, the Rosenthal Outstanding Educator Award, and the Shanklin Faculty Leadership Award.
He also served on the Wyoming Association for Career and Technical Education executive team and has been an
Known as H Squared to some of his beloved students, the Casper College ag department thrived under his tenure.
Mr. Hornecker now answers an exciting new call, joining the University of Wyoming to continue shaping the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Mr. Hornecker. We wish him all the best at the University of Wyoming.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Scott Matheny, a Wyoming guide who has served our State as Campbell County Sheriff and as someone who has had an outsized impact on the lives of so many.
His career in law enforcement has spanned 40 years, including three terms as Campbell County Sheriff. His colleagues credit him as a humble leader and a man of true integrity. Allen Thompson, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police stated: He is the guy behind the scenes working to support and connect everyone, working to find and develop new association leaders and is the first one to reach out and offer support to new sheriffs.
Like many in the law enforcement sector, Scott Matheny's servant heart reaches much further than just the world of public safety. Scott is a lead deacon in his church and raised his family in Gillette alongside his wife, Lori. He is now mentoring his grandchildren as they grow up close to home.
Wyoming is proud to have community stalwarts like Sheriff Matheny, and we all join in thanking him for his years of dedication. We congratulate him on his retirement from that role, and we wish him all the best in future endeavors.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and to say thank you to the brave men and women in law enforcement across Michigan and our country.
Every day, officers across America run toward danger on behalf of people they may never meet, tirelessly holding that thin blue line. They protect our neighborhoods, our schools, our families, and our way of life, all at great personal risk.
National Police Week also serves as a solemn reminder that some who answer the call do not return home. This year officers from Michigan State Police, Oakland County, Hamtramck, Hillsdale County, Ecorse, and Melvindale are among those being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, D.C. Their names, their service, and their sacrifice deserve to be remembered by a grateful nation, as do those heroes from southwest Michigan who have died in the line of duty in past years: Berrien County Deputy Sheriff Elton Stover, Mattawan Police Officer Scot A. Beyerstedt, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety Officer Eric Zapata, and Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office Sergeant Ryan Joseph Proxmire.
In the face of antipolice voices, this must be said clearly here in the people's House to the officers and their families serving today in southwest Michigan and across America: We thank them. To the families of the fallen, we honor them for their loss; we stand with them; and we grieve with them.
Mr. Speaker, sadly, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Rita Semel, whose passing yesterday at the age of 104 is a profound loss for San Francisco and for all who believe in the power of dialogue, understanding, and justice.
For decades, Rita was one of the great moral forces of our community, bringing people together of different faiths, backgrounds, and perspectives in pursuit of peace, dignity, and respect for all of God's children.
Through her extraordinary leadership of the San Francisco Interfaith Council, and working with Michael Pappas, who is the executive director she respected so much, and whose birthday is today--she left us yesterday; his birthday is today.
Across countless civic and charitable causes, Rita helped make our city more compassionate, more united, and more hopeful.
Paul and I and our entire family--especially our daughter Christine, who was very close to Rita--send our sympathies to Rita's daughter, Elizabeth, for enabling her mother to be a force in our community for over 100 years.
Mr. Speaker, we join so many in mourning Rita's passing and celebrating her remarkable life and legacy.
May Rita's memory be a blessing. May she rest in peace.
Mr. Speaker, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly has graciously agreed to host its 2027 annual session in Charleston. The conference in America will be the first since 2005.
The assembly of the OSCE will bring over 300 parliamentarians with hundreds of support staff and worldwide media from 57 countries to Charleston to draft, debate, and vote on resolutions. This conference will reinforce American leadership, with President Donald Trump achieving historic unity of allies in the Western Hemisphere, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
As co-chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the U.S. Helsinki Commission, I look forward to working in my birthplace of Charleston with Mayor William Cogswell. Charleston is recognized as the most British city in America.
Mr. Speaker, God bless our troops as the global war on terrorism continues. Trump is reinstituting peace through strength through revealing war criminal Putin lies, insulting Trump and mocking Trump, as last night Putin murdered Ukrainian civilians with attacks, and Putin provides targeting intelligence to Iran to murder American troops.
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the gentleman from California (Mr. Kiley) added the 218th signature to the discharge petition for the Ukraine Support Act.
Soon, the House will have a long-overdue vote on expressing its support for Ukraine and our opposition to the Russian invasion.
The people of Ukraine have shown their mettle and courage, even while a fifth of their country has been overrun and occupied, while Russia's drones target civilian neighborhoods amid outages of power and heat through bitter winters, the people of Ukraine have endured. Their spirit is undiminished. Their valor is unmatched.
Mr. Speaker, Vladimir Putin continues to believe that he can break their will to fight. He believes he can outlast the Ukrainians and can outlast us. He is wrong.
Mr. Speaker, this House has now voted on bipartisan bills to assist Ukraine 12 times since the full invasion in 2022. On average, those bills have passed with 80 percent of the votes on this House floor. We have the opportunity to do it again, to stand with freedom, democracy, and our Ukrainian allies.
Mr. Speaker, on May 18, 2018, the Santa Fe community experienced a tragedy that forever changed families across Texas. Ten innocent lives were taken during those dark 30 minutes. Students and teachers who should still be with us today were ripped away from their loved ones in an act of unimaginable evil and violence.
Like so many neighbors of mine, I will forever remember that day and the tremendous weight it carried with it. I remember the heartbreak that swept across Santa Fe, the fear that parents felt as they tried to reach their children and the grief that settled over the entire community in the hours, days, and years that have followed since.
Eight years later, that moment is still very real for so many families. The memories of that day have never faded. The angels we lost will always be remembered by this community.
Even in the midst of the unspeakable tragedy, the people of Santa Fe showed extraordinary strength, faith, and love for one another. Churches opened their doors for prayer and comfort. First responders ran toward danger to protect innocent lives. Neighbors stood beside grieving families and carried one another through the darkest days. The people of Santa Fe came together as one community, and that spirit of unity continues to this very day.
Psalm 34:18 reminds us: ``The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.''
Today, Mr. Speaker, we honor the precious lives that were taken far too soon. We continue to pray for the families, the survivors, the teachers, the first responders, and every person whose life was forever changed.
May we never forget those that we lost. May God forever bless Santa Fe, the great State of Texas, and our country.
Mr. Speaker, let me recognize the outstanding work of the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee, a group appointed by the mayor of Rye, consisting of committed volunteers working to advocate for the needs of seniors in the community and bringing together business, nonprofit, and government resources in common causes.
Led by Nancy Haneman and Michele Thomas, the committee members have championed projects to provide emergency supplies to seniors, hosting a biannual Senior Summit to be held this year on October 1 and addressing education on healthcare, transportation options, and so much more. Barbara Brunner, a committee member, has labored mightily to achieve grants to advance these priorities. Organizations like the Rye YMCA, the Rye Fire Department, and SPRYE are welcomed partners.
From the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, I salute the Rye Senior Advocacy Committee and look forward to assisting their efforts in the days to come.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Fire Chief Frank Guido on his retirement after 46 years of dedicated service to the Kingston/Forty Fort Fire Department and the surrounding communities.
More than four decades ago, Chief Guido answered the call, protecting lives and property through fire response, rescue, and emergency medical services.
A native of Luzerne and a graduate of West Side Central Catholic High School, his commitment to service began early.
He first served as a firefighter in Laflin and worked as a nurse's aide at Nesbitt Hospital, where he met his wife before joining the Kingston Fire Department in 1980.
Before becoming chief, he played a key role in the 2007 regionalization and consolidation of ambulance and fire services, helping bring departments together and strengthening mutual aid across the region.
On March 13, 2009, he was promoted to fire chief, where he led with steadiness and professionalism, further enhancing emergency response and earning the respect of colleagues across northeastern Pennsylvania.
He and his wife, Ann, raised three children; Paul, Christopher, and Kelly, who share in the appreciation of his extraordinary career.
Chief Guido's legacy is one of service, leadership, and commitment to others.
Mr. Speaker, I rise with appreciation for the students of California's 19th Congressional District who stayed quiet during the National Day of Silence so that they could stand up for our LGBTQ community.
This year, I recognized Destiny Huggins for participating in our Day of Silence so that she could shine light on
Destiny attends Branciforte Middle School in Santa Cruz, California, and she worked hard to promote this year's Day of Silence by tabling and educating students about the importance of tolerance, control, confidence, and about our community of participation and allyship.
As Destiny stated, her silence is about so much more than a single protest. It is about sacrificing one day of talking so that those in fear can find their voices to come out and speak out every day.
I commend Destiny and all students who participated. Through their silence, they give courage to the LGBTQ community. Ultimately, they stand up for what it means and what it takes to live in our democracy.
Mr. Speaker, May 15, 2026, marks the 78th anniversary of Nakba.
The Nakba, which means catastrophe in Arabic, refers to the mass expulsion and violent ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people from their homes and homeland during the creation of the State of Israel.
But we know the Nakba did not end in 1948. We all have witnessed it live. It continues to this day as the Israeli Government commits genocide in Gaza, forcibly displacing Palestinians and kicking them out of their homeland.
As we mark the 78th anniversary of Nakba, we honor all those killed since the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people began and all those who have been forced from their homes and violently displaced from their land.
The immense trauma, Mr. Speaker, including the loss of their loved ones and connections to their communities they grew up in, needs to be repaired. Seventy percent of the population of Gaza right now are refugees from 1948, and they are being displaced again. Over 400 neighborhoods in 1948 were destroyed and erased.
True peace must be built on justice and the right of the return of the Palestinian people.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call for the reauthorization of the Community Oriented Policing Services Program, better known as the COPS Program, an effort I am proud to lead alongside my colleagues Representatives Harder and Rutherford.
During National Police Week, we recognize the officers who protect our communities every day. When we talk about law enforcement, we aren't just talking about a badge or a uniform. We are talking about our neighbors.
The COPS Program is vital because it helps ensure that local departments have the officers and the resources that they need. By providing funding for hiring, this program helps departments build stronger relationships and respond more effectively to local needs.
It also allows officers to build trust in the communities they serve and be a familiar presence in neighborhood meetings, schools, and local events.
Our local officers give their all because these are their homes too, and it is our duty to ensure they have the resources and the personnel they need to do their jobs effectively.
I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan reauthorization. Let's support the officers who work every day to keep us safe.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Mary Kageyama Nomura, lovingly remembered as the ``Songbird of Manzanar,'' who passed away peacefully last month at the age of 100.
Born in Los Angeles in 1925, Mary had endured profound hardship from a young age, losing both of her parents and trying to help hold her family together during unimaginable uncertainty.
At just 15 years of age, she and her siblings were incarcerated at the Japanese-American internment camp at Manzanar during World War II.
Yet, even during one of the darkest chapters of American history, Mary brought light through her music. Her remarkable voice lifted spirits throughout the camp and earned her the enduring nickname, the ``Songbird of Manzanar.'' Through song, she gave comfort, hope, and humanity to those around her.
Mary later built a beautiful life with her husband, Shiro Nomura, raising five children and helping establish a thriving family business in Orange County. Though she never pursued fame or riches, she continued sharing her extraordinary talent with communities across California and Japan for decades.
Mary Nomura's life is a testament to resilience, grace, and the power of art to heal and unite us. May we honor her memory by preserving the stories of those who endured injustice and by ensuring that their voices are never forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor those who put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe.
Today, I bring one name to this Chamber: Officer Jason Roscow of the North Las Vegas Police Department, who gave his life in the line of duty on February 4, 2025.
This week, we honor his legacy as his name is added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial here in Washington, D.C.
Officer Roscow was the very definition of service, a proud Air Force veteran, a former volunteer firefighter, and a dedicated officer who spent 17 years protecting the people of North Las Vegas. He was a father, a son, a brother, and a friend to all.
When danger called, he answered. In his final moments, he gave everything in service of protecting others.
My prayers are with his family, his fellow officers, and the entire North Las Vegas community. Nevada will never forget Officer Jason Roscow, his courage, his commitment, and his legacy of service.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of National Police Week. Just this week, in my hometown of Syracuse, New York, police officers were shot in the line of duty, and, thankfully, they are recovering.
In central New York, in the Mohawk Valley, there are names that mean a great deal to our community: Lieutenant Michael Hoosock of the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office, Officer Michael Jensen of the Syracuse Police Department, Investigator Wallie Howard, Jr., and trailblazers like Detective Gwen Dowdell. They are heroes and role models, all of them.
Lieutenant Hoosock, Officer Jensen, and Investigator Howard were tragically killed in the line of duty. Detective Dowdell built trust and protected vulnerable neighbors. Their legacies remind us that law enforcement, at its best, is rooted in service, trust, and integrity. That is the kind of law enforcement that I know exists in New York's 22nd Congressional District, professional departments with responsible leadership.
To every officer, deputy, investigator, trooper, and law enforcement family across central New York and this country, I thank you.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1275, I call up the bill (H.R. 5625) to direct the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of each State and unit of local government that permits cashless bail, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary, printed in the bill, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees.
The gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Harris) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) will each control 30 minutes.
The Chair now recognizes the gentleman from North Carolina.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 5625.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from North Carolina?
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise in support of my bill, H.R. 5625, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act.
In August of 2025, the whole Nation watched in horror as we witnessed the brutal murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light rail.
This murder took place right outside my district in a city I have called home for many years. This tragic incident cannot be described as anything other than a cold-blooded murder carried out by a dangerous individual who should not have been out on the streets to begin with.
Iryna Zarutska's alleged killer, Decarlos Brown, Jr., had 14 prior arrests and had previously served a 5-year sentence for robbery with a dangerous weapon. Decarlos Brown, Jr., was out on a written promise to appear in court when he murdered Iryna Zarutska.
Decarlos Brown, Jr., should not have been released on a simple written promise to appear in court given his extensive history of crime and violence.
There are many aspects of public safety that must be addressed to keep our streets safer. One of the most pressing issues is bail reform.
As we celebrate National Police Week and welcome many brave members of our law enforcement to the Hill, I can't help but think about how some States and local governments choose to make law enforcement officers' jobs harder and more dangerous through the laws and policies they enact.
State legislatures, city councils, and rogue prosecutors have implemented radical bail laws and other policies that have worsened violent crime. These laws and policies have eliminated cash bail, restricted judges from imposing constraints on dangerous criminals, and even mandated the immediate release of criminals back into the community.
Now more than ever it is important that we prioritize American citizens and support our law enforcement officers.
States like Illinois, California, Maryland, New Jersey, New York have modified their bail practices to eliminate or de-emphasize the use of monetary bail systems, which has resulted in increased property and violent crimes.
A March 2023 study by researchers at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice found that approximately 72 percent of violent felony offenders who were released without bail were later re-arrested.
State and local jurisdictions must take steps to address the problems that arise with irresponsible cashless bail policies.
I applaud my home State of North Carolina for passing Iryna's Law, which dealt with cashless bail, among other things. However, we cannot and should not sit and wait for more jurisdictions to experience tragedy to do something about these reckless bail policies.
To be clear, bail is not a criminal fine or a punishment. It is not a reflection of a defendant's guilt or innocence. It exists to ensure the defendant will appear at all required proceedings during their criminal case. Bail is imposed after an assessment of risk, the risk that a defendant may flee from a jurisdiction, and the risk that a defendant may harm witnesses or other members of the community if they are released before trial.
My bill, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act, will empower Americans with the information they need to advocate for much-needed changes. This bill simply requires the Attorney General to publish a list of each State and local jurisdiction that allows individuals charged with certain serious offenses to be released before trial either on personal recognizance or unsecured appearance bonds. This list will be made public and updated periodically to ensure Americans have accurate data on the extent of cashless bail across our country.
Americans should be able to see which jurisdictions have enacted dangerous and irresponsible policies related to bail when making decisions about where to live, to work, or to travel. It also shows Americans where change is needed most. The American people deserve transparency and accountability when it comes to policies that affect public safety.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Harris for his thoughtful remarks.
I rise to support and will vote for H.R. 5625, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act, because it would simply direct the Attorney General to publish a list of State and local jurisdictions that permit cashless bail.
This is already publicly available information. I just googled it. The answer seemed to come up, but it would be good to have some, perhaps, professional refinement and certification that these are actually the numbers.
Mr. Speaker, National Police Week is typically an opportunity for us to bring meaningful legislation forward that will support law enforcement and help them to perform their critical, lifesaving duties because Congress wants to support and honor their work. I am not quite sure that we are living up to this high calling in this National Police Week.
This bill, for example, is unobjectionable, but it doesn't do much work at all. It is hard to see how issuing a report advances community safety or justice.
Given the strangely hostile rhetoric that we are hearing from our colleagues about cashless bail, I thought I would take a moment to talk about what bail is and what it is not.
As the gentleman correctly states, bail is not a mechanism for punishment. In America, everybody is innocent until proven guilty. Whether you are the President, the Pope, or a pauper, you are considered to be innocent and presumed to be innocent until you have been proven guilty in a court of law, observing due process, by a jury of your peers, beyond a reasonable doubt, and with the prosecution satisfying every element of the burden of proof.
People have a right to their freedom while they are preparing to stand trial, among other reasons, to get ready for trial, unless they are a flight risk or unless they pose a danger to themselves or to other people.
That is basically the rule, as I understand it. In fact, that is the rule we have been using in the Federal system for more than 60 years. We have a cashless bail system under Congress in the Federal courts. There are 94 Federal district courts all across America, operating in red States, blue States, purple States, and everything in between. They all use a cashless bail system.
Mr. Speaker, when a person is brought forward on an arraignment before the court, those of us who have practiced law or have been prosecutors know this process in a very familiar way. The court asks one simple question, which is: Is this person a flight risk, or do they pose a danger to themselves?
They could be the richest person in the world, but if they are a flight risk, as, for example, some of the Epstein defendants clearly are--these are globetrotting criminal defendants--it shouldn't make any difference how much money you have to pay for bail. The money should be irrelevant to it.
Conversely, if you are not a flight risk, if you are not a danger to the community, but you are a pauper and have no money, you should not be held simply because you can't pay $5,000, or whatever the bail is.
Somebody might be able to put up $1 million or $1 billion, but if they are going to abscond, if they are going to run away, they should be held. That is the Federal system. Money doesn't enter into it.
To my knowledge, I don't think there are any bills out there--my staff will correct me--that seek to overthrow the Federal bail system, which is a cashless system.
I don't know of a single candidate in America who is running for Congress on the premise that we need to overthrow the cashless Federal bail system, which is working great everywhere.
Mr. Speaker, cash bail is a billion-dollar, for-profit industry. Who makes money off of that? The bail bondsmen make money off of it, and they are very politically active. They don't want to see any change. They don't want to see the Federal system being adopted by States and jurisdictions around the country.
A cash bail system asks a different question. It doesn't focus on: Are you dangerous or a flight risk? It focuses on: Can you pay? Can you pay?
From the standpoint of the Federal system, that is an irrational, arbitrary issue that just confuses the question of why a person, who is presumed to be innocent but is now facing serious criminal charges, should be held in jail during the pendency of their trial or waiting for their trial to take place.
Mr. Speaker, I don't know why I am surprised that there are Members of Congress who are demonizing jurisdictions simply because they prefer to employ a policy that exactly mirrors Federal law. To say that that is somehow soft on crime strikes me as just bizarre, unless the entire Federal system is soft on crime because of the system that we have used.
I am not, in any way, afraid of or intolerant of this debate. I think we should have the debate. To the extent that this bill is just asking DOJ to compile information that is already publicly available, it is fine with me. I am going to vote for it.
Nothing currently prevents the Attorney General from compiling and publishing this information right now. Due to the miracles of artificial intelligence, it seems to be pretty quickly readily available. I think I got it in less than 1 second.
This bill could help to officially coordinate the collection of this information and ensure that it is reported accurately, so I plan to vote for it.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Harris for bringing this important legislation forward.
Mr. Speaker, public safety should never take a back seat to politics. That is why I rise today in support of the Cashless Bail Reporting Act.
This legislation brings transparency and accountability to jurisdictions that release individuals who are charged with serious violent crimes without requiring bail.
The American people deserve to know where dangerous offenders who are accused of crimes like murder, rape, robbery, carjacking, rioting, and assault are being released back into communities before trial on unsecured bond or personal recognizance.
We have seen the devastating consequences of these failed policies. In Charlotte, Iryna Zarutska was tragically murdered by an individual who had been released on a cashless bail despite a violent criminal history.
I joined my colleagues for a hearing in Charlotte to meet with families who have lost loved ones at the hands of repeat offenders. Their stories are truly heartbreaking, and their message was clear: Enough is enough.
We must stand with victims, support law enforcement, and put public safety first.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath), the very distinguished ranking member of the House Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance under the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5625, the Cashless Bail Reporting Act. This bill directs the Attorney General to put together a public list of every State and local court that allows cashless bail.
While I think that this bill doesn't actually do very much, I hope that its passage will help to at least cut through some of the red tape, the partisan rhetoric, and the fear-mongering that we keep hearing about cashless bail, the system of bail that is used in our Federal courts and that this body actually has the jurisdiction over.
I want to reiterate over and over again that public safety is not a red or a blue issue. We need to stop making it that way. It is an American issue that affects everyone here.
We have to remember that the United States Constitution leaves it directly to the States. We talk all the time about States' rights. My colleagues across the aisle, Republican colleagues, talk about giving more responsibility to the States to make the decisions for their constituents. If we are talking about States' rights, the Constitution does leave it to the States to decide issues of public safety, including how the courts should operate.
States are grappling with these issues every single day. In my home State of Georgia, Republican politicians just reversed course on a whole slate of reforms that they ushered in by Republicans in the State legislature just a few years ago.
They didn't need Congress here. They didn't need our flip-flopping on that. They very well did it on their own.
Since this bill does nothing more than just tell the Attorney General to publish a list of information that already has been publicly made and available, I will support it. I just hope that the final product will be put to good use.
Mr. Speaker, this week is Police Week, and I think our law enforcement officers would agree that public safety should not be a partisan issue.
What we have seen around the country are leftist judges and DAs who are pushing policies that put criminals back on the streets and take tools away from law enforcement. One of the ways that happens is through cashless bail.
I was an attorney for 30 years, and I practiced all levels of court, including criminal practice. I have seen, particularly in certain areas in my home State and other areas around the country, where violent criminals are released on either very low bail or sometimes cashless bail.
As Mr. Harris pointed out, you had the tragic situation of Iryna Zarutska who was brutally murdered on the light rail in Charlotte. She would be alive today had that criminal been in jail. He had been released over and over and over again.
The Cashless Bail Reporting Act that we are debating today at least creates a list of jurisdictions that release individuals accused of serious offenses like murder, rape, and carjacking without requiring cash bail.
Now, I do think that the ranking member's assessment of bail--I would not disagree with the gentleman's assertion of how bail is set up. I would submit, and perhaps the gentleman would agree with me, that there are instances where the courts simply are getting it wrong. Someone with common sense should look and say: Why was this guy released on the street?
Look at the seriousness of the underlying crime, the criminal record. When you see someone who has been through the courts over and over again, and when the crimes get more serious every time, it starts off with maybe just stealing, then it goes to robbery, then it goes to assault, then it involves a weapon. Why in the world would that person be released on a cashless bail? Let alone, why would they not be held in jail awaiting trial?
Here is what happens. When you look at the statistics of the folks who commit crimes in my State and your State and other States, a lot of the crimes are committed by the same folks over and over again. The statistics are out there showing the folks who go out and commit crimes while they are awaiting trial on other charges. We have to rein this in, and we have seen situations around the country where that hasn't happened.
Look, I will tell you, in my home State of North Carolina, former Governor Roy Cooper actually released over 3,500 convicts, people who had already been convicted, he released them early from prison with lengthy criminal records, and the stats are showing of those folks released, most of them have reoffended since then.
The reality is there are some people who are dangerous. They are criminals. They are going to rob. They are going to murder. They are going to commit crimes, and they should be incarcerated. What this bill does at least, is this is going to shine a light--and I appreciate you doing this, Mr. Harris--this is going to shine a light on those jurisdictions where the judges are just letting these violent criminals back out again.
I hope a day will come when even folks who are on the left where some of this stuff is happening in these districts will realize it is not about left or right because when these criminals offend, they don't pick and choose who their victims are. They often terrorize those communities that can least afford to have that done to them.
So I appreciate this work, and we have other steps. There is a bill I am supporting that would actually create liability in the case of gross negligence when folks are released out on cashless bail.
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this bill, and I hope we pass it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I thank the gentleman for his thoughtful remarks there. We certainly don't want to see anybody being released without regard to whether or not they pose a danger to the community or whether they will abscond and disappear.
A good example of that happening recently was when President Trump en masse pardoned more than 1,500 convicted felons who were Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, rioters, and insurrectionists who assaulted 150 police officers right here on the Capitol campus. Departing from the traditional process of examining each case individually, which is what the Department of Justice has done in the pardon office, he just pardoned all of them. So he didn't look to see which ones had been convicted before of domestic violence, armed robbery, or other forms of felony crimes.
Some of them had no criminal record. Some of them had serious, violent criminal records. All of them were released. And what do you know, dozens of them have since reoffended since that terrible process took place.
One guy recently, Andrew Paul Johnson in Georgia, was released by Donald Trump, pardoned by him. He got out of jail and went and sexually assaulted two 12-year-olds. When they and their families were about to go to the police to report the crimes, he said: Well, I am about to get millions of dollars from Donald Trump because I am a J6er. I will split the money with you if you don't go in. Thankfully, they went and reported him to the police. He was prosecuted, and he was just sentenced to life in prison. Those two kids' lives are irrevocably altered because of the process that took place, which was no process, which is I am just going to go ahead and release everybody.
We have had other J6ers who were pardoned by Donald Trump who have since been convicted of offenses including domestic violence, violent assault, home invasion, and so on.
So I could not agree more with the point that people should not be getting out of jail or prison without any regard to the danger that they pose to the community.
Now, how does this all relate to bail? Well, I hope we agree that nobody should be getting out of jail without regard or without the court taking an analysis of whether they are a flight risk or whether they pose a danger to the community. That is what the focus should be.
So certain jurisdictions have said, including the Federal system, that is all we need to know. You could be the richest person in the world. You could be worth a billion dollars. It doesn't make any difference. If you are a flight risk, if you are a community danger, we are not going to let you out.
Conversely, you might be the poorest person in the world, but if you pose no flight risk, if you pose no danger, then you should be allowed to be released because that is the constitutional presumption, the presumption of innocence.
So the injection of a financial payment into the process just confuses the issue.
Now, I am not saying every State has to follow what the Federal courts do and what we have done for more than 60 years. That is up to them. That is a question of federalism.
That is why I am trying to prefigure where this whole inquiry leads. It looks like it is leading to an attack on the States who want to do it the way the Federal system has done it for more than a half century. I am just raising the point that I think we should look very carefully before we go down that road and we impose a different view on the States in some kind of straitjacket as to their criminal justice policies that we don't accept for ourselves because the current system is working great here.
So I agree with the prior speaker. We don't want people getting out of jail for any reason, whether it is bail or parole or a pardon from the President, without due consideration of what the effects are going to be on the community.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would say I want to thank the gentleman for his bill. I am going to vote for his bill. More information always better. I have got no problem with that.
The only thing I reject is the insinuation that the States that do it differently from the Federal system are somehow better than the States that do it in accord with the Federal system. We have had cashless bail at the Federal level for many decades, and our system zeros in on the critical criteria of whether or not this criminally charged suspect poses a flight risk or a danger to the community.
I hope that we can continue the conversation about what we can really do to advance and enhance community safety.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
I do thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) for his support of this bill and for his statements and I do hope that we will be able to continue conversations.
I would say in closing, Mr. Speaker, how many more victims must there be before we act? Cashless bail policies have proven to be a disaster. Soft-on-crime jurisdictions have released criminals on mere promises to reappear in court without adequately considering the flight or safety risk they pose to those around them.
I believe the American people believe enough is enough. The American people deserve to live in safety. The American people deserve safe public transportation. The American people should not have to live with the consequences of reckless bail policies, and it should not take brutal murders for these reforms to happen.
We must stop prioritizing ideology over safety. We must stop playing politics with bail policy. We must fight for a safer America, regardless of State or locality.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to stand for public safety and to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1275, I call up the bill (H.R. 6260) to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit fraud in connection with posting bail, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary, printed in the bill, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Fitzgerald) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Fitzgerald).
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 6260.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Wisconsin?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6260, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025.
The bill defines the posting of cash bail by a corporate, nonprofit, or for-profit entity as engaged in the business of insurance, subjecting them to Federal insurance laws and our criminal fraud statutes.
The use of crowdsourcing for posting bail has long been scrutinized by the courts, now as a way to disguise the true source of the funds. That is because if there is little or no relationship between the defendant and those supplying the money, the bail money provides no incentive to prevent the defendant from simply fleeing the jurisdiction. This is especially true if the money does not have to be paid back.
While crowdsourcing funds is generally illegal, the use of charitable bail funds remains legal in most States. Charitable bail funds generally flew under the radar until 2020, when the George Floyd riots caused revenues to balloon, thanks to solicitations from celebrities and some politicians.
What used to be a small, community-based organization that helped post bail for nonviolent misdemeanors has grown into a multimillion- dollar industry.
For example, the Minnesota Freedom Fund saw revenues increase by 18,000 percent between 2019 and 2020. In a similar situation, The Bail Project saw its contributions triple in 2020 to nearly $42 million.
Perhaps more alarming, what was intended to help bail out low-level, nonviolent protesters has instead been used to release violent felony offenders back into the streets with little or no oversight.
In 2021, for example, the Minnesota Freedom Fund released a domestic abuser back onto the street. Two weeks later, the man, George Howard, was charged with second-degree murder for a road rage incident.
Michael Dewitt of Louisville, Kentucky, was bailed out by The Bail Project in February 2021 after being arrested on multiple charges. Two months later, he was arrested for murder.
Shawn Michael Tillman, 3 weeks after having bail paid by the Minnesota Freedom Fund, murdered a man at a light rail station in Saint Paul and is now serving a life sentence for that crime.
Mr. Speaker, the list continues to go on and on. According to an investigation conducted by CNN, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, the Minnesota Freedom Fund has bailed out at least 65 defendants who were awaiting trial on felony charges involving violence, physical threats, or sex crimes.
Similarly, in Indiana, of the roughly 1,000 defendants released on bail supplied by The Bail Project between 2019 and 2021, 24 percent had previously been charged with a crime of violence, and 35 percent were accused of felony charges and had a previous charge of at least one crime of violence.
Because these funds are crowdsourced, there is no incentive for the defendants to show up for their court date. Guess what. Many of them don't.
Again according to the network CNN, nearly 42 percent of roughly 500 defendants bailed out by the Minnesota Freedom Fund later failed to appear at one or more court hearings between 2021 and 2022.
Commercial bail companies, by comparison, had a failure to appear rate of only 22 percent, so it is working in the private sector. During that same period, there are new numbers that demonstrate that this trend will continue. This is why many States have begun regulating the use of charitable bail funds.
Georgia, for example, limits the amount of cash bonds a charitable bail fund can pay in a given year. Indiana prohibits the use of charitable bail funds for posting bail for violent felony offenders. Unfortunately, a State-by-State patchwork is now developing, and that will obviously not solve this problem.
That is why we introduced the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025. This bill makes a very small but important change to our criminal code to define bail bonds as an insurance product--that is it--thereby subjecting it to the same Federal background check and regulatory requirements as those of for-profit bail agencies under the Federal Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1994.
This change would also bring charitable bail funds under State insurance regulation, giving States the ability to better scrutinize the use of these funds.
Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. This bill does not outlaw the use of charitable bail funds, nor does it regulate the posting of cash bail by family and friends of the accused. This bill merely says that if you are operating as a not-for-profit with the purpose of posting cash bail, you should be subjected to the same regulation and oversight requirements as those operating as a for-profit entity.
This will bring needed oversight to organizations that for years have gone unregulated while ensuring accountability of these funds by subjecting them to Federal insurance fraud statutes if they misappropriate funds or misrepresent the use of these funds in any financial reports.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong opposition to the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, which is a truly strange bill. The bill, first of all, refers to violent offenders, but it is unclear exactly why. It applies to all offenders. In any event, it would redefine the business of insurance to include the posting of monetary bail, criminal bail bonds, and Federal immigration bail bonds.
It would accomplish this dramatic reclassification for the purposes of prosecuting and punishing community bail funds as a form of criminal insurance fraud. Only in surreal MAGA Washington would someone think to change the definition of insurance fraud to include the posting of bail and bail bonds. I can't even begin to reconstruct the giant mental leaps that must have been used to get to this fallacy.
This week is National Police Week, and as we do every year, we recognize and honor the men and women who put their lives on the line for us to protect our communities. Our colleagues have vaguely and inscrutably billed this legislation as pro-police, although they have yet to show how it would support the police or address the articulated needs of police officers anywhere in the country.
The true aim of H.R. 6260, apparently, is to discourage and destroy not-for-profit bail funds that raise money for people who cannot afford to pay bail for themselves. These groups try to address the basic injustice that results when wealthy people can walk free while poor people are held in jail pending trial for no reason other than their inability to pay, which is why the Federal system, as I was arguing in our last bill, eliminates money from the equation entirely and says that the only question is whether a person presents a flight risk or danger to the community.
Now, my distinguished colleague, the author of the legislation, ties the beginning of these bail funds I think he said to 2020 with the killing of George Floyd.
Actually, the history of these funds goes back a lot further than that. It really begins during the period of abolitionism in the Civil War when various people were being jailed for either assisting enslaved people in the Underground Railroad or being arrested for their attempts to interfere with the fugitive slave law.
In any event, money was raised to get people out of jail for those purposes. That lasted through the Civil War, and it went into the Reconstruction period as well, because we know that the criminal justice system in the South was turned into an instrument of incarceration and domination and reimposing discipline on the freed slave population. That is what they were using the criminal justice system for, and so people throughout the country were raising money to try to get people out of jail to repurchase their hard-won freedom.
However, this process of communities raising money to pay bail has persisted all the way through the 20th century and into the 21st century. The ACLU did it. They created a bail fund for people swept up in the Palmer Raids, the Red Scare, and the obscenity prosecutions for people who couldn't afford to get themselves out of jail. It was critical to Reverend Martin Luther King and the SCLC, and John Lewis and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Bail was raised. Bail money was raised to get people out of jail for often pretextual and fraudulent arrests and incarceration throughout the South.
It has continued to be used since then. It was being used during the anti-Vietnam war movement when bail money was raised to get people out of jail, again, in mass, dragnet arrests without regard to what people themselves had done.
It is being used today in the LGBTQ community. It has been used, as the gentleman references, in Minneapolis where we saw exactly what ICE was doing when they shot dead in broad daylight at pointblank range U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. If they are willing to kill people, then they are certainly willing to rough them up, beat them up, and arrest them falsely.
Yes, the people of Minneapolis, to their great credit, came together to create funds to bail people out of jail when they were mistreated by the police.
Should we twist the law of insurance fraud into unrecognizable knots in order to deter and destroy bail funds and to threaten people with felony convictions like people who go out and sell fraudulent insurance policies?
It is hard to see why we should do that.
By the way, it is not just those we would put on the liberal or progressive side of civil movements in American history because the exact same thing happens with anti-abortion protesters with the pro- life movement.
Mr. Speaker, you had better check with the pro-life movement before you vote for this legislation because they could get swept up with it too. They have raised a lot of money for people who are willing to put themselves in the way of a woman's reproductive clinic, a health clinic. They consider those killing places. Obviously, we have a profound disagreement about that. We believe that people have a constitutional right to their own healthcare.
In any event, set that aside. These people are sincerely motivated in what they are doing, and, yes, they have raised money to bail people out of jail when they get arrested for blockading abortion clinics.
Now, should we describe that as a form of insurance fraud so it can be regulated, and then if somebody misstates something on a form or on a bail statement and they don't properly record it or whatever, then suddenly the whole Orwellian dragnet of the Federal Government can come down on them?
By the way, what is the Federal interest in this anyway?
That is very hard to see. The original law creating a Federal crime around interstate insurance fraud was all based on the idea that the insurance has an interstate nexus because it is being sold across State lines, but the vast majority of protests take place in one town, in one city.
Where is the interstate nexus that would even give us jurisdiction to adopt this dramatic expansion of the law governing insurance fraud?
I would love the distinguished gentleman from Wisconsin to illuminate where is the interstate nexus or character that justifies this dramatic enlargement of law governing insurance fraud in the United States.
I understand that, for some reason inscrutable to me, they want to target basically the Federal system of bail during Police Week. I don't see what the connection is, but, in any event, this is a step way too far. I was willing to go with the Attorney General report out of deference to my friends.
We will support the Attorney General report so we can get a clearer picture of what is going on, but to change insurance fraud law and policy in America to target, when you think about it, a really noble and honorable practice used by both people on the left, people on the right, and people in between, to support those who either deliberately engage in civil disobedience or are falsely targeted by the police, strikes me as a very bizarre thing to do and a strange way to honor Law Enforcement Week.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I will just say that a number of the issues that were raised by the ranking member are issues that I thought we addressed in the committee. We talked to a number of Members and some district attorneys, certainly prosecutors and public defenders. Again, this is a situation where these sites are created, donations pour in nationwide to fund some of these, not only the crowdsourced funds but also additional dollars that, quite honestly, are very difficult to track.
We thought this would be a simple solution to it. I think there is enough support for it.
Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, another gigantic, logical leap in this legislation just occurred to me, which is that the Republicans are blaming the bail funds for this or that person getting out of jail. They have skipped over a major step, which is the judges who are the ones who are actually deciding whether or not someone poses a flight risk or a danger to the community.
If there is a judge who is not doing their job, they shouldn't be on the court. They just shouldn't be there.
As we have seen in the Federal system, the vast majority, if not all, of the judges can act and behave responsibly with respect to the essential criteria for deciding on bail, which we know.
Really, what they are saying is: We like a for-profit system that benefits the bail bondsmen all over America. They make 10 percent--it might be 15 percent now, I am not sure--on all the bail posted. If you are a criminal defendant, and you have shown you are not a flight risk or a danger to the community, you are not done yet. In those cash jurisdictions, they want $10,000 from you.
If you don't have $10,000, you get it from a bail bondsman, but you owe the bail bondsman $1,000. The bail bondsman essentially takes out $11,000 in the loan and gives you $10,000. You give it to the State, and they pocket $1,000. This is extremely lucrative. There are a lot of very wealthy bail bondsmen and -women out there.
That means that it is the court that is responsible. It is not the people who raise the money. Now, they want to say: Well, it is only the rich people who should be able to make bail in the cash jurisdictions.
If you are arrested, if you are a pro-life protester and you do civil disobedience at an abortion clinic--that is your decision to make. I am not going to say it is your First Amendment right. It is not exactly a right, although you have been written into the FACE Act for these purposes. You decide to do it. You are willing to pay the consequences. If you don't have the money, it means your political supporters can't raise money for you.
If you are participating in a peace protest or a civil rights protest, but happen not to be rich enough to pay the bill yourself, they are trying to impede your ability to get money from other people by threatening these bail funds--which are a venerable part of American society--with insurance fraud charges. That is amazing.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Simon), my friend.
Mr. Speaker, the ranking member is right. This is a very strange bill. It is absolutely right that it is judges who make the determination whether bail should be recorded in the record. It is the judge.
I want to make sure that we are really clear what is in the language of the bill. This bill directly targets faith institutions and nonprofit organizations that step in every single day to support families navigating a deeply unequal justice system across the country. A wide network of faith leaders every Sunday pass a hat to ensure that there is deep and formal due process for individuals facing prosecution. Under this legislation, those churches, those individuals, would be subject to enforcement.
This bill changes how we think about the justice system in this country. It allows for people to return to their children, keep their jobs, and prepare for their next day in court. That is what the bail process should be about.
While I don't have much time left, if you would allow me, my mentor, Dr. Clarence Jones, the speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, told me--
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Dr. Clarence Jones, the speechwriter for Dr. Martin Luther King, told me a story that, during the civil rights protests in the mid-1960s, hundreds of Black, White, and Jewish young people sat at lunch counters throughout the South, understanding and knowing what they were up against, while the Klan burned cigarettes on their backs, spit in their faces, pushed them from behind, and knocked them down. They were led outside to hoses and dogs.
Harry Belafonte and Dr. Clarence Jones, on a push from Dr. Martin Luther King, drove up to New York City and sat with donors and folks on the right side of justice to get bail to bail out those hundreds of children. Would we rather they sit in jails in the Deep South and be beaten and killed?
Mr. Speaker, think about what we are asking today: for churches and charities to stop their mission to ensure that people in this country have the life, liberty, and due process that they so deserve.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I have no idea what the gentlewoman is speaking about. This would have no effect on any of the charitable situations that she just described.
As for judges, I think if my colleagues wanted to debate jurisdictions, prosecutors, and judges setting weak bail policies, we can certainly have that discussion. I think that is a separate discussion from what would be appropriate for the bill before us.
Just this morning, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing on a Fairfax County Commonwealth's attorney who seems to care far less about what crime a defendant may have committed than whether they are in the country illegally. The prosecutors apparently have a history of offering these sweetheart deals, which we are all very aware of.
You can go across the country--New York, California, Illinois, Maryland, it doesn't matter. All these policies that restrict judges and prosecutors from imposing constraints on criminals are what we should be talking about.
This all came about and I got involved in it because of what happened in my own State and in my own district when a judge released a known violent offender, and the individual proceeded to drive through the Waukesha Christmas Parade and killed six innocent bystanders.
The best thing we can do is try to check the system to make sure that it is working properly, and that is what this bill aims to do.
I find it hard to believe that people donate to these funds knowing that
I would hope that this would be given a little bit further consideration on its face, rather than trying to judge it based on many different situations that, quite honestly, I don't believe exist. They are the same types of red herrings that we have been hearing since the day that we introduced the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, it occurred to me to go back to check Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, what happened in their cases. In a cash bail system in Florida, Jeffrey Epstein was freed and allowed to go operate his dubious affairs before he was convicted. In the Federal system, there was no bail. He was denied bail because he was clearly a flight risk and a danger to the community.
The same thing with Ghislaine Maxwell, she offered to put up $30 million to get out of jail, and the Federal system said: We don't do that. We don't release people based on money. You are a flight risk, and you are a threat to the community.
That is the only thing that should count. It shouldn't be like an auction that you go to and whoever can put up the most money gets out of jail free, and then the poor people don't.
Now, they want to go beyond that to say poor people can't even pool their resources and get support from people in the community or other parts of the country because that could constitute insurance fraud. That strikes me as ridiculous.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Menefee).
Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear about what this bill is. This is part of a greater effort to ensure that we have cash bail systems throughout this country, which would keep rich people on the streets, even if they are violent criminals, and would have poor people locked behind bars because they don't have the money.
Picture two people accused of the same low-level, nonviolent misdemeanor and who come from the same background. A judge looks at both of them and says neither is a flight risk and neither is a threat of harm to the community. The bail is set at $1,500. Because one person can pay the $1,500, they are back on the street. The other person is in jail for 6 months, maybe a year. They lose their apartment. They lose their job. They may even lose custody of their child. That is not justice. That is a tax on people who don't have spare cash.
I know this because we experienced this in Harris County. My home county, Harris County, asked the right question and found the answer. Judges started releasing people accused of nonviolent misdemeanors before trial. Do you know what happened to crime? Absolutely nothing.
Pretrial release went up 30 points, from 50 percent in 2015 to over 80 percent today. Repeat offending did not go up, not even a little.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, I was proud to defend that consent decree. Let's be clear about what this is. If somebody is a threat to the community, they should be in jail, regardless of whether they have a billion dollars or a thousand dollars. If they are not a threat to the community, they should not be left to languish in jail, potentially lose their livelihood, their family, all so we can make cash bail companies more rich. We should be about protecting the community, not protecting industry.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, again, I think the gentleman from Texas' comments are not specifically directed at this legislation. There is a larger frustration maybe with the bail bond industry, but certainly that is not something that we need to be concerned with here.
The criticism about bail funds and how low-income individuals and individuals of color are handled, the bill in no way prohibits the use of charitable bail organizations or limits their use. The bill merely subjects them to the same level of scrutiny we apply to for-profit bail companies.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 6260, the Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act, which is, I think, just another example again of unnecessary Federal meddling into policies that should be left to the States. There again, we keep talking about States' rights, but we keep putting forth legislation that meddles in those States' rights.
This bill actually weaponizes the Federal Government against bail funds and strengthens the for-profit bail bond industry.
It has the potential to destroy bail funds, including any organization that posts monetary bail, criminal bonds, or Federal immigration bail bonds, which would be subject to the Federal insurance fraud statute. That means churches, faith groups, nonprofits, and other community organizations that pool their financial resources--we just heard an example of that--to protect people from a system that punishes poverty and destabilizes families and oftentimes coerces guilty pleas that are subject to criminal liability.
Proponents of this bill have previously claimed that bail funds operate in the shadows and that their donations come with little to no scrutiny, and that is simply not the truth.
For example, The Bail Project, a 501(c)(3) organization, is subject to regular monitoring and oversight by the IRS. Adding nonsensical layers of bureaucracy is most likely going to make more communities unsafe, but it will also make it harder for organizations to help those people in need. We just heard examples of organizations that are doing really good work to help people get out because they don't have money for their bonds.
There are nearly half-a-million people across the country in pretrial detention, meaning they are sitting in jail right now, and they have not been convicted of a crime. They are simply there because they can't afford to pay for their freedom. We should all think that is pretty tragic.
Without the help of organizations willing to provide free bail assistance, people that can't afford bail could just continue to languish in jail for years while they are waiting for their trials.
I have talked to constituents in my own district that are doing that very thing. While they sit in jail, they are actually losing their jobs. They lose their homes, their medical coverage, or even custody of their children.
I want to be perfectly clear too. I want to make sure that we keep violent offenders off the street. Yes, my own situation, having lost my son, the violent offender who murdered my son, he is in jail. He is in prison. He is off the street. I want that for every violent offender. I believe that everyone in this Chamber also wants all of our violent offenders off the street.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
I need to reiterate that a charge is not a conviction, and H.R. 6260 will keep charged Americans jobless. It is going to keep them homeless, and it is going to keep them in poverty. It has the potential to leave the children of charged, not convicted, Americans parentless.
I urge my colleagues to vigorously oppose this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, let me address a few points that are still lingering out there. As I listened to the distinguished ranking member on the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, and Mr.
One is that our same colleagues who want to crack down on the ability of people to associate and raise money for the purposes of providing bail for people who can't afford it are also the ones who basically want to blow the doors off the hinges when it comes to campaign finance. They believe in an absolute deregulation of money going into the political system. Yet, when it comes to community groups, neighbors, and people across the country in sympathy or solidarity with people who may be caught up in the criminal justice system, through no fault of their own or through civil disobedience--you could say peace protestors, environmental protestors, pro-life protestors--they want to cut down on that form of association and that form of freedom of speech and assembly, which is protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
Moreover, we don't even know what Federal power is being purported to cover this exercise of Federal jurisdiction. They are pasting this onto the law against interstate insurance fraud, which is a categorical extension of Federal power when people engage in interstate insurance maneuvers and are defrauding somebody out of their money.
But now they want to apply that to money that is raised locally for purposes, like in Minneapolis, of defending people who are arrested in an anti-ICE protest, for example. Where is the Federal interest? Is it the Commerce Clause? It is certainly not the First Amendment because it cuts directly against the First Amendment. I don't think it is section 5 of the 14th Amendment.
What is the asserted basis of our constitutional authority to criminalize as insurance fraud people raising money locally to support local protestors? I just don't get that.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I oppose H.R. 6260 for the aforementioned reasons, but also because the bill does nothing to actually support law enforcement officers on Law Enforcement Week.
For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to the Committee on the Judiciary.
If the Republican House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with a very significant amendment to the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment into the Record immediately prior to the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Maryland?
My amendment would bring not just rhetorical support, but real support to police officers, specifically, the police officers who defended this Chamber, this Capitol, this Congress, all the Members of Congress, the Vice President, and our democracy during the January 6th attack by creating the January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund, to provide compensation for any injuries inflicted on our officers that day, as well as any corresponding economic losses.
These are people who serve with us every day. You see them every day, and you may know some of them. More than 140 of them from the Capitol Police, from the Metropolitan Police Department, and several other regional police departments, including the Montgomery County Police Department in Maryland were wounded, injured, and hospitalized as a result of the mob attack on our country, where our officers fought valiantly for hours against atrocious violence that one of the officers likened to medieval battle.
Many officers were forced out of policing by the injuries inflicted on that day. Many suffered grievous physical and emotional injuries, including posttraumatic stress, for which they are still being treated and for which they may never fully recover.
One of them I know, Sergeant Gonell, suffered a crushed right foot and a destroyed rotator cuff. Because he could barely lift his arm and he could barely walk, he was forced out of his dream job of being a Capitol Police officer.
He became a Capitol officer because his high school class from Long Island, New York, came and visited the Capitol, and he saw what the officers were doing. He said: One day I am going to do what those officers do, and I am going to protect the Congress of the United States.
In the middle of his career, he was so disabled by the attack that he had to leave it, despite wanting to stay, but he simply could no longer live up to the physical expectations of the job. Now, his family is living on a fraction of the salary that he had before.
We could tell you lots of stories like this. Some of the officers, like Officer Brian Sicknick, who died on January 7, gave the ultimate sacrifice, the last full measure of devotion to this body.
Several took their own lives after this brutal and nightmarish convulsion, an attack incited by the President of the United States as determined by the House of Representatives.
Some of these people are disfigured and disabled for life, but all of them--and their politics are irrelevant. Some of them are Republicans. Some are Independents. Some are Democrats. All of the officers responded on January 6 like heroes, and they deserve our eternal thanks. They deserve more than that. They deserve the actual commitment of this body to help them.
The Trump administration wrote a check for nearly $5 million to the family of Ashli Babbitt, even though two separate investigations determined that our police officers acted responsibly, lawfully, and reasonably to defend this Chamber and the people who worked in it on that day, yet they gave them nearly $5 million.
Do you know what they have given to the families of the police officers injured and wounded, whose lives were irrevocably changed on that day? Zero. Nothing.
It is time for us to pass this legislation and show that our commitment is real to the police officers who work with us right here every day. That is what we need to be doing, and I urge everybody to support the January 6th Law Enforcement Heroes Compensation Fund.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record the text of this amendment immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Maryland?
Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for the motion to recommit so we can move forward with this absolutely essential legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill before us will ensure accountability for charitable bail funds that break the law. It is that simple. We are not trying to eliminate any crowdsourcing. We are just trying to make sure that there is some monitoring going on here. We know these funds have bailed out violent felony offenders in the past and we have a responsibility, or these organizations that claim a tax-exempt status, to ensure funds are being spent appropriately.
H.R. 6260 will allow States to enact licensing requirements for entities that post bail on behalf of defendants which will bring needed scrutiny.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Jordan for his leadership on this issue and again urge passage of H.R. 6260.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1275, I call up the bill (H.R. 8365) to provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on the Judiciary, printed in the bill, modified by the amendment printed in part A of House Report 119-648, is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read.
The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on the Judiciary or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Biggs) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin) each will control 30 minutes.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 8365.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Arizona?
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 8365 is the result of a field hearing that the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance held in February in Phoenix, Arizona.
While that hearing focused on the special monitor in Maricopa County, it has implications for residents across the Nation who also find their law enforcement agencies held hostage by a special monitor or consent decree.
Since December 2013, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, MCSO, has been under a Federal judicial oversight following a DOJ intervention into the 2008 case of Ortega Melendres v. Arpaio.
In 2007, Latino motorists and passengers, aided by the ACLU, filed a lawsuit against then-Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The lawsuit alleged that MCSO violated the Fourth and 14th Amendments by engaging in a systematic practice of unconstitutional racial profiling, including stopping, detaining, and arresting Latino individuals during traffic stops and patrol operations based on race or perceived immigration status.
Following a bench trial in December 2011, U.S. District Judge Murray Snow ruled in 2013 that MCSO had violated constitutional protections and imposed permanent injunctions that required MCSO to implement sweeping reforms to policies, training, operations, and internal investigations.
Unlike a consent decree, which is a negotiated settlement agreed to by the parties, the court imposed these injunctions after findings of liability.
DOJ consent decrees are typically entered into voluntarily by State or local governments to resolve a civil rights investigation without a trial, even though they can result in similarly extensive Federal oversight and court-appointed monitoring.
In January 2014, Judge Snow appointed Federal court monitor Robert Warshaw to oversee MCSO's compliance with the court's permanent injunctions, including reforms intended to address racial discrimination during traffic stops and deficiencies in policy development and oversight.
Following that, in July 2015, the court mandated additional remedial measures, including further policy revisions to further strengthen oversight mechanisms.
The Federal court monitoring was intended to last only until MCSO achieved full and effective compliance with the court's injunctions, yet oversight has continued for more than a decade without a fixed end date.
This extended judicial supervision has placed significant financial burdens on Maricopa County taxpayers, with costs reportedly reaching nearly $350 million.
Most of these expenses include the administrative efforts needed to demonstrate compliance with court orders.
This persistent Federal judicial intervention has created operational challenges for MCSO, including difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified deputies. All of these things, by the way, are consistent with monitoring that is going on in most of the country.
The increased administrative workload and ongoing scrutiny have led to a decline in staff retention and discouraged potential recruits from pursuing careers within the department, which is ultimately impacting the office's ability to serve and protect the community, one of the largest counties in the country, with over 5\1/2\ million people.
The Federal court monitor typically issues quarterly reports tracking MCSO's compliance with the court-ordered reforms and provides the court with independent assessments of policy implementation. Over the course of more than 40 reports, MCSO's compliance rate increased from below 30 percent in 2014 to over 94 percent by 2025, which meets the standard that requires the agency to demonstrate adherence in more than 94 percent of instances under review.
According to Warshaw, the MCSO's compliance framework has become self-sustaining and institutionalized. Warshaw also labeled the MCSO's compliance with policies, training, and supervisory review as solid, noting that the compliance measures were fully built into the agency's daily work, showing full, independent accountability.
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice, which originally intervened in this case in 2011, filed a brief supporting Maricopa County's request to end Federal oversight, noting that the litigation has been successful in reforming the agency.
By the way, we are on the fourth elected sheriff since this original complaint was filed.
The Department argued that the extensive reforms imposed through the court-appointed monitoring regime have been successful in correcting the unconstitutional practices identified in the original case, which you will recall was the racial profiling of Latino motorists.
DOJ cited multiple recent monitor reports, which document consistently high compliance rates, institutionalized policy adherence, effective training programs, and durable accountability mechanisms. The Department indicated that continued Federal supervision is no longer necessary to ensure constitutional policing, supporting termination of the court-appointed monitoring regime.
Maricopa County is not the only jurisdiction monitored by Robert Warshaw and his associates. Warshaw has been accused of taking exorbitant payments without producing results in monitoring law enforcement agencies in New York, California, Michigan, and Louisiana.
For example, Warshaw faced criticism for the duration, high cost, and evolving compliance benchmarks. In other words, he was moving the goalpost of Federal oversight in Oakland, California. Despite reportedly spending little time in Oakland, Warshaw is currently paid more than $1 million annually by the city, a structure that incentivizes prolonging the monitorship, just like we see in Maricopa County.
Compared to monitors who operate under narrowly defined mandates and fixed timelines, Warshaw's role continuously blurs the line between oversight and management. Questions about judgment incentives also follow Warshaw from Niagara Falls, New York, for example.
Together, episodes in New York and various jurisdictions that have had Warshaw, the critics have cited this systemic pattern in which Warshaw's work unfolds with limited transparency. In fact, when he bills Maricopa County, he won't tell them what he did, and the court won't make him. There were minimal cost controls and little external checks on the expansion or duration of his authority.
While I agreed with very little that former AG Merrick Garland did while in office, he actually had pretty good ideas on how to deal with these issues involving monitors.
In April 2021, he asked then-Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta to conduct a 4-month review of how the Justice Department appoints and oversees Federal monitors in settlement agreements and consent decrees. In August 2021, Associate AG Gupta responded with 19 recommendations stemming from five core principles. The principles included minimizing costs and conflicts of interest, ensuring monitors' accountability, compliance assessment, community engagement, and efficient reform.
A notable reform included in the memorandum was imposing term limits for Federal monitors. The significance of these recommendations sets clear expectations for time-limited oversight, ensuring that Federal monitorships are not indefinite.
Mr. Speaker, I want everyone to realize that this applies to monitorships not just in Maricopa County; not just in Niagara Falls, New York; not just in Oakland, California; or in Baltimore, Maryland, where Warshaw was a monitor, or anyplace involving Warshaw. It was so spread out, and the concern was so great, that former Attorney General Merrick Garland asked for the study because even he understood that the monitorships had been abused.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, Federal monitorships are a critical tool for Federal courts and Federal judges. Monitors ensure compliance with court orders, settlement agreements, and consent decrees, all to remedy entrenched, systemic violations of Federal law in matters of school desegregation, prison conditions, civil rights, policing, detention, disability rights in education, the environment, and antitrust law.
This bill appears to have been written as part of an attempt to undermine Federal monitorships, but, indeed, focused on one very special monitorship in particular.
The bill targets the ongoing Federal monitorship of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona, which, as the gentleman just discussed, was put in place after a Federal judge determined that the office, under the notorious tenure of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, had displayed a pattern and practice of using race and ethnicity, rather than objective evidence of criminality, to target people for criminal investigation and detention and for a profusion of illegal stops, seizures, and frisks, in violation of fundamental rights protected by the U.S. Constitution. One expert called it the worst pattern of racial profiling by a law enforcement agency in the history of the United States.
Following this ruling, the Federal district judge placed the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office under supervision by a court-appointed monitor to ensure that it would take the steps necessary to correct its structural violations of the law and violations of the rights of the people.
For years after the initial court order, Sheriff Arpaio proudly and gleefully violated a succession of court orders, refusing to end his office's practice of rampant, unlawful racial and ethnic profiling, which eventually led Federal judges to find him in civil contempt, in criminal contempt, and then, finally, in need of a Presidential pardon, which, of course, he got from the king of pardons when he took the White House.
As a result of all of this defiance and contempt, the court had to issue subsequent orders each time to more specifically articulate and delineate the steps that the sheriff's office needed to take to come into compliance with the law.
Recently, our colleagues held a field hearing in Phoenix, the gentleman's hometown, where they took issue with the fact that the sheriff's office is still under a Federal monitorship more than 10 years later in his home State. They did not take issue with the fact that the office has gone for more than 10 years without fully and meaningfully complying with the court order.
The monitor is in place only because the sheriff's office has failed to remedy its egregious and systemic violations of the law, despite multiple court orders directing them to do so. More than a decade later, and even under a new
Mr. Speaker, Democrats are open to having a serious, nationwide policy discussion about ways to strengthen and improve the Federal monitorship process. Democrats are always up for that, but the bill before us today is focused on one case, one monitor, and, therefore, ignores the entire dynamics of monitorship nationwide. They haven't even pretended to claim that whatever is taking place in that district that they don't like is reflective of what is going on in the rest of the country.
I heard the gentleman say that this is some kind of codification of recommendations made by Attorney General Merrick Garland and Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta in a 2021 DOJ memo on monitors, which they like, but that is not the full story.
The bill, as opposed to the memo, scoops up the points that they like within the memo, like a kid scooping up Easter eggs in the backyard, but then discards the rest. The bill includes some of the recommendations, changes others, and simply excludes others.
Critically, Attorney General Garland said that at the end of a 5-year period there should be an analysis of how well the monitorship is going, should it be terminated, or should it be continued based on the facts.
Well, the gentleman's bill takes that 5-year number but says we are just going to cut it off after 5 years. We are not going to do an analysis of it. We are not going to assess the situation. We are not going to see whether the monitor is needed to go forward. We are just going to take the 5-year number and say it is over. So that person is gone, and if you need a new one, bring somebody else in. All of that institutional knowledge, everything they understand, is out the window.
Now, I understand that would accomplish the gentleman's objective, which is they want to terminate the monitor out in Maricopa County. They don't like that monitor. That is not really how we should be legislating Department of Justice policy for the entire country. Far from making this a more efficient process, the various requirements put in would delay, prolong, and confuse as a new monitor and a new judge would have to attempt to get up to speed on the complicated history of the case and the progress completed by the party prior to this new abrupt appointment.
They would have to review years' worth of briefs, orders, reports, motions, replies, pleadings, and so on. Together, these provisions could incentivize a reluctant party to simply run out the clock until a more indulgent monitor and judge are appointed to the case.
The retroactive application of the bill is, of course, curious. The Garland memo warned against retroactivity, noting that because existing consent decrees and monitorships are the product of extensive negotiations with approval by the Federal court, the specific recommendations should apply only to consent decrees and monitorships used in future cases.
But the whole trick here is to make this apply retroactively to get at the guy that Republicans don't like, and of course, that is not up to us. Congress doesn't go out and decide specific cases. If Republicans have got a problem with what the monitor is doing, bring it to the judge in that case, but don't change Federal law and make a Federal case out of it.
Look, if the majority is serious about improving the appointment and use of Federal monitors, and I am sure they are, then I urge them to work with us to do a nationwide study. Let's craft a bill fully reflecting the recommendations of the Attorney General. Let's invite Attorney General Garland to come in and testify about it. He is a constituent of mine. I am happy to write him and have him come in and testify about what should be done, rather than rushing through this last-minute, case-specific, makeshift legislation.
I urge all my colleagues to oppose this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I appreciate the gentleman's willingness to work with us. That is why we had a field hearing. That is why Democrats were extended the invitation to come; give us the name of someone you want to testify.
Do you know how many people across the aisle came to that hearing? Zero, zip, nada came. Democrats didn't come. They were uninterested. They didn't want to hear from Merrick Garland. They didn't want to come.
So the Democrats said, oh, well, okay, we are not going to do that. And then they are going to stand up and say some rather wild things about that this only applies to Maricopa County and that the monitorship ends at the end of 5 years. That is not true. That is not what this bill does.
The bill says the monitor, the current monitor, is done after 5 years. And why is that? It is because regardless, not just this monitor but how about the monitor that has been in Oakland, California, for 20- some-odd years or other monitors around the country? What happens is, as Merrick Garland said, and as Associate Attorney General Gupta said, they build up incentives. All of a sudden, they had incentives because it is a monetary incentive, and they need to avoid the conflict of interest.
That was the first principle--that was within the first principle that Merrick Garland put together, avoid the conflict of interest.
Guess what. If the Court were to say we are going to continue the monitorship, you get a new monitor. And, quite frankly, the AG also said these things should be simple. These things should be simple. They should be focused. I don't think that someone who is capable of becoming a court monitor is not going to be able to get up to speed pretty doggone quickly. That is the argument that they are making over there.
Let's see who supports this: The National Association of Police, Arizona Sheriffs' Association, Major County Sheriffs of America, Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, and also the California police associations. They all support this because all their departments have been taken over.
How about this one? I think this is a kick in the pants. They basically roll the monitor. This is the fourth sheriff. The DOJ has said they are in substantial compliance, and guess what, this monitor has taken to micromanaging even the uniforms, the stripes for officers. Oh, no, you can't put them up here. You want them down on the front part of the sleeve. That is what the Maricopa County monitor has done.
That is not unique to Maricopa County. The monitors get in, and they micromanage even the most absurd things that have nothing to do with the issue that brought this forward, which was this: the racial profiling in traffic stops. The monitor himself has said in his reports they are in substantial compliance. There is no statistical significance in any difference between any racial demographic in Arizona.
The monitorship has a monetary incentive, and that is what you are seeing. That is why you see these monitorships run amuck around the country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The gentleman asks why Members of the minority didn't come to his hearing in Arizona, and because he asked, I am afraid I am going to have to tell you the truth. We don't think it was a serious hearing. It was about one monitor in one case to target one guy in the context of the gentleman's exciting campaign for Governor of Arizona. I understand the gentleman prefers to be in Arizona. Well, we prefer to be in our districts, too. I will happily leave my district for a serious substantive hearing, but I am not going to be part of a witch hunt or attack against one particular monitor.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Georgia (Mrs. McBath).
Mr. Speaker, I do rise today in opposition to H.R. 8365, the Monitor Accountability Act.
This bill addresses the work of Federal monitors who are appointed by a court to oversee the progress a State or a unit of local government is making after violating Federal law.
Often monitors are put in place after there is a finding of serious misconduct, including violations of constitutional rights or actions that jeopardize people's public health, safety, and well-being.
For example, last January, the Department of Justice and Fulton County, Georgia, which I represent, they entered into an agreement that included the appointment of a monitor to oversee changes to address what we have found to be very dangerous, unhealthy, and unconstitutional conditions at our Fulton County jail.
So this bill proposes restrictions on monitors which ultimately could result in consequences that really actually don't serve the public interest. By requiring unnecessary turnover of both the Federal monitors and the judges overseeing these cases, this bill would waste our time and hard-earned taxpayer dollars instead of actually focusing monitors and the local officials to actually kind of come together and truly work to solve the problem and find some solutions.
The stakes are incredibly high in these kinds of cases. A delay could leave more people incarcerated in unconstitutionally dangerous conditions. A delay could also force employees like the prison guards to continue to work in very, very dangerous conditions that make it impossible for them to actually do their jobs effectively and safely.
I have had the chance to work with the newly appointed director of the Board of Prisons hearing about what is happening all over the Nation, and so I, too, am very concerned about making sure that our employees are working in safer environments within these institutions.
Ultimately, this legislation could result in more waste and more time and more delays while worsening the public services that are meant to be improved under the watchful eye of our Federal monitors.
I stand to say that as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, I oppose H.R. 8365, and I will be urging all my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Merrick Garland's memo says this: ``Principle: Monitorships should be designed to minimize the cost to jurisdictions''--the one in Maricopa County is $350 million; the one in Oakland is who knows how many millions of dollars--``and to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest.''
It goes on to be a little bit more specific: ``Monitorships must nonetheless be designed and administered with awareness that every dollar spent on a monitorship is a dollar that cannot be spent on other policy priorities.''
In other words, don't divert the taxpayers' money so they can't fulfill all of their responsibilities.
Here is another quote: ``Monitorships should be designed to avoid even the appearance that a monitor is primarily motivated by profit.''
We have a monitor in Maricopa County, for instance, who gets $3 million a year on average over the term of his monitorship and who seems to be moving the goalposts, just like he did in Oakland. These seem to be saying: Hey, maybe he does have a profit motivation.
Specifically, this is what they recommend: Cap the monitor fees, an annual cap on monitor fees; encourage use of pro bono time, reduced rates, and nonprofits; explore alternative fee arrangements; and restrict lead monitor participation in multiple monitorships.
We have tried to get at all those things in the current bill.
They go on to say this: ``Future consent decrees should limit the ability of the individual who serves as the lead monitor to serve on more than one monitoring team at a time. . . . But the person serving as the lead monitor should be solely committed to the jurisdiction they are serving and should not be simultaneously supporting multiple monitorships at the same time.''
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Just to restate for everybody where we are. The monitor serves at the discretion and the pleasure of the judge. If the judge thinks the monitor is doing a bad job or feathering his nest or taking money, the judge would get rid of the monitor immediately. That is up to the judge.
If you have got a problem with a particular monitor, bring a motion before the judge to change the situation. Instead, the gentleman wants to make a Federal law out of it. I appreciate it is his last few months in Congress, and he wants to try to accomplish something in that particular case, but it really doesn't relate to the rest of the country.
There has been no study done of monitorships generally, except for what Attorney General Garland did, and his bill departs radically from what Attorney General Garland was talking about.
Just take, for example, this 5-year idea. The idea is, look, the judge can review the monitor at any point in the course of the monitorship. But there should be, Attorney General Garland said, a 5- year review where they look and see how it is going and is the jurisdiction complying or not.
If they are not complying, as is taking place in Maricopa County, why not? What needs to be done? Is the monitor actually showing up at work and being a zealous individual about it or not? That can happen right now.
But in any event, Attorney General Garland says, have a 5-year review. Their bill says terminate the monitor, regardless of whether or not that person is doing a good job, after 5 years. They could be doing the best job in the world, but no, they want to start all over again and take all of the time and energy required in getting somebody else up to date on the case.
It is just not serious legislation, which is perhaps why there is not a counterpart over on the Senate side; there is no companion.
So good luck to the gentleman about actually getting this done before the election in November. Perhaps people will be impressed by catalyzing all of this attention to one case, but it tells us nothing about what is happening in the rest of the country.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Landsman).
This morning, in our newspaper in Cincinnati, there was a story about how we are spending $25 million on police overtime because we don't have enough cops. Our community, like communities across the country, is struggling to hire police officers. I don't understand why we are messing with monitors or one monitor. All of these issues that communities across the country are facing with public safety, crime, gun violence--cities, towns, counties, they all have this one thing in common: What they need is more cops.
In the middle of Police Week, we have got four bills, including this one. As Mr. Raskin said, I don't think any of them are going to become law. They don't have a companion bill in the Senate. I don't know what we are doing during Police Week except we are not funding cops.
In fact, since the Republicans took the majority, the cop funding has gone down. Byrne has gone down. The COPS grant funding has gone down. I have tried to get my bill on the floor, which would just allow folks who have the COPS grant to use that money to retain and recruit police officers, just the flexibility, but I can't get a hearing and can't get a vote.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Speaker, if y'all want to help police officers and communities, especially during Police Week, hire more cops, help communities pay for police officers.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The gentleman was just arguing essentially for monitors, which continues to hamstring police agencies around the country. I guess he wasn't here when I started reading off how agencies around the country support this bill because they are impacted negatively by rogue monitors.
I will just go back to my colleague saying, hey, we didn't--nobody came.
They could have come. They could have tried to make it serious by bringing their witness, the witness he said he would like to have come in now. He could have brought that witness in then. He chose not to.
I think maybe the unseriousness is on your side not taking this issue serious because it does impact the entire country.
We know it does. Because why? Because former Attorney General Merrick Garland said: Hey, I am so concerned about it, I am going to commission somebody to spend several months to research this and give us some recommendations.
My bill is attempting to implement those recommendations, and I encourage their support of it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
The gentleman says that if we had come, it would have been serious. I applaud the implicit concession it wasn't serious. But in any event, it would not have been relevant because studying what goes on in one office is not relevant.
Now, if you want to take the Attorney General's handiwork and turn it into law, we could do it, but that is not what the gentleman is proposing to do. He has changed it and contorted it in a lot of different ways in order to fit his particular case.
In any event, I don't think we should rely exclusively on the executive branch. I think we should have our own serious hearings with the whole committee. Only two Republicans joined that trip to Phoenix, Arizona, although there was another Republican Member who I think was a key witness there. I think Mrs. Lesko testified before the committee, increasing the sense of the closed circle that they have there.
In any event, why don't we look at this as a serious national problem? In any event, of the top 25 things Americans are thinking about, I can guarantee you that is not one of them. One of them, though, is the billion dollars that the administration is asking for, for the big, wretched ballroom that they want to build over at the White House since they bulldozed the East Wing of the White House.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Boyle), the ranking member on the Budget Committee.
Mr. Speaker, right now, costs are going through the roof thanks to President Trump's tariff taxes and his reckless war in Iran.
Families are paying more for gas, paying more for groceries, paying more for housing, and paying more for healthcare. The list goes on and on.
Fifteen million Americans are about to lose their healthcare coverage because of that so-called Big Beautiful Bill Act that Republicans passed and the President signed into law last summer, which just happens to be one of the most unpopular pieces of legislation in modern legislative history.
Millions are losing food assistance because of that disastrous law. Working families are stretching every dollar every day.
While all of this is happening, Mr. Speaker, what is your President focused on? A ballroom.
Mr. Speaker, this tells you everything you need to know about this President's priorities. The American people are asking for lower costs. Donald Trump is asking for a taxpayer-funded vanity project at the White House. Maybe we should start calling Republican reconciliation 2.0 what it really is: the billion dollar ballroom act. That is because this Republican agenda can somehow find money for Donald Trump's ballroom and his billionaire donors, but it can never seem to find a dime to lower costs for the American people.
There is not enough money to protect healthcare, not enough money to protect food assistance, not enough money to lower the cost of gas, groceries, housing, or healthcare, but, somehow, there is more money for Donald Trump's big, beautiful ballroom.
That is the problem with this entire agenda. It asks working families to pay more and get less, all while Donald Trump gets exactly what he wants. They can find money for tax breaks for billionaires. They can find money for giveaways to the well-connected, and they can find money for Donald Trump's ballroom. However, when it comes to helping families afford a gallon of gas, a bag of groceries, a doctor's visit, or a safe place to live, suddenly Republicans say: We have no money.
Americans have been loud and clear. They want costs to go down, and they want it now. They do not want their taxpayer dollars spent on a ballroom so this President can host lavish events with his billionaire friends. If the President cared as much as about lowering costs for the American people as he does his precious ballroom, maybe 1 pound of beef would not cost more than 1 hour of work at the Federal minimum wage.
For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee.
If House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an important amendment to this bill. My amendment would simply prohibit taxpayer funding for Donald Trump's White House ballroom. It is simple. Not one taxpayer dollar, not one dime, should be spent on a vanity ballroom while Americans are losing healthcare, losing food assistance, and struggling to make ends meet.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to insert the text of my amendment in the Record immediately prior to the vote on the motion to recommit.
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, the President has repeatedly claimed that the ballroom would actually be entirely funded by private sources. Leaving aside the legality of that proposition, now they are asking the American taxpayers for $1 billion for the ballroom when the cost of it would have been zero had he not gone ahead and bulldozed the White House without the permission or consent of Congress which has control over all Federal buildings and property.
It is up to us, not the President, and yet he thinks that the White House is like a personal vacation home. He bulldozed it, and now they are asking us for $1 billion.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished ranking member of the Budget Committee for coming here to talk about this very serious issue. I am very glad he is moving to recommit so we can have some serious legislative investigation into that outrageous proposal. I want to link it to the bill from the gentleman from Arizona. That is because if you think about it, Mr. Speaker, neither of the agendas being proposed have anything to do with the national common good. The ballroom, the gilded ballroom for Donald Trump and his family and friends, has nothing to do with what is going to advance the well-being of the American people.
Similarly, this bill is all about picking a fight with or retaliating against one monitor they are upset with about one case. They might be right or they might be wrong. It sounds to me like they are wrong, but, in any event, those merits have nothing to do with the rest of the country and what the rest of us are dealing with.
However, on the Republican side of the aisle, now it is all about I want my thing; I want to get my thing before the whole ship goes down.
We know Donald Trump's numbers are sinking like a stone across the country making him the most unpopular President in American history, so everybody wants to get a little piece of the action for whatever they can. No one is thinking about the public interest.
Who is thinking about getting healthcare to all the American people?
Who is thinking about lowering the cost of groceries for the American people?
Who is thinking about getting housing to the American people so young people can afford a place to go live?
None of it. The President said he was going to lower inflation on day one. Inflation is soaring. Now the cost of gasoline is up $1.50 across the country because of his illegal, unconstitutional war he has waged against us.
They want us to be spending our time talking about one Federal monitor under the supervision of one Federal judge in Maricopa County, Arizona.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill actually would help save money by holding monitors responsible, making sure that they are responsible. That is important.
When they start talking about $1 billion, remember that just compliance costs and the cost of this particular monitor that they are very focused on has cost the taxpayers there over $350 million, over one-third of a billion dollars.
The monitor in Baltimore right now submitted their bill recently for $1.5 million. That is just a fee, mind you, Mr. Speaker, of the monitor, $1.5 million. That doesn't include whatever compliance costs there may be.
The second principle that came out of Attorney General Merrick Garland's position was this: When consent decrees involve State and local entities, monitors hold the position of public trust, not only as agents of the court, but as drivers of significant change of public institutions that are central to the communities that they serve, and, thus, they must be structured to ensure that monitors are accountable-- are accountable--for their work.
That is what my bill does. It creates accountability because there is no accountability there.
If it was all resting in the judge, Merrick Garland could have just said: We will just leave it up to the judge, because that is what the Democrats want.
However, they say you must have an opportunity for public input.
This is interesting: Consent decrees should include term limits for monitors that could be renewed, but they should have term limits.
Those term limits need to be reviewed after 2 to 3 years to determine whether they are performing properly, are cost-effective, and are providing technical assistance. That is what the memo said, and we are trying to get that codified.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, if the gentleman really wants to save the taxpayers money, then why not encourage the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department actually to implement the reforms that have been required by the court for more than one decade and finally redeem itself from the shameful legacy of entrenched racial and ethnic discrimination conducted by Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
I have not heard one word in utterance of criticism of Sheriff Arpaio by the distinguished gentleman from Arizona.
Is he here to say that Sheriff Arpaio did nothing wrong and that all of those court judgments are wrong and the court orders are wrong, that there never should have been a monitor in the first place?
Or is he saying: Oh, well, yes, he made some egregious systemic structural errors, but actually the process was completed and everything is fine now, but the monitor doesn't see it and the court doesn't see it.
In any event, why are we litigating this case from Phoenix, Arizona?
That just makes no sense. Congress is not allowed to adjudicate cases. We govern the interests of the whole country.
The gentleman keeps going back to the Attorney General's statement. This is the first time I ever heard him refer in any kind of positive way to Attorney General Merrick Garland. Great. Terrific.
Does Attorney General Garland support this legislation?
He hasn't mentioned it to me. I haven't heard anything from him about it.
Did the Deputy Attorney General who worked on their report endorse this legislation?
I haven't heard anything about it. Ms. Gupta didn't get in touch with me.
Did they go and testify out in Arizona?
Or did they just want to use that as a fig leaf for this effort to go and get this monitor that they don't like?
Mr. Speaker, that is not serious legislative policy.
That is kind of like a drive-by hit on Congress on your way out, like: Oh, I am going to go after this one guy. We can't govern on that basis.
How come there is no U.S. Senator who is introducing this legislation targeted at Maricopa County?
If it is all about that one case, why don't we tell the people we know there--and I don't know anybody there--but why don't we tell the people we know there to comply with the law?
I think that the average is around 5 years for a court monitor. Some of them have gone 15 or 20 when you have a real case of obstructionism, defiance, and intransigence. This one has gone on for more than a decade, which doesn't speak well for what is happening in that office.
In any event, most of the monitors are gone within several years because compliance is accomplished. The gentleman doesn't seem to recognize that the whole purpose of having a monitor is to see that the government will comply with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the rights of the people. That is what is at stake here.
Are we going to just stampede in there and squash one monitor at the behest of one Congressman and one hearing taking place in one city without any serious legislative analysis of what is going on? I doubt very seriously the House of Representatives will do that. I know the Senate will not do that.
This seems to me to be a completely hopeless exercise in vain and a complete distraction from the real issues of the country, like the illegal, unconstitutional war Donald Trump has unleashed in the world, costing us more than a billion dollars a day; like the billion dollars they want from us now for the gilded ballroom of his dreams and visions; like the ruinous effects of their illegal, unconstitutional tariffs on American businesses, small businesses, and consumers across the country; and their continuing coverup of the Epstein files and their refusal to deal seriously with that situation.
They want us to talk about Maricopa County. No, thanks, Mr. Speaker. No, I am not interested in that. I don't think there is going to be anybody voting for this silly legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the gentleman thinks this is a silly effort, and he doesn't know if Merrick Garland or Associate Attorney General Gupta supports it. Did he care enough to call them? Did he ask? One wonders. He is saying, oh, they didn't call me. That is what he said, that they didn't call him.
Here is the deal. In the pleadings in the case, the record shows that MCSO has implemented the key reforms required by the court orders, including policies, training, supervision, data collection analysis, and accountability systems related to bias-free policing and traffic enforcement. That is in the pleadings in the court.
In that context, MCSO has achieved substantial compliance with the court's orders, which, by the way, is what Associate Attorney General Gupta said is the measure for ending a monitorship, substantial compliance.
Let's talk about the bill. The reality is, this is not just for Maricopa County. There are monitors throughout this country. Let's just go through the bill a little bit. They didn't want to do that because they want to talk about all kinds of things tangential to this, because when you read the bill, you realize it is not about Maricopa County. It is about monitors. It is about monitors and making sure that they have guideposts and guidelines.
Fees: They ``may not assess a fee in excess of such maximum rates as the administrator may establish.'' There is nothing about Maricopa County there. That is the director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. They ``shall be authorized to employ the use of pro bono time or reduced rates.''
``Such person may not be appointed to more than one such monitorship at a time,'' consistent with what was in the Garland memo, or ``appointed for a term greater than 5 years.'' They can't be. They also can't be ``reappointed after the expiration of such term pursuant to the same court order,'' if it is the same court order.
A subsequent monitor ``who is appointed to a monitorship after the expiration of the term of a monitor who served pursuant to the same court order may not be employed by the same employer as the previous monitor.'' Why? Because Merrick Garland said you can't have a conflict of interest. You also cannot basically have someone without a term limit because that puts somebody there with a financial incentive to keep the monitorship going, regardless of compliance.
Termination: ``In the case that a court, a party, or a monitor seeks to revise a monitorship imposed by a court order, the court shall conduct a hearing.''
``The court may only revise a requirement of a monitorship with respect to which the subject of the monitorship has not attained substantial and sustained compliance.'' I just read to you that they have. The monitor found that in Arizona. This applies nationwide.
``On the date that is 6 years after the court order,'' the case gets transferred from one judge to another.
Accounting: ``On an annual basis, a monitor shall submit to the Court imposing the monitorship an accounting,'' including ``information on the services provided.'' Why don't they want that? I wonder why they don't want that amongst all the monitors around the country? Why don't you want them to provide an accounting?
Right now, we have places in this country where the monitor just simply gives a bill to the county and says: For services rendered, $200,000 this month. It does become retroactive.
``It is the sense of Congress that monitoring is a public service and monitorships should be structured to encourage the use of pro bono time or reduced rates.''
That is the simplicity of this bill. It gets at the heart of the nub of the Garland memo. This doesn't focus on one monitor. It doesn't focus on one location. It says every monitorship will be subject to this.
It doesn't say monitorships are bad or unconstitutional. It says they have to be performing without conflict of interest and without incentives to make sure that they keep going because they want compliance. We need them to ensure compliance, not to make sure that they are lining their own pockets, that it doesn't become a grift, that you don't get $30 million over 10 years coming in as your fee when you are also monitoring multiple jurisdictions. That is what is at the heart of the Gupta memo, and that is what is at the heart of this bill.
Contrary to what one of my colleagues says, that it is not unusual not to have a bill with a Senator sponsor, not every bill has a Senator sponsor. It is not required.
Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to you that this bill gets to the very heart of making sure that a monitorship does not become abusive, overbearing, and negate what they are supposed to be doing, which is to make sure that there is compliance with a court order, to make sure we have a constitutional performance.
That is what is said in Maricopa County, but it applies nationwide. Nothing in the bill limits this to one county. It applies nationwide.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage everyone to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the previous question is ordered on the bill, as amended.
The question is on the engrossment and third reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was read the third time.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on H.R. 8469 and that it may include tabular material on the same.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1275 and rule XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 8469).
The Chair appoints the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Fine) to preside over the Committee of the Whole.
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for the consideration of the bill (H.R. 8469) making appropriations for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027, and for other purposes, with Mr. Fine in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The CHAIR. Pursuant to the rule, the bill is considered read the first time.
General debate shall be confined to the bill and shall not exceed 1 hour equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) each will control 30 minutes.
Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I am honored to present the fiscal year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill to the House today. This bill supports our troops, their families, and our Nation's veterans.
I thank the Committee on Appropriations chairman (Mr. Cole) for his leadership in advancing this bill through the committee, and I recognize and
This bill is not perfect, and compromises were made on both sides. Even so, the legislation before us today received unanimous support in the committee. I greatly appreciate the bipartisan effort of everyone involved. Those efforts demonstrate that bipartisanship is not only possible, it can lead to meaningful legislative success.
No matter our ideological differences, we can all agree that the importance of supporting our troops, their families, and the Nation's veterans is very important.
For fiscal year 2027, the Military Construction, Veteran Affairs, and Related Agencies bill provides a discretionary allocation of $157 billion.
I will briefly highlight several key priorities included in the legislation.
It fully funds veterans' healthcare.
It provides an advanced appropriation for the Toxic Exposures Fund.
It includes $900 million for medical and prosthetic research.
It prioritizes mental health, suicide prevention, and homelessness programs.
It includes more than $19 billion for military construction.
It invests in barracks improvements, strengthens investment in the Department of Defense laboratories, supports the demolition of obsolete infrastructure, and provides nearly $2 billion for military housing.
In closing, this bill honors those who sacrifice for our country and reaffirms our commitment to the well-being of both servicemembers and veterans. It supports our troops and cares for veterans and their families and upholds the promises we made to those of our Nation.
I hope this bill will receive the same strong bipartisan support on the House floor that it received in committee because it is what our veterans deserve.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 8469, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in tentative support of H.R. 8469, the fiscal year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill.
The past few years, the MILCON-VA bill strayed from our tradition of being one of the few appropriations bills that traditionally had bipartisan support.
Our committee has a shared goal of supporting our servicemembers, veterans, and their families no matter who holds the majority. We are proud to report that as the bill stands, this is a bipartisan bill--one that we reported out of full committee 58-0. However, it saddens me to see that the majority has made in order amendments that stray from the bipartisan commitment that both Chair Carter and I have maintained.
To be clear, if any of the controversial amendments made in order are adopted, we will not be able to support this bill, and all the bipartisan work that we did to get this bill to this stage will all have been for naught. What a message we could send about our ability to work together if the House rejects these controversial amendments and votes to support the MILCON-VA bill--controversial amendments that really have nothing to do with protecting and preserving the quality of life of our servicemembers on Active Duty or our veterans--for a critical bill that supports our servicemembers and those who served our country honorably.
To be clear, we have already made compromises on this bill. This is not the bill that I would have written. The bill includes a policy rider that prohibits the VA from reporting a beneficiary--for example, that has been deemed mentally incompetent based on medical evidence and, therefore, is assigned a fiduciary to handle their finances--to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Not only is this a violation of current law, but it will only put more veterans in harm's way.
Additionally, I opposed the funding level for the NATO Security Investment Program, which is $122 million below the request level. Now, more than ever, we should be reinforcing deterrence with the help of our European allies who disproportionately fund this program, especially as the war in Ukraine continues.
I was able to put these concerns aside, as were my Democratic colleagues on the subcommittee and the full committee, and support this bill because that is what bipartisanship requires.
As I told the Committee on Rules, Mr. Chairman, sometimes we have to compromise on what our preferences might be. You never compromise on principle; but to achieve a greater good, which this bill absolutely represents, sometimes you swallow hard and you look past some things not being exactly the way you would have preferred.
So today we will consider an amendment that bans funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the VA as well because there are problematic amendments that have been made in order beyond just the language in the current underlying bill. We are worried that we will tip the scales from bipartisanship into partisanship.
The Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Voting Rights Act and swift action taken in southern States to disenfranchise Black voters proves that we have always needed to lean in on ensuring there is diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will not allow this attack on communities of color to continue, and we will strongly oppose this amendment if it is offered. The amendment does nothing to help veterans and is divisive, partisan, and unnecessary.
Along these same lines, there is an amendment that attacks Filipino World War II veterans, veterans that fought for us and with us, resulting in one of the greatest victories in our history.
I want to be clear here. The Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund exists to correct what was a racist decision made in 1946 that banned Filipino veterans from receiving compensation for their service in World War II. That is why the word ``equity'' exists in the title of this account.
There is also a messaging amendment on gender-affirming care for veterans. I hope that is not offered, but regardless of how you feel about the LGBT community, it is ridiculous to block a veteran from receiving the healthcare that they have earned.
It is disappointing that we are at this point, and I hope that throughout the rest of this process we can come together to defeat these amendments.
I do want to underscore that Judge Carter and I could not possibly have a better working relationship, and we have worked hand in glove to reach this point, and I think I can safely speak for both of us that we hope we can achieve the same outcome we were able to achieve in the full Appropriations Committee.
Mr. Chair, I thank my friend, Judge Carter, and the ranking member, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, for giving us an example of what true bipartisanship looks like. I mean, to get a bill out of committee on a unanimous vote, as a fellow cardinal, I am a bit envious. I am not near naive enough to believe that my T-HUD bill is going to enjoy the same fate, but congratulations to them.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this MILCON-VA bill. It is a good day for the House, Mr. Chairman, and an even better day for the American people because we are considering the first full year FY27 appropriations bill in the month of May. Good for us.
This is what a return to regular order should look like. This is how the annual appropriations process is supposed to work. Committee members from both parties debating, negotiating, and working in good faith to fund bills on time and responsibly.
We wouldn't be here today without the leadership of our overall chairman, Tom Cole, and his ranker, Rosa DeLauro. Their dedication and commitment to re-engineering this process
There is some unfinished business, and we will roll up our sleeves, and we will get this work done.
House appropriators have advanced five full-year funding bills through committee. This is a credit to the hard work, discipline, and bipartisanship of our committee.
Mr. Chairman, the bill I speak in support of today, the FY27 MILCON- VA bill, is a good bill, and I know it is going to go through the process here on the floor, and I hope the outcome is that we can get it finished, get it approved, and get it to the Senate. Its passage will set our military and veterans up for success while also sustaining our momentum to fulfill Congress' Article I responsibility on time.
Let's get a ``yes'' vote out of this thing. Congratulations to both of you.
Mr. Chair, I thank the ranking member for yielding and for all of her hard work on this bill. Again, I congratulate Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz and Judge Carter for the work they have done on this piece of legislation.
I thank the committee staff, Farouk Ophaso and Tyler Coe for the minority side, Justin Masucci, Jason Wheelock, and Arianna Delgado for the majority, for all the good work that they put in here.
We began with a bill that fell short. It did not provide adequate support for our veterans, but after some tough negotiating by Democrats on the Appropriations Committee, especially Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, our colleagues across the aisle agreed to make some much- needed improvements.
Through these negotiations, Democrats were able to secure more than $50 billion in advance funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund, enabling us to keep our commitments to our veterans when we passed the PACT Act.
We were also able to reach an agreement on the provision to withhold 25 percent of the budget for the Office of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs until he comes to testify before both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, reasserting Congress' power of the purse.
With these improvements, we were able to arrive at an agreement that passed out of the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 58-0. That is a testament to the exceptional work of the members of the subcommittee and the committee, and it demonstrates that when Republicans are willing to work with us to address our concerns, we are more than happy to support reasonable proposals that meet the needs of the American people.
This bill in its current form increases funding for suicide prevention and treatment programs, rural health and substance use disorder programs, and women's healthcare, helping to ensure the women who have served our country can get the care that they need.
It boosts funding for the VA by more than $4 billion and increases our investments in veterans' medical care by $6.5 billion. These are important resources that will go a long way to supporting the men and women who have served our country in uniform.
It is not a perfect bill as it stands, but it is a good bill. It is the product of good-faith, bipartisan negotiations. It is evidence that even in an era of division, Congress can still find common ground to deliver for the American people.
However, several amendments have been offered by Republicans who do not sit on the Appropriations Committee. They are attempting to inject hyperpartisan culture-war provisions into the bill and upend the bipartisan agreement that we made.
Despite hours of painstaking but good-faith negotiations by members of the committee to find common ground on a bill to deliver for our veterans, these amendments, which are an exercise in political bomb- throwing, not serious legislating, would undermine the real work of the committee, the committee which has done so much to support our Nation's veterans, our servicemembers.
These are partisan theatrics the American people are tired of. People want to see the Congress work together to solve their problems, and on the Appropriations Committee, we did just that.
Last-minute intervention from Members who do not sit on the committee is counterproductive and only serves to sour the process for the future.
Why would we agree to anything in committee moving forward if we know that as soon as it comes to the floor, it will be loaded up with poison pills designed to punch up a press release rather than serious provisions meant to solve the problems facing the American people.
I encourage my colleagues to stick to the strong agreement that was forged on a bipartisan basis by the members of this subcommittee and the members of the committee and reject a shallow, toxic partisanship that has infected so much of our politics today.
I thank the chair and ranking member and all of my colleagues on the committee for their hard work.
Mr. Chairman, I thank Judge Carter for yielding me time.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of the fiscal year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
As a veteran and member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I understand the importance of supporting military readiness while ensuring that veterans receive the care and benefits that they have earned.
This legislation fully funds veterans' healthcare and benefits, while strengthening mental health services, suicide prevention, and critical medical research programs relied upon by veterans across the country. It also invests in military construction projects that improve readiness, strengthen resiliency, and ensure our servicemembers have the needed infrastructure to meet growing global threats.
This bill includes several priorities I worked to advance, including resiliency improvements at the United States Naval Academy to address recurrent flooding that threatens infrastructure, disrupts operations, and impacts the training environment for our future naval officers.
It also strengthens research and treatment efforts for veterans facing Parkinson's disease and ALS; expands access to advanced care, treatment, and clinical trials; and supports modernization across the VA system, including cybersecurity protections and emerging technologies to improve early detection in patient care.
This legislation also protects the Second Amendment rights of veterans by preventing the VA from sending veterans' information to the FBI without due process and a judicial determination.
Mr. Chairman, this is a strong bill that supports readiness, strengthens care for our veterans, protects constitutional liberties, and keeps the Federal Government focused on its core responsibilities at a time of growing global threats.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Levin), a distinguished member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
Mr. Chairman, I am so honored to represent the marines and sailors on Camp Pendleton, some of the most capable, disciplined, and battle-ready men and women that this Nation has ever produced, so when this Congress funds the military and our veterans, I take that responsibility very seriously.
I am proud to be a member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee and pleased that we were collectively able to put our servicemembers and our veterans over politics. That is how this work is supposed to get done, and this bill, as it stands,
Before serving on Appropriations, I served on the Committee on Veterans' Affairs for 6 years. During that time, we passed the Honoring our PACT Act and established the Toxic Exposure Fund because this country made a promise to our veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals while they served, and that promise doesn't expire regardless of what is happening here in Washington, D.C.
I am so glad that this bill delivers on that promise with advanced funding for the Toxic Exposure Fund, and I am so proud of that bipartisan work as it continues.
This bill also includes $2 million to implement the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, or CVSO Act, a bipartisan bill that I led that was signed into law as part of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act.
Right now, out of 15.8 million veterans in this country, fewer than half are enrolled in VA healthcare. That is unacceptable.
This funding will establish a grant program to help State and local governments hire and train more county veteran service officers. Those are people on the ground who are doing the work of connecting veterans to the care and benefits that they have earned.
I supported this bill in committee, and I urge my colleagues to protect this bipartisan compromise and reject any amendments that would jeopardize it.
While it is not perfect, as the bill stands, I am encouraged that, even in this moment, when we still come together across the aisle, we can do big things to serve our military and our veterans.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole), the chairman of the Appropriations Committee for the House of Representatives.
Mr. Chairman, I thank my good friend, Judge Carter, for yielding the time.
Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of our first fiscal year 2027 appropriations bill on the floor, the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
This legislation reflects something that we have long understood from our founding: America's story has always been shaped by ordinary men and women who are willing to step forward and answer a call greater than themselves. A country worthy of sacrifice must also be worthy of the people who made that sacrifice, and our obligation to those who wear the uniform does not end when they return home and hang up their uniforms.
This bill reflects that promise. We are delivering the support, resources, and readiness that make a real difference. You don't have to rely on my word. The substance of the funding is clear. We fully fund veteran healthcare and benefits. We prioritize critical mental health and suicide prevention efforts. We invest in improvements at VA facilities, military cemeteries, and monuments.
At the same time, this measure reinforces our base posture from the ground up by investing in military construction, improving barracks, and ensuring that our installations are equipped to support readiness in an increasingly complex environment.
From the Indo-Pacific to the commands here at home, strength and preparedness are not optional. We also recognize that a strong military is built not only by those on the front lines but by the loved ones who support them through every sacrifice. That is why this bill supports family housing, childcare, and quality-of-life needs for military families.
Put simply, this legislation strengthens the full foundation of American security through care for our veterans, capabilities for our bases, and construction that supports readiness for the future.
Chairman Carter's work reflects the seriousness that these responsibilities demand and the lasting commitments we owe to those who serve. Together with Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, he wrote a bill that earned unanimous support in our full committee because its priorities are grounded in supporting the best of our Nation.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding additional time.
At a time when Americans too often only hear about division and dysfunction, this strong and bipartisan proposal demonstrates that support for our veterans, troops, and military families can still unite this institution around a common purpose. Voting ``yes'' is a statement that America does not forget those who answered the call to defend her.
Mr. Chair, again, I thank Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for their leadership on this measure and urge all Members to join me in supporting the bill's final passage.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Escobar), who represents Fort Bliss and is a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.
Mr. Chairman, as the proud Representative of the great military installation of Fort Bliss, Texas, and as a member of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I thank Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz not just for their work on this bill but for being champions of bipartisan collaboration. I am so grateful to the both of them for that.
While this is not a perfect bill, it does make real progress. The bill advances my provisions supporting reforms and innovation to help modernize a military construction process that is far too slow and rigid for today's military.
The needs we have for military construction are far greater than the resources available, and I am deeply committed to reforming this process so that we can stretch those dollars even further.
This bill also supports planning for a new headquarters for the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss, whose aging facilities no longer match its global mission.
On the VA side, I am pleased that this bill includes my own legislation to ensure oversight of the activation planning of the VA medical center being built in El Paso, right next to William Beaumont Army Medical Center. I was proud to help secure the $700 million to build this great facility, and I am committed to ensuring that it delivers world-class healthcare for veterans on day one.
While I am disappointed that the bill still contains a partisan provision that weakens gun background check protections for veterans that I do not agree with, the final product is still a thoughtful, bipartisan one, and I support it in its current form. I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Chairman, I thank Judge Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz for their leadership on this.
Mr. Chairman, I tell you what. It is a very rare moment to come on the House floor where we have a committee that has voted unanimously for a bill, and I compliment our leaders for getting this done. It was a great moment a couple of weeks ago when that passed out of committee. I think we were all surprised at ourselves by this unanimous vote.
The Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act is about one thing, and that is keeping our promises--our promises to our veterans, our servicemembers, and their families.
I also want to thank my friends, Chairman Cole and Subcommittee Chairman Carter, as I have done, and also our ranking member of the full committee, my good friend Rosa DeLauro for all their hard work. I was proud to help move this bill forward, and I am even prouder that it really does deliver real wins for the American
We are fully funding veterans healthcare and benefits, and that means no delays and no excuses. It means access to care, expanded mental health services, and continued investment in suicide prevention. A lot of places I go around my district and in Missouri, people want us to provide these services through the VA, and we are.
We are also strengthening the Community Care program, giving veterans more flexibility to get the specialized care they need when and where they need it. For our servicemembers and military families, this bill invests in what matters most: safe housing, better barracks, childcare facilities that improve everyday life, and the quality of care that we have been talking about in this Congress.
Importantly, we are restoring accountability and protecting freedoms. We are ensuring veterans' Second Amendment rights are not undermined while stopping taxpayer dollars from going to Communist China.
On the national security front, this bill makes critical investment in military construction, especially in the Indo-Pacific, so that the U.S. remains strong and prepared and always ahead of our adversaries.
Mr. Chair, this didn't happen by accident. It took hard work. It took focus, and it took a commitment, a commitment in our committee not to put us first but to put the American people first. This is not about results, not rhetoric. It is results for our veterans, results for our military families, and results for the security of the United States of America.
I urge my colleagues to join us in what we did in our committee. Let's have a unanimous vote in the House today for the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Let's get this done.
Mr. Chair, I am prepared to close, as well, and I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Chair, I am very proud that we were able to pass this bill out of the full Appropriations Committee 58-0. I know Judge Carter and I are equally proud of that. This is legislation that, as you have heard, does fully fund healthcare for our Nation's veterans. It ensures--and we worked together on this--that veterans who get healthcare services through the PACT Act are able to have advanced funding to ensure continuity, regardless of the actions here in this body, for continued funding for their healthcare as a result of toxic exposure during their service, and now we have advanced funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund as well.
We added $15 million in prevention to make sure that we could have resiliency for our servicemembers because they are consistently now subject to the impacts of natural disasters, and it provides additional investments in child development centers and barracks, which are both areas of bipartisan concern. We are looking forward to the amendment process in which we can hopefully continue the bipartisan cooperation.
I want to thank Ranking Member DeLauro and Chairman Cole for their leadership. They are true leaders that we are fortunate to be able to work under. I also thank the team of professionals that I rely on: Farouk Ophaso, Tyler Coe, and Steven Goodall.
I support this bill in its current form, but I have serious concerns, again, about the controversial amendments that we will be considering later today and tomorrow.
I want to repeat, if any of those controversial amendments are added to this bill, it risks losing support from our side of the aisle. I hope we can come together. We already are together. I hope we can remain together in the name of bipartisanship and in service to our veterans and servicemembers to pass this bill with overwhelming support. We can only do that by keeping divisive, unnecessary, unrelated provisions out of the bill.
I, again, thank Judge Carter for his partnership and his friendship, and I yield back the balance of my time.
In closing, I ask my colleagues to support the fiscal year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
This legislation provides critical funding for military bases, improves housing for our troops and their families, and makes investments aimed at improving the quality of life for our servicemembers.
It also upholds our pledge to our veterans. This bill fully funds healthcare for veterans and benefits for those who have honorably served. This bill was drafted on a bipartisan basis with a shared priority of taking care of those who cared for us.
Today, I ask my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. All time for general debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the bill shall be considered for amendment under the 5-minute rule. The bill shall be considered as read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Navy and Marine Corps
The Acting CHAIR. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived.
No amendment to the bill shall be in order except those printed in part B of House Report 119-648, amendments en bloc described in section 7 of House Resolution 1275, and pro forma amendments described in section 8 of that resolution.
Each amendment printed in part B of the report shall be considered only in the order printed in the report, may be offered only by a Member designated in the report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in the report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to amendment except as provided in section 8 of House Resolution 1275, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
It shall be in order at any time for the chair of the Committee on Appropriations or his designee to offer amendments en bloc consisting of amendments printed in part B of the report not earlier disposed of. Amendments en bloc shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for 20 minutes equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their designees, shall not be subject to amendment, except as provided by section 8 of House Resolution 1275, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of the question.
During consideration of the bill for amendment, the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees may offer up to 10 pro forma amendments each at any point for the purpose of debate.
Mr. Chair, pursuant to House Resolution 1275, I offer amendments en bloc.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendments en bloc.
Amendments en bloc consisting of amendment Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 47, 48, and 51 printed in part B of House Report 119-648, offered by Mr. Carter of Texas:
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 1275, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz) each will control 10 minutes.
Mr. Chair, I rise in favor of these amendments en bloc. It includes bipartisan amendments that both sides have agreed to. These are noncontroversial and raise awareness to a variety of issues.
I appreciate the ranking member, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, working with us on these amendments, and I ask for your support and urge its adoption.
Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of these amendments en bloc. This en bloc contains noncontroversial amendments that raise awareness on the programs that we all care about. It includes the need to address a variety of medical care issues at the VA, addresses the VA construction backlog, constructs more State extended-care facilities, expedites claims processing, and draws attention to our defense infrastructure, specifically at public shipyards.
I encourage my colleagues to support these amendments en bloc, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. Chair, I strongly support this bipartisan package of amendments which include 11 key priorities for military families in my district.
Our military's readiness relies on the people and facilities that keep it running every day.
My district is home to Naval Base Kitsap, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the Tacoma Narrows Reserve Center, and constituents stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
I have seen the challenges at these installations firsthand. Workers are stuck in traffic trying to get to the shipyard during shift changes. Military families, like so many others, are struggling to access affordable childcare. Aging water infrastructure continues to strain naval installations. Veterans in rural communities are driving hours across my district just to reach specialty care appointments.
My amendments take practical steps to address these problems. They will help strengthen electrical grid resilience in our public shipyards, improve industrial safety infrastructure, modernize aging water and wastewater systems, and improve transportation access around naval installations.
This package also invests in military families through expanded childcare capacity, workforce support spaces, and employment resources for military spouses.
Importantly, one of my amendments would require an assessment of transportation barriers.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. Chair, importantly, one of my amendments would require an assessment of transportation barriers facing veterans in rural and highly rural communities seeking specialty care.
These are practical investments. These strengthen readiness. They support families, and they will improve the lives of people who serve this country every single day.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan package.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of amendment No. 12 included in this en bloc package and thank the committee for their hard work.
For over 180 years, the United States Naval Academy has educated and trained our Nation's finest sailors, marines, and even some Members of Congress.
But the academy faces a very real and ongoing challenge of stormwater flooding impacting the readiness of America's midshipmen.
In 2024 alone, there were 85 days of flooding on the yard. My amendment highlights the key part of the academy's installation resilience plan by raising Congress' bipartisan support for the Lejeune cistern, a stormwater management system, to address this flooding and ensure midshipmen continue to receive the highest quality, uninterrupted education needed to serve our Nation.
I am thankful for my cosponsor, Congressman Deluzio, and Naval Academy alums Ellzey and LaLota who have also expressed support for this amendment.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this bipartisan package of amendments, which includes an amendment I am proud to be leading alongside my colleague from New Hampshire, Congressman Pappas.
This amendment does an important thing for New Hampshire's veterans. We are home to more than 80,000 veterans in the Granite State.
We are the only State in the 48 continental States that doesn't have a full-service VA medical center. This gap has got to be addressed, and this amendment takes important steps to that end, to make sure that every veteran who has put their lives on the line for our country gets the healthcare they need, when they need it, and where they need it.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan amendment.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of the bipartisan amendments en bloc, which includes my amendment to address air quality for our veterans and the Federal employees who care for them.
The bipartisan package makes progress on important veteran healthcare priorities as well as funding for the Toxic Exposures Fund, but our work is far from finished.
When it comes to ensuring that our Federal Government is leading by example and tackling one of the most enduring and largely unaddressed national priorities in the post-COVID world, we must upgrade our building standards to ensure we have the highest possible air quality.
My amendment emphasizes the importance of ensuring the MILCON-VA facilities meet indoor air quality ventilation and HVAC performance standards and the need for strengthened oversight and GAO review of indoor air quality conditions in these buildings.
Our civilians, doctors, patients, and nurses at VA facilities and our warfighters deserve the peace of mind and confidence that the air they are breathing is safe.
Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my amendment No. 9 to H.R. 8469, the Fiscal Year 2027 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.
When Americans serve our country, we have a responsibility to support them when they come home. That means giving the Department of Veterans Affairs the tools it needs to treat veterans today and find better ways to help them recover tomorrow.
My amendment is straightforward. It increases funding for the VA's Medical and Prosthetic Research Program to $994 million. As drafted, the underlying bill cuts $45 million from veteran-focus medical research. I believe that is the wrong direction at a time when research costs are rising, veterans' needs remain urgent, and medical breakthroughs depend on sustained investment.
VA research supports veterans who are living with traumatic brain injury, PTSD, toxic exposure, cancer, chronic disease, limb loss, and other conditions tied to their service. These are not abstract issues. They directly impact whether veterans can work, care for themselves and their families, regain independence, and live with dignity.
This work is already making a difference. The VA is the largest integrated health care system in the country, which gives its researchers a unique window into veterans' long-term health needs. That matters because many service-related conditions affect veterans over many years and require sustained, longitudinal study, VA researchers have used that experience to expand lung cancer screening to hundreds of thousands of veterans, advance precision medicine, and develop prosthetic technologies that help veterans regain mobility and independence.
This research does not stop at the walls of the VA. Breakthroughs that begin with veterans can improve care for the entire country. VA researchers are using artificial intelligence and advanced imaging to detect disease earlier, testing new treatments for spinal cord injuries and bone regeneration, and advancing robotic and sensor-enabled prosthetics that help veterans with limb loss regain mobility, independence, and dignity. That is why sustained investment in VA research is not just sound science, it is how we turn our commitment to veterans into better care, better recovery, and better medicine for all Americans.
This is exactly the kind of work we should be strengthening, not cutting. This amendment is a modest, responsible step to reverse the funding cut in the bill and keep VA medical research moving forward.
I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and help uphold our commitment to America's veterans.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendments en bloc offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).
The en bloc amendments were agreed to.
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 10 printed in part B of House Report 119-648.
Mr. Chair, I rise in strong support of my and General Jack Bergman's amendment No. 10 to restore funding for medical and prosthetic research at the Department of Veterans Affairs, which is being cut in this bill by $45 million.
As all of you know, 3 weeks ago President Trump signed an executive order to expedite psychedelic therapies research for depression and substance abuse disorder specifically for veterans.
The President's executive order also called for $50 million in matching funds for research as well in this area. As all of you know, Texas is also leading the way by also having allocated recently $50 million for psychedelic research.
Sadly, again, this bill cuts $45 million in funding from last year's funding level and is even $22 million less than what President Trump has requested this year.
I am grateful for General Jack Bergman for supporting me and working with me on this amendment.
Mr. Chair, this amendment is basically about taking care of those who have answered the call of duty to defend our country, those individuals who come back from combat with invisible wounds that still have not healed.
On a daily basis, 20 to 40 veterans take their lives, commit suicide, because of PTSD. As all of you may not know, psilocybin and other psychedelic treatments actually work and do cure veterans.
Last week, when I was back home, I heard a story. Two Orange firefighters took their own lives--two Orange County firefighters in their thirties, who were veterans, one of whom was waiting to receive psychedelic treatment in Mexico because it is not available in the United States.
Many veterans have taken this treatment and have essentially been cured of PTSD.
Mr. Chair, I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment. This is about treating our veterans, their invisible wounds, and making sure we reduce that 20 to 40 suicides that we have per day in this country of veterans who are suffering from those wounds that they brought back from the battlefield.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this amendment and to restore funding for critical medical research for our Nation's heroes.
Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Correa).
The amendment was agreed to.
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 23 printed in part B of House Report 119-628.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which is pretty simple. It prohibits funds from being used to enforce veterans health directive 1315.
Why is that? Why would we want to prohibit funds from doing this?
Just to make this clear, it doesn't change Federal law. It doesn't require the VA to prescribe any cannabis treatment or any other treatment like that. It simply says that the Department of Veterans Affairs should not prohibit doctors from discussing or helping veterans navigate legal State-approved cannabis programs if that is something that the veteran is considering.
Now, whether anybody likes it or not, whether they smoke it, they roll it, they chew it, or they sniff it, whatever, anything they do with cannabis or don't do with cannabis, these are programs that exist in a lot of States.
If former members of the military have doctors that they are seeing inside of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and if there is a treatment option that they want to be considered for, they want to know if it is right for them, if it is not right for them, if it doesn't fit in good with other prescriptions that they have, you name it, Mr. Chair, if they want to discuss it, then they have to be able to discuss it with their doctor. The most important person for them to discuss it with is their doctor.
If they are getting their primary care from the VA and they can't have that discussion, then that is a problem. Whether the doctor says it is good or bad, that is up to the doctor to decide, but they have to be able to have that conversation.
I tell people often that I was injured in Afghanistan. I lost two legs and a finger there. When I woke up in the hospital, I woke up on antidepressants, antiinflammatories, heavy sleep sedatives, a host of narcotic pain killers from a Dilaudid drip, to oral morphines, to epidurals, you name it, Mr. Chair, and I weaned myself off of those things very quickly.
That is not the case for all of my brothers and sisters. A lot of these narcotics that people are on and get placed on, especially after injuries, are serious and very difficult to get off of and leave long- term, lasting effects on them.
There has to be an ability, again, for people inside the system to have that conversation with their doctor about whether that is right, that path of what I woke up on, having really no say-so about it, or something else is right for them, because they read something about it, saw something about it, heard something from one of their friends, you name it, Mr. Chair, they have to have that conversation with their doctor.
Again, I encourage support for amendment No. 23, prohibit funds from being used to enforce veterans health directive 1315 so that why?
So that veterans can speak to their doctor about whether cannabis is or is not a good medical treatment program for them. Just let them have the option to talk.
Mr. Chair, I thank Mr. Mast for his eloquent defense of this amendment.
Mr. Chair, I, too, rise in support of the veterans equal access amendment. Forty States, three territories, and the District of Columbia allow medical use of cannabis products, but not something for our veterans who live and work in those places.
For the nearly 200,000 veterans who call Nevada home, this commonsense amendment would allow healthcare professionals at the VA to just discuss cannabis for medical purposes with their patients. This includes providing information on the State's legal program, answering questions that the veteran may have about information that he has picked up out on the hustings.
It would also assist them in filling out any forms that might be required by the State to qualify for medical marijuana assistance.
Cannabis has proven to help with a wide variety of medical issues that veterans face, including pain management, PTSD, and opioid addiction. Instead of self-medicating and going outside the VA system, a veteran should be able to speak with a doctor honestly about what their options are.
Our veterans deserve the best healthcare they can get and should not be left behind because the Federal Government lags behind the States. They need to hear their options and make their choices.
Mr. Chair, I urge all my colleagues to vote in favor of this amendment because it will be a meaningful step in the right direction for our veterans and for cannabis reform.
Mr. Chair, I rise in support of this amendment, and I thank my friend, Representative Mast, and my friend, Representative Titus, for their leadership on this issue and for their continued advocacy on behalf of our Nation's veterans.
This amendment is about ensuring veterans are not denied access to treatment options that may improve their quality of life.
Mr. Chair, do you want them getting advice from doctors or budtenders?
It is a simple question.
As President Trump's administration continues examining broader reforms to Federal cannabis policy, Congress has a responsibility to ensure veterans are not left behind in that process.
Many of our servicemembers come home carrying invisible wounds that last long after the battlefield, chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, depression, and other service-connected conditions that can profoundly affect the quality of their lives.
For some veterans, traditional treatments have not worked. Others are searching for alternatives that may help manage pain, improve daily functioning, or reduce reliance on highly addictive opioids.
Across much of the country, patients are able to have open and honest conversations with their doctors about whether medical cannabis may help treat serious medical conditions. Yet veterans receiving care through the VA still face Federal barriers that prevent VA physicians from fully engaging in those same conversations and recommendations with their patients.
I think that is fundamentally wrong.
Regardless of where someone stands on broader cannabis policy, we should all agree that veterans deserve access to informed medical guidance and treatment decisions driven by science, evidence, and patient care, not outdated Federal restrictions.
That is especially important as President Trump's administration and Federal health agencies continue taking steps to expand legitimate cannabis research and better understand both its risk and potential therapeutic benefits. If we are serious about evidence-based medicine and improving outcomes for veterans, then we should not be standing in the way of research, dialogue, or responsible treatment options.
Frankly, the current system is not working. We have veterans living in States with legal medical cannabis programs, veterans seeking relief from serious service-connected conditions, and VA physicians whose hands remain tied by outdated Federal policy. That disconnect serves no one, least of all the men and women who served this country.
Mr. Chair, I urge strong support for this amendment.
In closing, I just want to thank Mr. Mast and Mr. Joyce for their leadership on this issue. Our veterans sacrifice everything for our country. We don't leave them behind on the field, and we shouldn't leave them behind when they come home. One way that we can serve them is providing this option when it comes to medical care.
They need to have an honest conversation with their doctors to understand what their options are and how they can best recover from the pains that continue after they have come home.
Mr. Chair, I proudly support this amendment. I urge all my colleagues
Accordingly, the Committee rose; and the Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Carter of Texas) having assumed the chair, Mr. Hurd of Colorado, Acting Chair of the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, reported that that Committee, having had under consideration the bill (H.R. 8365) to provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes, had come to no resolution thereon.
Keeping Violent Offenders Off Our Streets Act of 2025
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to recommit on the bill (H.R. 6260) to amend title 18, United States Code, to prohibit fraud in connection with posting bail, offered by the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Raskin), on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk will redesignate the motion.
The Clerk redesignated the motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 210, nays 213, not voting 7, as follows:
Messrs. WILLIAMS of Texas, MILLER of Ohio, WITTMAN, BARR, GROTHMAN, COLLINS, STUTZMAN, LAWLER, BURLISON, Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, and Mr. BARRETT changed their vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Ms. MEJIA changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Directing the President, Pursuant to Section 5(C) of the War Powers Resolution, to Remove the United States Armed Forces From Hostilities Against the Islamic Republic of Iran
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on adoption of the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 75) directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran, on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on adoption of the concurrent resolution.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 212, nays 212, not voting 6, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
So the concurrent resolution was not agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on passage of the bill (H.R. 5625) to direct the Attorney General to make publicly available a list of each State and unit of local government that permits cashless bail, 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 passage of the bill.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 308, nays 116, not voting 6, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
Mr. NEGUSE changed his vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So the bill was passed.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, the unfinished business is the vote on the motion to recommit on the bill (H.R. 8365) to provide for conditions on the appointment of monitors by courts, and for other purposes, offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Boyle), on which the yeas and nays were ordered.
The Clerk will redesignate the motion.
The Clerk redesignated the motion.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion to recommit.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 210, nays 213, not voting 7, as follows:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. There are 2 minutes remaining.
So the motion to recommit was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Dr. Michael McShane, associate professor of medicine at Penn State University, for receiving the 2026 McGraw Hill Pathfinder Award.
The annual McGraw Hill Pathfinder Award recognizes three innovative educators for their dedication to improving student learning.
Michael graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Penn State in 2009 and later attended Penn State's College of Medicine. Michael has been pivotal in bridging healthcare gaps, specifically in rural communities. He is a founder and lead of the LION Mobile Clinic, a student-supported medical clinic with the goal of providing healthcare to rural communities across the Commonwealth.
The clinic's fleet of five pickup trucks and two Airstream trailers was first launched in 2022. Since its establishment, the clinic has served more than 3,000 community members and administered over 800 vaccines in Pennsylvania.
Through the LION Mobile Clinic's collaborative programs, Michael has mentored many students across multiple academic disciplines.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Michael for his dedication to teaching and for helping to provide care for our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Adelphi Bank, a Black-owned bank in Columbus, Ohio, in my district, led by my dear friends, President and CEO Jordan Miller and its founder, Commissioner Kevin Boyce.
Adelphi continues to reach new heights, as they were just named by Columbus Business First as the number one bank in central Ohio with the fastest-growing deposits.
It is for this reason that I have worked to pass my bipartisan bill, the Advancing the Mentor-Protege Program for Small Financial Institutions Act, which passed unanimously on Tuesday. This bill will provide critical resources to minority depository institutions just like Adelphi.
I thank Ranking Member Waters and Chairman Hill for bringing my bill to the floor. I also thank Fifth Third Bank, Huntington Bank, and KeyBank for their support, alongside CitiBank, an early supporter of the mentor-protege program that recently provided technical assistance to Adelphi Bank.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great pride to recognize an outstanding educator from Guam whose leadership is shaping the next generation of young Americans.
Mr. Vincent Santiago of Okkodo High School has been named the 2026 Marine Corps Junior ROTC Instructor of the Year, a tremendous honor that reflects both his excellence as an instructor and a commitment to service through mentorship.
Through the Marine Corps JROTC program, he has helped mold young men and women into leaders of character, teaching them to serve something greater than themselves.
On Guam, where patriotism and military service run deep within the island community, educators like Mr. Santiago play a vital role in preparing our youth for success.
I congratulate Mr. Vincent Santiago on this well-earned recognition. Guam is proud of him. Our students are stronger because of him, and our future is brighter because of leaders like him who dedicate their lives to guiding the next generation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a victory for Illinois farmers.
This week, I was proud to vote for the bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act, which will allow for the sale of E15 ethanol fuel year-round.
Expanding access to E15 is a win-win. It provides our farmers with stable markets, and it lowers costs at the pump for families across the country.
I grew up in northern Illinois where I love being surrounded by the gorgeous corn and soybean fields.
Now, as the proud Representative for the 14th District, I am so glad I got to help pass this historic legislation for our farmers. Now, we need the Senate to act fast and get this bill across the finish line.
Mr. Speaker, I rise before you with both humility and gratitude to honor the fallen law enforcement officers from the Pikes Peak Region on Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls on May 15. I ask all of us to pause and remember the incredible courage these men and women demonstrated in service to others. They wore the badge with honor. They answered the call without hesitation, and they made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the communities they loved.
I also want to recognize the families and the loved ones left behind. To the spouses, children, parents, and friends: Your sacrifice did not end on the day we lost them. I want them to know that their service, their character and legacy live on in this community and in the hearts of those who served beside them.
To our brothers and sisters in blue who continue to serve every day, I know they carry the memory of these fallen heroes with them on every single shift.
Mr. Speaker, join me in remembering the fallen and honoring their families.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the sacrifice of fallen officer John Anthony Valenzuela of the South Tucson Police Department, who was killed in the line of duty on May 17, 1993.
Officer Valenzuela was just 27 years old. He served as a school resource officer, dedicating himself to protecting children and strengthening the trust within the south Tucson community, a community in which he was raised, attended school, lived, and had strong ties.
On the day of his death, he acted on behalf of a young victim and courageously joined fellow officers in serving a warrant connected to a child sex abuse investigation. In the face of danger, Officer Valenzuela gave his life in service to others. He is the only officer killed in the line of duty in the history of the South Tucson Police Department.
More than three decades later, his legacy lives on in southern Arizona through the John Valenzuela Youth Center named in his honor, his family and friends, and through the countless lives he touched by his service and sacrifice.
We remember Officer John Valenzuela with gratitude, respect, and solemn remembrance.
Mr. Speaker, in today's high tech world, there seems to be an app for nearly everything, but when danger strikes there is still only one option. It is called the police, Mr. Speaker.
During National Police Week, I appreciate our officers, deputies, troopers, and the entire law enforcement family who put their lives on the line every day to protect others.
It takes courage to wear a badge. It takes even more courage to respond to an emergency, to step in harm's way, or to confront danger. But for our police, it is just part of the job.
Today, I want to say two words our officers do not hear nearly enough: Thank you. Thank you for protecting our businesses, our communities. Thank you for protecting our families and each of us. Thank you for upholding the law.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave men and women from police departments and law enforcement agencies throughout northwest Ohio and across our Nation.
We recognize them to thank them for their patriotism and to meet with them during this Police Week. We also honor the work they do, the hard work day in and day out to protect and serve our communities year- round.
Recently, efforts like Elon Musk's DOGE tried to cut Federal funding for law enforcement by cutting COPS and Department of Justice grants to them. These programs help local agencies get equipment and training they need, while also providing funding to hire additional officers.
At every step of the way, I opposed those cuts. Those efforts to cut funding are also why I joined my bipartisan Appropriations colleague Congresswoman Stephanie Bice of Oklahoma to introduce the Training Rural Law Enforcement Officers Act of 2026 to extend funding opportunities to trusted not-for-profits to train and support rural law enforcement.
Far too often, smaller departments get fewer opportunities for specialized training.
Mr. Speaker, our bill ensures every community, big or small, has access to 21st century tools for policing. I hope our colleagues join us in cosponsoring this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a group of EMT students at the Fox Valley Technical College Training Center in northeastern Wisconsin for their quick thinking and their lifesaving action.
On March 25, 72 year-old EMS instructor Karl Arps was acting as a patient during a simulated chest pain scenario when the emergency certainly became real.
The students recognized that Mr. Arps was experiencing cardiac arrest and immediately put their training into action. After nearly 5 minutes of CPR, his heart began beating again.
As students who are still preparing to enter the field, their ability to recognize the emergency and respond with such speed and confidence is truly extraordinary.
Mr. Arps has spent 25 years in EMS and has dedicated himself to preparing the next generation of emergency responders. In this remarkable moment, that exact training helped save his own life--a true testament to Mr. Arps' teaching abilities.
Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in wishing Mr. Arps a speedy recovery and recognizing these students for their courage, composure, and lifesaving work.
Mr. Speaker, since the passing of our colleague and friend David Scott last month, we continue to miss his presence and honor the impact that he had on this body.
Whether it was the memory of his famous job fairs or a remembrance of how his office solved Federal problems for his constituents, I have deeply enjoyed hearing the stories from those David impacted, both colleagues here in D.C., and during his memorial service in Atlanta.
Back home in Georgia and in Congress, his legacy defines him as a fiercely devoted champion for farmers, for young Black scholars, and for all those who needed a voice in Congress.
We love and we miss you, David. Thank you for your devotion to this Congress and to this country.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today during National Police Week to honor law enforcement throughout the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos who put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe. This week, we recognize the virtues of these officers, but we also know that the work of supporting police continues every day.
As a State representative, I authored legislation creating the Keystone First Responder Award to recognize those first responders killed or seriously injured in the line of duty.
Since becoming a Member of Congress, on the very first day, I took action to make sure that we were securing resources to benefit our first responders in the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, and I am glad to report that we were able to secure $5 million for projects benefiting those individuals and their organizations.
As we prepare to celebrate America 250, we also must remember past generations of law enforcement officers. This year, Constable Elmer P. Anthony of Carbon County was honored at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial more than a century after he was killed in the line of duty. His legacy serves as a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of law enforcement officers.
I thank all of our police officers for their service to our communities.
Mr. Speaker, I rise because our Nation is at a crossroads. We face a familiar foe: the avarice of the powerful who rig our electoral systems in order to cement their power. This story is as old as our Nation. The powerful weaken the power of the many so that they cannot be held to account.
After all, if entire communities are silenced, then the greed that results in cancer alleys, in mass unemployment, high infant mortality, or explosive unaffordability has neither check nor balance.
While these actions begin along racial lines, the harm rarely limits itself to the same. While stripping Black Americans of hard-fought political power is weaponized racism that would make Strom Thurmond proud, the result is that every American is, in fact, losing their representative government.
This is an act of war against democracy, and we should see it as such.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of the memory and selfless service of Officer Gabriel Facio of the Apache Junction Police Department. His end of watch was June 8, 2025.
On the morning of June 2, 2025, Officer Facio and his fellow officers bravely responded to a road rage incident where a suspect had brandished a weapon, threatening motorists and nearby residents. Officers attempted to subdue the suspect with nonlethal tools, but the suspect opened fire, striking Officer Facio in the face.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Gabriel fought valiantly for 6 days, but on June 8, 2025, at just 46 years old, he succumbed to his injuries, surrounded by his family and his brothers and sisters in uniform.
His legacy lives on through his wife and two children, who were his greatest joy. His name is now engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial right here in Washington, D.C., and his service was honored at the annual candlelight vigil.
His life stands as a reminder of the courage and commitment that define our law enforcement officers.
Officer Facio is the first Apache Junction police officer ever killed in the line of duty. His sacrifice will always be remembered.
We pray for his family and for the Apache Junction Police Department.
We thank Gabriel for his service to the people of Apache Junction and Arizona's Fifth District.
Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Akron Roundtable and name them Champions of the Week for Ohio's 13th Congressional District.
The Akron Roundtable has been a cornerstone of our community since their founding in 1976. Over the last 50 years, the Akron Roundtable has brought together roughly 480 speakers, including government officials, famed reporters, athletes, artists, business leaders, astronauts, and many other community leaders.
I had the privilege of speaking at the Akron Roundtable in 2023, so you know it is an esteemed place to speak. I saw firsthand the dedication of the group in order to bring the world to Akron.
The group started as a partnership with the Kiwanis Club, the Akron Beacon Journal, the Akron Regional Development Board, and the Akron City Club.
Through their collaboration, they created a nationally esteemed institution, and today the Roundtable is filled with passionate volunteers with a drive for connecting with leaders from around the world.
I thank the hardworking members at the Akron Roundtable for their service to the community. Their commitment to bringing the world to Akron is just one of the reasons why Ohio's 13th Congressional District is known as the Birthplace of Champions.
I congratulate them on 50 years of leadership and thank them for opening the world to the heartland.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to call for a vote at some time in this Chamber shortly on H.R. 979, a bill put together by Gus Bilirakis of Florida.
Recently, I had a friend who purchased a high--I could even argue overpriced European automobile. After driving around in the car for a few days, all of a sudden, she realized that automobile didn't have AM radio.
I can't imagine what I would have felt like if I spent 50 grand for a car and had no AM radio. Couldn't I take it back and say: Take out the windshield and put in the AM radio.
I mean, there are certain things you expect out of a car. I know the automobile industry is highly regulated to a certain extent because we don't want anybody shocked at the things they don't have in a car when they buy it.
This bill is mandatory. I bet I have AM radio on 80 percent of the time I am in the car. Whether you want news, traffic, weather, sports, AM is the radio where you find it.
I will tell you: To prevent anybody from having a heart attack when they buy a car, let's pass H.R. 979.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of our veterans and the proud men and women who have worn the uniform in service to this great Nation.
In New Mexico, service is part of our culture and who we are. Our veterans are our teachers, our firefighters, our small business owners, and our caregivers.
From Kirtland Air Force Base to Cannon Air Force Base, from rural and Tribal communities to the heart of Albuquerque, our veterans have answered the call. That service must be met with a commitment from Congress to fully support their care and benefits, and that means unequivocally rejecting efforts to privatize the VA. And we must stop this administration's quiet gutting of VA programs, including nearly 26,000 jobs at the VA cut across the country this year.
That is why, as we debate the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs bill this week, I have introduced an amendment to stop the privatization of the VA because we must stop these attacks on our veterans' affairs and fund the programs that our veterans have earned.
Mr. Speaker, our veterans have kept faith with this Nation, and we must keep faith with them.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with great admiration and pride to recognize former Minnesota State Senator Bob Lessard, better known across northern Minnesota as ``The Old Trapper'' as he celebrates his 95th birthday.
Born in International Falls, Bob has long been a champion for the people and traditions of Minnesota. Over the course of his 26 years in the State senate, he never lost touch with the Northland. His work has left a lasting imprint on our State constitution, our natural resources, and the livelihoods of countless Minnesotans.
Bob fought to protect the rights of our hunters and anglers, implementing a constitutional amendment guaranteeing them the right to hunt, fish, and trap.
He was also the driving force behind the Upper Mississippi Headwaters Board, ensuring local control over the upper 400 miles of the river.
Throughout his career, Bob championed legislation that strengthened mining, paper companies, and logging. He fought for the workers who make these industries possible and for the communities that rely on them.
It would be hard to find another Minnesota State legislator who has done more for the Northland than ``The Old Trapper'' himself.
As he reaches this milestone, we honor not only his longevity but his extraordinary service, his unwavering dedication, and the legacy he leaves for generations of Minnesotans.
Mr. Speaker, every day across this country, law enforcement officers respond to calls that most of us hope we never have to face: violence, danger, tragedy, and moments where lives are on the line. While others run away from danger, they run toward it.
To the brave men and women in law enforcement who answer that call: We thank you.
Every single day they put on that badge, unaware of the dangers that may lie ahead. Yet, they still stand ready to serve, time and time again.
While most Americans are asleep, they stand watch. When chaos erupts, they are the first to respond. When fear takes over a community, law enforcement officers are the line between danger and safety.
During this National Police Week, let us honor the courage, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment of the men and women in blue who keep our communities safe.
To every officer across North Carolina's Eighth District and across the Nation, I stand to say: Thank you. Thank you for your courage and your service. Thank you for every holiday missed, every late-night shift worked, and every time you stepped into harm's way to protect someone else.
My hope and prayer this Police Week is that everyone who sees a police officer will shake their hand and thank them for their service. The men and women behind the badge deserve to know that this country stands with them, supports them, and is grateful for their service.
Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to submit extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York?
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart as we commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Tops Supermarket shooting in my community of Buffalo, New York.
On May 14, 2022, 4 years ago today, a racist white supremacist terrorist traveled more than 2\1/2\ hours to the only grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood on the east side of Buffalo to carry out a targeted act of pure hatred.
Motivated by racism and hate in his heart, the gunman entered Tops Friendly Markets with enhanced body armor and an AR-style rifle. He shot 13 people, 10 of them fatally.
On this solemn anniversary, we remember the precious souls we lost 4 years ago today:
Andre Mackniel, beloved father and brother;
Celestine Chaney, a cancer survivor and grandmother to six beautiful children;
Geraldine Talley, a proud mother, a sister to eight siblings, and an aunt;
Heyward Patterson, a deacon at the State Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Buffalo;
Kat Massey, a civil rights activist, volunteer, and fierce advocate for gun violence prevention;
Margus Morrison, a father and an aide for the Buffalo Public Schools;
Pearl Young, a teacher in the Buffalo School District and pillar in her church community;
Roberta Drury, an active community member, sister, and caregiver;
Ruth Whitfield, a devoted caretaker, wife, mother, and grandmother; and
Lieutenant Aaron Salter, Jr., a public servant, retired Buffalo police officer, and a hero who sacrificed his life that day to serve those around him.
In just 123 seconds, those 10 innocent lives were stolen from us, marking one of the darkest days in Buffalo's history and in America's history.
The perpetrator, radicalized by white supremacist content online, fired a barrage of 50 shots, hellbent on one goal: killing as many Black community members as possible, all while live streaming it to the world.
It was a sick and twisted act of hatred and racist violence in America.
Today is a difficult day for our community, for the people of western New York, and for our country, as we mourn those we lost due to this senseless act of racist gun violence.
Yet, the carnage on that day could have been far worse if it weren't for the heroic actions of Lieutenant Aaron Salter, Jr., a 30-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department.
That afternoon, Lieutenant Salter was working as a security guard at Tops Friendly Market. When he heard the gunshots, Lieutenant Salter acted without hesitation and leapt into action to protect our community, firing at the shooter and hitting his target, but because this hate-filled terrorist was armed with enhanced body armor and tactical gear, Lieutenant Salter's shots did not penetrate, and he, too, was murdered.
Lieutenant Salter died a hero, buying other patrons precious seconds to hide or escape as a result of his unwavering courage and his willingness to protect those in harm's way.
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask those listening here throughout the Capitol Complex and at home to join me to pause for a moment of silence to honor the 10 individuals who should be with us here today.
Mr. Speaker, because of this hateful act, Buffalo joined an ever- growing list of communities that have been scarred by mass shootings. From Newtown to Monterey Park, to Parkland, to Uvalde, and so many places in between, countless communities across our country, and to Buffalo, we are united today in mourning and in commemoration as we work to ensure that we one day will live in a world where these hateful acts will not happen.
When Columbine happened 27 years ago, there was a national promise that we would do everything possible to prevent another tragedy like it, but, yet, entire generations of children have now grown up with the normalization of mass shootings.
That reality cannot become normal. We must not allow this to become a permanent reality.
On the fourth anniversary of this tragedy in Buffalo, we must use this opportunity to advocate for the advancement of commonsense gun violence prevention legislation in the name of every single person we have lost because of a lack of it.
We must condemn acts of hateful, racist violence in all forms, and we must come together as Americans to ensure that our supermarkets, our places of worship, our schools, and everywhere else in our community are free from the scourge of gun violence.
This body has a moral obligation to take action. Our charge, on both sides of the aisle, must be to enact the commonsense reforms that the vast majority of Americans overwhelmingly support in order to keep our community safe and prosperous.
We must enact a permanent assault weapons ban and make sure that military-grade body armor is only in the hands of our Armed Forces and law enforcement. We must crack down on ghost guns, straw purchasing, and deadly accessories that turn handguns into semiautomatic weapons. We must close the Charleston loophole. We must expand red flag laws.
We must strengthen our mental health support networks. We must reaffirm our commitment to ending the gun violence epidemic that plagues this country once and for all.
Today, you will hear from Members of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. My colleagues from all over the country will join me in honoring the victims of the Top Supermarket shooting, condemning racially motivated violence in all forms, and calling for an end to the gun violence epidemic that plagues this country.
Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib).
Mr. Speaker, as we stand here, I know the community is trying to heal as we mark the over 4-year anniversary since 10 of our Black neighbors were targeted and murdered while grocery shopping at a supermarket in Buffalo.
I think it is important to understand there was intentionality here and how the killer chose the location. We all know their lives were stolen due to racism, extremism, and the unchecked epidemic of gun violence plaguing our country.
I always must ask this to my colleagues: How many more families need to mourn before Congress acts? How many more children need to lose their lives before we act?
Every day, people are killed by guns in mass shootings, domestic violence incidents, suicides, and preventable accidents. Entire communities are traumatized again and again by this violence.
Far too often, the victims are children. I stand in honor of a 9- year-old boy in Oakland County, Michigan, who accidentally shot himself in the face with an unsecured firearm. I stand in honor of a 6-year-old girl in Detroit, Michigan, who was accidentally shot and killed by an unsecured handgun in March. Even in that same weekend, another 6-year- old girl was hospitalized after she accidentally shot herself with an unsecured firearm. In Wayne County alone, 39 children have been killed or injured since 2020 after finding unsecured firearms.
It is not just mass shootings. It is also a fact that we must take measures to protect and store these guns. Protecting our loved ones, especially our babies, should not be a partisan issue.
I call on this Congress to act on gun safety legislation, including the Safe Storage Saves Lives Act. It would require firearm sellers to provide every purchaser with a gun lock. I always used to raise it and show people that it cost $10 to secure the gun.
The Safe Storage Saves Lives Act would be commonsense gun safety legislation. It is sitting right here in Congress, waiting for a vote. While we wait for a vote, families are grieving loved ones.
Mr. Speaker, I ask and demand that our Congress have the courage to act to end this madness.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Kennedy for his compassion and his humanity.
This tragedy occurred in Buffalo, and it was a racist crime against Black people in Buffalo. This crime is a crime against humanity, people of all ethnic backgrounds, and it is a crime that could happen in any place across this country.
My home is 375 miles away from the site of this crime. Yet, we, too, are affected by the same policies that have allowed this tragedy to happen.
The young man who committed this crime, motivated by racism and radicalized on the internet, drove 200 miles, half the distance between my home and Congressman Kennedy's home. He drove 200 miles to particularly target this supermarket in an African-American neighborhood. What depth of depravity causes a human being to do that?
All of us, whether our skin is white or black, whether we trace our heritage to Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, or Europe, have to see this as a crime against all humans. It is dehumanizing to take a weapon of mass destruction into a supermarket to kill people who are shopping, who are just there doing the average thing that we all do every day.
As my colleague from Michigan pointed out, there is legislation in this Chamber that needs to become law. It needs to have support not just from people of color but from those of us who represent every area and every demographic in this country. The next victims could be anywhere in this country.
It is important to understand that the people of Buffalo have allies all across New York State. We grieve with them. We stand by our brothers and sisters from Buffalo, as we do those in all the sad places that Congressman Kennedy referenced.
Mr. Speaker, we must make a commitment that, out of this tragedy and on this anniversary, there will be a resolve to make sure this doesn't happen again. We have to act quickly. The efforts to warp people's minds and to convince them that violence is the future of America are moving very quickly, even as those of us who believe in peace and brotherhood have to respond.
I thank Congressman Kennedy for his leadership and friendship.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Kennedy for gathering us here this evening on this very somber anniversary. He truly is honoring his community in Buffalo very well. I actually have family members in his district. He is their Member of Congress.
Four years ago, 10 innocent people lost their lives in an act of hate at a place that we all know very well. We frequent our grocery stores all the time. A man decided that a group of people just simply didn't deserve to live because of the color of their skin.
The shooter in Buffalo used an assault weapon so that he could kill as many people as possible in as little time as possible. We should all think that this is absolutely horrifying.
Thankfully, though, he was brought to justice because our justice system took action and sentenced him to life in prison, where he is now. The families of these grandmothers, fathers, sons, and sisters were actually able to take solace in knowing that something was done to ensure this man would never harm their communities again.
My heart remains with all the families as they remember their loved ones. I still pray for every single family of every tragedy because I know exactly how they feel. That is what continues to drive me to action.
These families deserve better. Every family that we lose across this Nation deserves better. No one should be subjected to violence while they go about their daily lives, running errands, going to church, going to the movie theater, going to school, or going to festivities.
Weapons of war simply do not belong on our streets. They don't belong in our churches and definitely not in our grocery stores.
The assault weapons ban, which I have held since 2023, has proven to prevent death by firearms. I have also introduced the GOSAFE Act, a lifesaving bill that focuses on the internal operations of semiautomatic guns, not the cosmetic components that gun sellers tend to modify to find loopholes.
It is so far past time that we pass both of these bills and so many other pieces of good, comprehensive gun safety legislation to save lives and to ensure that no more families experience the excruciating pain of losing their loved ones in a senseless act of gun violence.
This country deserves better. Our kids deserve better. The victims of this senseless shooting, they deserve better, every one of them. These pictures, these human beings deserved better, and they should be with us right now enjoying their lives today. These men and these women, they deserve to see their grandchildren and children growing up, to make their own marks in the world.
The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and Democrats have made progress towards a safer country with helping to pass historic legislation, but we have got to continue to stand for gun safety in this country.
We are not going to forget those that were lost in Buffalo, and I assure you I will not forget my son who was killed from unnecessary gun violence. I will
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman McBath for her extraordinary courage and leadership in taking that pain of hers and her family's and turning it into triumph and turning it into positive action for our communities and our Nation. We are indebted to her.
Mr. Speaker, I now yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Ivey).
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New York for putting this together today. I thank the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and the Congressional Black Caucus for joining in as well in support of this effort.
The tragedy in Buffalo, unfortunately, is not a rare event. As you just heard from my colleague, 10 people were gunned down using an assault weapon that had been sold to an 18-year-old, an AR-15 that had been modified. He gunned them down in cold blood, and he drove 200 miles to get to them because he wanted to kill African Americans. I guess that was the closest he could get to find them, and that is what he did that day.
He had been inspired, sadly, by another similar type of shooting, a mass shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, just a few years before at the Mother Emanuel Church. In fact, my colleague from New York and I had a chance to go visit there just a few months ago, where nine people were gunned down. The person had come into the church, sat through Bible study with the African Americans that he later gunned down, and killed nine of them.
I know the question that we have now. We had a long list of these that happened on such a regular basis that sometimes people are numbed by it, forget to keep track of it. It is a sad day that we have reached from that standpoint.
A version of that too that I heard the other day in the hallways here is the shooting that took place at the hotel where President Trump was about to speak. One of the things that the person remarked to me was that the older people were scared by the gunfire, but the younger folks were not. I kind of wondered about that. Then I thought about it, and I said: Well, this is the generation that has grown up, and instead of doing fire drills, they have done active shooting drills. They have been trained tragically in what to do when you hear gunfire like that.
Schools now sell bulletproof backpacks to protect kids--``protect kids''--from this kind of gun violence and bulletproof chalkboards. Think about that. How did we get to this place?
Then the next question, of course, is: How do we get out of it? We have talked a little bit about some of the solutions to gun violence. I have got to say that my Republican colleagues, sadly, are not in support of nearly any of them that I am aware of. The ghost gun piece, in particular, was a shock for me. Ghost guns, as you may know, are untraceable guns. The only reason somebody would want a gun that is untraceable is if you want to commit a crime and you want to make sure that law enforcement cannot find you.
Why these guns would be legal is beyond me, but there was a period where they were. We couldn't pass legislation to ban them, so the Biden administration reached out to the ATF, which passed a regulation that did ban them. The Trump Supreme Court, to my surprise, upheld that regulation.
I thought, well, maybe it is a new day. Yesterday, in the Committee on Appropriations, I am sorry to say, my Republican colleagues passed language that would repeal the ban on ghost guns. The sad thing about it is I think they were trying to do it sort of in the cover of dark because they didn't offer an actual piece of legislation that would have hearings and the like to do the same, because they would have to stand up and defend it there, so they just tried to slip this in.
This is a tragic moment, I think, given all of the deaths, all of the killings, all of the murders that we have seen year after year and now decade after decade here in the United States.
I also would add this. We found some things that do work. You heard about the assault weapons ban. I know that is a bridge too far for many of my Republican colleagues--I guess all of them actually, because none of them will even cosponsor legislation like that. I put together a bill that is called Raise the Age, and it would raise the age from 18 to 21 to buy an assault-style weapon. It is already required that you be 21 to buy handguns, and that was a bill that was put in place by the Ronald Reagan administration.
I thought maybe we can get some support for this. There was not one Republican cosponsor for that bill. The shooter in Buffalo was 18 years old, and he bought the gun by himself without anybody to monitor it. The shooter in Charleston, he was 21, but he should have been caught by the background check. He slipped through, though, because it was underfunded and they didn't have enough people to make sure they caught and did all of the checks. Even though he should have been flagged and he was, they didn't have the bodies to do the follow through. He got the gun, and we know what he did after that.
Then, lastly, on this point, some of the things that we found that also work is not just enforcement. It is also intervention and prevention. We found grants that help with violence in the street, to reduce it. They help by reaching young people before they get too deep into trouble or help to get them out before they get too far along with it. But the Trump administration has cut 400 of those grants worth $815 million. The funds that would be used to help prevent street violence or, even worse, gun violence in our schools has been cut back.
I say this on this day of remembrance: I call upon all of my colleagues--I know we don't agree on everything. In fact, we don't agree on a lot, but let's see if we can find a solution to this. My Republican colleagues want to protect the Second Amendment. That is great, but we have got to be able to find a way to protect the Second Amendment and protect second-graders at the same time. Let's get this done. Let's get this done.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Kennedy so much for gathering us.
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I rise today to remember the 10 lives stolen, the 3 people injured, and the survivors of the hateful mass shooting in Buffalo 4 years ago.
I remember their lives, but I also urge Congress to actually do something meaningful to honor them and all survivors of gun violence. Congress passed the first Federal gun safety law in nearly 30 years, but the American people cannot wait another 30 years.
There are pieces of legislation waiting to be passed and programs that are waiting for funding that have already been approved. Over 110 Americans are dying every single day. Instead, the Trump administration has only exacerbated this public health crisis and fanned the flames of racist rhetoric and violence.
We have witnessed hateful rhetoric turn into hate crimes for far too long. We must condemn racism, full stop. Moments of silence are not enough. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. The victims and survivors of the shooting in Buffalo and across the country deserve better from Congress. They deserve action.
We need universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage, assault weapons ban, community violence intervention funding, and better support for survivors. The gun lobby responsible for putting profits over people's safety must be held accountable.
I have asked for about 13 years now in Congress just who or how many have
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand alongside my colleague Congressman Tim Kennedy to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the Tops supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York.
Ten people, ten loved ones, ten members of a community left home to run errands on what should have been a normal day. They showed up to Tops to buy groceries for their families. Like most of us, this was one of the last places they would ever think that they would be in danger.
That day, a white supremacist walked into a Tops supermarket and turned an average store on a day into a site of terror. This was racial terrorism. The shooter was radicalized by white supremacists on the internet to the point he livestreamed the attack.
It gets to the point where our Nation continues to see history repeat itself because we refuse to learn from the past.
Across the aisle, people refuse to accept that an 18 year old should not have access to a military grade firearm. They refuse to accept that when white supremacy is allowed and normalized on the internet, the consequences are devastating.
Buffalo is a painful reminder of the racism and gun violence crisis affecting all of our Nation. We are at the point where families live with the sound of gunshots as background noise and children are taught lockdown drills in school before they fully understand and learn algebra.
The worst part of it all is that our Nation has started to treat this like it is normal, like there is nothing we can do about it.
We cannot keep treating it like an inevitable part of American life, but if we only commemorate and remember names and cities without actions, we are disrespecting the families who wake up with the trauma of losing their loved ones every day. Thoughts without policy are not enough. The families in Buffalo should not have to watch us commemorate this tragedy year after year without meaningful change.
Tonight, we honor the victims of Buffalo. We stand with Congressman Kennedy who is their voice here. We mourn with their families. We condemn white supremacy and racially motivated violence that is showing its face far too often.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman McIver and all of my colleagues that have joined me here this evening.
The western New York community, the national community was impacted in a gut-wrenching way on May 14, 2022.
I vividly remember the minutes, hours, and days after the shooting. As it occurred, I was with my family out of town when I received a call from Zeneta Everhart, then my director of diversity, equity, and inclusion in my New York State Senate office, who is now president pro tempore of the Buffalo Common Council, representing the Masten District.
She herself had just received the most awful phone call any parent can imagine. Her only child, Zaire, an employee at Tops, called her screaming and crying. ``Mom, Mom, I have been shot.''
Zaire had been doing what any parent would want their child to be doing: He was helping an elderly customer load her groceries into her car. That is when the first shots were fired in the parking lot.
Zaire was shot and went to the ground, unable to get himself up, and in that moment, finding the courage and strength in being able to remove himself from the situation and run for help.
Time stood still. Nothing prepares a parent for that call and nothing prepares a friend on how to best be there to provide comfort and support. Zaire was the only Black person shot that day who survived. By the grace of God he survived.
He had been hit in the neck and the shoulder with a hollow point bullet shot by an AR-15 rifle. He is now alive and thriving, giving all glory to God, but the physical and emotional scars will live with him and his family forever.
Frantic phone calls to friends, family, colleagues in government, and law enforcement followed for me as we struggled to understand what had happened.
I immediately got into my car, left my family, and drove 5 hours back to Buffalo. I had to see my friend. I had to be with our community, and I had to make sure that she and they knew that they had the support of our entire community every step of the way.
When I arrived back to Buffalo to be with Zeneta and our neighbors as we processed the gravity of what had just occurred, our whole city was going through the same process, feeling an excruciating combination of emotions: despair, heartbreak, rage, anger, confusion, but also resolve.
In the face of one of the most unimaginable tragedies and hardships that the City of Good Neighbors, Buffalo, New York, had ever experienced, we received support not just from each other but statewide, nationally, and even internationally.
We saw an almost immediate call to action to enact gun violence prevention legislation at the State level in the New York State legislature just days later. It was legislation that I was incredibly proud to help craft and pass.
We demanded action federally, including when I joined Zeneta here on the Hill as she testified before the House, along with the son of Ruth Whitfield, another victim, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield, and the families of the victims of the Uvalde massacre, which spurred the first Federal gun violence action in decades.
We saw a devastated community finding the resolve to come together as one with compassion, solidarity, and resilience. We met hatred and evil with love and friendship because love always conquers hate.
There were food donations for a neighborhood that was reeling and had lost its only supermarket. World Central Kitchen was on the ground within days, ensuring that a grieving community could break bread together over a hot meal and begin to process the trauma they had endured.
We had visits from President Biden and Vice President Harris, reminding us that an entire nation stood by our side. We saw memorials sprout up almost immediately, a raw display of the pain that we felt. We saw the creation of a 5/14 Memorial Foundation and Living Memorial and Healing Center, dedicated to honoring the lives of those lost and supporting the victims' families.
As we buried our 10 neighbors, we honored each of them for the lives that they lived. We committed to ourselves that their memories would not be forgotten and that their legacies would live on.
I personally promised each family at every funeral that their loved ones would not die in vain, that their memories would spur us as a community and, ultimately, as a nation into action to prevent further tragedies like this from occurring.
Under Councilwoman Everhart's leadership, Buffalo has established an Office of Gun Violence Prevention, showing that even in the face of Federal inaction, communities can still take charge of their own future.
We continue to witness a never-ending pursuit of justice for the innocent victims who were gunned down.
Today, while the trauma for many still lingers, we are reminded of that resolve, the unwavering sense of community and dedication to one another, united in mourning but motivated by the shared desire to enact change. Part of that change, as mentioned by my colleagues, is enacting gun violence prevention legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in memory of Lieutenant Salter and his fellow victims who
On 5/14, the terrorist acted in just 123 seconds to murder 10 innocent individuals and severely injure 3 others, all thanks to the enhanced body armor that protected him from Lieutenant Salter's shots and an assault rifle that allowed him to fire rapidly. No civilian should have access to military-grade body armor, equipment that is designed for war, not our streets.
The Lieutenant Aaron Salter, Jr., Responsible Body Armor Possession Act ensures that no civilian can possess military-grade body armor ever again--armor that has been used in mass shootings across the United States: Sutherland Springs, Texas; Aurora, Colorado; Boulder, Colorado; San Bernardino, California; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The list goes on and on and on.
Through this legislation, we can ensure that enhanced body armor never falls into the wrong hands again. With the support of 27 of my House Democratic cosponsors, currently, and growing, I call on the U.S. House of Representatives to pass this critical, commonsense legislation.
The legislation and our action must not end there. Gun violence legislation can help stop mass shootings. We have deep wounds in this country that we must work on together to heal. While gun violence legislation can help stop mass shootings, I believe, with every fiber of my being, that we cannot discuss May 14, 2022, without acknowledging the underlying cause--the scourge of white supremacy, a legacy of our Nation's original sin of slavery.
Before the advent of this Nation, families were torn apart and trafficked across the Atlantic in unimaginably torturous conditions to be sold to the highest bidder, treated like livestock. Making it all worse, it was legal. From the three-fifths compromise to the Fugitive Slave Act to the Dred Scott decision, an entire legal framework was set up to enforce white supremacy, and I am just scratching the surface.
Even after the Civil War, when slavery was abolished at the cost of hundreds of thousands of lives, and despite the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, that legal framework continued under the guise of Jim Crow laws--grandfather clauses, poll taxes, literacy tests--all legal but deeply immoral.
It continued in the shadows through hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan. It took our country another century to pass the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. Yet, still, that original sin remains.
It remains in the tacit racism we see through redlining and food deserts. It remains with the Supreme Court's evisceration of the Voting Rights Act, allowing States to break up communities of color and silence their voices. It remains with the vile concepts like the great replacement theory, often peddled by anti-American voices on the far right, including people in Congress whom we serve with today.
With the advent of social media, we have thrown gasoline on the fire, allowing this toxic worldview to spread even faster, with dire consequences.
That hatred led a man to plan this massacre in Buffalo 4 years ago. He purchased his weapon and body armor. He modified his rifle and purchased some of the deadliest ammunition available, crossing State lines. He researched his target, drove nearly 3 hours, and opened fire. He bears responsibility for his actions, and he will never see the light of day as a free man again.
We must raise our children to view their fellow human beings with dignity, with kindness, with empathy, and with acceptance. If we don't, then the list of hate-motivated shootings will continue to grow. More cities will be added to the list after Buffalo, El Paso, Pittsburgh, Charleston, and Orlando.
Nobody believes that we can legislate hatred away, but the policies advanced here in Washington have cascading effects across our country. When we allow communities of color to be silenced, we are strengthening hate. When we stick our heads in the sand and push forward a rose- colored version of our history and whitewash our history, we only enable bigotry to take root.
When we refuse to learn from the lessons of the past, we are dooming ourselves to a future filled with violence, and that is something we can control. It is something we can legislate. I invite my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and from all political points of view to join us in this fight, or else this carnage will only continue.
Mr. Speaker, in honor of these beautiful souls, these wonderful and beautiful souls that were lost, I would like to read into the Congressional Record a little bit about each of them.
Lieutenant Aaron Salter, Jr., a hero and public servant who saved lives that day as he confronted the shooter without hesitation.
He was a loving husband, father, friend, and colleague to many over his years in public service. In his spare time, he was a musician. He took a keen interest in cars. He enjoyed taking trips with his family.
He will be remembered not just for the selflessly heroic actions he took that day to save lives but for the person he was and his contributions to our community.
His memory lives on in each of us as a shining example of citizenship, bravery, and love.
Andre Mackneil was at the supermarket on that fateful day to buy a surprise birthday cake for his 3-year-old son, Andre Mackneil, Jr. He never came home with his son's birthday cake.
Andre loved basketball, playing the guitar, writing poems, and listening to music. But most of all, he loved his family. He loved his children. He loved his siblings. He loved his grandchildren.
Today, 4 years later, Andre's loved ones are forced to reckon with grief every day as they navigate his absence.
Celestine Chaney was a devoted mother to her son, Wayne, a loving grandmother of six, and the youngest of four sisters. She was survived by her partner and fiance, Raymond Johnson.
A fighter in every sense of the word, she had beaten breast cancer and survived multiple brain aneurysms, odds that would have broken most.
But on a day like any other, while picking up ingredients for the strawberry shortcake she was making for her family, she was taken from this world far too soon.
Geraldine Talley, known as Gerri to her friends and family, was 62 years old. She was a devoted member of our community who worked at a nonprofit assisting people with mental illness and related substance abuse issues.
She loved to cook for her family and friends. She was at Tops on 5/14 shopping for a few ingredients for a weekly waterfront picnic with her fiance.
Gerri left behind her children, Genicia Smith and Mark Tally, Jr.; a stepdaughter, Marquish Jacobs; four siblings; and her beloved fiance, Gregory Allen.
Katherine Massey, known to many as Kat, was 72 years old. Kat worked for 40 years for Blue Cross Blue Shield and was always committed to the betterment of our community.
She was a longtime campaigner against gun violence, founding We Are Women Warriors with her friends Betty Jean Grant and Dr. Eva Doyle. She was a regular contributor to the Buffalo Challenger and The Buffalo Criterion.
Kat was also an active resident in Buffalo's Fruit Belt neighborhood, helping to form a block club and successfully fighting for the creation of a new public park on her home street of Cherry Street.
She is survived by her siblings and her nieces and nephews.
Heyward Patterson was 67 years old. He was in his truck waiting for a friend he drove to Tops to pick up groceries, something he often did for those in need.
A deeply devoted servant of God, Heyward was a deacon at the State Tabernacle Church of God in Christ in Buffalo.
According to his fellow churchgoers, Deacon Patterson was often the first one to arrive and the last to leave. He helped open and close the church, clean, shovel, and he volunteered in every capacity, including in the church's soup kitchen.
He is survived by his three children, his beloved wife, as well as his parents, siblings, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Margus Morrison, a beloved and devoted father, built his life in Buffalo raising his children with his companion of 25 years, Regina Patterson, and serving as an aid for the Buffalo public schools.
Margus was just 52 years old when his life was stolen from us. He was known as a reliable and steady presence in our community who was always there when his loved ones needed him.
Margus' family and friends remember a kind and generous person whose sense of humor and unwavering support defined every moment they shared with him.
Pearl Young, was a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother, and the devoted wife of Oliver Young, Jr.
A graduate of the University of Buffalo, Pearl served as a substitute teacher at Buffalo Public Schools for 20 years.
In her free time she was active with the Good Samaritan Church of God and Christ in Cheektowaga where she taught Sunday school and volunteered at the parish's food pantry.
She was the loving mother of James, Pamela, Damon and sister of Annie Ruth Winston and Jean Craig. She was a grandmother to 10 and a great- grandmother to 7.
Roberta Drury was 32 years old. She moved to Buffalo to help care for her brother who was recovering from his battle with leukemia. She was murdered while picking up groceries for him.
Robbie, as she was called growing up, was the kind soul defined by her unwavering love for family and a smile that was known to light up a room.
She was survived by her parents, her grandfather, her beloved siblings, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Ruth Whitfield was the mother of our community. Ruth Whitfield was 86 years old. She was a longtime parishioner at Durham Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church where she sang in the choir.
She was a devoted wife, caring for her husband and soulmate of 68 years, Garnell Whitfield.
Earlier that day on May 14, Ruth had visited her husband at the nursing home just as she had done every day and had made a stop at the grocery store on her way home.
She left behind her husband and their children along with nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and five great-great- grandchildren.
May all of their souls rest in peace. Our city, our State, our community, and our country mourn with them, but we are driven in their memory to do better for all of us and for future generations that we will never meet.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues for joining me here today to honor the souls that we lost on May 14, 2022, 4 years ago today.
I want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus and the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for joining in as well in commemorating this fourth anniversary of the Tops Friendly Markets massacre.
Today, we honor the victims and their families, and we urge this body to pass meaningful gun violence prevention legislation to ensure we live in a country free from tragedies like 5/14.
May God bless their souls. May God bless all of us. May God bless the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I am here tonight to celebrate Police Week, the National Police Week celebration for the police officers who have given their lives in service to their communities.
This is a very bipartisan hour that we are going to have, and I am glad and proud to have with us here on the same side Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey who is, without a doubt, I think, one of the most supportive of our law enforcement officers in the Chamber. I have always enjoyed working with Josh.
Mr. Speaker, I will begin with this quote:
``As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind; to safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence and disorder; and to respect the constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality, and justice.''
That is the first line of the Law Enforcement Officer's Code of Ethics, a code every officer whose name is etched into the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial lived and died by.
Today, I rise to honor the 363 fallen officers whose names were added to the wall this year, including 10 officers from Florida.
Sadly, these officers are joining over 24,000 of their brothers and sisters whose names are already etched into that wall.
Each fallen officer said goodbye to their loved ones as they put on their gun and badge to protect and serve their community, not knowing if they would ever return home. They stood as a shield between the vulnerable citizens that they vowed to protect and those intent on doing them harm.
Of the 363 officers added this year, 111 were killed in the line of duty in 2025, which is 111 too many.
Ambushes and unprovoked attacks on our Nation's law enforcement officers are happening at an alarming rate, making the job of a law enforcement officer even more dangerous.
Almost daily in 2025, an officer was shot in the line of duty, totaling 347 shot, and 45 of those officers died. Specifically, there were 67 separate ambush-style attacks on law enforcement officers which left 90 officers shot and 22 of them fatally.
There was also over 90,000 officer assaults last year, indicating a rate of 13.8 assaults per 100 officers, the highest officer assault rate in 10 years.
This violence upon our officers is unacceptable, and ambushes on our officers must stop. That is why I want to make it clear to the criminal element who are intent on attacking our officers, if you target law enforcement, Congress will target you.
This Congress, Josh Gottheimer and I introduced the Protect and Serve Act, a bipartisan bill to increase penalties on those who target, ambush, and harm our officers. I urge all of my colleagues to support passage of this very important legislation.
It is our responsibility to protect those who protect us. Of the 111 officers killed in the line of duty this past year, I would like to take just a minute to honor a few of them.
On July 23, Ohio's Lorain Police Department Officers Phillip C. Wagner and Peter Gale were taking their lunch break in their police vehicle when a 28-year-old man with a high-powered rifle opened fire on them and later a responding officer, Brent Payne. The officers were able to return fire, killing the heavily armed assailant who had ambushed the two patrol cars parked at the end of a dead-end street.
Officers Gale and Payne were critically injured but made recoveries. Sadly, Officer and United States Marine Corps veteran Phillip C. Wagner's end of watch was July 24, 2025.
My thoughts and prayers are with his family, including his wife and three children, his friends, and the men and women of the Lorain Police Department.
I also rise today to honor the life and service of four Northern York County Regional Police Department detectives in southern Pennsylvania whose lives were taken in a senseless ambush on September 17, 2025.
Detective Sergeant Cody Becker, along with Detectives Mark Baker and Isaiah Emenheiser, were attempting to serve a warrant for a stalking suspect when they were met by gunfire that took the lives of three detectives and wounded two others.
Together, Detective Sergeant Becker, Detective Baker, and Detective Emenheiser served the Northern York County Regional Police Department for a combined 57 years.
I will close with this, Mr. Speaker: Ralph Emerson once said that the purpose of life is not to be happy; it is to be useful; it is to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you lived and lived well.
These officers did just that. They lived well. We are forever grateful for their service and the heroic legacy of these fallen officers.
I ask, Mr. Speaker, that all of us and all of those watching, that we would all live the rest of our lives worthy of these officers' sacrifice.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Gottheimer).
Mr. Speaker, let me begin by thanking and recognizing my very dear friend and a phenomenal leader in our country, Sheriff John Rutherford.
Sheriff Rutherford served in law enforcement and continues to serve our great country today in Congress. He serves with distinction and a deep recognition that standing by our men and women who wear a uniform is not a partisan issue. It is an American issue. It is what we should do for our communities and our country, and I am grateful for him. I thank him so much.
It is an honor to serve as the co-chair of the bipartisan House Law Enforcement Caucus, especially this week during National Police Week when we honor the brave men and women in law enforcement and all of the first responders who put their lives on the line every single day to protect our communities and keep our families safe.
Of course, as the sheriff said, this is a particularly tough week because we recognize the fallen and honor the fallen, and, of course, spend time with their families.
But every day, officers and families from across our Nation watch as their loved ones go off to protect us. So while we gather here in Washington to honor those who put on the badge and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we also honor those who go out every single day.
Earlier this month, Congressman Rutherford and I attended the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Ceremony here in our Nation's Capital, surrounded by thousands of names etched into that stone wall, names that represent heroes, families forever changed, and a debt we can never fully repay.
You heard Congressman Rutherford share some of the names that will be etched onto that wall. This year 363 brave officers will be added to the memorial, including 11 officers from my home State of New Jersey.
Tonight, we honor their memory, their courage, and their sacrifice, and we recommit ourselves to them, because the names on the walls, those are moms and dads and brothers and sisters and loved ones. So we commit ourselves to them, to getting the backs of men and women who continue to serve.
Every single day when they wake up, our officers put on that bulletproof vest, kiss their spouses and children good-bye, and head into unknown danger. They run toward that danger when many run away. They are the first to respond, often the last to leave, and, far too often, the ones we only recognize when tragedy strikes.
That is why it is so important this week that we recognize them. Frankly, we should be doing this every day to honor their service, because to me the badge represents that service and sacrifice, unwavering commitment, courage in the face of danger, and a true bond with the communities that officers serve every day.
Mr. Speaker, supporting law enforcement should never be a partisan issue. I will say this time and again. It is why we are standing together on one side of the aisle, symbolically, because there should be no Democrat or Republican way to protect a community or stand by an officer.
That is why we are so proud to work together every day on legislation with a group of us. Support can't stop with words, it has to require action. That is why we continue fighting for commonsense investments in public safety and in the officers who protect our communities. Together, we worked to secure more than $1 billion in Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and Community Oriented Policing Services resources to help local departments hire officers, improve training, and access critical support.
We helped secure resources for bulletproof vests, hate crime prevention initiatives, and support for smaller departments and rural departments. We secured full lifetime resources for the World Trade Center Health Program so our 9/11 responders and survivors continue to receive the care they earned and deserve.
The sheriff talked about our push on the bipartisan Invest to Protect Act because we know that smaller and midsize departments need more support, not less. We need more, not less. They need help with retaining and recruitment and mental health resources, especially for our smaller departments who carry the burdens of the jobs home every day. We have to help them.
We talked about the Protect and Serve Act to ensure stronger penalties for those who deliberately target law enforcement officers in the line of duty. I also support, and have in the past, the Thin Blue Line Act because, Mr. Speaker, if you deliberately hurt a cop, you are going to jail; and if you kill a cop, you should get the death penalty.
This week, during National Police Week, I announced the bipartisan Stop the Doxx Act to protect officers and their families from targeted intimidation online. It is because protecting law enforcement means protecting officers not only while they are serving on the streets but also at home with their families. The idea that people are taking pictures of officers without their permission, pictures of their family--they are taking the information of their address and their phone numbers and putting that online to target officers--is totally unacceptable. As the sheriff said: If you target officers, Congress will target you.
As I have said for years: We need to fund, not defund, law enforcement to keep our communities safe. Weakened law enforcement does not make our communities safer. It drives good officers away, it strains departments, and it undermines our communities and public safety.
Tonight is, first and foremost, about gratitude and honoring, honoring those who have served, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
To your families, all those families out there, some of whom the sheriff talked about: God bless you. Thank you. We pray for you. We are here to take your tragedy and ensure that it is remembered with action.
To those who continue to serve right now: Thank you for the long hours, the missed holidays, the missed family dinners, and for carrying the burdens most Americans will never fully understand. Thank you for your professionalism, your sacrifice, what you face on the streets every day, and the disrespect you have to endure.
To the families who stand beside these heroes every day: We thank you, all of you.
Mr. Speaker, especially during National Police Week, we remember that duty and service are not without cost. We honor the sacrifice of those officers. Their service will never be forgotten, and their legacy will live on forever.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the sheriff for yielding to me, and I thank the sheriff for hosting tonight's Special Order. It is a privilege to join the sheriff as we commemorate National Police Week and honor the upstanding men and women who serve our Nation's law enforcement.
When I travel to my district back in Georgia, I meet regularly with our sheriffs and law enforcement officers as much as possible, and I am constantly in awe of the courage, the selflessness, and the heroism that they demonstrate every day for our communities.
Here in the Chamber, we are without excuse. We have right there above the Speaker ``In God We Trust.'' We have Moses, the full face of Moses, who gave us the law.
The Apostle Paul penned it as well as anyone can. In fact, basically, God ordained government to restrain evil. That was the sole purpose.
In Romans 13, the Apostle Paul said:
``Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
``Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
``For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong.
``Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority?
``Then do what is right and you will be commended.
``For the one in authority is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God's servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.
``Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.''
I am going to tell you, Mr. Speaker, this was drilled into me by my parents. One of the things that is really disturbing in our culture today is the disrespect for authority in our Nation, but I tell our police officers about Romans 13. It is the highest calling in this land to be called by God in authority to make sure that folks are safe and secure.
On a daily basis, these officers choose to prioritize the safety of others above their own.
Georgia's 12th District felt this ultimate sacrifice firsthand when one of our own, Deputy Brandon Sikes of Columbia, lost his life in the line of duty last April.
As the family and our community continue to mourn this tragic loss, we are reminded of his extraordinary service, and we find solace in Scripture.
John 15:13 says: ``Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.''
That is, again, a high calling. We will never forget Deputy Brandon Sikes.
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank all the officers serving in Georgia's 12th Congressional District and across the State of Georgia and throughout our country, including our own Capitol Police officers here in the Capitol who work every day to keep us safe.
I am proud to unequivocally stand with the men and women in blue and will continue to support their mission now and always.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Rutherford for putting this on with due respect for the men and women in blue.
During National Police Week, I rise to honor the brave law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting you, our communities, and defending the rule of law.
This year, 363 American law enforcement heroes are being honored at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Among them are two courageous Arizona officers, Officer Gabriel Facio of the Apache Junction Police Department and Deputy Shawn Braaten of the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. These heroes wore the badge with honor and gave their lives in service to others.
At a time when politicians on the left and radical activists continue pushing soft-on-crime policies and demonizing police officers, we must be crystal clear: America is safer because of our law enforcement.
The anti-police rhetoric coming from the left has emboldened criminals, weakened public safety, and made an already dangerous profession even harder.
I unapologetically stand with the men and women in blue. I stand with the officers who run toward danger while others run away.
I stand with the deputies patrolling our neighborhoods, the border agents defending our sovereignty, and every law enforcement officer who risks their life to protect innocent Americans.
To the families of Officer Facio, Deputy Braaten, and all our fallen officers across our Nation, we will never forget their sacrifice. Their courage and service represent the very best in America. That is all you can ask.
May God bless our fallen heroes and their families, and may God bless the United States of America.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressmen Gottheimer and Rutherford, two great friends. I really admire the bipartisan work that both of them have done in the Law Enforcement Caucus. It really means a great deal to all of us that they work together with such close collaboration. It is really a great honor for me to join with them this evening.
Tonight, we recognize police officers who lost their lives throughout 2025 throughout our country, over 360 police officers, 13 of whom we lost in New York State, 11 of those 13 died from 9/11-related injuries and sicknesses, 1 was killed in a shooting, and another died of a heart attack after a physical altercation.
I served as the mayor of a small city and oversaw the police department, and I served as a county executive of a large county and oversaw the 12th largest police department in the United States of America.
It pains me when I hear people criticize the police. People need to recognize that tonight, here in our Nation's Capitol, we honor law enforcement officials, police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, sometimes in very tragic circumstances that left behind families who were shattered.
We also have to recognize that, every single day, police officers go to work. Sometimes, their jobs are very boring. They could go on a regular patrol. They walk a beat. They drive their car. The day goes by without incident. Then, without notice, they are called to an incident where they could lose their life in a shooting, breaking up a crime, or in a fire.
Other times, they deliver miracles to people's lives when they stop a crime, when they deliver a baby, or when they respond to a fire. Some days, it is very mundane: people ask you for directions, you say hello to folks that you see on a regular basis, or you do investigations. Other times, it is 9/11, and you are put in harm's way that will challenge you for decades and decades after that incident.
I join my colleagues here tonight, Democrats and Republicans, to come together to say to our police officers in our Nation and in my Third Congressional District in New York: Thank you for your service. We honor you. We respect you. We recognize how difficult your jobs are. We recognize that sometimes people don't treat you with the respect that you deserve, but we respect you, admire you, and are grateful to you for the sacrifice that you have made on our behalf so that we can live with some sense of safety because of the safety that you provide to us.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Gillen), someone who has been an avid champion of law enforcement. Like Mr. Suozzi, Ms. Gillen has been a great friend of those in blue.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the brave law enforcement officers on Long Island and across our Nation who we have lost and the men and women who continue to serve and protect.
I thank my colleagues on the bipartisan Law Enforcement Caucus, Representatives Rutherford and Gottheimer, for organizing this Special Order hour during National Police Week to remember these heroes.
Madam Speaker, every day, our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. They do so not knowing if they will return home safely to their loved ones.
During National Police Week, we thank and honor the law enforcement officers who gave their lives to protect all of us.
This month, I had the privilege to join my colleagues to lay a wreath at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and honor 363 officers who we lost this year. It is our solemn duty to ensure that their sacrifice and contributions are never forgotten.
Among the American heroes we lost last year was Police Detective Patrick Franzone of the Freeport Police Department from New York's Fourth Congressional District.
A U.S. Marine Corps veteran who grew up in Freeport, Detective Franzone's life was defined by service to his fellow Americans and to his community. He served in law enforcement for more than 30 years and shared his devotion to the Freeport families outside of work as the chairman of Toys for Tots.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attack, Detective Franzone bravely assisted with the search and recovery at Ground Zero as a first responder.
On September 18, 2025, he tragically passed away from a 9/11 cancer that
Detective Franzone was a friend to all who knew him, a devoted father, and a true American hero. We will never forget his service to fellow New Yorkers and to our great Nation, and we will ensure that his legacy lives on.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me for a moment in remembering Detective Patrick William Franzone of Freeport, New York.
Thousands of our heroic law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency personnel continue to suffer from debilitating conditions from toxins at Ground Zero. That is why I was proud to help advocate for bipartisan legislation to permanently fund the World Trade Center Health Program. I will continue to fight alongside my colleagues here today to make sure our law enforcement has the resources they need to keep their communities safe and to keep themselves safe. Whether it is more crime-fighting technology, COPS hiring grants, or funding for improved access to mental health care, something that I care deeply about. I am proud to have introduced peer-to-peer support, advocacy, and counseling through my bipartisan bill introduced with Congressman Rutherford just this week.
We must always have the backs of our law enforcement. Our families can sleep knowing that the brave men and women in uniform are protecting them, watching our streets, and safeguarding our communities.
Madam Speaker, I thank each and every one of our law enforcement officers on Long Island and across our country. We owe them an incredible debt of gratitude.
Madam Speaker, I thank Congressman Gottheimer and Officer Rutherford for organizing this Special Order hour. It is a reflection of the good things that happen here in Congress, Madam Speaker, the fact that Mr. Gottheimer can be here on the Republican side of the aisle, acknowledging something significant. The fact that we as Republicans and Democrats can stand united behind the thin blue line between order and chaos, and sometimes between life and death. I am honored to join this distinguished group of people who recognize the significance of National Police Week, which is what we are doing this week.
In memory of those who have given their lives--which I will review in my prepared notes in a moment regarding that--we can't forget that we must remember those who continue to live in the service of our country in the form of what Representative Gillen just talked about. There are a variety of toxic exposures, as well as mental health challenges, that come along with the job associated with the chaos that sometimes our law enforcement officers have to deal with.
I want to point out, as well, that, in Congress, there is a great deal of attention paid to the dysfunction, disagreements, arguments, and outright vigorous vitriol that goes back and forth between us. There is far more that unites us, as reflected by Congressman Rutherford and Congressman Gottheimer as they organized this. We can unite together to honor our police officers who do a great service for our society.
We need to honor these men and women in law enforcement who serve our communities with courage, integrity, and sacrifice day in and day out. Two hundred fifty years of American liberty have taught us that law and order is essential to a free society. Without order, our freedoms cannot survive. Our freedoms only hold because good men and women are willing to back them up--sometimes with their lives.
This week, I and the people in the State of Utah especially remember Sergeant Lee Sorensen and Officer Eric Estrada of the Tremonton-Garland Police Department who gave their lives last August as they answered an average call for help from a citizen who ultimately, they gave their lives to try to respond to and help.
In Congress, I and many others will remain committed to backing our blue, the officers who need resources, support, and respect as they do their jobs.
To every officer in Utah and across this country, I thank them for keeping us safe. I am deeply grateful for all they do.
Madam Speaker, I will conclude by saying, I don't believe that there is going to be a lot of attention given by the media to what is happening right now. We need our country to recognize that there is a lot more good that is happening in Congress. Even though we have our disagreements, we find far more that unites us and that we can work together on than those things that will divide us and cause us to be media clowns and have the circus of Congress be demonstrated on a regular basis.
I am proud to join with these great people to recognize something that is functioning well, and that is our law enforcement throughout the country and the fact that we can all unite together to acknowledge that great service.
Madam Speaker, I think Congressman Kennedy said it best.
Congressman Rutherford and I just leaned over to each other after what you just said, Congressman Kennedy, and said: That is exactly right. There is far more that unites us as a country than divides us. We spend far too much time in this Chamber and outside of this Chamber tweeting, screaming, and yelling instead of focused on getting things done for the American people and thanking those who serve our great country.
That is what this week is about, Police Week, to thank those who are continuing to get up every day to protect us and to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting us and serving us. We should honor them, as we should honor all of those shoulders we stand on, by actually doing right by them, by investing in them, by supporting their families, by making sure that officers who are out there today on the front lines looking out for us have what they need to keep themselves safe and to keep our communities safe.
There should be no fights about that or disagreements about that and no questions about whether we are going to fund law enforcement or not. Those should not be even issues of debate. It should just be about doing the right thing by people, by those who protect us, by those who serve us, people like Sheriff Rutherford who, before he was in this Chamber, served us in Florida, and looked out for families. That is the kind of service we should recognize.
What Congressman Kennedy said is exactly right. We should look out for each other. We should stand together. It should not be a thing that we are on this side of the aisle, because that is irrelevant.
We stand in a Chamber with a flag behind the Speaker that we salute every day and that we pledge our allegiance to every day, as we should. To me, there is so much to be proud of for living in this great country, the greatest country the world has ever known. There is so much to be grateful for as an American.
The reason we have this safety, because this blanket of safety is provided by others, those who serve on the front lines, our servicemen and -women and those who are here at home, law enforcement, looking out for us. They do it knowing the risks they take, the sacrifices they make, and what could ultimately happen to them and to their families if they make that ultimate sacrifice, which so many have.
We remember them. We honor them. I hope that we take their falling as a call to action for all of us in this Chamber to protect all law enforcement, to invest in them, and to remember that this should not be a partisan political issue whether we stand by our law enforcement or not. That should not be a fight we should ever have. The question just should be how much should we invest to keep them safe and to keep our country safe.
With that, I thank the co-chair of the Law Enforcement Caucus, a great man and a great friend, Sheriff and Congressman John Rutherford.
Madam Speaker, as we come together this year to celebrate the lives of 111
I can tell you that for the 41 years that I served as a law enforcement officer, I didn't serve Democrats and Republicans. I served the public. Still today, in Congress, I serve Americans, not just Republicans and Democrats.
I think it is important that we do change the tenor. This is a great opportunity to get that message out as we celebrate the lives of men and women who gave that last full measure of devotion.
For many years, I talked about law enforcement being a noble profession, not because it was just about service, but because it was truly about service with self-sacrifice. That is what we celebrate this National Police Week.
I thank my good friend from New Jersey for being here and helping to put this together. I look forward to our continued collaboration on issues that are important to law enforcement and our communities.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I am actually going to try something that we have done over and over.
I apologize; I have had a lot of coffee. If I start talking like a machine gun, just start waving at me.
I am going to try one more time to communicate to the thousands of televisions we are on around the campus. Hopefully, there are still staff, interns, and others who actually care about our economic future. Maybe there are a few Members. Maybe there are actually some really smart people out on C-SPAN, because I am often remarkably impressed when these floor speeches go up on YouTube or other things at some of the comments. I am also heartbroken about the thousands of Russian bots and other things that may crop up.
Let's do some basic reality, and I am going to walk through some of these numbers.
As of today, for the last 12 months, so more than just within the fiscal year, the last 12 months--so I pick up the tax cycle, and I pick up everything else--we are borrowing about $87,000 a second, every second of every day.
Yet, I will go home and give a speech. I am leaving this place. I am running for Governor in Arizona. I will speak in front of people, watch their faces when I try to explain, here is what the math is, here is what is going on.
My 3-year-old son that we have adopted--a miracle, absolute miracle-- this government needs 104 percent of his lifetime earnings just to pay Federal pensions, not the military, not the rest of the government; just to cover Social Security, Medicare, military retirement, just the pension benefits.
Madam Speaker, we need his entire lifetime earnings plus another 4 percent. Is that moral?
Didn't we have one of our Founding Fathers say a generation should be responsible for its own debts? Yet, we will have borrowed about $7.5 billion, $7.7 billion today. Let's actually walk through some of the things that are actual math, a couple of the solutions.
My tense frustration around here--and I accept a whole bunch of our Members are lawyers. Bless their precious hearts. Could they buy a calculator? Because it is beyond Republican versus Democrat. I think we have much better fiscal economic growth ideas, but it is demographics.
In 1 year from now, we will have fewer people under 18 years of age than we had 20 years ago but double our brothers and sisters who are 65 and up. In 29 months, 29 months, over half the Federal spending will go to those 65 and up. Are we allowed to tell that truth?
This is the report from the Treasury that was put out about 3 weeks ago. I know we all as Members of Congress grabbed it and read some of the projections in here, but some of the math in here made it very, very, very clear, except you had to work the graphs and play with the calculations and numbers because sometimes it is really uncomfortable telling these things when you actually had numbers, 30 years from now the United States having about 250 percent debt to GDP.
When you actually took a look, if you do State and local debt right now, we are over 126 percent debt to GDP. When you actually start to look at other reports of the solvency issues in regard to Social Security, Medicare, is it moral that in about 6 years and 3 months the Social Security Trust Fund is empty? In 6 years and 3 months, if we follow the law as it is written today and don't fix things, those on Social Security will get a 24 percent cut.
The math says in the following year we will double the poverty of seniors. We will basically double. We will double the number of baby boomers that live on the street.
Madam Speaker, in a little over 6 years, the Medicare Trust Fund is empty and hospitals in your district and my district take a 12 percent cut. How many of them will remain open? It is the math.
How many times, for anyone who is crazy enough to watch us, who has actually watched the people coming behind these microphones, have actually heard Members of Congress get up and say the greatest systemic threat to our society, to our culture, to this Nation is our debt and demographics? Why aren't we willing to have a conversation about it? Why aren't we willing to tell the truth?
Yet, a couple of weeks ago we had a balanced budget bill, and, actually, I think it failed, but it is part of the scam we engage in. We all go out and vote for it and say, ``I voted for a balanced budget,'' but I am never going to tell you how we are going to get there because the actual path is really hard.
I have come to the floor multiple times and done entire presentations on the MedPAC report. Those are functions of the models and auditors of Medicare. There is a thing called Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage. I absolutely support it, but I want it to be the model that was originally designed by Senator Frist in 2005 that said we are going to build a model where it is capitated care. We are going to try to incentivize the insurance company to make its money by helping the population be healthier instead of constantly scoring people as sicker.
This report basically says there is about a $1.5 trillion, $2 trillion over 10 years. We won't call it fraud because it is not. They are following the rules. We are the idiots that wrote the rules. Part of those rules were changed during Obama Care.
If I came to you, Madam Speaker, and said I can find you $1 trillion, $1.5 trillion, $2 trillion, we have a piece of legislation to align that program with the incentives to keep people healthier. Our preliminary score was $1.84 trillion, and the calculation said it would actually help the population of seniors on Medicare Advantage, which is 55 percent of the population, be healthier because the insurance companies that manage the program would be incentivized to make you, help you, work with you to be healthier.
I can't get a single other Member of Congress to sponsor the bill because it has the word ``Medicare'' in it, because, God forbid, we tell the truth around here.
Let's actually do some more math. Here is another report that was out on the dispatch. It is a long format, leans conservative, leans real free market, but talking about even if we use current CBO math, my little boy who is 3 years old today, when he turns 33, the United States will have a couple hundred trillion dollars in debt when my little boy is 33 years old, and that was using the previous CBO numbers. The problem is the previous CBO numbers are now wrong.
Since February until today--since February until today, you have about what they call 40 basis points of increase in interest rates. Okay, big deal. Forty basis points of interest if it sticks for the next 10 years, that is over $1.3 trillion in additional interest.
Let's do this again. Social Security is our biggest spend in the Federal Government. Okay. It is an earned benefit. You earned it. We owe it. We are going to spend about $1.6 trillion this year.
Anyone want to guess what the second biggest spend is? Interest. If you do
Okay. What is the third biggest expense? Medicare, about $1.1 trillion, and Medicare will double, double in spending over the next 7 years. So it goes to $2 trillion.
Number four is actually Medicaid and Obama Care subsidies, ACA subsidies.
Number five is actually defense. The thing that is actually in the U.S. Constitution is the number five in our spending stack.
Let's actually have a little fun. We are going to take in about $5 trillion, $5.25 trillion in tax receipts. Okay. Let's say we made a deal. We are only going to spend what we get. Okay. So I just covered Social Security, 1.6. We are going to cover interest, about 1.2. We are going to cover Medicare, about 1.1. We are going to cover Medicaid and ACA subsidies, about 1. You basically right there have spent every dime of tax receipts.
Your government is basically an insurance company with an army, and the army is on borrowed money. The rest of the government is on borrowed money. When we send money to the States, my State of Arizona, our appropriated budget is about $17.8 billion, $17.9 billion. Total spending is closer to $73 billion, $74 billion.
What is that differential? Well, almost half the spending of my State of Arizona is actually revenue sharing, programs, matching things that we send from the Federal Government, except that money is borrowed.
If you are a State government, are you prepared for when this place can't even afford to meet those obligations because everything we are doing is on borrowed money? It is important to think about.
I have done entire presentations here talking about the concept of interest fragility, and no one cares until the moment you have a failed bond auction.
Now our experts are actually saying that the age of lower interest rates probably isn't coming upon us. You do realize the 2-year instrument of United States debt has been hovering about 4 percent. You go, oh, why are you talking about math? The Federal funds rate is down here.
We always say, well, if the Fed would lower interest rates--once again, basic economics. The Federal funds rate is only on what they call the short end of the curve. It has very little effect on the 10 years and up. The 30-year bond went over 5 percent this week. It is the highest interest rate in 19 years.
Does anyone talk about it? Remember, we borrow money. The world is borrowing money. The Chinese Government and other governments are bingeing on debt.
The industrialized world has gotten old. We have much of our population that is moving out of its productive years and moving into its retirement benefit years. We have a society all over the industrialized world where population is flat or shrinking.
Our Census Bureau, a couple of weeks ago, put out an abstract. If you actually read through their tables, they had the United States highly likely sometime in the next 5 years going negative--United States going negative on population growth.
I showed that slide in a speech I gave last week at home, and I had this woman say: ``Yay.'' I said: ``Okay. You think there are too many people. Fine. How do you want me to finance Social Security and Medicare and all the other benefits?'' She just stared at me and said: ``Well, tax rich people.''
Now, this is a Republican meeting. I just happened to have in my binder a chart that showed her that we can take every dime from those rich people, and you pay for the government for about 8 months or 9 months.
Then, I asked her: ``How would you like to finance things?'' All I got was this stare because, look, when you have a world where people get their news from this thing, when much of what people know is either doomscrolling or clickbait, I beg of you--this is important. This is the survival of our Republic. We have made it 250 years. Do my kids deserve to be in this country? Does this deserve to be another American century? It can be.
I have done presentation after presentation after presentation on how we can crash the price of healthcare; how we can adopt technology to do things better, faster, and cheaper; and how we can stabilize debt. Remember, all the rage around here about 2 months ago was that we are going to pass a motion to borrow only 3 percent of GDP. Love it.
Madam Speaker, at this moment, we are pushing--I think 3.4 percent or 3.5 percent of GDP is just interest from the Federal Government. You tell me what spending you want to cut, and then you tell me what bonds we are going to pay off.
There is a math experiment that is very simple. Remember how we passed a balanced budget amendment a couple of weeks ago, but no one was willing to tell you how to get there. If, next year, we wanted to balance the budget, I can do it. You have to cut half of Federal spending. If you do the feedback effects in the economy, you would have to cut one-half of Federal spending.
I need you to think about what I am saying here, so let's do this. This is as we built the budget. Do you see this blue area, nondefense discretionary, defense? That is the only thing a Member of Congress gets to vote on, unless it is a reconciliation budget, and then we have been wasting those because we have been unwilling to tell the truth and do the cuts that are required, to start to tell the bond market that we are serious to bring down interest rates.
Once again, the way you bring down interest rates: convince the bond markets that we are incredibly creditworthy, that we are doing the things that are not inflating the economy by pumping all sorts of borrowed spending into the economy, and, therefore, raising interest rates by raising inflation.
The rest of the red is on autopilot. The problem is that if you want to look at the pie, every dime of defense is borrowed. Every dime in nondefense discretionary is borrowed, and a big chunk of--choose whatever you want--is borrowed.
How long can we keep doing this? Seriously, how long can we keep doing this? I chair the Joint Economic Committee. I am No. 4 on the Ways and Means Committee. I chair the Oversight Subcommittee. I have been doing all the waste and fraud investigations I can, whether it be hospice care, particularly in L.A. County--it is trying to expose the things going on in New York, the organ procurement fraud, all the work we have done on trying to fix the misalignment in Medicare Advantage.
Yet, the armies of lobbyists up and down these hallways--many of them are wonderful people--the armies of people from our home districts who come into our office who tell us how much they want us to cut spending--no, they don't ask us to cut spending, do they?
I will do a presentation to my own people from Arizona and say: ``Here is what we are up against.'' They will say: ``That is very interesting. Now, will you listen to my request for more spending?''
The other one that is even more perverse is that we get businesses that come into our office and try to explain how they want us to regulate their competition.
I thought we were the free market party. I thought we were the party that believed prosperity was moral, that the way you help our brothers and sisters be less poor is an economy that works, that allocates its resources where you maximize prosperity.
Are we doing that right now? The math basically says that when you do the adjustments for inflation--now, a lot of this is the inflation from 4 years or 5 years ago. The people in my State are still poorer today than they were 5 years ago.
Wage growth hasn't even gotten close to catching up. Where is the fixation on the people who we claim that we care about and love? We are conservatives. We are supposed to love people. We are supposed to believe in freedom. We are supposed to believe in prosperity, but we are so busy selling shiny objects so we can get on cable news or be a YouTube celebrity or a Twitter celebrity tonight, we make crap up. We do salacious things. We throw out things where we have never told the truth about the underlying math, or we know that the math doesn't work.
My Joint Economic Committee did our report, the Republican side, and we did something really hard. We spent months working on this. We talked about a unified theory: Here is how we bring prosperity back. Here is how we bring wage growth back. Here is how we start to stabilize the U.S. debt.
Yet, you have to be willing to tell the truth. Yet, the troll army: ``Well, they talked about talent-based immigration.''
I also talked about ending H-1B visas because of the misallocation in wage suppression and going to a model that would actually increase wages, but you have to be willing to read the report. Yes, it is hundreds of pages, and there are fancy formulas in there that, unless you had advanced calculus, you are not going to get the math, but we do the explanation under it. The rest of the reading is actually pretty easy.
The reason we wrote this is that we are trying to make the point that we can do this. There is a mathematical policy way that we can bring back prosperity. We can bring back actual affordability, your retirement. My kids have a chance.
Other than six of us and half of those reading it to try to find a way to attack us, and the other half because they don't have a life, please, someone out there read the Joint Economic Report from the Republicans. We worked hard on this. The math, in some ways, is brilliant. The policies work, but there are things in there that are controversial.
You are going to have to talk about automation, accepting technology, bringing the benefits of possible automation, labor substitution to grow the economy, two things to raise up wages.
It is possible, but we have to tell the truth, and we have a real situation in our country.
I know this chart is a little hard to read, but I have a simple point I am trying to make. If you go back to 2019, all the way to April, where we are at right now, and you basically take a look at all nonfarm growth, it is actually up only about 4 percent.
What is way up here that has had a 24 percent growth? What has had the 17 percent growth? Those are, functionally, employment from welfare programs. This is like, I think, in Medicaid, visiting family members, getting signed up, and getting paid for it. This is essentially welfare services in healthcare.
The problem with healthcare is--what is it?--about 67 percent, maybe even more, of healthcare dollars come from the Federal Government. In my State of Arizona, last year, we produced only 24,000 new jobs.
Every single one of those new jobs was in healthcare and welfare services. Private-sector jobs actually fell. Last month in Arizona, we lost about 10,800 jobs. Private-sector jobs shrank. We are now either 47th or 45th from the bottom or to the bottom in affordability in Arizona. Of my three wage categories, two of the wage categories went down. They lost--not even inflation adjusted, the raw number--they lost salary structure.
Why do we care?
Look, you try to explain the basic math on these things. Do we care and love our brothers and sisters? We are tracking this, and I am trying to get better data. This chart is a little hard to read, but those little tops you see with the orange and the yellow? Those are delinquencies. Those are delinquencies that are starting to grow economically in our society, people who are having trouble making their mortgage payment, people who are having trouble making their car payment. I don't think this even has student loans in it.
The fact of the matter is, we did some really good things in the tax policy last year, but we haven't done all the other things that are required from us to get the economy roaring to open up markets.
Look, when it is illegal in the United States to modernize a port--we have the least efficient ports in the industrialized world. I know that is uncomfortable because I just made a union mad by saying that, but the fact of the matter is we care about pricing. We care about supply chains. We care about inflation. We care about affordability, but then we are going to basically do the very things that stop the efficiencies in our economy.
Maybe we could legalize the very technologies, the very things in our world that would make the world more prosperous. Are we too busy pandering to the last group of lobbyists that came into our office?
Look, a local example, just because I care about this: I used to be the Maricopa County treasurer. Maricopa County is the most populous county in the United States. All right. I was the tax collector. I was the investment officer. I was the bank. So I had a really good staff. We did lots of great things.
If I walk in tomorrow and say, all right, let's get rid of the income tax in my State, that is great. I love it. It is about 31 percent of the budget that is appropriated. Okay. Tell me what you want to cut. Tell me where we are going to move, because understand, if you wanted to make that up and say we are just going to cut it on the income tax and move it to the property tax, you just doubled grandma's property taxes.
Is that your plan? Is that what we are actually going to do?
Now, we have actually offered ideas to lower the cost of government where we think we can cut that rate down by a third, 40 percent, but you systematically have to have a plan to do things. It is the same thing here. We talk a big game, but you notice we avoid telling the truth about the details of what it takes. And I think the public, the voters we represent, the voters we claim we care about, have gotten to the point where they are tired of the fraud. If you are going to give us an idea, tell us how you get there. Tell us the math.
I have used the sarcastic comments behind this microphone a dozen times. I work in a math-free zone. If you are going to make a proposal, maybe we should try something new, Madam Speaker. If we are going to make a proposal, demonstrate how you are going to get there. Demonstrate how the math actually works.
There are ways to make it happen. Nothing is easy, but it is doable. Lay out a plan.
Look, we have been doing presentations around Arizona on how we could crash the price of our Medicaid system. It will take a couple years, but through technology, helping our brothers and sisters be healthier, we think we can remove hundreds of millions of dollars in spending.
We can end fraud in much of our government programs tomorrow by simple adoption of data systems. So think about this: One of the great perversities--and actually part of it is in this MedPAC book. If you look at it, we pay fraudsters, and then the current government model is we hire auditors, and then we hire lawyers. How often do we ever get any money back? How often do people actually end up in jail?
May I propose a suggestion? Stop letting the damn money go out the door in the first place. The pay and chase model is from a different century, a different decade. We have the technology today, whether you want to call it AI, algorithmic, the fact of the matter is someone is requesting benefits. Their data doesn't match.
These hospices that were popping up all over L.A. County, the first time we start to look at their data, we knew they were a fraud.
The fact of the matter is we have the technology today; we can stop the waste and fraud in government. Maybe the public would start to believe in us again if they knew their money wasn't going to fraudsters.
We can do that particularly at my State level where we had, what, $2.8 billion in sober living home fraud that could have been caught, I have been told, by a $1,500 simple accounting AI package. It would have seen it immediately, and it would have saved $2.8 billion. Is that Republican or Democrat?
Now, I know it upsets the people that are the auditors, the people that make their living, but this needs to be about the taxpayers and about the American people. We have ways to fix these things.
Why don't we have the intellectual gravitas or whatever fancy word we want to use around this place to actually try and do it instead of continuing to do the trite?
Madam Speaker, I appreciate you tolerating me, and I did mention I have had a lot of caffeine already today.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Griff Lynch for his outstanding service as president and CEO of the Georgia Ports Authority.
For more than a decade, Mr. Lynch has led Georgia's ports through historic growth.
Under his leadership, the Port of Savannah has become the Nation's busiest cargo hub outside of Los Angeles and New York.
The authority also put more than $4 billion into infrastructure improvements during Mr. Lynch's tenure. These investments have strengthened our supply chain, supported thousands of jobs, and expanded economic opportunities across our great State.
Mr. Lynch has announced he will retire in August of 2027 after years of dedicated service to Georgia.
We thank him for his strong leadership and lasting impact on our State's economy. I am confident the company will see continued success as we welcome Kevin Price who will begin serving as president this July and will succeed Mr. Lynch as CEO.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Ted Turner, the founder of CNN and a former Savannah resident.
Mr. Turner passed away on May 6 after a battle with Lewy body dementia.
He was a trailblazer in many fields, including media and sports. He founded CNN and grew it from a little-known cable news network to the media giant that it is today.
He also bought the Atlanta Braves, a Major League Baseball team, and broadcast them nationally, making them America's team to many across the country.
His vision turned the Braves into a dominant force in the nineties, culminating in a World Series title in 1995.
His contribution to the State of Georgia and the Nation has left a legacy that will never be forgotten.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Michael Alexander, who is retiring from King & Prince Seafood after 15 years of leadership.
Under Michael's leadership, King & Prince has earned multiple prestigious awards for their quality of food service. K&P is a major contributor to our coastal economy in southeast Georgia and, for the past century, has been part of the Brunswick community.
Beyond seafood, K&P has launched its Be the Difference campaign that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support people in the community.
The company matches employee donations to boost giving for people in need. Michael has presided over significant growth for the company and has given back to the Brunswick community in a big way.
We thank him for his work and wish him well in the future.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the memory of Mark Robertson, whom I recognized on the House floor recently last September. Sadly, Mr. Robertson tragically passed away last month after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
He retired in July of last year after a long career behind the microphone at 97.8 radio, becoming one of the most recognizable media figures in the area. Mr. Robertson began his career at 97.8 in 1977 and was a beloved voice on the air.
Mark was a generous and philanthropic man who raised over $1 million for his annual Christmas Wish campaign, providing Christmas gifts for families dealing with cancer.
His passing is a loss to the Savannah community, and his memory will never be forgotten.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the legacy of Demetria Blount, who passed away on April 30 in a tragic accident.
From 2000 to 2004, she proudly served her country in the Marine Corps during Operation Iraqi Freedom, demonstrating her courage and unwavering commitment to the U.S. and to those around her.
Demetria was a small business owner and licensed massage therapist, a testament to her care for others in all aspects of her life.
In 2023, she faced significant health challenges yet still completed a 5K walk. She was a resilient woman with a fighting spirit.
I am praying for her friends and family as they carry her legacy of love and strength.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the University of Georgia Mock Trial team, which, for the first time, placed first at the American Mock Trial Association competition.
Overcoming many difficulties, including financial obstacles, these brilliant minds embodied the best of the Bulldog spirit.
No one wanted it more than these students. They organized and funded their team entirely on their own.
These are the valuable lessons learned from faculty and friends at the University of Georgia, a place I was fortunate to attend. If you put in the work, trust that success will follow.
Stories like these give me the utmost faith in our younger generations as we entrust them with the responsibility of carrying our communities and country into the future.
Congratulations to the University of Georgia Mock Trial team on their tremendous success, and go Dawgs.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Adams Drugstore in Cordele, Georgia, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
As a pharmacist myself, I am very proud to recognize this thriving small business. Adams Drugstore is a full-service pharmacy that has proudly served the Cordele and Crisp County community for decades and plans to continue to do so for many more.
With thousands of satisfied patients, their motto, Experience the Difference, truly embodies the service they provide to the community.
Local pharmacies like Adams Drugstore are the cornerstone of their communities, providing not just medications but also trusted care, personal relationships, and essential access to healthcare for families in rural areas like so many in Georgia.
Congratulations to Adams Drugstore for this momentous accomplishment. Cordele, Georgia, is truly blessed to have such a dedicated small business serving its pharmaceutical needs.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing.
Their master's degree program has now been ranked number one in the Nation for 4 straight years by the U.S. News & World Report ranking.
Emory's bachelor and doctoral programs have also earned second in the Nation, having maintained a top 10 placement over the last several years across a ranking of over 200 schools.
The Woodruff School of Nursing maintains a large research program, collaborating with several Atlanta area hospitals to further this effort.
The quality of Emory's nursing programs prepares students for outstanding service to our community, and we are all proud of their momentous accomplishment.
Through their work, they helped Georgians across the State each day, and we are very thankful for that.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory and the legacy of William Ligon III. Will tragically passed on May 3 after a life full of compassion and service to others.
I had the pleasure of serving in the Georgia State Senate with his father, William Ligon. His father was and continues to be a dedicated public servant, showing his passion for serving others every day, and I am confident that Will embodied that very same spirit.
Will recently graduated from Georgia Southern University with a bachelor of
Will was a bright young man with a kind heart, a strong faith, and a deep love for his family, his friends, and the outdoors.
He had his whole life ahead of him, and his impact on those around him was already so clear.
We are praying for his wife, Sawyer; his parents, Kim and William; his grandparents; and the entire Ligon family during this incredibly difficult time.
May God surround them with His peace, His comfort, and His strength in the days ahead.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Savannah Country Day School faculty, staff, and parents' association. These individuals have put in countless hours, and in some cases decades, of service to their school and community, supporting students and giving them opportunities to learn and grow.
Teachers and staff retiring this year have been a steady presence in students' lives, making Savannah Country Day School feel like home.
I admire these educators for their service to their students, their school, and their community, and I thank them.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Port of Brunswick for their second year in a row as the busiest automotive port in the country.
In 2025, the port transported 779,000 vehicles, which was 50,000 more than the Port of Baltimore, in second place.
The long-term growth of this port has been driven by development from the Georgia Ports Authority, a large contributor to southeast Georgia's economy.
With the opening of its fourth berth in November 2027, the Port of Brunswick's first place spot will be cemented throughout the country and become a global hub for roll-on/roll-off shipping.
I congratulate the Port of Brunswick on this achievement and look forward to their future success.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Georgia baseball icon Bobby Cox.
For generations of Braves fans across Georgia and the Nation, Bobby Cox was more than a Hall of Fame manager. He was the heart of an era that defined Atlanta baseball.
Over a legendary career, Bobby led the Braves to 14 consecutive divisional titles, 5 National League pennants, and a World Series championship in 1995. His 2,504 career wins rank among the greatest in Major League Baseball history.
Beyond the wins and championships, Bobby Cox was respected for the way he led with toughness, loyalty, humility, and an unwavering belief in his players.
He helped build one of the greatest dynasties baseball has ever seen and inspired countless players, coaches, and fans along the way. In Georgia, Bobby Cox was family.
As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate an extraordinary life and legacy that will forever be woven into the story of the Atlanta Braves and our great State.
We are praying for his wife, Pam, and his children, grandchildren, friends, former players, and all who loved him.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mack Jackson, who announced his retirement from the Georgia House of Representatives after 18 years of service.
Representative Jackson was first inspired to serve others by John F. Kennedy's famous words: ``Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.''
To do this, Representative Jackson has served on eight legislative committees, always prioritizing the needs of rural communities. On the Health Committee, he worked to eradicate healthcare deserts in rural communities by incentivizing students to work in them. As chair of the Rural Development Committee, he passed legislation to bring the same economic development prosperity that metro areas enjoy to rural communities.
Representative Jackson is also involved with the Georgia Justice Project where he works to give people opportunities for a second chance. I thank Representative Jackson for his service and wish him the best in this next chapter of his life.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and to congratulate Dr. Joshua Howard on his retirement after decades of dedicated service to the people of southeast Georgia.
As principal of Charlton County High School, CTAE director, adjunct professor at Valdosta State University, and mentor to countless students and educators, he has helped shape generations of young Georgians.
Before his years in education, he also served as a forestry aide and wildlife firefighter with the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, demonstrating early on his commitment to protecting one of our Nation's greatest natural treasures.
Today, Dr. Howard continues that mission as president of the Friends of the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge, where he has been a strong advocate for conservation, education, and the preservation of the Okefenokee Swamp for future generations.
On behalf of Georgia's First Congressional District, I thank Dr. Joshua Howard for his remarkable service and wish him, his family, and all those who have worked alongside him the very best in this next chapter.
May God bless him, and may God continue to bless the great State of Georgia.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to thank Brian Patterson who was recently honored with the Carnegie Medal of Heroism for his courageous acts in a 2022 car crash.
Brian is a retired soldier and LifeStar mechanic. On July 8, 2022, while driving down the highway in Midway, Georgia, Brian saw something that would change his life. A car carrying Christina Tschantz and her 11-year-old daughter Alexa collided with a dump truck and struck its fuel tank.
Mr. Patterson quickly pulled both Christina and Alexa safely out of the wreckage. Because of his courageous action, lives were saved that very day.
Mr. Patterson is one of only 18 people in the U.S. and Canada to receive the Carnegie Medal for Heroism in 2026. I thank Brian for his lifesaving action.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mark Adamchik, who announced that he will retire from the position of FLETC Assistant Director for The National Capital Region Training Operations Directorate on May 31.
Mark Adamchik has faithfully served in Federal law enforcement for over 26 years. He oversees coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, Congress, and law enforcement partners, while leading FLETC's training operations in Cheltenham, Maryland, and the international training division.
Before joining FLETC, Mark Adamchik was deputy chief of the United States Park Police field operations division, where he directed law enforcement operations for major national events, including Presidential inaugurations, Independence Day celebrations, and more.
Throughout his USPP career, Mark Adamchik held numerous leadership positions, including SWAT team member, Homeland Security division commander, operations commander for The National Mall, and commander of special forces, icon protection, and workforce development.
Madam Speaker, I thank Mark Adamchik for his service and wish him the best in the next chapter of his life.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate members of the Georgia Army National Guard who recently were honored at the 2026 State Best Warrior Competition.
The week-long competition took place at the Cumming Readiness Center in Cumming, Georgia; Catoosa Volunteer Training Site in Ringgold, Georgia; and Clark Range Complex, Anniston, Alabama.
U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Sean Hayes, representing the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, was named Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and U.S. Army Specialist Mitchell Oneal representing the Macon-based 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team earned the title of Soldier of the Year.
These prestigious honors come from many long hours of training and dedication to keeping our Nation safe.
It is my honor to congratulate these remarkable National Guardsmen.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Islands High School boys' soccer team.
The Islands boys' soccer team won the State championship game on Tuesday night. The team ended the first half with 4 points and claimed the championship title by ending the game 6-0, giving them an amazing season of 22-2 overall.
No team scored a goal during the Sharks entire postseason. The Sharks made school history by claiming the Islands' first State championship in any sport. They are also the first Savannah public school to win a boys' soccer State championship. An accomplishment like this deserves recognition from their community and their classmates.
The boys should be proud of their victory and remember the hard work and determination that made it possible.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and the heroic sacrifice of Anderson ``Chase'' Childers.
Chase, a former Baltimore Orioles baseball player, police officer, and a devoted father, gave his life saving others.
Chase acted with extraordinary courage to save a family of five swimmers who were caught in a rip current off a South Carolina beach. He risked his life for strangers, selflessly putting their safety above his own.
Tragically, Chase was caught in the current and did not survive. Cobb County Police Department said that this embodied the same bravery and commitment he showed every day as an officer.
While Chase is mourned by his entire community, the weight of Chase's death is felt most heavily by his wife and three children, even those who never met Chase can be inspired by his life.
We should all honor Chase as the highest standard of heroism, courage, and sacrifice.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. David Sparks who unexpectedly passed away on May 9 at the age of 82.
Mr. Sparks served as the board chairman of Precision Health Holding and the past CEO of PCCA. He was a true visionary of the compounding pharmacy industry.
Dave quickly became a well-respected leader in the pharmacy industry who led a life of integrity, generosity, and a genuine passion for those around him.
His vision for his company allowed the organization to strengthen with a capable board staff deeply experienced executives. The growth of PCCA is a credit to Mr. Sparks' servant leadership.
My heart goes out to Dave's family and his loved ones as they grieve his passing.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Sarah Mitchell, a member of the Piedmont Hospital Home Help team who recently became a living kidney donor.
In early 2025, Sarah noticed a Facebook acquaintance in Georgia who needed a transplant. However, after many tests, she found out that she was not a match for this patient.
Last October, Ms. Mitchell decided to continue her journey as an organ donor when she underwent surgery and then donated her kidney to a California patient in need of a transplant.
Now, Sarah has returned to her daily life where she continues to advocate for organ transplant awareness as she hopes her story will inspire others to become donors.
Sarah embodies what it truly means to graciously serve others in a large capacity.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
